Verifying the legitimacy of a Chinese shipping company can be challenging. They would need to have a Ministry of Communications non-vessel carrier qualification/registration to be operating legally. One way to check would be to ask for their registration documentation and try to confirm it with the Ministry of Communications, though that may not be easy.

The ideal situation is developing a long-term relationship built on trust, like I have done with my shipping company over many years. We have visited each other and understand their business capabilities in depth, while they understand our business needs.

If you find a freight forwarder on Alibaba, you could check if Alibaba offers any verification services that help establish their credibility. Building direct relationships and trust takes time but is worthwhile for reliable shipping partnerships.