Actively open the market, actively expand imports, and vigorously promote trade facilitation——
China's foreign trade benefits the global economy (opening up and moving forward)
The global new crown pneumonia epidemic has impacted international trade. In the face of difficulties, my country insists on improving the business environment at ports, vigorously promoting trade facilitation, actively opening up the market, actively expanding imports, continuously fostering new advantages in foreign trade development, and stabilizing the basic foreign trade. The stable development of China's foreign trade not only benefits the Chinese economy and the Chinese people, but also promotes the common development of all trading partners, and benefits the global economy and the people of all countries in the world.
Actively open the market
Actively expand imports
On July 27, the third China International Import Expo entered the 100-day countdown to the opening. Enterprises from various countries actively signed up for the exhibition, and many exhibition areas were "hard to find".
The relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Commerce stated that the holding of the CIIE is an important measure for China to support trade liberalization and economic globalization, and to actively open its market to the world. From "selling the world" for foreign exchange earned through exports, to "buying the world" for expanding imports today, my country has taken the initiative to open up the market to expand imports, promote the common development of all trading partners, and benefit the global economy and the people of all countries.
-Continuous reduction of tariffs to stimulate import potential.
Since January last year, my country has imposed temporary import tariff rates lower than the most-favoured-nation tariff rate on more than 700 commodities; since July 1, tariffs have been reduced on 298 information technology products. Since January 1 this year, import tariffs on more than 850 commodities have been reduced. The overall level of tariffs has been continuously reduced, which has facilitated the import of high-quality goods from all over the world, enriched the supply in the domestic market, created space for the reduction of commodity prices, and better met the needs of domestic production and life.
——Expand the import market and promote the formation of a diversified pattern.
In the first half of this year, my country’s imports and exports with countries along the “Belt and Road” were 4.2 trillion yuan. Although a decrease of 0.9% year-on-year, it was 2.3 percentage points lower than the overall decline in my country’s foreign trade; it accounted for 29.5%, an increase of 0.7 percentage points over the same period last year.
——Expand the categories of imported products and enrich consumer choices.
Adapting to the trend of consumption upgrading, my country has continuously expanded the categories of imported goods, improved the quality of imports, and provided people with more abundant consumption choices. In 2019, my country's consumer goods imports increased by nearly 20%, accounting for more than 10% of total imports, and imports exceeded 1.4 trillion yuan. In the first half of this year, my country's soybean and beef imports increased by 17.9% and 42.9% respectively.
"China insists on expanding imports, demonstrating China's responsibility to the world, and injecting Chinese dividends into the global economy." Gao Feng, spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce, said that as China further opens up, "Chinese imports" have become a new driving force for the development of the world economy. .
Improve the business environment
Promote trade facilitation
Not long ago, a batch of exported food from Shanghai Naicaer Casing Co., Ltd. needed to carry out a qualified inspection as soon as possible, otherwise it will affect the company's subsequent export business. Due to time constraints, Shanghai Customs has innovated the "online verification" model. The company transmits electronic data online through the customs information system to achieve "cloud inventory" and "cloud verification". The verification procedures were completed in just a few days and work resumed smoothly. Produce.
"Time is compressed, costs are reduced, trade is more convenient, and enterprises have a stronger sense of acquisition." said He Zhenjun, general manager of Nechar Company.
Import and export goods "advance declaration", cross-border goods "collective tax payment"... In recent years, my country has successively introduced several measures to optimize the business environment at ports and promote the facilitation of cross-border trade, and actively create a market-oriented, legalized, and internationalized The business environment promotes trade convenience. "The General Administration of Customs has worked closely with the Ministry of Commerce, the State Administration of Market Supervision and other departments to promote relevant policies and measures to take root and achieve good results." said Huang Guansheng, director of the National Port Administration Office.
Optimize the operation process-deepen the reform of the integration of national customs clearance. Enterprises can choose to declare at any customs in the country and clear at any port; promote a one-time joint inspection of customs, border inspection and maritime affairs; open a "green channel" for rapid customs clearance of agricultural and sideline products; construction The "single window" of international trade has achieved full coverage of ports across the country.
Reduce supervision documents-up to now, the supervision documents that need to be checked in the import and export process have been reduced from 86 to 44. Except for special circumstances such as 4 kinds of security and confidentiality requirements, the rest are all realized online verification and automatic comparison. Most Goods have all achieved "second release" during customs clearance.
Reduce logistics costs-further improve the charging list system, streamline port charging items, strengthen market guidance and industry standards, actively promote one-stop "sunshine prices", and carry out rectification of illegal charges in port links. According to data from the World Bank, by 2019, my country’s cross-border trade export compliance cost has dropped from US$568.7 per standard container in 2017 to US$330, a 42% decrease; the cost of import compliance has decreased from each standard in 2017 The USD 915.9 for the container dropped to USD 318, a decrease of 65.3%.
Improve the timeliness of customs clearance-in July this year, the overall customs clearance time for imports across the country was 38.5 hours, and the overall customs clearance time for exports was 2.2 hours, which was 60.4% and 82.2% lower than in 2017.
my country continues to optimize the business environment at ports, promote trade facilitation, and inject strong positive energy into the development of global foreign trade.
"The export share in the first 4 months increased by 0.1 percentage point year-on-year, which shows that while China's foreign trade is resisting pressure and competitiveness is continuously improving, it is also increasing its driving force for world economic development." said Ni Yuefeng, Director of the General Administration of Customs.
Speed up reform and innovation
Improve the quality of trade
"If we successfully apply for the pilot qualification of general VAT taxpayers, we can issue VAT invoices when purchasing raw materials or finished products from the domestic market to participate in the domestic VAT deduction. It is estimated that we can save 2 million yuan each year. "Guangzhou Zhuowei Caster Co., Ltd. Asia Pacific Financial Director Nian Zhipeng told reporters that the company recently applied to the Nansha Comprehensive Bonded Zone for a pilot VAT general taxpayer qualification, which will greatly reduce operating costs after approval.
A few days ago, the State Council approved the transformation and upgrading of Guangzhou Nansha Bonded Port Zone to Guangzhou Nansha Comprehensive Bonded Zone. As a comprehensive bonded zone located in the Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone, the Nansha Comprehensive Bonded Zone will further superimpose the advantages of the comprehensive bonded zone policy on the system innovation advantages of the pilot free trade zone, adding additional advantages to accelerate development.
"The construction of a free trade pilot zone and a comprehensive cross-border e-commerce pilot zone can promote the development of emerging trade formats and help expand imports, which will help consumers enjoy more and better foreign quality products at a faster speed and lower prices. And services to promote the quality and efficiency of foreign trade.” said Yang Changyong, deputy director of the Comprehensive Office of the Institute of Foreign Economic Research, China Academy of Macroeconomics.
In August last year, six new pilot free trade zones including Shandong and Jiangsu were unveiled. Since the establishment of the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone in September 2013, my country has established a total of 18 pilot free trade zones. This year, on the basis of 59 comprehensive cross-border e-commerce pilot zones, my country has established 46 new cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zones, bringing the total to 105. According to data from the General Administration of Customs, in the first half of the year, my country's cross-border e-commerce and market procurement trade exports increased by 28.7% and 33.4% respectively.
"With the widespread use of Internet technology, cross-border e-commerce, market procurement and other new foreign trade methods are booming, and foreign trade transformation and upgrading have new momentum." According to the relevant person in charge of Guangzhou Customs, Guangzhou Nansha Bonded Port Area cross-border E-commerce online shopping bonded imports were 10.97 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 49.8%.
"In the future, my country will actively promote reform and innovation in key areas and key links around the construction of pilot free trade zones and comprehensive bonded zones, promote the formation of a higher level of open economic development, and promote the high-quality development of foreign trade." Press spokesperson Li Kuiwen said.
Our reporter Du Haitao Luo Shanshan