China News Service, November 6 According to the website of the Ministry of Commerce, on November 2, the ASEAN Secretariat, the depositary of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP), issued a notice announcing Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, Six ASEAN member states including Vietnam and 4 non-ASEAN member states including China, Japan, New Zealand and Australia have formally submitted the approval letter to the ASEAN Secretary-General, reaching the threshold for the agreement to enter into force.
According to the agreement, RCEP will take effect for the ten countries mentioned above on January 1, 2022.
To this end, the person in charge of the International Department of the Ministry of Commerce introduced the relevant situation of RCEP's coming into effect.
——China is ready to implement RCEP
The person in charge stated that China attaches great importance to the preparations for entry into force. It deposited the Chinese approval letter with the ASEAN Secretary-General on April 15 this year. The relevant preparations were basically completed within half a year after the agreement was signed. Ensure that the obligations are fully fulfilled when the agreement enters into force.
First, in terms of preparations for the implementation of tariff concessions, China completed the conversion of the tariff concession schedule in the first half of the year and submitted it to the ASEAN Secretariat.
At present, the tax reduction implementation plan has entered the final stage of the domestic approval process, which can ensure that the tax reduction obligation can be fulfilled when the agreement takes effect.
Second, in terms of preparations for the implementation of the rules of origin, the General Administration of Customs has formulated the RCEP origin management measures and approved exporters management measures in the first half of the year, which will be announced and implemented simultaneously with the effective time of the agreement.
In response to RCEP origin management requirements, the upgrade of the information system has been completed.
At the same time, it will maintain close communication with the customs of other member states to ensure the full implementation of the agreement's rules of origin.
Third, preparations for the performance of the binding obligations of the agreement have been completed.
The Ministry of Commerce, in conjunction with relevant departments, carefully sorted out the 701 binding obligations involved in the agreement, including simplification of customs procedures, product standards, service trade opening measures, investment negative list commitments, e-commerce, comprehensive intellectual property protection commitments, and administrative measures and procedures Broad areas such as compliance.
At present, all departments involved in Article 701 obligations are ready to perform the contract.
Fourth, publicity and training for localities and enterprises have been actively carried out.
The Ministry of Commerce has organized 3 national RCEP special trainings, covering all prefecture-level cities, pilot free trade zones and national economic development zones. The number of participants in the training exceeded 66,000, and more than 70% were business representatives.
Relevant materials have been published on the service website of China Free Trade Zone.
Various localities, customs, and industry associations also carry out training activities in this system. According to incomplete statistics, there are more than 600 trainings of various types, with more than 100,000 participants.
Fifth, establish a service platform for the implementation of the free trade zone.
The Ministry of Commerce released RCEP and other free trade agreement texts and related policies and measures through the China Free Trade Zone Service Network to strengthen the service function for enterprises, and facilitate enterprises to understand and inquire about tariff preferences, origin operations, service investment liberalization, intellectual property rights and other rules. The relevant departments of the companies that encounter problems in RCEP and other cooperation provide regular consultation and answers.
——The entry into force of RCEP will effectively promote regional economic integration and promote economic recovery and growth after the epidemic
The person in charge pointed out that RCEP will significantly improve the level of regional economic integration in East Asia.
The official entry into force of RCEP is a major new development in East Asian regional economic integration. It will greatly optimize the overall business environment in the region, significantly reduce the institutional cost of enterprises using the free trade agreement, and further enhance the trade creation effect brought about by the free trade agreement.
RCEP will also increase economic and technical assistance to developing economies and the least developed economies to gradually bridge the development level differences among members, vigorously promote coordinated and balanced regional development, and promote the establishment of a new pattern of open regional economic integration.
RCEP will promote a substantial increase in intra-regional trade and investment and bring vigorous business opportunities.
After the agreement enters into force, more than 90% of the goods trade between approved members will eventually achieve zero tariffs, and the tax will be reduced to zero immediately and the tax will be reduced to zero within 10 years, which means that countries will exchange spot goods trade in a relatively short period of time. Commitment to liberalization.
With the implementation of rules of origin, customs procedures, inspection and quarantine, technical standards and other goods rules, tariff reduction and the abolition of non-tariff barriers will have a superimposed effect, significantly enhancing trade ties between members.
In the field of service trade, the level of openness of countries under the RCEP is significantly higher than their respective "10+1" agreements, covering many important fields such as finance, telecommunications, transportation, tourism, education, etc., and will be fully negative within 6 years after its entry into force List to further enhance the level of openness.
In the field of investment, each member made a high-quality commitment to non-service sector investment by adopting the negative list method, and no new restrictions should be added outside the list. At the same time, the level of investment protection has been strengthened, which is conducive to the mutual expansion of investment by companies from various countries in the region, and it is also conducive to Chinese companies. "go out".
RCEP will consolidate and promote the integration of regional industrial chains, supply chains and value chains.
The economic structures of RCEP members are highly complementary, and the capital, technology, and labor elements in the region are complete.
RCEP has further relaxed the market access of goods, services, investment and other fields among member states, unified the rules of origin, customs procedures, inspection and quarantine, technical standards, etc., and established high-level intellectual property rights, e-commerce, government procurement, competition and Trade remedies and other rules will create a stable, free, convenient, and interconnected high-quality business environment for companies from all over the world.
After the RCEP takes effect, it will promote the free flow of economic factors in the region, strengthen cooperation in the division of labor between members, promote the expansion and upgrade of the consumer market in the region, and achieve the further consolidation and development of the industrial chain, supply chain and value chain in the region.
RCEP will strongly boost the confidence of member states in economic growth after the epidemic.
The member states of RCEP jointly promote the agreement to enter into force as scheduled, and send strong signals against unilateralism and trade protectionism, support for free trade and safeguard the multilateral trading system, which will further boost the confidence and determination of the member states to work together to achieve economic recovery after the epidemic.
After the RCEP is fully implemented, it will drive nearly one-third of the world's economic volume to form a unified super-large-scale market. The space for development is extremely broad, and it will inject strong impetus into regional and even global economic growth.
——Do a good job of providing guidance and services to the local high-quality implementation of RCEP
The person in charge said that in order to guide localities, industries and enterprises to adapt to the more open environment and more adequate competition after the implementation of the agreement, to make good use of the RCEP rules and obtain tangible benefits, the Ministry of Commerce will work with relevant departments to promote the implementation of the agreement. Good the following guidance and service work:
In terms of making good use of RCEP’s market opening commitments and promoting high-quality development of trade and investment, encourage and support local governments to combine the tax reduction commitments and industrial characteristics of RCEP member states to promote the export of my country’s superior products, and actively expand advanced technologies, important equipment, and key components. Imported parts etc.
Strengthen the organization and implementation of rules of origin and the management of visa functions, implement an approved exporter system, guide enterprises to make full use of the facilitation measures for autonomous declarations of origin, and help import and export enterprises solve the problem of obstructed enjoyment.
At the same time, continue to improve the level of my country's service trade opening up and investment liberalization and facilitation.
In terms of promoting the upgrading of the manufacturing industry and strengthening the industry’s participation in RCEP competition, in-depth implementation of special projects to enhance the core competitiveness of the manufacturing industry and technological transformation, encourage enterprises to increase their efforts in key products and key core technologies, and accelerate the application of advanced and applicable technologies.
Give full play to the advantages of my country’s industry and market, and further promote the complementary and in-depth integration of industrial chains with member states in the RCEP area. At the same time, it will increase the adoption of applicable international standards and use standards to provide a powerful force for Chinese manufacturing to "go global." support.
In terms of guiding local governments to improve their business environment and seizing RCEP opportunities based on their own advantages, they guide local governments to strictly implement domestic laws, regulations and rules that correspond to the mandatory obligations of the agreement.
Strengthen the service functions of local governments, conduct in-depth and detailed research on the advantages of local industries and market opportunities in RCEP countries, and guide enterprises to explore the markets of RCEP member countries.
Accelerate the development of new formats and models of foreign trade, and cultivate new momentum for foreign trade development.
At the same time, local governments are encouraged to carry out precise investment in the industrial chain, and strengthen service guarantees for foreign-funded enterprises.
In terms of continuing to provide supporting services for enterprises, establish and improve the public service platform for the implementation of free trade agreements, strengthen the service function of the China Free Trade Zone service network for enterprises, and encourage local governments to develop public service platforms.
Give full play to the support and services provided by the Chinese foreign business organizations in the RCEP area to local Chinese-funded enterprises to make good use of the agreement.
At the same time, give full play to the role of major exhibition platform service companies such as China International Import Expo, China Import and Export Commodities Fair, China International Trade in Services Fair, China International Investment and Trade Fair, China-ASEAN Expo and other major exhibition platform service companies to expand trade and investment to RCEP countries Promote and popularize to better promote two-way trade, investment and technological exchanges with RCEP countries.
The person in charge pointed out that in the next step, the Ministry of Commerce will work with relevant departments to issue the "Guiding Opinions on the High-Quality Implementation of RCEP" in due course on the above-mentioned work, so as to provide various localities and industries with opportunities to seize the agreement and achieve better development. Guidance and service.
——The other signatories of the agreement will also take effect as soon as possible to implement the RCEP agreement
It is understood that the signatories of the relevant agreements are currently accelerating the domestic approval procedures, and they all indicated that they will complete the approval as soon as possible.
According to the relevant provisions of RCEP, the agreement will take effect for these countries on the 60th day after the approval procedures are completed, the approval letter is submitted, and the approval letter is formally accepted by the ASEAN Secretary-General.
The person in charge stated that China expects RCEP to enter into force for the aforementioned signatories as soon as possible, so that the agreement will be fully implemented in the region as soon as possible, and fully release the agreement's potential to promote regional recovery after the epidemic, consolidate the supply chain of the industrial chain, and promote economic development.