Satisfy the new yearning for a better life with a higher level of openness (open talk)

　　From March 1 this year, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Commerce and other eight departments have jointly optimized and adjusted the "Cross-border E-commerce Retail Imported Commodities List Adjustment Form (2022 Edition)" officially implemented.

This is the fourth adjustment to the list since it was published in April 2016.

　　China's cross-border e-commerce retail imports adopt a "positive list" management model. Each adjustment increases the number of commodity tax items and enriches commodity categories, which has become a new trend to boost consumption upgrades, promote the rapid growth of cross-border e-commerce, and satisfy people's desire for beauty. An important policy starting point for new aspirations in life.

　　As the income level of domestic residents continues to increase, the trend of consumption upgrading is obvious, and consumers have higher and higher requirements for the brand and quality of products.

In the process of the recovery of the consumer market, the sales of high-quality goods representing consumption upgrades have taken the lead and become a new bright spot in consumption growth.

From January to February this year, the national retail sales of household appliances and audio-visual equipment, cultural office supplies, and gold, silver and jewelry increased by 12.7%, 11.1%, and 19.5%, respectively, significantly higher than the growth rate of retail sales in the same period.

　　In the context of high-level opening to the outside world, high-quality products with characteristics of various countries in the world have become an important direction for China's consumption upgrade.

Taking duty-free shops selling world-renowned brands as an example, according to statistics, in 2021, the duty-free sales of the 10 duty-free shops on outlying islands in Hainan will reach 50.49 billion yuan, an increase of 83% year-on-year; duty-free shopping is 9,676,600, a year-on-year increase of 73%; the number of duty-free purchases is 5,349.25 10,000 pieces, a year-on-year increase of 71%.

　　Cross-border e-commerce has become an important channel for consumers to purchase globally.

As of the end of December 2021, the number of Internet users in China reached 1.032 billion.

Online shopping is no longer reserved for young people, and the proportion of netizens over the age of 50 has risen to 28.1%.

At the same time, in the process of consumption upgrading of Chinese residents, imitation and wave consumption are gradually fading out, and personalization and diversification are gradually becoming mainstream. The decentralized and global characteristics of cross-border e-commerce can just meet the pursuit of consumers Personalized life needs.

Especially since the outbreak of the epidemic, cross-border e-commerce has taken advantage of online marketing, online transactions, contactless delivery and other advantages, and the transaction volume has shown a high growth trend.

　　The cross-border e-commerce retail import list is adapted to the new trend of consumption upgrading.

Each adjustment of the "List of Cross-border E-commerce Retail Imported Commodities" reflects the new trends and new characteristics of consumption upgrades.

Before 2016, imported milk powder, infant food, cosmetics, health products, and toilet seats were sought after by Chinese consumers, and the rush to buy Japanese toilet seats once became a hot topic. Among the 1,240 products, food and beverages, household appliances and some domestic hot-selling products such as cosmetics, children's toys, fresh food, and health care products are listed.

In 2017, China set off a fitness boom. In 2018, the number of tax items covered by the list was expanded to 1,321, adding to the fitness equipment and other products that were popular at the time.

As people pay more and more attention to the needs of nutrition, health and quality of life, the expanded list of tax items in 2019 has risen to 1,413, especially frozen aquatic products, alcohol, electrical appliances and other commodities.

Since the outbreak of the global new crown pneumonia in 2020, the characteristics of home consumption demand have become more prominent, and live video broadcasts have become increasingly popular. The list of tax items expanded this time has increased to 1,476, including video game consoles and their parts, tomato juice, dishwashers, available. Wig products for live video and image beautification, and sporting goods such as skiing gear, which were brought to the forefront by the Beijing Winter Olympics.

　　In fact, through high-level opening to the outside world, China has continuously satisfied the people's yearning for a better life, not only by adjusting the "List of Cross-border E-commerce Retail Imported Commodities", but also by expanding the cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot area 6 times. At present, there are as many as 132 cross-border e-commerce comprehensive test areas, starting from cities with better foundations in the east, and steadily advancing to key cities in the central and western regions. Cross-border e-commerce new channel for "global purchase".

　　(The author is the vice president and researcher of the Research Institute of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade)

　　Zhao Ping