China Introduces Five Measures to Support Cross-border E-commerce
July 7, 2015 -- The General Office of China's State Council has issued the Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Healthy and Rapid Development of Cross-border E-commerce, setting out guidelines to accelerate the development of cross-border e-commerce in a new situation.
The guidelines pointed out that a sizeable industry cluster and certain scale of transaction have taken shape with the rapid development of cross-border e-commerce in China in recent years. Providing support for cross-border e-commerce development will help bring about quality imports and quality exports by way of "Internet + foreign trade" to give full play to the advantage of China as a manufacturing powerhouse and expand overseas marketing channels. It will be conducive to increasing employment, promoting mass entrepreneurship and innovation as well as generating new driving forces for economic growth. It will also help speed up the implementation of the national strategy of "One Belt, One Road" to promote the upgrading and development of an open economy. In order to address the issues hindering the growth of cross-border e-commerce, efforts are needed to accelerate the establishment of a policy system and regulatory system that can facilitate and foster an environment conducive for the healthy and rapid development of cross-border e-commerce.
The five supporting measures are:
First, optimizing customs supervision measures. Management of cross-border e-commerce entry-exit goods and articles will be further improved and cross-border e-commerce import and export customs clearance processes will be optimized.
Second, improving the inspection and quarantine supervision policy measures. Centralized declaration, inspection and release of cross-border e-commerce import and export goods as well as filing management system for cross-border e-commerce operators and goods will be implemented.
Third, clarifying the applicable import and export tax policies. Cross-border e-commerce import-for-retail tax policy will be formulated in accordance with the principles of fair competition, promoting growth, and strengthening of import tax administration.
Fourth, improving the management of e-commerce payment and settlement, and launching a pilot scheme for cross-border foreign exchange payment services by payment companies.
Fifth, providing fiscal support in the form of funding for the key "going global" projects of cross-border e-commerce companies, as well as credit insurance services for cross-border e-commerce.