SHENZHEN enterprises have enjoyed a total of 30 billion yuan (US$4.64 billion) worth of reduction and exemption in import and export tariffs from Shenzhen Customs under the full implementation of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement since January 2010, sources from Shenzhen Customs said Friday. For a decade, China has been the largest trade partner of ASEAN countries. A total of 475.5 billion yuan worth of commodities benefited from the preferential certificates of origin between Shenzhen and ASEAN countries, Shenzhen Economic Daily reported. In 2020, 15 Asia-Pacific nations, representing nearly a third of the world’s gross domestic product, signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership via teleconference and ASEAN has historically become China’s largest trade partner. Trade between Shenzhen and ASEAN counties reached 474.6 billion yuan in 2020, an increase of 5.2 percent over 2019. ASEAN, the European Union and the United States remain the city’s major trading partners, Shenzhen Customs statistics showed. “Previously, the enterprises need to register onsite for the certificates of origin at customs, but now they can acquire the certificates when they register as an exporter and/or an importer,” Lin Hao, a manager with Shenzhen Boxin Imports and Exports Co., said. In 2020, TCL applied for 540 copies of certificates of origin that made it qualify for exemption and reduction of 42.17 million yuan in tariffs for its exported products to ASEAN countries. According to the tariff list of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, TCL enjoys 3 percent tariff cut for its LCD panels exported to Vietnam. The certificates of origin also help reduce costs of importers. Shenzhen Customs has introduced online application, intelligent verification and DIY printing services to improve efficiency and reduce cost for enterprises. In 2020, the applications of certificates of origin of China Star Optics Technology Co. Ltd. increased by 212 percent over the previous year. The commodities covered by the certificates of origin increased by 69 percent. (Han Ximin) | 