RCEP dividend gradually released Fujian to promote foreign trade "opening red"

Fuzhou, 5 Feb (Xinhua) -- Although it is the Chinese Lunar New Year, Fujian's coastal foreign trade "does not close." On the morning of February 1, a batch of frozen surimi fish worth US$264,000 was obtained from Quanzhou Customs for a certificate of origin for export to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) issued by Quanzhou Customs. On the 4th, the first RCEP route ship Panamanian "Koryo Laurel" departed from the container terminal of Fuzhou Jiangyin Port to Busan, South Korea, transporting Chinese handicrafts, ceramics, household accessories, shoes, etc. to South Korea, becoming the "first ship" of the Year of the Tiger moored in Fuzhou after the RCEP came into effect.

Fujian's foreign trade station reached a new high point last year, and its annual export scale exceeded 1 trillion yuan for the first time. Zhong Muda, deputy director of the Department of Commerce of Fujian Province, pointed out that the department is actively promoting the "opening of the door" in the first quarter of foreign trade, and continues to guide enterprises to make good use of the RCEP and other signed free trade agreements to guide foreign trade enterprises to accurately explore the international market.

The spring festival of coastal goods is not "cold" reflects the gradual release of the RCEP dividend, injecting new momentum into Fujian's foreign trade. RCEP members are all important economic and trade partners of Fujian. In recent years, the scale of trade between Fujian and RCEP members has continued to expand, and emerging markets such as the "Belt and Road" have grown significantly. In 2021, Fujian's imports and exports to ASEAN increased by 32.5% year-on-year.

Professor Dai Yongwu of the School of Economics and Management of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University said in an interview with reporters that RCEP will promote Fujian to smooth the regional industrial chain and supply chain, better connect the domestic and international markets and two kinds of resources, and shape Fujian's new advantages in foreign economic and trade cooperation.

The RCEP came into force on January 1 this year for 10 countries– Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Japan, New Zealand and Australia. In just one month, Quanzhou Customs has issued RCEP certificates of origin for enterprises with a value of more than 14.4707 million US dollars, including agricultural products, textiles, resin products, umbrellas, footwear products, etc. At the same time, Quanzhou Customs urged Quanzhou Jiasheng Supply Chain Co., Ltd. to become the first approved exporter in Fujian Province after the implementation of the RCEP agreement, and issued its first declaration of origin.

The RCEP came into effect in South Korea on February 1. It is reported that after the RCEP came into effect for South Korea, the number of goods immediately reduced to zero tariffs in China and South Korea accounted for 38.6%, and the number of goods that were finally reduced to zero tariffs accounted for 86%. In addition, China and the Republic of Korea are both members of the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement, which came into effect as early as December 20, 2015. The entry into force of the RCEP for South Korea will bring more options for business export visas.

Mr. Li, a salesman of Shishi Zhengyuan Aquatic Science and Technology Development Co., Ltd., said that the application for the China-South Korea RCEP Certificate of Origin allows enterprises to fully enjoy tariff preferences, brings competitive advantages, and enterprises have more confidence in opening up the international market.

Seizing the opportunity of RCEP, Fujian's new measures are frequent: in January last year, Fujian introduced seven measures such as expanding two-way trade, implementing projects, and increasing accurate investment promotion; in June last year, Fujian once again proposed 28 action plans in ten aspects, such as expanding trade in goods, attracting investment and increasing efficiency, and expanding Fujian businessmen to go to sea. The 2022 government work report of Fujian Province makes it clear that it will seize the opportunity of the entry into force of the RCEP agreement, continue to introduce policies to support imports and exports, promote "buying the world, selling the world", and stabilize the good trend of foreign trade.

Dai Yongwu believes that under the major changes in the global epidemic and the decline of the world economy, the gradual release of the RCEP dividend will help Fujian to continuously enhance its new advantages in participating in international economic cooperation and competition, promote domestic and international double circulation, and accelerate the construction of a new development pattern. (End)

Source: China News Network