General

With the official implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), China and Japan, two major trading countries, established a free trade agreement relationship for the first time, and the effect of bilateral trade promotion has emerged rapidly. Judging from the export destination countries of RCEP certificates issued by China's trade promotion system, Japan ranked first for 6 consecutive months in the first half of the year, and the monthly visa amount accounted for more than 90%. .

Not only that, the "China-Japan RCEP Express Line" set sail in June this year, filling the shipping gap between cities in northern China and Japan, and also opened the prelude to the joint construction of the RCEP China-Japan high-end logistics center. The entry into force of RCEP has brought a rare opportunity for China-Japan economic and trade cooperation, and enterprises of the two countries have also ushered in more development opportunities.

The release of dividends helps enterprises to make export profits

Jiangsu Huihong International Group Zhongjin Holding Co., Ltd. has been engaged in trade with Japan since its establishment, mainly exporting products such as home textiles and clothing.

"In the context of the global spread of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, the world's economic and trade environment is more severe, and the implementation of RCEP has brought us hope." Dong Xu, general manager of the company, told a reporter from the International Business Daily, "Through the design of the customs benefit plan, We learned that the company can enjoy a tariff reduction of 0.2~1.1 percentage points for products exported to Japan in the first year of RCEP. Japanese customers have also captured the benefits of maximizing the use of preferential tariff policies for Chinese export products to enter Japan, and meeting customer needs will also be beneficial. It has contributed to the increase in our utilization rate.”

Since RCEP came into effect, up to now, the company has handled 207 certificates of origin, and the export value has reached more than 6 million US dollars.

Currently, Japan is the third largest export market for China's textile and apparel industry. "In the past, most of the products exported from China's textile and garment industry to Japan were generally faced with tariffs of 4.7% to 10.9%. After RCEP came into effect, our tariffs on cotton, silk, synthetic fiber products and other clothing products mainly exported to Japan will be increased year by year. The proportion will be reduced, and zero tariff will be achieved in the 16th year.” In the view of Dong Xu, who has been engaged in export business to Japan for nearly 30 years, tariff reduction is the most anticipated policy dividend, and it has a positive effect on the stable development of bilateral trade cooperation between China and Japan. significance.

"At the same time, the implementation of the RCEP rules of origin accumulation is also an important bonus, which is beneficial for enterprises to reduce production costs through the rules of origin, thereby expanding exports to Japan." Dong Xu said, for example, in the textile and apparel export business, High Hope Group Invested in the construction of knitted garment manufacturing factories in ASEAN countries, but before, it was necessary to invest in factories that produce knitted fabrics to enjoy Japan's tariff-free treatment. With the gradual implementation of RCEP, fabrics imported from China, processed into garments in ASEAN and then exported to Japan, can also enjoy duty-free treatment.

Ni Yueju, a researcher at the Institute of World Economics and Politics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said in an interview with a reporter from the International Business Daily that in the first half of the year, Chinese export enterprises applied for RCEP certificates of origin and issued 266,000 copies of declarations of origin, and they could enjoy tariff reductions from importing countries. 710 million yuan, of which about 90% of the certificates are exported to Japan. It can be seen that the dividend of the RCEP policy has greatly promoted China's exports to Japan.

Complement the chain and strengthen the chain to achieve mutual benefit and win-win

Looking forward to the second half of the year, Ni Yueju predicts that the growth rate of China's exports to Japan will remain prosperous. On the one hand, due to the long period of Japan's tariff concessions on China's textiles, clothing, shoes and hats and other light industrial products, the dividends of RCEP tariff preferences will continue to be released. On the other hand, in June this year, the "Qingdao-Osaka" China-Japan Maritime "Golden Channel" set sail, which is a fast maritime logistics channel between northern Chinese cities and Japan. The "China-Japan RCEP Express" only takes 36 hours It is possible to arrive at Osaka Nangang from Qingdao Dagang, and the goods arriving at the port will be "cleared upon landing", which provides a new path for the trade linkage between China and Japan, making the logistics cost lower and faster between China and Japan. In addition, in the second half of the year, China's continued increase in the policy of stabilizing foreign trade will help China's exports to Japan remain resilient.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan. Ni Yueju said that Japan, as the leader of the Asian production network, has always been regarded as the leading goose in the Asian geese. As a typical representative of emerging economies, China has rapidly integrated into the Asian production network after the 1990s. A China-centered manufacturing production network and market network in Asia have gradually formed, and China's position in the Asian value chain is also being followed by gradually transformed into a dominant player.

"The entry into force of RCEP has brought a rare opportunity for China-Japan value chain cooperation, and China-Japan economic and trade cooperation has ushered in more development opportunities. China and Japan should make full use of the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan to give full play to the opportunity of the two countries. The leading role in the reconstruction of the Asian value chain, accelerate the construction of a new model of the Asian value chain with China and Japan as the 'double leading geese', enhance the resilience and stickiness of the Asian value chain, and contribute to the stable growth of the regional economy and even the global economy." Ni Yueju said.

For enterprises, Dong Xu believes that it is necessary to find ways to thoroughly understand policies, make good use of rules, and actively use RCEP's preferential tariff measures and trade facilitation measures to optimize and adjust the layout of the industrial chain and accelerate the pace of development. Import enterprises should make full use of the RCEP agreement tax rate to enjoy tariff concessions, minimize import costs, and enhance their advantages in the domestic and international dual circulation; export enterprises should plan their layout as soon as possible, and gradually increase their price competition in the international market in the next few years. It can reduce the export cost of enterprises, speed up the expansion of the market, make good use of the rules of origin accumulation, and realize the link and upgrade of production capacity between itself and countries in the region.

It is worth mentioning that the exporter recognized and approved by the customs can issue the certificate of origin for the goods by itself. As a certificate of preference in the importing member country, its effect is equivalent to the certificate of origin, which helps to reduce trade costs and improve customs clearance. Efficiency, and facilitate the production and shipment arrangements of enterprises.

"At present, the company has started to apply for customs AEO advanced certification, hoping to enjoy more convenient measures to further enhance the company's international competitiveness in the RCEP area." Dong Xu said.