China extends cross-border e-commerce zones

The Chinese State Council has extended the existing pilot zones for e-commerce. This includes help for small and medium sized businesses.

The pilots have been running for several years, aiming at boosting online cross-border selling by Chinese retailers. Over 30 cities, provinces, autonomous regions and national frontier areas are now participating.

The zones will pilot technical standards, operational procedures, management models and digitalisation for business-to-business operations in the cross-border e-commerce industry, which is expected to find new ways to promote a healthy development of the industry.

The pilots deepen administration streamlining, exempt value added tax and consumption tax for retail and exported goods, and promote industrial upgrades, brand building and free trade, among others. The support in the pilot zones aims at simplifying procedures in logistics, warehousing and customs clearance to boost liberalization and facilitation for international trade.