China’s Government Developing Dedicated Crossborder e-Commerce Customs System

Takehome:

• Officials from the General Administration of Customs have clarified that the current available data on imports and exports of products traded through cross boarder E-commerce is included in the general import/export customs statistics.
• GAC is currently formulating a new tax policy to cover retail and import through cross boarder E-commerce.

Recently, the State Council published guidance on promoting the healthy and rapid development of cross-border E-commerce. Customs authorities are cooperating with the Ministry of Finance and other relevant ministries to make a new tax policy to cover retail and import of commodities through cross boarder E-commerce under the principle of promoting domestic consumption, improving market competition, promoting development within the industry and strengthening tax administration of imports and exports.

Nowadays, customs regulates cross boarder e-commerce 365 days a year. Once the goods reach destination ports or clearance holding areas, customs formalities are finalized within 24 hours. The 20 customs bureaus responsible for supervision of cross boarder e-commerce are establishing a system to cooperate, align customs formalities and set both general work plans and emergency plans to make sure e-commerce has a dedicated and highly efficient customs system.