Nuggets ASEAN weapon: zero tariff + e-commerce + RMB settlement

On January 1, 2010, with the establishment of the "China-ASEAN 10+1 Free Trade Zone", the "New Matai 7 Day Tour" was closer to the people, and Thailand's fragrant rice and dragon fruit were a few cents cheaper... This change is so small that some people do not even feel it.

For others, production and life will undergo earth-shaking changes. Since the beginning of New Year's Day this year, 93% of the products imported by China from ASEAN will have “zero tariffs” (this means that customs that are set by the government will not levy tariffs on importers and exporters when they pass through customs). The ASEAN average tariff will be reduced to 0.1%; similarly, ASEAN will impose zero tariffs on more than 90% of China's products. Undoubtedly, foreign trade SMEs that are deeply affected by the financial crisis have ushered in the "new blue ocean."

In 2010, Ye Jun, the sales director of Zhoushan Risheng Christmas Toys and Gifts Factory, received a new year gift—the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area was completed on schedule. He told reporters that their factory is a toy company engaged in the Christmas series of products. In the past 2008 and 2009, they suffered a sharp decline in orders in Europe and the United States, and the export was seriously impeded. And ASEAN is an emerging market that has been newly opened up by its factories in recent years. Now it is second only to the European and American markets. With the implementation of the “zero tariff” preferential policy, the annual exports of their products to ASEAN can be reduced by more than 10%. Taxes and import tariffs of twenty to thirty percent.

Ye Jun also optimistically told reporters that in the case that the old European and American markets have not been fully restored due to the impact of the international financial crisis, from 2010 onwards, their company will further utilize the business e-commerce platform such as "toocle.com" and other foreign trade e-commerce platforms. We have vigorously explored emerging markets in ASEAN, and we have taken both internal and external measures to overcome this last difficult challenge.

With 11 countries and 1.9 billion people participating, nearly 6 trillion U.S. dollars of GDP and 4.5 trillion U.S. dollars worth of trade, it is the third largest free trade zone in the world, the most populous free trade zone, and also the developing country. The largest free trade zone. The establishment of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area will have a far-reaching impact. According to statistics, as of the end of 2008, the trade volume between China and ASEAN reached US$231.07 billion, with an average annual growth rate of 21.6%.

“Business can be settled in RMB, which will make us more secure.” Hangzhou Portia Clothing Company is a professional clothing processing company. The European and American markets have always been its key markets. In the past year, the company used Chinese clothing networks. The foreign trade member service of the international station (efu.com.cn), the clothing processing business from the ASEAN market has increased rapidly, and the order signed in 2010 last year has exceeded RMB 30 million. Different from the European and American markets, the exchange rate of the ASEAN region is stable. Some countries like Vietnam can also directly use the RMB to settle their bills, which effectively reduces exchange rate risk and improves corporate profitability.

Xu Ningning, the Chinese Permanent Secretary General of the China-ASEAN Business Council, stated that the completion of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area will become an opportunity to further promote the regionalization of the RMB. The free flow of commodities will inevitably require the free flow of money. This will give the The use of a wider range offers possibilities. He suggested that China start from ASEAN countries and gradually establish a credit and settlement mechanism for RMB, and gradually promote RMB to the world.

In response, Zhang Zhouping, an assistant researcher of the China Electronic Commerce Research Center who has long paid attention to small and medium-sized enterprises, also expressed optimism. He pointed out that 2010 is the last year of China's “Eleventh Five-Year Plan” and is also a key year for consolidating the momentum of economic recovery. Zhang Zhouping also pointed out that this year, the Ministry of Commerce will continue to focus on the two major priorities of consumption and external demand, consolidate the momentum of economic recovery, and strengthen the status of major trading nations by optimizing the structure of the main bodies, commodities, markets, and trade of foreign trade; Leasing foreign famous brands, acquiring foreign companies and channels, advanced e-commerce and marketing networks, and other experiences and practices, actively explored independent marketing channels, while consolidating traditional markets, it also increased its efforts to develop emerging markets such as ASEAN, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.