E-Commerce in China
E-commerce in China: A Guide for Australian Business
Business Update November 2017
Cross border e-commerce (CBEC) is a special import channel which allows
products to be sold directly online to consumers (B2C). The channel has
temporary exemptions for tariffs and other regulatory requirements which
apply to conventional international trade (B2B).
The channel was established by a series of pilot policy announcements by
the General Administration of Customs in 2014.
On 8 April 2016, the policy was revised and extended by the Ministry of
Finance (and other agencies) until the end of 2017.
A new round of policy extensions til the end of 2018 was announced at the
State Council Executive Meeting
chaired by Premier Li Keqiang on 20 September 2017.
China’s major established e-commerce marketplaces—such as Tmall, JD.com,
VIP.com, Kaola.com and Suning.com—operate dedicated portals selling popular
CBEC merchandise, such as fashion, health food, skincare, cosmetics and
baby and maternity products.
Chinese online shoppers use CBEC to access a wider choice of international
products at a lower prices compared to traditional retail.
According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, CBEC in China reached 6.5
trillion yuan (A$1.3 trillion) in 2016, accounting for 20 per cent of
China’s foreign trade.
There are no official trade statistics on the volume of Australian products
sold to China through this channel. The recent Single’s Day promotion on
Alibaba platforms, generated A$33.6 billion in sales volume during a 24
hour period making Australia the 3rd most popular source of products behind
Japan and the US.
CBEC is not the only means to sell imported products online in China. All
products imported via B2B conventional trade through the
China Australia Free Trade Agreement
can also be sold online—as well as in traditional retail outlets.
Austrade estimates the offline market for food and beverage accounts for
approximately 80 per cent market share, and is the most suitable channel
for most bulk, fresh and frozen shipments to China.
How does CBEC work?
Bonded warehouse mode
Products on two lists of 1,293 HS codes can be imported into one of 15
approved CBEC bonded warehouse zones across China or shipped from an
overseas distribution centre linked to Chinese customs. These ‘positive
lists’ include packaged foods, UHT milk, infant formula and wine. Goods can
be imported in bulk through this channel and packed locally for final
delivery.
- CBEC positive list one (released 8 April 2016):
Chinese
(Source: Ministry of Finance (official))
- CBEC positive list two (released 15 April 2016):
Chinese
(Source: Ministry of Finance (official))
A flat tax of 11.9 per cent is applied to the final online retail price at
the time of purchase (calculated as a 30 per cent discount on VAT). A
discounted rate of consumption tax also applies to:
-
luxury goods (14 per cent)
-
cosmetics (14 per cent)
-
wine (21 per cent)
Individual consumers are permitted to buy up to RMB2,000 worth of such
goods per order, up to a limit of RMB20,000 per year.
Until the end of a grace period on 31 December 2018, products on these lists
will generally not be required to comply with China’s product standards and
import regulations. Products
must be legally sold in Australia.
Postal and courier mode
Products can also be shipped directly from overseas merchants (B2C) and
individuals (C2C) to China via the postal and courier system. This
including products not on the bonded warehouse positive lists.
Similar to the bonded warehouse model, these products are generally exempt
from the requirement to be pre-registered with Chinese authorities. No
announcement has been made by Chinese authorities how long this exemption
will apply.
Products entering China via this method are subject to the following
personal postal tax rates announced on 8 April 2016:
- Food, beverage, healthcare, toys, furniture: 15 per cent
- Sporting equipment (except for golf and accessories), fishing equipment,
shoes, clothing: 30 per cent
-
Wine, jewelry, golf equipment and accessories, watches and cosmetics: 60 per cent
Advice for exporters
While cross-border e-commerce remains an attractive channel to promote,
market and sell products to Chinese buyers, Australian exporters are
advised to register their products with Chinese authorities as early as
possible before the end of the regulatory grace period on 31 December 2018.
An overview of common regulations is contained on page 40 of the Austrade
publication e-Commerce in China: A Guide for Australian Business.
This guide can be downloaded by filling in the form below.
Individual consumer products that are compliant with the relevant national
safety and quality (guobiao) standards and import quarantine protocols, can
be registered online with the China Import and Export Inspection and Quarantine Bureau.
While many packaged food products sold in Australia will already be
compliant with China’s relevant food standards (and can be registered with
minimal cost), these measures are independent of Australia’s domestic
system and are not a part of the
China Australia Free Trade Agreement. Special rules apply to fresh produce, health food, cosmetics and infant
formula.
The exact regulatory requirements differ according to each product, and
exporters are strongly encouraged to seek professional advice from an
import agent, a logistics company, law firm or regulatory affairs advisory.
Further reading
The E-commerce in China: A Guide for Australian Business offers practical advice, facts and insights on how China’s e-commerce marketplaces work and how to access them.
If you would like to download a copy of the guide, please fill out the form below. This publication is intended for use by Australian businesses and a valid ABN is required to download the guide.