A persistent trade war with the United States and its allies has hampered the import and export of tech in China. The United States has imposed several trade embargoes and sanctions on China over the years for various reasons, which have impacted the Chinese tech economy. And while imports and exports in China remain strictly regulated, requiring extensive compliance, the trade war with the USA has had far less of a toll on China’s economy than on the USA.
Although goods of American origin are still allowed into China, they can incur additional duty charges of approximately 10-25% depending on the HS code, making cost prediction extremely difficult for importers and exporters. Furthermore, China implements VAT with rates between 6% and 13%, depending on the product type.
Other challenges when shipping into China include unique compliance requirements, such as photographs and restrictions on the type of pallet used. A registered entity must import dual-use tech goods into China, as with most countries.
China Compulsory Certificate (CCC) is one of the many essential certificates required to import specific categorized devices into the region. For example, primary and secondary device allocation is part of this categorization process.
Currently, China has 23 free trade agreements (FTAs) in force with 26 countries and regional blocs. For example, it’s a member of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the largest FTA in the world, and covers 15 countries in Asia. These FTAs have helped to boost trade in China and have also helped to create jobs and improve the competitiveness of the Chinese economy. Additionally, China has two Special Administrative Regions(SARs) Hong Kong and Macau. Although these regions are part of China they have a high degree of autonomy with their own laws, currencies and immigration policies.
