|

Keqiao district in Shaoxing, East China's Zhejiang province, approved and issued 13,701 certificates of origin to its foreign trade firms from January to November of last year, a year-on-year increase of 19.9 percent, according to data recently released by the Shaoxing commerce bureau.

These certificates of origin involved $502 million in exports, up 23 percent year-on-year.

With the RCEP, the world's largest regional trade pact, coming into effect on Jan 1 of last year, Shaoxing firms are keen to make use of it to reduce trade costs.

With RCEP certificates of origin, traders can enjoy tax breaks, thus lowering their costs and improving their competitive edge, and have their cargo cleared more quickly.

In addition, local Shaoxing authorities have allowed the self-printing of RCEP certificates of origin.

Local officials with the commerce bureau said that they will give more lectures on favorable policies under the RCEP and encourage more firms to take advantage of certificates of origin.

Keqiao district in Shaoxing launches the China-Europe freight train service. [Photo/Zhejiang Daily]