May-Jul 2021 “Hong Kong Industrialist”

DEPUTY CHAIRMEN’S VIEWS 宏勢微觀 T he COVID-19 pandemic has expedited the transformation of retail industry towards e-commerce. Now is an era of golden opportunities where businesses can tap into foreign markets through cross-border e-commerce. In March 2021, the “Notice by the Guangzhou Municipal Commerce Bureau of Issuing the Several Measures for Fostering the Innovative Development of E-commerce through RCEP” was announced. The notice signifies the first RCEP- specific policy measures tailored to facilitate cross-border e-commerce activities operating in RCEP markets, supporting retailers from customs clearance, transportation to tax affairs and many other areas. Some of the outlined measures include, (1) streamlined B2B export process, through which cross-border e-commerce products of RCEP members could be cleared by the customs within 24 hours; (2) optimised tax rebate services where the process can be shortened to 5 working days, with paperless export tax refund claims being incepted; perishable goods can be cleared within 6 hours; and (3) supporting cross-border e-commerce merchants in setting up export-oriented warehouses, with financial assistances in business operations like cargo shipments and staff training. As the inter-connections between Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Macao are improving over time, Hong Kong manufacturers are suggested to keep an acute eye on the latest policies rolled out within the region. By leveraging the favourable policies, industries can gain a first-mover advantage for propelling in new markets and e-commerce. 在 新冠肺炎疫情下，零售業加速邁向電商時代，現今可說是企業藉跨境電商迅速打開國外市場的黃金時機。廣 州於今年三月下旬發布《廣州市把握RCEP機遇促進跨境電子商務創新發展的若干措施》，是全國首個面向 RCEP市場的跨境電商專項政策，在清關、運輸、稅務等支持企業在RCEP市場經營跨境電商業務。部份措施包括 (1) 簡化B2B出口，RCEP成員國的跨境電商貨物可於24小時內獲放行；(2) 優化退稅服務，退稅辦理時限壓縮至五個 工作日內，推行出口退稅申報無紙化，生鮮蔬果等易腐貨物更可在六小時內獲放行；及 (3) 支持跨境電商企業發展 出口海外倉，並提供貨運航線補助及員工培訓補貼等經營支援。 隨着粵港澳三地在規則及銜接上不斷完善，港資廠商宜多留意和善用此類灣區城市推出的利好政策，在開拓新 興市場、發展跨境電商上早著先機。 陳嘉賢 Karen Chan Guangzhou rolled out new measures for Cross-border E-commerce in RCEP Pact 廣州推跨境電商新措施　利開拓RCEP市場 RCEP 14 | 5-7/2021