Argentina** recently reported that China's move to adjust import and export tariffs has greatly benefited Argentine dairy products, seafood, sweet corn and coriander seeds. The background to the report is that from January 1, 2024, China will implement provisional import tariffs below the MFN rate for 1,010 goods and zero tariffs on some products, including tariffs on 143 Argentine agricultural and industrial products.
Judging from the current international environment, China's decision to reduce tariffs is quite difficult. The overall level of tariffs is an important indicator of the degree of openness of a country. After China joined the World Organization, it continued to reduce tariffs and expand imports. In recent years, protectionism and unilateralism have intensified, and individual countries have generalized the concept of technology, engaged in technological blockade, raised barriers, and impacted the multilateral system, and the international environment has become more and more severe. In the face of many challenges, China continued to reduce tariffs and expand the level of market opening, and the overall tariff level increased from 15 in 20013% to 7. in 2023The 3% shows the firm stance of supporting the development of economic globalization, and also shows the strategic determination of a world power to firmly expand opening up to the outside world.
China's tariff cuts allow the international community to better share the opportunities in the Chinese market. Commodities from various countries have accelerated their entry into the Chinese market and into the homes of ordinary people.
Taking Argentina as an example, driven by favorable policies such as tariff reductions and reductions, the bilateral volume between China and Argentina has risen against the impact of the new crown epidemic in recent years, reaching about 25.5 billion US dollars in 2023. At present, China is Argentina's second largest partner and the largest export market for agricultural products. In the case of Argentina's economic difficulties, the steady development of China and Argentina has provided a huge boost to the Argentine economy. Therefore, it is not surprising that Argentina** is looking forward to China's latest tariff adjustment measures and is stepping up its coverage.
A number of LDCs have also benefited greatly from China's targeted tariff reduction initiatives. In order to support and help LDCs accelerate their development, in 2021, China announced that it would further expand the scope of products exported to China with zero-tariff treatment from LDCs that have established diplomatic relations with China, and apply preferential tax rates with zero tax rates to 98% of products originating in LDCs. In 2024, the preferential tax rates will continue to be implemented for the least developed countries that have established diplomatic relations with China and completed the procedures for exchanging notes. The market opportunities brought about by these measures are invaluable to LDCs, which is a vivid footnote to "providing new opportunities for the world with China's new development", and fully demonstrates China's responsibility as a major country.
It should be pointed out that China's tariff adjustment not only benefits the international community, but also fully benefits the domestic economy and people's lives. For example, in the tariff adjustment in recent years, medicine has been the focus of tariff reduction, and the import tariffs on many anti-cancer drugs, rare disease drugs and related raw materials have been reduced to zero, effectively improving the accessibility and affordability of drugs for the majority of patients; Tariff reductions on some key mineral raw materials have helped domestic enterprises reduce production costs and enhance the resilience of related industrial chains.
China's openness and the world's win-win situation are reflected in this. (Author: Yuan Yong **Economy**).
*:Economy**.