Great progress should be made in promoting cross-border e-commerce free trade zones

"The development potential of cross-border e-commerce has not been fully unleashed." Huang Qifan, distinguished professor of Fudan University and academic adviser of The China Finance 40 Forum, pointed out at the 5th Global Cross-border E-commerce Summit held in Hangzhou recently that the policy advantages of the pilot FREE trade zone in promoting the development of digital economy and digital trade can promote the better and faster development of cross-border e-commerce.

Cross-border e-commerce in China has grown rapidly in recent years, but the total amount is still small. Statistics show that In 2019, China's total foreign trade volume reached 31.54 trillion yuan. Among them, the total value of cross-border e-commerce retail trade was 186.21 billion yuan, less than 1% of the total trade volume of goods in China.

Huang estimates that 10 years from now, cross-border e-commerce will account for at least 30 to 35 percent of China's trade. By 2035, the trade share of cross-border e-commerce may reach 50 percent. In the future, the development of cross-border e-commerce should promote the integration of B2B and B2C businesses, and break the business restrictions of integrated retail and wholesale between enterprises and cross-border e-commerce enterprises. Promote the solution of cross-border e-commerce small and high frequency exchange industry pain points; Matching the integrated, global and efficient logistics platform to provide supporting infrastructure support.

In Huang's opinion, the construction of pilot free trade zones is to strengthen the weak links of China's opening-up through institutional innovation, explore free trade agreements (FTAs), and promote the formation of a new height, depth and breadth of opening-up.

At present, China's opening to the outside world exists insufficient opening in the financial field; (b) Insufficient opening up of public services such as education, health and culture; Lagging digital economic indicators; Trade in services is not open enough, there is a large deficit in trade in services, the added value of service exports is not high, and the attractiveness of service trade to foreign investment needs to be improved. In this regard, Huang Qifan pointed out that the construction of pilot free trade zones should focus on targeted innovation exploration.

The construction of pilot free trade zones should focus on creating a market-oriented, law-based and internationalized business environment. Free trade area as a line within the territory of the commissioner of open, the second line to hold special customs surveillance zone, national treatment, negative list before access system, the protection of intellectual property rights, ecological environment protection, labor rights protection, neutral, digital trade competition and open education, medical treatment of public service areas that eight aspects a breakthrough, to reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers, expand more space for the enterprises in the area of trade development.

In the development of pilot FREE trade zones, new types of trade, such as offshore trade, transit trade and cross-border e-commerce, should be promoted through the separation of "three orders". The Customs may conduct three separate audits of trade contract bills of lading, trade clearing and settlement tax bills and logistics and warehousing bills of lading. For example, Shanghai Overseas Gaoqiao free trade zone reduces non-tariff barriers, and the development of entrepot trade and offshore trade attracts a large number of trading companies.

In addition, pilot free trade zones should focus on developing producer services and service trade related to the industrial chain, supply chain and value chain of transnational corporations. With the development of international industrial division of labor, the trade share of raw materials, spare parts and intermediate goods is relatively large, and producer services such as RESEARCH and development services, logistics services, warehousing services and information services will be formed in the transaction link. The FTA pilot zone may focus on developing such service trade businesses and provide related services for China's trade in goods.

The construction of pilot free trade zones should also vigorously develop cargo insurance and cargo settlement associated with trade in goods. Promoting the opening up of financial services; We will open up trade in services in education, health, culture and other public services, and further liberalize education and training, scientific research and innovation, and intellectual property services. We will open up the digital economy.