China to Exempt Tariffs on Imports from 33 of World's Least Developed Countries

China's Ministry of Finance said on June 23 that the country would grant zero tariff status to 4,762 categories of commodities now imported from 33 of the world's least developed countries beginning July 1.

There are 26 countries from Africa and 7 countries from other regions under the tariff exemption scope, including Ethiopia, Benin, Burundi, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Djibouti, Congo (DRC), Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Comoros, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Lesotho, Chad, Central Africa, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, East Timor, Yemen, Samoa, Vanuatu.

In addition, the original preferential treatment shall still be implemented on the following eight countries including Angola, Niger, Senegal, Somalia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Maldives that haven't fulfilled the obligation of "Exchange of Notes" with China. But they can enjoy zero tariff preferential treatment as well after completing relevant procedures of "Exchange of Notes ".

Exports to China, including poultry and livestock, aquatic products, raw or primary processed agricultural products, minerals, herbs, daily necessities, plastic products, leather, wood, textiles, apparel products, glass, steel and its products, mechanical and electrical products, furniture etc. are to be exempted from tariffs.

According to the trade volume statistics of 2008, the export volume for the latest developed countries of the above-mentioned 4,762 products under zero tariffs has taken up 98.2% of the total export volume.

It is said that China will continue to enlarge the scope of preferential treatment and achieve the goal of concluding 95% of the total tariff items into zero tariff treatment on the basis of suggestions of related nations and the effect of the existing measures.