WTO贸易政策审议秘书处报告第四部分.doc

trade policies and practices by measure Introduction Despite the sharp decline in external demand due to the global crisis, China has continued its long-term strategy of opening its economy. The trend in tariffs remains downward and the Government has been continuing with its Customs transit reform and introduced a direct release system into its entry-exit inspection procedures to facilitate trade. In addition, China has undertaken major reforms of its tax system, and implemented a comprehensive competition law to foster competition. Nonetheless, the Government still uses various means (including tariff and non-tariff barriers, export restraints, and state-ownership) to, inter alia, provide guidance on the allocation of resources. The tariff remains one of Chinas main border measures with an average applied MFN tariff rate of 9.5% in 2009 (down from 9.7% in 2007). Applied rates are close to bound rates and bound rates are low, thereby imparting the tariff with a high degree of predictability. Nonetheless, Chinas tariff could be complex, as its applied MFN tariff, for example, contains 60 different ad valorem rates. Tariff exemptions are provided for, inter alia, goods imported in bond under processing trade (which accounted for about 40% of Chinas international trade), if they are exported within a certain period. Apart from import prohibitions (to protect public interest, environment, or in accordance with international commitments), China has continued to use non-tariff border measures (such as import and export licensing) as instruments of its trade and industrial policies. State trading is still used to manage trade in certain imports and exports of, inter alia, some agricultural products and crude and processed oil. The administrative and legislative framework on standards, voluntary or mandatory, remains the same. The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) has reformed its entry-exit inspection procedures and