china tarriffs on lcd monitors sold to china quotation

Prices for big-screen televisions and some household appliances could go up significantly if the Trump administration"s proposed tariffs on Chinese imports are enacted.

"On a $4,000 TV ... the tariffs might have a several-hundred-dollar price impact," said David French, senior vice president for government relations at the National Retail Federation, an advocacy group.

"We"re still assessing the list," French said. "There is machinery involved in consumer goods. ... There are chemicals listed that we believe are components of cosmetics and toiletries."

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative proposed late Tuesday an additional 25 percent tariff on an extensive list of Chinese imports, valued at $50 billion for the year and ranging from aircraft parts to vaccines. A public hearing on the list is scheduled for May 15, and filing requests to appear and comment are due April 23.

"Some goods won"t be imported at all with a 25 percent tariff, but prices of domestic goods will go up the full amount of the tariff," said Nicholas Lardy, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington.

But he and other analysts pointed out that for a U.S. economy roughly $18 trillion in size, 25 percent tariffs on $50 billion of Chinese imports will have a relatively small effect overall on consumer prices.

Chinese manufacturer Haier, which acquired GE Appliances in 2016, "only imports a very small number of niche dishwashers designed for small spaces," spokesperson Kim Freeman said in an email to CNBC. "We make about 95 percent of our dishwashers in the U.S. in Louisville, Kentucky."

The National Retail Federation estimates that access to imported goods through free trade agreements boosts the purchasing power of the average American family by $18,000 a year.

"It"s going to be very difficult for the retailer to manage their supply chain in order to handle these tariffs," French said. "Consumers may be price sensitive enough that they may slow their holiday purchases. These may be "Grinch" tariffs."

With the world’s attention focused on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, high oil prices, inflation, and component shortages, it’s easy to forget that there was a war of another sort being fought between the US and China.

While trade tensions have cooled since the Biden administration took over, tariffs remain in place on many imported Chinese goods. Soon there will be a few less. The US Government reinstated over 350 products to a list of exclusions to American import tariffs that were put in place beginning in 2018.

The products affected include a wide variety of machinery, electronic components and consumer goods, ranging from television screen parts to vacuum cleaners. Most importantly for PC gamers, the list includes: "Printed circuit assemblies for rendering images onto computer screens."

At a time when inflation is running at multi-decade highs, some pricing going in the other direction will be welcome. Graphics card prices continue to fall, and if these tariffs are removed, many other product categories should follow.

If we assume that cheaper pricing will be passed on in full to the consumer (wishful thinking), it will deliver a little bit of relief in the hip pocket. Cheaper components will have a flow on effect for many kinds of consumer tech, from TVs and white goods to notebooks and phones.

It will take some time for the effects of lower tariffs to manifest in the market. With the surging cost of oil and higher shipping costs, it"s important not to expect too much though. If bargains do appear, we’ll be all over them as we always are.

WASHINGTON, Aug 13 (Reuters) - The Trump administration will delay 10% tariffs on certain Chinese products, including laptops and cell phones, that had been scheduled to start next month, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said on Tuesday.

Other products whose tariffs will be delayed until Dec. 15 include “computers, video game consoles, certain toys, computer monitors, and certain items of footwear and clothing,” the USTR said in a statement. A separate group of products will also be exempt altogether “based on health, safety, national security and other factors,” it added. (Reporting by David Shepardson and Makini Brice; Writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Tim Ahmann)

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President Donald Trump and his administration’s proposed expansion of tariffs of 25 percent onto roughly $300 billion worth of imports from China has caused the tech industry to respond. The latest round of tariffs may include a number of tech items, including laptops, tablets, headphones, keyboards, solid state drives and more. Now a deal has been made, though, which could delay some tariffs indefinitely.

Several technology companies, vendors and retailers made their thoughts known in public comments to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). That was during a period of public hearings that took place from June 17 through June 25. But the tariffs have been delayed several times. The USTR announced in August that some of the the tariffs, including many on tech which were planned for September, had previously been delayed until December 15.

Trump announced new tariffs on Twitter, but at 10 percent, on the new goods. This was after he briefly suspended the tariffs after beginning new talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. After China threatened to retaliate, Trump bumped current tariffs from 25% to 30% and upcoming tariffs in December from 10 to 15%.

In a statement on August 13, the USTR said that for "certain articles" will see delays until Dec. 15, including "cell phones, laptop computers, video game consoles, certain toys, computer monitors, and certain items of footwear and clothing."

But on December 13, the Wall Street Journal reported that the two sides were coming to a limited trade deal. That calls for China to purchase $50 billion worth of agricultural goods in 2020, as well as "energy and other goods." In return, the U.S. may reduce rates on existing imports and cancel the tariffs that were meant to go into place on Dec. 15, which include many tech products.

The tariffs are wide-ranging and affect many industries, including technology, agriculture, clothing and metals. There are hundreds of product categories listed on the website for the Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) of the United States. You can read the full list of the latest round of tariffs here.

8471.30.01Portable automatic data processing machines, not over 10 kg, consisting at least a central processing unit, keyboard and display.Laptops, tablets

8517.62.0090Machines for the reception, conversion and transmission or regeneration of voice, images or other data, nesoi.Routers, NAS devices, smart speakers, smartwatches

8517.70.00Parts of telephone sets; parts of other apparatus for the transmission or reception of voice, images or other data, including apparatus for.Repair parts, especially for smartphones

8528.52.00Other monitors capable of directly connecting to and designed for use with an automatic data processing machine of heading 8471.Flat-panel monitors

8528.72.64Color television reception apparatus w/flat panel screen, video display diagonal over 34.29 cm, incorporating a VCR or player.Flat-panel televisions

Other technologies, including discs, batteries, cameras and projectors also appear on the list in various forms. And, CPU fans, processors (8542.30.01) are also scheduled.

In August, China threatened to place tariffs on $75 billion in U.S. goods in Trump follows through on his threats to China. The plan includes tariffs of 5 or 10% on a American products, including oil, agricultural products, automobiles and more. The tariffs are scheduled to start the same days as the U.S. ones - Sept. 10 and Dec. 15.

Following this, Trump said he would raise tariffs on $250 billion of goods to 30% from 25%. New tariffs on $300 billion worth of goods in and December will move from 10% to 15%.

On October 11, the U.S. and China struck a "phase one deal" that eliminates October tariffs. December tariffs, which may affect consumer electronics, are still under discussion.

But a "Phase One" trade deal in December put an indefinite delay on some of those tariffs. Per Reuters, tariffs on laptops and cellphones won"t go into place. The Entertainment Software Association told Polygon that the tariffs also won"t affect video game consoles.

A number of tech companies have commented on the tariffs publicly, and they all have expressed a wish for, unsurprisingly, categories affecting their businesses to be removed from the list.

Two notable joint comments have also been written. The first was one from Intel, HP, Dell and Microsoft regarding laptops while another came from Nintendo of America, Microsoft and Sony Interactive Entertainment about the effects on video game consoles.

All of the comments have some commonalities. Many mention the costs of moving existing supply chains out of China to either the United States or other countries in Asia. Additionally, they point out that companies that do not serve the United States as a primary customer base could gain a competitive advantage, as well as brands outside of the United States. (Fitbit, for example, suggested Xiaomi and Huawei would be strengthened as it was affected.)

The Consumer Technology Association, a group representing technology companies, commissioned a study suggesting that the U.S. price of cell phones would rise 14%, video game consoles and laptops would each increase 19%. The price of drones would jump 15%.

In its own public comment, the Entertainment Software Association, which represents the video game industry, wrote that: “the imposition of a 10% tariff rate could place these products out of reach for many consumers – let alone a 25% tariff, which would have an even greater impact, likely causing consumers to purchase fewer consoles, controllers and accessories. This is because console makers will be unable to absorb the tariffs.

In August of 2017, the USTR began investigating the practices of the Chinese government. The investigation included policies and action regarding intellectual property, technology transfer and more.

The USTR and the office of President Donald Trump have deemed China’s policies as restricting commerce in the United States and “unreasonable or discriminatory.”

Update: Jan 27, 2:32 p.m. ET with news that the U.S. and and China have reached a "Phase 1" trade deal, which delays tariffs on phones, laptops and consoles, among other things.

American shoppers would pay about 23% more for TVs, computer monitors, batteries and printer ink and cartridges made in China if President Trump follows through on a tariff he has threatened to impose on a broad range of technology imports from that country, according to an industry study.

That increase is substantially more than the 10% to 15% price hike previously estimated by analysts and economists. It was calculated by Trade Partnership Worldwide, a consulting firm, for the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) and the National Retail Federation (NRF).

“China’s unfair trade practices must be addressed, but as this study shows, tariffs aren’t the answer and will punish U.S. consumers in the form of higher prices,” NRF CEO Matthew Shay says.

About 47% of all TVs sold in the U.S. are imported from China, as are 83% of PC monitors and 34% of lithium batteries, according to the CTA. Those products and printer ink and cartridges represent just a small portion of the 1,300 tech-related imports from China the Trump administration has targeted with tariffs.

Wholesalers and retailers would pass along to shoppers almost all of the 25% duty Trump has threatened because the inexpensive products made in China have low profit margins, Trade Partnership President Laura Baughman says. Also, she says, manufacturers would not be able to shift production to low-cost countries such as Vietnam and Thailand in the short term because those nations don’t have enough capacity.

The price of a $250 TV made in China would rise 23% to $308 after the tariffs, according to the CTA and NRF. Also, TV prices broadly would increase 4.1% as retailers offset some of their added costs by raising prices of other models, Baughman says. In total, shoppers would pay an additional $711 million a year for TVs and cut back their total purchases by 7.8%, the study says.

I read your publication about the current Chinese export-import tarriff system with interest.However,I am short in getting answer for my immediate question.Perhaps you could help me,I hope

we are exporting weekly goods to Shenzhen district, but in last months it happens that a lot of containers have been stopped to Customs since Customs agents request specific declaration on the amount od Insurance Premium. For us it’s extremely difficult to declare this amount for each invoice since we pay a yearly premium.

Moreover in February we increased some prices and Customs rejected our invoices!!! They told us to declare the reason of the increasing!! So, in accordance with customer, we decided to change all the commercial names of the items in order to avoid confusion!

Customs does not accept annual insurance declarations. However the Customs officer should advise the exporter how to make the declaration, so that this technicality can be resolved easily.

The exporter has the right adjust the prices of products. Customs does however check and asks for explanation of the adjustment. This is done to understand the reason for the change and to avoid human error.

I am looking at setting up a repair centre in Guangzhou to repair my hearing aid devices, the idea would be to have all Asia Pacific countries to ship to Guangzhou for repair and then the repair centre to ship back to those countries. Currently I am going through many websites to understand all requirements, duties & VAT so I can complete a cost comparison to our current process, I am looking for as much information as possible and hoping that you can help me out.

this business and I’m confused as the information regarding taxes and pricing keep changing from person to person that i’ve come across. Can anyone give me information how I should proceed?

As mentioned in the article, export duties are only imposed on a small number of certain goods. In order to confirm the duties on export for polyester, we can check with the Customs Bureau. We will follow-up with you about this in a separate email.

I plan to import POLISHED PORCELAIN FLOOR TILES from Fushan, China, to Pakistan. Will be grateful to know any export tax / FTA or some other tax and the rate of tax applicable to this item. Thanks.

We are having our supplier in India, ship an individual component to our supplier in China, who assembles the entire product using this Indian component, packages and ships the finished assembly to our company in the U.S.

How do we avoid having our Chinese supplier pay a lot of duties and taxes on the component from India, when they are turning right around and exporting the component as part of the total assembly?

I am an Australian boat builder who is looking to get our boats built in China and then shipped back to Australia to sell. My question is what amount of Import tax and duty do I have to pay if I buy and ship the aluminium material from Singapore to the boat building yard in China ? Do I get any refund when the boat produced from this material is shipped from China back to Australia ? Looking foward to your thoughts, Adam.

Thanks for your question. The duty payable in China on imported aluminium into China could be zero if the boat building yard is located in a export processing or bonded zone. In this way they can be shipped to China, worked on but as the product is not intended for the Chinese domestic market they do not ‘officially” enter China. So you need to find a boatyard located in such a site. Otherwise duty will be payable, and as the product is not meant for the China market this just adds an unnecessary – and avoidable – element to the end cost. Let me know if you need assistance with site location, we have clients in the boat building industry in China. – Chris

We are a boat building company based in Indonesia. We plan to export a newly built 32 meter luxury yacht into Hainan, China. We will cruiser her straight from Jakarta into Hainan. What sort of taxes will my customer come across with the importation of this yacht? Just keeping a heads up for my client.

@Astrid – There is a search function on the official website of China Customs and Import duties of various goods abd their respective HS codes that can be found here:

@Haluk: There are four different kinds of aluminum ingots listed under the China Custom’s Online Service Center. The site is in Chinese but does have a search function. It’s here: http://service.customs.gov.cn/default.aspx?tabid=9409

Anyway, exporting aluminum ingots from China is subject to both export duty and value-added tax. The tax rate of VAT is always 17%, while the export duty rate is 15% for such resources.

i was trying to use link (http://www.customs.gov.cn/publish/portal0/tab9409/) for seaching HS codes by myself but i was not succesful. That page did not let me trough its verification code. So i decided to ask here and i would be grateful for any reply to my email.

My company is starting business with importing goods to Europe from China. I have a regular discussion about export duties with my china suppliers. I would like to have some sort of credible source which would give me straight and clear information about real export duties which my china supplier is facing. Is there some credible government source like this in english language?

We are importing to EU mainly HS8443999090 and HS4811900000, HS3703900000. Can i ask about real export duties with these goods? Im especially interested if i had to pay 17% China VAT when im exporting these goods from China to Europe.

I have some issues with my commercialization strategy, your article was really useful but I wonder if there is any chance to email you with some doubts. I am planning on exporting menswear to china,

I think the problem you are facing on that website is that you are putting the “HS” in front of the code, which doesn’t work. You just have to put the numerical code in directly. However, yes it is only in Chinese and can be a bit confusing.

Our China site has been importing goods from different countries. We had encountered an issue where in the China Customs is taxing us base on a higher value. We bought the goods from Singapore for like .05/unit. China customs is taxing us base on 0.162/unit. They do not accept that the real price for the item is just 0.05/unit.

I am administrating an international school in mainland china, and I want to order some textbooks from America. The American textbook publisher requires me to provide my customs registration number before I can complete the order, but I’m finding it very difficult to find out how to get such a number.

@Herbie: You need to provide proof to China customs that the goods were purchased at the amount you said. However they do keep a database of prices on gloablly traded products to ensure the correct amount is being declared, and they can and do impose what they feel is the correct dutiable value on the goods if they wish. You need to negotiate with them and provide hard evidence of proof of the true cost. – Chris

@Nathan: Bringing in school textbooks from overseas can be very difficult as the Chinese government monitor very carefully the publications that can be brought in. It’s not just a matter of customs, it’s also a matter for several other Government departments as well, including the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Propaganda. You will need professional assitance with this. I have sent you a personal email to discuss. – Chris

@Kian – this China Ministry of Customs website lists all the applicable duties on HS codes for goods imported into China: http://www.customs.gov.cn/publish/portal0/tab9409/

If a local Chinese living in PRC purchases Gold or Silver in either bars or coins from the UK but wants them sending to him/her from the UK to PRC, then are these items subject to any tax.?

Could you please help me check what are the HS codes of quartz-based engineered/artificial/man-made stone and natural stone (marble/granite) exported to China? Is it 68101100 or 68101910 or any number else?

@John Scott: According to China’s customs regulations, gold, silver and the products made from them are duty-free and do not need to be declared if they are less than 50g (2 ounce) in weight. If the amount exceeds the limitation, you should declare it, and duty will be payable. On another note, I wouldn’t be sending gold or valuables through the post or even courier to China. It would be far safer to collect in UK and bring it back in personal luggage.

Modifications and so on you’re best talking to the manufacturer directly, and there are so many – you’ll need to conduct your own online research on that as I have no idea what specification or type of vehicle you want.

I intend to import to the Philippines some stuffed toys (animals – dog, cats, etc.) coming off from a plant in China. My supplier intends to impose their local taxes on top of my acquisition cost. We are willing to accept this term. My question is: how would I know if proper taxes were really levied on the goods? I would like to know how it is calculated and their Tariff rates for such. Reason here is I would like to be fair and have a check & balance protocol for this “at-my-cost” field. Thank you!!

Our company is supplying business partners in China with special metal goods of purpose for car industry produced and developed in EU. Just recently custom in a way blocked one of last shipment and making complete due diligance of supplier and importer and finialy asking for paying of waranty fee, extra duty tax.

I propose exporting rooibos tea(indigenous to South Africa) to China.As part of the BRICS’s trading block what are the import and or customs duties from South Africa to China?

@Rob Read: There are over seven kinds of HS codes for tea in China, however, none of them are specifically for the ‘Rooibos tea’ you enquired about. Overall, tariff duties for various kinds of tea are the same in the country. Specifically:

@Bryan Horridge: In China, tariff duties for a boat vary a lot depending on the size, engine and intended purpose of each boat. We need more information on the boats you intend to manufacture so we can provide detailed tax rates. You can email to tax@dezshira.com to get in touch. We’d also need to know the place of manufacture in China.

If you decide to make the boats in China and use the available materials in the country, the purchase of such materials and the sale of the finished boat is subject to value-added tax and consumption tax.

We are planning on making large quantities of copper imports from US to China. Much of the material may be raw, unprocessed scrap metal. What would be the tariffs I am looking at?

There’s no tax due when you buy product from China, just the purchase amount and the shipping costs which your supplier should be able to advise. However you may face import (customs) duties in the US.

There is an international system in place so that customs officials across each country and around the world can understand each other in relation to specific products. It is called the “Harmonized Tariff Schedule” (commonly referred to as the HS Code) and means nearly all products have a specific code number. If you know that number you can refer to the import duty as applicable in any country.

If you look up Christmas Stockings (probably under decorative stockings) that’ll give you the HS Code and you can find the import duty applicable in the United States.

That will tell you how much the total cost of these items is including purchase, shipping and US import taxes, and from there you can work out how much you need to add to that (marketing, transportation, packaging and your profit) to make this a viable business proposition.

My company imports from China. What are the tax rates, and how do we get VAT back? From where do I get the information about logistic, foe example what roots are the shortest how much the prices are, what are my benefits from importing from China etc..

@Miss T: You can only claim back VAT in China if you have a legal presence there. However, your supplier should be deducting part of this from your invoices as they can claim VAT back when they export to you. If they are charging you the full 17% VAT then that is a mark up on your invoice that should be questioned.

We are exporting boats (luxury yachts) from China to HongKong, Europe and USA. We are looking for the exact types of certifications we need as it seems it is different if the boat is shipped by cargo or sailed on her own bottom.

It is hard to find regulation about the certifications (CE, Module B, Module F, CCS…) needed in each case. I know it is not the exact subject of the article but maybe you can help.

@Em: When exporting boats from China to other countries, the enterprises need to apply with the Chinese customs and submit all the required materials, including the application form, information of the ship and names of the crew. If such application has been approved, the customs will issue a certificate that allows the boat to exit the Chinese port. In terms of the type of the certification, it depends on the imported country of the boat. For example, CE certification is required for all recreational boats entering or sold in the European Union, while CCS certification may be required for importing boats to China.

This is quite a complicated procedural process. If you need assistance please contact one of our China offices for professional assistance with customs: china@dezshira.com

@James – There are six kinds of HS codes for watches in China, and tariff duties vary a lot depending on the materials and brands of the watches. Specifically:

As China and Hong Kong have signed a series of CEPA deals, watches recognized by Chinese government as “Hong Kong’s Own Brand” can enjoy zero import tariff treatment when exporting to China. A full list of Hong Kong’s own watch brands can be found here:

For your information, Chinese brands such as Seagull http://www.seagullwatches.com and the French-Chinese brand The Chinese Timekeeper http://www.thechinesetimekeeper.com are gaining more in desirability because they are making some very fine watches and are Chinese in origin.

i am looking some information.i am from Bangladesh.If i import Ready made Garments (RMG) from Bangladesh what is the tax rate or tariff duties?can someone let me know?

@Solaiman Siddique: There is some variation about the exact HS code for these products as RMGs made by different materials vary a little within their normal rate. Generally, the minimum tariff rate is 16%, and normal rate ranges from 9% to 13%. They are also subject to 17% VAT.

@Nuno: I will send you a back issue of China Briefing magazine on the subject, also please use our ‘search’ function on this website at the top of the page, Just type in “VAT” and it’ll provide you with all our articles on the subject.

We have been offered a MGO manufacturing plant in Nanjing in an ordinary manufacturing zone, not an export zone that I am told holds an export licence, Need advice we wish to purchase PC items out of China doors windows and produce our own MGO board in china for our own use back in Australia for housing construction, First is the export licence an advantage?

@Alfred – my colleague Richard Cant in the Shanghai office of Dezan Shira & Associates will contact you directly via email concerning this issue. – Chris

What is the China Customs duty rate for the importation by individuals (entering at the airport with said items in possession not intended for sale) for gold and silver coins and bullion that exceed 50 grams. And, how is the dutiable value determined on the coins, by their face value or weight??

@Mr. G: Gold and silver coins and bullion that exceed 50 grams in weight being brought into China are required to go through custom declaration. Chinese customs will determine how many quantities of gold and silver exceed their “reasonable range for self-use” based on relevant criteria. For excess self-use they items may be subject to import duties at 10% on their recent market value.

recently some of my competitors have tried to contact my custom agent in china and tried to get the information of the invoices i submit for custom clearance of my goods

@Jorge – No, your customs agent should NOT be divulging this information to your competitors. But that doesn’t mean that he isn’t. If you think he is leaking this data then I suggest changing your customs agent. It would be difficult to bring a legal case in this instance, although I agree it is wrong it would be a very hard case to prove. – Best regards – Chris

Hello I am looking at exporting plastic decking material to Hong Kong from England. Please advise the necessary taxes I have to allow for. Can you please confirm ASAP. Thank you

@Titus: Hong Kong is a free port and does not impose any customs tariff on imports and exports except for four types of dutiable commodities: liquor, tobacco, hydrocarbon oil, and methyl alcohol. So you have no customs duties to pay when shipping the items described to HK.

We are looking to export Centrifugal fans to China and are keen to know how duties and taxes would be calculated and if there is a different rate if the fans are assembled or shipped as components.

@Yuni – You need to find out the HS code for the product. This is an internationally recognized code that customs officials worldwide use to identify specific products. If you don’t have this you will be unable to export it from China or import it into Indonesia as no-one will be able to identify what it is. So you need to find this out. I suggest you visit http://www.hscode.org to help identify the relevant number.

@Bill – The common rate and minimum rate for import duty of Centrifugal fans are 30 percent and 8 percent respectively, and 50 percent and 0 percent for fans with power less than 125w. Tax rate is usually lower for importing components and then assembling in China. However, the customs of China will assess the value of the components, and if the total price of the components accounted for more than 60 percent of the price for a complete equipment, tax rate for complete equipment will be applied.

@Sam – Well that’s really an India import tax question. But we can answer that we have offices in India. On the hard disks imported into India, Basic Customs Duty is zero. However, a Counter-Vailing duty @ 6% and Central excise and customs education cess are imposed @ 3%, each. Further there is Special duty imposed @ 4%.

I’m working on a cost simulation for selling Lithium Carbonate ( it seems that HS 28369100 covers both technical/industrial grade and battery grade) to countries in the Asia Pacific block and eventually Europe. As far as what I’ve learned from your different answers, exporters would get the VAT back on one side and the Chinese company wouldn’t pay duties if it reimports a purified product within 6 months assuming the company exports a product concentrate to Vietnam (for instance) where it gets purified (No HS# change though).

All that said, what are the regular export duties for Lithium Carbonate ? If exceeding the 6 months to re import, what would be the import duties then?

If the lithium carbonate failed to be re-imported within six months, you can apply for extension with relevant customs and such period can be extended for another three months upon approval. However, if the lithium carbonate failed to be re-imported within nine months after being exported, the regular import duties shall apply.

We are a rope manufacturer in the US. We are exporting some cordage to a manufacturer in Qingdao China that will add them to sport bags they are making for us. They will ship the finished product back to us in the States. Will there be taxes and duties placed on this item in China ? Should I place any special wording on the commercial invoice to eliminate taxes since this will be used for manufacturing and shipped back to us. Thanks

hi , I have export out good frequently to china, and every time I stuck with china custom, due to import licence in china, how should we go about applying for this licence, and as for custom duty is there any bench mark or how percent charge ??

@Mark: You shouldn’t face any export duties on these items – but it’s best to check that the manufacturer won’t add on any unnecessary surcharges. Let us know if you need assistance with this.

@Sharim: You can get an Import-Export license by setting up your own Trading Company in China. Our China Briefing magazine issue “Trading With China” details this and can be downloaded here: http://www.asiabriefing.com/store/book/trading-with-china-398

Again, if you need assistance with the setup procedures let us know. In terms of duties, they vary from product to product but the same rate should always apply for each specific item unless regulatory changes occur to adjust this.

I am curious about the taxes and duties I would have to pay if say I purchased tobacco products, more specifically, 100 Cuban cigars, from Hong Kong to China mainland (Shandong province). I am having a difficult time attempting to figure this out (new to the system).

You have a wonderful resource here with Asia Briefing and I’m a regular reader of the magazine and newsletter. My situation is I live in Shanghai and am interested in having 8 oil paintings shipped to me from a friend in the States. Will there be any trouble with customs, and if so how do I go about taking care of this ahead of time and avoiding any hassle? How would any import duty rate be implemented on something like artwork where prices are largely speculative?

Separate question – these will be for my personal collection, but if I want to sell one or two off in the city down the road what will my tax liabilities be?

@Art Collector: Personal articles will be considered as import and subject to import duty when the value of a single article exceeds 1000 RMB and has been determined by the customs as “not for personal use”. Once the paintings are considered imported goods, the import duty = duty paying value * import duty rate. The import duty rate is temporarily reduced to 6% for oil paintings since 2012, and the duty paying value of the paintings will be determined by either the price on the invoice or the recent market price of similar goods from the same source, whichever is applicable.

Incomes from selling the paintings will be subject to individual income tax (IIT). The IIT rate is usually 20%. 3% IIT rate will be applied if the original value of the painting is unable to be determined. If the sales are conducted by an enterprise, the incomes will be subject to corporate income tax instead, with the tax rate of 25%.

I never import such items into China anymore, even for personal use as sometimes things have just gone missing. I’d certainly never rely on China Post, who have a 50% failure rate of delivery whenever I’ve had things sent in from overseas. I’d encourage you to ship to Hong Kong and then hand carry in.

@Adeleh: The VAT rate for both SD cards and Roots Blowers are 17%, and the rate is the same for the same products in all cities of China. The VAT is included in the price you paid to the suppliers. After the export, you could file export refund at local tax bureau. Currently, the VAT rebate rate for both of these products are also 17%, so all of the VAT paid will be paid back. The process will take months though.

I have to say that roots blower is not manufactured in China. It is going to be imported from France to China and then to be re-export from China. Please confirm if 17% VAT rat and 17% VAT refund rate is still applicable or not??

Could I ask if I export brass parts made in Australia to China for processing and then shipped back to Australia, I understand that there will be duties and VAT etc that is unavoidable on the import transaction into China, however as I am not actually selling anything to China, can I declare a nominal value – for example 5000 parts would in reality cost say $20,000 – can I declare $1 per part – so just $5000. No actual payment is made for the parts – the only transaction is a payment from Australia to China for the reprocessing and return shipping. Thanks in advance.

@Ian: This type of processing service is characterized as “processing with supplied material” (PSM) by the Custom and the Tax bureau. Under PSM, no tariff, VAT, or consumption tax will be imposed as long as the quantity of the parts imported match the export quantity of the processed parts. The relevant information of the parts will be put into a manual issued by the Custom when the parts coming into the country. Also the processing company in China must have the qualification approved by relevant government authorities to conduct PSM.

Hi! We are purchasing plastic packaging from a factory in Shenzen. This packaging will then be shipped to a factory in Taishan. This Taishan factory manufactures the product and will load the product into the packaging. This is all being done and paid for by a US based company. The packaged products will then be exported to the US. Should we be paying VAT taxes on the packaging from the Shenzen factory to them? Or would the Taishan factory who is doing the final packout and shipping bill us for the entire VAT tax total?

Thanks for all the information on this page. I’m trying to find out what regime applies to Chinese export of rolled aluminium. Is there a rebate, and if so does it apply to both the export tax and VAT, or just VAT. I am trying to work out the price of exported aluminium from China, if you have any information on internal pricing within China or links to where I can find that information that would be excellent.

@Faye C: The Taishan factory will pay VAT for purchasing the packaging, and this amount of VAT is included in the price of the packaging paid to the Shenzhen factory. For example, if the original price of the packaging is 100, then the final price that Taishan factory will pay for will be 117 (100 plus 17% VAT). If the buyer of the packaged products produced by the Taishan factory is a company in China, then this amount of VAT can be passed to this buyer (again included in the selling price, which will be 117 plus 17% VAT = 136.89).

Therefore, yes, usually the final consumer will bear the entire VAT generated from all value chain. However, when the Taishan factory export the products to the U.S., it can apply for VAT rebate after the export. The VAT rebate rate depends on the product and varies from 5% to 17%. Usually, the foreign buyer could bargain the price with the exporter to cut the part of VAT that the exporter could get back later from VAT rebate.

@Pierre Shepherd: Only the VAT can be refunded. There is no rebate for export duty. The export rate for rolled aluminum varies from 0% to 15% depends on the application of different HS code. The internal pricing model varies for different company. Generally, the price would include all the costs (material, labor, transportation, etc. ), and export companies usually want to put the cost of VAT in the price as well even if they could get the amount back after the export through VAT rebate. All in all, the final price depends on the bargain and negotiation with the sales person of the export company.

Your website is very helpful and I thought I would trouble you with a question since you all have been so willing. We are importing engines to China from the United States in order to attach them to lawn machinery that will then be immediately exported to the United States. In other words, the engines are only in China long enough to be assembled into a machine and then exported back to their country of origin. Will the engines be taxed by the Chinese government on either end of this transaction? I greatly appreciate it if you could point me in the right direction.

@Mike – It depends upon where the assembly is taking place. Ideally this should be based in a free trade or other bonded zone – the engines are imported into the zone (but not into the mainland as they do not pass through customs). Then they can be re-exported as a finished item with the lawn machinery. VAT can also be claimed back upon export on the Chinese sourced component as well.

If the assembly is taking place after the engines are imported into China then this is inefficient – you are paying import duty on the engines and then have to wait to complete the assembly to claim that – and any VAT – back.

@Ester – well shipping is a competitive business so you are getting competing quotes. However I’d recommend using a broker that is well known and reliable, and suggest doing some homework on who they are and their reputation when choosing which one to use.

@Debra: Importation of educational material in China isn’t just a matter of import duties, its also a matter of having them approved by the Ministry of Education. China also has a monopoly on all imported books, magazines and so on and this is a very difficult area to make any headway. Publishing and selling books to China is not a viable business, take my word on this.

We are looking to export scrap copper millberry from China to Australia can you advise all tax and duty we will encounter in China. Thanks. Barry Eadie.

We are looking to import slate into china for use in producing product which will be exported to North America. What is tax and duty on slate from India to China

@Doug: Depending on the material of the slate (e.g. marble, granite) and the process procedure (e.g. polished, unpolished), the common import rate ranges from 70 percent to 90 percent. If the tax treaty applies between India and China, the minimum import rate could apply, which ranges from 0 percent to 10.5 percent. Import VAT rate is 17%.

We must provide our specialised woven polyester textiles to the clothing maker so need to know what rate of import duty would be payable in China on this type of textile.

@Manolis: To report tax fraud in China, you could call (86) 10 6354 3714, being the report line of China’s State Administration of Taxation (SAT). You could also write a letter to them at the following address:

To make an online tip-off, you need to register on the SAT website by providing your legitimate personal information, then report the details. Here is the link to make an online report: http://hd.chinatax.gov.cn/jzxx/jicha.jsp#

@Gary North: In terms of the woven polyester textiles, the common import rate is 130 percent, but the minimum import rate to China could be 10 percent with relevant tax treaties. VAT rate is 17 percent.

I am going to send 30 kg pashmina(Scalfs) to Beijing from Nepal. So i want to know about duty tax of Beijing for pashmina . Please could you tell me about this ? how much percents tax i have to pay in total invoice value ?

We are planning to export of papers and paper board from China to third countries. Please let us know the rate of Import duty and other taxes in china.

The common import rate for feldspar powder is 50 percent. Minimum import rate of 3 percent could apply if there is a relevant tax treaty between India and China. The VAT rate is 17 percent.

The common import rate for pashmina is 130 percent which could be reduced to 14-16 percent (minimum import rate) if tax treaties exist. The VAT rate is 17 percent.

The export rate for the paper board (HS Code No.48181000) is actually 0 percent. By the way, thank you for providing the HS Code which makes our job easier and more accurate when answering these questions.

I want to export device from europe for mould trial to china, after trials this device will be sent back to Europe, How looks taxes with temporary export

Can you kindly advice what procedures I have to do to apply for tax exemptions? Recently purchased a LCD monitor from China and it arrived faulty. Seller informed to send it back but I have checked and the cost to send it back plus the duties and taxes already outweighs the cost of the item. Is there a term that returned goods can be exempted? I only received the item about a week ago. Any documents I can provide to help? The third party courier did not hand me any invoice from the seller in the first place.

@Raf – You could declare the device as a temporarily imported good to the Chinese Customs and obtain an ATA (Admission Temporaire/Temporary Admission) carnet. In order to be granted ATA, certain amounts of deposit or other types of guarantee will be required by the customs. In addition, to be qualified for temporarily imported goods, the goods should be exported generally within 6 months, any extension will need approval from the customs. The import and export duty and VAT are exempted for temporarily imported goods.

I don’t think there will be any taxes imposed on the LCD monitor as long as the customs are convinced this product is for personal use instead of sales purpose.

We are purchasing fashion jewellery items from suppliers in Qingdao, China. The jewellery will contain components that have been imported to China from Austria and the price of these components includes 17% VAT. When the supplier exports the jewellery can they claim back any of the VAT on the components used? If yes what % can they claim back?

@Joanne: The suppliers could claim VAT refund for the jewelry items. Depending on the material of the jewelry, the VAT refund rate generally ranges from 0 percent to 13 percent.

We are a company based in Boston, MA. We ordered crude oil lab analysis from Shanghai, China. The invoice we received contains VAT tax. Do we have to pay VAT taxe in this case? We are no a Chinese company, and we are not importing/exporting goods. If our activity can be classified as anything it would be more along the lines of services exporting.

@Tina: Generally speaking, Chinese companies providing consulting or authentication services to foreign companies should be VAT exempted unless the subject matter (the products or goods) for which the services are provided for are located or produced in China.

@Hamish: The normal import rate for importing dried fruit into China is 70 percent, but it could be reduced to 25 percent if there are tax treaties applied between Australia and China. The import VAT is 13 percent.

Thank you Chris, can they claim the refund on totoal cost of the item or just the component? How do i find a list of the materials and their % refund rate?

In your case, the supplier can claim the VAT back based on the valid tax certificates (for components) they should have. The refund rates are not available online, they will need to check with the customs for detailed information.

@Jonas: The normal rate for import candy is 50 percent. The minimum rate of 10 percent could apply if you enact the relevant tax treaty between China and Sweden. This article explains: https://www.china-briefing.com/news/2010/12/16/using-double-tax-treaties-to-maximize-china-investment-financial-effectiveness.html

Where can I find the rules and regulations for import of Gold and Silver into China? Can one set up a trading company in China to import Gold and Silver and sell the same to Jewellers and Traders? What are the applicable VAT and other taxes for the same?

You can set up a trading company to sell gold and silver ornaments in China, the VAT rate is 17 percent, plus 5 percent consumption tax and applicable corporate income tax and import duties. For setting up a China Trading Company please see: http://www.asiabriefing.com/store/book/trading-with-china-398

@Sandeep: There is no export duty imposed on agricultural machinery. Exporters in the country are subject to 17 percent VAT rate, but they are able to declare VAT rebate and the rebate rate varies on different types of machine, usually ranging from 11 percent to 14 percent.

@Anil: The major taxes you will be subject to are value-added taxes and customs duties. You’ll need help with planning all this out, together with planning your registered capital and all these issues properly to cater accurately for the start up costs. For more information, please contact china@dezshira.com let us know where you’ll be establishing operations and our relevant regional office will be pleased to assist.

You can refer to our India Briefing at http://www.india-briefing.com and type in “import taxes” in the search function. Alternatively contact our Delhi office directly at delhi@dezshira.com

I need your help Chris. i have been searching Chinese taxes for week. I would like to know import sunflower oil to third country China from Russia and what would be the taxes and custom duties. Is it legal to Import sunflower oil to china? because last time we try to import arabseed from Russia but china don’t allow to buy arabseed from Russia .

@Babuna – It is legal to import sunflower oil from Russia to China. The normal import duty is 160 per cent, but it would be 9 per cent if there are relevant treaties between China and Russia. It is also subject to 13 per cent value-added tax.

perhaps you can help here: we may export artworks temporarily from China. I know that after 6 months it is possible to request an extension for another maximum 6 months, right? After that, what happens if:

1) It is possible to request an extension for another 6 months, and the application should be made 30 days prior to the expiration of the first 6 month period;

2)When they apply to temporarily export artworks, they are required to pay a deposit fee that is equivalent to the amount of export duties for exporting the artwork. The deposit fee will be returned if the artwork is reimported to China within the stipulated period. But if the artwork is not returned to China within the period stipulated, the deposit fee will automatically be converted into export duties and paid to the Customs, regardless of whether the work has been sold, returned late, or not returned at all.

@Julia: The normal import duty rate for HS code 39129000 is 45%. The minimum import duty rate of 6.5% will apply if there are certain tax treaties between the export country and China. The product will also be subject to 17% value added tax.

I want to import cut and polished natural semi precious stone in to china from India or Hong Kong , then what will be the import duty ,VAT and other duties applicable.

In other case i export rough gems stone from china to other countries what duties will be applicable. Would you suggest any agency in guangzhou city ,china who can assist me in documentation at competitive prices.

@ Angati: The normal import rate of polished natural semi precious stone is 14 percent, the minimum import rate of 3 percent applies if tax treaty status applies and relevant provisions are activated. The VAT rate is 17 percent. There is no export rate imposed on rough gemstones.

@ Kamolrat: The normal import rate is 100 percent, the minimum import rate of 10 percent applies if tax treaty exists and relevant provisions are activated. The VAT rate is 17 percent. Import duty and consumption tax are not refundable. VAT is refundable only when you are exporting from China.

Could you please help me to know that in which category cotton linter pulp comes and what will be the custom duty on this when importing from china to India. Also please advise me the whole process for importing any material from China to India.

@Amit: The normal import rate for cotton linter pulp is 8 per cent, the export rate is 10 per cent and the value-added tax rate is 17 per cent (H.S code: 4701000000). The minimum import rate is zero if tax treaties and relevant provisions are activated.

In regards to the whole process for importing, please see our magazine on sourcing from China here: http://www.asiabriefing.com/store/book/sourcing-from-china-413 or contact china@dezshira.com

Our company is based in Singapore and we fabricate steel structure for our client in China. Our client is a Shipyard in China building oil rigs and we supply them some fabricated steel structures for their rigs. Upon completion of the fabricated components, we ship them to China and listing them as the consignee. I would like to check who is liable for the import duty, taxes & VAT in China?

@Hui Ling: The consignee is liable for import duties and VAT in China. They cannot claim refunds on the import duties, however, they could claim up to a 17% export VAT refund when exporting the oil rigs. If you require professional assistance, please contact our firm at china@dezshira.com

Planning on importing a food additive from US to china. The additive will be used in the processing of the food and then the food will be exported back to the US. Does this fall under PSM thus no VAT or duties?

I present Yarmarka Company Russia, we’re producing brand packaged cereals beans (and mixtures with them with no flavoring agents and even salt) and would love to start collaboration with China. I’d be very grateful if you could answer which certificates and documents are necessary for us in Russia to successfully export our products (grocery) to China ? Thank you in advance!

My email in April used the wrong terminology. The food additive I am exporting to China will be PIM, not PSM. I plan on shipping product to bonded warehouse wherein the food processor will receive product. I am advised that the processors have the Processing Trade Agreeement “handbook” on file with customs. Is any VAT or Duty the responsibility of the processor to have them exempt? Do I need a Trading License is it unnecessary? Thank you.

@Rob: These are very specific questions. Our team will get back to you directly and we need to know more details. Bear in mind we may need to charge for time here, this is more than a simple query about tariffs. However we’ll reply via email and you can follow up from there.

Could you please help me check what are the HS codes of dairy product? we want to export sunflower cooking oil and Milk to china. By the way please how much tax costs and tariffs.

I am looking for a reliable HS consultancy service based in Hong Kong able to deliver training to my team of Merchandisers regarding HS codes in to the UK.

@Simon – we don’t source suppliers – we’re tax lawyers. We do have an office in Hong Kong but it does company formation, accounting, China business planning, that sort of service.

I guess the best thing to do is to google and see who you can find. Or reach out to the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce – http://www.chamber.org.hk and ask if they have a member that does this type of work.

3. Are the above Duty and Tax (VAT) subjected to products imported to China for domestic consumption? If I were to import raw materials to China for reprocessing and export, do I have to pay for the Duty and Tax (VAT)? Or do I have to pay upfront first and collect them back when I export?

@Joshua: According to the “Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Import and Export Duties”, if an Interim Duty (Temporary duty) applies to import goods which are also subject to MFN Duty, the duty should be paid based on the Interim Duty rate. Therefore, you only have to pay 2 percent instead of 10 percent. But you still have to pay VAT of 13 percent. The products imported to China for domestic consumption should be subject to VAT. If you were to import raw materials for the purpose of re-export, the raw materials imported to China should be exempt from import VAT or consumption duty. The “Tax Exemption Certificate for Processing of Supplied Materials” shall be provided for the exempt of VAT and consumption duty of the re-export goods.

@Tamas: Your products shall be subject to a MFN (most-favored-nation treatment) duty rate of 10 percent and a value-added tax rate of 17 percent. The tax and duties should be paid by your company.

My company is based in Singapore and we are planning to export electronics components (Capacitors, resistors etc) to a new China customer in Beijing. Assuming the value of the goods is worth USD$10,000 what is the import taxes and other costs of importing into China?

@Jeremy – Your product should be subject to a value-added tax rate ranging from 15 per cent to 17 per cent (this depends on the materials used and the exact kind of electronic components). The import tariff rate should be zero based on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed between China and Singapore. Best wishes – Chris

@Mariana – Your products shall be subject to a MFN (most-favored-nation treatment) duty rate of 6.5 percent and a value-added tax rate of 17 percent. The tax and duties should be paid by your company.

We purchase goods from China as components for a product we assemble in Canada, and we sometimes need to send samples of these same components back to our supplier for quality review.

@Gerald: For this question, I think we will need more information/description from you on the specific component you are sending to China and that is being returned in order for us to find the harmonized code that applies. I have emailed you about this directly.

We import chemicals and intermediates from China. I heard that the export rebate for chemicals and intermediates used in antibiotics is reduced from July ’14. Is this information correct. if so, let me know the rebate allowed for antibiotic intermediates.

how is the Chinese custom handling if a foreigner takes standard/ regular coins (no historic or bullions – just regular current currency e.g. USD or EUR) out of the country? Especially if exceeding the USD 5.000 threashold?

What if I declared the higher value of currency (albeit paper, but monex nevertheless) when entering – and thus now going back with just “another” form than paper?

@Duraimani: To date this year there has been no news related to the reduction of export rebates for chemicals and intermediates for this year. I clarify as follows:

@Graham Smith: As China granted MFN (Most-Favoured-Nation) status to Belgium, preferential tariffs can be applied to items imported from Belgium to China. Basically, there are six different tax rates of the import duty for children’s garments: 14%, 16%, 17.5%, 19%, 20%, and 25%. To make sure which rate is applicable, more detailed information such as the type of materials and percentage used in the finished garment, plus the type of product (coat, pants, underwear, etc.), and style (jacket, cloak, etc.) also need to be provided. You can email us for further details at china@dezshira.com with specifics if you wish.

@AV: This question is regulated by “Provisional Administrative Measures on Cash in Foreign Currencies Brought into and out of China” (Hui Fa (2003) No.102). Both coins and bank notes (paper) are regarded as “cash”. Consequently, whether you take bank notes or coins, it does not make any difference. Additionally, please note that according to Chinese regulations:

•If the foreign currency you take does not exceed the amount of declared in your last entry into China, you shall not be required to apply for the Permit for Bringing Foreign Exchange out of China and the Customs shall refer to the records of the amount of cash in foreign currencies declared by you for your last entry into China and allow exit.

– Where the amount of cash in foreign currencies to be brought out of China is US$5,000 equivalent or below, you shall be allowed exit without having to apply for the Permit, unless you make multiple trips within a day or within a short period.

– Where the amount of cash in foreign currencies to be brought out of China ranges from US$5,000 equivalent to US$10,000 equivalent, you shall be required to apply for the Permit with a bank and be allowed exit upon presentation of the Permit bearing the seal of the bank. However, if you present several Permits and the total amount of such Permits exceeds US$10,000 equivalent, you shall not be allowed exit.

– Where the amount of cash in foreign currencies to be brought out of China exceeds US$10,000 equivalent, you shall be required to apply to a branch of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange at the location of the account opening bank of foreign currency deposit or the bank selling such foreign currencies to you. The Customs shall allow exit upon presentation of the Permit bearing the seal of the SAFE bureau.

I would like to import the pigment (this is in a powder form) from China to the UK. Is this considered as importing raw materials? How much tax will I have to pay? Is there a difference if the pigment is in a liquid form?

@Georgie: First, as a buyer and exporter, you have no import duty to pay tax to China tax authorities. But you do need to fulfil any import tax in the UK and will need to search for a UK firm to advise you on this.

@Angela Lee: The HS code you provided above does not exist. However, based on the information you offered, the most probable answer is the 17% is VAT, the 7% is the preferential tax for import products.

how is it, to import sheet music into China? Does I only have to pay the VAT (13%) or is there a special Tax? I heard all book have to cecked of the Ministary of Probaganda and you have to pay 15% extra Taxes. Is it right?

@Andreas: The importation of sheet music into China falls under the category of import of books. The only tax imposed on it is VAT at the rate of 13%. There are no other direct taxes. However, all imported manuscripts must go through preliminary reviews, while the reviewer is not the Ministry of Propaganda, but the state-owned companies which have the exclusive right to import books. They typically ask for a 75% cut of the retail price, which usually renders the transactions deliberately unprofitable. – Best regards, Chris

we are preparing to set up production of 6, 7.5 and 9 meter electric boats. Currently looking at what the best strategic location for production will be. Could you help us with the following scenarios:

As to the suggestion for location, it’s best you consult with one of our prof