On June 2, the "Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement" (RCEP) officially entered into force for the Philippines, marking the full entry into force of RCEP for the 15 signatories. In response to the concerns of the media and the public, the person in charge of the International Department of the Ministry of Commerce answered questions from reporters.
Q: What is the significance of RCEP's full entry into force for all 15 signatories?
A: On November 15, 2020, the 10 ASEAN countries, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand signed the RCEP, and promoted the agreement to come into force on January 1, 2022. On June 2, 2023, RCEP will come into force for the Philippines. So far, the agreement has come into full effect for the 15 signatories. The total population, total GDP, and value of trade in goods in the RCEP region account for about 30% of the world's total. The full effect of the agreement on the 15 parties marks the entry into a new stage of full implementation of the free trade area with the largest population, largest economic and trade scale, and greatest development potential in the world. .
The full entry into force of RCEP fully demonstrates that the 15 parties have taken practical actions to support an open, free, fair, inclusive and rules-based multilateral trading system, and are committed to continuously promoting a comprehensive, mutually beneficial and high-level economic partnership. The 15-party commitment to open goods, services, and investment markets, superimposed with high-level rules in various fields, will greatly promote the free flow of production factors such as raw materials, products, technologies, talents, capital, information, and data in the region, and promote the gradual formation of a more prosperous The large market of regional integration promotes wider, higher-level and deeper open cooperation among member states.
The full entry into force of RCEP will provide a strong boost to my country's high-level opening up. The full entry into force of RCEP has created more favorable conditions for the expansion of trade in goods between my country and members, and will also drive the opening up of corresponding service trade and investment, and promote trade facilitation and the improvement of the business environment. Continuing to promote the high-quality implementation of RCEP will help further promote the integrated development of regional industrial and supply chains, help localities, industries and enterprises expand new space for international economic and trade cooperation, and help promote the realization of a higher level of institutional opening from a higher starting point.
Q: Since RCEP came into effect on January 1, 2022, what positive results has it achieved in promoting the development of regional trade and investment?
A: Thanks to the joint efforts of all parties, RCEP has achieved preliminary results since its implementation. The trade in goods among the members has become closer, and intra-regional trade has become a key force for stabilizing and stimulating the growth of foreign trade of the members. At the same time, benefiting from the positive signals released by the effective implementation of RCEP, this region continues to become a hotspot for global investment. Most members' utilization of foreign capital shows a positive upward trend, and the region as a whole attracts strong growth in greenfield investment.
The implementation of RCEP has played an important role in stabilizing my country's foreign trade and foreign investment. From the perspective of trade, in 2022, the total import and export volume between my country and other RCEP members will be 12.95 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7.5%, accounting for 30.8% of my country's total foreign trade import and export. From January to April 2023, the total import and export volume between my country and other RCEP members was 4.12 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7.3%, accounting for 30.9% of my country's total foreign trade import and export. From the perspective of attracting foreign capital, in 2022, my country's actual investment from other RCEP members will be US$23.53 billion, a year-on-year increase of 23.1%. From January to April 2023, my country actually utilized nearly US$8.9 billion in investment from other RCEP members, a year-on-year increase of more than 13.7%.
RCEP has brought real dividends and benefits to the vast number of enterprises in our country. RCEP is superimposed on the bilateral free trade agreements that have taken effect between my country and other RCEP members, creating good conditions for enterprises to enjoy better benefits and helping enterprises reduce trade costs. In 2022, under RCEP, Chinese enterprises can enjoy export value of 235.3 billion yuan, and can enjoy tariff reduction of 1.58 billion yuan from the importing country; enjoy import value of 65.3 billion yuan, and tax reduction of 1.55 billion yuan. In the first quarter of 2023, Chinese enterprises enjoy export value of 62.29 billion yuan under RCEP, and can enjoy tariff reduction of 930 million yuan from the importing country; enjoy import value of 18.25 billion yuan, and tax reduction of 480 million yuan.
Question: What innovative measures and achievements have been made by various localities in the process of actively connecting with RCEP?
Answer: Since RCEP came into effect, various localities have actively strengthened policy docking, optimized the business environment, strengthened economic and trade cooperation with RCEP members, effectively improved support and service levels for enterprises, and helped enterprises seize the opportunities of the agreement, forming many fruitful practical measures. and innovative practices.
一是积极对接协定机遇，因地制宜出台务实举措。各地积极贯彻落实《关于高质量实施RCEP的指导意见》，不少地方结合本地发展实际，出台实施RCEP工作方案或行动计划，有些地方还将把握RCEP机遇纳入本地“十四五”规划和2035年远景目标纲要，推出务实举措，系统推进高质量实施工作，推动更深融入区域大市场。
二是着力提升贸易便利化，畅通区域经贸往来通道。不少地方高标准落实RCEP贸易便利化措施，推进实施快运和易腐货物6小时通关；积极打造线上RCEP智能应用公共服务平台，大力推广原产地证书全流程数字化服务，助力企业高效享惠。相关地方开拓和增加面向RCEP成员方向的外贸班轮、空运航线、铁路货运班列和站点，不断提升物流和供应链综合服务水平，增强口岸通关效率和通行能力。
三是把握利用协定开放政策，促进贸易投资成果落地。各地和广大企业努力利用RCEP原产地累积规则、服务贸易和投资市场开放优惠政策，积极优化区域贸易投资布局，促进产业链供应链深度融合发展。有的地方结合本地资源禀赋和产业特点，大力发展面向RCEP成员的中间品生产和贸易，取得积极成效。有的地方将自贸试验区等开放平台与RCEP政策叠加，加大重点产业靶向招商力度，推动一批重大项目落地。
四是以实施好RCEP为契机，打造一流营商环境。各地严格实施与RCEP强制性义务对应的国内法律法规规章，相关地方还着力落实好RCEP鼓励性义务，不断提高地方治理能力，吸引产业、资金、人才等集聚，带动本地贸易投资环境显著优化。有的地方积极利用地方特色展洽会、经贸论坛等平台，注重加强与RCEP成员产业合作，推介特色优势产品，开展贸易投资项目对接。
五是加强宣介培训，提升企业利用协定的意识能力。各地通过多种方式加强RCEP专题培训和政策宣讲，针对不同行业开展精准培训，将优惠政策解读贯穿各类企业。有的地方还梳理公布了本地区在RCEP项下优势进出口产品清单，开展RCEP成员关税减让对比和贸易大数据分析，向企业宣讲分析本地优势产品重点出口目的地，助力企业更好开拓RCEP区域市场。
问：商务部下一步如何指导和支持地方、产业和企业用好用足协定政策红利？
答：以RCEP对所有签署国全面生效为契机，我们将继续做好高质量实施RCEP各项工作，引导地方、行业和企业深入对接RCEP机遇，充分享受协定政策红利，进一步发挥协定在促进产业链供应链合作、推动高质量发展等方面的积极作用。
一是持续指导地方、行业、企业实施和利用好协定。指导地方落实好《关于高质量实施RCEP的指导意见》，把握RCEP渐进开放过程，逐步全面发挥协定的经济效应。进一步加强RCEP专题培训，在前两年已举办13期培训基础上，聚焦石化、机电、轻纺、汽车等具体产业深入开展RCEP稳链固链专题培训。鼓励地方和行业开展更加精细化、更有针对性的培训，帮助企业充分理解、用好协定政策红利。
二是不断提升公共服务水平，推动协定实施经验复制推广。在前期优化中国自由贸易区服务网功能基础上，持续为企业提供RCEP政策咨询和答疑服务。鼓励支持地方因地制宜、以多种形式服务企业，提供自贸协定实施相关服务一揽子解决方案。定期跟踪评估协定实施中的问题，梳理总结各地在对接RCEP、优化营商环境、促进贸易投资合作等方面的好经验好做法，形成可复制、可推广、可落地的利用RCEP经典案例，不断提升协定利用率和利用水平。
三是推动成员国高水平履约，深入推进RCEP机制建设与合作。与各成员一道，持续推动RCEP关税减让承诺、服务贸易和投资开放承诺落实到位，贸易投资自由化便利化等规则义务充分履行。推动定期召开RCEP部长级会议、联合委员会等机制性会议，监督推动协定高质量实施，支持成立RCEP秘书机构，加强RCEP经济技术合作。积极推动成员间产品和服务标准规制的协调对接，务实推进地区合格评定互认合作，为RCEP高质量实施创造更好条件，带动地方和企业更加充分融入RCEP大市场，在更高水平上实现互利共赢和共同发展。