In 2004, China's
import and export trade volume totaled US$ 1,154.79 billion, a 35.7
percent year-on-year increase, and ranking 3rd in world trade. This
compares to 27th, 16th, 8th and 4th place in 1978, 1990, 2000 and
2001 respectively. At present, more than 220 countries and regions
trade with China. China's mainland's 10 major trade partners are:
the EU, the US, Japan, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region,
ASEAN, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan Province, Australia, Russia and
Canada.
On July 1, 2004, China began to implement the
revised Foreign Trade Law. This law has transformed the 50-year-old
examination and approval system of foreign trade into a registration
system; it has made clear regulations on the import and export of
goods and technology, international trade in services, the order of
foreign trade and the protection of intellectual property rights
concerned with the order of foreign trade, etc., so as to accelerate
its development.
Since joining the WTO, China's overall
level of import customs duties decreased from 15.6 percent in 2000
to 10.6 percent in 2004. In 2005 the customs duties further
decreased to 10.1 percent. Average duty on industrial products fell
to 9.3 percent, on agricultural products to 15.6 percent and on IT
products covered under the WTO Information Technology Agreement
("ITA") to zero.
The Ministry of Commerce, China provides
information on market access to China including
China's free trade
agreements
Agreement on the Early Harvest Programme for the
Free Trade
Agreement Between China and Pakistan
Foreign
Market Access Report 2005 
