Extension of the FTA Scheme - Transhipment cargo from the Mainland of China to Korea via Hong Kong under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP)

Starting from 7 February 2022, the scope of service of the Free Trade Agreement Transhipment Facilitation Scheme (FTA Scheme) has been extended to cover transhipment cargo from the Mainland of China to Korea via Hong Kong under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP). Under the new arrangement, traders in Hong Kong can apply for Certificates of Non-manipulation for the cargo transhipped from the Mainland of China through Hong Kong to Korea, thereby enjoying preferential tariff provided under the RCEP. In regard to the requirements of transhipment cargo via Hong Kong to Korea, the principle of application of the RCEP is identical to the existing arrangement under the China-Korea Free Trade Agreement and Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA).

Upon the extension, the service of the FTA Scheme covers the following transhipment cargo in Hong Kong under the free trade agreements signed by the Mainland of China with other countries / regions:

Transhipment cargo in Hong Kong heading for the Mainland of China from the following places:

Taiwan, Korea, Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, Iceland, Switzerland, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, New Zealand, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Georgia, Mauritius, Japan, and the beneficiary countries under the Special Preferential Tariff Treatment to the LDCs (Note 1)

Note 1: The beneficiary countries under the Special Preferential Tariff Treatment to the LDCs include Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Djibouti, East Timor, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda , Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen and Zambia.

Transhipment cargo in Hong Kong heading for the following places from the Mainland of China:

Taiwan, Korea (Note 2) and Australia

Note 2: Korea Customs Service accepts traders to use the Certificate of Non-manipulation issued by the Customs and Excise Department to apply for preferential tariff under the APTA, the China-Korea Free Trade Agreement or the RCEP.

For details of the FTA Scheme, please refer to the following documents:

Free Trade Agreement Transhipment Facilitation Scheme (FTA Scheme) Briefing Notes
Free Trade Agreement Transhipment Facilitation Scheme (FTA Scheme) Leaflet

For enquiries, please contact the Free Trade Agreement Transhipment Facilitation Unit of Ports and Maritime Command at 3152 0233 or email to fta_enquiry@customs.gov.hk.