Extension of the FTA Scheme – Transhipment cargo heading for the Mainland of China under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, the China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement, the China-Mauritius Free Trade Agreement and the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement

Starting from 1 January 2022, the scope of service of the Free Trade Agreement Transhipment Facilitation Scheme (FTA Scheme) will be extended to cover the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP), the China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement, the China-Mauritius Free Trade Agreement and the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA). Under the new arrangement, traders in Hong Kong can apply for Certificates of Non-manipulation for cargo from Mauritius, Cambodia, and the beneficiary countries/regions of the RCEP and the APTA transhipped through Hong Kong to the Mainland of China, thereby enjoying preferential tariff provided under the above-mentioned agreements. In regard to the requirements of transhipment cargo via Hong Kong to the Mainland of China, please refer to the principle of application for details.

Upon the extension, the service of the FTA Scheme will cover the following transhipment cargo in Hong Kong under the 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, Georgia, Mongolia, 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 either the APTA or the China-Korea Free Trade Agreement.

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.