The Rudong Customs office – based in Rudong county, under the administration of Nantong city, in East China's Jiangsu province – recently issued a landmark document called a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP certificate of origin, with a value of $33,124 to a smart household supplies manufacturer.

It was the first RCEP certificate of origin that Rudong Customs issued since the largest free trade agreement in the world came into effect on Jan 1 – in a development expected to have a powerful impact on the local economy, as well as throughout China.

Launched in 2012, the agreement was signed by 15 Asia-Pacific countries on Nov 15, 2020. After coming into effect, RCEP is expected to provide a major boost to international trade and investment and contribute to the global economic recovery.

Under the agreement RCEP covers a wide range of areas, including tariff reductions, trade facilitation and the opening-up of services and investment. Over 90 percent of trade in goods among the member countries will be tariff-free, which is seen as being of great significance to further promote free trade, stabilize the industrial supply chain and promote China's opening-up within the region.

Last year, Rudong Customs established a special working team to make preparations for RCEP policy interpretation, help its resident enterprises learn more about the policies in advance and secure benefits from the agreement.

Moving forward, plans are for Rudong Customs to continue to guide local businesses to seize the opportunities brought about by RCEP, helping them improve their capabilities to use rules of origin to increase their international competitiveness.