Yunnan issues 1st RCEP C/O for export to Philippines

The customs services in central Yunnan’s Kunming city issued its first RCEP certificate of origin (C/O) for the province to export to the Philippines on June 2, when the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement took effect for the ASEAN country.

An officer at Kunming Customs grants the first RCEP certificate of origin (C/O) for Yunnan export to the Philippines on June 2. Photo/Yunnan Daily

The certificate was granted to the Zichaqiuyu Flower Company based in Kunming, allowing the company’s fresh-cut roses, lilies and others to be exported to the Philippines at an value of 72,000 yuan.

With the RCEP agreement taking effect in the Philippines, the regional trade pack has finally covered all of its 15 members, and the world's largest free trade zone has entered a new stage of full implementation, bringing more benefits to businesses in the region.

"Our flowers will enter the Philippine market at zero tariffs," said Zhang Yan, manager of the Zichaqiuyu Flower Company, adding that Yunnan roses, lilies and carnations are popular in Filipinos’ daily life, weddings and other festivities.

Yunnan’s foreign trade with the RCEP partners reached 40.66 billion yuan in the first four months of this year, a yearly increase of 11.4%. Kunming Customs has issued 23,600 RCEP C/Os for Yunnan goods worth 4.3 billion yuan in the same period, up 65% year-on-year.

Reporting by Liu Ziyu (Yunnan Daily); Trans-editing by Wang Shixue