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Author: Michael Publish Time: 16-07-2025 Origin: Site
Are you buying products from China? If so, one of the most important yet ignored documents in international trade is the Certificate of Origin (CO). Knowing which COs apply for your country and whether they offer tariff advantages or not can be crucial to calculating your total import costs.
This guide aims to define the concept of Content of Origin, its importance, and its role for countries that benefit from Trade Agreements with China. On top of that, we've got a sophisticated 2025 table containing countries, certificates and duties.
A Certificate of Origin (CO) is an official document that states the nature of the product's production. It is issued by a recognized authority in the exporting country (e.g., China Council for the Promotion of International Trade – CCPIT) and is used by customs authorities to determine:
Where things are from
If the items or goods qualify to enjoy preferential tariff rates on account of the implemented agreements
If the goods are accepted by the receiving country, or if they will be banned and returned to the parent country
Applicable to countries without special trade agreements (e.g., Russia, Brazil), used to certify the origin of the goods.
such as:
FORM E: China–ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (e.g., Indonesia, Thailand)
FORM F: China–Chile Free Trade Agreement
FORM B: Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (e.g., India, Bangladesh)
FORM D: China–Pakistan Free Trade Agreement
Even if two suppliers offer the same product price, the one who can provide a preferential certificate may save you 5%–30% on import duties.
For example:
A buyer in Vietnam importing cables with a FORM E pays zero duty.
A buyer in Germany, importing the same product with a normal CO, pays full duty.
Concluding: The copy that your supplier sends over has a direct impact on your landed cost.
Subject yourself to this table to establish what your country qualifies for in terms of duty reductions when trading with China:
Country/Region | Certificate Type | FTA Name (if applicable) | Tariff Reduction |
Saudi Arabia | CO (Normal) | None | ❌ No |
UAE | CO (Normal) | None | ❌ No |
Qatar | CO (Normal) | None | ❌ No |
Kuwait | CO (Normal) | None | ❌ No |
Egypt | CO (Normal) | None | ❌ No |
Brazil | CO (Normal) | None | ❌ No |
Colombia | CO (Normal) | None | ❌ No |
Bolivia | CO (Normal) | None | ❌ No |
Argentina | CO (Normal) | None | ❌ No |
Azerbaijan | CO (Normal) | None | ❌ No |
Kazakhstan | CO (Normal) | None | ❌ No |
Russia | CO (Normal) | None | ❌ No |
Mexico | CO (Normal) | None | ❌ No |
India | FORM B | APTA | ✅ Partial |
Bangladesh | FORM B | APTA | ✅ Partial |
Sri Lanka | FORM B | APTA | ✅ Partial |
South Korea | FORM K / FORM B / RCEP | China–Korea FTA / APTA / RCEP | ✅ Yes |
Laos | FORM E / FORM B / RCEP | China–ASEAN FTA / APTA / RCEP | ✅ Yes |
Vietnam | FORM E / RCEP | China–ASEAN FTA / RCEP | ✅ Yes |
Thailand | FORM E / RCEP | China–ASEAN FTA / RCEP | ✅ Yes |
Malaysia | FORM E / RCEP | China–ASEAN FTA / RCEP | ✅ Yes |
Singapore | FORM E / FORM X / RCEP | China–ASEAN FTA /China–Singapore FTA /RCEP | ✅ Yes |
Philippines | FORM E / RCEP | China–ASEAN FTA / RCEP | ✅ Yes |
Cambodia | FORM E / FORM KH /RCEP | China–ASEAN FTA / China–Cambodia FTA/RCEP | ✅ Yes |
Myanmar | FORM E /RCEP | China–ASEAN FTA/RCEP | ✅ Yes |
Japan | RCEP | RCEP | ✅ Yes |
Australia | FORM CHINA–AUS / RCEP | China–Australia FTA / RCEP | ✅ Yes |
Chile | FORM F | China–Chile FTA | ✅ Yes |
Pakistan | FORM D | China–Pakistan FTA | ✅ Yes |
Peru | FORM P | China–Peru FTA | ✅ Yes |
New Zealand | RCEP | China–NZ FTA / RCEP | ✅ Yes |
Switzerland | FORM S | China–Switzerland FTA | ✅ Yes |
Iceland | FORM I | China–Iceland FTA | ✅ Yes |
Georgia | FORM GE | China–Georgia FTA | ✅ Yes |
Mauritius | FORM MU | China–Mauritius FTA | ✅ Yes |
Nicaragua | FORM NI | China–Nicaragua FTA | ✅ Yes |
Ecuador | FORM EC | China–Ecuador FTA | ✅ Yes |
Serbia | FORM RS | China–Serbia FTA | ✅ Yes |
Maldives | FORM MV | China–Maldives FTA | ✅ Yes |
Honduras | FORM HN | China–Honduras FTA | ✅ Yes |
Costa Rica | FORM CR | China–Costa Rica FTA | ✅ Yes |
See whether your country has an FTA with China.
Inform the supplier to provide you with the correct Certificate of Origin.
Ensure that the HS Code on the certificate and your import classification correspond.
A certificate can be used at customs clearance to avoid tariff encumbrances.
Seek advice from the customs broker regarding the documentation process and local acceptance requirements.
Q: Does customs clearance need a typical CO?
A: You got it, but there will be no tariff discount. Only the origin is the proof.
Q: Am I free to choose the one I like the best?
A: To get a certificate from the supplier, you have to prove that you are their good customer.
Q: What will happen if my country is a member of both RCEP and FTA?
A: Rather, pick one of them that gives you the greater advantage or is not hard to process.
We can assist you with:
Certificate of Origin application guidance
Harmonized System (HS) Code checking for FTA qualification
Supplier interface for the correct documents
✅ Then, we urge you to contact us today to enhance the import process and minimize on-duty payments.
michael@zion-communication.com
+86 13757188184
