Japan's fifth round of tariff reductions under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) started on April 1. The Taizhou Council for the Promotion of International Trade is offering personalized guidance to foreign trade enterprises in Taizhou, Zhejiang province, to help them capitalize on the tariff benefits.

Among them is Zhejiang Zhuangchen Electric Appliance Co. Its recent exports of plastic products to Japan, valued at nearly $50,000, were previously subject to a 3.9 percent base tariff, which has now been lowered to 2.1 percent. This adjustment is expected to save the company over $100,000 in annual tariffs compared to the previous rates.

Zhou Jianjing, the company's foreign trade manager, expressed confidence in securing more orders from Japan due to reduced tariffs, benefiting both Japanese companies and their own operations.

The Taizhou Council for the Promotion of International Trade has been helping enterprises fully leverage the RCEP policy dividends by optimizing the certificate of origin application system and providing convenient measures like self-printing.

The council has issued over 4,300 Japanese certificates of origin under the RCEP, covering various products and helping companies save approximately $4 million in tariffs while enhancing their competitiveness.