South African exporters seeking to benefit from China’s temporary zero-tariff preference scheme will need to ensure that rules-of-origin requirements and certificate-of-origin documentation are in place before goods are cleared in China.
This follows guidance issued by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition on Wednesday, May 13, setting out the documentation requirements for qualifying South African goods exported to China between May 1, 2026 and April 30, 2028.
“Access to the preference scheme is conditional on meeting prescribed rules-of-origin requirements, including product-specific conditions and submitting a valid certificate of origin for customs clearance in China,” the department said.
The dtic said it was working with the South African Revenue Service on the customs procedures and legislative amendments required to implement the scheme, including processes for issuing certificates of origin.
For products already in transit, where a certificate of origin was not issued before or at the time of shipment, importers would be required to pay a deposit, the dtic said.
“The deposit may be refunded once the requested documentation has been submitted. In such cases, the certificate of origin must be marked ‘issued retrospectively’ and will remain valid for one year from the shipment date.”
The dtic also cautioned that, although the scheme applied to a broad range of products, some goods could still be subject to specific conditions, including tariff-rate quotas.
“Exporters are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the detailed tariff schedules and rules of origin documentation to ensure compliance and maximise the benefits of the preferences.”
The department said an Export Help Desk had been established as a central point of contact for guidance and queries relating to compliance and market access processes at exports@thedtic.gov.za. A frequently asked questions document for exporters is also expected to be published on the dtic website.
