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On 30 March 2026 Shenzhen's Commerce Bureau and Investment Promotion Bureau released ten 'Export to Shenzhen' measures aimed at expanding imports. They support imports of advanced equipment, components, consumer goods and commodities, encourage electronic component distribution centres, and speed up clearance of R&D goods in the Hetao zone.
Overview
On 30 March 2026 the Shenzhen Municipal Commerce Bureau (Shenzhen Bonded Area Administration Committee) and the Shenzhen Investment Promotion Bureau jointly released the Shenzhen Three-Year Action Plan to Improve the Quality and Efficiency of Foreign Trade: "Export to Shenzhen" Special Measures. "Export to Shenzhen" refers to bringing overseas companies and products into Shenzhen, in other words expanding imports. The document contains ten measures, and the Commerce Bureau published an illustrated explainer the following day, 31 March.
The measures cover ten areas: imports for industrial upgrading, quality consumer goods, bulk commodities, new import business models, import promotion platforms, diversified import markets, green imports, regional cooperation, trade facilitation and support services.
Background
Shenzhen has long been known for the scale of its exports. In recent years, balancing imports and exports and using imports to upgrade industry and expand consumption have become policy priorities. At the national level, China has also repeatedly called for linking domestic and international circulation and for expanding imports.
Shenzhen borders Hong Kong and is one of the world's major hubs for electronic components. The new measures appear intended to use these geographic and industrial advantages to strengthen the city's role as an import hub.
Key Points
| Area | Main content |
|---|---|
| Industrial upgrading | Support for imports of advanced equipment and key components for the "20+8" industrial clusters; customised customs supervision for essential intermediate goods such as integrated circuits and flat-panel display modules; a pilot for importing used auto parts for R&D and testing |
| Consumer goods | Support for imports of daily goods, agricultural and aquatic products, mid- to high-end consumer goods and medical and elderly-care equipment; a cold-chain import hub focused on fresh fruit; country-themed product halls; attracting flagship and first stores of international brands |
| Bulk commodities | Attracting Asia-Pacific headquarters and order and settlement centres of energy and mineral traders; support for the commodity spot trading platform of the Qianhai United Exchange linked to Hong Kong Exchanges; an LNG bunkering centre at Yantian Port |
| New business models | Expanding cross-border e-commerce imports and improving returns; developing bonded repair and bonded display and trading |
| Platforms | The national import trade promotion and innovation demonstration zone in Qianhai; upgrading the international electronic components and integrated circuit trading centre; encouraging component makers to set up domestic distribution centres; a "Hong Kong store, Shenzhen warehouse" model |
| Markets and regional cooperation | Guides on FTA tariff concessions and rules of origin; using RCEP and China-ASEAN tariff preferences to expand intermediate imports; import promotion events targeting APEC markets |
| Trade facilitation | "Differentiated conformity assessment" with quick release after risk assessment for statutory-inspection industrial goods used for R&D in the Shenzhen Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone; wider use of "advance declaration plus conditional release" |
The measures also call for more import credit, exploration of import prepayment insurance, bonded warehouses for integrated circuits and specialised equipment, an upgrade of the Yantian national cold-chain hub, and smart and cold-chain inspection equipment at land ports such as Shenzhen Bay and Liantang.
Implications for Japan-Shenzhen Exchange
Japan, like China, is a party to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), so support for using tariff preferences and rules of origin appears relevant to exports of Japanese components and consumer goods to Shenzhen. Easier handling of intermediate goods such as integrated circuits and display modules, and efforts to attract component distribution centres, are measures that Japanese parts makers and trading companies working with Shenzhen's electronics industry may watch closely.
The fresh-food cold-chain hub, country-themed product halls and efforts to attract first stores of overseas brands could diversify the channels through which Japanese food and consumer products reach the South China market. Easier bonded repair and cross-border e-commerce returns may also interest Japanese companies that place importance on after-sales service.
Outlook
The measures form part of a three-year action plan, but the text does not specify an effective date, validity period or subsidy amounts. Detailed procedures and support levels for individual measures await further announcements by the relevant departments.
From the Association
The Association will continue to follow Shenzhen's trade and investment policies, and will keep sharing information useful for business and exchange between Japanese and Shenzhen companies and providing a platform for exchange.
Sources
This article is based on publicly available information and is provided for reference only; accuracy and completeness are not guaranteed.