What is the difference between the two consecutive batches of “positive lists”?

Answer: First, the second batch of lists added hundreds of goods, making the entire list cover a wider range and better meet the business needs of cross-border e-commerce companies. For example, liquid milk (HS code 04011000) was not on the first list, but was added to the second batch of lists.

Second, the second batch of lists modified the notes of some commodities. For example, the HS code of many health products is 21069090. In the first batch of lists, the note of this commodity is “except for commodities included in the “Catalogue of Import and Export Wild Animal and Plant Species Commodities”; except for special foods that are not ordinary foods or require registration and filing management according to law”, and the note in the second batch of lists is “except for commodities included in the “Catalogue of Import and Export Wild Animal and Plant Species Commodities”; medical devices and special foods (including health foods, special medical purpose formula foods, etc.) that need to be registered or filed according to law shall be implemented in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations of the country”. According to the notes of the first list, if a certain product is defined as a health food, then it is not allowed to be imported through cross-border e-commerce; according to the notes of the second list, even if a certain product is defined as a health food, as long as it has obtained approval documents in accordance with relevant national laws and regulations, it can still be imported through cross-border e-commerce. This modification has put health foods that were not on the list before back on the list.

Third, the note “Only online shopping bonded goods” appeared in the second batch of lists, which was not in the first batch of lists. Why is there a requirement for online shopping bonded only? After careful inspection, it is not difficult to find that these goods are all on the “List of Animals and Plants and Their Products Prohibited from Carrying or Mailing into the People’s Republic of China”.

For example, meat is prohibited from being carried or mailed into the country, so the “Other pork made of dried, smoked and salted pork” (tariff number 02101900) on the second batch of lists cannot be engaged in cross-border e-commerce direct mail, and can only be imported through online shopping bonded.