BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) — Shanghai introduced on Monday 11 measures covering areas such as financial support, customs services and taxation to mitigate the impact of the novel coronavirus pneumonia on foreign trade enterprises and ensure their stable development.
Financial institutions in Shanghai will be encouraged to provide loans with preferential interest rates, adjust repayment plans, extend repayment period, etc. to help key foreign trade enterprises for epidemic prevention and control to overcome financial difficulties, according to the document released by Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce.
Priority will be given to support the operation resumption of ports, container and truck transportation, and other foreign trade service sectors.
Shanghai will support enterprises to use cross-border e-commerce platforms to expand international market and increase global procurement, according to the document.
Besides, fast customs clearance mechanism will be further improved for imported drugs, disinfection items, protective articles, and treatment equipment. Tariffs on epidemic prevention and control materials imported under the organization of competent health departments will be exempted, said the document.
Highlights of the measures lie in the coordination between the recent fight against the epidemic and the medium and long-term development of foreign trade, Zou Lei, director with opening-up strategy research center of the Party School of the Shanghai Committee of CPC said in an interview with Shanghai Securities News.