Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and thoroughly implementing the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China,and earnestly implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speeches and instructions regarding Jiangsu’s work. Focusing on platform and infrastructure development, the cross-border e-commerce industry, the integration of business models, the expansion of international markets, the enhancement of trade facilitation, the creation of an optimal development environment, and the establishment of compliance mechanisms, we will accelerate the construction of the Cross-Border E-Commerce Comprehensive Pilot Zone, promote the high-quality development of cross-border e-commerce, contribute to the stabilization and improvement of foreign trade, and provide strong support for the city’s “Trillion-Yuan City: A New Beginning” initiative. This Action Plan is hereby formulated.
　　I. Development Goals
　　Leveraging the development of the Cross-Border E-Commerce Comprehensive Pilot Zone, we will vigorously promote the integrated development of “cross-border e-commerce + industrial clusters,” focus on attracting a group of specialized cross-border e-commerce platforms, and build an ecosystem where cross-border e-commerce industrial parks, industrial bases, platform enterprises, service providers, and overseas warehouses develop in tandem.By 2026, the city aims to cultivate more than 10 cross-border e-commerce export brands with significant international influence, establish more than 5 specialized cross-border e-commerce industrial clusters, and complete the construction of more than 3 cross-border e-commerce industrial bases. The scale of cross-border e-commerce is projected to grow by more than 50% annually, accounting for over 8% of total imports and exports. The level of high-quality development in the city’s cross-border e-commerce sector will be significantly enhanced, and its role in supporting the innovative development of foreign trade will be substantially strengthened.
　　II. Key Tasks
　　(1) Strengthening Platform and Infrastructure Development
　　1. Optimize the “One Zone, Multiple Parks” layout. Deepen the development of the Changzhou Cross-Border E-Commerce Comprehensive Pilot Zone. With the Changzhou Comprehensive Bonded Zone and the Wujin Comprehensive Bonded Zone as primary platforms, and provincial and municipal-level cross-border e-commerce industrial parks as key supports, establish a “One Zone, Multiple Parks” framework for the pilot zone. Promote the coordinated development of the city’s cross-border e-commerce industrial parks and comprehensive bonded zones, strengthen resource integration, and amplify the synergistic effects of policies.Encourage industrial parks to intensify efforts in attracting and supporting cross-border e-commerce enterprises and projects, attracting at least five key cross-border e-commerce projects to settle in the city annually. Promote closer integration between industrial parks and the cross-border e-commerce public service platform, optimize public services such as incubation, training, consulting, and financial support for tenant enterprises, strengthen performance evaluation and dynamic management of industrial parks, enhance service efficiency, and boost industrial agglomeration effects. By 2026, the number of enterprises operating in the city’s cross-border e-commerce industrial parks will reach over 300.
　　2. Strengthen the Cross-Border E-Commerce Public Service Platform. Promote the upgrading of the cross-border e-commerce public service platform, optimize regulatory efficiency, enhance service capabilities, and achieve “one-stop, multi-module, full-service” operations. Actively build an industrial public service system supported by the Cross-Border E-Commerce Task Force, the Changzhou Cross-Border E-Commerce Industry Promotion Association, and the Cross-Border E-Commerce Public Service Platform, with a focus on creating a cross-border e-commerce ecosystem.Intensify efforts to promote and apply the cross-border e-commerce public service platform, encourage enterprises to connect with the platform, effectively leverage its service functions, and expand the scale of its services.
　　3. Vigorously Cultivate Cross-Border E-Commerce Platform Enterprises.Vigorously attract international cross-border e-commerce platforms, well-known independent websites, and other entities to establish operations in Changzhou, thereby expanding brand influence and elevating the level of development. By leveraging the resource advantages of specific districts and the unique development characteristics of various cross-border e-commerce industrial parks, optimize supporting policies and actively attract and nurture cross-border e-commerce service providers. Focusing on supporting services such as incubation, training, managed operations, platform services, logistics, warehousing, overseas sales, and supply chain finance, promote the deep integration of “industrial parks + service providers” to drive the transformation and development of more enterprises.We will foster the development of local specialized and comprehensive cross-border e-commerce platform enterprises, support key cross-border e-commerce platform enterprises in expanding their market share, and leverage the platforms’ radiating influence and economies of scale. We will support enterprises with the capability to integrate industrial chain and supply chain services in establishing vertical cross-border e-commerce platforms to empower the digital transformation of industries. By 2026, we aim to attract and cultivate approximately 10 cross-border e-commerce platforms and service providers.
　　(2) Strengthening the Cross-Border E-Commerce Industry
　　4. Cultivate and expand cross-border trade entities. Encourage traditional foreign trade enterprises to “go online and upgrade,” actively utilizing cross-border e-commerce to tap into international markets. By 2026, the number of enterprises engaged in cross-border e-commerce operations will exceed 5,000.Leverage the roles of industry associations, leading enterprises, and specialized institutions to establish cross-border e-commerce incubation bases and innovation and entrepreneurship hubs. Intensify incubation and support for small, medium, and micro enterprises to expand the pool of new cross-border e-commerce entities. Incubate more than 50 cross-border e-commerce startups annually citywide. By 2026, cultivate more than 50 industry-leading cross-border e-commerce enterprises with strong international competitiveness and foster 1–2 listed cross-border e-commerce companies. Focus policy support on enterprises demonstrating significant development achievements and strong exemplary and leading roles.Strive to establish a number of provincial-level e-commerce demonstration bases. Encourage eligible cross-border e-commerce enterprises to apply for designation as national high-tech enterprises or technologically advanced service enterprises. Establish a regular liaison mechanism with key cross-border e-commerce enterprises to improve service levels and support the clustering of high-quality enterprises.
　　5. Strengthen the Attraction of Leading Enterprises. Intensify efforts to attract leading domestic and international cross-border e-commerce enterprises. Introduce platform-based, trade-oriented, and service-oriented cross-border e-commerce enterprises with strong radiating and driving capabilities and significant industry influence. Encourage these enterprises to establish regional headquarters, operational centers, innovation centers, distribution centers, and other functional institutions in Changzhou to develop a cross-border e-commerce headquarters economy.Strengthen collaboration with key platforms to enhance the supply of specialized services, including startup incubation, brand marketing, website development, cross-border live streaming, foreign-related legal services, and intellectual property protection. Compile a citywide directory of high-quality cross-border e-commerce service providers to build a full-chain service system.
　　6. Develop Cross-Border E-Commerce Brands and Supply Chains. Support cross-border e-commerce enterprises in registering trademarks overseas and obtaining international certifications, implementing domestic and international patent strategies, conducting global brand promotion, and expanding exports of proprietary brands. Establish a database of key brand enterprises for cultivation, organize brand promotion events, identify benchmark enterprises, and leverage their exemplary effects. By 2026, the city aims to cultivate and develop more than 10 cross-border e-commerce export brands with significant international influence.Adhere to the strategies of coordination, integration, and decentralization in the cross-border e-commerce supply chain, focusing on procurement and supply management, warehousing management, logistics and distribution, after-sales service, and returns processing to build a robust cross-border e-commerce supply chain. Leverage the exemplary roles of the Menghe auto parts and Henglin flooring and home furnishings cross-border e-commerce supply chains, and strengthen cross-border e-commerce industrial chains and supply chains by distinguishing between different industrial clusters.We will cultivate and attract a group of professional service providers to continuously enhance services in operations, logistics, marketing, settlement, and financing, thereby forming a secure, stable, efficient, convenient, and orderly competitive cross-border e-commerce supply chain system.
　　(3) Integrated Development of Business Models
　　7. Promote the digital transformation of cross-border business. Actively guide traditional foreign trade enterprises and manufacturing enterprises to build upon traditional trade models and fully utilize cross-border e-commerce platforms to conduct B2C and B2B business, proactively securing orders to achieve “buying globally and selling globally.” This will increase the proportion of orders received by foreign trade enterprises through platforms and expand the volume of foreign trade.Support enterprises in utilizing search engines, social media, and big data analysis for digital marketing and promotion, and leverage digital methods and internet tools to support targeted overseas marketing and supply-demand matching. Support enterprises in relying on cross-border platforms and applying foreign trade AI tools to improve order-taking efficiency, reduce operational costs, and enhance competitiveness in international markets. Encourage enterprises to build their own independent websites, cultivate private-domain traffic, and strengthen their proprietary channels.
　　8. Innovate cross-border e-commerce business models. Prioritize the development of business-to-business (B2B) exports in cross-border e-commerce. Promote the integrated development of cross-border e-commerce with new foreign trade formats and models—such as brand cultivation, overseas warehouses, the “Market Procurement Pass” (市采通), and comprehensive foreign trade service platforms—to leverage policy advantages and assist more small, medium, and micro cross-border e-commerce enterprises in exporting compliantly and efficiently.Advance the operations of the “Cainiao East China Import Hub,” and encourage import enterprises to establish cross-border e-commerce retail import hubs within comprehensive bonded zones, developing new models such as “bonded warehouses + live streaming” and “experience stores + live streaming.” Leverage the spillover effects of the China International Import Expo (CIIE), actively coordinate with the CIIE, further expand the scale of the “CIIE Hongqiao Product Hub Changzhou Sub-Center,” and host various cross-border import shopping festivals and New Year’s goods festivals.Promote the “Online Bonded Import + Physical New Retail” pilot program, advance projects such as “Australian Pharmacy” and “Yule,” and develop cross-border product pickup models such as “front-store, back-warehouse” and “buy now, pick up fast.” Improve regulatory methods, expand the import of consumer goods, and enhance the consumer experience. Actively carry out pilot programs for the electronic payment of taxes on cross-border e-commerce retail imports.
　　9. Promote the development of overseas warehouses. Encourage enterprises to establish overseas warehouses in traditional key markets as well as in markets along the “Belt and Road” and within the RCEP framework. Leverage the service capabilities of public overseas warehouses to enhance functions such as warehousing and distribution, marketing and display, and supply aggregation, thereby reducing logistics costs and fostering the joint construction and sharing of high-quality resources. Guide and support traditional foreign trade enterprises in expanding their cross-border e-commerce operations through overseas warehouses, and accelerate their integration into overseas retail systems by utilizing exhibition centers, experience stores, and distribution points to provide after-sales services.Support public overseas warehouses in innovatively providing services such as processing and repair, marketing and promotion, and supply chain finance. Support overseas warehouse enterprises in expanding last-mile delivery operations and continuously improving the cross-border delivery service system. Encourage enterprises to actively apply for designation as key contact enterprises for cross-border e-commerce overseas warehouses by the Ministry of Commerce and for provincial-level public overseas warehouse certification, thereby expanding the pool of public overseas warehouses. By 2026, the city aims to foster more than 30 key public overseas warehouses.
　　10. Pilot a Whitelist System. Explore the establishment of a cross-border e-commerce whitelist system. With endorsements from departments such as commerce, customs, taxation, and foreign exchange, provide whitelisted enterprises with streamlined services including expedited customs clearance, tax refunds, and foreign exchange settlement to enhance their competitiveness in international markets and accelerate the global expansion of their products. At the same time, intensify promotional efforts to guide enterprises in actively applying for whitelist status and expand their share of the cross-border e-commerce market.
　　(IV) Intensify Market Expansion Efforts
　　11. Promote the “Cross-Border E-Commerce + Industrial Clusters” Overseas Expansion Initiative. Focus on competitive industrial clusters such as new energy, automotive parts, textiles and apparel, machinery and equipment, home appliances, tools, building materials and home furnishings, and tourism goods. Strengthen connections between manufacturing enterprises and key cross-border e-commerce platforms and service providers to facilitate the collective overseas expansion of industrial clusters. Encourage national, provincial, and municipal foreign trade transformation and upgrading bases to partner with renowned domestic and international cross-border e-commerce platforms, driving deep integration between industrial clusters and cross-border e-commerce.We will thoroughly carry out a series of activities to empower cross-border e-commerce industrial clusters, actively organize “supply chain + sellers + platform” product selection and matching events, as well as various training sessions on topics such as store setup for beginners, operational strategies, country-specific sessions, and marketing tools, to accelerate the cross-border expansion of traditional manufacturing enterprises.By 2026, establish more than five distinctive cross-border e-commerce industrial clusters and build more than three cross-border e-commerce industrial bases. Support districts, cities, and industrial parks in establishing industrial cluster product display and selection centers; collaborate with well-known cross-border e-commerce platforms to set up “online dedicated zones” for cross-border e-commerce enterprises; explore the “one zone, one product” development model; and drive the export of more distinctive and competitive products.
　　12. Support enterprises in expanding into international markets. Focus on key industries and sectors, consolidate traditional markets, and strengthen cross-border e-commerce cooperation and exchanges with countries (regions) along the “Belt and Road” and RCEP member states. Encourage and guide enterprises to leverage tariff reductions and rules of origin, enhance their cross-regional supply chain management capabilities, and increase their market share in emerging markets.Actively organize enterprises to participate in trade promotion exhibitions organized by the Provincial Department of Commerce, formulate a city-wide trade promotion plan, and encourage cross-border e-commerce enterprises to actively participate in various domestic and international exhibitions as well as specialized cross-border e-commerce exhibitions, jointly expanding international markets through both online and offline channels.
　　(5) Enhancing Cross-Border Trade Facilitation
　　13. Optimize customs clearance facilitation measures. Accelerate the implementation of the cross-border e-commerce retail import return center warehouse model. Explore pilot programs for cross-border e-commerce retail export goods returns across customs districts, improve the management of returned export goods, and guide enterprises in handling export returns. Implement tax policies for returned cross-border e-commerce export goods, exempting eligible returned goods from import duties, value-added tax (VAT), and consumption tax.In accordance with the arrangements of the General Administration of Customs, explore regulatory innovations for cross-border e-commerce export forward warehouses and pilot the “inspection before shipment” supervision for consolidated export cargo. Explore and study the possibility of granting cross-border e-commerce export goods the functions of consolidated packing and inspection control within forward warehouses. Optimize the customs filing process for the cross-border e-commerce export overseas warehouse model to achieve “local filing, nationwide validity.” Strengthen credit cultivation for cross-border e-commerce enterprises and include enterprises that meet the standards in the list of high-level certified enterprises.
　　14. Improve the international logistics system. Promote the development of intermodal transport; support Changzhou Airport in adding new international routes, increasing the frequency of existing international flights, and launching cargo flights; support Changzhou Port in opening short-sea shipping routes and enhancing direct shipping capacity with major ports in Shanghai and Ningbo to provide comprehensive transportation support for cross-border e-commerce. Leveraging Changzhou Port’s qualification for container handling of power battery products, provide a fast and convenient channel for the export of the “New Three Categories” of goods.Leveraging Changzhou Airport and Changzhou Port—both Class I national open ports—as well as the Changzhou and Wujin Comprehensive Bonded Zones, we will actively apply for designated port status for imported goods such as fruits, promote multimodal transport within the Comprehensive Port Area, and enable cross-border goods to clear customs and enter or exit directly through Changzhou ports. We will strengthen the sharing of port logistics information and support port inspection authorities in pushing customs clearance status updates to cross-border e-commerce enterprises via the “Single Window” platform.
　　(6) Continuously Optimize the Development Environment
　　15. Innovate foreign exchange management services. Launch a special campaign to provide exchange rate risk management services for enterprises, guiding banks to increase innovation in exchange rate hedging products and services for cross-border e-commerce businesses, thereby enhancing the ability of cross-border e-commerce enterprises to cope with exchange rate risks. Allow cross-border e-commerce enterprises to offset and settle overseas storage, logistics, and tax expenses incurred for exported goods against export proceeds in accordance with regulations.Support eligible non-bank payment institutions and banks in providing efficient current account foreign exchange settlement and sale services, as well as related fund collection and payment services, to cross-border e-commerce market entities based on electronic transaction information. Support domestic international courier companies, logistics enterprises, and cross-border e-commerce platform operators in advancing payments for overseas warehousing, logistics, and tax expenses related to cross-border e-commerce, and further promote the facilitation of cross-border trade settlement.
　　16. Deepen the integration of finance and insurance. Strengthen cooperation among government, banks, and enterprises. Encourage financial institutions, under the premise of controllable risks, to utilize information on e-commerce supply chain logistics and capital flows to develop innovative financial products tailored to cross-border e-commerce enterprises. Deepen collaboration with credit insurance providers and financial institutions to promote the “Cross-Border Logistics Credit Insurance Loan” business, expand the scope of underwriting and financing services, and effectively alleviate financing difficulties for cross-border e-commerce enterprises.Support enterprises in utilizing the “Su Trade Loan” and “Small and Micro Enterprise Loan” programs to conduct financial operations, and support low-cost financing for cross-border e-commerce enterprises. Explore new models for export credit insurance coverage supporting cross-border e-commerce, accelerate the promotion of new insurance products such as cross-border e-commerce export political risk insurance, platform payment insurance, and overseas warehouse sales insurance, help cross-border e-commerce enterprises reduce export risks, and gradually expand the coverage scale of policy-based export credit insurance for cross-border e-commerce operations.
　　17. Strengthen professional talent support. Intensify efforts to attract high-level talent in cross-border e-commerce, support eligible leading and in-demand cross-border e-commerce professionals in settling in Changzhou, and facilitate the recruitment of international talent for cross-border e-commerce enterprises, aiming to attract 5–10 high-level cross-border e-commerce professionals annually. Support the development of expert think tanks specializing in cross-border e-commerce and new foreign trade models to enhance the capacity of experts and scholars to serve government decision-making and enterprise development.Improve the four-party talent cultivation system involving the government, universities, enterprises, and associations. Leveraging the resources of local applied undergraduate universities, vocational and technical colleges, and vocational schools, and in collaboration with cross-border e-commerce industrial parks, industry-education alliances, and industry promotion associations, adopt a joint talent cultivation mechanism involving government, schools, enterprises, and associations. Cultivate specialized and skilled cross-border e-commerce talent in a planned and tiered manner, training more than 500 professionals annually.Support higher vocational colleges in strengthening the development of cross-border e-commerce programs, support school-enterprise cooperation in education and the joint construction of practical training bases, deepen the integration of industry and education, and improve the quality of talent cultivation. Expand the scale of the Digital Cultural Industry College to supply more professional talent to cross-border e-commerce enterprises.
　　18. Strengthen thematic publicity and training. Launch the “Changzhou: Cross-Border E-Commerce—Buy Globally, Sell Globally” series of activities. Conduct focused publicity and reporting based on industrial clusters, operational models, business specialties, park types, and platform services. Summarize and promote successful experiences, guide enterprises to learn from these examples, expand the demonstration effect, and foster a healthy ecosystem.Leverage the roles of industry organizations and chambers of commerce to actively host various activities such as resource matching, policy briefings, business training, and experience-sharing sessions, organizing more than 50 high-quality networking and exchange events citywide each year. Organize multi-tiered competitions including cross-border e-commerce product selection contests, innovation and entrepreneurship contests, cross-border live-streaming contests, and vocational skills contests. Conduct diverse forms of practical cross-border e-commerce training and host talent recruitment fairs, organizing training for more than 3,000 participants annually.
　　(7) Strengthen the Development of Compliance Mechanisms
　　19. Launch the Cross-Border E-Commerce Support Initiative.In conjunction with the development of the Changzhou Enterprise Compliance Officer Training Demonstration Base, we will collaborate with the Changzhou Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the Fair Trade Workstation, intellectual property service agencies, and industry lawyers to provide cross-border e-commerce support services to more than 100 enterprises annually. We will offer guidance and training on cross-border e-commerce import and export compliance, as well as international law, intellectual property, and taxation, to help cross-border e-commerce enterprises strengthen their awareness of compliant operations, adapt to regulatory policies, and establish compliant business systems, thereby continuously enhancing compliance in the cross-border e-commerce sector.
　　20. Enhance risk prevention and control capabilities. Actively seek special funding to support the development of cross-border e-commerce, strengthen compliance assessments and performance management of funding policies, and eliminate subsidies for prohibited projects. Support industry associations and third-party institutions in conducting training on overseas platform rules and the policies and regulations of export destination countries, providing business consulting on overseas customs clearance rules, tax regulations, fund management, and intellectual property disputes to enhance risk prevention, control, and response capabilities.
　　III. Organizational Guarantees
　　(1) Strengthen Organizational Leadership. Establish a dedicated task force for cross-border e-commerce development, improve collaborative advancement mechanisms, enhance coordination between municipal and district levels as well as among departments, and strengthen the overall coordination of comprehensive pilot zone construction. Timely address key and difficult issues, regularly summarize and review effective practices for promoting cross-border e-commerce development, and promptly replicate and promote them to foster a favorable development environment and generate a powerful synergy for growth.
　　(2) Clarify Primary Responsibilities. Improve the city-district coordination mechanism, clarify the primary responsibilities of each district, highlight development priorities, refine tasks and measures, and ensure the implementation of work. Further benchmark against leading regions to identify gaps, strengthen exploration and innovation, and accelerate the narrowing of the gap with advanced regions in areas such as attracting platform enterprises, expanding business scale, building overseas warehouses, and cultivating market entities.
　　(3) Strengthen Policy Support. Regularly organize policy briefings and business guidance sessions to expand the coverage of various business-friendly policies. Encourage exploration and innovation, and provide preferential policies to regions with notable achievements to effectively leverage their exemplary and leading roles. Strengthen financial support, establish a database of key cross-border e-commerce projects, and utilize special funds for foreign trade and economic cooperation at all levels in a compliant and efficient manner.
　　(4) Improve the evaluation mechanism. Establish a comprehensive evaluation mechanism for cross-border e-commerce work, conducting comprehensive assessments of efforts in park development, business entity cultivation, business growth, policy implementation, and environment creation. Further summarize experiences and address shortcomings; regions achieving notable results will be given priority for recommendation to apply for various national and provincial pilot programs for new business models.