Which Chinese cities are cross-border e-commerce pilot zones, and what does that mean for buyers?
Answer
The State Council has approved 
China's cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zones in 8 batches since 2015 (first: Hangzhou, 国函〔2015〕44号). The official count after batch 7 (国函〔2022〕126号, 2022-11-14) was 165 zones across 31 provinces. Batch 8 (国函〔2025〕40号, 2025-04-22) added 16 areas, including all of Hainan, and withdrew 3 older zones, so the implied total is 178 (our calculation, not an official figure). A supplier registered in a pilot zone can use tax support such as VAT/consumption-tax exemption for retail exports (财税〔2018〕103号).
- Applies to
- Overseas buyers and sourcing agents who want to know which Chinese cities host cross-border e-commerce exporters.
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