Officials unveil the nameplate of the Rugao cross -border e-commerce industrial park Nov 24. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

The Rugao cross-border e-commerce industrial park started operating at the bonded logistics center of Rugao Port in Nantong Nov 24.

The first transaction was also made that day, with a consumer from Changjiang town, Rugao, buying German milk powder and Belgian chocolate through a cross-border e-commerce platform which operates in the park.

The local government has been working to establish the park since the beginning of this year, by setting up a special work team, and building a hi-tech-powered customs monitoring center and an experience center for cross-border e-commerce with a concept of "shopping globally at Rugao Port".

Individuals who buy commodities worth no more than 5,000 yuan ($724) in a single deal, with the total annual transaction amount no more than 26,000 yuan, are eligible for an exemption of customs duties, according to Ma Yudong, chairman of Rugao Port.

"They can also enjoy a 30-percent discount when paying value-added taxes and consumption duties," Ma added.

Taking milk powder as an example, the tax would take up to 30 percent of the sales price if it was imported as ordinary goods, while being a cross-border e-commerce commodity, it only costs no more than 10 percent of the sales price.

"The park makes it more convenient for local consumers to buy high-quality products with reasonable prices from overseas. It will help stimulate consumption and promote the development of the services industry in Rugao," said Ding Xinghua, deputy Party secretary of the city.

Officials revealed that the city also plans to build a cross-border e-commerce platform especially for exports in the future, aiming to provide "one-stop" solutions to foreign trade companies in the city to help them enhance competitiveness and risk resistance capacity.