The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Zhuhai Sub-council has begun handling factual proofs of force majeure and certificates of origin online so that company personnel need not go out in public.

A new online "green channel" has opened to help foreign-trade enterprises minimize the impact of the novel coronavirus outbreak on business with overseas partners.

Amid the ongoing epidemic, some enterprises cannot deliver goods on schedule due to the extended holiday and restricted logistics transport. They may fail to fulfill contracts or obligations within time limits and could have to pay for liquidated damages, have contracts terminated, and lose their good reputations.

The force majeure certificate issued by CCPIT -- a document to partially or completely absolve parties of liability for non-performance, defective and late performance of contracts -- is recognized by governments, customs, chambers of commerce, and enterprises in more than 200 countries and regions. It allows foreign-trade enterprises to negotiate for continuance of a contract and safeguard their legitimate rights and interests.

CCPIT Building in Xicheng District, Beijing [Photo courtesy ccpit.org] 

Application for the document can be made via an online Commercial Certification Platform at www.rzccpit.com or through the CCPIT Zhuhai Sub-council, which provides delivery service for those in urgent need.

Meanwhile, the institution will help enterprises to remotely apply for and print certificates of origin. A special "Two Certificates in One" (Certificate of Foreign Trade Operator and Certificate of Origin) channel has been opened for those applying for the first time.

Enterprises that have completed registration as foreign-trade operators can directly log into the CCPIT's Place of Origin Declaration System at qiye.ccpiteco.net with a unified social credit code to generate automatic synchronization of relevant registration information.

Information about certificates of origin issued by the Zhuhai Sub-council can be obtained at CCPIT's Internet Authentication Center at check.ccpiteco.net. The sub-council has suspended on-site verification and examination of places of origin during the epidemic, and enterprises can submit their information via e-mail for online verification and examination.