Against the backdrop of an accelerating restructuring of the global trade landscape, China's steel export tax rebate policies have become a focal point for enterprises. In 2025, China's steel export tax rebate policy has undergone a new round of adjustments, coupled with external shocks such as the United States raising steel and aluminum tariffs to 50%. Enterprises need to accurately grasp policy trends and optimize customs declaration strategies to cope with a complex and ever-changing trade environment.
I. Core Adjustments to the Export Tax Rebate Policy: Dual Optimization of Rebate Rates and Processes
1. Structural Adjustment of Rebate Rates
According to the latest policy, the export tax rebate rates for 142 tariff codes of steel products have been reduced from 11% to 8%, a decrease of 3 percentage points. This adjustment primarily targets low value-added products, aiming to guide enterprises towards high-end transformation. Notably, the export tax rebate rates for some high-tech fields such as major technical equipment and biopharmaceutical products have been increased to 17%, forming a differentiated policy orientation of "high rebates for high-tech, low rebates for low-tech."
2. Intelligent Upgrade of Declaration Processes
In 2025, pilot programs of "paperless declaration + intelligent review" have been launched in cities like Shanghai. Enterprises can upload electronic materials such as business licenses, export contracts, and customs declaration forms through a single window, with the system automatically verifying the authenticity of the data. The tax rebate cycle has been shortened from an average of 30 days to 15 working days, significantly improving capital turnover efficiency.
3. Strengthened Compliance Risk Management
The policy explicitly requires enterprises to establish a "one-invoice, one-file" traceability system, implementing digital management of documents such as export declaration forms, value-added tax invoices, and logistics documents. Tax authorities will intensify spot checks and impose "blacklist" joint punishments on false declarations, tax fraud, and other illegal behaviors.
II. Optimization of Customs Declaration Strategies: From Mode Selection to Risk Avoidance
1. Adaptability Analysis of Customs Declaration Modes
0110 General Trade Mode: Suitable for bulk steel exports, enterprises need to negotiate "Free On Board (FOB) + tax rebate" terms with overseas customers in advance to ensure consistency between the foreign exchange collection and the declared value on the customs declaration form.
9710 Cross-border E-commerce B2B Mode: For steel exports through platforms like Alibaba.com, enterprises can enjoy the convenience of "list verification and release, summary declaration," but need to be aware of policy differences in cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zones.
9810 Overseas Warehouse Mode: Requires prior completion of overseas warehouse registration. Goods entering the warehouse are deemed as "deemed exports," but enterprises need to complete sales and declare tax rebates within 90 days; otherwise, they will face tax risks.
2. Compliant Pathways for Entrepôt Trade
Facing the U.S. tariff hikes on transshipment countries like Vietnam, enterprises need to adopt a "certificate of origin + processing value-added" strategy. For example, an enterprise processes the surface of steel products in a Malaysian factory, increasing the product's value-added rate by over 30%, successfully applying for a Malaysian certificate of origin, and avoiding high tariffs.
3. Application of Supply Chain Financial Tools
Export enterprises can utilize a combination of "tax rebate financing + letter of credit discounting" products to obtain tax rebates and payment in advance, reducing capital occupation costs. A major steel enterprise, through cooperation with a bank, shortened the tax rebate cycle from 45 days to 7 days, reducing the annualized financing cost to 4.5%.
III. Linkage with Trade Policies: Risk Hedging from a Global Perspective
1. Impact of U.S. Tariffs and Countermeasures
The U.S. increase in steel and aluminum tariffs from 25% to 50% directly impacts China's steel exports to the United States. Data shows that China's steel exports to the United States accounted for only 0.8% in 2024, but enterprises need to be vigilant about the "butterfly effect":
Indirect Impact: Rising costs in downstream industries such as U.S. construction machinery and automobiles may reduce demand for Chinese steel.
Transshipment Risks: Transshipment countries like Vietnam and Mexico face stricter origin reviews, requiring enterprises to establish diversified export channels.
2. Deep Cultivation Strategies for the ASEAN Market
China's steel exports to ASEAN grew by 35% year-on-year in 2024, with Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines becoming major growth drivers. Enterprises can adopt a "localized production + regional supply chain" model. For example, investing in a rolling mill in Indonesia to leverage the zero-tariff advantages of the ASEAN Free Trade Area and radiate to surrounding markets.
3. Industrial Upgrading and Policy Synergy
The policy encourages enterprises to transform towards high value-added fields, such as:
Specialty Steels: Export tax rebate rates for weathering steel, nuclear power steel, etc., remain at 13%, encouraging enterprises to increase R&D investment.
Green Manufacturing: Low-carbon steel products that meet the requirements of the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) can enjoy preferential export credit terms.
IV. Actionable Recommendations for Enterprises: Building a "Policy-Strategy-Execution" Closed Loop
1.Policy Tracking Mechanism: Establish dedicated positions to monitor announcements from the Ministry of Finance, General
Administration of Customs, and other departments in real-time, and build a policy early warning model.
2.Digital Capability Building: Deploy ERP systems to interface with the single window, achieving automation of the entire process from
customs declaration, tax rebates, to foreign exchange collection.
3.Elastic Supply Chain Layout: Establish warehousing centers in countries along the "Belt and Road" to diversify geopolitical risks.
4.Compliance Training System: Regularly organize joint training with tax, customs, and foreign exchange departments
to enhance compliance awareness among all employees.
In the wave of "deglobalization," steel export enterprises need to anchor themselves in policies, set sail with strategies, and row with execution to find a balance between compliance and efficiency. Only by proactively adapting to policy changes and deepening global supply chain layouts can enterprises achieve sustainable development in a complex and ever-changing trade environment.