海淘新税制(hăitáo xīn shuìzhì):New tax on imported e-commerce purchases

China has introduced a new tax policy on imported e-commerce purchases since Friday.

It involves several tax rate adjustments on retail imports related to people's daily lives, which has drawn wide public concern. For instance, according to the new tax system, the taxes on products such as foreign baby formula will be increased.

Consumers will have to pay more for such foreign retail goods because the e-retailers' tax burdens have increased.

The new policy stipulates that cross-border retail suppliers' tax will no longer be based on the postal delivery of goods, but according to the customs and excise duties, import value-added tax and consumption tax.

The Ministry of Finance said on Sunday that the new tax adjustment will not affect Chinese travelers who purchase abroad, because it targets purchases of imported goods online that are delivered through postal service, rather than individual outbound tourists.

The tax regulation for Chinese tourists shopping abroad remains the same as before: Every tourist enjoys a duty exemption of 5,000 yuan ($775) on overseas purchases.