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Goods subject to automatic import licensing are listed in the Catalogue of Goods subject to Automatic Import Licensing , which is issued annually by MOFCOM (Ministry of Commerce) and the GACC (General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China), and in the Catalogue of Automatic Licensing for Solid Waste that lists the solid waste that can be used as raw material in China. There were 396 products at the HS 8-digit level included in the Catalogue of Goods subject to Automatic Licensing in 2015 (46 products less than in 2013); and 17 products listed in the Catalogue of Solid Waste. (...)

Restricted goods are administered through non-automatic licences and/or quotas. Non automatic licences apply to imports regardless of the origin, unless otherwise stipulated in the free trade agreements negotiated by China. Products subject to non-automatic licensing are listed in the Catalogue of Import Goods Subject to Licensing, issued by MOFCOM (Ministry of Commerce), the GACC (General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China) and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), revised on an annual basis. They are also listed in the Catalogue of Restricted Imports for Solid Waste. In 2015, the Catalogue of Import Goods Subject to Licensing listed 89 tariff lines (87 in 2013) at the HS 8-digit level that were subject to non automatic import licensing; and the Catalogue related to solid waste listed 45 lines (Chart 3.2). In 2015 as in 2013, imports subject to non-automatic licensing were mainly used machinery and electronic equipment. The terms and procedures to obtain a non-automatic import licence remain unchanged since the previous Review.

(...) Prohibited items related to solid waste are listed in the Catalogue of Prohibited Imports for Solid Waste, last amended in 2015.

(...) In addition, since 1 October 2012, in order to improve energy efficiency and to protect the environment, China has banned imports of incandescent lighting. [57] As of 2012, imports of charcoal (HS 4402) from Somalia have been banned in order to comply with international obligations.

[57] NDRC Announcement [2011] No. 28. Viewed at: http://www.gov.cn/zwgk/2011-11/14/content_1992476.htm (in Chinese only).

After the three CV investigations initiated in 2012 concerning saloon and cross-country cars (new shipper review) originating in the United States, and solar-grade polysilicon (HS 2804.61.90) originating in the EU and the United States, only one investigation was initiated in 2013 (EU, wines), which was terminated due to the withdrawal of the petition. No investigations were initiated in 2014 or 2015. In the investigation regarding solar-grade polysilicon initiated in 2012, the existence of a subsidy, injury and a causal link between the subsidy and the injury were found, thus leading to the imposition of CV duties in one case (the United States) and a duty undertaking in the other (EU). (...)

Table 3.6 Countervailing investigations and measures, 31 December 2015
Country Product Initiation Provisional measures Final measures Import volume as % of total imports
United States Solar-grade polysilicon 20.07.2012 16.09.2013
0%-6.5%
All others: 6.5% 20.01.2014
0%-2.1%
All others: 2.1% 34.53
(...)
EU Solar-grade polysilicon 20.07.2012 24.01.2014
10.7%
All others: 10.7%
(MOFCOM provisionally determined not to levy) 30.04.2014
1.2%
All others: 1.2%
Undertaking 14.03.2014 22.56

Chinese standards are divided into mandatory and voluntary standards. Mandatory standards are technical regulations. They are mainly related to the protection of human health, personal property and safety, and are applied usually to: (...) environmental emissions; (...)

(...) The majority of the technical regulations notified were applied to regulate the market and to protect human health, safety and the environment, and were related to chemical products, machinery, electronic equipment, and transport equipment. (...)

China administers both a voluntary certification system and a compulsory product certification system. The China National Certification and Accreditation Administration (CNCA), under AQSIQ (General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine), manages both systems. Certification and accreditation are regulated by: (...) the Measures for the Administration of Organic Product Certification; and the Measures for the Administration of Energy-saving and Low-carbon-emission Product Certification.

At the time of the last review there was an additional catalogue in place, the Catalogue of Import Commodities Subject to Safety and Quality Permits, which stipulated the general standards for goods that are highly sensitive in terms of safety, sanitation and environmental protection. In addition, imports of waste, which can be used as raw materials, must be inspected before loading and prior to entering the Chinese territory to prevent harmful waste from entering China.