[SMM Hydrogen Policy Update] Ministry of Commerce: Officially Issued the "Implementation Opinions on Expanding Green Trade," the First Specialized Policy Document in the Field of Green Trade

On October 30, the Ministry of Commerce issued the "Implementation Opinions on Expanding Green Trade" (hereinafter referred to as the "Opinions"). The Opinions propose, developing trade in sustainable fuels such as green hydrogen; promoting the use of transport vehicles and ships powered by clean energy sources like renewable synthetic fuels for the transportation of foreign trade goods; supporting eligible regions in conducting bonded refueling services for international shipping vessels using liquefied natural gas, biodiesel, green methanol, green ammonia, etc.; accelerating the establishment of a green fuel certification system for shipping and promoting international mutual recognition.

The Opinions propose that it is necessary to promote foreign trade enterprises in carrying out green design and production. Support foreign trade enterprises in implementing green design and conducting green product certification. Encourage foreign trade enterprises to actively utilize renewable energy, and reduce the carbon emissions of foreign trade products through equipment upgrades, process improvements, and substitution with renewable resource raw materials. Encourage industry organizations and industrial internet platforms to provide green and low-carbon services for the foreign trade supply chain. It is necessary to leverage the role of carbon pricing mechanisms and green electricity certificates and green electricity in providing support. Improve and refine carbon pricing mechanisms, guiding foreign trade enterprises to make good use of carbon pricing mechanisms to expand into international markets. Fully tap into the potential of green electricity supply, expand the scale of green electricity certificate and green electricity trading, and further meet the needs of foreign trade enterprises. Encourage regions with favorable resource conditions to increase the supply of green electricity to enterprises through direct connections with new energy sources, and actively explore the local and nearby supply of new energy to export parks. Strengthen communication on issues such as carbon costs, carbon footprints, green electricity certificates, and green electricity, guiding trading partners to recognize China's carbon pricing mechanisms and green electricity certificates and green electricity.

Original text as follows:

Implementation Opinions on Expanding Green Trade

To the People's Governments of Provinces, Autonomous Regions, and Municipalities Directly Under the Central Government, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Transport, People's Bank of China, General Administration of Customs, State Administration for Market Regulation, National Financial Regulatory Administration, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), China International Development Cooperation Agency, National Energy Administration, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Export-Import Bank of China, China Export & Credit Insurance Corporation:

In order to actively expand green trade, promote the optimization and upgrading of trade, contribute to the achievement of carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals, and accelerate the building of a strong trade nation, and with the consent of the State Council, the following opinions are hereby proposed.

I. Enhancing the Green and Low-Carbon Development Capability of Foreign Trade Enterprises

(I) Strengthen the awareness of green and low-carbon development among foreign trade enterprises. Enhance training on green and low-carbon development concepts and policies for foreign trade enterprises, and promote the interpretation of domestic and overseas laws, policies, and market dynamics. Release best practice cases in green trade, disseminate experiences and practices, and promote mutual learning and exchange among foreign trade enterprises. Guide leading foreign trade enterprises to integrate the concept of green and low-carbon development throughout all stages of the production and supply chain, drive the green and low-carbon transformation of the foreign trade production and supply chain, and cultivate export enterprises specializing in green and low-carbon products.

(II) Promote Green Design and Production Among Foreign Trade Enterprises. Support foreign trade enterprises in adopting green design and obtaining green product certification. Encourage foreign trade enterprises to actively utilize renewable energy and reduce the carbon emissions of foreign trade products through equipment upgrades, process improvements, and the substitution of raw materials with recycled resources. Encourage industry associations and industrial internet platforms to provide green and low-carbon services for the foreign trade production and supply chain.

(III) Accelerate the Green and Low-Carbon Development of Logistics. Promote the shift of long-distance transportation of bulk foreign trade goods and containers from road to rail and from road to water. Guide foreign trade enterprises to use environmentally friendly packaging materials, reduce secondary packaging, and utilize logistics equipment and tools such as reusable containers that have obtained green certification. Advance the international mutual recognition and sharing of unitized loading equipment. Support shipping companies in building green and low-carbon systems and promote green practices throughout the entire process of ship design, construction, and operation. Encourage the deployment of transport vehicles and ships using clean energy sources such as renewable synthetic fuels for foreign trade goods transportation. Support the blending of domestically produced biodiesel and marine fuel oil in comprehensive bonded zones. Support eligible regions in providing bunkering services for international vessels, including bonded liquefied natural gas, biodiesel, green methanol, and green ammonia.

(IV) Enhance the Green and Low-Carbon Service Capabilities of Third-Party Entities. Develop public service platforms for green trade. Encourage industry associations, professional institutions, and foreign trade enterprises to research and develop carbon data management systems. Encourage third-party institutions to enhance their service capabilities and provide foreign trade enterprises with services such as product carbon footprint and organizational carbon footprint that are recognized under international green trade rules. Strengthen supervision and management of third-party institutions.

II. Expand the Import and Export of Green and Low-Carbon Related Products and Technologies

(V) Enhance the International Competitiveness of Green and Low-Carbon Related Products. Guide foreign trade enterprises to develop and utilize products made from recycled resources, recoverable materials, biodegradable materials, and reusable waste. Develop trade in sustainable fuels such as green hydrogen. Explore the import and export of remanufactured products. Dynamically adjust the maintenance product catalog in comprehensive bonded zones and support the conduct of "two ends abroad" bonded maintenance operations in accordance with the catalog.

(VI) Seize the International Market Demand for Green Trade. Overseas missions and industry associations should strengthen research on foreign markets and tap into the potential of the green and low-carbon market. Support foreign trade enterprises in leveraging preferential arrangements under free trade agreements to expand trade cooperation in the green and low-carbon sector, making it a new highlight of foreign economic and trade cooperation.

(VII) Enhance the Green Level of Exhibitions. Guide exhibition enterprises to embrace green and low-carbon exhibition concepts, leverage the demonstrative role of major exhibitions such as the China International Import Expo, the China Import and Export Fair, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, the Global Digital Trade Expo, and the China International Consumer Products Expo, and promote qualified exhibitions to establish dedicated green and low-carbon exhibition areas and host related thematic activities. Accelerate the formulation and revision of national and industry standards for green exhibitions.

(8) Ensure the import of resource products and services related to green and low-carbon development. Research and improve standards and management measures for the import of renewable resources. Leverage the role of local renewable resource trading centers to facilitate services for enterprises importing resources such as secondary copper, aluminum, and steel. Revise the "Catalogue of Encouraged Import Services" to guide enterprises in expanding imports of energy-saving, environmental protection, and green and low-carbon services.

(9) Harness the driving role of foreign economic and trade cooperation. Deepen cooperation with Belt and Road Initiative partner countries and others in the field of green and low-carbon development. Promote the green and low-carbon development of overseas economic and trade cooperation zones. Utilize mechanisms such as the roundtable meetings for foreign-invested enterprises to strengthen policy support and services for green and low-carbon initiatives for foreign-invested enterprises. Enhance international recognition of China's products, technologies, and standards.

III. Foster a Favorable International Environment for Green Trade Development

(10) Strengthen international exchanges and communication. Engage in consultations and discussions on global carbon-related economic and trade rules through platforms such as the G20, BRICS, APEC, and UNCTAD, and propose Chinese initiatives. Strengthen exchanges on green and low-carbon development topics, and promote the establishment of more inclusive and fair international green trade rules. Actively participate in negotiations on green issues in high-standard economic and trade agreements. Enhance the level of environmental chapters in free trade agreements. Actively promote China's achievements in green trade development to relevant foreign departments, industry organizations, and overseas customers.

(11) Promote the formulation of relevant standards and international alignment and mutual recognition. Accelerate the establishment of a green and low-carbon product, technology, and service standard system aligned with international norms. Conduct comparative analysis with international standards and convert a batch of advanced and applicable green and low-carbon international standards into domestic standards. Support domestic institutions in participating in the formulation and revision of international standards related to green and low-carbon development. Expedite the establishment of a green fuel certification system for shipping and promote international mutual recognition. Formulate and release a batch of carbon footprint accounting standards for key foreign trade products. Encourage industry organizations and key foreign trade enterprises to formulate or participate in the formulation of international standards for product carbon footprint accounting. Strengthen multilateral and bilateral mutual recognition cooperation in conformity assessment in the field of green and low-carbon development.

IV. Establish and Improve a Support and Guarantee System for Green Trade

(12) Strengthen financial policy support. Encourage financial institutions, under the premise of legality, compliance, and controllable risks, to enrich financial products and services based on carbon footprint accounting and carbon label certification results of foreign trade products. Encourage insurance institutions engaged in export credit insurance business to optimize underwriting and claim settlement services in accordance with market-oriented and rule-of-law principles, further supporting the export of green and low-carbon related products.

(13) Accelerate the construction of a carbon footprint database for foreign trade products. Expedite the development of a national carbon footprint factor database, release and continuously update carbon footprint factor data for electricity, and advance research on carbon footprint factors for other basic energy sources and raw materials, providing a foundation for foreign trade enterprises to calculate product carbon footprints. Encourage qualified industries and enterprises to build industry-specific carbon footprint factor databases. Encourage international carbon footprint database suppliers to cooperate with China’s carbon footprint database suppliers.

(14) Leverage the supporting role of carbon pricing mechanisms and green electricity certificates and green electricity. Improve and refine carbon pricing mechanisms to guide foreign trade enterprises in utilizing carbon pricing mechanisms to expand into international markets. Fully tap the potential of green electricity supply, expand the scale of green electricity certificate and green electricity trading, and further meet the needs of foreign trade enterprises. Encourage regions with favorable resource conditions to increase the supply of green electricity for enterprises through direct connections to new energy sources, and actively explore the localized and proximate supply of new energy to export parks. Strengthen communication on issues such as carbon costs, carbon footprints, and green electricity certificates and green electricity, and guide trading partners to recognize China’s carbon pricing mechanisms and green electricity certificates and green electricity.

(15) Strengthen talent development. Support industry organizations, universities, and think tanks in enhancing research on green trade topics and cultivating talent related to green trade. Establish a green trade expert group and cultivate a team of application-oriented experts with international perspectives. Rely on local governments, industries, think tanks, and enterprises to set up green trade liaison offices, enabling timely tracking and understanding of frontline practices.

(16) Enhance monitoring, analysis, and policy support. Research, establish, and continuously improve the statistical monitoring and analysis system for green trade. Local commerce authorities and subordinate agencies of the General Administration of Customs should strengthen cooperation in statistical analysis and explore practices related to the statistical monitoring and analysis of green trade. Guide industry organizations, think tanks, and third-party institutions to conduct in-depth investigations and research, further enriching and expanding green trade measures by industry. Accelerate the improvement of the green trade policy and institutional system, and strengthen coordination with industrial, technological, fiscal, tax, and financial policies to create a favorable environment for the development of green trade.

Ministry of Commerce

Oct 30, 2025