中华网四川报道（陈敏）超过65％，这是区域全面经济伙伴关系协定（RCEP）生效后，中国与东盟、澳大利亚、新西兰之间的立即零关税比例。
Sc.china.com (Chen Min)After the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) took effect, 65% of the ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand exports to and from China has been subject to zero tariffs.
作为目前全球规模最大的FTA（自由贸易协议），RCEP成员国将通过10年左右的时间实现90%商品享受零关税。
Under the framework of the RCEP, which is the world's largest free trade agreement (FTA), 90% of products traded in the region are expected to enjoy zero tariffs in about a decade.
来自成都海关的数据显示，RCEP成员国是四川的重要贸易伙伴，四川省约有三分之一的对外贸易来自RCEP成员国。其中，新西兰、澳大利亚是四川进口资源类产品和农产品的重要产地国。
Data from Chengdu Customs shows that members of RCEP are important trading partners of Sichuan as Sichuan's foreign trade volume with them accounts for about one-third of the province's total. Among all the member countries, New Zealand and Australia are the two major exporters to Sichuan in terms of resource and agricultural products.
春风如贵客，一到便繁华。四川如何乘上RCEP的春风，推动经济社会发展、对外开放再上新台阶？中华网四川频道推出系列报道，对话RCEP成员国驻成都总领事，解读四川在RCEP背景下的新机遇。
Yuan Mei, a Chinese poet of the Qing Dynasty, wrote in his poem Spring Breeze, "Like an honored guest, the spring breeze brings us prosperity when it arrives." How can Sichuan avail itself of the RCEP to promote regional economic and social development and opening-up to a higher level? Sc.china.com will roll out a series of interviews with the consuls general of RCEP member states in Chengdu on what new opportunities will the RCEP bring to Sichuan.
（澳大利亚驻成都总领事倪瑞兰）
（Adelle Neary, Consul General of Australia in Chengdu）
系列报道之二：对话澳大利亚驻成都总领事倪瑞兰
Interview2: with Adelle Neary, Consul General of Australia in Chengdu
中华网四川频道：2022年1月1日，RCEP对澳大利亚正式生效，澳大利亚为此将实施哪些新政及举措？对哪些领域进行重点布局？
Sc.china.com: On January 1, 2022, the RCEP officially entered into force for Australia. What new policies and measures will Australia implement to advance the FTA? What are the key fields?
倪瑞兰：澳大利亚很高兴成为RCEP的成员国，我们正在寻求RCEP所带来的发展机遇。
Adelle Neary:Australia is pleased to be a party to the RCEP Agreement. We are seeking new opportunities brought by it.
RCEP生效后，澳大利亚将完善和扩大市场准入、促进跨境投资和区域价值链的发展、加强跨境电子商务，包括通过制定强有力的电子商务规则，也预计实现将东盟置于新经济架构的核心中带来的好处。不仅如此，澳大利亚还重视加强区域互联互通，通过RCEP推动成员国间的贸易规则更加统一和规范。澳大利亚非常看重整个区域合作所带来的机会。
When it comes into force, Australia will improve and expand market access, facilitate cross-border investment and the development of regional value chains, and enhance cross-border e-commerce, including through the delineation of strong rules on e-commerce. We expect to realize benefits from enhanced regional connectivity and from putting ASEAN at the heart of new economic architecture. Moreover, Australia also attaches importance to enhancing regional interconnection and promoting unity and standardization of trading rules amid members through RCEP. We take the opportunities of regional cooperation seriously.
中华网四川频道：您认为，随着RCEP正式生效，将为中澳经贸合作带来哪些影响和变化？
Sc.china.com: What impacts and changes do you think RCEP will bring to economic and trading cooperation between the two countries as it officially entered into force?
倪瑞兰：RCEP将进一步推动RCEP成员国之间的贸易往来，特别是在服务、投资和数字贸易等具有重大发展潜力的领域。RCEP锁定市场准入并解决非关税壁垒，在成员国之间创造新的贸易和投资机会，建立统一的规则，提供更大的确定性，有助于改善成员国之间的整体商业环境。
Adelle Neary: RCEP will deliver a range of improvements to members, especially in areas where we both have the greatest growth potential, such as services, investment and digital trade. RCEP locks in market access and addresses non-tariff barriers to create new trade and investment opportunities across member countries and establishes rules that provide greater certainty and improve the overall business environment.
正如澳大利亚贸易、旅游和投资部长丹·特汉(Dan Tehan)在去年10月31日的新闻发布中所说，这项协议将通过加强区域价值链，为企业和投资者提供便捷，带来更多的就业机会和经济增长。
As Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan said on October 31, 2021, this agreement will make it easier for enterprises and investors to operate by strengthening regional value chains which ultimately will lead to more jobs, opportunities and economic growth.
值得注意的是，RCEP还制定了更强有力的电子商务规则及保障措施，助力澳中企业以适合自己的方式管理数据。同时，RCEP还有对消费者的保护，它要求签字人保护个人信息，处理垃圾信息，保护在线消费者免受欺诈和误导性行为的影响。
Notably, RCEP formulates stronger rules on e-commerce and safeguards for Australian and Chinese enterprises to help them manage their data in suitable ways. At the same time, RCEP also contains protections for consumers. It requires signatories to protect personal information, deal with 'spam' messages and protect online consumers from fraud and misleading conduct.
此外，RCEP还制定了详细的知识产权条款，为企业开展知识产权保护提供了强有力的支撑，增强他们保护和执行自己权利的能力。RCEP也有关于竞争的实质性规则，这对RCEP成员国来说是第一次，这些规则要求所有RCEP成员国通过或维持竞争法，包括关于禁止反竞争活动的竞争法，并确保这些法律的独立执行。这些都让我们从深度的区域经济联系中受益匪浅。
In addition, RCEP includes provisions on intellectual property to support the protection and strengthen enterprises' capacity to protect and enforce their rights. RCEP also has substantive rules on competition, actually the first time for RCEP members. These rules require all RCEP parties to adopt or maintain competition laws, including the prohibition of anti-competitive activities and ensure independent enforcement of those laws. We can benefit from the in-depth regional economic connection.
中华网四川频道：澳大利亚和四川有着长期、密切的贸易和投资关系。据成都海关数据统计，2021年四川与澳大利亚出口贸易总值1025290万元，同比增加5.0%；与澳大利亚进口贸易总值561134万元，同比增长74.2%。您认为，RCEP生效后，将为四川企业在澳大利亚发展带来哪些新机遇？
Sc.china.com: Australia and Sichuan have maintained long-term and close economic and trade cooperation. According to the statistics of Chengdu Customs, in 2021, the exports between Sichuan and the Australia reached 10,252.9 million yuan, an increase of 5.0% year on year; the imports between Sichuan and Australia recorded 5611.34 million yuan, up 74.2% year on year. What new opportunities do you see for Sichuan enterprises in Australia after the RCEP took effect?
倪瑞兰：澳大利亚和四川有着长期友好的经贸合作关系。澳大利亚贸易和投资委员会于2000年在成都设立办事处，澳大利亚驻成都总领事馆于2013年开馆。在2021年的四川主要贸易伙伴中，澳大利亚位列第十位，澳大利亚也是四川投资者青睐的海外投资目的地，四川企业累计海外投资总额的三分之一左右在澳大利亚。
Adelle Neary: Australia and Sichuan enjoy a long-standing and close trade and investment relationship. The Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) established its office in Chengdu in 2000, and the Australian Consulate-General in Chengdu opened in 2013. As of 2021, Australia was Sichuan’s tenth largest trading partner. About one-third of Sichuan’s total overseas investment is in Australia, so we know Sichuan investors view Australia as an attractive destination.
对于澳大利亚和四川的进出口企业而言，RCEP提供了一套在RCEP成员国之间获得优惠关税的统一规则和程序，以及反映现代生产流程和物流安排的规则。总而言之，这些成果将支持企业进入区域价值链。例如，RCEP将增加四川食品加工企业从澳大利亚采购初级产品的吸引力，然后将增值商品再出口到其他RCEP成员国。澳大利亚和四川的企业或许能够直接在第三国市场抓住机遇，尤其是在健康、教育、食品饮料和专业服务等双方合作紧密的行业。
For foreign trade enterprises in Australia and China, RCEP defines a single set of rules and procedures for obtaining preferential tariff treatment and reveals the regular pattern of the modern production process and logistics operation. In a word, these outcomes will support enterprises’ access to regional value chains. For example, RCEP will make it more attractive for food processors in Sichuan to source primary produce from Australia, and then re-export value-added goods to other RCEP parties. Australian and Sichuan firms may be able to realize opportunities directly and in third-country markets, particularly in sectors like health, education, food and beverage, and professional services where existing connections are strong.
以澳大利亚水果为例，澳大利亚企业可以更为便捷地出口给四川的食品加工商，四川企业经过加工后又通过该协议，最终卖给RCEP其他成员国的消费者。对整个区域的公司来说，他们的生产成本和运输成本会得到降低。最终受益的就是消费者，他们能够以更低廉的价格去享受更优质的商品。
As an example, image some Australian fruit. Fruit exported by Australian enterprises could be exported to Sichuan more easily. Food processing enterprises in Sichuan could then process this fruit and sell the resulting products to consumers in other member countries through the RCEP agreement. For enterprises under the agreement, the production and transportation costs will be reduced. Ultimately, consumers will benefit from the agreement for they can purchase products with higher quality but lower prices.
中华网四川频道：RCEP生效后，您对澳大利亚与四川的经济合作前景有何期待？
Sc.china.com: What do you think of the prospects of cooperation between Australia and Sichuan after the RCEP took effect?
倪瑞兰：RCEP是一项现代的、全面的自由贸易协定。我相信，这将为地区经济增长增添动力，带来新的商机。在我担任澳大利亚驻成都总领事的第一年，我注意到中国西南地区和东南亚的贸易和投资关系非常重要。目前，一些知名澳大利亚企业已在四川落地，像人工耳蜗制造商科利尔（Cochlear）这样的公司，我相信他们能够抓住区域经济一体化所带来的机遇。
Adelle Neary: RCEP is a modern and comprehensive free trade agreement. I am confident it will give impetus to regional economic growth and deliver new regional business opportunities. In my first year as Australian Consul General in Chengdu, I have observed how important Southwest China’s trade and investment ties are with Southeast Asia. At present, some well-known Australian firms have settled in Sichuan, like Cochlear, the bionic ear manufacturer. I am sure these firms will seize the opportunities brought about by enhanced regional economic integration.
更为最关键的是，RCEP直接促进了区域价值链的进一步发展，帮助澳大利亚和四川企业在第三国市场的贸易往来，鼓励澳大利亚企业对附加值较高的产品的出口和再出口。除了贸易和投资联系，我认为，一旦国际旅行正常化，RCEP也将有助于澳川两地的人文交流和人员跨境流动。
But, perhaps most critically, RCEP directly facilitates the growth of regional value chains, supporting trade between Australian and Sichuan firms in third-country markets and encouraging the export and re-export of value-added goods. On top of trade and investment links, I also believe that RCEP will help support people-to-people links, cultural exchanges and boost cross-border movement once international travel is normalised.
