Infant milk formula imports to China through international websites will need official approval by 2018, the finance ministry said recently.
China raised tariffs on online retail imports last Friday, but also published a “positive list” which tightened restrictions on some products including milk powder being imported through cross-border websites.
China’s cross-border e-commerce market has lured in domestic shoppers with lower tax rates than conventional imports and less red tape.
The finance ministry said in a statement late on Wednesday that infant milk formula imported through online channels would “temporarily” not need to obtain registration documents. The new requirements would come into effect from Jan. 1, 2018.