According to Fu, his overseas clients repeatedly asked him to handle his own exports, as this could lower costs for both sides and help him win more overseas orders. At the end of June this year, when he learned from the media that individually-owned enterprises were allowed to engage in foreign trade, he consulted his clients at once and decided to register. He registered online the day after the Foreign Trade Law went into force and submitted the registration form and other necessary documents on 16 July, completing the registration procedures the same day. Fu said foreign trade right is a big help to his business and gives individually-owned operations like his more room for expansion.

Many people are concerned about the provision in the Measures for the Registration of Foreign Trade Businesses on the submission of notarial certificate of property issued by public notaries. Fu said he went to a public notary on 15 July and received the notarial certificate the following day. In fact, public notaries are ready to issue notarial certificates upon presentation of proofs of credit standing issued by the bank.

Under the new Foreign Trade Law, foreign-invested enterprises, individually wholly-owned enterprises and foreign (regional) enterprises may apply for permission to engage in foreign trade by submitting the necessary documents. For details, please visit http://www.chinacourt.org/flwk/show1.php?file_id=94603.

As many as 92 Hong Kong and Macau individually-owned businesses have registered in Shenzhen between 1 January this year when CEPA went into effect and mid-May. They mainly engage in the retailing of jewellery, electronic products, health care products, garments, decorative materials and daily consumer goods.