When it comes to ASEAN, you might immediately think of those ten Southeast Asian countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, and Vietnam. Since its establishment in Bangkok in 1967, ASEAN has been an important player on the global trade stage. After the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) was established, trade between China and ASEAN has become even more vibrant. In 2024, the bilateral trade volume reached a staggering 6.9899 trillion yuan, making them each others largest trading partners for five consecutive years! What does this mean? Countless opportunities!

ASEAN countries use the ASEAN Harmonized Tariff Nomenclature (AHTN) for HS codes, with the first 8 digits being completely consistent across all ten countries. In other words,once you find the HS code for one country, it can be directly used in the other nine countries. Forforeign tradetraders, this is a real time-saving tool! Today, well take white chocolate as an example to show you how to look up HS codes through Vietnam Customs official website, while also unlocking the key to the ASEAN market.

Vietnam is a top student among ASEAN countries in terms of trade volume with China, and its customs websites query function is particularly user-friendly, with simple operations and clear information. Compared to other countries, Vietnams HS code query page not only supports English but also directly displays key information such as preferential tariff rates, China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) rates, and RCEP rates. Whether youre a beginner or a veteran, using it to look up HS codes is twice as efficient.

Alright, without further ado, lets get started. Using white chocolate as an example, well show you how to look up the 8-digit ASEAN HS code on Vietnam Customs official website.

Step 1: Access Vietnam Customs official website

Open your browser and enter the address for Vietnam Customs official website:https://www.customs.gov.vn/. In the upper right corner of the page, theres a language switch option. Click the British flag icon to switch to the English interface. Then, find the Tariff – HS code link and click to enter the HS code query page. Simple, right? Its like opening a door to the ASEAN market.

Step 2: Enter the basic code

White chocolate in China falls under the Other sugar confectionery not containing cocoa category, with the HS code 1704900000. The first 6 digits (170490) are internationally standardized, so simply enter 170490 in the search box. Then, check a few key options:

• Preferential import(Preferential tariff rate)
• Asean – China (ACFTA)(China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement rate)
• Hi?p ??nh RCEP: Trung Qu?c(China RCEP rate)
• Normal import(Normal tariff rate)

These options allow you to see the tariff rates under different scenarios—super useful! After entering the verification code, click the Search button.

Step 3: View the results and lock in the code

The search results will appear quickly at the bottom of the page. Heres the surprise! Vietnam (and thus the entire ASEAN) has assigned a dedicated 8-digit HS code for white chocolate:17049020. This means you can use this code seamlessly across all ten ASEAN countries! Even better, the page also lists the tariff rates:

• Preferential tariff rate: 20%
• China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement rate: 0% (This is a huge benefit!)
• RCEP (China) rate: 12%
• General tariff rate: 30%

With this information, you can confidently handle quotations, customs declarations, and client negotiations.

Looking up HS codes isnt just about getting a number. It can help you:

• Accurate quotation: Knowing the tariff rate allows you to calculate costs and offer competitive prices to clients.
• Compliant customs declaration: Unified HS codes prevent errors in customs documentation.
• Seize preferential benefits: Like CAFTAs 0% tariff rate - a real money-saver that you should utilize immediately!

The ASEAN market offers abundant opportunities, but to succeed, HS codes are your passport. Checking codes via Vietnam Customs official website is not only simple and efficient but also helps you understand tariff mechanisms, saving considerable hassle in quotations and customs declarations. Take white chocolate as an example - HS code 17049020 combined with CAFTAs 0% tariff rate is truly a golden key to the ASEAN market! Next time you do business, remember to check HS codes first to smoothen your foreign trade journey!