Jane Chen / Shanghai Daily news

More Hong Kong merchandise will hit Shanghai markets next year as an additional 713 types of products will be allowed to enter the mainland market free of tariffs under the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
Since CEPA took effect at the beginning of this year, by November 674 lots valued at US$30.66 million had entered the mainland through Shanghai Customs, according to Customs officials as cited in today's Youth Daily.  Tariffs exempted amounted to 20.21 million yuan (US$2.4 million).
This year, CEPA opened the doors to 273 kinds of products.
It started from clothing and color dyes in January, and expanded to medicines and chemical materials in March, paper or paper labels and mixed flavors in May, woolen sweaters in July, blank discs and bonding products for moulds in October as well as electronic watches in November.
Amid domestic consumers' growing consciousness of health care, medicines have become another feature of the HK imports, Customs officials noted.
Antibiotic imports reached US$18 million in the first 11 months, 60 percent of the total CEPA products.