The International Circulation of China's Second-hand Goods: Challenges and Opportunities Coexist, Constructing a New Pattern of Green and Sustainable Development

The International Circulation of China's Second-hand Goods: Challenges and Opportunities Coexist, Constructing a New Pattern of Green and Sustainable DevelopmentWith the increasing global emphasis on green economy and sustainable development, the international circulation of second-hand goods is becoming a crucial engine for driving the development of the global circular economy. China, with its vast second-hand goods market, excellent product quality, and increasingly improved industry standards, is making its mark on the international stage and has won the favor of many overseas consumers

The International Circulation of China's Second-hand Goods: Challenges and Opportunities Coexist, Constructing a New Pattern of Green and Sustainable Development

With the increasing global emphasis on green economy and sustainable development, the international circulation of second-hand goods is becoming a crucial engine for driving the development of the global circular economy. China, with its vast second-hand goods market, excellent product quality, and increasingly improved industry standards, is making its mark on the international stage and has won the favor of many overseas consumers. However, opportunities and challenges coexist; China's journey towards internationalizing its second-hand goods market is not without its obstacles and requires the concerted efforts of the government, businesses, and industry associations to build a new pattern of green and sustainable development.

The Booming Development of China's Second-hand Goods Market

In recent years, China's second-hand goods market has developed rapidly, with high transaction activity ranking among the world's top. In 2023, the transaction volume of China's second-hand goods market reached a staggering 1.32 trillion yuan (approximately $185 billion USD), with 3.8 billion transactions, fully demonstrating its enormous market potential and development vitality. This achievement is inseparable from China's relatively well-established quality inspection standards for second-hand goods. The release of the national standard "General Rules for Quality Identification of Second-hand Goods" in 2024 marked a new stage for the market's regulatory system. Leading industry players like Zhuanzhuan actively participated in the formulation of numerous standards, providing a reliable guarantee for the quality of second-hand goods. Currently, Zhuanzhuan's quality inspection standards cover more than 400 categories, including mobile phones and digital products, luxury goods, outdoor equipment, and musical instruments, laying a solid foundation for the competitiveness of second-hand goods in the international market.

Second-hand goods transactions have not only promoted the popularization of green consumption concepts but also made significant contributions to low-carbon economic development. By the end of 2024, the Zhuanzhuan platform, through promoting the circulation of idle goods, had achieved a carbon reduction effect of 5.185 million tons, equivalent to the carbon emissions from traditional fuel vehicles traveling 29.1 billion kilometers; at the same time, it saved 7136 gigawatt-hours of energy and facilitated the transaction of 32.08 million second-hand books, equivalent to protecting 270,000 forest trees. These data strongly demonstrate the positive role of second-hand goods transactions in resource conservation and environmental protection.

Second-hand Goods Going Global: Challenges and Countermeasures

Despite the strong development momentum of China's second-hand goods market, it still faces numerous challenges in international circulation. Liu Rui, director of the Ecological Environment Research Institute of Zhejiang Tsinghua Long Triangle Research Institute and a national expert in the field of pollution prevention and control technology development and application, points out that the difficulties in quality identification of second-hand goods, complex export procedures, low customs clearance efficiency, and heavy export taxes all severely restrict the efficiency of overseas transactions. These issues need to be effectively addressed to further unleash the international potential of China's second-hand goods market.

Expert Liu Rui suggests that establishing a sound standardized system for second-hand goods and creating a comprehensive management and certification system covering the entire life cycle of second-hand goods is crucial. This can not only ensure that the quality and service level of second-hand goods are recognized by overseas users but also enhance the competitiveness of Chinese second-hand goods in the international market. A standardized, transparent, and efficient management system will pave the way for the smooth export of Chinese second-hand goods.

Xiang Changfeng, co-founder of Zhuanzhuan Group and president of Caohuoxia, also points out that the overseas market has enormous demand and potential, and the export of second-hand goods supply chains has become an inevitable trend. However, the export of second-hand goods currently faces numerous challenges, including brand owner authorization, customs duties, and complex transaction chains, making it difficult to achieve large-scale development.

President Xiang Changfeng calls on relevant government departments to work with leading manufacturers and brands and second-hand platforms to explore pilot projects, exploring convenient export channels for second-hand goods. This will help solve many practical problems faced by Chinese second-hand goods in export, creating more favorable conditions for international circulation. Government support and guidance, especially in optimizing customs clearance procedures and tax policies, will effectively reduce the cost of export for businesses, improve efficiency, and promote the large-scale development of Chinese second-hand goods in the international market.

Building a New Pattern of Green and Sustainable Development

The international circulation of China's second-hand goods market is not only related to the sustained development of the Chinese economy but also to the achievement of global sustainable development goals. By promoting the international circulation of second-hand goods, China can better play its role in the global circular economy and make greater contributions to global environmental protection.

To address the challenges and promote the international development of Chinese second-hand goods, the government, businesses, and industry associations need to cooperate fully. Government departments should actively optimize relevant policies and regulations, simplify customs clearance procedures, reduce tax burdens, and provide more support and convenience for enterprises. Businesses should strengthen their own construction, improve product quality and service levels, actively participate in international standard setting, and enhance international competitiveness. Industry associations should strengthen industry self-discipline, guide enterprises to operate in a standardized manner, maintain market order, and jointly promote the global reach of Chinese second-hand goods.

The road to internationalizing the circulation of Chinese second-hand goods is long and arduous, but the prospects are bright. Through the concerted efforts of the government, businesses, and industry associations, China's second-hand goods market will surely usher in a brighter tomorrow, contributing to the construction of a new pattern of green and sustainable development. This will not only drive the transformation and upgrading of the Chinese economy but also inject new vitality into the development of the global circular economy. By ensuring product quality and safety, actively expanding international markets, and promoting the international circulation of second-hand goods, China will make significant contributions to both sustainable economic development and global environmental protection. In the future, with technological advancements and policy improvements, the path for internationalizing China's second-hand goods will become increasingly wider, ultimately achieving optimal allocation and sustainable utilization of global resources.

In Summary:

China's second-hand goods market has enormous potential, and its international circulation will become an important force in promoting the global circular economy and achieving green and sustainable development. However, it also faces numerous challenges, requiring the joint efforts of the government, businesses, and industry associations. Through improving systems, optimizing policies, and enhancing services, China can better promote the healthy development of its second-hand goods in the international market, ultimately achieving a win-win situation.

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