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 a key player on the global trade stage. And with the completion of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA), trade between China and ASEAN has been booming. In 2024, the bilateral trade volume reached a staggering 6.9899 trillion yuan, making them each other's largest trading partners for five consecutive years! What does this mean? Countless opportunities await!

ASEAN countries use the "ASEAN Harmonized Tariff Nomenclature" (AHTN) for HS codes, with the first 8 digits being completely consistent across all ten member states. In other words,If you look up the HS code of one country, the other nine countries can also use it directly.。This pairforeign tradeFor many people, it's a real time and effort saver! Today, we'll take white chocolate as an example to show you how to check the HS code on the Vietnamese customs website, while also unlocking the "key" to the ASEAN market.

Vietnam is a "top performer" among ASEAN countries, consistently ranking at the forefront in trade volume with China. Moreover, its customs website offers an exceptionally user-friendly query function—simple to operate and clear in information. Compared to other countries, Vietnam's HS code lookup page not only supports English but also directly displays key details such as preferential tariff rates, the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) rates, and RCEP rates. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned professional, using it to search for HS codes is highly efficient.

Alright, without further ado, let's get straight to it. Using white chocolate as an example, I'll show you how to look up the 8-digit ASEAN HS code on Vietnam's customs website.

Step 1: Visit the official website of Vietnam Customs

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

Step 2: Enter the basic code

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

• Preferential import(Preferential tax rate)
• Asean – China (ACFTA)(China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement Tariff Rate)
• Hi?p ??nh RCEP: Trung Qu?c(China's RCEP Tariff Rates)
• Normal import(General Tariff Rate)

These options allow you to view tax rates under different scenarios—super practical! After entering the verification code, click the "Search" button.

Step 3: View the results and lock the encoding.

Search results will appear below the page shortly. Here comes the surprise! Vietnam (i.e., the entire ASEAN) has assigned a separate 8-digit HS code specifically for white chocolate:17049020This means that with this code, you can travel seamlessly across all ten ASEAN countries! Even more considerately, the page also lists the tax rates:

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

With this information, you can confidently provide quotes, handle customs declarations, and negotiate with clients.

Finding the HS code isn't just about getting a number. It can help you:

• Accurate quotation: Knowing the tax rate allows you to calculate the costs accurately and offer customers a competitive price.
• Compliant customs declaration: Harmonized System (HS) codes are standardized, eliminating the risk of errors in customs declaration documents.
• Seize the discount：A 0% tariff rate like CAFTA is simply a money-saving magic tool—use it right away!

The ASEAN market offers abundant opportunities, but to navigate it successfully, the HS code is your "passport." Checking the code on Vietnam Customs' official website is not only simple and efficient but also helps you understand the tax rates, saving you a lot of trouble in quoting and customs clearance. Take white chocolate as an example—the code 17049020, combined with CAFTA's 0% tariff rate, is truly a golden key to unlocking the ASEAN market! Next time you do business, don’t forget to check the HS code first to make your foreign trade journey smoother!