Workers from Koyo Bearing Dalian Co Ltd are working at full speed, aiming to achieve a new high in sales this year since the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement came into effect.

The bearings manufacturer based in Dalian, Liaoning province, is the first approved exporter in Northeast China that can issue its own declaration of origin while exporting goods to other RCEP member economies.

"Now we do not need to apply for a certificate of origin from the Customs office on a case-by-case basis. Thus, we can be more flexible in arranging our production and export of goods," said Yu Xiuying, the company's general manager.

"Meanwhile, our products now can enjoy preferential Customs clearance in related countries. With more competitiveness, we are expected to go further into global markets," Yu said.

The Dalian plant of Koyo, a subsidiary of Japan-based JTEKT Corp, witnessed its highest annual sales record in the past year (from April to March) since its establishment in 2001.

In a bid to help enterprises better seize opportunities of the RCEP, Dalian Customs and the Dalian section of the China (Liaoning) Pilot Free Trade Zone work together to enhance trade facilitation.

Data from Dalian Customs show that in the first quarter, 482 foreign trade enterprises in the area benefited from the RCEP, with the value of cargo enjoying preferential tariffs reaching near 1.2 billion yuan ($187 million).

The Dalian section of the Liaoning FTZ, which is located in Jinpu New Area, the first State-level new area in Northeast China, was officially launched in April 2017.

It has a planning area of 59.96 square kilometers and boasts three special areas under Customs supervision.

As a sea and land transport center in Northeast China and an important hub of economic and trade cooperation with Northeast Asian countries, it is also a strategic highland for Dalian, Liaoning and even Northeast China to open up to the outside world.

Wang Jiufei, deputy director of the Dalian section's administrative committee, said the area has made good achievements over the past five years and is playing a more important role.

In the past five years, total industrial output value of the Dalian FTZ reached 364.1 billion yuan, with an average annual growth rate of 17.6 percent. Its imports and exports totaled 722.2 billion yuan, growing at an average annual rate of 8 percent. The paid-in foreign investment reached $4.96 billion.

The section has promoted high-quality development through high-level institutional and industrial innovations. Its three innovative measures were selected by the State Council as pilot reform cases, and two were included as best practice cases by the Ministry of Commerce.

"The innovations have greatly stimulated regional economic vitality and investment enthusiasm for both domestic and foreign investors," Wang said.

He said the Dalian section of the Liaoning FTZ will continue to smooth logistics channels connecting RCEP members, promote the upgrading of Dalian port's capacity as a transit hub and actively seize the opportunity for RCEP to reach a higher level of opening-up.

In terms of opening-up, investment and trade facilitation, the Dalian section takes a lead in Liaoning and even Northeast China, according to Jin Jidong, dean of the research institute of the Liaoning FTZ in Dongbei University of Finance and Economics.

"It has the foundation and conditions to connect with the RCEP participating members," he said, adding that it already has advantages in cooperation with Japan and the Republic of Korea.

It needs to expand more positively cooperation with other members and raise the level of industrial and supply chains in regional markets, he suggested.

"We can also work to do more in innovation on cooperation mechanisms," Jin said.