Obstacles and Countermeasures for China–ASEAN Service Trade Cooperation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jel.202614421
Author(s)
Lu Lu*
Affiliation(s)
Yunnan College of Business Management, Kunming, Yunnan, China
*Corresponding Author
Abstract
A core driving force for the high-quality development of regional economic and trade. In contrast to traditional trade in goods, trade in services features stronger industrial spillover effects and higher comprehensive benefits, and it involves a variety of financial and accounting practices such as cross-border fiscal and tax accounting, compliance regulation and capital settlement. At present, China-ASEAN trade in services cooperation is continuously deepening, and the scale of trade maintains a steady upward trend. However, constraints such as the lack of unified institutional rules and taxation systems among ASEAN member states, the insufficient level of regional trade facilitation, and the relatively insufficient supply of interdisciplinary talents proficient in cross-border economic and financial operations have formed multiple challenges for the development of bilateral trade in services, which has significantly increased the compliance costs and operational pressures of small and medium-sized cross-border service enterprises. This paper adopts research methods including literature review, data analysis and normative research from the dual dimensions of economic and trade research and financial accounting research. It sorts out the development status of China-ASEAN trade in services, analyzes the existing problems in institutional framework, fiscal and taxation policies, industrial structure, talent supply and other aspects, and proposes targeted optimization paths based on regional rules and enterprise practice. The research aims to improve the bilateral trade in services cooperation framework, reduce the cross-border compliance risk of enterprises, promote the high-quality development of regional trade in services, and provide practical reference for regional economic and trade cooperation and cross-border fiscal and taxation compliance management.
Keywords
China–ASEAN; Service Trade; Trade Barriers; Fiscal and Tax Compliance; Regional Cooperation
References
[1] Wu, Z., Lv, L., & Tang, C.-S. (2022). Research on the coordination mechanism of tax collection and management between China and ASEAN countries under the background of digital economy. International Journal of Management and Education in Human Development, 2(01), 238–244.
[2] Dako, O. F., Onalaja, T. A., Nwachukwu, P. S., Bankole, F. A., & Lateefat, T. (2022). Cross-border taxation and compliance strategies addressing multinational organizations’ operational complexity and regulatory demands. Gyanshauryam, International Scientific Refereed Research Journal, 5(4), 451–487.
[3] Chen, S., & Li, L. (2022). Research on the Development Prospect of “China-Asean” Service Trade- Analysis based on the manufacturing level of service industry. Advances in Economics and Management Research, 1(2), 169.
[4] Damkerngkhajornwong, T. (2017). Harmonization of tax legislation of the ASEAN community. University Of Bengkulu Law Journal, 1(1), 1–10.
[5] Sibupiwa, M., & Qutieshat, A. (2025). Trade Facilitation and Firms: A Literature Review. Studies in Business and Economics, 20(1), 247–262.
[6] Nadalutti, E., & Rüland, J. (2024). Cross-border regionalism in the EU and ASEAN: another dimension of the “varieties of regionalism.” Journal of European Integration, 46(8), 1193–1214.
[7] Chen, Q. (2024). Service trade liberalization, trade elasticities and welfare. Applied Economics, 56. 14-15.
[8] Nair, A., & Tripathi, S. (2026). Geopolitical instability and its ripple effects on service trade. Journal of Economic Integration, 41(1), 216-218.
[9] Devadason, E. S., & Jia Yi, A. K. (2025). Asean-latin america: redefining interregional trade cooperation. Institutions & Economies, 17(3), 37-43.
[10]Jiaqi, L. (2026). New hub for regional economic and trade cooperation island-wide special customs operations at hainan free trade port have accelerated china's connectivity with asean and beyond. China Report ASEAN, 11(3), 32-33.
[11]Devadason, E. S., & Chenayah, S. (2014). Proliferation of non-tariff measures in China — Their relevance for ASEAN. The Singapore Economic Review, 59(02), 241.
[12]Sha, L., & Li, Y. (2024). Substitutability analysis of trade in goods and trade in services balances based on comparative advantage theory. Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research, 24(2), 123-128.
[13]Lare-Lantone, K., & Anoruo, E. (2025). West african regional economic integration and colonial ties. International Economics / Economia Internazionale, 78(3), 117-124.
[14]Masood, A., & Inmaculada Martínez-Zarzoso. (2024). Trade effects of trade facilitation revisited. Economics Letters, 234(1), 10-14.
[15]Ditsiou, A., Darvidou, K., & Siskos, E. (2024). The bilateral trade imbalances between the eu and china: structure and trends. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 22(2), 137-149.
[16]Huang, Q., Lin, Q., & Yang, Y. (2025). Trends and survival benefits of bilateral breast-conserving surgery in patients with metachronous bilateral breast cancer. BMC Women's Health, 25(1), 76-83.
[17]Gu, T., & Ng, C. C. (2025). Utilising coastal blue carbon (cbc) to mitigate the climate crisis: current status and future analysis of china. Ocean and Coastal Management, 26(1), 266-271.
[18]Longxing, Z. (2025). Climate finance and green technology: a key pillar for advancing china-asean economic and trade cooperation. China Oil & Gas, 32(4), 13-28.
[19]Jie, Z. (2025). Policy, technology, and capital drivers of clean energy cooperation under cafta 3.0: the china–asean experience. China Oil & Gas, 32(4), 28-47.
[20]Xia, H., & Zhang, L. (2025). The coordination of monetary and local government fiscal policies and local fiscal sustainability in china. Sustainability, 17(16), 7555.
[21]Fang, X., & Liu, M. (2026). Does fiscal and financial green policy coordination curb corporate "greenwashing"? evidence from the green loan interest subsidies policy in china. Technological & Economic Development of Economy, 32(1), 211-215.
[22]Mezina, N. A., & Tikhonov, G. V. (2026). Continuous improvement (kaizen) culture in the high-tech aircraft industry: overcoming institutional and organizational barriers. Russian Engineering Research, 46(4), 565-567.