Beijing will cut import duties on more consumer products such as suitcases and sunglasses from January to boost domestic demand, following a similar move last year. The tax cuts are aimed at making foreign-made daily necessities and luxury goods cheaper for local consumers and at spurring the economy by encouraging shoppers to make such purchases locally. Tariffs imposed on foreign-made suitcases, bags, garments, vacuum-insulated cups, scarves and blankets would be reduced, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday, adding the import tax on camera parts would be slashed from 15 per cent to 3 per cent. READ MORE: Beijing warned not to cut wind power tariffs It also said some export taxes would be cut - such as those on steel billets. The move should benefit mainland shoppers, providing importers and retail stores pass on the savings in the form of lower prices. It aimed at giving “domestic consumers more choices in shopping while helping the country expand domestic demand,” the finance ministry said. The new tax rates would become effective from January 1, it said. In May, the ministry said it would slash import duties on various items including leather shoes and skincare products. Chinese shoppers are the world’s biggest spenders on luxury items and often purchase electronic devices and food imported from abroad owing to quality and safety issues. Foreign-made products such as rice cookers, milk powder and diapers are popular with mainlanders shopping abroad or ordering through online platforms. By encouraging shoppers to make such purchases on the mainland, Beijing hopes it can spur an economy that has seen exports decline for five consecutive months. The mainland’s outbound shipments declined 6.8 per cent in November from a year ago, the latest figures show. “The decline in exports appears to be a plummeting knife because of the weaker demand from overseas markets,” said Lu Ming, an agent with the Shanghai Shipping Agency. The decline in exports appears to be a plummeting knife because of the weaker demand from overseas market Lu Ming, Shanghai Shipping Agency “The priority should be given to imports to support the upgrading of the manufacturing sectors and to benefit consumers.” As local consumers gain access to cheaper luxury goods and products at home, the government could partially offset the losses in import duties by raising consumption taxes. Bank of Communications analyst Liu Xuezhi said exports, once a driving force of the national economy, would continue their downward momentum. Liu also said efforts to transform the country’s growth model into one driven by domestic consumer demand would not bear fruit in the short term. The reductions in some export taxes have fuelled fears that China could export deflation to the global economy. The finance ministry also said China would deepen economic cooperation with other countries and pursue more free-trade agreements. China and South Korea agreed to implement their bilateral free-trade agreement on December 20, Xinhua reported.