The move is made within the country’s commitment to implementing the Agreement on the Common Effective Preferential Tariffs (CEPT) of ASEAN countries during the five-year period.

Thousands of goods imported from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including art works, antique, furniture, optical equipment, live animals and fruit and vegetables, will be subject to a tax rate of between 0-5 percent during the period.

Meanwhile, import taxes on a number of commodities will be reduced to 5 percent by 2013, including rice, eggs and pomeloes (from current 30 percent), and meat products (from current 40 percent).