Chinese businesses and US officials have agreed to allow US-based companies to open stores on Chinese e-commerce portals such as taobao.com, in a bid to boost US exports.

But the impact of the move remains unclear without necessary approvals from the Chinese government, an analyst said.

American businesses would turn to Chinese online business platforms to expand exports, Francisco J. Sanchez, undersecretary of commerce for international trade in the US Department of Commerce, told Phoenix TV Tuesday.

These businesses would hire Chinese-speaking staff to remove language barriers. Trading through online platforms will also help overcome challenges associated with currency exchange and transportation, the report said.

Chinese consumers purchased $3.6 billion worth of American goods on Taobao in 2011, and the number of its registered users surpassed 37 million, according to the Phoenix TV report.

The huge user base and sales potential have drawn the interest of the world's largest economy, which is seeking to double exports within five years to support 2 million jobs.

As the only e-commerce portal mentioned by Sanchez, Taobao Tuesday said they are "open" to all businesses across the world.

"But American businesses need to first register as a company in China before entering the Tmall, as required by Chinese law and regulations," Yan Qiao, Tmall public relations director, told the Global Times Tuesday.

"Customs tax and transportation costs have been two main barriers to direct trade across countries," Chen Shousong, an e-business analyst at consulting firm Analysys International, told the Global Times Tuesday. "Without actual progress in these two aspects, the move's impact remains unclear and likely to be limited."

The Ministry of Commerce of China could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Source:cntv.cn