SCIO press conference on China Customs' efforts to safeguard borders, advance Chinese modernization
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E-mail China.org.cn, March 24, 2023
China News Service:
Combating smuggling is an inherent function of customs authorities. Could you explain how the GACC keeps up pressure against smuggling to ensure social security, economic security and fair competition? Thank you.
Yu Jianhua:
"Cracking down on smuggling will not cease as long as there is water in the sea." Smuggling has always been a cancer of international trade, endangering national security and economic order, and even affecting people's lives and health. After years of strict crackdowns, the momentum of smuggling has been contained, and the overall situation is stable and controllable despite the complex situation. There are two situations that deserve our particular attention:
First, smuggling activities are becoming better organized and more professional. For example, smuggling has become more collectivized and professional in terms of refined oil products, foreign garbage and drugs. The collusion between domestic and cross-border groups, the more rigorous organization as well as the more professional division of labor have brought new challenges to customs authorities in their supervision and anti-smuggling work.
Second, smugglers are using more intelligent and covert means. For example, in cases involving the smuggling of cigarettes, red wine, cosmetics and high-end consumer goods, some smugglers use network technology to link transactions; some control "parallel traders" to transport goods, or use people who frequently cross the borders to escape the crackdown; some use offshore duty-free shopping to purchase on behalf of others on Hainan Island; and some even forge cross-border e-commerce documents to get through customs under a false pretense.
Considering these features, we, together with the public security department and the coastguard, launched a joint campaign to target the smuggling of key commodities through key channels and in key areas. Over the past five years, we have investigated and handled 20,000 smuggling cases worth more than 500 billion yuan. The number of foreign garbage smuggling cases dropped from a peak of 481 to 98 last year. The seizure of ivory products fell from 9.2 metric tons at its peak to 70 kg last year. The GACC is a four-time winner of the United Nations Asian Environmental Enforcement Award and a two-time winner of the Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award, demonstrating China's image as a responsible major country to the world.
This year, we will continue to maintain the high-pressure crackdown on smuggling, focusing on the following three aspects:
First, we will strengthen the special anti-smuggling campaigns. Special joint campaigns such as "National Sharp Sword" and "National Warriors" have been launched to combat smuggling activities involving refined oil products, foreign garbage, guns and drugs.
Second, we will advance comprehensive regulations. We will give full play to the comprehensive role of customs ports in their supervision, inspection and quarantine as well as auditing, and will promote all-round monitoring so as to form a multi-faceted anti-smuggling network.
Third, we will strengthen comprehensive governance. Setting the National Anti-Smuggling Office in the GACC, we will further encourage local governments to undertake their primary responsibility of comprehensive anti-smuggling control, and cooperate with the public security department, coastguard authorities, and other law enforcement departments to form a synergy.
Through these efforts, we will establish a comprehensive anti-smuggling network, making it impossible for smugglers to hide and their activities to go unnoticed. Thank you.
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