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E-mail China.org.cn, August 21, 2024
The Poster News APP:
The business environment at ports directly impacts the efficiency of international trade. What measures has the customs administration implemented to enhance the business environment at ports, and what plans are in place for further improvement in this area? Thank you.
Zhao Zenglian:
Thank you for your question. As the lead agency in optimizing the port business environment, the GACC has spearheaded a special campaign to enhance cross-border trade for seven consecutive years. We've collaborated closely with relevant departments and local governments, expanding our pilot program to 20 cities. Our efforts have focused on four key areas: implementing effective policies and measures, upgrading services, strengthening hardware, and building a platform.
We have implemented effective and practical policies and measures. For instance, we've established "green channels" for expedited customs clearance of fresh agricultural products, enabling priority inspection and prompt passage through customs for these items. As a result, imported cherries in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region can now reach related wholesale markets from the port within five hours. Furthermore, we've eliminated the quarantine inspection requirement for seven categories of animal and plant products, including fresh vegetables and plant-derived Chinese medicinal herbs. This has significantly reduced the time and cost for enterprises during the customs clearance process.
Upgrading services means we have constantly optimized the supervision model and customs clearance procedures. For example, we introduced "ship side delivery" and "direct loading at port" so enterprises can unload their imported goods or load exported goods after completing relevant procedures in advance. We have innovated a linked unloading supervision model and realized a direct connection between goods from ports along the Yangtze River and Shanghai Yangshan Port. As a result, the transportation time for segments within China's borders has been reduced by half, and logistics costs have decreased by one-third. We also implemented the reform of "one-stop laboratory testing," streamlining procedures for tax-related tests with different requirements into a process of "sampling once, submitting for testing once, and receiving results once."
Strengthening hardware means we use advanced facilities and equipment as well as next-generation digital technologies to improve the efficiency of supervision. For example, we use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to assist customs officers in checking grain and other bulk commodities. UAVs can fly directly into a ship's hold to fetch samples, and robots can replace or assist customs officers in inspecting hazardous goods with risks of explosion, leakage or biosafety. We are implementing a port modernization project. Currently, 56 ports in 21 regions are being transformed into smart ports.
Building a platform refers to creating a comprehensive cross-border service platform featuring "one-stop, big data, multi-function, standardization and convenience" through the "single window" of international trade. The platform has realized direct integration with more than 30 departments and built and launched 889 service functions across 24 categories. At present, the number of registered users has reached more than 8.8 million, with a daily declared business volume of 26 million transactions. Thanks to this "window," enterprises do not need to run errands and can conduct business at any time.
We should continue to make the port business environment even better than it already is. Next, we will implement the requirements of the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee with a focus on the following three aspects: First, we will continue to optimize the mechanism of the special campaign to promote cross-border trade facilitation. We will comprehensively advance the implementation of border and post-border facilitation measures, improving customs clearance efficiency and logistics performance across the entire import-export chain. Second, we will institutionalize good practices and experiences, such as personally delivering favorable policies directly to enterprises' doorsteps and thoroughly addressing and resolving each and every one of their problems, further helping to ease the difficulties of businesses. We will implement 17 convenient measures for advanced certified enterprises, thus enhancing business entities' sense of gain. Third, we will further enhance the system integration of reform and innovation and strengthen port facilities and data sharing through the dual driving forces of deepening reform and scientific and technological empowerment. Thank you.
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