From July 1, aircraft passengers going through Chinese customs will need to complete paper entry-exit declaration forms, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) announced on Thursday.

The new measure aims to safeguard the security of passengers as well as prevent goods that threaten the country's political, economic and physical security from entering the country, the GAC said.

"It is extremely necessary to reform the declaration system for passengers and strengthen customs supervision," it said.

In the 1990s, China stopped asking most passengers traveling across borders to submit paper declaration forms.

GAC sources said that in recent years, international terrorist activities and the smuggling of weapons and drugs increasingly threaten social stability and people's security.

Currently many developed countries, including the US and Australia, as well as developing countries such as Brazil and India, ask passengers to submit entry-exit customs declaration forms.

After the September 11 terrorist attacks, the US and some other western countries have taken stricter measures on customs declaration and enhanced passenger supervision.

In future, entry-exit passengers traveling on land or by sea may also have to fill in customs declarations if the pilot reform in air travel is successful, the GAC said.

Every year about 50 million people cross China's borders by air, one sixth of the total number of entry-exit travelers.

The new forms are available at customs inspection spots and from airline companies and travel agencies, according to the GAC, who also promised that they would not cause any delays for passengers.

(Xinhua News Agency June 10, 2005)