To support the growth of exports and promote trade, China’s Customs has taken many measures to ensure more effective customs clearance, Zhao Guanghua, vice commissioner of General Administration of Customs( GAC), told a press conference held by the Information Office under the State Council Thursday.
As the global economy speeds up, ways to ease trade has become a common concern world-wide and among international economic operation organizations, Zhao said.
The Seventh Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Customs-Business Dialogue, for example, that will be held August 13-14, set its theme as "The New Economy -- Moving Customs-Business Partnership and Trade Facilitation to the Next Level," Zhao said.
To promote reform and facilitation, the following measures have been taken by the Chinese Customs:
New 24-hour clearance facilities at several busy ports of entry.
Ten new measures in cooperation with the China Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation to provide easier clearance for big and high-tech business.
Faster transit along the Yangtze River and highways in Guangdong and from Shanghai to Nanjing.
A new "China Electricity System” for exchange collection.
Clearance reform that simplifies procedures.
Better service.
With nationwide custom clearance reform implemented early this year, the average time for clearance has now dropped from 2.2 days to 1.5 days. The average time it takes to clear lorries crossing the Shenzhen border has been reduced to only one minute, said Zhao.
In the question-and-answer period, Zhao also talked about China's battle against smuggling and corruption.
The anti-smuggling campaign has resulted in a sharp increase in duty collected by customs Zhao said. Duty collected by Chinese Customs hit 144.8 billion yuan (US$17.5 billion) in the first seven months of this year which was 26.4 billion yuan (US$3.2 billion) more than the same period last year, according to Zhao.
Zhao said he expects that the total duty collected by Chinese Customs this year will surpass that of last year.
(China.org.cn By Xiaowei 08/10/2001)
