The number of smuggling cases in Guangdong fell 10 percent last
year to 7,041, an official has said.
The value of the goods involved was 2.81 billion yuan ($390
million).
Li Ronggen, vice-governor of Guangdong, said: "The reduction in
the number of cases is a reflection of our increased efforts to
combat smuggling over recent years."
He said provincial authorities will continue to work with their
counterparts in other parts of the country to fight the illegal
activity.
"Priority will be given to expanding cooperation with our
neighbors Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions," Li
said.
A number of operations involving all three regions have been
scheduled for the coming months, he said.
Between 2004 and last year, Guangdong handled 37,322 smuggling
cases, with a total value of more than 19.94 billion yuan. More
than 3,000 smugglers were detained over the period.
As well as working closely with Hong Kong and Macao, authorities
in Guangdong will also boost cooperation with Fujian and Hainan
provinces and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region in the fight
against smuggling, Li told an anti-smuggling work conference in
Guangzhou on Monday.
Boasting the country's longest coastline, Guangdong, which is
also the country's richest province, has long been a key hunting
ground for smugglers, as well as a focal point for the campaign
against them. Despite its recent successes, however, the province
will remain vigilant, Li said.
He said the authorities will this year focus on the illegal
import of frozen products, cooking oil, cars and vehicle parts.
Efforts will be concentrated around the mouth of the Pearl and
the Daya and Dapeng bays, Li said.
(China Daily January 16, 2008)