Khorgos Customs clears the first China-registered TIR lorry to Kazakhstan. 

On November 13, at dusk, one Chinese lorry with the “TIR” mark cleared customs formalities in 3 minutes at the Khorgos port (in Urumqi Customs District) and left for Kazakhstan, with Poland as the final destination. It was the first China-registered, TIR-based, bi-directional drop-and-pull transport vehicle by China-Europe international road, signaling the official launch of China-Europe “door-to-door transport” on China’s side.

The convention of TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers), also referred to as the TIR system, is designed to facilitate cross-border customs clearance for international road transport of goods. At present, the TIR participants total 73 countries, mostly along the Silk Road Economic Belt. On May 1 this year, China began to formally implement the TIR convention. A lorry with TIR qualification can be immediately released by Customs from the country of dispatch to the country of destination, exempt from cargo inspection and deposit payment in transit countries, enjoying a major facilitation for land-way import and export trade.     

“The TIR convention has promoted China Customs cooperation (i.e. mutual exchange of information, mutual recognition of controls and mutual assistance of enforcement) with Customs of other countries along the Belt and Road, achieving higher efficiency in port clearance; Khorgos Customs, obeying the TIR regulations, keeps faster clearance for TIR lorries on their arrival,” said Wei Chunguang, deputy chief of Supervision Section in Khorgos Customs House.