Guangzhou City is an important node of the “Belt and Road” construction. Guangzhou Customs is devoted itself to the construction of the “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI) with regional advantages, and vigorously expands cross-border “Twinning Program” to promote connectivity and safeguard trade security. According to China Customs statistics, the import and export value of 25 countries along the route network of Guangzhou Baiyun Airport has increased from 144.18 billion Yuan in 2013 to 221.31 billion Yuan in 2017, an average annual growth of 11.3% over the past 5 years since the BRI was proposed.

Execution of Commodity Focused Exercise under the UK–China Port Twinning Arrangement
 
On September 8, 2016, the General Administration of China Customs (GACC), Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Border Force of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland signed the Port twinning arrangement on the twinning cooperation between the customs district of Guangzhou and the port of Felixstowe. So far, the two sides have jointly arranged 2 high-level meetings as well as 5 joint task force meetings and attachments.

The two parties have jointly advanced SSTL (Smart and Secure Trade Lanes) pilot program, promoted cooperation in Guangzhou Nansha Port–Felixstowe Port maritime lane and Guangzhou Baiyun Airport–Heathrow Airport air-lane, optimized customs-clearance procedures under SSTL, improved efficiency in customs clearance, reduced enterprise cost, maximized the effectiveness of Customs control, and facilitated international trade. In addition, Commodity Focused Exercise (CFE) under UK–China port twinning arrangement was jointly executed. For example, solid waste supervision was integrated into the CFE. HMRC has approached the World Customs Organization (WCO) to establish a closed CenComm group where the liaison officers specially set up by both sides could make instant communication to facilitate the CFE by network system. The export data of solid waste from Felixstowe to Nansha could be compared with the import data of Nansha. The Prohibited import solid wastes list of China was sent to the UK side with feedback of data list of solid wastes which are allowed to export in UK while prohibited from importing in China. Relevant data lists are submitted to relevant departments for disposal, so as to expand international cooperation for the prevention and control of ‘foreign garbage’ import.

China–Netherlands SSTL air-lane realized in both import and export

In March 2013, GACC and Customs Administration of the Netherlands signed Working arrangement on the twinning cooperation between the customs region of Guangzhou and the customs region of Schiphol, and established the cooperation framework of 2013-2015. In October 2015, China Customs and Netherlands Customs renewed the arrangement, further deepened the cross-border cooperation and promoted the program implementation. Up to now, the two sides have jointly arranged 6 high-level meetings and 8 joint task force meetings.

The two parties have carried out cooperation in promoting trade facilitation and opened SSTL air-lane between Guangzhou Baiyun Airport and Schiphol Airport, realizing SSTL air-lane in both import and export. A project of “optimizing customs-clearance procedures” is implemented to further explore facilitation measures taken by Customs and other government agencies for import and export enterprises, so as to provide helpful reference regarding the improvement of trade facilitation, paperless clearance, Single Window and coordinated border management at regional, national and  EU levels. Through a series of measures such as introducing the implementation of AEO (Authorized Economic Operator) system in the two countries and holding Joint Policy Information Session on AEO, both sides have promoted AEO mutual recognition to simplify customs procedures for export enterprises in both countries.

Besides, the two sides also cooperate on issues of “risk management”, “paperless clearance” and “coordinated border management”. The two parties established pre-arrival information sharing of manifest data, implemented electronic waybills operation between Amsterdam and Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, pushed forward the electronic freight reform and realized paperless clearance for both import and export. Experience and techniques regarding risk control and field inspection were shared to  enhance enforcement effectiveness and ensure trade security.

Bilateral cooperation further deepened on customs clearance and law enforcement

Together with Schiphol Airport, Rotterdam Port in Netherlands, Hamburg Port in Germany and etc., Guangzhou Customs has established 9 China–EU SSTL lanes, covering air and maritime transportations for both import and export. It has cooperated with Border Protection Service of the Commonwealth of Australia on the issue of detection on illicit goods such as drugs through postal channels. China Customs and Australia Customs held a seminar on X-ray screening, and Customs officers from the two countries exchanged X-ray screening techniques on site and conducted case-study sharing. Guangzhou Customs is also devoted to strengthening international cooperation on intellectual property rights (IPR) enforcement. For example, it organized a joint enforcement of IPR with Russia Customs, carefully investigated into key routes and regional risks, and strengthened the monitoring of high-risk goods involved in the infringement on Russia World Cup IPRs. Guangzhou Customs has seized more than 7,800 pieces of goods such as footballs and sports suits involved in the IPR infringement.