The Single Window System for International Trade will be promoted to all sea ports in the costal areas in 2015, announced the General Administration of Customs a few days ago.

The first Single Window System for International Trade was put into operation on a trial basis in Shanghai Yangshan Free Trade Port in June, 2014.

According to Mr. Zhang Guangzhi, the spokesman of the General Administration of Customs, the Single Window system will change the original “linear” clearance process at the border to a synchronized and “parallel” one that can cut to the minimum the declarations made repeatedly by the enterprises to different border agencies for the same consignment of goods. It is a good way to promote trade facilitation and improve clearance efficiency, said Zhang.

According to Zhang, 10 costal cities and provinces (for example, Shanghai) and 5 municipalities separately listed on the State plan (for example, Shenzhen) have already taken under advisement the plan on Single Window System and started the preparation work. Among these cities and provinces, Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangdong Province and Shangdong Province have approved the feasibility plan for Single Window and set out to build the system.