Online Interview
Topic: China Customs 20 Measures to Support Steady Foreign-Trade Growth
Time:10:30 AM (Fri) May 23, 2014
Special Guests:Li Kuiwen, Deputy Director General, GACC Department of Policy Research; Miao Yuexue, Deputy Director General, GACC Department of Customs Control and Inspection; Huang Guohua, Associate Counsel, GACC Department of Statistics
Online Interview Photos
China Customs 20 Measures to Support Steady Foreign-Trade Growth
[Li Kuiwen]: The twenty measures are precisely intended to closely combine Customs’ reform on major business with the steady growth of foreign trade. Specifically, the reform will unleash the dividends of trade facilitation, stimulate the internal motivations of foreign trade enterprises, and promote the steady growth of foreign trade. 05/23/2014 10:54:27
[Wang Hua]:Besides the reform on regional clearance, reform in respects of paperless clearance, efficiency improvement in customs inspection, and cooperation between Customs and Bureau of Inspection and Quarantine in the “Three Ones” have been on-going for many years. What are the aspects to be deepened this time? 05/23/2014 10:55:06
[Li Kuiwen]: As for paperless clearance, emphasis is laid on expanding the coverage. From April 1, all customs administrations nationwide have been processing paperless clearance in all relevant businesses, and80 to 90 percent of customs declaration forms will be paperless ones within this year. 05/23/2014 10:55:29
[Li Kuiwen]: In terms of improving the efficiency of customs inspection, we have taken measures to lighten the burden on enterprises and improve their efficiency. For example, reducing the random examinations on those honest and law-abiding companies, splitting the examinations to release the burden on ports and speed up clearance, and having containers to be examined by machines especially when local conditions permit. 05/23/2014 10:56:05
[Li Kuiwen]:Cooperation between Customs and Bureau of Inspection and Quarantine in the “Three Ones” has already entered the phase of popularization around China after its pilot phase. At present, the General Administration of Customs is taking initiative to strengthen its cooperation and coordination with the General Administration of Quality Inspection, and lose no time in setting up a joint working group to summarize the preliminary progress of the pilot project, then study and work out a plan for further development, improve the supporting system and the public information platform for declaration, and promote the “Three Ones” cooperation model all over China. 05/23/2014 10:56:34
[Wang Hua]: A relatively new concept is mentioned frequently this year, and it’s also an important reform agenda for the State Council; that’s the establishment of a “single window” in international trade. So far, what’s our progress in that? 05/23/2014 10:57:02
[Li Kuiwen]: In the Government Work Report this year, Premier Li Keqiang has noted that “we shallpromote the one-stop review and approval and single-window clearance mechanism”. The single-window pilot project is one of the Customs’ focuses this year. Establishing a single-window mechanism is a widely-adopted practice for trade facilitation in the world. At present, the single-window mechanism has been already introduced into over 40 countries and economic entities. 05/23/2014 10:57:35
[Li Kuiwen]: It is particularly significant to build a single-window mechanism in China. The single-window mechanism is a realistic choice to solve the deeply-rooted problems of great concern in the society, such as duplicate or repeated law enforcement. It is also an active response to enterprises’ calling for streamlining administrative procedures and delegating powers to lower levels regarding law enforcement at ports, and can bring practical convenience to enterprises. 05/23/2014 10:58:07
[Li Kuiwen]: So far, our pilot project has made great progress. As anticipated, from this June, the first pilot project is to be carried out in Yangshan Free Trade Port Area, Shanghai based on the platform of Shanghai E-Port. 05/23/2014 10:58:29
[Wang Hua]: The term single-window mechanism for international trade may sound unfamiliar to most of us. Would you like to explain it for us in a plain way? 05/23/2014 11:00:00