Expo offers one-stop customs service

As the China International Import Expo reached its 100-day countdown, the expo organizer has joined hands with partners to provide tailored policies and solutions for convenient customs clearance, fast logistics and all-round financial services.

He Xiaorui, deputy director of supervision department of the General Administration of Customs, introduced the facilitation measures and clearance notices at a news conference held in Shanghai on Thursday.

A one-stop service will be provided by the customs for exhibit registration, clearance and supervision, and reconciliation, He said. Customs officials will also be stationed at the expo center for consultation.

"We have drawn experiences from the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2010 Shanghai Expo to design related measures for this exhibition," He said.

A number of facilitation measures were published in June, He said, including the extension for the first temporary entry of some exhibits from six months to one year, the expansion of categories of imported exhibits for agricultural and livestock products, and the simplification of export procedures and the disposal of exhibits after the expo.

Li Jin, deputy director of Shanghai Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, said two lists on prohibited and restricted articles to help exhibitors self-check their exhibits have also been tailored and compiled for the expo.

The detailed measures and lists could be accessed online on the customs' website.

Fang Hui, general manager of the operation department of the National Exhibition and Convention Center, said a temporary customs inspection area will be set up in the northern plaza of the center for late arrivals or valuable exhibits that are not convenient to be inspected at ports.

Yu Zenggang, vice-general manager of China COSCO Shipping Corp, said the company has designed an online shipping space booking system for the expo, which features quick access with the exhibitor's serial number, one-click booking and goods tracking.

The shipping information of exhibit items will be also shared with the customs to facilitate quick clearance, and with the expo organizer, China International Import Expo Bureau, to help in the setup of the exhibition.

Since the latter half of 2017, Bank of China has been actively involved in the marketing of the expo through its 600 branches in 56 countries and regions around the world, said Wang Xinliang, vice-general manager of the trade and finance department of Bank of China.

"We will provide letters of guarantee for foreign exhibitors to pass customs first and pay the tax later, offer them payment methods to sell their exhibits in China, and issue loans for Chinese buyers to help them secure deals."

Up to now, around 2,800 companies from 130 countries and regions have confirmed their attendance at the expo, and the exhibitors and buyers will surpass 150,000, according to the expo organizer.