China allows class B shippers to apply for one-stop customs clearance
SINCE March 1, China's streamlined customs clearance practice of one-stop clearance inspection, which formerly covered only credible class A shippers, has been expanded to cover also class B shippers with no smuggling record in the past year.
As a result, the number of shippers eligible for the simplified clearance service will be increased from about 150,000 to nearly 330,000, reported Xinhua.
Zhang Guangzhi, spokesman of the China Customs, said that as China's regional economy develops further and industrial transfer continues, trans-regional logistics cases are prevailing and larger in scale now. Customs checkpoints hope to expand their service scope and to enhance their competitive edges, while shippers in hinterland regions hope to enjoy more convenient logistics services.
To cater for growing demand, especially from hinterland shippers, China customs kicked off trans-regional customs clearance service in 2005. In November 2013, the trans-regional clearance was further expanded in scope and coverage, resulting in a growth of 5.77 percentage points in average monthly freight volume to 19.14 million tonnes.
Mr Zhang said that being the border-crossing supervision and administration authority, the customs will develop a convenient and efficient trans-regional clearance service system to support the development of the Silk Road Economic Belt, and will facilitate cross-border and multi-modal transport.
