Beijing, Tianjin port customs streamline joint administration

Shoppers visit a cross-border trade center in Beijing in January, which showcases imports from 57 countries and regions.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Beijing and neighboring Tianjin are working together to improve their cross-border trade environment, which will be "a long-term and complex project" according to local officials.

Six government agencies from the two municipalities recently released 16 measures related to the project.

In particular, Tianjin Port will work to facilitate trade, making customs clearance procedures faster. The port provides key access to customs clearance for Beijing-based foreign trade businesses.

Previously, these companies could not declare their shipments with customs nor apply for inspection until ships arrived at port. Now, the customs officials can begin dealing with bills of entry submitted by traders ahead of ships' arrival, Beijing Daily reported.

Tianjin's entry-exit inspection and quarantine authorities have set up a special window for cargo imported to Beijing, with automobile parts being the pilot goods for the trial phase.

As of April 1, automatic import licenses for 10 kinds of automobile part products can be examined and approved by local commercial departments, without the Ministry of Commerce needing to also provide the same function.

Companies can apply for automatic import licenses for products other than machinery and electronics, and buy export credit insurance via the online China (Beijing) International Trade Single Window.

The new measures involve creating standards for international freight forwarding agents, including clarifying the necessary qualifications a company must meet to enter the industry. A credibility system to evaluate the agents' working practices will be established and promoted, to ensure quality services.

Another aim of the measures is to solve problems involved in transporting foreign trade goods from and to Beijing.

The cross-border trade environment in Beijing and Tianjin has improved significantly since local government agencies launched the first 17 measures in March 18, local officials said.

Use of the online China (Beijing) International Trade Single Window has been promoted, they said, and the platform has handled a large amount of Beijing's foreign trade affairs.

Paperless work is on the rise as a promoted working practice under the project. Companies do not need to submit trade documents such as contracts, invoices and bills of lading when they apply for inspection, as the authorities can examine the document data online.

Previously, the Beijing and Tianjin commercial departments had a three to five workday time limit to examine and approve automatic import licenses and export licenses. That has now been reduced to only one workday.

Foreign trade companies in Beijing have applied for more than 800 automatic import licenses for mechanical and electrical products since March 18. Companies said the measures have brought greater convenience, according to officials.

The local government departments have publicized these policies by updating the information on their official websites and hosting training activities for companies to understand the measures for facilitating cross-border trade.