Suzhou Customs applies new, convenient import model

Cross-border e-commerce – activities related to purchasing or selling products via online shopping across national borders – is gaining momentum in Suzhou as the city recently applied a new online shopping bonded import model, or customs supervision model 1210.

The free trade zone in Suzhou New District also became the third of its kind in East China's Jiangsu province to implement the model.

Decorative films worth a total of 437,500 yuan ($61,468.75) were the first goods to be processed via the new model in Suzhou.

Customs supervision model 1210 is a convenient import model that can only be conducted by pilot cities that have joined the cross-border e-commerce retail importation program. Imported retail goods can be temporarily stored at the bonded warehouse before being delivered to customers. This will greatly improve the competitiveness of cross-border e-commerce exports in terms of logistics costs, efficiency, and procedures.

In recent years, Suzhou Customs has been striving to realize the full coverage of B2B (business to business) and B2C (business to customer) export models in Suzhou, supporting the sound development of regional cross-border e-commerce via sea, rail and air transport.