Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi customs to develop collaborative working mechanism

On May 12, the Changsha, Wuhan, and Nanchang customs sighed an online framework agreement on establishing a collaborative working mechanism to promote high-standard, open, and high-quality development of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. Highlighting "joint actions, co-construction and sharing, and mutual recognition and support" is the first cross-provincial collaborative working mechanism of the customs in the central regions of China.

The agreement aims to give full play to the customs' responsibilities and functions, co-build a high-standard open platform in inland areas, and boost stable foreign trade growth. Intending to establishing “integrated customs”, it focuses on deepening cooperation in 14 aspects, including smoothing logistics, promoting coordinated development of the open platform, sharing institutional innovation outcomes, and carrying out cross-customs and cross-regional cooperation in supervision.

Regarding giving play to the Yangtze River golden waterway, Hubei's Yangluo Port, Jiangxi's Jiujiang Port, and Yueyang's Chenglingji New Port will work together to form a “combined port” mode. The three ports will take joint actions, share freight routes, and support each other for development, to strengthen river-sea direct freight service. Based on inter-port coordination and information technology-based collective actions, Hunan's cargos can go global through the direct routes between Hubei's Yangluo Port and Japan and South Korea, and the routes between Jiangxi's Jiujiang Port and Southeast Asia.

The Changsha Customs will work together with the Nanchang counterpart in customs clearance, information sharing, mutual assistance in detection techniques, and mutual recognition of law enforcement to facilitate Hunan and Jiangxi's firework export.

The three customs will cooperate in the pilot reform and coordinated free trade zone development innovation. They will boost collaborative development of the open platforms, such as free trade zones and comprehensive bonded zones, in their regions; share reform innovation achievements; collaborate in carrying out coordinated innovations of the pilot free trade zones; facilitate the cross-regional transfer of bonded goods; and, cultivate new impetus to development.

According to the agreement, a joint tax and fiscal survey mechanism of the three customs and a joint working mechanism for evaluating high-risk entry-exit goods will be established.