Taizhou Port in Taizhou, Jiangsu province. [Photo/WeChat account: tzfabu]
A batch of imported clothing worth over 40,000 yuan ($5903.45) cleared customs in just eight minutes under the supervision of Taizhou Customs, marking the city's first case benefiting from China's new import commodity inspection recognition policy introduced by the General Administration of Customs.
The policy allows customs authorities to recognize inspection results issued by accredited third-party institutions in import and export commodity inspection, streamlining clearance procedures and reducing inspection redundancy.
Under the traditional model, imported garments were required to undergo customs sampling and laboratory testing before they could enter the market. Goods could not be sold until inspection results were confirmed. With the new recognition mechanism, enterprises can now commission qualified inspection agencies before importation.
When declaring goods, companies submit inspection reports along with quality and safety compliance declarations. If selected for inspection, goods that meet the recognition criteria may be released without further testing, significantly improving clearance efficiency.
"This batch of imported clothing previously required five to seven days for customs clearance under the old system," said Shi Junqin, customs affairs manager at Jiangsu Huaxuan E-commerce, which handled the import. "Now, the process was completed in just minutes."
Since the start of the year, Taizhou Customs has undertaken numerous on-site engagements with enterprises to gain deeper insights into their operational requirements and import strategies. The agency has enhanced its policy guidance and interpretation efforts to ensure companies can effectively navigate and leverage the inspection recognition mechanism alongside other trade facilitation initiatives.