Trade Facilitation and Customs Compliance for Cost-Saving and Efficiency: Policies, Practices and Proposals – A China Case Study

Abstract

Under WTO and WCO obligations and its own initiatives, Chinese government, like other governments, especially China customs, in the recent years has been making great efforts to modernize trade and customs process to facilitate legitimate trade of efficiency and protect public interest for compliance. The recent developments, especially the nationally integrated customs clearance process, are welcomed by the international trade community though, uncertainties and concerns remain, particularly on non-tariff technical barriers, transparency, consistency, performance, and stability for ruling-making and implementation. With all the pilot programs and reform initiatives on informed customs and trade facilitation and compliance, we propose that a new round Customs Law and regulation review, modernization and revision is timely demanded for rule of law, legitimacy, consistency of the reforms. We encourage the trade community, at the same time of enjoying the trade facilitation advantages, to invest and implement in customs and trade compliance program, including promise, policy, process, procedure and people, to avoid costs arising from customs and trade compliance crisis.