Phoenix TV:

You mentioned that imports and exports in the Yangtze River Delta region have rebounded rapidly. Could you explain the situation in more detail? And what work has the GACC done to promote the local recovery of foreign trade? Thank you.

Li Kuiwen:

Thank you for your questions. According to statistics of the GACC, in the first half of 2022, the imports and exports in the Yangtze River Delta region, including Jiangsu, Anhui and Zhejiang provinces, as well as Shanghai, reached 7.14 trillion yuan, an increase of 9.3% year on year. In June, the region's imports and exports rose 14.9% year on year to 1.39 trillion yuan, 0.6 percentage point higher than the overall growth rate of the country in the same period, contributing nearly 40% to the growth of foreign trade. Specifically, in June, imports and exports of Anhui province, Jiangsu province and Zhejiang province increased 19.7%, 17.5% and 16% respectively, which were 5.4 percentage points, 3.2 percentage points and 1.7 percentage points higher than the overall growth rate of the country in the same period. Shanghai has been severely affected by the epidemic. In June, its imports and exports regained positive growth, up 9.6% year on year and 35.6% month on month.

During this period, we have thoroughly implemented the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, set up special task groups to strengthen coordination and promotion, and introduced special supporting measures to ensure smooth customs clearance and promote the development of foreign trade in the Yangtze River Delta region. We have adopted four main approaches:

First, we have prioritized ensuring front-line human resources. Shanghai Customs promptly arranged working groups to enter key ports such as those in harbors and airports at the earliest opportunity during the regional lockdown in Shanghai. Over 1,300 officers and staff at customs operation sites stayed at their posts to ensure normal operation and improve the operation efficiency of Shanghai's ports.

Second, we have helped enterprises engage in rapid customs clearance. We have prioritized the approval and inspection of imported goods necessary for people's everyday lives, such as grain, meat and natural gas. For emergency supplies, such as medical supplies, first-aid equipment and spare parts, we worked closely with enterprises throughout the whole process. We provided guidelines for them to make inspection appointments online and implemented unaccompanied inspections for rapid customs clearance. We also established a coordination work mechanism to ensure smooth customs clearance in the Yangtze River Delta region. Targeted measures have been implemented to speed up the circulation of goods for import and export in the region. We set up a customs clearance green channel for key supplies from key enterprises, created information sharing platforms, and ensured the rapid customs clearance of goods for import and export in Shanghai ports during the epidemic outbreak.

Third, we have actively helped to smooth foreign trade logistics. We promoted expansion of the supervision model of directly transferring goods between maritime transport vessels and Yangtze River transport vessels, and sped up customs clearance for urgently needed goods. At eligible ports, we have advanced trials of direct unloading for imported goods and direct loading for export goods. Going forward, we will further advance the customs supervision model of waterway logistics in key areas of the Yangtze River Delta region, support expansion of the pilot of departing confirmation model, and continuously improve the efficiency of waterway logistics. We will support enterprises to open rapid customs clearance rail services and improve the facilitation of railway logistics in China.

Fourth, we have coordinated and solved problems reported by enterprises. We have improved the long-term mechanism for serving enterprises, actively coordinated and promoted solving problems and demands of enterprises, effectively guaranteed customs clearance of goods for import and export for white list enterprises, helped enterprises solve difficulties, and ensured the safety, stability and smooth running of industrial and supply chains. 

Next, we will continue to implement the deployment requirements of the State Council to ensure logistics run smoothly and maintain the stability of industrial and supply chains, and fully support enterprises to resume work and production. Thank you.