Shou Xiaoli:

The last two questions please.

Guangming Daily:

We have noticed that the World Customs Organization's Global Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) Conference will be held this May in China for the first time. Could you please provide an overview of the event preparations? Thank you.

Wang Lingjun:

Thank you for your question. AEO stands for "authorized economic operator," which is an accreditation system advocated by the World Customs Organization . It grants preferential treatment and facilitation to companies with high levels of creditworthiness, compliance with laws and security standards. Enterprises that obtain AEO certification benefit from reduced inspections, priority processing, designated contact officer services, and other convenient services during customs clearance. AEO can be considered a "green pass" for global trade, enabling businesses to expedite customs clearance and outperform their competitors in terms of trade costs.

In recent years, the GACC has earnestly implemented the important instructions by General Secretary Xi Jinping, vigorously advancing the international mutual recognition process of AEO and intensifying efforts to foster AEO-certified enterprises. Currently, China has signed AEO mutual recognition agreements with 26 economies, including Singapore and the European Union, covering 52 countries and regions. This achievement maintains China's global leadership in both the number of signed mutual recognition agreements and the number of countries and regions which signed agreements with China. The number of AEO-certified enterprises in China has reached 5,860. In the first quarter of this year alone, the total import and export volume of AEO-certified enterprises exceeded 3 trillion yuan, playing a pivotal role in bolstering China's open economy.

Shenzhen will hold the 6th Global AEO Conference on May 8, which represents the highest-level conference in the global AEO field and the first major international conference hosted by China Customs since the 20th CPC National Congress. It is of great significance in showcasing the achievements of Chinese modernization and assisting in the construction of a major trading nation. Approximately 1,200 representatives from customs authorities worldwide, relevant international organizations, industry associations and AEO enterprises are expected to attend the event themed "Harnessing the Power of AEO Programs for Inclusive and Sustainable Global Trade." The GACC will take this conference as an opportunity to promote the country's advanced experiences and practices in the AEO field, participate in the formulation of international AEO rules, further promote AEO institutional opening-up, continuously expand the "circle of friends" for international AEO mutual recognition, and strive to contribute Chinese wisdom and solutions to the reform of the global governance system. Friends from the media here today are welcome to cover the conference through interviews, publicity and reports. Thank you.