China's First Import Expo Grows Ever Closer
Miao Qi
DATE:  Jul 27 2018
/ SOURCE:  Yicai
China's First Import Expo Grows Ever Closer China's First Import Expo Grows Ever Closer

(Yicai Global) July 27 -- The first China International Import Expo, an important part of China's plans to further open up to the rest of the world, is now less than 100 days away.

The CIIE Bureau invited executives from several local authorities to a briefing on the expo's progress on July 26, and held a meeting the same day to introduce businesses to the seven exhibition areas and confirm numbers for those looking to book booths. Some 16 companies and over 200 exhibitors attended.

Companies from developing countries will enjoy a 50 percent or even 100 percent discount on logistic expenses for their exhibits if they use couriers recommended by the CIIE. The National Exhibition and Convention Center, which will host the CIIE, will also cover tax payments and set up a temporary venue in its northern plaza to make customs inspections more convenient.

This will reduce the cost for those with valuable exhibits, or ones that can troublesome if undergoing out-of-box checks at ports, said Fang Hui, general manager of the NECC's operations center in Shanghai.

As the only overseas courier endorsed by the CIIE, China Cosco Shipping will transport all exhibits from outside China. It has developed a dedicated platform for those looking to book containers so it can facilitate services for the expo, and is working with customs authorities to help goods get clearance sooner, the firm's Deputy General Manager Yu Zenggang said.

The CIIE will use nine exhibition halls covering 300,000 square meters. Companies participating come from G20 member states and countries with links to the Belt and Road Initiative. Many Global 500 companies and industry-leading firms have already submitted application forms to run exhibits at the second CIIE.

In order to meet the larger-than-expected demand for the expo, the bureau has arranged for a number of services to make life easier for exhibitors, buyers and forum guests.

It will offer digital guide services to help participants access to brand new digital experiences at the event, while using big data and cloud computing to offer an online trade communication platform. It will also offer Wi-Fi coverage and some 5G communications services. There will also be finance, trade and insurance consultants on hand.

Clearing Customs

China's General Administration of Customs has taken on board the CIIE's needs and devised measures to safeguard customs control for the event, said He Xiaorui, vice director of the Department of Customs Control and Inspection. Among them is a 'negative list' to dictate items that cannot be imported.

"During early communication with exhibitors, we found that they focused on how food and agricultural products would be displayed," said Li Jin, an official at Shanghai's customs authority. In order to ensure quick clearance for these goods, customs will devise measures based on risk and product classification. For example, some items will need to go through quarantine and some which are usually banned in China can be imported for the expo if they are confirmed to not be a disease risk. China's top customs watchdog has allowed the local division to handle quarantine administration to quicken the time it takes to pass.

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Keywords:   China International Import Expo,Shanghai,Customs