Cargo throughput surges as China's ports streamline customs clearance

China's border ports have been implementing a range of cargo facilitation policies, leading to a surge in cargo throughput, with a nearly 57 percent year-on-year increase in the inspection of transportation vehicles in the first half of 2024.

According to the data recently released by the National Immigration Administration, China's ports inspected about 15.42 million vehicle, vessel, and train trips in the first six months of this year, a 56.9 percent jump from the same period last year.

The border ports have rolled out a series of measures to streamline customs clearance for cargo. At major land ports, fast lanes have been set up for the rapid release of critical supplies. At major seaports, online declaration has been enabled for border inspection boarding. In international shipping, arriving vessels can have much faster departures thanks to the efficient inspections.

The combined sea-rail transport model, utilizing maritime routes and the China-Europe freight train service, has made the port of Lianyungang in east China's Jiangsu Province one of the most convenient and economical gateways to the sea. It handles more than 80 percent of Kazakhstan's transit cargo to China.

At the port, containers carrying with auto parts, home appliances, and other products are offloaded, hoisted onto trucks, and then loaded onto China-Europe freight trains bound for destinations like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

"From unloading to boarding the freight train, the entire process can now be completed in as little as eight minutes. These containers are expected to reach the border ports within six days, greatly reducing transportation time and cost," said a logistics company employee.

The Youyi Pass in the southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, also known as Friendship Pass, on the China-Vietnam border is an important cross-national trade channel. To enhance the clearance efficiency of imported fruits, the port has established "durian-only" channels and green channels for agricultural products, as well as an intelligent inspection assistance system. A Chinese cargo truck can now clear customs in just 15 seconds.

As the country's largest land port for fruit imports and exports, the Youyi Pass saw fruit imports worth 23.92 billion yuan (about 3.3 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023, a 262.9-percent surge year on year.

Pattama Narmwong, chairman of the Thai Mangosteen Association, noted that the greatly improved clearance efficiency has considerably cut down on transportation time and costs, supporting the burgeoning development of fruit trade between China and Southeast Asian nations.

Cargo throughput surges as China's ports streamline customs clearance

Chinese Premier Li Qiang emphasized advancing agricultural modernization and ensuring food security when making investigation in northeast China's Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces from Monday to Wednesday.

In Heilongjiang Province, Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visited a state farm and observed the growth of soybean, corn, and rice crops. He stressed that autumn grain accounts for the bulk of annual output, calling for stepped-up farmland management and policy support to ensure grain harvest.

Visiting an agricultural science park and a rice research institute, Li asked about seed breeding innovation and black soil conservation, highlighting the importance of science and technology in pursuing higher yields and calling for further efforts in seed breeding, advanced machinery, and smart farming.

At a major water conservancy project, Li reviewed construction progress, urging faster completion to improve flood control, irrigation, and ecological benefits while supporting stable, high-yield harvests.

In Jilin Province, Li visited an agricultural cooperative and learned about its operations. He called for developing diverse forms of appropriately scaled agricultural operations and improving services for agriculture to help smallholders connect with modern agriculture.

At a grain processing plant, Li inspected a corn oil production line and called for boosting intensive processing of agricultural products to extend industrial chains and raise value.

Li also visited the Chagan Lake and learned about the ecological fisheries. He called for actively developing modern eco-aquaculture, promoting integrated development of the farming, forestry, livestock, and fishing industries as well as the development of eco-tourism.

Chinese premier stresses agricultural modernization, food security