Shanghai Customs has implemented new measures to expedite the clearance of African fruits, offering Chinese consumers a wider variety of fresh, high-quality produce.
A cargo ship, carrying 67.5 tons of apples and oranges from South Africa, berthed at the the Waigaoqiao Port Area in Shanghai last Wednesday, following the completion of border inspection and entry procedures.
Customs officials have taken active measures to make the fruits enter the local market on the same day.
"Under the premise of strict implementation of plant quarantine supervision requirements, we've improved efficiency and completed inspection quickly to ensure that qualified fruits imported from Africa can enter the market as soon as possible," said Luo Zhen, deputy chief of No.10 inspection division of Shanghai Waigaoqiao Port Area Customs under Shanghai Customs.
Thanks to the close economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa, Chinese people now can enjoy more and more high-quality agricultural products from the continent.
Since the beginning of this year, the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Port Area Customs has inspected 2,298 tons of fruit imported from South Africa, such as grapefruits, oranges, pears and apples.
"I have tried oranges from South Africa, and I think they taste good," said Lu, one of the customers.
"Compared with domestic fruits, African fruits have different taste, they have their own special flavor. I often choose some imported varieties to have a taste," said Zhang, another customer.
Shanghai Customs speeds up African fruit imports
Several explosions were heard Tuesday night in the southern Iranian provinces of Hormozgan and Khuzestan, as the United States announced a new round of strikes against Iran, state-run IRIB news agency reported.
Six explosions were heard west of the port city of Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan province, and Khuzestan's provincial capital Ahvaz was struck by U.S. projectiles, it reported.
Separately, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported that Sirik County in Hormozgan province was targeted by U.S. airstrikes Tuesday night, noting the attack caused no casualties or material damage.
Three blasts were also heard in proximity to Qeshm Island in Hormozgan province, Mehr reported.
The U.S. Central Command said in a post on X on Tuesday that "at 3 p.m. ET today, forces began launching an additional round of strikes against Iran to continue degrading Iranian capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz."
The operation came shortly before the forces began the resumption of the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
"U.S. forces resumed the naval blockade against vessels transiting to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas today at 4 p.m. Eastern Time," the U.S. Central Command said in a statement posted on X.
"There are currently more than 20 U.S. Navy warships and hundreds of military aircraft operating across the Middle East. American forces remain vigilant, lethal, and ready," it said.
On Monday, the U.S. military announced a "third consecutive night" of strikes against Iran.
Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said Tuesday its aerospace and naval forces have struck U.S. bases in Bahrain and Kuwait in retaliation for U.S. attacks earlier in the day.
In a statement published on its official news outlet Sepah News, the IRGC said its forces, in a joint missile and drone operation, hit and destroyed U.S. weapon depots as well as vessel and helicopter parts at the Shaikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain.
The IRGC said its forces also struck the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, destroying and damaging a number of the U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones.
The attacks were in retaliation for the U.S. strikes Tuesday afternoon against a number of the Iranian armed forces' coastal stations, the IRGC added.
It said its retaliation will continue as long as the United States keeps "committing crimes," warning that any U.S. attacks will be met with "surprising responses."
The latest developments came after days of clashes between Iran and the United States over the control of the Strait of Hormuz, despite a U.S.-Iran peace MoU signed in mid-June, under which the two sides were expected to begin negotiations within 60 days toward a final agreement.
U.S. launches additional round of strikes on Iran, IRGC says hit U.S. bases in Bahrain, Kuwait
