China's General Administration of Customs (GAC) on Tuesday issued a customs clearance notice for the 9th Asian Winter Games scheduled for February 7-14 next year in Harbin City of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.
According to the GAC notice, the customs clearance integration regime applies to supplies that are temporarily imported for the Asian Winter Games.
Sports equipment and items for competition that are temporarily imported through freight channels can go through customs clearance procedures only when they are accompanied by the required certification documentation and material list issued by the Organizing Committee for the 9th Harbin Asian Winter Games 2025, the notice says.
For consumables that are directly used for the Asian Winter Games competition, if they cannot be produced in China or if the performance of their substitutes produced in China can not meet the requirement for competition, they shall be exempt from tariffs, import value-added tax and consumption tax, according to the GAC notice.
Personal articles carried by individuals for daily use, excluding alcoholic beverages and tobacco, shall enjoy Customs duties exemption in accordance with the relevant legal provisions, says the GAC notice.
For those exceeding the permitted duty-free amount, the Customs shall only levy Customs duties on the excess, the notice says.
The Harbin Taiping International Airport, the Beijing Capital International Airport, the Beijing Daxing International Airport and the Shanghai Pudong International Airport are recommended by the Organizing Committee as inbound and outbound ports for personnels for the Games, according to the notice.
Green channels and exclusive windows will be set up at major ports to facilitate customs procedures for entry and exit of personnels and supplies for the Asian Winter Games, it says.
China Customs issues clearance notice for 9th Asian Winter Games
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
