China has formulated and issued a list of goods and items prohibited and restricted from import and export in the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP), improving the transparency of goods trade management, said the Ministry of Commerce on Wednesday.
Officials of the ministry made the announcement at a press conference held in Beijing.
According to the officials, the list is based on laws and regulations including the "Hainan Free Trade Port Law" and the "Foreign Trade Law". For the first time ever, it comprehensively and systematically lists the scope of imported and exported goods and articles that are currently subject to prohibition or restriction by regulatory measures in place in the country, which helps business entities clearly know about the regulatory boundaries.
The list greatly increases level of opening up of goods trade in Hainan FTP and, in line with the development needs of the Hainan FTP, relaxes regulatory requirement for some imported goods.
"The regulatory requirement for licensing on the import of 60 items of used electromechanical products bearing HS codes has been lifted, covering 80 percent of the used electromechanical products regulated with the system of import licensing. The license-free import of these 60 items of electromechanical products can basically satisfy the demand of enterprises based in Hainan for their own use of such products in operating production. At the same time, based on the existing policies on the current free trade pilot zones and comprehensive bonded zones, 38 items of products bearing HS codes are allowed to undergo bonded maintenance in the Hainan FTP, achieving the highest level of opening up in the country in this field," Yuan Xiaoming, Assistant Minister of Commerce, said at the press conference.
The HS code refers to Harmonized System Code, which is a standard classification code of goods designed to facilitate the simplification and harmonization of the customs procedure.
The Hainan FTP will officially launch island-wide independent customs operation on Dec. 18 this year to promote trade and help Hainan participate more in the international arena, announced the officials on the same day.
China releases list of prohibited, restricted items for trade in Hainan FTP
A cold front has brought snowfall and freezing temperatures across many parts of China, disrupting transportation and prompting emergency responses. On Sunday morning, many places in Handan City of north China's Hebei Province have experienced snowfall.
The province on Sunday activated a Level-IV emergency response for major meteorological disasters in preparation for incoming heavy snowfall.
According to the provincial meteorological observatory, heavy snow is forecast to hit areas including Shijiazhuang, Cangzhou and Hengshui from day to night on Sunday. Some regions may experience blizzard conditions.
Forecasters warn that the severe weather will disrupt transportation, urban services, and greenhouse agriculture.
Local authorities have been urged to closely monitor weather conditions, enhance risk assessment, and eliminate potential safety hazards.
China has a four-tier emergency response system, with Level I being the most severe response.
Starting early Sunday morning, a new round of snowfall began in areas such as Qingyang City and Dingxi City in northwest China's Gansu Province.
In order to ensure smooth traffic and people's normal life and production, local departments have made coordinated efforts to clear snow from roads.
Local traffic police have also increased presence at key areas to direct traffic and ensure timely response to emergencies.
In addition, widespread snowfall affected the northern parts of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, posing challenges to urban transportation and railway operations.
Traffic police and city departments are mobilizing to clear roads and ensure safe travel for residents.
Railway authorities also implemented pre-arranged snow-response plans, using equipment such as wind-powered snow blowers and de-icing equipment to clear key sections of track and prevent switches from freezing.
The current round of snowfall in the northern parts of Xinjiang is expected to end on March 2. Some areas in east China's Shandong Province also experienced heavy snow on Sunday. At 11:00, the provincial weather service issued yellow warnings for icy roads.
At the Mount Tai scenic area in Tai'an City, the weather transitioned from a mix of rain and snow to snowfall during the day. As of 15:00 on Sunday, the average precipitation had reached 18.9 millimeters, with the snowfall still ongoing. To ensure the safety of visitors, the scenic area has decided to suspend all access routes starting from 16:00. On Sunday morning, cold air prompted snowfall in many places of north China's Shanxi Province. The Shanxi Provincial Meteorological Observatory issued a yellow alert for blizzard, covering areas such as Jinzhong City, Linfen City, and Yuncheng City.
Icy road conditions led to temporary traffic restrictions on several highway sections.
Local authorities promptly activated emergency response plans, deploying crews for snow removal and traffic control.
Snowfall hits many parts of China, affecting transportation
