Tianjin launches new inbound inspection hall to better support SCO summit

China

Tianjin launches new inbound inspection hall to better support SCO summit

2025-08-27 15:01 Last Updated At：23:57

A newly constructed inbound inspection hall became operational on Wednesday in Tianjin, aiming to better support the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit.

The new facility has increased the number of inspection lanes at Tianjin Airport from 17 to 22, including four lanes dedicated exclusively to the SCO Summit. This expansion is expected to boost clearance efficiency by 30 percent.

Equipped with automated inspection robots and integrated smart inspection counters, the hall also provides customs clearance guidance services in eight languages, including Russian and English, to smoothen processing for international visitors.

In preparation for the summit, various departments in Tianjin Municipality have stepped up efforts to optimize urban operation support services.

The city's power department has adopted advanced technologies such as intelligent inspection systems, inspection robots, and infrared detectors to ensure a stable and reliable power supply throughout the event.

In addition, nearly 1,000 volunteers are expected to offer more than 50 types of services during the summit.

"Through the preparation and hosting of this event, the overall quality of our city will be significantly enhanced. We are confident and determined to make it a safe, meticulously-arranged, successful, and fruitful summit that will leave a deep impression for both domestic and international guests," said Yu Pengzhou, executive deputy director of the city's preparatory office of the summit.

The summit is set to take place from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1.

China remains world's largest online retail market for 13th straight year

China has remained the world's largest online retail market for a 13th consecutive year, with its digital consumption exceeding 23.8 trillion yuan (about 3.39 trillion U.S. dollars), official data shows.

The figure was released at a national e-commerce work conference held from Tuesday to Wednesday.

The conference said that China's e-commerce sector has achieved solid gains in high-quality development over the past five years, emerging as a new source of momentum to foster new quality productive forces and playing an important role in advancing the country's new development paradigm.

Despite rising external uncertainties, China has continued to expand its win-win cooperation, increasing the number of Silk Road e-commerce cooperation partner countries to 36.

E-commerce has become a major engine for job creation and industrial upgrading. Employment in the sector has surpassed 78 million, and express delivery volumes have seen an average annual growth of nearly 20 percent over the past five years.

Software and information services linked to cloud computing and big data have also expanded rapidly.

The conference outlined the Ministry of Commerce's e-commerce policy priorities for 2026, including strengthening innovation-driven growth, improving the country's development environment, and expanding international cooperation.