Hong Kong and China Customs' annual meeting to maintain close co-operation (with photo)

2012 Annual Review Meeting between the General Administration of Customs and Hong Kong Customs was held in Hong Kong today (May 14). The Hong Kong Customs delegation was headed by the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Clement Cheung, while the Mainland Customs delegation was headed by the Minister of the General Administration of Customs, Mr Yu Guangzhou.

This is the 13th annual meeting between the Hong Kong and China Customs since the signing of the Customs Co-operative Arrangement in 2000. The meeting reviewed the co-operation between the two Customs administrations on trade facilitation, anti-smuggling, anti-narcotics, intellectual property rights protection and staff training last year. The two Customs bodies also recognised the remarkable achievements resulting from close co-operation on various fronts.

They also mapped out a co-operation plan for 2013 in the following respects:

1. to enhance training co-operation and exchange between both administrations;
2. to improve customs clearance efficiency, including the implementation of expedited customs clearance and electronic customs seals, and the development of a united data model;
3. to strengthen enforcement co-operation, including the reinforcement of intelligence exchange and mounting joint operations to combat cross-boundary smuggling activities;
4. to enhance co-operation on control measures over the Rules of Origin under the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement;
5. to refine the regulatory mechanism for cargo transshipped through Hong Kong under the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement;
6. to refine the facilitation measures of the Wine Trade Facilitation Scheme so as to further promote Hong Kong as a wine trading hub;
7. to actively work out a mutual recognition arrangement for the respective Authorized Economic Operator programmes with a view to enhancing trade facilitation; and
8. to promote co-operation on international customs affairs between the two Customs administrations.

Ends/Tuesday, May 14 2013

The Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Clement Cheung (third left) and the Minister of the General Administration of Customs, Mr Yu Guangzhou (second right) attend the 2012 Annual Review Meeting between the General Administration of Customs and Hong Kong Customs in Hong Kong today (May 14).