The Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Ms Louise Ho, today (April 9) led a delegation to visit Zhengzhou, Henan Province, and met with the Director General in Zhengzhou Customs District, Mr Wang Jun, and the Deputy Director General of the Guangdong Sub-Administration of the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC), Mr Feng Guoqing, to have in-depth discussions and exchanges on the feasibility of extending the Single E-lock Scheme to Henan Province.
Ms Ho said that Henan Province has been strengthening co-operation with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) in recent years and is further broadening its connection and exchanges with the GBA. Henan Province and Hong Kong have long been maintaining a close economic and trade relation. In 2023, the total value of goods imported and exported between Henan Province and Hong Kong amounted to RMB24.25 billion, reflecting the huge business potential in the logistics industry between the two places.
Looking ahead, Ms Ho said she hoped the Single E-lock Scheme would extend to Henan Province to give full play to strengths of the Scheme and enhance the efficiency of the cross-boundary logistics. Taking into account Hong Kong's safe and efficient supply chains and the role as an international logistics hub, the scheme can further promote Henan's products to the international market.
Zhengzhou Customs District expressed that it will deepen co-operation with Hong Kong Customs and jointly promote trade facilitation between Henan Province and Hong Kong in accordance with the work plan of the Party Committee of the GACC, so as to serve functions and roles of customs in contributing to the close economic and trade relations between the two places.
The Single E-lock Scheme is currently implemented in Guangdong Province and Hunan Province. Under the Scheme, duplicated inspection of the same consignment by the two Customs administrations is reduced on the principle of "Across the Boundary with One Single E-lock under Separate Monitoring", which streamlines the clearance process and expedites the flow of cargo transshipment.
Ms Ho today also visited Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport and the China-Europe Railway Express Dispatch and Command Centre to study the latest developments of international air cargo logistics and the China-Europe Railway Express respectively.
Ms Ho will conclude her visit and return to Hong Kong tomorrow (April 10).
Ends/Tuesday, April 9, 2024
