In-depth Cooperation with a Global Vision

International cooperation among national customs administrations has had a profound impact on trade facilitation against the backdrop of economic globalization, making in-depth international customs cooperation a necessity. China Customs has made constant efforts in this regard. At present, China Customs has established ties with 117 countries and regions. Up till July 2009, China Customs has signed 55 legal instruments including agreements, accords, memoranda, arrangements, exchange of letters, as well as joint statements. Bilaterally, China maintains good relations with US and European customs administrations. Cooperation can be seen not only in the traditional fields such as enforcement, statistics compilation, place of origin, technological cooperation, and trade facilitation, but also in non-traditional fields like anti-terrorism and protection of intellectual property rights. We also enhanced cooperation with customs administrations in developing countries, for example, we have taken part in the FTA negotiations, Customs Agreements negotiations as well as the experience sharing in container inspection to promote China-Mexico, China-Chile and China-Peru customs cooperation. As for African customs administrations, the cooperation mainly focuses on personnel exchanging, coming up with arrangements on statistics compilation and Customs Agreement, customs enforcement and mutual assistance on capacity building.

Global trade security and facilitation promotion is one of the hotly-debated issues in the international customs community in which China Customs has played an active role. China Customs, as a key member of the Policy Commission (an essential department of the WCO)

--has vigorously engaged itself into the discussions and decision making processes upon the policies; advance the implementation and assessment of the Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade as well as the formulation and improvement of its action plans.

--has taken an active part in international or regional joint enforcement operations in such non-traditional fields as environmental protection, fighting commercial frauds and intellectual property rights protection.

-- has joined actively into the customs activities under the framework of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and enhanced cooperation with other economies in securing the safety and the effective functioning of the supplying chains.

-- has participated in the WTO trade facilitation negotiations and got involved in the regional customs cooperation under the frameworks of China-Japan-Korea Customs Cooperation, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, Greater Mekong Sub-region Cooperation, and the Cooperation in Central Asia.