Since launching in 2015, Nansha Free Trade Zone (FTZ) has assisted in the construction of Nansha Port and improved its custom clearance abilities, which has led to14.5% annual growth in foreign trade volume and has boosted a variety of new foreign trade business modes.
Marking its 3rd anniversary, Nansha FTZ held a press conference to share its strategies for trade facilitation yesterday on April 16.
During the press conference, senior officials of port authorities from the Nansha FTZ Port Office, Nansha Customs and the Nansha Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, give a presentation on their policies and achievements. [Photo by Zhou Zhiqun]
Luo Jianwen, Deputy Director of the Nansha FTZ Port Office, said the district has applied a series of online platforms to customs clearance, inspection and maritime affairs, which has successfully cut the time required for custom clearance by 50%.
“We are also facilitating the construction of Nansha Port and service ability. Over the past three years, we have handled over 900 million tons of cargo and 38 million containers,” said Luo Jianwen, “the port will have more berths and waterways in the future."
Thus far, Nansha has a cluster of 4802 logistics enterprises (more than 12 times than the previous volume), among which are industrial leaders as COSCO Shipping and Maersk. Furthermore, the port now runs 89 international container shipping lines connecting with more than 200 port cities around the world.
Mo Bin, Manager of GOCT, added that Nansha Port was now the most important departure port in South China for shipping to Africa, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. “We are complementing Shenzhen Port whose shipping routes are mainly to U.S. and Europe.”
Nansha’s well-developed shipping industry and efficient customs services have also contributed to the boom in foreign trade and new business modes such as, cross-border e-commerce, aircraft leasing and ‘parallel car import’*.
Deng Han is JD.com’s manager of cross-border e-commerce, South China. [Photo provided to Newsgd.com]
Deng Han is JD.com’s manager of cross-border e-commerce, South China. He said the famous Chinese online retailer has its biggest bonded warehouse in Nansha and sends out tens of thousands of parcels everyday. “Apart from favourable policies, Nansha customs offers 24/7 service even during public holidays, which is very supportive in our business.”
According to Nansha, the value of cross-border e-commerce roared from 30 million yuan in 2014 to 7.2 billion yuan in 2017. Wu Yun, Deputy Director of Nansha Customs, said Nansha would continue to simplify clearance procedures and shorten time required by a further 30% in the future.
‘Parallel car import’* refers to a mode selling vehicles brought on overseas markets to China.
Reported by Jasmine Yin
Edited by Olivia Ouyang, Simon Haywood
