On June 3rd, the first case of a foreign traveller using an overseas-issued foreign currency card (hereinafter referred to as a "foreign card") to pay personal postal articles tax was successfully processed at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Customs, which is subordinate to Gongbei Customs.
(Photo: Nanfang Plus)
A Portuguese traveler from Macao carrying taxable goods needed to complete tax payment procedures when entering through the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Customs. A customs officer entered the amount of tax payable into a POS machine, and the traveler completed the tax payment directly by swiping the foreign card. After the state treasury received the tax payment from the collecting bank, the funds were processed into the treasury according to relevant regulations. This marks the first implementation of the "foreign bank card + personal postal articles tax" payment at a port in China.
"There is no need to exchange for RMB or add my card to WeChat Pay. I can use my overseas card to pay the tax. It's incredibly convenient!" said the Portuguese traveler.
In recent years, Gongbei Customs, in collaboration with the Zhuhai Branch of the People's Bank of China and the Bank of China, has successfully implemented electronic personal postal articles tax payment and digital RMB personal postal articles tax payment. Now, the personal postal articles tax payment using a foreign card at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Customs further facilitates foreign travellers in paying taxes, thereby improving both the speed of traveller clearance and the efficiency of tax payment into the treasury.
"Next, we will work with banks and other relevant departments to actively and steadily promote the use of foreign cards for personal postal articles tax payment, in order to continuously enhance the efficiency of cross-border clearance," said Yang Qiuyi, Deputy Director of the Finance Division of Gongbei Customs.
Editor | Hong Ting, Holly, Will, James
