□ Article /Journalist Yang Yan Tr. by LeiJ ing

So Convenient!The establishment of China (Chongqing) International Trade Single Window has sped up cargo clearance by almost 200% and decreased the cost by over 50%, reported by an enterprise.

□ Article /Journalist Yang Yan Tr. by LeiJ ing

Chongqing as a landlocked city got its opportunity to open up in August 2016 when the National Port Administrative Office held the Initial Meeting for the Establishment of International Trade Single Window in Inland and Border Areas. It was on the meeting that Chongqing was chosen as one of the fi rst six singlewindow pilot areas. A year later, China (Chongqing)International Trade Single Window (hereafter referred as Chongqing Single Window) was launched on October 31, 2017, which streamlined the customs formalities greatly.

Breaking down System Barriers and Information Islands to Achieve Systematic Connection

What is the single window? It is a concept promoted by the Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business of United Nations (UN/CEFACT) that“a facility that allows parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardized information and documents with a single entry point to ful fi ll all import,export, and transit-related regulatory requirements”.

There were system barriers and information islands in the past. As a result, inharmonious cooperation among related parties such as regulation departments, ports and freight yards slowed clearance, said Xiao Wenjun,vice director of the municipal people’s Government port of fi ce. Single window system can help enterprises avoid repetitive and multiple declaration. It facilitates international trade by providing united, simplified and standardized data and documents, as well as transparent government regulation.

Chongqing Single Window entered test run in late July,with Juhang International and Huize Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd. as the first pilot enterprise.According to an official of the pilot company, it made the fi rst customs declaration successfully on May 9, the fi rst certi fi cate of origin on August 2, and over 30,000 declaration documents up to October.

“In the past, we had to submit the same trade documents like contract, packing list and invoice for at least eight times to Chongqing Customs, Entry Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, and other departments. If the document was wrong, we had to repeat the process. It was time-consuming and exhausting. But now, with the of fi cial operation of the single-window system, we only have to enter one system and submit documents for a single time. The pilot system not only reduces repetitive work, but also improves data accuracy and procedure transparency.The cargo clearance is sped up by almost 200%and the cost is decreased by over 50%. In addition,our client enterprises also benefit from the policy which makes clearance faster and cost lower by over 30%,” said the of fi cial. The single window is helpful to save labor and resources.

Time for Customs Clearance Cut by 10% and Cost for Companies Reduced by 10%

Chongqing Single Window has settled four “blocked points” and realized connectivity in four aspects.

Firstly, it provides an integrated entrance for free declaration of government affairs, which is estimated to save more than 50 million for companies every year. Secondly, connected with 54 systems of 22 departments like the customs, it reduces the cost in terms of human labor and system docking by 10%. Thirdly, it builds up an information sharing platform for customs departments and enterprises, which likes the Chongqing international trade chain and greatly optimizes customs formalities for waterways, aviation and railways. And fourthly, it makes possible business collaboration.According to incomplete statistics, According to incompleted statistics, after the Single Window was put, after the Single Window was put into effect, customs formalities was reduced by more than 30%, time for customs clearance was cut by over 10% and cost for companies was reduced by over 10%.

Reviewing the Three“Single Window” Modes in the World

Member states of WTO were required to establish single window to simplify customs procedures and reduce clearance fees in the Trade Facilitation Agreement taking effect in February 2017. China was one of the countries that signed the agreement. At present,there are three modes of single window in the world: first is a single institution which coordinates and implements cross-border businesses through an institution, with Sweden as an example;second is a single system which is established through branches cooperation of government, with the United States as an example;third is a public platform through which documents are submitted to regulatory departments and information sharing and business collaboration are guaranteed. China adopted the last mode, said Xiao.

From the perspective of China’s opening-up policy, the single window is not only an important part to build up China’s trade infrastructure, but also a key platform for China to comprehensively participate in shaping the new pattern of international economic governance. As for developing the ports of Chongqing, the establishment of the single window is a remarkable step to build Chongqing as an inland international logistics hub, a port highland,and an inland highland for opening-up.

Clearance after One Joint Inspection Facilitating Air Freight

“Clearance after one joint inspection” system as a strong point of Chongqing Single Window has been put into use at airport customs.

According to Zhang Jindong, vice director of Customs Supervision Clearance Of fi ce, the system successfully carried out the policy of“online booking, instruction checking, joint inspection, one charge,then clearance”. It makes customs clearance of air freight cargo easier. Based on that, Chongqing will develop railway ports and waterway ports as soon as possible, applying the system in all customs of the city.

At the meantime, with the single window system, the Chongqing Entry Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau built Yujiantong, short for an integrated supervision system for inspection, quarantine and logistics. It connects main inspection and quarantine system with seven auxiliary logistics systems and special auxiliary management systems, promoting data exchanges between port inspection departments.

Opening a new port or special supervision zone used to need an auxiliary logistics supervision system due to technology and data platform limits. But things are different in recent years.The disperse unitary declaration mode can’t meet the needs of developing foreign trade. As Chongqing Single Window removes restricts of time and area, companies can get timely feedback about supervision and logistics in their of fi ce if they submit data to one department. The paperless declaration will give companies a greater sense of gain in convenient clearance, said Chen Hua,director of Customs Clearance Office of Chongqing Entry Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau. The latest data of AQSIQ shows that compared with January, the ef fi ciency of inspection and quarantine of Chongqing ports has been raised greatly, with the time for the whole process has been reduced by more than half.

Now, the building of China (Chongqing) International Trade Single Window facilitates the seamless joint and interconnection of the city’s ports, promoting cooperation between international single windows. It further drives Chongqing to be an international port gateway and international logistics distribution center with high efficiency, low cost and multi-model transport. It also helps Chongqing to be a mid-west international trade center combining together bonded trade, transit trade, headquarters trade and service trade.