Source: WeChat

Official Account: Chengdu Customs Clearance

Chengdu Customs has developed a new efficient logistics channel for the comprehensive bonde

To further implement the Opinions of the State Council on Promoting the High-Level Opening-Up and High-Quality Development of Comprehensive Bonded Zones (Guo Fa 〔2019〕 No. 3), and accelerate the facilitation and efficiency of goods circulation in Chengdu Hi-Tech Comprehensive Bonded Zone, Chengdu Customs officially launched the "Smart Comprehensive Bonded Zone" inter-enterprise cross-regional business reform in the comprehensive bonded zone on July 5. In 2021, in accordance with the relevant provisions such as the Interim Measures for the Administration of Bonded Port Areas of the Customs of the People's Republic of China (General Administration of Customs Decree No. 234).

# Chengdu Hi-Tech Comprehensive Bonded Zone

Chengdu Hi-Tech Comprehensive Bonded Zone was approved by the State Council on October 18, 2010, and officially commenced operations on May 25, 2011. Over the past decade, Chengdu Customs has actively promoted the development of electronic information industry clusters within the bonded zone, with industries such as integrated circuits and intelligent terminals ranking among the forefront nationwide in terms of scale. Currently, the zone is home to 74 registered enterprises and employs over 200,000 people, forming a high-end industrial complex supported by leading industries and featuring diversified and integrated development.

In 2020, Chengdu Hi-Tech Comprehensive Bonded Zone achieved an import and export volume of 549.17 billion yuan, ranking first among national comprehensive bonded zones for three consecutive years, with a year-on-year growth of 26.8%. The import and export volume of the bonded zone accounted for 68% of Sichuan Province's foreign trade volume, enabling Sichuan's trade volume to rank 8th in the country and its growth rate to rank 2nd. It has become the "leading force" and "growth pole" of Sichuan's opening-up to the outside world.

Background of Enterprise Reform

# Chengdu Hi-Tech Comprehensive Bonded Zone

Chengdu Hi-Tech Comprehensive Bonded Zone is divided into three parks: Zone A, Zone B, and Zone C. Each park has its own independent perimeter fencing and inspection stations. Zone A is mainly used as a storage and logistics area, while Zone B and Zone C are for production and processing. The transportation distance between the three parks is approximately 5 kilometers.

Over the past decade, with the increase in the number of enterprises settling in the bonded zone and the continuous expansion of their scales, the land utilization rate of the Hi-Tech Zone has exceeded 95%. Many enterprises are in urgent need of increasing investment and expanding production. However, as land use in the zone is nearly saturated, enterprises have to allocate some production lines or businesses to different parks within the zone. For example, a company in Zone C has transferred part of its product assembly and maintenance business to Zone B, and stored some materials in Zone A. This requires the goods of the same company to be transported between different areas of the Hi-Tech Park.

To better serve the high-quality development of the comprehensive bonded zone, meet enterprises' needs for facilitated customs clearance, and achieve "effective supervision with free flow", Chengdu Customs has actively promoted the "Smart Comprehensive Bonded Zone" reform for inter-enterprise cross-regional businesses. This reform has optimized the customs supervision model for the flow of goods between Zones A, B, and C in the Hi-Tech Park to the greatest extent, significantly improving logistics efficiency and the business environment of the bonded zone.

Specific Measures

1. Strengthen communication and coordination
   Promotion Conference

Business Discussion

The Bonded Area Division, Technology Division, and Statistics Division of Chengdu Customs, as well as Jincheng Customs, actively cooperated with the park management authorities, station management, pilot enterprises, and information service companies. Through seven promotion conferences and business discussions, they extensively collected opinions and demands from all parties, and continuously refined the reform plan, business processes, and regulatory measures for the inter-enterprise cross-regional business under the "Smart Comprehensive Bonded Zone" initiative.

2. Simplify processes through information technology development

To maximize the simplification of enterprise declarations, cross-regional cargo transshipment between enterprises no longer requires transshipment through logistics companies within the zone. Manufacturing enterprises do not need to submit verification lists; they only need to submit a release order once in the Comprehensive Bonded Zone (CBZ) Management Auxiliary System and bind the carrying vehicle to realize automatic customs clearance, automatic identification of inspection points, and automatic operation of barrier lifts for entry and exit of the zone. For goods of the same batch, the pre-reform process of "two release order inspections" has been optimized to "one release order inspection". At the same time, the development of informatization has been advanced, and the 3.0 version of the CBZ Management Auxiliary System that supports the reform has been developed, tested and put into operation.

3. Implement Practical Intelligent Supervision Measures

Electronic locks are applied to transport vehicles. Once locked successfully, the checkpoint system will automatically remove obstacles to allow customs clearance. GPS monitoring is implemented, and any abnormal route or delayed transportation will automatically trigger an alarm, ensuring strict supervision of goods in transit. A certain proportion of release orders are inspected to maintain controllable supervision risks. Checkpoints in each park are staffed 24/7 to handle various abnormal situations in a timely manner, ensuring the round-the-clock operation of inter-enterprise cross-regional businesses.

4. Achieve Comprehensive Reform Coverage

After completing the inter-enterprise cross-regional pilot in Zones B and C, Chengdu Customs monitored the operation of the system and evaluated the effectiveness of the supervision measures. Based on the feedback from the park management authorities and pilot enterprises, and in combination with the structural characteristics of the dual checkpoints in Zone A, it further optimized the supervision processes and improved the supervision plan. This successfully achieved comprehensive reform coverage across all three zones.

Business Process

Reform Achievements

1. Achieved remarkable results in accelerating processes and reducing costs

As of October 31, the pilot enterprises had carried out 10,964 cross-regional transfers in total, with the main goods including display screens, back covers, batteries, color boxes, etc. The average daily value of the goods was approximately 40 million yuan. It is estimated that the relevant costs of the pilot enterprises have been reduced by 90%, and the total customs clearance time has been shortened by 80%.

Enterprises in the High-Tech Park of the Comprehensive Bonded Zone can allocate production and warehousing functions among Zones A, B, and C according to their actual needs. This enables them to leverage the integrated scale effect to further optimize their production capacity and industrial layout.

3. Maximize the Utilization of Bonded Warehousing Resources

After the reform, enterprises in the High-Tech Park of the Comprehensive Bonded Zone can allocate production materials, machinery, equipment, and finished products to the bonded warehouses in Zone A. This enables the practice of "storing upon arrival and retrieving after use," further leveraging the benefits of the bonded warehousing policy. The utilization rate of warehousing resources in Zone A has increased from 70% last year to 100% currently.