The 2007 Forum on Facilitating the Pan-Pearl River Delta Commercial and Trading Customs Clearance was jointly sponsored by the General Administration of Customs and the Hong Kong Customs and Exercise on April 10, 2007 in Hong Kong.  As this is one of the important activities for the 10th anniversary on the return of Hong Kong to China, delegates from the customs as well as from the commercial and trading circles of the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao were gathered for the first time in Hong Kong.  They made an in-depth probe on such topics as how to enhance customs cooperation in the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region, accelerate the flow of the trans-boundary personnel and goods and push forward the development of the shipping and logistic sectors.  The customs of the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao jointly issued a statement, saying that they will steadily push forward and implement the various measures that facilitate commercial and trading customs clearance, strengthen law enforcement cooperation and protect intellectual property right, so as to make active and specific contribution to the overall coordination as well as the sustained development of the national economy.

In order to further enhance customs cooperation, promote port customs clearance and facilitate the trade and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the enterprises, the "Joint Customs Statement on the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region" was issued by the customs of the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao.  It was stated in the Joint Statement that the customs of the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao will continue to fully push forward and deepen their close coordination in the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region.  One is to enhance customs clearance cooperation in the region, raise the speed for customs clearance and promote the non-hindrance customs clearance between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao; Two is to promote the healthy development of commercial and trading as well as shipping and logistics; Three is to strengthen the customs law-enforcement cooperation, protect the intellectual property right and create a sound business environment.  Donald Tsang Yam-Kuen, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region delivered an address at the opening ceremony of the forum, in which, he highly commended the important significance and broad vision of the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region cooperation.  Mou Xinsheng, director of the General Administration of Customs stated that the customs of the mainland will continue its effort in realizing the objectives of taking advantages

of each other's advantages, making concerted efforts in development and mutual-benefit and win-win, so as to push forward, in a down-to-earth manner, the various projects of the 2007 customs cooperation in the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region .

2007-05-16

2007-05-16