Meeting with Wang Lingjun, Vice Minister of General Administration of Customs in China (GACC)

2023-05-15 | Beijing, Shanghai

Meeting with Wang Lingjun, Vice Minister of General Administration of Customs in China (GACC)

On 15th May, European Chamber Vice President and Shanghai Chair Bettina Schoen-Behanzin delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the sixth China-CEEC Dialogue on Customs, Inspections and Quarantine Cooperation, in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. Vice President Schoen-Behanzin spoke about the need for strengthening EU-China trade and investment in both directions, and the important role customs play in this.

Following the opening ceremony, the European Chamber had a bilateral meeting with the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC). The bilateral meeting was attended by the Vice Minister of GACC Wang Lingjun, officials from GACC’s functional departments, as well as European Chamber Vice President Bettina Schoen-Behanzin, Shanghai Chapter General Manager Steven Basart, and Advisory Council members.

At the meeting, Vice President Schoen-Behanzin introduced the latest EU-China trade data, and key findings from European Chamber’s 2022/23 Position Paper and the 2022 Business Confidence Survey. Vice President Schoen-Behanzin also presented the key challenges member companies face in relation to customs, inspections, and quarantine. Recommendations were made on simplifying customs clearance procedures, and optimising registration management for imported products from outside of China.

Vice Minister Wang expressed appreciation for the active role the European Chamber played in strengthening the business environment in China and EU-China cooperation. Vice Minister Wang said that the European Chamber’s Position Paper is thoroughly read and studied by them. GACC is in the process of building ‘Smart Customs’, to simplify customs procedures via digitisation. GACC would like to stay in close contact with the European Chamber on challenges the business community are facing. The Customs of China, the EU and EU member states have a long history of cooperation, and there is hope that such cooperation and communication continues.