A view of Lianyungang Port (CFP)

The General Administration of Customs announced 16 measures to support the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region on December 19.

Encompassing Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui, the delta region is one of China's most economically active, open and innovative regions.

The measures focus on fostering the development of new quality productive forces, improving logistics efficiency, and upgrading the business environment at ports. In terms of regulatory optimization for special items entering and exiting the country, the Customs plan to work with local governments to advance the pilot program for a "white list" of imported materials used in biopharmaceuticals research and development, and also explore the inter-regional recognition of the "white list".

Other measures include establishing a collaboration mechanism among Customs at entry ports, transfer ports, and destination ports in the delta region specifically for imported grain. Efforts will be made to enhance decision-making capabilities, improve the monitoring and early warning systems for animal and plant epidemics and invasive species, and ensure coordinated supervision over the quality and safety of agricultural and food products import and export.

Despite the complex and challenging international environment, the foreign trade of the delta region has demonstrated strong resilience and competitiveness. According to the Customs, in the first 11 months of this year, the region recorded a total import and export volume of 14.56 trillion yuan, reaching a historical high for the same period. This figure marked a year-on-year increase of 5% and accounted for 36.6% of the country’s total foreign trade.