Xiamen Customs to Restore PrestigeDrawing a lesson from Xiamen "Yuanhua" Smuggling Case, Xiamen Customs vigorously tightened its ranks and administrative construction and has come to claim an improved environment for customs clearance to see a steady growth in imports and exports.Last year China's imports and exports through Xiamen Customs topped US$10 billion, containers over 1 million. From January and May this year, the volume reported an impressive growth over the same period last year. Customs clearance speed took a top place in China. More than 100 staff of Xiamen Customs was involved in Xiamen "Yuanhua" smuggling among which quite a few were leaders and cadres. The new generation of leadership drew a lesson from the case and regarded the management of cadres, especially supervision over leaders at various levels, as one of the keystones of their work. They established a complete incentive and restrictive system including announcement before appointment of cadres, assignment through competition, tenure of office, withdrawal of accord in public affairs and promotion of exchanges, etc, by which means to guarantee a normative and precise operational process and a public and transparent exercise of power. Xiamen Customs has conducted a full-scale reshuffle in customs clearance since last year and has realized monitoring on freight and operation with certificates separated. New technologies such as containers ambulant inspecting facilities and electronic ground scales were introduced. Up-to-date clearance software system and computers in charge of harbor affairs, docks and container yard not only guaranteed a public and fair execution of the law in the aspect of technology, but also vigorously improved the conditions for customs clearance. The "Port Electronic Law Enforcement System" put into use in May this year shortened the time for customs clearance by one third in general. Xiamen Customs has also vigorously coordinated with departments of foreign trade and economic co-operation, publicized related regulations to foreign-funded enterprises and trained clearance officers for enterprises. To help enterprises in difficulties during customs clearance, green channel and private mailbox were provided for clearance for some A enterprises by which means the enterprises may "get a pass before paying the tariff". In this way, the time needed for these enterprises to finish clearance was shortened by three to four days and cut costs. From January to May this year, tariffs collected by Xiamen Customs totaled 2.529 billion yuan, up 22.38 percent over the same period last year. Strong measures were also adopted to combat petty smuggling cases. Between January and April this year, the Customs has captured 58 suspects and cracked down 29 smuggling cases with a value worth over 400 million yuan. By PD Online Staff Du Minghua |
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