China Adopts "Temporary Admission" System at Customs NationwideCustoms offices across China are now able to handle temporary admissions for people carrying a small number of goods, which will later be taken out of the country with them through the ATA certificate system.Dubbed "the merchandise passport," the ATA certificate system is used by customs authorities in 59 countries across the world. On August 10, the system was adopted by all customs offices nationwide in China, said Li Wenhui, an official with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), in a panel discussion of the Seventh APEC Customs-Business Dialogue, which opened here Monday. Potential users of the ATA can apply through the CCPIT or via the Internet, she said, calling the measure an "excellent example" of the implementation of trade facilitation in the APEC region. Some of China's customs began to use the ATA system in January 1998. By 2000, China's customs had handled a total of 1,938 entries and exits through ATA certificates, involving commodities worth more than 34 million U.S. dollars. |
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