On August 25, the State Council Information Office held a series of thematic press conferences titled “High-Quality Implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan.” At the conference, Sun Meijun, Director-General of the General Administration of Customs, stated that since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan, significant progress has been made in the modernization of customs. China has added and expanded 40 ports open to foreign trade, bringing the total number of such ports to 311. Each year, customs oversees an average of 5.2 billion tons of import and export goods worth 41.5 trillion yuan—making it the largest volume globally.

　　First, we have achieved new successes in safeguarding national border security. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan, customs authorities have annually supervised imports and exports totaling 5.2 billion tons in weight and worth 41.5 trillion yuan—making it the world’s largest-scale operation, characterized by safety, stability, and controllability. To date, we have seized a total of 5.15 million pieces of prohibited items—including those related to politics, firearms, and explosives—and detected over 70 infectious diseases in 180,000 cases. We’ve also handled more than 200,000 batches of substandard goods, firmly keeping unsafe risks out of the country. Through comprehensive tax administration and law-based collection, we’ve collected a total of 9.7 trillion yuan in taxes. We’ve maintained an unwavering high-pressure stance against smuggling, having investigated and prosecuted a total of 23,000 smuggling-related criminal cases. Smuggling crimes in key areas, key regions, and involving key commodities have been effectively curbed. From border ports on the Pamir Plateau to container terminals along the East China Sea, all customs officers are faithfully guarding the nation’s borders and protecting the interests of the people, wholeheartedly ensuring national security and public welfare.

　　Second, we’ve achieved new breakthroughs in customs clearance facilitation. The “Single Window” for international trade has become China’s “digital gateway” connecting it with global trade. The number of “one-stop” services has reached 964 items across 25 major categories, essentially covering the entire chain and all stages of cross-border trade. Online and mobile-based customs clearance services have now become the norm. The “multimodal transport” regulatory model—integrating rail, road, sea, and air transport—enables “single declaration” and “single document processing” throughout the entire logistics process. “Smart travel inspection” now covers 80% of air ports, allowing passengers to enjoy seamless and rapid customs clearance. We continue to carry out special campaigns aimed at further facilitating cross-border trade, resulting in a noticeable improvement in the business environment at ports.

　　Third, the construction of open channels and platforms has reached a new milestone. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan, China has added and expanded 40 more ports open to the outside world, bringing the total number to 311. This has essentially established a three-dimensional port network—covering waterways, land routes, and air transport—and created a comprehensive, all-round opening-up layout spanning east, central, and western regions. With “customs connecting the globe and goods reaching every corner,” economic and trade exchanges as well as cultural interactions have become broader and closer than ever before. The China-Europe freight train assembly centers have undergone a transformative upgrade—from “point-to-point” operations to “hub-to-hub” connections. Comprehensive bonded zones and other special customs supervision areas have become new high grounds for opening up to the outside world across various regions. Covering less than one ten-thousandth of the country’s total land area, these zones account for one-fifth of the nation’s total import and export value. We are now making every effort to complete preparations for the closed-operation phase of the Hainan Free Trade Port, having already issued customs supervision measures, completed acceptance inspections of “second-line ports,” and launched a smart supervision platform. In the coming days, we will also release three additional regulatory documents, including guidelines for customs declaration at “second-line ports,” ensuring that the official launch takes place on December 18.

　　Fourth, we have made new strides in promoting high-quality development. Exports featuring “new content” have become even more substantial—by 2024, exports of the “new three” had grown 2.6 times compared to 2020. The sources of imports have broadened further: during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, we have opened up market access to 271 agricultural and food products from an additional 81 countries (regions), diversifying imports of bulk commodities, advanced equipment, and critical components. The regional structure has also improved: while the eastern region has maintained stable volumes and enhanced quality, the central and western regions have stepped up their efforts and are gaining momentum, with average annual growth rates of 7.9% for both imports and exports. In 2024, China’s total merchandise trade reached 43.8 trillion yuan, maintaining its position as the world’s largest for eight consecutive years. From January to July this year, China’s imports and exports grew by 3.5% year-on-year, with exports increasing by 7.3%. China’s foreign trade has demonstrated remarkable resilience and dynamism.

　　Fifth, international cooperation for win-win outcomes is opening up new horizons. Our “circle of friends” is growing ever larger, and the path toward trade diversification is becoming increasingly broad. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan, we have signed 519 cooperative documents with foreign partners. By promoting high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, we have significantly enhanced the security and facilitation of trade. In 2024, my country’s imports and exports with co-building partners reached 22 trillion yuan, accounting for more than half of total trade. Moreover, our trade with emerging markets such as ASEAN, Latin America, Africa, and Central Asia has grown at an average annual rate of over 10%. China has become one of the top three trading partners for 157 countries (and regions) worldwide. The new advantages of win-win international cooperation are becoming even more prominent, and China’s role as a responsible major country is being further highlighted.

　　Sun Meijun stated that, in the next step, customs authorities across the country will resolutely implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, and proactively plan a new chapter of high-quality development for the 15th Five-Year Plan. By achieving new breakthroughs in enhanced regulation, higher security, greater convenience, and stricter crackdown on smuggling, they will make fresh contributions to the building of Chinese-style modernization and strive to be reliable guardians of the national borders—guardians who reassure the Party and satisfy the people.