Staff members from Fuzhou Customs check masks on Tuesday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Around 80,000 masks exported to Italy to help in the fight against COVID-19 received a quick green light in the process of passing through customs in Xiamen on March 17.
It was the largest batch of coronavirus prevention and control supplies to be exported via Xiamen Customs in Fujian province to Italy since the epidemic started, Xiamen News Net, a local new portal, reported on Tuesday.
The masks were delivered on Tuesday by air to Luxembourg, and then transferred to Italy. The shipment would have had to wait seven more days if they missed the flight due to reduced international schedules, the report said.
Customs also moved quickly to process a batch of 25,000 masks donated to Austria on Sunday.
Huang Siyu in Fuzhou contributed to this story.
China announced and implemented on May 15 a policy allowing visa-free entry of foreign tourist groups aboard cruise ships via all cruise ship ports along the country's coastline.
China and Georgia are set to waive visa requirements for travelers starting May 28.
