The first export truck under the Fujian-Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao SELS clears customs at the Xiamen Express Delivery Supervision Center. [Photo/Xiamen Daily]
The first truck export under the Fujian-Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Single E-Lock Scheme (SELS) cleared customs at the Xiamen Express Delivery Supervision Center on May 27. The shipment, bound for Macao, will subsequently be airfreighted to Madrid, Spain.
This milestone officially launches the expedited customs clearance model for Fujian-Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao SELS, establishing a seamless two-way logistics channel between the Chinese mainland and the Hong Kong-Macao region.
Equipped with e-locks and BeiDou satellite tracking, the scheme allows transport vehicles to rapidly enter and leave the Chinese mainland without changing vehicles or locks for inspections or unpacking examinations.
It enables real-time data sharing between the Chinese mainland and Macao Customs upon departure from Xiamen. When passing through Guangdong, the cargo automatically qualifies for "contactless clearance", with the e-lock self-releasing upon Macao arrival. This innovation streamlines the entire cross-border logistics process.
Fujian-based enterprises said the scheme provides more logistics options and more stable shipping channels for exports from the province.
As of May 26, Xiamen Customs had supervised 780 truck shipments with a total cargo value exceeding eight billion yuan ($111 million) under this scheme.
Building on this success, Xiamen Customs will further expand the reform by piloting the SELS for general imports and developing an efficient multimodal transport system that integrates the SELS with air trunk line services, enabling more enterprises to benefit from the streamlined customs clearance procedures brought by these trade facilitation initiatives.
China unveiled a slew of measures to further optimize its departure tax fefund policy, allowing overseas travelers to apply for a refund if they spend at least 200 yuan at the same store on the same day and meet other relevant requirements.
China updated its tax refund policy for foreign tourists, shifting from a refund-upon-departure model to a refund-upon-purchase model, the State Taxation Administration (STA) said on April 8.
