Faster quarantine process for imported products

Shanghai's quarantine watchdog launched a trial scheme yesterday to speed up the inspection of imported products.

The Shanghai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau will clear imported dairy and textiles at five companies with a good reputation in Changning District by supervising their manufacturing and transport processes, or examining sample batches, the bureau said.

Under the scheme, consumers will be able to drink fresh milk from New Zealand, for instance, within three days of production, compared to at least eight days under the normal inspection procedures, said Yang Dongsheng , director with the commerce commission of Changning.

The trial is expected to be promoted citywide to restore the vitality of foreign trade as well as prepare for the China International Import Expo to be held in the city in October 2018, when a large number of imported products are expected to enter the city, Yang said.

Five Changning-based trading companies, covering imported dairy products, food, wine, clothes, shoes and jewelry, have signed quality guarantees to become the first batch of companies in the trial. The scheme will run for a year and an evaluation will be conducted for its future promotion, said Xie Qiuhui, a senior official with the quarantine bureau.

In future, trade companies will be categorized based on their reputation and behavior. The most reliable, such as the first trial companies, will receive simplified inspection processes, Xie said. Those with frequent disputes with customers or imports from regions with disease epidemics will undergo stricter inspections to cover every product, he said.

Changning District has long cooperated with quarantine authorities as part of the city government's plan to facilitate trade. The district has launched an "air inspection" scheme where reputable trading companies can send sample products by air for quarantine inspection. If the sample passes checks, the quarantine watchdog will give clearance to the entire batch of products to be transported by sea.

"Companies should take the major responsibility under the scheme to check their own products and ensure the quality," said Chen Zheng, general manager with the Shanghai New Union Textra Import and Export Co, one of the first batch of trial companies.

Over 7,000 foreign enterprises and 3,000 trade companies are based in Changning, along with 47 headquarters of multinational enterprises.