The first large-scale exhibition in the Oriental Hub International Business Cooperation Zone has opened, and Shanghai Customs has implemented intelligent supervision to achieve "seamless customs clearance"

On March 12, 2026, the China Home Appliance and Consumer Electronics Expo (AWE) was held in Shanghai. This industry event, which gathers 1200 enterprises and covers an exhibition area of 170000 square meters, adopts the "one exhibition, two zones" model for the first time. A 30000 square meter cutting-edge technology exhibition area is set up in the Shanghai Oriental Hub International Business Cooperation Zone, becoming the first large-scale exhibition event after the opening of the Oriental Hub International Business Cooperation Zone. Shanghai Customs has moved its "window" forward and implemented precise policies, launching special services such as resident consultation for customs officers, robot "patrol officers", and "one-time inspection" for exhibits, achieving "zero distance" policy services and "zero detention" for exhibits entering the area.

To cope with frequent business inquiries during the exhibition, Shanghai Customs has changed from "passive response" to "active empowerment". A "AWE Customs Business Processing Window" has been set up in the customs declaration hall, extending the service reach to the exhibition site. Customs service points have been set up at the main consultation service desk of the exhibition to provide one-stop policy consulting services for enterprise exhibits to "go global". I didn't expect to have a clear understanding of export issues and customs policies for enterprises in the exhibition hall, it's very convenient, "the exhibitor said at the customs consultation counter in the AWE Eastern Hub exhibition area.

Inside the exhibition hall, an intelligent robot with a rounded appearance and flexible movements is shuttling between various booths, attracting the attention of many exhibitors. This is the "Mobile Customs Officer" specially invested by Shanghai Customs for the AWE Eastern Hub exhibition area. Customs officers can use cameras carried by robots to view the real-time situation of exhibition booths and intelligently monitor the display of exhibits, personnel movements, and other situations. At the same time, the robot also has voice interaction function and can provide remote customs policy consultation services. Previously, when encountering problems, one had to go to the customs declaration hall to ask. Now, robots are directly answering questions at the booth, and customs services are available anytime, anywhere, "said Wang Yiru, Vice President of the exhibiting company Infinite Reality (Shanghai) Technology Co., Ltd.

The first ticket is coming soon, prepare for the checkpoint! "The instruction came through the customs officer's walkie talkie, marking the beginning of the AWE exhibition peak day support battle. This tough battle had already begun laying out several months ago. Faced with the characteristics of wide sources, diverse categories, and high technological content of AWE exhibits, Shanghai Customs adheres to the principle of "one exhibition, one strategy" and puts service at the forefront of the "first kilometer" of exhibit entry into the area. On the eve of the Spring Festival, we will liaise with exhibition organizers and transportation agencies to obtain information on exhibitors and exhibit lists in advance, establish a "one-on-one" contact mechanism, "deliver customs supervision requirements to our doorstep", and "put declaration standards at the forefront". In early March, the organizers were convened to provide precise guidance on key aspects such as exhibit classification, temporary entry and exit declaration, and filling out checkpoint registration forms, helping enterprises avoid detours. As the exhibition approaches, the exhibition vehicles arrive in a concentrated manner, and the customs has activated a 24-hour duty mechanism to dynamically allocate manpower and logistics resources. Relying on the "first line opening, second line management" line management mode, the exhibition implements "one-time inspection" and "seamless clearance" for exhibits through remote machine inspection in the background and parallel operation of on-site channels, ensuring efficient entry of exhibits into the area with "zero detention". As of March 11th, Shanghai Customs has guaranteed the rapid entry of 174 AWE exhibits, including cutting-edge technology products such as AI terminals and robots.

In terms of personnel access areas, the policy advantages of the Oriental Hub International Business Cooperation Zone are obvious. The customs will extend the innovation of the "first line opening up, second line management" system from goods to natural persons. After foreign personnel enter the zone, their checked baggage can be directly transported to the designated location of passengers or hotels within the zone through embedded supervision such as customs pre inspection, achieving "separation of people and bags and direct delivery of baggage". After fully exploring cutting-edge technology, overseas personnel can choose to conveniently handle customs procedures for entry and exit, or directly go to the airport through customs procedures for exit and entry, truly achieving "freedom of movement and seamless customs clearance". Faced with the possibility of sudden high passenger flow during the AWE exhibition, Shanghai Customs and local public security departments have collaborated to develop a clearance plan for high passenger flow and conducted practical exercises to ensure the safety, orderliness, and efficiency of personnel passages.

Since the trial operation of the closed management of the Shanghai Oriental Hub International Business Cooperation Zone on December 28, 2025, as of March 11 this year, Shanghai Customs has supervised a total of 64000 people participating in international exhibitions, business exchanges, and international training entering and leaving the zone, 3574 vehicles carrying goods in and out of the zone, and the customs clearance order of relevant personnel and items has been stable. Customs facilitation policies such as "one-time inspection", "one screen comparison", and "one code clearance" have been effectively implemented.