By 2025, new achievements will be made in guarding the country's borders and promoting development through national customs

On the coast of the South China Sea, the morning light begins to emerge. At the Yangpu International Container Terminal in Hainan, as soon as a fully loaded cargo ship docks, the customs intelligent inspection system has synchronized data docking, achieving "seamless customs clearance" without manual intervention.
This is a microcosm of China's customs work in 2025, and also a stroke in the magnificent picture of this year.  
 
Anchoring National Strategy
Escort the overall development with precise policies
Those who do not plan for the overall situation will not be able to plan for a specific area. Customs across the country have always placed their work in the overall development of the Party and the country, closely focusing on major national strategic deployments, making precise efforts and targeted policies, transforming policy dividends into development effectiveness, and turning the national blueprint into a realistic picture.
On December 18, 2025, the land of Qiongzhou witnessed a historic moment. A batch of urgently needed raw materials for the petrochemical industry chain in Yangpu area have successfully cleared customs under the supervision of Yangpu Customs under Haikou Customs, becoming the first batch of "zero tariff" imported goods after the island wide operation of Hainan Free Trade Port. At this moment, it embodies the day and night perseverance and unremitting efforts of the customs personnel.
To ensure the smooth implementation of the liberalization and facilitation policy system centered on "opening up the front line, regulating the second line, and promoting freedom within the island", the customs has carefully organized and deployed with a high sense of responsibility and mission. Several months before the lockdown, a "large-scale military training" covering the entire island's ports had already begun. From simulating possible unexpected scenarios to developing detailed emergency plans, customs personnel use their expertise to build a strong security line and wisdom to build an open bridge. They are well aware that this task not only concerns the future of Hainan Free Trade Port, but also serves as a touchstone for China's high-level opening-up to the outside world. Every process optimization and efficient supervision is a firm practice of national strategy.
In accordance with the requirements for the operation of the Hainan Free Trade Port, the customs have optimized the risk prevention and control mechanism, continuously carried out the crackdown on smuggling through offshore duty-free "proxy purchases", effectively maintained the healthy operation of offshore duty-free policies and market economic order, and fully served the stable and far-reaching construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port. From the closure of Hainan Free Trade Port on December 18th to just two weeks on December 31st, the import of "zero tariff" goods reached 420 million yuan; 3265 newly registered foreign trade enterprises were added, a year-on-year increase of over 2 times.
At Sanya Phoenix International Airport, passengers experience the convenience of "seamless customs clearance". At the same time, the backend risk assessment system of the customs is operating silently 24 hours a day, accurately balancing safety and efficiency, presenting a new picture of the country's borders that is both "flexible" and "well managed".
Looking at the whole country, the customs has made comprehensive efforts and multiple breakthroughs in providing service guarantees for major national strategies. In the Yangtze River Delta, a new round of 16 measures to support regional integration development have been implemented and proven effective. The level of customs clearance integration and regulatory coordination continues to improve, and regional economic vitality continues to be released; In the central region, 16 key support measures are precisely empowered to accelerate the rise of inland areas and build a bridge connecting domestic and international markets; In the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area and the Hengqin Guangdong Macao Deep Cooperation Zone, customs have innovated supervision models, optimized customs clearance processes, promoted efficient flow of factors, and injected strong impetus into the construction of the Bay Area.
From improving the quality and efficiency of free trade pilot zones to transforming and upgrading comprehensive bonded zones, from accelerating the construction of the Western Land Sea New Corridor to promoting high-quality development of China Europe (Asia) freight trains, the national customs have always been guided by national strategies, taking the initiative and working together to ensure that policy dividends are accurately drip fed and directly enjoyed, contributing to regional coordinated development and the implementation of major national strategies.
Focus on the aspirations of the people
Facilitating reform to promote new and better foreign trade
The people have a voice, and I have a response. "Customs across the country have always adhered to the development concept of putting the people at the center, making optimizing the business environment at ports and promoting cross-border trade facilitation a top priority. They have responded to the expectations of enterprises with practical measures and released market vitality through process optimization, making the customs clearance and trade routes smoother and wider.
In April 2025, a special cross-border trade facilitation campaign led by the General Administration of Customs, coordinated by 20 departments and 25 cities, was launched. 29 policy measures are sprinkled like spring rain on the fertile soil of foreign trade, precisely meeting the needs of enterprises.
The entire customs declaration process is completed online, taking only a few minutes from declaration to release, which is very convenient. The joy of the staff at Yiwu Jirui Customs Declaration Agency Co., Ltd. speaks to the hearts of countless foreign trade enterprises. The small commodities such as plastic cups, clothing, shoes and socks declared by the company passed customs inspection smoothly on the day of declaration and were shipped to Thailand.
This convenience is the most vivid footnote to the policy dividend. In 2025, the import and export of cross-border e-commerce in China will continue to grow rapidly, becoming a new engine for foreign trade growth and demonstrating the resilience and vitality of China's foreign trade.
The temperature of institutional innovation is reflected in every detail. The national customs continue to promote the reform of the control and inspection mode for high-tech goods such as vacuum packaging. By 2025, 145 new vacuum packaging filing enterprises will be added nationwide, with a total of 559 filing enterprises. 190200 customs declaration forms will enjoy the benefits of vacuum packaging reform, a year-on-year increase of 27.54%, and the value of goods will reach 675.678 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 16.45%, effectively improving the sense of achievement of enterprises. In Tianjin, Shanghai, Guangdong and other places, the pilot reform of "two certificates in one" for automobile import has further compressed the time for enterprises to obtain certificates; At Ningbo Zhoushan Port, the "inspection before shipment" model has increased the export efficiency of LCL cargo by 30%; Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau are actively promoting the cooperation of "one order, two reports". Through the international trade "single window", goods declaration data can be entered in one go, and data sharing and interoperability between the two sides have further improved customs clearance efficiency.
At the same time, under the smart connectivity, the speed of "sea, land, and air" is comprehensively accelerated. The function of the "single window" for international trade continues to expand, and the entire chain of cross-border trade is basically achieved through "one-stop service". Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Hangzhou, Hefei and other 15 airports across the country are promoting "apron direct pickup", where goods that are declared in advance and do not require inspection can be picked up upon arrival. Shanghai and Jiangsu jointly build an aviation pre cargo terminal, which seamlessly connects the customs clearance process through the "dual pre clearance" of security check and customs inspection.
From the northern border to the coast of the South China Sea, from airport hubs to inland ports, customs, relevant departments, and local governments work together to create a market-oriented, rule of law, and international first-class port business environment. In 2025, China's foreign trade will grow against multiple pressures, with a new and better structure. The total value of goods trade imports and exports will reach 45.47 trillion yuan, an increase of 3.8%, and the annual import and export scale will reach a new high.
Build a strong safety barrier
Guarding national security through full chain supervision
To guard the door for the country and the people is as important as Mount Taishan. The national customs firmly implement the overall national security concept, build an integrated all factor risk prevention and control system and a full chain supervision system, strictly control the entry and exit inspection and quarantine, biosafety prevention, import and export commodity quality, and safety production responsibility, keep all kinds of risks and hidden dangers outside the country, and firmly guard the first line of defense of national security.
Strengthen the quarantine defense line at the port and strictly control the entry of external barriers. Customs across the country continue to strengthen overseas epidemic monitoring and early warning, solidly carry out "multi disease prevention and control", improve the precise prevention and control mechanism of "one country, one policy, one disease, one policy, one port, one policy", and detect 68 types of infectious diseases and 51000 cases throughout the year, effectively curbing the risk of cross-border transmission of the epidemic.
In the field of animal and plant quarantine, customs officials are also busy. The national customs have further improved the warning system for major animal and plant epidemics, solidly promoted the "Three Year Special Action to Prevent the Invasion of Alien Species", continuously enhanced port inspection and emergency response capabilities, detected 1644 animal diseases and 56000 quarantine harmful organisms throughout the year, returned and destroyed 3489 batches of unqualified agricultural products, effectively ensuring national biological and ecological security.
Food is of paramount importance to the people, and safety comes first when it comes to food. Customs has always regarded the supervision of import and export food safety as a top priority, continuously deepening the supervision of the entire chain of import and export food safety. Through optimizing and reforming the supervision, sampling, and risk monitoring modes of import and export food safety, accurate identification and effective prevention and control of import and export food safety risks have been carried out. By 2025, 4890 batches of unqualified imported food will be returned or destroyed, an increase of 16.4%, effectively safeguarding the safety of the people's tongues.
Quality and safety are related to people's livelihood. Customs will strengthen the inspection and testing of key sensitive goods such as infant and child products, food contact products, and imported cars. By 2025, 68000 batches of unqualified goods will be detected, effectively ensuring the health and safety of the people; Strengthen the investigation of solid waste from bulk mineral products, conduct inspections on recycled metal raw materials, and standardize the import of recycled resources.
Ensuring the security of the industrial and supply chains is becoming increasingly powerful. Customs innovatively carries out smart scene construction for imported iron ore, "bonded mixed ore" for copper concentrate, and joint supervision of "port+destination" for recycled raw materials, continuously optimizing the inspection and supervision mode of energy and resource products. Implement a differentiated qualification assessment model for the import of production equipment and components related to emerging industries, compress inspection time to the minute level, and effectively promote the development of new quality productivity.
Strengthen customs export control work, enhance source control, closely supervise customs clearance, severely investigate and crack down on illegal smuggling of controlled items, and effectively safeguard national security and interests.
Cracking down on illegal and irregular behavior, the customs have unsheathed their sword. Organize and carry out the "Key 2025" special inspection campaign, severely crack down on illegal activities such as tax evasion, certificate evasion, inspection evasion, false trade, foreign garbage smuggling, and evasion of restrictions and control. Throughout the year, 5948 problem inspection operations were carried out, firmly building a national security defense line. We will launch a special action on intellectual property customs protection for key and emerging fields such as cross-border e-commerce channels and the trendy toy industry, and strictly investigate and punish counterfeiting and infringement behaviors.
Faced with increasingly covert smuggling methods, customs across the country have come up with practical measures. Gongbei Customs has established a multi-level and three-dimensional "three prevention linkage" system to enhance the efficiency of port inspections and seizures; Shantou Customs has established a three-dimensional supervision system of "risk warning+precise analysis+professional inspection", forming a "warning radar" for high-risk targets... In the past year, the national customs have solidly promoted the anti smuggling campaign for all staff, comprehensively deepened the comprehensive anti smuggling governance, and the customs risk control department has played a role in front-end identification and precise guidance, leading 34 departments to carry out joint prevention and control of port security risks, and building a strong national security barrier; The anti smuggling department has launched a heavy handed attack and maintained a high-pressure situation in cracking down on smuggling. The "National Sword 2025" joint action has been deeply carried out, and a total of 6520 cases of smuggling and related crimes have been filed and investigated throughout the year.
Expand new spaces for open cooperation
Expand platform channels to improve quality and smooth internal and external circulation
Deepening reform without stopping, expanding opening up without stopping. In 2025, the national customs will vigorously promote the optimization of port opening layout and the construction of open platforms, to serve the domestic and international dual circulation at a higher level of openness, and to promote the formation of a new space for wider, broader, and deeper open cooperation.
Ports are important windows for opening up to the outside world and key nodes for internal and external circulation. On December 2, 2025, good news came from Ningbo Zhoushan Port, with an annual container throughput exceeding 40 million TEUs, becoming the third "super port" in the world and the second in China to join the "40 million TEUs Club" after Shanghai Port and Singapore Port.
The total number of shipping routes to Ningbo Zhoushan Port has remained stable at over 300, connecting more than 700 ports in over 200 countries and regions worldwide, "said Leng Zhiqiang, Deputy Director of the Business Department of Ningbo Zhoushan Port Co., Ltd. Ningbo Customs, Ningbo Zhoushan Port Group and other departments have taken measures to improve the port collection and distribution system, promote customs clearance facilitation, etc., to promote the stable ranking of the port connectivity index as the second highest in the world and ensure the stable and positive development of port production operations.
As of 2025, the total number of ports opened to the outside world in China has reached 311, forming a port opening pattern of "coordinated cooperation between the East, West, China, and the West, and linkage between sea, land, and air", continuously weaving the goods trade network between China and the global market. The General Administration of Customs has introduced targeted measures to address issues such as insufficient coordination among air port departments, poor multimodal transport connections, and low clearance efficiency for special goods. It supports the construction of logistics projects such as public and rail intermodal transport, promotes the high-quality development of China Europe freight trains and the Western Land Sea New Corridor, further facilitates cross-border economic and trade exchanges, and enhances the linkage effect of domestic and international dual circulation.
Open platform upgrading and capacity expansion, unleashing stronger development momentum. The Shanghai Oriental Hub International Business Cooperation Zone has passed the joint inspection of the General Administration of Customs and other national departments, becoming a new platform for high-level opening up to the outside world; Beijing Yizhuang Comprehensive Bonded Zone operates as the first comprehensive bonded zone in China with the theme of new quality productivity, providing a high-quality platform for the development of high-end industries; The expanded opening of Huludao Port, Shekou Port, Wenzhou Port, Ningbo Port, Guangzhou Port, and Yangjiang Port has passed the acceptance inspection; A number of customs special supervision areas, such as Quzhou Comprehensive Bonded Zone, have successively passed the acceptance inspection.
Collaborate on multiple platforms to create an open and win-win picture. In 2025, the Canton Fair, China International Import Expo, and China International Fair for Trade in Services will be held as scheduled, becoming important platforms for gathering high-quality resources from around the world. Customs continues to enrich its supporting policy toolbox, introducing a series of facilitation measures from the aspects of facilitating enterprise participation in exhibitions, expanding the variety of exhibits, optimizing post exhibition disposal, and amplifying spillover effects, so that international cooperation platforms can better benefit the world.
Building the foundation of the platform, cooperation is the bridge. From improving the quality and expanding the "friend circle" of free trade to reducing tariffs and jointly building rules, customs has focused on expanding institutional openness, deepening regulatory system innovation, helping to expand independent and unilateral opening up, and better connecting the Chinese market with the global market.
——We will give full play to the role of such mechanisms as the cooperation in origin management under the FTA, the "the Belt and Road" customs food safety cooperation, China ASEAN animal and plant quarantine and food safety (SPS) cooperation, and China Central Asia customs cooperation, so as to provide high-quality services to jointly build the "the Belt and Road" and achieve stability. By 2025, 168 customs cooperation agreements will be signed, allowing 190 types of agricultural and food products from 58 countries (regions) to be exported to China, continuously meeting the diversified needs of domestic consumption and people's aspirations for a better life.
——Seriously implement zero tariff treatment for 100% taxable products in the least developed countries. Since its implementation, the value of imported goods benefiting Chinese enterprises from the least developed countries has further increased. Actively participate in free trade agreement negotiations, deeply participate in the revision of rules and standards of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Customs Organization (WCO), make the electronic networking mode of origin a WCO standard, promote the inclusion of China's tea classification system in the 2028 version of the Harmonized System of Trade Names and Codes, and actively serve to expand new spaces for open cooperation.
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The customs have provided strong support for China's high-level opening-up with solid and effective work. In 2025, the breadth and depth of China's opening-up to the outside world will continue to expand, and its connection with the world economy will become closer. There are 249 countries and regions worldwide that have trade relations with China.
Technology empowers transformation
Enhancing regulatory service efficiency through the construction of "dual intelligence"
Technology is the primary productive force. In 2025, the national customs will accelerate the construction of smart customs and the "Smart Customs Strong Country" action, and a series of breakthrough applications will be implemented and effective. This will not only significantly improve customs clearance efficiency and strengthen the national security defense line, but also contribute to the "Chinese solution" in global customs governance.
Today on the front line of the country's borders, elements of wisdom can be seen everywhere. Intelligent individual soldiers, intelligent inspection platforms, and other equipment are constantly being upgraded. Large container/vehicle inspection systems are stationed at ports, and intelligent map review is used to quickly identify prohibited items; Big data intelligent model, realizing automatic risk control; Intelligent comparison of electronic orders, payment orders, and logistics orders, enabling rapid inspection and release of compliant cross-border e-commerce products; The integrated application of new equipment such as integrated intelligent channels, advanced machine inspection, and collaborative robots enables passengers to enter and exit the country "without feeling the customs clearance"... By 2025, the construction of smart customs will accelerate from a blueprint to a vivid practice spread across the front line of the country.
The clearance of goods has achieved a leap from "hourly level" to "minute level". In the Xi'an Comprehensive Bonded Zone, the Customs Smart Logistics System uses AI recognition technology to automatically compare data from various nodes throughout the entire period, significantly reducing the average time required for export goods approval from 4 hours to 5 minutes. Now, through the app, the real-time status of container clearance and logistics updates can be viewed, and the entire process can be operated on mobile devices, saving time and effort. ”The sentiment of Bian Mei, the customs manager of Xi'an Youconvenient International Freight Forwarding Co., Ltd., expressed the efficiency changes brought about by smart supervision.
The passenger clearance experience continues to be optimized and upgraded. Shanghai Pudong International Airport Customs, under the jurisdiction of Shanghai Customs, relies on the "smart travel inspection" business scenario to create a "seamless customs clearance" model. During the process of ordinary inbound passengers traveling from Langqiao to the luggage carousel, customs officers can complete a series of supervision processes such as risk assessment, temperature monitoring, and checked baggage inspection in the background. The vast majority of inbound passengers can exit the customs within 5 minutes after picking up their luggage, reducing the clearance time by more than 50% compared to before. At Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, the neat and bright integrated intelligent channel integrates multiple customs clearance processes. Passengers can complete various business procedures such as temperature monitoring, radiation detection, health declaration verification, and hand luggage pre check when passing through the 8.5-meter long channel. The customs clearance process is smooth and the efficiency is increased by more than four times.
The intelligent tentacles extend to all areas of business. Shenzhen Customs has introduced multimodal AI big model technology into the "Non Trade Intelligent Control and Management Platform", innovatively developing a departure tax refund function module, significantly improving processing efficiency while effectively preventing tax fraud risks. Faced with a massive number of cross-border e-commerce orders during the "Double 11" period, Ningbo Customs has innovated the "embedded supervision of package exit zones" model, directly embedding customs inspections into enterprise operation processes. The intelligent sorting line in Beilun Port Comprehensive Bonded Zone can complete waybill scanning within 0.2 seconds, supporting smooth customs clearance of nearly one million orders in a single day.
The practice of intelligence has also extended from the port site to international cooperation.
In December 2024, the global "Smart Customs" online cooperation platform jointly developed by China Customs and the World Customs Organization was launched, providing a digital bridge for customs of various countries to share experience and collaborate on governance. It has been registered in 146 countries (regions). The BRICS Customs Demonstration Center, officially launched in Xiamen in July 2025, will become a physical platform for consensus building and mutual learning. The center's carefully developed bilingual curriculum system and a team of 100 teachers will transform the experience of China Customs' intelligent construction into an international public product that can be shared and referenced. The selection and promotion of the first batch of 16 national "Smart Customs" construction and cooperation demonstration cases will present the effectiveness of "Smart Customs" construction in multiple forms, fields, and dimensions through the "online+on-site" display method, providing targeted solutions and cooperation solutions for the construction of "Smart Customs" in BRICS countries.
Comprehensively governing the Party and customs with strict discipline
Unite the national customs force for progress
The comprehensive leadership of the Party is the fundamental guarantee for doing all work well. The national customs have always put political construction in the first place, deeply promoting comprehensive strict governance of the Party and customs, leading high-quality development with high-quality party building, and providing strong organizational support for the development of the customs industry.
Thoughts forge the soul and build the foundation of faith. The national customs quickly sparked a wave of learning, propaganda, and implementation of the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. The Party Committee of the General Administration of Customs carefully arranged and deployed, and held the Party Committee to convey and learn, and held special reading classes as soon as possible; The party committees and grassroots party organizations of directly affiliated units of the national customs have simultaneously conveyed and learned through various forms such as thematic learning, discussion and exchange, and party lectures.
The vast number of customs party members and cadres have benchmarked the major strategic tasks proposed at the plenary session, focused on the needs of the country, the capabilities of the customs, and the future direction, conducted in-depth discussions and exchanges, and effectively transformed the deployment of the plenary session into the work ideas of customs modernization construction, and put them into concrete actions to fulfill their duties and responsibilities, ensuring political firmness with theoretical clarity.
Take strictness as the top priority and hone a rigorous and practical work style. The national customs have thoroughly studied and implemented General Secretary Xi Jinping's important discourse on strengthening the Party's work style construction, solidly carried out the study and education of the spirit of the Central Eight point Regulation, combined with the characteristics of customs law enforcement departments, window units, and rank management, and comprehensively promoted learning, inspection, and reform. With new achievements in work style construction, the customs have made new progress in comprehensively enforcing strict Party discipline and created a new situation for high-quality development of the customs industry.
Strengthen the foundation and consolidate the foundation of party building. National customs adhere to promoting high-quality development through high-quality party building, and have established 11 grassroots party building training demonstration points by theme and 21 department level business training points by field to promote the deep integration of politics and business, continuously enhancing the timeliness, pertinence, and effectiveness of training. Deepen the implementation of the "Three Year Action Plan for Enhancing the Capability of National Defenders" to consolidate and deepen the annual tasks, strengthen the professionalization of the cadre team, and enable the cadre team to hone their skills and grow their abilities in practice.
We will comprehensively promote the "three no corruptions" policy, while seriously punishing corruption, we will deepen the promotion of reform and governance through cases, deepen the regulation of power operation through "system+technology", strengthen supervision of the "top leaders" and leadership teams, accurately grasp and apply the "four forms" of supervision and discipline, strengthen the construction of a clean and honest culture, and create a good political ecology with a clean and upright atmosphere.
Under strict management, there is even more kindness, inspiring extraordinary responsibilities in ordinary positions.
Implementing the standards for good cadres in the new era, establishing a clear orientation of emphasizing practical work, achievements, and responsibilities, conducting in-depth and practical political quality assessments, focusing on identifying cadres in difficult and complex environments and urgent, difficult, and dangerous tasks, continuously optimizing the structure of leadership teams at all levels, enhancing overall functions, promoting cadres to establish and practice a correct view of political achievements, strengthening the training and exercise of young cadres, strictly supervising and managing cadres' daily work, implementing a series of measures to pay attention to and care for them, and achieving significant results in the construction of a high-quality and professional customs cadre team.
In the past year, the customs of the whole country has steadily promoted the construction of the quality and capability of the team, and constantly honed their skills in the practice of guarding the country and promoting development. Each advanced model has come to the fore - four party branches of the General Administration, 21 party members have been rated as "four strong" party branches and "four good" party members of the central and state organs, 7 customs cases have been selected as the fifth outstanding innovation cases of party building, and 4 people have been awarded the title of national exemplary individual, which fully demonstrates the spirit of the customs team's vigorous progress.
Vigorously promote the construction of customs culture and organize the "Blooming 2025" series of cultural activities. Holding the "I Have My Country" Customs themed cultural exhibition, promoting the top ten national customs reading and learning projects for "Guomen Shuxiang", organizing the "I Want to Participate in the National Games" mass sports activity, and continuously promoting the construction of customs spiritual civilization, 122 customs units were awarded the honorary title of the 7th National Civilized Unit. Initiate the Customs' 'Care Plan' and organize a 'caravan' of voluntary services for customs mental health to enter the grassroots level, further enhancing the cohesion, centripetal force, and sense of professional honor of the team.
Jump the horse and whip to urge people to advance, and set off with unwavering determination.
The calendar of 2025 has quietly turned over, and the answer sheet of the national customs is thick and solid: reform measures are steadily implemented, open platforms are flourishing, regulatory services demonstrate loyalty and responsibility, international cooperation expands the "circle of friends" one after another, and a famous customs officer shows a new atmosphere of striving for excellence
The achievement of these achievements is fundamentally due to General Secretary Xi Jinping's leadership and scientific guidance of Xi Jinping's Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.
 
Above the borders of the country, loyalty is forever forged. Customs officials in the new era, take on practical responsibilities and set off again!