The Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Ms Louise Ho, today (October 25) led a delegation to visit the Shenzhen Customs District and met with the Director General in Shenzhen Customs District, Mr Zheng Jugang, to have in-depth discussions and exchanges on matters of mutual concern. This was the first meeting arranged after Mr Zheng took office in September.
Ms Ho stressed that the Shenzhen Customs has always been the closest partner of Hong Kong Customs and a close friendship and a solid foundation for collaboration have been established over the years between the two sides. The two Customs administrations have yielded remarkable achievements in different aspects of co-operation, including the combat of cross-boundary drug trafficking activities and smuggling activities involving parallel traders. Both have been also maintaining full communication, together with thorough planning and flexible manpower deployment, in addressing the challenges brought by the full resumption of normal travel, the opening of the Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Control Point, as well as the redevelopment of the new Huanggang Port, so as to ensure smooth traveller and vehicle flows of the two places. She said that Hong Kong Customs will fully support the Mainland Customs in organising the 6th World Customs Organization Global Authorized Economic Operator Conference in Shenzhen for the first time next year in May which will strengthen the co-operation of trade facilitation between both sides.
Moreover, she also expressed gratitude to the Shenzhen Customs District for supporting youth development work of Hong Kong Customs, citing that several key officials from the Guangdong Sub-Administration of the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Shenzhen Customs attended the exchange tours organised by Customs YES earlier and provided guidance to the Hong Kong youngsters on thorough understanding of the development, history and culture of the country.
Looking ahead, Ms Ho said she hoped the two Customs administrations will continue to co-operate, strengthen enforcement actions and capabilities in tackling money laundering activities, and establish two-way exchange and staff training mechanisms, as well as exploring the expansion of "One Form, Two Declarations" to control points linked with Shenzhen.
Ends/Wednesday, October 25, 2023
