Hong Kong Customs, in the capacity of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Vice-Chairperson for the Asia/Pacific (A/P) Region (APVC), hosted the 27th WCO A/P Regional Heads of Customs Administrations Conference between 18 and 20 May. This is the highest-level annual conference held in the A/P region, and has gathered about 120 heads of Customs and senior officials from the region, alongside delegates from the WCO's regional entities. The Secretary General of the WCO, Mr Ian Saunders, was also in attendance.
The conference started with a welcoming speech by the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Chan Tsz-tat. He noted that over the past two years, Hong Kong Customs, in its capacity as the APVC, has upheld the core values of collaboration and co-operation. He encouraged all members to carry this momentum forward to ensure prosperity, sustainable development and close connections in the region. The Secretary General of the WCO, Mr Ian Saunders, also addressed the conference and shared valuable insights on the WCO's future developments.
The conference yielded fruitful outcomes, including the endorsement of significant regional decisions, such as the confirmation of the next-term regional representative positions to different WCO Committees and the adoption of the new Regional Strategic Plan. Hong Kong Customs also received unanimous support from A/P members to extend its tenure as APVC for another two years (2026-28).
Another key milestone achieved in the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Hong Kong Customs and Pakistan Customs, formalising Pakistan Customs' participation in the project “ValidAP”. The “ValidAP” initiative, led by Hong Kong Customs in its capacity as the APVC, is an innovative blockchain-based platform for validating digital documents, designed to accelerate logistics and drive economic development across the A/P region.
The conference also concludes the landmark first tenure of Hong Kong Customs as APVC. Over the past two years, Hong Kong Customs has proactively organised 18 impactful events, fostering knowledge sharing, co-operation, and cohesion among A/P members and underscoring its commitment to regional development.
■The Commissioner (front row, eleventh left), the Secretary General of the WCO, Mr Ian Saunders (front row, tenth left), other attending Hong Kong Customs officers and representatives of the A/P members and regional entities are pictured at the conference.
■The then Assistant Commissioner (World Customs Organization) of Customs and Excise, Mr Li Kin-kei (right), and the Chief Domain Officer of Pakistan Customs, Mr Naveed Abbas Memon (left), are pictured after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on project "ValidAP".
■Hong Kong Customs hosted the 27th WCO A/P Regional Heads of Customs Administrations Conference from 18 to 20 May. Photo shows the wonderful performance by the Symphonic Band of Good Hope School prior to the start of the first-day Conference.
