The first cross-border e-commerce retail exports to Hong Kong and Macao were inspected and released at Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) Zhuhai Port on March 20.

The Customs Supervision Code 9610 mode allows e-commerce retailers to deliver a high volume of small orders separately while declaring them collectively. Customs officials merely examine the list of exported commodities. This greatly improves efficiency and reduces costs compared with the declaration and clearance of a single package each time.

Customs officials about to inspect cargo at HZMB Zhuhai Port [Photo courtesy WeChat account: zhportnews]

The facility supervising 9610-coded cross-border e-commerce is operated by HZMB Zhuhai Port Operation & Management and Bay Area Supply Chain (Zhuhai). It has passed preliminary inspection by Gongbei Customs and will become China's first customs-supervised 9610 bonded site within a checkpoint.

When fully operational, Chinese mainland freight trucks can unload exported commodities at warehouses near the customs-supervised site. Hong Kong and Macao trucks can pick up the goods and clear customs in a few minutes. Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong's Kwai Tsing Container Terminals, and Macao International Airport are reachable in 30, 60, and 25 minutes respectively via the HZMB, avoiding the longer route to Shenzhen. In all, the mode offers shortened logistics time and costs, one-stop customs clearance, and tax refund service.