The first batch of frozen squid worth over $1 million will be shipped to Laos after being cleared by Zhanjiang Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, marking a milestone in the foreign trade between two areas.

Lying at the southern tip of China, Zhanjiang is the nation's portal connecting with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The sea voyage from China to ASEAN is the shortest when embarking from Zhanjiang.

In the first three quarters of 2017, Zhanjiang has exported more than 4,600 tons of aquatic products valued at $27 million to ASEAN, an increase of 15 percent year-on-year.

Aquaculture has become a pillar industry in Zhanjiang, which yields an annual output value of more than 30 billion yuan ($4.5 billion) and generates 500,000 jobs for local residents.

To further promote aquatic trade with ASEAN, Zhanjiang Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau executed categorized management on aquatic products to speed up clearance.

Based on the credit rating of enterprises, the bureau will conduct differentiation supervision on them to streamline clearance procedures. Meanwhile, it will enhance management on the demonstration base to further improve the quality of local aquatic products.