Ports to have better business environment

The nation will further optimize the business environment at its ports to facilitate cross-border trade and promote the stable and healthy development of foreign trade, according to a recent State Council announcement.

The announcement, released on Oct 19, mapped out 20 measures to form a more dynamic, efficient, open and convenient business environment at the nation's ports. One of those moves is to reduce the supervision items in imports and exports by streamlining documents and optimizing procedures.

According to the announcement, by the end of 2018, the number of documents required to be verified for imports and exports will be reduced by more than one-third compared with 2017, and all verifications will be operated online except for documents deemed confidential, which will reduce the overall customs clearance time by one third.