Shanghai unveils measures to further boost 'debut economy'

Shanghai is ramping up efforts to further boost its "debut economy", with the recent pilot measures to streamline inspections of imported "First in Shanghai" products jointly released by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce and Shanghai Customs.

The initiative also include measures, such as support for exhibitions and financial incentives, all optimizing the environment for "First in Shanghai" products launches.

Pioneering China's first innovative model of "white list + differentiated qualification assessment", the initiative aims to accelerate and enhance the efficiency of customs clearance process for consumer goods for "debut economy".

Compared to last year's measures, the latest ones extends to a wider range of product category coverage, from clothing and toys to tableware and electronics. It encompasses international brands' global debut exhibits, high-end brands' "first store" products in China, limited-edition premier launches, and various other forms.

The initiative has also established a flexible mechanism through layered supervisions, ensuring a seamless inspection experience without damages to products and waste of time.

For debut exhibits and products that do not enter the circulation domain, and a single batch of products less than 20 units, a "qualified guarantee, rapid release" approach is implemented. For products over 20 units, a rapid release can be executed based on testing reports from accredited laboratories.

Furthermore, a white list is created based on a list of key debut enterprises and products recommended by the commerce regulatory departments. Shanghai Customs, in conjunction with the technical support from the Shanghai Assessment and Research Center of Product Quality System, enhances the responsibility of enterprises for quality and safety, achieving an organic unity of regulation and convenience.

Since its launch in April 23, 14 multinational enterprises with 20 consumer product brands have applied to join the white list, including over 20,000 global and regional debut products.

In 2024, Shanghai's ports imported over 500,000 batches of products, representing a significant portion of the nation's import sector. In the first quarter of this year, the import value of consumer goods, such as clothing and toys, exceeded 5 billion yuan ($690 million).

With the implementation of the new measures, the efficiency of average customs clearance for a single shipment is expected to increase by over 80 percent, and products with long inspection periods, such as imported tableware, could save up to two weeks in clearance time.

Li Junfeng contributed to this story.