Soundbites

Editor's note: The State Council Information Office invited five customs officials on Thursday to share their frontline experiences guarding China's gateways and serving the public.

Yu Tianhua, chief of No 1 inspection section of Yangshan Customs, Shanghai Customs District

In 2025, Shanghai Port handled more than 55 million twenty-foot equivalent units, retaining its position as the world's busiest container port for a 16th consecutive year. Yangshan Port accounted for more than half of that volume. Among the many milestones over the years, the one that stands out most was taking part in the inaugural round-trip voyage on the direct shipping route between Chancay, Peru and Shanghai in December 2024.

Chen Bingge, chief of No 2 comprehensive operations section of Yiwu Customs, Hangzhou Customs District

Early in my career, awareness of brand protection among local merchants was limited, and few businesses registered their intellectual property with customs.

Over time, participation has steadily increased. In the first four months of this year, more than 1,000 intellectual property filings were completed by Yiwu-based merchants through customs, an increase of 150 percent year-on-year.

Lu Fan, deputy director of Dachan Customs, Guangzhou Customs District

Technology has transformed the way we supervise small vessels operating between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong and Macao.

We have developed a digital monitoring system that analyzes declaration records, tracks vessel movements and flags potential risks, enabling about 99 percent of vessels to pass through customs without disruption. The system is estimated to save businesses nearly 20 million yuan ($2.95 million) a year in fuel costs alone.

Liu Pan, deputy chief of the comprehensive operations section of Qianhai Customs, Shenzhen Customs District

Qianhai, located in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, is home to a fast-growing technology sector. Many companies can move from product design to prototyping within a day and begin mass production within a week.

We support companies at different stages of growth, from helping startups navigate regulations to providing advance rulings on tariff classification that speed up market access.

Su Ming, chief of the railway port supervision section of Mengla Customs, Kunming Customs District

During my 14 years working at the border, I have witnessed the China-Laos Railway evolve from a blueprint into a major trade corridor.

Mangosteens, durians and longans are among the most popular goods imported via the China-Laos Railway. In the first five months of this year, China's tropical fruit imports via the railroad exceeded 110,000 metric tons, up 35 percent year-on-year.