According to Wenzhou Customs, 525 new import and export consignees or consignors were registered in its jurisdiction during the first two months of this year, up 7.8% year-on-year(yoy). As of March 20, the total number of registered import-export enterprises in Wenzhou has exceeded 30,000, injecting strong momentum into its high-quality foreign trade development.

Import-export registration, required before a business can engage in international trade, involves filing with relevant authorities. It not only lays the foundation for global trade but also serves as a crucial safeguard for regulatory compliance.

In recent years, Wenzhou Customs has advanced its Smart Customs Initiative by streamlining business registration procedures, integrating previously fragmented qualification systems, and issuing comprehensive guides to help enterprises efficiently complete frequent tasks such as registration and information updates.By leveraging digital platforms including the China International Trade Single Window,Multi-Certificate Integration, and Internet Plus Customs, companies can now obtain multiple qualifications through a single online application. These may include certifications for import and export consignors as well as cross-border e-commerce operators, greatly improving efficiency and convenience.

A prime example of how local businesses are benefiting from these policy incentives is Wenzhou Comprehensive Bonded Zone Logistics Service Co., Ltd., which completed its import-export registration earlier this year.

“After moving into the bonded zone, we immediately submitted our registration application online and received approval on the same day,” said a company representative. “Leveraging the zone’s preferential policies of the special export duty, we have already launched bonded import operations.”The representative added that, beyond bulk commodity trading, the company also plans to offer supporting logistics and warehousing services. With a focus on the raw material demands of local industries, it aims to gradually establish a regional distributing center for bulk raw materials, helping Wenzhou enterprises reduce costs, improve efficiency, and strengthen their supply chains.

“Since 2025, Wenzhou Customs has processed 100% of enterprise registrations and information updates online, effectively allowing data to run forpeople,” said Han Song, section chief of the Enterprise Management Division at Wenzhou Customs.

To better support both the attraction of inbound investment and the expansion of outbound trade, Wenzhou Customs has introduced comprehensive clearance facilitation measures, creating a more favorable business environment for enterprises.

Wenzhou Customs has established an emerging customs regulatory system based on credit management. Enterprises certified as Authorized Economic Operators (AEOs) benefit from various facilitation measures, including priority clearance for imports and exports, reduced audit frequency, waivers of guarantee requirements, and lower inspection and quarantine oversight. These advantages are also recognized at partner customs in mutually-recognized countries or regions, earning the AEO certification the reputation of being a 'green passport' for global trade. China has signed AEO mutual-recognition agreements with 28 economies, covering 54 countries and regions. Currently, 24 AEO-certified enterprises operate in Wenzhou, including Saint Angelo and Chint Electric. In the first two months of this year, these enterprises exported goods worth RMB 2.17 billion, a 17.2% increase yoy, solidifying their role as key players in Wenzhou's foreign trade economy.

Meanwhile, Wenzhou Customs has actively promoted reform models such as free alongside ship and direct loading upon arrival, eliminating redundant container hoisting for inspections, secondary container moves, and multiple trips by enterprises. It has also developed the Arrival Declaration System and further advancedpre-arrival declarationand two-step declaration(summary declaration and complete declaration) reforms, simplifying the registration process for consolidated tax payments and ensuring seamless, full-process clearance. In collaboration with maritime, frontier inspection, and other agencies, Wenzhou Customs launched the Container Shipping Punctuality and Cost Reduction Plan. This initiative allows container liners to book port entry at economic speeds and arrive on time, reducing vessel anchoring and waiting times, while improving both on-time performance and port efficiency. Additionally, Wenzhou Customs continues to promote the “Customs Chiefs Bring Policies Directly to Businesses” initiative, enhancing the visibility of preferential measures such as RCEP tariff reductions, customs duty exemptions, and clearance facilitation, ensuring local enterprises fully benefit from these policies.

Looking ahead, Wenzhou Customs will continue enhancing the port’s business environment by utilizing the Customs Liaison Officer Program. Through comprehensive surveys, credit-building initiatives, and tailored policy briefings, it will actively identify and address operational bottlenecks, ensuring that enterprise challenges are promptly resolved and policy benefits are efficiently delivered.

Additionally, Wenzhou Customs will strengthen efforts to promote AEO certification and deepen the implementation of facilitation measures for AEOs. The focus will be on fostering new growth areas in foreign trade, further facilitating the export of used cars, and supporting the expansion of intermediate goods exports, such as integrated circuits and photovoltaic products. It will also continue to develop its full-chain service model, driving the export of more local specialty foods and agricultural products, and helping local enterprises accelerate their international trade momentum.