Qian Guanlin, director of the General Administration of Customs, made the remark recently at the first session of the Subcommittee on Customs Procedure of APEC (Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation) China 2001.

Qian noted that China is in the process of changing customs operations and building an "electronic law-enforcement system" meant to modernize the field. The reform of customs procedures is a "crucial part" of China's modernization drive in the customs service.

The existing system has been revamped to separate customs operation, management and supervision. They will also use the risk management mechanism and network technology to carry out the duties of their customs in a more scientific, better organized, more reasonable and effective manner, said the director.

Qian said that the reforms, which were adopted on a three-year trial basis at some local customs, are now introduced nationwide. Meanwhile, China is also building "the customs electronic law- enforcement system," which uses computer network technology to include in a general data bank all law-enforcement and management data of departments like customs, foreign trade, public security, taxation, foreign exchange, banking, industrial and commercial management, border inspection and quarantine, and transportation. All these departments can, if necessary, check information in the network data bank. Enterprises can also go through customs procedures on the network.

Qian said the design of the customs law-enforcement network has basically been completed and is being built in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Guangzhou on a trial basis. Services like customs declaration and foreign exchange payment through computer network have begun.