Almost 200 CIIE art exhibits passed through Waigaoqiao in the past two years. The 6th CIIE will see at least 135 items, with a declared value of nearly 1.1 billion yuan.
Photo by Fan Jianlei
By FANG Zhuoran
With only five days remaining until the 6th China International Import Expo (CIIE) officially opens its doors, the first batch of cultural and artistic exhibits destined for the expo left the Shanghai Waigaoqiao FTZ on Monday for transport to the CIIE venue for exhibition.
The inaugural batch includes paintings by Japanese artist Ayako Rokkaku and sculptures by contemporary American pop artist Jeff Koons. The customs special supervision area and the FTZ mean procedures were completed prior to departure, ensuring a seamless setup.
Shanghai Customs has established a "one-on-one" service for exhibitors and exhibits at Waigaoqiao, including a green channel for CIIE exhibits.
According to DAI Qian, Deputy Director of the Waigaoqiao FTZ Customs, since the 4th CIIE, the number of exhibits involving bonded transactions has steadily increased.
During the last two exhibitions, almost 200 exhibits passed through Waigaoqiao, with a declared value of nearly 2.4 billion yuan (US$330,000). The 6th CIIE will feature at least 135 items leaving the zone, with a declared value of nearly 1.1 billion yuan.
This year is the 10th anniversary of the Shanghai FTZ. From a test field for reform and opening up, the zone has become a globally-preferred location for art transactions.
In addition to art exhibits, the first shipment of oversized machinery - a CNC grinding machine weighing 5 tons - bound for the CIIE, has also undergone inspection and confirmation by the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) Customs.
"This shipment is a very important exhibit that our company is handling for the CIIE this year. It is heavy and high in value. In the past, when encountering port inspections, we needed to coordinate with cranes for handling, which posed significant organizational challenges. Additionally, the disassembly and reassembly of precision instrument exhibits after opening the packaging presented substantial difficulties," said SHEN Ling, Deputy Manager of the Exhibition and Transportation Department at Donghao Lansheng (Shanghai) Exhibition and Transport Group.
Shanghai Customs has formulated a new approach with security assessments of supply chains. Exporters no longer need to apply to port customs for outbound inspections, inspections are conducted on-site.
DING Ning, Head of the Exhibition Goods Supervision Division at NEEC Customs, said that he plans to expand the scope of collaborative control over international exhibitions in Shanghai.
On Sunday, the second "China-Europe Railway Express - CIIE Special" arrived in Shanghai from Duisburg, Germany, with goods from Europe, filling 70 standard containers. The cargo includes cosmetics, machinery and equipment, industrial raw materials, and more.
The China-Europe Railway Express has become a flagship for the Belt and Road Initiative with its high capacity, environmental friendliness, and safety.
