China deepens customs cooperation to facilitate growth of Greater Bay Area

It will be safer and easier for personnel, goods, and articles to travel and circulate in China's Greater Bay Area, as a new arrangement was signed on Tuesday to deepen customs cooperation on risk management.

The arrangement, signed by the General Administration of Customs (GAC) and customs authorities in Hong Kong, aims to facilitate the high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Authorities will share risk information, conduct joint analysis, and synergize their operations to forestall and crack down on the illegal imports and exports of drugs, guns and explosives, endangered species of animals and plants, and cultural relics, said the GAC, adding that there will be strong deterrence against trafficking.

Risk prevention and control will be more targeted and precise to improve trade safety and facilitate customs clearing, according to the authorities.

GAC data shows that the mainland's trade with Hong Kong totaled more than 2.04 trillion yuan (around 299.2 billion U.S. dollars) in 2022.