Chongqing - On January 10, Chongqing Customs District announced that Chongqing added eight new AEO (Authorized Economic Operator) enterprises, bringing the total to 107, the highest in western China. 

These new AEO enterprises are primarily leaders in the electronics, bioelectricity, new materials, and natural gas chemical industries.

The team of Chongqing Customs District has visited an enterprise to assist in enhancing AEO certification. (Photo/Chongqing Customs District)

Initiated by the World Customs Organization, AEO status grants a company preferential management measures, such as priority processing, reduced frequency of supervision, and optimized services, to facilitate customs clearance.

Currently, Chongqing's 107 AEO enterprises include 68% manufacturing firms in sectors like automobiles and electronics, 30% in foreign trade services, and 2% in biopharmaceuticals. In the first 11 months of 2024, AEO enterprises contributed 56.5% to the city's import and export value.

"In 2024, our exports reached 192,000 tons, with export sales revenue of 2 billion yuan (about USD 273 million), a 26.7% increase," said Shao Kefu, deputy general manager of Sinopec Chongqing SVW Chemical Co., Ltd. He noted that AEO certification had been an accelerator for the company's international trade and high-quality development.

Shao explained that as an AEO enterprise, the company fully benefits from the "batch inspection" reform pilot for exporting hazardous chemicals and dangerous goods packaging, reducing port inspection frequencies. This not only resolves issues like waiting for transportation and goods backlog but also effectively lowers trade costs in ports, insurance, and logistics, enhancing the marketability of the company's products.

Meanwhile, Chongqing Sanfeng Covanta Environmental Industry Co., Ltd., another AEO-certified enterprise, is involved in waste incineration power generation projects, EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) general contracting, and equipment manufacturing.

"Our large-scale foreign contracting projects involve a large volume of work and equipment exports, with increasingly stringent delivery cycle requirements from customers," said Chen Tangsi, deputy general manager of Chongqing Sanfeng Covanta. "With the AEO green pass, the efficiency of customs clearance has significantly improved, effectively reducing our clearance costs."

A relevant official with the Chongqing Customs District said that they will continue to track and analyze enterprise development, incorporating more industry chain leader enterprises into the AEO cultivation program to support more businesses obtaining AEO certification.

The Chongqing Municipal Taxation Bureau also announced that enterprises with AEO certification would be included in the high-credit enterprise scope for import and export, enjoying the same treatment as Class One export tax rebate enterprises. This will accelerate the processing time for export tax rebates and better serve foreign trade enterprises.