As part of the APEC "China Year" series of activities, the three-day second plenary meeting of the APEC Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures for 2026 concluded in Dalian, Liaoning province, on August 22.

Zhang Baofeng, Deputy Director of the General Administration of Customs of China, stated that APEC economies should intensify their efforts to remove trade barriers and implement more tangible measures to resolve bottlenecks in cross-border trade, thereby making the Asia-Pacific supply chain safer, more stable, and more efficient.

"Security and facilitation are the eternal themes of customs governance," Zhang said. Against the backdrop of an increasingly fragmented global supply chain, adjusting rules and standards and strengthening supply chain resilience have never been more urgent. He expressed hope that all parties would take this meeting as an opportunity to deepen the alignment of rules and standards, strengthen coordination in risk prevention and control supervision, reduce transaction costs, and improve customs clearance efficiency, providing enterprises with a safer, more transparent, and more predictable business environment.

Currently, the Asia-Pacific region accounts for one-third of the world's population, over 60 percent of the global economy, and nearly half of global trade, serving as a vital engine for world economic growth. As a member of the Asia-Pacific family, China's total imports and exports with other APEC economies reached 18.03 trillion yuan in the first seven months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 21 percent, outpacing the growth rate of the country's overall goods trade during the same period, demonstrating the immense potential for regional cooperation.

Through observing smart equipment, exchanging experiences and ideas, and building consensus on development, China Customs shared the latest progress of the Smart Customs Partnership Program and held an exhibition showcasing the achievements of smart customs construction. To further deepen APEC customs cooperation, Zhang Baofeng also put forward three proposals: first, to uphold true multilateralism and build a new pattern of open and inclusive Asia-Pacific cooperation; second, to ride the wave of the digital era and reshape the new paradigm of customs governance through technological innovation; and third, to balance security and facilitation, supporting the enduring prosperity of the Asia-Pacific with a strong and resilient supply chain system.

On the same day, the meeting also announced the review and approval of the Chinese-proposed cooperative document, "APEC Customs Promoting Technology and Innovation for Trade Security and Facilitation." The APEC Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures was established in 1994, with China Customs serving as the chair for 2026. This meeting marked another in-depth dialogue following the first plenary session held in Guangzhou in February this year. Over 100 representatives from customs authorities of all 21 APEC economies, as well as relevant government departments, international organizations, and the business community, participated in the meeting, focusing on cutting-edge topics such as artificial intelligence, smart customs, electronic bills of lading, cross-border e-commerce, and the international "single window" for trade.