The 2026 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting is now just 100 days away, and the arrival experience at Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport has been significantly upgraded, creating a warm and efficient "first gateway" for the upcoming international visitors.
On August 10th, a flight from Singapore landed smoothly at Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, and passenger Li Yuhong was full of praise for the new process. "This time, it was incredibly smooth. I picked up my luggage and went straight out without any stops," she said. After collecting her checked bags, she walked directly to the exit, needing no pauses, no queues, and no need to re-scan her luggage.
This "seamless" experience is made possible by the Customs' "pre-screening" system, which checks luggage during the sorting process. "To prepare for the APEC meeting, we have implemented pre-screening in the international arrival area. X-ray machines and CT baggage inspection devices are integrated into the baggage sorting line. This allows for a non-intrusive scan of every piece of checked luggage before the passenger retrieves it," explained Zhang Ludan, Section Chief of the Shenzhen Airport Customs Travel Inspection Section 9.
"With the help of an intelligent image analysis system, we can accurately identify high-risk luggage, while most normal bags are cleared directly. Passengers avoid secondary checks and queues, simply picking up their bags and leaving. This truly achieves a 'seamless clearance'," she added. Under this new system, the average clearance time for a normal passenger can be reduced to under 15 minutes, with overall efficiency improving by over 60%.
On the departure side, the Shenzhen Airport Customs has also introduced a "single inspection" process. This integrates customs screening equipment with security X-ray machines, breaking down the barriers between the two agencies. Outbound passengers no longer need to pass through separate customs and security checks. They place their luggage once for a single scan, with the images being transmitted simultaneously to a remote customs analysis center. Normal luggage is then cleared directly, eliminating the need for a second handling and re-opening of bags.
It is understood that during the APEC meeting, the Shenzhen Airport Customs will set up dedicated APEC lanes and signage at both arrival and departure areas. Multilingual customs officers will be on hand to guide attendees, ensuring that government officials, delegations, and media personnel receive an efficient and respectful clearance experience.