SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov meets with China’s Deputy Customs Commissioner-General Zhang Jiwen

On 5 December 2019 in Beijing, SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov met with Vice Minister and CPC Committee Member of the General Administration of Customs of China, Deputy Customs Commissioner-General Zhang Jiwen.

The parties discussed a wide range of issues aimed at further developing customs cooperation among the SCO member states, as well as their customs services' objectives and outlook in the context of the Qingdao and Bishkek declarations adopted in 2018-2019.

The SCO Secretary-General highlighted the outcome of the SCO Heads of Government Council (HGC) Meeting in Tashkent on November 1-2 2019, underscoring the reaffirmed priorities, including joint efforts to develop trade, economic, financial and investment cooperation, and build infrastructure, digital and energy interconnectedness for the sake of mutually beneficial partnership and equal cooperation.

Vladimir Norov praised the systematic and effective work of the Special Working Group (SWG) on Customs Cooperation and the active engagement of the General Administration of Customs of China in this SCO mechanism. He noted the importance of joint work on the updated programme of multilateral trade and economic cooperation of SCO member states for the period to 2035.

The officials also exchanged views on the prospects for a further deepening of customs cooperation. In this respect, Vladimir Norov noted the importance of coordinating policies, such as integration of the customs systems of the SCO member states, in order to increase throughput capacity and simplify customs declaration procedures. He also emphasised the importance of developing technical regulations, standardisation and uniformity of measurements.

"In addressing the challenges of unifying the standards and measures of sanitary, veterinary-sanitary and quarantine phytosanitary control, it is important to establish inspection and quarantine centres, especially in the Central Asian countries of the SCO and train subject matter specialists and experts. This should simplify the procedures for customs clearance and inspection of agricultural produce exported from Central Asia to China," he said.

Zhang Jiwen, in turn, emphasised the significance of the SCO's role as a comprehensive player in maintaining regional security and stability, and in developing the national economies and prosperity of the people in the member states. He noted the success of the Chinese customs service in its cooperation with the SCO countries and supported the Secretary-General's proposals aimed at further effective interaction between the customs services and promotion of the SCO's trade and economic cooperation.