The General Administration of Customs ("GAC") has recently issued the Announcement [2019] No.68 to publicly release the Code for the Establishment of Operation Sites (Venues) under Customs Supervision (the "Code"), immediately effective from the date of issuance.
According to the Code, operation sites (venues) under customs supervision are classified into: 1. sites for supervised operations, including operation sites under customs supervision for waterway transport business, operation sites under customs supervision for highway transport business, operation sites under customs supervision for air transport business, operation sites under customs supervision for railway transport business, and operation sites under customs supervision for express delivery business; and 2. sites for centralized operations, including operation sites for customs clearance for passengers, operation sites for inspections of postal parcels and the venues for quarantine tests on animals entering China. The Code clearly states that if two or more operation sites (venues) under customs supervision are established within a single region, it is allowed to erect unified separation fences (walls) in this region and set up unified controls at its entrance/exit, on the premise that requirements for customs supervision are satisfied; however, separation facilities and clear marks shall be set up between each operation site (venue) under customs supervision within a single region, making it easy to distinguish them from each other. Furthermore, the Code notes that the customs' implementation of this Code does not prejudice efforts of other authorities to perform their duties.