The General Administration of Customs ("GAC") has recently issued the Announcement [2018] No.168 to clarify matters concerning the diversion of imported goods. This announcement will take effect from January 1, 2019.
The announcement provides clarity in three aspects. First, an operator of an operation site under customs supervision may apply for diverting certain special cargo, such as imported frozen goods, fresh products, special items (such as organisms, human tissue, biological products, blood and blood products), drugs and dangerous chemicals, which must be diverted in that conditions do not permit in the port area to store such imports. Otherwise, such operator is only allowed to apply for operations to divert imports when the purpose of these operations is to prevent the port from being jammed with imports. Second, imported goods shall be relocated either within the same port from one port area to another, or from one port area to an operation site under customs supervision that is used exclusively as a public place for piling up goods. Third, diverting imported solid waste is banned. Fourth, where imports to be relocated need to be transported by road in China, customs or commercial seals shall be affixed to such imports.