Preshipment inspection

Notifications under Article 5 of the Agreement on Preshipment Inspection

RESPONSES from china to questions posed by the united states
regarding document G/VAL/W/369

China

The following communication, dated 24 June 2022, is being circulated at the request of the delegation of China.

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China thanks the United States for its questions posed in G/PSI/Q/CHN/1 and provides the following responses:

Question 1:

Noting China's response to Questions 1 & 2 of W/353, please explain how China ensures that the preshipment inspection entities it registers comply with the requirements of Article 2 of the Agreement on Preshipment Inspection (PSI).

Response:

The General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC) ensures that the preshipment inspection entities it registers comply with the requirements of Article 2 of the "Agreement on Preshipment Inspection" (PSI) by means of PSI institutions registration, supervision and management of preshipment inspection, annual audit, document/site audit, etc.

Question 2:

In accordance with paragraph 10 of Article 2 of the PSI Agreement, please provide information on the measures China takes to give effect to paragraph 9 on Protection of Confidential Business Information.

Response:

According to Article 10 of "Law of the People's Republic of China on Import and Export Commodity Inspection", the functionary of the State Administration for Commodity Inspection and the commodity inspection authorities have the obligation of keeping the commercial secrets they know when performing the duties of inspection of import and export commodities.

Moreover, in accordance with the GACC Announcement No. 127 of 2020, preshipment inspection and registration are implemented via relevant special information system, which gives effect to paragraph 9 on Protection of Confidential Business Information.

Question 3:

Regarding the response to Question 3, please clarify whether arrival inspection and quarantine is required for every shipment subject to preshipment inspection, or only for some fraction of such shipments.

Response:

Arrival inspection is required for every shipment subject to preshipment inspection.

Question 4:

The response to Question 3 states that "Preshipment inspection and arrival inspection and quarantine are mandatory, and they cannot replace each other." Please explain the basis for this statement. Why can preshipment and arrival inspections not replace each other?

Response:

The preshipment inspection measures are aimed at reducing the safety and environmental protection risks of imported used mechanical and electrical products from the source, which could effectively reduce the shipment of unqualified goods and play the front-line defense role. Meanwhile, arrival inspection plays the role of the last line of defense to prevent products that do not meet Chinese technical requirements from entering China.

Preshipment inspection and arrival inspection focus on different aspects. They cannot replace each other. For example, the prohibited imported goods contained in used mechanical and electrical products can be found in the preshipment inspection, but the electrical or mechanical safety problems need to be uncovered through more detailed arrival inspection. If the results of the arrival inspection are inconsistent with those of the preshipment inspection, the arrival inspection shall prevail.

Question 5:

Regarding the response to Question 4, please provide the web address of the website that lists registered PSI institutions? Are any PSI institutions listed for old mechanical and electrical products? What percentage of foreign PSI institutions that apply to the General Administration of Customs China are approved?

Response:

The list of registered PSI institutions had been released on the website of China International Trade Single Window (http://www.singlewindow.cn/). PSI institutions for old mechanical and electrical products are included in this list. All the applications of foreign PSI institutions which meet the relevant requirements of China would be approved by GACC.

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