Foreign
Chinese customs authorities optimize policies to expedite customs clearance for imported fresh products

By Du Haitao People’s Daily
Tropical fruits from Southeast Asia, lobsters from South Africa, Dungeness crabs from North America, yellow pitayas from Ecuador… As China’s consumer market recovers at an accelerated pace, more and more overseas fresh products are making their way onto Chinese dining tables.
Chinese customs authorities have introduced effective measures to ensure convenient and smooth customs clearance for imported fresh products.
A flight from Bangkok, Thailand landed on time at the runway of Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, at 9:02 a.m. one day.
Zang Dong, section chief of the aviation monitoring division at the logistics monitoring department of the airport’s customs authority, stood poised at the arrival gate alongside two customs officers. They had been waiting for the airplane to arrive on time and were ready to provide customs clearance.
“Fresh products are difficult to store in high temperatures and can only be declared as soon as they arrive,” said Zang.
As pre-arrival declaration forms submitted by the importing company showed, the aircraft was carrying one tonne of tropical fruits which needed swift customs clearance upon landing.
After the cargo section of the airplane slowly opened, a platform truck unloaded 1,092 kg of Thai rambutans from the aircraft. Zang and his colleagues immediately began inspecting the fruits.
They carefully checked the paper waybills, focusing on whether there was any spilled liquid and whether the packaging carried any quarantine pests or vectors. After being inspected, the shipment of Thai rambutans successfully passed customs clearance.
Statistics show that in the second quarter of this year, Beijing Capital International Airport handled 230 million yuan (about $31.92 million) worth of imports, including aquatic products, seafood and fresh fruits. This figure represented a significant increase of nearly 140-fold over the first quarter.
During the same period, imports of specialty agricultural products saw eye-catching growth. Major imported fruits were mangosteen, durian and rambutan, while main seafood items were salmon and lobster.
Many enterprises expressed that maintaining freshness is an essential priority when bringing in fresh products from abroad. These products demand efficient transportation, prompt customs clearance, and consistent cold-chain management. With fresh goods, every minute matters.
“The Customs has implemented pre-arrival declarations and paperless clearance, whereby importers can complete all necessary clearance procedures simply by uploading electronic documents online. This includes the procedures for document receiving, review, and final approval,” explained Gao Hongtao, general manager of Beijing Huayi International Freight Forwarding Co., Ltd.
“This greatly streamlines declarations and quickens clearance, which is crucial for fresh imports,” Gao noted.
To handle potential revisions in cargo manifest data, the customs authority of Beijing Capital International Airport offers round-the-clock services to promptly transfer imported goods from aircraft to warehouses upon landing, prioritizing cargo breakdown, waybill acceptance and other subsequent logistics operations.
It also adopts electronic quarantine permits for entering animals and plants, which enable real-time online verification of these documents.
China’s consumer market shows massive potential. In 2022, China imported $2.7 trillion worth of goods, making itself the second largest import market of the world for the 14th consecutive year. This figure accounted for nearly 11 percent of total world imports.
As consumption structure continues upgrading, consumer demand in China for imported products is becoming more diverse and personalized.
In recent two years, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement has been comprehensively implemented.
Encompassing the world’s largest population, highest trade volume and economic output, and greatest growth potential, the RCEP agreement has injected major impetus into regional development and opened up new possibilities for China to expand its imports of fresh goods.
“From tariff reductions to smoother customs clearance, the RCEP agreement has substantially improved the ease of doing business for traders engaged in international commerce,” explained Lyu Huibin, general manager of Beijing North China Transport International Freight Forwarding Co., Ltd.
As China is expanding multilateral and bilateral economic and trade relationships globally, domestic demand for quality imports will keep rising, harboring tremendous market potential, Lyu added.
According to data from China’s General Administration of Customs (GAC), in the first half of 2023, China imported 125.08 billion yuan worth of agricultural products from ASEAN, up 7.5 percent. Fruit imports totaled 40.54 billion yuan, up 24.1 percent. Imports of durian and pineapple rose 65 percent and 24.1 percent respectively.
To further smooth industrial and supply chains and improve trade facilitation, as well as help companies cut costs and increase efficiency, Beijing Customs District of the GAC recently rolled out 27 measures to optimize business environment.
Zhang Geping, director general of Beijing Customs District of the GAC, said Beijing customs will streamline clearance procedures and improve logistics efficiency for perishable agricultural goods, special items and other products requiring quick customs processing.
“We will implement more rigorous measures to ensure high-quality fresh products can swiftly pass through customs clearance,” Zhang added.
Foreign
Judge blocks Trump from deporting non-citizens using wartime law

A federal judge has temporarily halted the Trump administration’s attempt to deport migrants allegedly linked to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua under a wartime law.
US District Judge James Boasberg issued a restraining order preventing the administration from using the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to expel undocumented migrants accused of gang ties. The order initially protected five individuals challenging the deportation but was later expanded to all affected noncitizens in US custody.
Boasberg also directed that any planes carrying these migrants be returned to the United States. “Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned,” he ruled. The restraining order will remain in effect for 14 days or until further court action.
The Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act, citing Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization that has “unlawfully infiltrated the United States” and is engaging in hostile actions. However, civil rights groups, including the ACLU, argue that the gang’s activities do not meet the legal definition of an invasion.
The Justice Department has appealed the ruling, while the case continues in court.
Foreign
China’s new chapter in global innovation

By Gu Yekai, Liu Yiqing, People’s Daily
At a smart construction project site managed by China State Construction Engineering Corporation, a quiet technological revolution is underway. Amid cranes and concrete, engineers are deploying advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems that could fundamentally reshape the construction industry.
Li Fengjian, an AI specialistwith Xianyuan Technology, detailed how the company’s latest intelligent system – built on a large model – adapts to complex construction environments.”Engineering machinery equipped with intelligent agents can adjust its operations automatically in response to weather conditions,” Li explained, adding that a spatiotemporal sensing network further enhances the system, providing real-time tracking of both personnel and materials throughout the construction site.
In February this year, Xianyuan Technology rapidly integrated its self-developed model with DeepSeek-R1, effectively blending a general-purpose framework with industry-specific models. This integration, Li noted, has produced a solution capable of delivering expert-level performance in challenging, dynamic environments. The firm is based in the Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Center, aburgeoning AI incubator that now hosts over 200 innovative enterprises.
China’s technological transformation extends well beyond the construction sector. Overthe past three decades, the country has evolved from its initial forays into internet connectivity to becoming a key player in global digital innovation.
Here, a steady stream of technological innovations are emerging, from the early days of emails and web browsing to the cutting-edge technologies represented by DeepSeek and the dynamic evolution of social media.
Wu Jianping, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and headof the Zhongguancun Laboratory, pointed out that while China had introduced only one internet standard before 2005, it now contributes to over 200 worldwide. Such strides illustrate the country’s concerted push toward high-level technological self-reliance – a journey marked by both persistence and determination.
Beyond the digital realm, China is makingsignificant inroads in aerospace, new energy, and other high-tech sectors. It has transitioned from being a follower to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with global leaders, and in some areas, even taking the lead. Wu attributed these achievements to a dynamic ecosystem of policy reforms and talent cultivation that encourages creativity and technical expertise at every level.
Amid intensifying international competition, collaborative research and the integration of new technologies with traditional industries are central to China’s high-quality economic development.
Mei Linhai, a researcher at China’s State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Intelligence, remarked that the age of AI calls for continuous exploration. “In this era, everyone is an innovator. Only by persistently pushing the boundaries can we remain at the forefront of both technological and industrial development,” Mei observed.
In the field of general-purpose AI, Mei emphasized that independent innovation is paramount. He advocates for a self-driven industrial ecosystem that leveragesbreakthrough technologies to boost productivity and unlock new possibilities, Mei said.
Foreign
Chinese democracy in action:a village bench meeting shapes national law

By Wei Zhezhe, Liu Botong, People’s Daily
In a modest corner of Jiangmen, south China’s Guangdong province, residents of Weidong village are experiencing firsthand a form of democracy that starts at the grassroots level and reverberates all the way to Beijing.
Wu Tengxin, a local villager who relies on a scooter for daily mobility after contracting polio, recalls a time when the village’s public spaces were ill-equipped for people with disabilities. Now, thanks to a simple suggestion made during a meeting, his everyday life has changed.
In November 2022, a team from a local legislative outreach office – a branch of China’sNational People’s Congress (NPC) – visited Weidong village and set up a “bench-style meeting.” Residents, including the elderly and those with disabilities, gathered to voice their concerns about inadequate accessibility.
Amid the conversation, Wu offered a straightforward proposal: “I hope rural accessible facilities can be improved to make mobility easier for people with disabilities and the elderly.” His words were relayed verbatim to lawmakers.
The response was swift. On June 28, 2023, at the third session of the 14th NPC Standing Committee, legislators passed a law on building a barrier-free living environment. The law stipulates that improvements”shall align with social and economic development levels, coordinate urban and rural progress, and gradually narrow the gap in infrastructure between urban and rural areas.”
Today, Wu observes that the village’s main roads and public squares have been upgraded with accessibility features that make getting around considerably easier.
This episode illustrates what Chinese officials call “whole-process people’s democracy” – a system where citizen input is woven into every stage of policy development.
Jilie Ziri, head of Abuluoha village in Butuo county, southwest China’s Sichuan province, remarked that for young generations in China, democracy has become a lived experience. “Villagers are the masters of village affairs,” he said, emphasizing how active villager participation has injected new vitality into local governance.
Experts point to consultative democracy as a cornerstone of this process. Tao Kaiyuan, vice chairman of the Central Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy and vice president of the Supreme People’s Court, underscores the important role of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, whose members hail from every stratum of society and bring a wealth of expertise and connections.
Their regular forums, field research, and public consultations have created robust channels for citizens to contribute ideas and forge consensus.”This approach gathers collective wisdom and transforms public voices into policy,” Tao said.
Another crucial manifestation is the effectiveness of China’s political party system. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, Chinese democratic parties actively fulfill their duties, offering recommendations that often translate into concrete policy decisions. This integrated approach demonstrates the unique strengths of China’s political system and the advantages of whole-process people’s democracy.
Tao emphasized that whole-process people’s democracyhas evolved into an efficient and dynamic democratic practice – one that not only reflects the essence of socialist democracy but also presents a pioneering model of political civilization, contributing Chinese wisdom and solutions to global governance and democratic development.
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