Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport will be site of the launch of an automated customs management system in May, allowing international airline operators to digitally send air freight data and e-airway bills to Vietnam Customs, according to a March 23 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The national system, a “one-stop cargo clearance service” called the Aviation National Single Window, will provide traders and carriers with 24-hour online access to submit clearance updates and access to multiple government agencies. Previously, air freight carriers were required to submit paper records and airway bills to the customs agency for every flight, the report said.

China increased its value-added tax refund rates for exports, according to a March 24 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The change, which took effect March 20, raised the refund rates for nearly 1,100 products to 13% and raised the rates for another group of about 400 products to 9%. Products with a 13% rate now include porcelain sanitary ware, metal products, gemstone and chemical; goods with a 9% rate include plant growth regulators, fruits and meat, the report said.

Shanghai introduced time-limit standards for port services, detailing how long trucks, ships and other cargo may remain at port, according to a March 23 Hong Kong Trade Development Council report. Shanghai is requiring at least 90% of trucks to complete the delivery or pick-up of containers within one hour, the report said, and certain vessels, depending on their capacity, must “complete their operations” within 12 hours, 24 hours or 36 hours of berthing at the port. Shanghai also announced measures that shippers can take before arriving at the port, to speed up the process, including online appointments for picking up cargo and inspection appointments. China has reportedly increased scrutiny of incoming cargo vessels as it tries to control the coronavirus outbreak, leading to unloading delays and backlogs of hundreds of thousands of containers (see 2003190041).

China’s General Administration of Customs released a list of measures for increasing restrictions and streamlining port procedures during the coronavirus disease COVID-19 outbreak, including increased “interception and crackdown” on “unqualified anti-epidemic materials,” according to an unofficial translation of a March 19 notice. China said it has destroyed or returned more than 300,000 imports of “unqualified” protective equipment and stressed that the country needs to import “immunized materials” for domestic production of the equipment. As part of the measures, China is establishing “green channels” for agricultural products and other food imports at “key ports,” 24-hour advance clearance for certain imports and priority inspections. The measures will “simplify customs clearance procedures and reduce customs clearance costs throughout the process,” China said, which includes payment deferrals for certain taxes and reduced late payment fees for money owed to China’s GAC. China previously announced reduced penalties for delayed import declarations and other measures to ease customs procedures (see 2003120019 and 2002250031).

China’s commerce ministry recently announced plans to simplify outbound direct investment filings through a paperless procedure that will “reduce the burdens” on investors, according to a March 23 Hong Kong Trade Development Council report. Companies no longer have to submit paper documents when seeking approval for outbound investments and will instead be able to upload the documents as PDF files to the ministry, the report said. As China seeks to streamline outbound investment, the U.S. has increased restrictions on screening procedures for foreign direct investment as it tries to keep China from acquiring sensitive U.S. technology (see 2002260042).

The Cambodian-Vietnam border temporarily closed March 20 as both countries seek to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, according to a March 19 report from CustomsNews, the mouthpiece for Vietnam Customs. The closure blocks all air, water and land travel between the two countries in an attempt to “avert the inconvenience of quarantine” requirements, the notice said, but does not apply to Vietnamese and Cambodian holders of “diplomatic and official passports.” Cambodia has suggested the two countries work together “so transport of goods across the common border can be carried out without disruption.”

Indonesia plans to introduce a series of import and tax measures to help companies impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a March 19 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The measures, which take effect April 1, will allow certain companies to postpone payments of import duties for six months and will exempt all import duties for six months for 19 “selected” manufacturing sectors, the report said. Indonesia will also streamline its value-added tax refund procedure for exports and provide “expedited” export-import processing for traders “deemed to be in good standing.” The country also plans to relax import licensing rules for steel and certain food items, including sugar, flour and salt.

China is lowering transportation costs for importers and exporters in an effort to urge companies to resume production, according to a March 19 government notice and a March 16 report from Xinhua, China’s state-run news agency. China said it will waive “port construction fees” levied on traders from March 1 through June 30 and will offer refunds to companies that have already paid fees. In addition, certain companies will “see their oil pollution damage compensation halved” during that period.

Vietnam’s General Department of Taxation will extend deadlines for paying taxes and exempt penalties for late payments for companies impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, who have “suffered great losses,” according to a March 17 report from CustomsNews, the mouthpiece for Vietnam Customs. Companies that need further extensions due to special circumstances -- including “unexpected accidents,” which covers suffering “dangerous diseases” -- can apply for longer extensions, the report said.

Many Chinese leather tanneries have applied for and received tariff exemptions from China’s retaliatory tariff on U.S. goods, according to a March 17 emailed alert from the Leather and Hide Council of America. The council also said China is granting tariff exemptions for products beyond what was included in the original announcement that contained nearly 700 U.S. goods (see 2002180039). The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service issued a March report on China’s step-by-step tariff exclusion guide, providing a translation of the guide to help “familiarize” the U.S. food and agricultural industry with the process. The report contains details on how Chinese companies apply for exclusions, how they document their record of transactions, and what information they must submit to the Chinese authorities. The exclusion process opened March 2.