Q: China has intensified efforts to crack down on
smuggling in recent years, yet smuggling remains a problem at
Chinese borders. What is the government's perspective on this
situation, and what measures are being adopted to stop
smuggling?
A: China has constantly carried out actions against smuggling
while implementing the reform and open-up policy to develop the
economy. In 1998, the Chinese Government took a series of
decisions, including demanding the military units, the armed police
and judicial organ to divest themselves of their operating business
entities, and organizing customs anti-smuggling police. Since then,
China has launched a campaign against smuggling, investigated a
number of major smuggling cases and punished a group of smugglers
as well as people bribed to facilitate smuggling activities. As a
result, large-scale smuggling has been put under control,
cross-border order has improved and tariff revenue at customs has
increased by considerable margins on an annual basis. And, normal
economic order has been maintained, helping ensure healthy
development of the economy and smooth implementation of the reform
and opening-up policy.
Currently, while the overall situation of smuggling in China has
been alleviated, it remains a problem. Smuggling activities by
corporate entities or special organizations have been checked and
large-scale smuggling put under control due to the long-term
crackdown and comprehensive efforts to get the situation
straightened up. However, smugglers adapt themselves to new
situations and more cunning smuggling tactics, which is especially
true with the secret networks of smugglers that haven't yet been
uprooted.
As for the implementation of the campaign and coordinated action
to crack down on smuggling, China gives full play to the pioneering
role of customs in establishing a long-term, anti-smuggling
mechanism and promotes all efforts to combat smuggling in a
comprehensive way. These efforts include improving the legal system
and regulations at customs, establishing a guard line against
people cheating on prices at customs as well as the system of
credit administration of importers and exporters, and strengthening
the monitoring system of goods crossing the border.
At the same time, China has checked rampant smuggling by
breaking up smuggling chains, with a focus on cracking down on
illegal operations, bogus invoices, and punishing businesses
selling goods from illegal sources. With the help of the People's
Bank of China and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange,
relevant authorities have seized a number of underground private
banks and criminals involved in substantial money laundering and
hence a major channel of money transactions for smuggling has been
blocked.
At present, the damage smuggling causes to the country is
diminishing while tariff revenue at customs is increasing by nearly
100 billion yuan (US$12.1 billion) a year. We believe the tax
revenue drain will diminish as the government strengthens its
monitoring, administration and crackdown on smuggling
activities.