Qingpu Customs unveiled nine new measures on July 8 to improve operations at the Qingpu Comprehensive Bonded Zone, aiming to accelerate customs clearance, reduce aircraft maintenance costs, and help local companies enter overseas markets.

The zone's new measures are tailored to local industrial needs, build on 24 national reform measures introduced in April.

Comprehensive bonded zones are areas under special customs supervision with the highest level of openness in China, where bonded warehousing, processing, and assembly may be conducted. Nationwide, the combined import and export value of 168 such zones reached 7.2 trillion yuan ($1.06 trillion) in 2025, accounting for about one-seventh of China's total foreign trade volume.

Qingpu Comprehensive Bonded Zone plays an important role in extending the spillover effects of the China International Import Expo, developing foreign trade, attracting investment, bringing in high-tech industries, and promoting industrial upgrading.

The new measures emphasize advancing digital solutions for cross-border e-commerce. The measures call for exploring supporting facilities, including main and auxiliary checkpoints and a pre-inspection platform, to enable more targeted customs supervision of cross-border e-commerce goods and allow goods to be exported more efficiently upon leaving the zone.

"Most of the nine measures closely match the urgent needs of industrial upgrading in the comprehensive bonded zone, while responding directly to enterprises' expectations for lower costs and greater efficiency," said Lyu Jian, general manager of Qingpu Industrial Park. The measures have also removed institutional barriers for businesses to carry out bonded testing, maintenance, and research and development.

Guo Xiaohong, customs manager at Shanghai Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Engine Maintenance Co Ltd, highlighted the significance of the pilot bonded testing policy. "We have strong demand for testing services in our bonded maintenance business. The new policy comes at the right time, and we look forward to the convenience it will bring."

The measures also provide a package of support for civil aviation companies. With their combined support, the civil aviation industrial park in the Qingpu Comprehensive Bonded Zone aims to develop a 100-billion-yuan emerging aviation industry as a new pillar within five years.

Source: Qingpu district government