Yangquan customs has comprehensively carried out streamlined customs clearance operations since Dec 1, saving time for local enterprises and improving its customs clearance efficiency, according to officials. 

"We no longer have to go far to Taiyuan customs and Tianjin customs to handle business registration, customs clearance, processing trade, tax reductions and exemption which can be coped with in Yangquan now," said Wang Bo, a shareholder of Yangquan Zhongjia Abrasives Co. 

"It's much more time and cost-saving," added Wang, who took only three minutes to complete some matters at Yangquan customs on Dec 1. 

Since it was founded on Jan 23, Yangquan customs has successively undertaken 10 measures to serve local export-oriented commercial affairs, given customs policies guidance to key foreign trade projects such as the Yangquan Coal Industry Group Bonded Logistics Center (Type B) and the Pingding Guanya Bonded Warehouse -- and held seminars to promote customs policies.

In addition, the customs office has helped local companies solve customs clearance problems and supported them, achieving a breakthrough in processing trade business in Yangquan. 

Yangquan customs has issued a total of 303 certificates of origin with a value of $17.57 million, helped companies obtain tariff reductions and exemptions of $83,000. 

The number of forms that businesses and individuals have to fill in at the customs has been reduced to 40 from 132. All administrative licensing matters and customs services involving Yangquan customs can now be handled online. 

"From January to October, the total value of the city's imports and exports was 779.85 million yuan ($110.75 million), a year-on-year increase of 33.8 percent," said Yan Xiaoping, chief of Yangquan customs. 

"Respectively, exports were 434.92 million yuan, up 28.4 percent year-on-year and imports were 349.49 million yuan, for a year-on-year growth of 41.3 percent," Yan added. 

Officials said the full-scale operation of the customs office will play an active role in promoting Yangquan's export-oriented economic development and optimizing its local business environment.