(Photo shows the WCO Vice-Chairperson for the A/P Region, Commissioner of Hong Kong Customs, Mr. Chan Tsz-tat (first row, ninth right); the Head of Trade Facilitation Division of ASEAN Secretariat, Mr. Cuong Ba Tran (first row, ninth left); the Assistant Commissioner (World Customs Organization) of Customs and Excise, Mr. Li Kin-kei (first row, third right), and other representatives from different sectors.)

 

This A/P regional conference, focusing on e-commerce, brought together more than 200 representatives from the WCO, A/P Customs administrations, ASEAN members, and international and local industries. This Conference was also supported by the Economic and Technical Co-operation Work Programme under the ASEAN-Hong Kong, China Free Trade Agreement.

 

Mr. Chan Tsz-tat said in his welcoming remarks that the purpose of the Conference is to strengthen partnerships within the e-commerce ecosystem and to explore and promote the future developments of e-commerce in the A/P region. He emphasised that simplifying Customs clearance procedures and expediting cargo flow are crucial to enhancing trade facilitation and improving the efficiency of customs operations. At the same time, maintaining a balance between trade efficiency and law enforcement effectiveness is essential to safeguarding the security and stability of cross-boundary trade.

(World Customs Organization Vice-Chairperson for the Asia/Pacific Region, Commissioner of Hong Kong Customs, Mr. Chan Tsz-tat)

 

Mr. Cuong Ba Tran, Head of Trade Facilitation Division of ASEAN Secretariat, highlighted the significance of the Conference on Simplification of Procedures and Best Practices for E-commerce, noting the rapid development of e-commerce and its dual nature of presenting opportunities and challenges for customs administrations. He announced the upcoming Guideline for the Exchange of Information on e-commerce Data, aimed at enhancing transparency and compliance in cross-border trade. He acknowledged the contributions of various experts and stakeholders in addressing customs challenges and expressed confidence that collaborative efforts would lead to improved customs practices and a secure, efficient e-commerce environment for all.

(Head of Trade Facilitation Division of ASEAN Secretariat, Mr. Cuong Ba Tran)

 

 

(The Conference gathered over 200 representatives from the WCO, A/P Customs administrations, ASEAN members, international and local industries.)

 

(Photo shows representatives of different sectors attending a panel discussion session.)

 

The Conference covered a series of presentations and panel discussions addressing the challenges and opportunities present in e-commerce. Optimal results were yielded as the participants shared experiences and best practices to foster sustainable economic growth regionally and beyond. During the closing, a Joint Statement reaffirming the commitment to strengthening mutual collaboration between Customs administrations and e-commerce stakeholders to foster the growth and development of e-commerce across the A/P region was also issued.

 

(Photo shows the Head of Secretariat Office of the WCO Vice-Chairperson for the A/P Region, Assistant Commissioner (WCO) of Customs and Excise, Mr. Li Kin-kei, leading a discussion about the Joint Statement.)