The customs authorities of Baotou inspect imported components in Inner Mongolia North Hauler Joint Stock Co. [Photo/Baotou Evening News]

The customs authorities of Baotou, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, have been working to streamline customs clearance procedures and cut taxes as part of efforts to improve the business environment, promote cross-border commerce and advance the development of the region's export-oriented economy.

The "two-step declaration" reform at customs clearance enables enterprises to complete their declarations in two steps, saving time and costs for companies. The two-step customs declaration involves a summary declaration, which only requires nine items for declaration, and a complete declaration that can be finished after the shipment enters the country.

Meanwhile, Baotou Customs has stepped up efforts to help companies solve difficulties of customs clearance with regards to both online and offline services. In addition to such measures as customs clearance appointments and centralized inspections, the customs authorities also provide targeted clearance solutions for companies related to steel, rare earth and copper smelting, giving priority to those in urgent need of imported materials for production, thus guaranteeing their raw material supplies.

In the first 11 months of the year, Baotou Customs cleared 410,000 tons of copper concentrate imports, up 70 percent. The ironstone imports through the Mandula Port rose 66 percent to 137,000 tons.

The coverage of the paperless declaration model and the "China International Trade Single Window" has reached 100 percent in Baotou. A total of 105 enterprises registered for simplified declaration between January and November this year.

The efforts towards efficiency improvement also included promoting the self-printing of Certificates of Origin. Companies can upload the electronic stamp and declarant's signature to the China International Trade Single Window website, submit applications to customs through the management system of origin certificates and then print the certificates themselves after approval.

In the first 11 months of this year, Baotou Customs issued 1,356 preferential certificates of origin for exported steels, rare earth and cashmere worth 2.17 billion yuan ($332.84 million). The exported goods qualified for a total of 86.96 million yuan in tariff exemptions.