The General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China has launched an innovative approach to better facilitate overseas enterprises in providing customs clearance services in the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP). The move, designed to further promote opening up measures under the FTP's cross-border trade in services negative list, allows such enterprises to register with customs to provide customs clearance services in the Hainan FTP without needing to establish a separate corporate entity in China.

In addition to having business premises in the Hainan FTP, overseas firms looking to provide customs clearance services in Hainan are required to register as an "overseas enterprise engaging in production and operations within the Chinese mainland" with the relevant market supervision agency in their locale. Upon obtaining the required certificates, overseas enterprises can then submit an enterprise registration application to customs via platforms such as the "China International Trade Single Window" system (www.singlewindow.cn) and the General Administration of Customs' online application portal (www.customs.gov.cn). Qualified enterprises will be registered by customs according to law and permitted to provide customs clearance services.