Chen Siqi

vankochensq@163.com

MORE than 1,200 participants representing customs organizations and other key stakeholders from more than 100 countries and regions have converged in Shenzhen to delve into the transformative potential of Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programs at the 6th WCO Global AEO Conference, which opened at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center in Futian District yesterday.

It is the first time for a Chinese city to host the global conference, initiated by the World Customs Organization (WCO) in 2012. It is the highest-level conference in the field.

With the theme “Harnessing the Power of AEO Programs for Inclusive and Sustainable Global Trade,” the three-day event includes insightful plenary sessions, discussions on empowering women in global trade, leveraging technology for risk management and trade facilitation, and much more.

Ian Saunders, secretary general-elect of the WCO, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony, pointing out that the conference’s goal is to create a seamless, resilient, and secure global trade environment.

“We must simplify and communicate the requirements of AEO status to demystify the process, making it more accessible for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises and ensuring a broader understanding of the compliance landscape,” Saunders said. He highlighted the status of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, which constitute an overwhelming majority of businesses worldwide.

Wang Lingjun, vice minister of China’s General Administration of Customs, stated that China calls on all participants to actively respond to the WCO cooperation initiative, continue to consolidate and deepen cooperation, use the advantages of the AEO system, and promote the sustainable development of global trade.

Shenzhen Mayor Qin Weizhong stated that holding this conference in China for the first time is of great significance for strengthening international mutual recognition cooperation in AEO programs, achieving high-level mutual benefits between enterprises, and promoting global supply chain security and trade facilitation.

Advocated for by the WCO, the AEO program is designed to strengthen international supply chain security and facilitate the movement of legitimate goods.