The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and the General Administration of Customs (GAC) have agreed to facilitate exports of Hong Kong-manufactured meat and dairy products to the Chinese mainland, and strengthen the flow of people and cargo on both sides.

The accords were reached at a series of high-level meetings between mainland and Hong Kong officials in the SAR in the past two days.

Speaking of the signing ceremonies, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the moves will create fresh impetus for cooperation between the SAR and mainland Customs authorities, underlining the city’s strategic position as an international trading and shipping center.

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A delegation from the General Administration of Customs, led by its minister, Sun Meijun, is in Hong Kong for the 26th World Customs Organization Asia/Pacific Regional Heads of Customs Administrations Conference. The four-day meeting, which kicked off on Monday, is hosted by Hong Kong’s Customs and Excise Department in its capacity as the organization’s vice-chair for the Asia-Pacific region.

The Environment and Ecology Bureau on Monday clinched cooperation pacts with the General Administration of Customs on streamlining food trade between Hong Kong and the mainland.

Once the arrangements come into force, Hong Kong-manufactured meat and dairy products that meet the requirements will be allowed to be imported into the mainland. The requirements are to test the sources of raw food materials and assess manufacturers’ production management, such as storage and transportation of food products.

Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said the agreements are aimed at making broader inroads for Hong Kong’s meat and dairy products businesses into the mainland market, thereby giving the sector a significant boost.

The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau also inked the Cooperation Arrangement on Single Window agreement with the national Customs administration.

Other agreements include measures for implementing the CASW pact -- a one-stop electronic platform for trade documents lodging, declaration and clearance -- and expanding coverage of the mainland-Hong Kong “Single Submission for Dual Declaration” Scheme that allows enterprises to complete Customs declaration on both sides by filling documents at one go, enabling all cargo to pass through land checkpoints.

At a meeting on Sunday, central government and SAR officials also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding to establish a point-to-point express cooperation and liaison mechanism between Shenzhen and Hong Kong land crossings aimed at boosting the flow of people and freight.

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Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau Ying-wah stressed the “utmost importance” of an efficient and convenient cargo clearance process on both sides, shored by the mainland’s status as Hong Kong’s largest partner in the trade of goods.

Contact the writer at wanqing@chinadailyhk.com