[photopress:Dr__George_Q_Huang.jpg,full,alignright]Dr George Q Huang (the picture on the right is the best we could find for which we apologize. Academics do not do pictures well) is a professor with the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems and China E-Port is a national information network infrastructure. It is the outcome of a joint effort between multiple ministries. Companies can now use this network to manage their cross-border logistics and other trading activities.
Cross-border logistics customs control is mainly concerned with onsite inspection and verification of goods in containers against customs declarations.
At the University of Hong Kong, a group of researchers has been working on applying similar ideas to facilitate the cross-border logistics for the tens of thousands of containers carrying import and export goods for companies located in the Pearl River Delta region.
Often manufacturing enterprises located in the delta import raw materials, parts, components, packaging and other materials and equipment. Such enterprises, which take advantage of skilled and economical labor, enjoy significant tax exemptions on the condition that all their output is exported.
They are the main driver of industrial activities in the delta.
Customs authorities supervise and monitor the business activities of these PTEs stringently to collect import and export taxes fairly and meet overseas trading regulations.
HKU researchers are working on the design and development of a gateway system so that companies can collect and prepare customs documents using their internal information systems in a systematic fashion.
The system also allows the companies to interact and integrate with China E-Port more professionally. It allows PTEs to minimize the direct and indirect costs caused by discrepancies and delays in customs declarations and clearances, increase their flexibility to fulfil different processing trade contracts, and improve their responses to market changes.
Logistics customs control is a complicated process involving social, political, economical, individual and organizational behavioral factors.
But it appears that using electronic tagging and gateway systems these problems are being brought under control electronically.
Reading Dr George Q. Huang you come to the conclusion that although the problem is massive it is surmountable and that the answer will be, to an important extent, electronic tagging integrated with gateway computer systems.
Source: The Standard