Business environment at ports will be further optimized to facilitate cross-border trade and promote stable and healthy development of foreign trade, according to a State Council circular on Oct 19.

By the end of 2018, the number of documents required to be verified in import and export will be reduced by more than one-third compared with 2017, and all verifications will be operated online except for documents deemed confidential, which will reduce the overall customs clearance time by one-third, according to the circular.

By the end of 2020, compliance cost of container import and export will be cut by half compared to 2017, the circular said, adding that by the end of 2021, the overall customs clearance time also will be halved compared with 2017.

A more dynamic, efficient, open and convenient business environment will be formed at ports, the circular added.

The circular called for plan to reduce the supervision items in import and export by streamlining documents and optimizing procedures.

It also decided to optimize customs clearance procedures and operations by deepening national customs clearance integration, and promoting oversight through inspections by randomly selected inspectors of randomly selected entities and the public release of inspection results.

The efficiency of logistics services at ports will be improved, the circular said.

Intelligent port management should be promoted and a more open and transparent business environment should be created at ports.