BEIJING, April 29 -- Chinese authorities have initiated a special campaign for 2023 to optimize business environment at key ports and further advance the facilitation of cross-border trade.

The campaign, initiated by six government agencies including the General Administration of Customs, will last for five months in 17 cities of 12 provincial-level regions, including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Chongqing.

Measures will be taken to ramp up the construction of smart ports and the digital transformation of ports, and to support the upgrading of the foreign-trade industry, as well as the healthy and sustainable development of emerging forms of business.

Efforts will also be made to improve the safe and smooth operation of logistics and supply chains for cross-border customs clearance, standardize and reduce import and export compliance costs, and improve the sense of gain and satisfaction among foreign-trade business entities.

In 2022, China launched a special campaign to facilitate cross-border trade in 10 cities. All of the 10 reform and innovation measures introduced in the campaign have been well implemented, and 501 policies issued by local customs authorities have also achieved remarkable results.