The General Administration of Customs (GACC) issued a series of measures on Sept 1, 2026, to support the smooth operation of the ninth China International Import Expo (CIIE), scheduled for Nov 5 to 10, 2026, in Shanghai. The key support measures are outlined below:

1. Release customs clearance guidance with detailed instructions for exhibitors

The GACC has issued detailed customs clearance instructions, along with lists of restricted and prohibited items for inspection and quarantine, to guide overseas exhibitors attending CIIE.

2. Establish a standing office to respond promptly to needs

Shanghai Exhibition Center Customs, an office under Shanghai Customs, serves as the standing customs office responsible for supervising and providing support services for the CIIE.

3. Apply technology to develop a smart customs supervision and service model

The cross-border trade management big data platform and information technology will provide end-to-end customs supervision and services, drawing on information about CIIE exhibitors and exhibits to establish a digital, intelligent, convenient and integrated model for expo-related supervision and services.

4. Station customs officers on-site to provide support

During the CIIE, Shanghai Customs will station personnel at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) Shanghai to provide customs clearance, supervision, consultation, and related services.

5. Organizer provides guarantees to ease the burden on overseas exhibitors

For exhibits temporarily admitted into China for the CIIE, the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) Co Ltd will provide Shanghai Customs with a bank guarantee or customs duty guarantee insurance to secure the payment of applicable customs duties and taxes. As a result, overseas exhibitors or their designated main transportation service providers are exempt from submitting separate guarantees for each customs declaration. This exemption is granted upon presentation of the Certificate for Entry Materials and the List of Entry Materials for the 2026 CIIE, both issued by the company.

6. Handle inspection and quarantine approvals locally to facilitate participation

For animals, plants, and their products, animal- and plant-derived foods, traditional Chinese medicinal materials, and other items entering China for the CIIE that require inspection and quarantine approval, Shanghai Customs and other relevant customs offices are authorized to handle the approval procedures locally and complete them within three working days.

Under the principle of "convenience and operability", Shanghai Customs is authorized to accept and review registration applications from overseas manufacturers of imported aquatic products, dairy products, and edible bird's nests intended for sale within the exhibition area. These manufacturers are exempt from on-site assessments conducted abroad. Upon approval, the GACC will issue temporary registration approvals valid only within the exhibition area during the expo.

7. Establish dedicated channels for priority processing

At major ports, priority channels will be set up for the CIIE, dedicated customs declaration windows for incoming CIIE exhibits, and dedicated inspection channels. These measures prioritize customs procedures, including declaration, inspection, sampling, and testing, enabling rapid clearance and immediate release of goods after inspection.

8. Extend the temporary entry period for exhibits under the ATA Carnet

Regulatory and service support measures from previous CIIE editions have been institutionalized. Customs aligns the re-export deadline for goods temporarily admitted under ATA carnets within each carnet's validity period.

9. Advance access negotiations to enrich the variety of exhibits

Accelerate quarantine access negotiations with CIIE-participating countries or regions, expedite risk assessments, and support the exhibition of agricultural and livestock products with acceptable risk levels to facilitate trade with China and expand the variety of imported exhibits at the CIIE.

10. Reduce approval time and optimize the quarantine approval process for special items

Health quarantine applications for special goods and articles entering China for exhibition at the CIIE will be prioritized, with approval for items intended solely for the CIIE exhibition completed within three working days. For special goods and articles temporarily admitted for exhibition, the application materials required for quarantine approval upon departure after the CIIE will be simplified.

11. Simplify entry procedures to facilitate exhibition of food and cosmetics

Food and cosmetics intended solely for exhibition are exempt from Chinese-language labeling and sampling inspections, and verification of consignor and consignee filing documents is waived. For products intended for trial use or tasting in limited quantities, samples may be taken and tested before the exhibition, based on safety risk assessments, and Chinese labels are not required. For small quantities of products offered for trial sale on-site during the exhibition, Chinese labeling may be waived.

12. Streamline exit procedures to facilitate post-exhibition handling of exhibits

For temporary entry exhibits at the ninth CIIE (excluding those under the ATA Carnet), items transferred to special customs supervision areas or bonded supervision sites after the exhibition — including vehicles, which must be transferred to sites authorized for bonded vehicle warehousing — may have their temporary admission procedures and corresponding customs records closed.

13. Support cross-border e-commerce and promote online-offline integration

After the ninth CIIE concludes, inbound exhibits included in the cross-border e-commerce retail import list will be permitted to enter special customs supervision areas or bonded logistics centers (Type B) registered with Customs. Qualified items can be sold under the bonded retail model for cross-border e-commerce.

14. Support cultural relic exhibitions and post-exhibition formalities for purchased exhibits

Exhibits recognized as cultural relics by the national cultural heritage authority may be displayed at the CIIE as temporary entry exhibits or under bonded display arrangements. Cultural relics sold during the exhibition may be imported tax-free if the national cultural heritage authority has approved their purchase by domestic consumers and they meet the requirements of the preferential tax policy for imported exhibits sold during the CIIE.

15. Prioritize inspections and the issuance of certificates for eligible exhibited vehicles

Exhibited vehicles that have completed individual vehicle certification, obtained a China Compulsory Certification (CCC) certificate, and completed the required China VI environmental information disclosures in accordance with the Ecological and Environmental Code of the People's Republic of China will be given priority for statutory commodity inspections and for the issuance of relevant certificates by Customs.

16. Allow certain animal and plant products and related foods without import quarantine access to be exhibited at the CIIE

Animal and plant products, as well as animal- and plant-derived food items, originating from disease-free areas but not yet granted import inspection and quarantine access are permitted to enter China for exhibition. If quarantine approval is required, Shanghai Customs may handle the application under special approval procedures authorized by the GACC.

17. Simplify certificate requirements for some participating products

For animal- and plant-derived foods exhibited at the CIIE, if the risk of spreading animal or plant diseases has been eliminated or is low, the requirement to provide official health certificates or animal and plant quarantine certificates issued by the exporting country or region may be waived.

18. Support ongoing bonded displays and sales to expand the CIIE's spillover effects

Enterprises registered with Customs in special customs supervision areas or bonded logistics centers (Type B) may move bonded goods outside these areas for bonded display, sales, and related business activities upon providing a guarantee. With Customs approval, bonded goods stored in bonded warehouses may also be transported to the CIIE for exhibition under the same arrangements.

Source: General Administration of Customs