Expert visit to Shanghai on import inspection of vehicles

From the 15 to 17 September, representatives of the Federal Ministry of Economical Affairs and Energy (BMWi) and the German automotive industry visited the Inspection and Quarantine Bureau (CIQ) in Shanghai to exchange on latest developments in import and export of cars and components.

Opening the talks, Mr. Boris Petschulat (DDG Industry, BMWi) and Mr. Xie Qiuhui (DDG of Shanghai CIQ) emphasized the importance of Sino-German trade relations and pointed out the exceptional position of Shanghai as a trade hub for automotive products.

Besides a detailed introduction of the Chinese import inspection system and the ongoing reforms within this system, the participants also exchanged about challenges that both sides are confronted with in trading automotive products. Important questions such as safety assessment, conformity with laws & requirements and protection against counterfeiting have been openly discussed. The CIQ – considering itself a “doorkeeper” for the Chinese market – focuses strongly on these three aspects when inspecting imported goods.

A visit to the CIQ inspection of imported vehicles in the port of Shanghai then gave the discussions a practical background, while a visit to the Shanghai Free Trade Zone provided insights into how a stronger integration of market surveillance and custom authorities in China will likely be set up in the near future.