Annex V.E. Experience of China: customs as the responsible agency
5.E.1. The General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) is the responsible agency for the compilation of international merchandise trade statistics. In China, customs is responsible for the collection, processing, compilation and dissemination ofChina’s external merchandise trade statistics according to the customs law, the statistics law, and the regulation on customs statistics of China. The Statistical Department in the General Administration of Customs of China is responsible for the formulation of the methodology in accordance with the international standards that have been adopted, the organization of nationwide trade statistical operations, the development and implementation of data compilation arrangements, and the dissemination and analysis of merchandise trade statistics. For each of the 41 customs districts throughout China, a statistical office has been established which is responsible for the collection, verification, processing and transmission of its regional trade data to the General Administration of Customs of China.
5.E.2. Customs Automation Entry System. The customs declaration is the exclusive source of data for international merchandise trade statistics. The declarations are made through the Customs Automation Entry System and are examined by customs officers. The data records for compiling trade statistics are extracted and verified by the statistician in relevant customs districts, and then transmitted online from all customs districts to the computer centre of the General Administration of Customs on a monthly basis. The General Administration of Customs publishes data on a monthly basis, through media, online and through regular publications.
5.E.3. Cooperation between the General Administration of Customs and other agencies. An institutional cooperation mechanism has been set u between the General Administration of Customs and other agencies to respond to users’ requirement in order to improve the quality of statistics. Memorandum of understanding and agreements on statistical information services have been established between the General Administration of Customs and the National Bureau of Statistics, the Central Bank, the Ministry of Commerce and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, among other bodies, for the compilation of other economic statistics according to SNA/BOP requirements, or for the purpose of trade administration and analysis.