On 07 November 2024, the World Customs Organization (WCO) announced that from 28 October 2024 to 01 November 2024, the WCO had held the first domestic study mission under the Smart Customs Project in China, focusing on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML).
Supported by the Customs Cooperation Fund of China (CCF China), this mission gathered officials from crucial departments, including Risk Management, Science and Technology, Port Control, and International Cooperation in the headquarters, alongside the representatives from National Targeting Centres in Shanghai, Qingdao, and Huangpu, and officials from regional and local Customs offices.
In the opening session, the Director General of the Department of Risk Management highlighted the transformative role of digitalisation and intelligent Customs systems in enhancing Customs performance and the security and efficiency of global trade.
Leadership's active engagement and the level of participation in the mission underscored the strong commitment to driving advancements in AI and ML implementation in China Customs.
Discussions addressed the technological prerequisites, policy frameworks, use case scenarios, cost assessments, and organisational readiness and change management strategies to integrate these technologies seamlessly into Customs practices.
On-site visits in Huangpu and Guangzhou Districts explored vital use cases, including the Tianji Knowledge Graph System, to identify high-risk enterprises through a visualisation of relationship networks, Smart NII Image Analysis, Intelligent Document Examination, Smart Port Development and AI Applications in the Single Window Environment.
Discussions also highlighted the tangible benefits of AI integration, such as greater risk management accuracy, reduced repetitive workloads, enhanced operational coverage, accelerated clearance times, and improved consistency in decision-making. Achieving these benefits, however, requires ongoing investments in specialised expertise, advanced computational resources, robust data analytics infrastructure, and well-defined policies.
The mission stressed the need for a solid IT infrastructure while fostering innovative thinking and creativity across all organisational tiers. Additionally, stakeholder engagement and proactive communication on AI's advantages were identified as strategic components of the Smart Customs vision, emphasising the partnership role for “Smart Customs, Smart Borders, and Smart Connectivity”.
A human-in-the-loop approach was also emphasised, integrating human oversight within AI processes to ensure accountability and continuous improvement.
Furthermore, the mission acknowledged the synergistic potential of AI with other cutting-edge technologies like geospatial mapping, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT), which amplify benefits when aligned with strategic IT objectives.
In the closing session, Gao Fengrong, Director of the Risk Management Department, reaffirmed China Customs' commitment to fostering international collaboration and harnessing disruptive technologies to bridge digital divides and strengthen global trade facilitation.
Based on the mission's findings, a detailed case study on implementing AI and ML by China Customs will be released on the soon-to-be-launched Smart Customs Community Portal. It will contribute to updating the existing Study Report on Disruptive Technologies.
The Study is accessible at: