Jining customs officials visit a local company to offer help. [Photo/Dazhong Daily]

Yuanzhi (Jining) International Freight Forwarding Company, which is located in Jining, East China's Shandong province, recently received its Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) certification, becoming the first freight forwarder with AEO status in Jining.

The AEO program was introduced by the World Customs Organization to secure international trade flow and facilitate legitimate low-risk trade. If a company meets standards in terms of internal controls, financial viability, compliance with customs requirements, as well as supply chain security, it will be certified as an AEO and receive preferential treatment from customs authorities.

Yuanzhi, which has many years of experience in freight forwarding, imported and exported more than 16,000 shipments of goods in 2020. With the AEO status, it is expected to improve customs clearance efficiency and reduce violation risks for Jining's foreign trade companies.

Jining customs offered a great deal of help with Yuanzhi's application process, said Wang Fang, director of the company. It provided detailed guidance and streamlined the certification process, added Wang.

According to Liu Guang, director of the company management department at Jining customs, the bureau will continue to hold various training activities to help local companies enhance their competitiveness and reap more benefits.