The China-SCO Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Zone is located in Jiaozhou, Qingdao, Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The China-SCO demonstration zone in Qingdao, Shandong province recently launched 20 institutional innovation cases, which are intended to provide solutions to boost trade facilitation and upgrade economic and trade cooperation among SCO countries.

The 20 institutional innovation cases cover six areas, including logistics and transportation, trade development, industrial cooperation, the application of scientific and technological achievements, the free flow of people, and the facilitation of the financial supply.

The China-SCO demonstration zone has opened regular special transport lines to Baku, Azerbaijan, Tbilisi, Georgia, and Izmit, Turkey, saving about one-third of the time compared with the conventional sea and land transport, and effectively guarantees the stability of the international industrial chain and supply chain.

The Asia-Europe Freight Train Transportation Customer Service Center in the zone provides whole-process services covering domestic and overseas railways such as freight train assemblies and deployments and transfers to effectively meet the diversified needs of customers.

The zone has established a cooperative mechanism for regional customs and tax enterprise credit certification. By the certification mode of "customs leading + government support + third-party participation", it has conducted AEO and A-class tax credit cultivation and certification for key enterprises, which is intended to help local enterprises enjoy customs clearance convenience and tax support at the same time.

The zone has also reached cooperation intentions with Uzbekistan, Armenia, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Sri Lanka and other SCO countries, and will gradually promote the mutual recognition of AEO and enhance trade facilitation.