| Related Stories • China finally opens door to C-TPAT audits, Basham says |
CBP Commissioner Ralph Basham announced a month ago that Minister of Customs Mu Xinsheng had finally agreed to allow U.S. inspectors in the country to verify security compliance of manufacturers and logistics providers whose customers participate in the voluntary supply chain security program.
Mullen said during a press conference with agency leadership during the annual Trade Symposium in Washington that the two customs administrations have exchanged letters about moving ahead with joint validations in which CBP supply chain specialists would accompany Chinese officials during on-site visits of domestic companies. The two sides are still in the process of setting up a meeting in China at the invitation of Mu, he noted.
China is the only country that has refused to allow access to U.S. Customs teams seeking to validate that foreign suppliers are following security plans submitted by their U.S. import customers and approved by CBP. Under C-TPAT, companies that take steps to meet minimum security criteria for their particular industry sector are potentially subject to fewer time-consuming inspections and receive a handful of other trade facilitation benefits, such as front-of-the-line privileges for containers that are selected for automated imaging at the port. ' Eric Kulisch
