The epochal "Pingtan Closure", which refers to the building of an integrated customs supervision and management system in Fujian province’s Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone, was officially implemented on July 15.

The colossal project was completed in less than three years after entering a full construction period last year. In reminiscence, the local paper Pingtan Times issued a chronicle of all important events leading up to its opening.

Infrastructure construction

2013.4 The project of a customs checkpoint near Haixia Bridge officially begins when a construction team reaches the site and flattens the land.

2013.10.1 The 4-story office building for vehicles entering Pingtan at the customs checkpoint is built after only 35 days.

2013.10.15 The office building for vehicles exiting Pingtan at the customs checkpoint rises up.

2013.11-12 Walls made of glass and aluminum plates are installed in the two office buildings. The interior decoration starts as well.

2014.1 Machine rooms for customs and inspection authorities are ready.

2014.1.20 At the office buildings, equipment along with a hall for customs clearance and inspection are built.

2014.2 The information from supervision cameras is connected to the office buildings’ customs-monitoring center. The debugging process begins.

2014.3 Landscaping efforts begin at the customs checkpoint. Interior decoration at the two office buildings is finished.

2014.4 Pingtan Customs builds a headquarters and three sub-control centers in the towns of Suao, Aoqian and Liushui. Fifty-six monitoring sites and 112 cameras are installed in both coastal areas and fishing ports to ensure 24-hour customs supervision.

2014.5.16 A joint inspection team from the General Administration of Customs (GAC), the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Finance, the State Administration of Taxation, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, and Fujian's government announce that the three major customs platforms for the "Pingtan Closure" – namely the customs checkpoints, the round-island customs-supervision system and the information system – passed quality assessment and are set for operation. Pingtan is on its way to becoming the country’s largest special-customs supervision and management area.

2014.7.7 The GAC officially approves the establishment of Pingtan Customs, marking a huge breakthrough in Pingtan’s development. The opening is set to facilitate the implementation of favorable business policies, push industrial transformation, increase cross-Straits communications and build a “Common Homeland” for the people of Pingtan and Taiwan.

2014.7.8 Aoqian port area officially opens to the world after passing quality assessment.

 

Policy and talent

2013.5 Fuzhou Customs dispatches a special team for preliminary work on the “Pingtan Closure”.

2013.6 The GAC issues Regulatory Methods by China Customs on PCPZ (Tentative).

2013.7 Fuzhou Customs gathers 100 elite staffers to work out details on the “Pingtan Closure”.

2013.9 The GAC, Ministry of Finance and State Administration of Taxation put forward a tax policy for Pingtan that allows duty-free or protective tariffs on special imported goods in the area.

2014.1 The GAC approves Pingtan’s piloting of cross-border e-commerce with Taiwan.

2014.3 The State Council approves the opening of Pingtan Port.

2014.6 Pingtan releases a catalogue for overseas investments in Pingtan. The catalogue, similar to a negative list management mode, lists 106 business items in 15 industries where foreign investors are restricted or prohibited.