Hengqin Port starts to resume clearance of goods, freight vehicles

A vehicle loaded with goods from Macao entered the Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin at 09:00 on Sunday, after undergoing clearance procedures at the Hengqin Port, marking the resumption of customs clearance of goods and freight vehicles at the port.

As the Hengqin Port connects the southern coastal city Zhuhai in Guangdong Province with Lotus Port in Macao, the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) government proposed moving its Lotus Port to the Hengqin port to simplify the customs procedures.

Since Aug 16, 2020, as for freight vehicles originally cleared at the Hengqin Port, they have been temporarily diverted to other checkpoints for customs clearance.

About four years later, the new Hengqin Port opened to the public, and passenger clearance services by previous Hengqin and Lotus ports were relocated to this new port.

At present, the Hengqin Port is taking steps to resume the clearance of freight vehicles traveling between the island of Qinqin and Macao for business purposes.

The relevant departments of Guangdong and the Macao SAR will gradually improve the customs clearance arrangements for goods and freight vehicles at the Hengqin Port based on the actual needs.

"The customs clearance at the Hengqin port is both convenient and fast, which helps cut our logistics cost by 30 percent," said a freight truck driver surnamed Lai with Dah Chong Hong (DCH) logistics center in Hengqin.

The island of Hengqin started a new customs operation on March 1 this year that allows most goods to be moved there tax-free from the neighboring Macao SAR.

The new policy has effectively facilitated the flow of goods, personnel, capital and information between Hengqin and Macao, and create valuable new space for Macao's new industries and business forms.

"Hengqin Customs will continue to expand the 'soft connectivity' of relevant rules and mechanisms, continue to make efforts in innovating the supervision mode, boosting facilitation of the cross-border trade, and increasing the investment in smart supervision facilities, so as to ensure the smooth flow of goods between Hengqin and Macao, accelerate industrial development, and promote the moderately diversified development of Macao's economy," said Nie Linshan, deputy commissioner of Hengqin Customs under Gongbei Customs.

Hengqin is an island in Zhuhai, a prefecture-level city and special economic zone in Guangdong Province neighboring Macao. The Chinese government unveiled a plan in September 2021 to promote the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin as a new platform to boost Macao's targeted economic diversification.

Hengqin Port starts to resume clearance of goods, freight vehicles

Japan has introduced a new program for foreign employers to replace the Technical Intern Training Program, which was implemented over the last three decades, with a new training and employment system expected to be fully implemented within three years to tackle the labor shortage.

Overall, the new training and employment system is more flexible than the previous Technical Intern Training Program. It relaxes restrictions on foreign employees changing companies and eliminates the compulsory requirement for them to return to their home countries after three years.

Instead, it allows foreign workers who meet certain Japanese language and technical proficiency criteria to switch employers, and those with adequate technical abilities and meeting specific requirements can even apply to obtain permanent residency.

This initiative aims to address a labor shortage exacerbated by a 13-year consecutive decline in the Japanese population, with 16.1 percent of people aged over 75. This demographic trend has left around 70 percent of medium- and small-sized enterprises facing labor shortages.

"Women who previously had no jobs are now employed, and elderly workers continue to work, which helps to fill gaps in the labor market. However, sectors such as civil construction still face severe labor shortages," said Masaaki Shigehara, member of a council at General Affairs Department of Dai-ichi Life Group.

Experts believe the new system will enable foreign labor to more easily access industries experiencing critical labor shortages, including construction, nursing, agriculture, and car maintenance.

"In the car maintenance industry, the talent shortage issue could be alleviated if the new training and employment system develops as expected. This could significantly reduce the survival risks faced by enterprises. We hope this new system will be implemented successfully," said Ichi Yoshino, chairman of Japan Autobody Repair Work Association.

Japan introduces new employment system for foreigners to tackle severe labor shortages