G/TFA/W/90  
 
8 March 2023  
(23-1695) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Trade Facilitation  Original: English  
 
PROMOTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WTO TRADE FACILITATION AGREEMENT 
THROUGH DIGITAL REVOLUTION AND INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGIES  
COMMUNICATION FROM CHINA  
The following communication, dated 6 March 2023, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of China.  
 
_______________  
 
 
1.1.  Recognizing the success achieved since the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement 
(TFA) especially when facing the shock of COVID -19 on global supply chains, more and more WTO 
Members have realized that the comprehensive and high -quality implementation of the TFA is of 
positive significance in effectively dealing with major emergencies, promoting economic recovery 
and enhancing the resilience and safety of supply chain.  
1.2.  Disruptive Technologies such as  digitalization, big data, smart algorithms, block -chain and 
Internet of Things are profoundly changing the pattern and way of international trade, presenting  
new opportunities and challenges to the implementation of TFA.  
1.3.  We encourage WTO Members to positi vely embrace the new opportunities of trade facilitation 
brought about by intelligent technology. Through the new generation of intelligence technology, we 
can actively carry out institutional innovation, improve the quality  of control and administration o f 
customs and other border agencies , promote the joint efforts to build smart borders and realize the 
connectivity among Members across borders. We can improve the quality of TFA  implementation 
through the construction of "Smart Customs, Smart Border, Smar t Connectivity", so as to upgrade 
the transparency and predictability of the business environment for cross -border trade, as well as 
enhance the stability, resilience, facilitation and safety of the international supply chain.  
1.4.  Considering the diverse innov ations and practices of WTO Members in the implementation of 
the TFA according to their own circumstances, in order to facilitate the in -depth implementation of 
the TFA , narrow the digital divide and prepare for development of TFA in the future,  we suggest  the 
Committee on Trade Facilitation stimulate  discussions and encourage Members to exchange their 
experiences, best practices as well as challenges on the following issues, including but not limited 
to:  
I. Article 1 Publication and accessibility of information  
• Accelerate digitalization of trade information, promoting border agencies to try to publish 
additional  trade-related information besides Article 2 .1 of TFA through the  internet in 
electronic format .  
• Establish and maintain "online" and "offline" enquiry points and explore the possibility to 
provide the Internet mobile "fingertip services", with a view to renderi ng more intelligent 
and convenient consulting services to governments, traders and stakehold ers for the 
accessibility of trade -related information.  G/TFA/W/90  
 
- 2 - 
 
  II. Article 7 Release of goods and customs clearance  
• Allow traders to declare goods in advance through electronic data interchange , pay 
customs duties and other taxes or fees by e -payment, and minimize the requirements for 
the submission of paper documents as much as possible. We also encourage members to 
explore the establishment of a paperless customs clearance environment to facili tate the 
clearance of goods.  
• Adopt AR (Augmented Reality), AI (Artificial Intelligence), Big Data and other advanced 
technologies with a view to optimizing the pattern of customs risk management and 
customs control, including but not limited to automatic c ollection, identification 
comparison of information and documents of means of transport, containers cargoes and 
personnel as well as remote contactless monitoring and non-intrusive inspection.  
• Promote customs and other border agencies to connect with trade rs by intelligence 
technology . Examples would include the connectivity of customs information system with 
enterprises ERP systems, which enables automatic data comparison between customs 
supervision and enterprises logistics, capital flow and information f low, and generate 
real-time warning, the application of online validation observing and consultation during 
the process of mutual recognition of authorized operators (AOs).  
III. Article 8 Border Agency Cooperation  
• Coordinate and optimize border supervision  functions, with a view to establishing a 
governance system with online and offline collaboration between customs and other border 
agencies, and exploring the possibility of setting up a public service platform supported by 
the block chain technology to fa cilitate supervision data sharing across regulatory 
authorities.  
• Strengthen cooperation among  Members who share common borders by means of 
information technology, including but not limited to such areas of information exchange 
on goods and conveyance enter ing and leaving the common border, so as to facilitate the 
coordination of relevant procedures & formalities and accelerate border clearance.  
IV. Article 10 Formalities Connected with Importation, Exportation and Transit  
• Encourage  the harmonization of data  elements and data processing among Members as 
far as possible by adopting international standards, and promote the electronization of 
documents required for import, export and transit especially through  the establishment or 
maintenance of "single window".  
• Expand the range of the adoption of "single window" used in customs clearance processes 
besides declaration of goods and conveyances, and explore the possibility to promote the 
inter-connectivity  of single windows across Members.  
V.  Article 11 Freedom of  Transit  
• Use electronic systems for transit procedure s to support the early submission and 
processing of electronic transit documents and data prior to the arrival of transit goods 
with a view to improving the efficiency of transit clearance.  
• Adopt ICT (in formation and communications technology) tools, in accordance with its laws 
and regulations, to exchange information on transit goods and conveyances at the place s 
of departure, destination and transit, as well as simplify and coordinate procedures and 
documentation requirements in transit process involving multiple Members.  
VI. Article  12 Customs Cooperation  
• Strengthen the intelligent inter-connectivity  and cooperation among customs  through 
electronic means.  Explore possibilities of enhancing  information sharing among 
authorities, private sectors, especially small and medium -sized enterprises, research G/TFA/W/90  
 
- 3 - 
 
  institutions, and other trade facilitation stakeholders at both the technical and strategic 
levels through ele ctronic means, including block chains and decision -making advisory 
mechanisms.  
1.5.  Taking into account the differences in development levels among Members and regions, 
especially the challenges faced by developing and least -developed Members,  we believe that 
promoting the implementation of the TFA through institutional innovation driven by digital and 
intelligence technologies should be one of the prioritized areas for technical assistance and 
capacity -building support, which should focus on the special needs o f developing Members, 
especially the least -developed Members, in terms of participating in relevant seminars and activities 
formulating and implementing relevant measures with the aim to narrow the digital divide.  
__________