AEO stands for "Authorized Economic Operator", which is an important system advocated by the World Customs Organization (WCO) to establish a partnership between customs and the business community in order to achieve the goals of the "Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade". Customs in various countries (regions) provide maximum facilitation for certified enterprises through AEO mutual recognition cooperation. As of now, Chinese customs has signed AEO mutual recognition agreements with 54 countries (regions), ranking first in the world in terms of the number of mutual recognitions. Becoming an AEO Customs Advanced Certified Enterprise means that Changhong International has received recognition from Chinese customs and the customs of the 54 mutually recognized countries (regions). The company's import and export business will benefit from this, including enjoying low inspection rates, priority inspections, priority customs clearance, and joint incentive measures from 40 ministries and commissions such as the General Administration of Customs.

AEO certification has strict requirements in terms of the safety of business partners, personnel, premises, and access. In order to align with the development goal of becoming a first-class enterprise, Changhong International officially launched the AEO certification preparation work in early 2021. However, the initial stage faced numerous difficulties, especially during the application phase, experiencing two changes in the standards of the Customs Advanced Credit Management Measures, indicating that completed work must be adjusted according to the newly issued standards, which posed new challenges for practical operations. Under the personalized cultivation plan provided by Zhoushan Customs, relevant departments of the company actively cooperated, and the preparation team continuously studied the AEO certification standards, timely correcting all issues. During the pandemic lockdown, the preparation team clarified their goals, overcame many adverse factors, and made every effort to advance the certification work. After passing the internal audit, they promptly corrected the identified issues and tracked them until closure, promoting continuous improvement of the company's relevant systems, processes, and hardware facilities.

Listening to the audit report in the conference room

In the warehouse

Verifying data

In the invoicing center

At the dock

In the monitoring room

Checking the surveillance

In April 2023, Hangzhou Customs conducted a three-day on-site audit of Changhong, focusing on a series of normative requirements such as document control, personnel management, internal audit, information systems, premises management, and business partner management. They examined key aspects of the company's customs affairs, internal audit, finance, monitoring, security, and bonded material management from multiple dimensions, giving high praise and full recognition to the management of the company's import and export business, and providing careful guidance based on the company's actual situation, offering further guidance and suggestions on internal control and trade security. After the working group deeply rectified the system processes and on-site issues, Changhong International finally passed the certification on July 5.

At the awarding ceremony, Changhong's Executive Vice President Dai Yayun thanked Zhoushan Customs for the comprehensive guidance provided during the cultivation period, detailed the company's current development status and business extension, and stated that Changhong will continue to work hard, using the AEO advanced certification as a starting point, fully utilizing policy support, actively exploring high-end markets at home and abroad, and promoting the company's higher quality development.