The China-Europe Railway Express (Qilu Number) consolidation center in Jinan, Shandong Province, has recently begun construction, becoming a vital logistics hub connecting China and Europe. This project includes a multifunctional area providing both basic and value-added services, supporting the robust development of the international logistics network.
The USPS Q2 financial report shows a narrowed loss and increased operating revenue, despite ongoing macroeconomic, regulatory, and competitive challenges. The USPS Ground Advantage service performed strongly, with parcel delivery becoming a growth driver. Experts believe the USPS is moving in the right direction, and its ability to achieve a turnaround remains to be seen. While facing headwinds, the improved financial performance and the success of Ground Advantage offer a glimmer of hope for the future of the United States Postal Service.
UPS is in discussions with USPS to revamp their Ground Saver service partnership, aiming to reduce costs and expand coverage. This move stems from increased cost pressures on UPS after taking over delivery responsibilities and the USPS's new leadership seeking to optimize capacity. If the collaboration succeeds, Ground Saver could potentially extend to PO Boxes and locations like Alaska and Hawaii, offering merchants a more competitive logistics solution. The renewed partnership focuses on leveraging each other's strengths for mutual benefit and improved service offerings.
Thailand Customs, guided by the WCO, is upgrading its intellectual property border enforcement system through data analysis and risk management optimization. The workshop promoted international cooperation and communication with rights holders. Future efforts will focus on strengthening data analysis capacity building, exploring the application of artificial intelligence, and improving laws and regulations to more effectively combat counterfeit products. This includes enhancing data-driven decision-making and fostering collaboration to address the challenges posed by IP infringements at the border.
The Korea Customs Service (KCS) increased its contribution to the World Customs Organization (WCO) Language Fund, aiming to promote broader participation in WCO activities by customs administrations by overcoming language barriers through translation and interpretation services. Simultaneously, the WCO emphasizes the importance of digital transformation and data culture, encouraging members to leverage data-driven decision-making and build data ecosystems to enhance customs management efficiency and global trade facilitation. This initiative highlights the WCO's commitment to both inclusivity and modernization within the global customs community.
The World Customs Organization (WCO) conducted an online workshop to enhance Madagascar Customs' valuation capabilities, covering valuation principles, Incoterms, the transaction value method, used vehicle valuation, and combating under-invoicing. Madagascar Customs officials actively participated, significantly improving their valuation skills. WCO experts commended their efforts and recommended strengthening valuation database development, enhancing risk management, fostering international cooperation, and continuing capacity building initiatives. This initiative aims to improve revenue collection and ensure fair trade practices in Madagascar.
The WCO is assisting Bolivia in enhancing its Origin Advance Ruling (OAR) capabilities. This initiative aims to promote trade facilitation, enabling Bolivia to better integrate into global value chains and strengthen its export competitiveness. By improving OAR processes, Bolivia can provide greater certainty and predictability to traders, reducing delays and costs associated with customs procedures. This collaboration with the WCO supports Bolivia's efforts to streamline trade, attract investment, and ultimately boost its economic growth through increased participation in international trade.
The World Customs Organization (WCO) has upgraded the user support system for its CLiKC! platform, introducing a user manual, interactive tutorials, and a frequently asked questions (FAQ) section to help users quickly get started. A trainer's guide will also be launched in September. All these resources are now available in the "Help" section on the CLiKC! homepage. The enhancements aim to improve user experience and learning efficiency within the CLiKC! platform, providing comprehensive support for customs training initiatives.
Douyin launched a support plan for small and medium-sized businesses, focusing on quality products. It boosts product exposure and conversion for these businesses through search ranking prioritization and traffic support. Eligibility criteria include monthly sales below 5,000 orders and an experience score of ≥70. Merchants should pay attention to official hot-selling & recruitment guides, optimize product information, improve store experience scores, actively participate in platform activities, and conduct data analysis and optimization to seize opportunities and achieve growth.
With WCO support, Bahrain Customs enhanced its post-clearance audit capabilities through workshops and learned about pre-arrival processing systems to meet WTO's Trade Facilitation Agreement requirements. This initiative aims to optimize customs clearance processes, improve efficiency, and inject new vitality into Bahrain's economic development. The WCO's continued support will help Bahrain Customs modernize and serve as a model for other developing countries. The training focused on risk management and data analysis techniques to improve audit effectiveness and targeting.
