No checkpoint left behind: frontline Customs officers receive vital timber training
At least one customs officer from every import checkpoint across China attended recent anti-timber-smuggling training by the Chinese Academy of Customs Administration (CACA) and TRAFFIC.
China is a key destination and processing country of timber products in global supply chains. Over the course of four days in Qinhuangdao, 68 Customs officers participated in training that underscored the critical nature of their roles in preventing timber smuggling in the supply chain and, in turn, championing global sustainable forest management.
Ling XU, Director of TRAFFIC China, said, “This training is important to improve the supervision and law enforcement of frontline customs officers in China, which can effectively prevent and combat the smuggling of endangered timber, further standardise the inspection and supervision of imported timber ports, ensure the sustainable economic development of timber sourcing, producing, and trading countries.” The training covered:
CITES and timber import & export management in China
Inspection and Supervision of Imported Timber at checkpoints
Current Status of Illegal Trade in Endangered Tropical Timber Worldwide
Combatting timber trafficking and International Cooperation
Relevant regulations and policies of endangered tropical timber in the range countries
An overview of the Tropical Timber Supply Chain and China's Import and Export
An Overview of the World Customs Organization Guidelines for Timber Verifying Timber Legality for Customs
On top of this, group discussions explored customs supervision cases, exploring avenues for improvement. Customs officers also received hands-on training in utilising tools for identifying endangered timber species.
Such capacity-building efforts will also contribute to the protection of global biodiversity and effectively build China's ecological safety barrier, as well as prevent invasive species from imported timber and wood products.”
Ling XU, Director of TRAFFIC ChinaThis training is one crucial component of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Chinese Academy of Customs Administration and TRAFFIC, signed earlier this year, solidifying their commitment to effective collaboration.
Prof. CHEN Hui, the President of the CACA, said, “Our academy attaches great importance to this cooperation project, and we are very pleased to see such high-quality cooperation take place shortly after the MoU signing with TRAFFIC.”
