Apec cooperation delivers tangible benefits to daily life

Résumé détaillé

Benefiting from the continued efforts of Apec to promote trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation, imported products are becoming increasingly affordable in China, giving consumers more choices

At a container terminal in Shekou, Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong province, a vessel carrying about 300 tonnes of premium Monthong durians from Thailand slowly docked.

Customs officers were already in position. An intelligent fruit inspection robot scanned the labels on the outer cartons, instantly verifying information such as the product name and place of origin. Samples were sent directly to a laboratory for testing, with results returned promptly. The fruits were soon transported to wholesale markets across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and placed on supermarket shelves.At a fruit shop in Tianhe district, Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, Monthong durian was priced at 17.8 yuan ($2.65) per 500 grams, while some varieties were available for as little as 13.8 yuan.

Local resident Zhang Xin picked up a durian weighing about three kilogrammes. “Durians used to cost at least 20 yuan per 500 grams, so buying one would cost around 200 yuan. Now, it costs about 100 yuan — quite a bit cheaper,” she said.

According to data from Shenzhen Customs, 26,200 tonnes of fresh durians worth 797 million yuan were imported through Shenzhen ports from April to July this year, up 40.86 per cent and 22.62 per cent year on year, respectively. Both figures hit record highs. Thailand, Malaysia, and other Apec economies are major sources of durian imports.

Benefiting from the continued efforts of Apec to promote trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation, imported products such as cherries from Chile, cosmetics from South Korea, milk powder from New Zealand, and beef from Australia are becoming increasingly affordable in China, giving consumers more choices. Late last year and early this year, special offers at many fruit shops across China brought the price of cherries down to as little as 99 yuan for 2.5 kilogrammes. Ten years ago, the same Chilean cherries could cost as much as 500 to 600 yuan per kilogramme at some premium supermarkets.

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