For Immediate Release
DHS Press Office
Contact: 202-282-8010
WASHINGTON— Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson met with China Customs Minister Yu Guangzhou to discuss progress on a number of customs and law enforcement issues since Secretary Johnson visited Beijing in April 2015. Secretary Johnson and Minister Yu outlined a path forward to continue cooperation in the coming months.
During the meeting, Secretary Johnson and Minister Yu signed a Declaration of Principles that will expand the Container Security Initiative (CSI) in China to better adapt to and prioritize threats and customs violations, including intellectual property enforcement, narcotics, and precursor chemicals. Since its inception in 2002, CSI has expanded and is now operational at 60 ports across North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin and Central America. These ports prescreen over 80 percent of all maritime containerized cargo imported into the United States, assisting in the Department’s efforts on security and the facilitation of legitimate travel and trade.
Secretary Johnson and Minister Yu also discussed how the United States and China can move forward with a Mutual Recognition Arrangement through the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism and means to share best practices for cargo targeting. The two sides also affirmed the importance of joint efforts to protect the global supply chain against customs violations, including illicit shipment of explosive precursor chemicals and counterfeit goods.
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