The two-day first Global Cross-border E-commerce Conference issued Beijing Declaration on Saturday.

About 2,000 participants from 125 countries reached some consensus under this declaration that recognized the increasing importance of trade facilitation to lower costs and increase efficiency in cross-border e-commerce, and encouraged all stakeholders to take measures to ensure safety, security and integrity of the e-commerce landscape by leveraging on its “electronic,” “data-driven” and “data rich” characteristics.

The Beijing Declaration also calls upon all stakeholders to pay full attention to the revolutionary changes brought by the technologies such as the the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, block chain, big data and cloud computing. 

The declaration believes it’s necessary to strengthen cooperation among the international customs community through the exchange of information, mutual recognition of control and facilitation mechanisms and mutual assistance with regards to law enforcement and facilitation.

It also recognizes the contribution of cross-border e-commerce in reshaping economic growth models, promoting increased globalization, and ensuring economic recovery and prosperity of developing countries, and small- and medium-sized enterprises.

“The Beijing Declaration delivered the consensus and vision of the customs in the world, China Customs, and all other stakeholders. The issuance of the declaration will further condense the consensus of all parties, facilitate the innovation of management ideas and  trade facilitation, and develop in a balanced way,” said Zou Zhiwu, the vice minister of General Administration of China Customs.

Besides the Beijing Declaration, the participants further discussed the framework of standards for cross-border e-commerce and reached a consensus on the main principles of this framework. 

This document was drafted by the World Customs Organization and China Customs, and it’s the first guiding documentation on how global customs supervise and provide services for cross-border e-commerce.

The enterprises in the cross-border e-commerce sector also issued the Action Declaration of Global Cross-border E-commerce Sector, which calls up the government, business and the third party organizations to facilitate the development of cross-border e-commerce.

The conference also decided that the Global Cross-border E-commerce Conference will be held every two years.