Welcome Message

Dear esteemed Members of the WCO Asia/Pacific (A/P) Region,

I am deeply honoured to take on the prestigious and important role of Vice-Chairperson for the WCO Asia/Pacific Region (APVC) upon my assumption of the post of Commissioner of Hong Kong Customs and Excise, Hong Kong, China on 31 December 2024.

It is both a privilege and a responsibility to represent our 35 A/P Members of the WCO. I remain committed to serving our region with dedication, and to contributing to seamless Customs processes. Customs modernisation policies and trade efficiency are closely related, which in turn enable global economic growth and help alleviate poverty. Indeed, the A/P Region has made remarkable strides over the past two decades, with forecasts indicating continued growth that surpasses the global average. Against this background, we aim to advance the future development of the A/P Region and sustain the driving force for the continuous development of the global Customs community.

I would like to extend my gratitude to ex-Commissioner Ms Louise Ho and my colleagues, who have paved the way for future success. During our two-year tenure as the APVC, we will focus on bolstering the A/P Region’s position on the international stage. We plan to host a series of international and regional conferences, meetings and workshops, while coordinating joint law enforcement operations with the aim of combatting transnational organized crime.

We will strive to address key areas, such as trade facilitation, revenue collection, protection of society and organizational development, and commit to promoting gender equality and diversity. We will prioritise technology and innovation, green Customs and governance, integrity and accountability. Emphasis will also be placed on taking forward the objectives of our Regional Strategic Plan and addressing global concerns including e-commerce, anti-money laundering and smart customs initiatives.

We are hopeful that through these activities, we can advance the WCO’s Strategic Plan and foster regional collaboration, with Hong Kong, China playing a pivotal leadership role. Effective communication and co-operation are vital for the ongoing success of the A/P Region. We embrace every challenge as an opportunity to showcase our resilience, and believe that concerted efforts with a common goal will benefit us all. Let us rise together and achieve our goal!

Best regards,

Tsz-tat Chan

WCO Vice-Chairperson for the Asia/Pacific Region

Commissioner of Hong Kong Customs

Welcome to WCO Asia/ Pacific Website

The World Customs Organization (WCO) is an independent, intergovernmental, world-wide body competent in Customs matters and has a mission to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Customs administrations.With a growing world wide membership the WCO has divided its membership into six regions.  Each of the six regions is represented by a regionally elected Vice-Chairperson to the WCO Council. This regional structure was established to provide practical assistance in order to:

• Ensure the permanent presence of the WCO in each region of the world; 
• Ensure that the WCO is kept informed of regional interests; 
• Promote greater involvement of members in WCO activities; 
• Encourage non-members to join the WCO; 
• Establish close cooperation with regional organisations working in the Customs field; and
• Promote cooperation between members in each region.

There are currently 35 WCO members in the Asia/Pacific Region:

 In addition to attending the annual WCO Council Session in Brussels, Belgium, the WCO members from the Asia/Pacific Region meet annually to develop regional positions on WCO issues and decide on the regional representation to the WCO. 

Role of Vice-Chair

The Region is represented by a Regional Vice-Chair. The role of the Regional Vice-Chair is to:

• Identify regional requirements in respect of WCO activities;
• Identify potential facilities and support for such facilities;
• Assist in making arrangements for seminars, training sessions etc.;
• Obtaining the views of Members in the region for presentation at Policy Commission meetings;
• As appropriate, represent the WCO at meetings of international bodies in the region; and 
• Arrange periodic regional meetings to foster WCO activities and hold discussions on subjects of common interest to members in the region.

The Far East, South and South East Asia, Australasia and the Pacific Islands Region of the World Customs Organization is composed of the following members:

Afghanistan (Islamic Republic of), Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China (Peoples' Republic of), Fiji, Hong Kong China, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Japan, Korea (Republic of), Lao (People's Democratic Republic of), Macao China, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar (Republic of the Union of), Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga (Kingdom of), Vanuatu and Vietnam.

The current Regional Vice-Chair is Hong Kong,China.

The current regional representatives at Policy Commission meetings are the China, Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Korea, and New Zealand.

The Region is represented at WCO Finance Committee meetings by four elected regional members. The current regional members of the Finance Committee are the China, India, Japan and Korea.

The Regional representatives at WCO Audit Committee are Indonesia and New Zealand.

The delegates of all regional members are able to attend Customs WCO Council Sessions.

Regional Meetings

Meeting of Regional Contact Points

The nominated contacts for each administration in the region meet at least once a year (usually in October) to discuss and exchange opinions on matters of common interest.

Regional Conference of Heads of Administrations

The Regional Conference is hosted by the Regional Vice-Chairman (usually biennially). It is attended by the Directors-General of regional customs administrations and sets the region's direction for the following two years.

List of recent Vice-Chairs for the WCO Asia/Pacific Region

List of the venues for recent RCP meetings

List of the venues for recent RHCA conferences