AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Nov. 17 -- "It has been an absolute pleasure to be here to open this," New Zealand Minister of Customs Meka Whaitiri said during an official opening of the Customs e-Gates to Chinese e-passport holders on Friday.
New Zealand Customs e-Gates, formerly known as the SmartGate, is a system to facilitate travellers to pass the Customs easier. The system uses biometrics to match the picture in e-passport with the picture it takes of the passport holder at the gate. It is much efficient than traditional manual way of passing through the Customs.
E-Gates were introduced at New Zealand airports in 2009, and China is the sixth country that the service opens to, after New Zealand, Australia, the United States, Britain and Canada.
Earlier this year, the New Zealand government announced to launch facilitation procedures for Chinese citizens' customs clearance in New Zealand airports and offer multi-entry visas valid for up to five years. One of the main aims of those measures is to attract more Chinese tourists to New Zealand.
Whaitiri told Xinhua that China is the second largest international tourism market for New Zealand and the Chinese tourists contribute quite a lot to local economy.
New Zealand values Chinese visitors to the country. The opening of e-Gates to Chinese tourists is a measure to make their experience through the Customs and Immigration checks an easy one.
"What a lovely sight to see your (the Chinese) flag and your (the Chinese) language up there (in the screen) to help facilitate the many Chinese visitors we want to welcome on our shores," Whaitiri told Xinhua.
Qu Guangzhou, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand, cut a red ribbon with Whaitiri in front of the e-Gates in Auckland Airport on Friday.
He said the number of Chinese tourists to New Zealand keeps growing in recent years. The fact that they can use eGates to facilitate their journey is much more convenient.
Chinese e-passport program started in 2013. Currently, about 70 percent of Chinese passport holders have e-passports, who will be able to use e-Gates when they come to New Zealand.
New Zealand Customs Acting Comptroller Christine Stevenson said that expanding e-Gates to more countries will help to manage the increasing number of travellers arriving and departing New Zealand.
"By allowing eligible passengers to complete their Customs and Immigration checks quickly and easily, it also enables Customs officers to focus on travellers who may present a higher risk," said Stevenson.
New Zealand Custom e-Gates are available in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown to eligible e-passport holders aged 12 years and over.
There Are No Shortcuts
美世调查:新加坡基础设施居全球之冠
英国将坚持紧缩至2018年
The Gift of Possibility
浑水质疑奥兰国际灰色会计做法
日本也应聘外国人担任央行行长
茶餐厅连锁翠华控股香港上市首日股价飙升
价值投资者看好日本商业地产
I Try to Remember
创造你的运气
360与百度在搜索领域展开攻防战
美国房价连续6个月上涨
泰国反政府集会凸显总理英拉面临的挑战
国美力图在网上销售领域奋起直追
巴菲特向瑞士再保险索赔10亿美元
汇丰将在美国交纳巨额罚款
通往广场的路不止一条
I've learned 我懂了
We can't Endure the Light of Life
Broken Wings,Flying Heart
不要让自己做有才华的穷人
国际投资者重返印度楼市
浑水做空奥兰有戏吗?
朝鲜火箭试射可能因大雪而延迟
韩国怀疑朝鲜再度更换军方最高领导人
Love with been loved
冬日漫步
日本首相野田佳彦欢迎美国将重心转向亚太
This Beautiful Moment
美国财长对财政悬崖谈判摆出强硬立场
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |