With the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) opening today, Shanghai’s port authority and customs service have unveiled an end-to-end ‘智能通道’ (‘smart corridor’) that shepherds foreign VIPs from aircraft door to conference venue without a single paper check. The initiative, announced 17 July on the Shanghai Port Office website, combines pre-arrival data-sharing, facial-recognition e-gates and escort vehicles using dedicated lanes. Customs officers worked with the conference secretariat to preload passport details of more than 1,400 overseas speakers and exhibitors. Upon de-planing at Pudong or Hongqiao airports, delegates pass through special lanes where biometric verification completes immigration, health and customs declarations in under 45 seconds. Checked baggage is tagged with RFID chips and routed to a separate claim carousel adjacent to the limousine pick-up zone, cutting terminal dwell time to about 15 minutes. The system reflects Shanghai’s ambition to position itself as China’s most business-friendly entry point. Authorities said the corridor would be reactivated for other mega-events such as the China International Import Expo and Formula 1 Grand Prix, and vowed to open a simplified version for ordinary business travelers by early 2027. Event organisers elsewhere in China are watching closely. Chengdu, Shenzhen and Hainan Free Trade Port have all sent inspection teams to replicate the model for their own trade fairs. For multinational HR and travel teams, the precedent suggests that accredited delegates to state-level conferences may soon enjoy expedited border clearance without separate visa labels, provided data are submitted at least five days in advance. In practical terms, companies sending staff to WAIC should ensure that passport scans, flight details and local contact numbers have been uploaded to the organiser’s ‘WAIC Entry’ portal; any mismatch will force travelers into the regular immigration queue.
Source: Shanghai Port Office
