Ms. Hou Ya has over twenty years of experience within China's customs system, having served in both the legal affairs department and at the front-line operational level. She is well-versed in customs legal framework and enforcement practices, with expertise in intellectual property protection, classification and valuation, customs clearance, inspection and quarantine, export controls, and audit and verification. Ms. Hou has handled or presided over more than a thousand administrative penalty, administrative reconsideration, and litigation cases related to these areas and specializes in handling complex and challenging cases involving smuggling, tax disputes, and bonded supervision. The intellectual property cases she has presided over have been selected twice in the Top Ten Intellectual Property Cases of China Customs. As a senior customs expert, Ms. Hou has been involved in the drafting and revision of many key customs laws, regulations, and normative documents. She has led or participated in major reform projects such as the establishment of the Customs Audit and Verification Center, dual-warehouse supervision, and the China-Europe Railway Express.

Ms. Hou also has extensive experience as a senior executive in consulting firms, and she excels in tracking and accurately interpreting changes in laws and policies. She provides comprehensive consulting services—including supply chain planning, securing preferential policies, and import/export compliance—to leading enterprises in industries such as bonded maintenance, medical devices, biopharmaceuticals, and freight logistics. Ms. Hou is skilled at handling major and complex customs disputes, offering enterprises comprehensive, integrated solutions that span different customs departments and business areas. As a specially invited expert, Ms. Hou has been commissioned by local government departments to lead the drafting of multiple research reports, providing policy analysis and references for governmental decision-making.

Major Academic Achievements:

A Study on Japan’s Customs Intellectual Property Protection System

A Comparative Study of Import and Export Trade Regulatory Rules in Qianhai and Hong Kong, with Policy Recommendations

Major Economic and Trade Rules and Institutional Arrangements in Hong Kong, Singapore, and the European Union

A Comparative Analysis Report on the Policies of the Hainan Free Trade Port, China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, Hengqin Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone, and Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone

A Report on the Assessment of Foreign Trade Policy Coverage in the Interconnected Development Zones of Pilot Free Trade Zones