Local lawmakers in Shanghai yesterday proposed new legislation that would require courier companies to examine the contents of all parcels they receive from customers.
The national postal authority decreed in 2014 that all parcels must be examined, but many courier firms have failed to comply, said Zhang Jiancheng, a senior Shanghai People's Congress legislator.
"Some courier firms have been found to be delivering dangerous materials, knives, bullets and drugs in recent years, so it is necessary to enact a law that ensures the safety of the city and its residents," Zhang told a meeting of the standing committee of the Shanghai People's Congress.
The monthly meeting is held to discuss the contents of new draft laws for final approval.
The new legislation will also require customers to state their identity when they receive parcels.
Shanghai has over 2,000 courier companies employing over 125,000 people. This includes 24 national, private and foreign firms with headquarters in the city, said Zeng Junshan, head of the Shanghai Postal Administration.
Twenty-one lawmakers jointly tabled the proposal yesterday, asking that it be passed as soon as possible.
"Without strict regulation, courier services could be taken advantage of by criminals or terrorists," said Han Na, the chief proponent of the legislation.
There were four incidents in 2015 in which people were injured because courier companies failed to properly examine the content of parcels, said Zeng.
Over 100,000 workers deliver about 7 million parcels across the city each day on average, and the number can rise to 20 million during peak periods such as the annual Single's Day online shopping frenzy on November 11, according to administration statistics.
"It is difficult for deliverymen to examine every parcel they receive, and many customers refuse to give their identities to them because there is currently no legal basis for the regulation," said Xia Yi, deputy director of the administration
"We fully support the proposal," a press officer with local firm YTO Express told Shanghai Daily. "We hope it can be passed as soon as possible."
The company said it asks customers to use pouches provided by the company so the contents can be inspected when they are picked up.
Couriers will have the right to refuse to deliver parcels if customers do not allow them to be inspected.
