China's quality watchdog has approved cross-border e-commerce platforms in 5 different cities.

The platforms are located in Hangzhou and Ningbo in Zhejiang, as well as in Pingtan in Fujian.

The trial program allows e-commerce companies to purchase foreign goods in bulk and store them in bonded warehouses.

This should help cut the time for customs clearance and make it easier for authorities to supervise overseas products.

Chen Fang is with the Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau in the city of Hangzhou.

"The cross-border e-commerce program is designed to regulate the foreign goods market. By collecting foreign goods in our bonded warehouses, we can inspect the goods in a better way and let qualified goods enter the domestic market more quickly. It also helps preventing fakes from entering the market."

Overseas shopping came in at at around 240-million US dollars in China last year.