June 21 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government has decided to set up its first group of 15 export processing zones nationwide on a trial base, to reform the country's existing processing trade administration system.

The zones are to be built in the cities of Dalian, Tianjin, Beijing and Shanghai, and the provinces of Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Hubei, Sichuan and Jilin, according to a source at the working conference on the country's export processing zone held here today.

A senior official with the General Administration of Customs said export processing zones are special sealed areas administered by the Customs, which only engage in processing products for export.

Enterprises concerned with export processing, storage and transportation will be allowed to be set up in the zones, the official added.

He noted that the establishment of export processing zones will lead to better Customs supervision and help curb smuggling. At the same time, it will help expand the country's export volume.

The official said that export processing zones are only allowed to be built within the country's existing economic and technological development zones, in a bid to avoid duplicate construction.