Vietnam - China hold talks right on the border to soon clear goods

(Dan Tri) - "When there is an emergency situation, Vietnam and China will hold talks right on the border to quickly clear goods," according to the Deputy Head of the Management Board of Dong Dang - Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone.

General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping and his wife are about to pay a State visit to Vietnam, at the invitation of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and his wife; President Vo Van Thuong and his wife. This is an important milestone because 2023 also marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam - China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership. Over the past time, the relationship between the two countries has maintained a peaceful and stable development trend, achieving many positive results in all fields.

Smooth customs clearance, smooth goods

Speaking to Dan Tri reporter, Mr. Hoang Khanh Duy, Deputy Head of the Management Board of Dong Dang - Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone (Lang Son province), assessed that the customs clearance of goods at the border gates in Lang Son province from the beginning of the year until now has been very smooth, without any local congestion. Learning from previous experiences, in the last months of the year, the amount of goods from the provinces concentrated at the border gate in Lang Son was large, so the Management Board of Dong Dang - Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone arranged vehicles early, from afar and discussed with the neighboring country to create conditions for overtime work, improve inspection and control procedures. Therefore, goods through the border gates in Lang Son are smooth, maintaining from 1,100 to 1,200 vehicles passing through the border gate each day. "We signed a negotiation mechanism with Chinese agencies to facilitate the trade of goods. When there is an emergency situation and a large number of goods arrive at the border gate, we will conduct exchanges and negotiations right at the border to resolve the issue as quickly as possible," said Mr. Duy. With regular exchanges, he said that Vietnam can go to China or China to Vietnam. "The cooperative relationship between Lang Son and Guangxi (China) is increasingly deepening and becoming more practical," said Mr. Duy.

The average volume of vehicles carrying import and export goods through border gates in Lang Son is 1,200 vehicles/day (Photo: Hai Nam).

According to the Deputy Head of the Dong Dang - Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone Management Board, the unit has the function and task of carrying out foreign affairs with districts and towns in the neighboring country (China), to jointly create favorable conditions for customs clearance of goods between the two sides, as well as to resolve difficulties and problems that arise. Regarding foreign affairs, the Dong Dang - Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone Management Board regularly works, exchanges and holds talks with China. "Since the beginning of the year, the unit has had 9 talks with China and worked with the neighboring country's functional forces about 6 times, sending over 50 working letters," Mr. Duy shared.

Import and export of goods is increasingly modern and professional.

According to information from the Management Board of Dong Dang - Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone, Lang Son is the largest transit area and organization of road freight import and export services in the country with over 231km of border adjacent to Guangxi (China). In addition, the province also has a border infrastructure system including 2 international border gates, one border gate, 9 sub-border gates and warehouses, import and export vehicle parking lots that have been invested relatively synchronously, which is a premise for import and export activities to take place smoothly and stably. In recent years, Lang Son province has promoted administrative reform, applying information technology in state management. Types of services such as customs, insurance, tax... and the import and export process of goods are increasingly standardized, applying modern and professional information technology. Lang Son is the 5th locality in the country in terms of national digital transformation, the first province in Vietnam to pilot the digital border gate platform from the beginning of 2022, contributing to the transparency and facilitation of import and export procedures and processes at Huu Nghi international border gate and Tan Thanh border gate. According to Mr. Duy, this helps save time and costs for organizations, businesses, and individuals, and improve the capacity of customs clearance of goods.

Goods passing through border gates in Lang Son have been flowing smoothly recently, without any congestion (Photo: Hai Nam).

Currently, Lang Son province is carrying out customs clearance for import and export goods at 6/12 border gates, including: Huu Nghi international border gate, Dong Dang international railway station border gate, Chi Ma main border gate... The average volume of vehicles carrying import and export goods is 1,200 vehicles/day (peak up to more than 1,300 vehicles/day). Of which, about 350-400 vehicles are for export (agricultural products and fruits account for about 70%), 750-800 vehicles are for import. The total cumulative import-export turnover of all types of goods (business, transit, border gate transfer, independent transportation) in the 11 months of 2023 reached more than 46,304 million USD, an increase of more than 110% over the same period in 2022. Over the past years, the leaders of Lang Son province (Vietnam) and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (China) have paid attention to directing the levels, sectors, districts, and border towns of the two sides to coordinate, maintain, and promote the organization of exchange activities, promote friendly cooperation in all fields, especially in economics and trade.

Authorities regulate and direct vehicles carrying imported and exported goods at Huu Nghi border gate (Photo: Hai Nam).

In February, the Provincial Party Committee and People's Committee of Lang Son province organized delegations to attend the online meeting program of the 2023 Spring Meeting between the Provincial Party Secretaries, Regional Party Secretaries and the 14th Conference of the Joint Working Committee between the provinces of Ha Giang, Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Cao Bang (Vietnam) and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (China) in Ha Giang province. At this program, the two sides signed memorandums of understanding and cooperation agreements in the fields of trade, tourism, and humanitarian assistance.

Pilot construction of smart border gates

In particular, during the official visit to China by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, the Chairman of the People's Committee of Lang Son province and the Chairman of the People's Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region signed a framework agreement on jointly promoting the pilot construction of smart border gates. After receiving the Prime Minister's approval, the People's Committee of Lang Son province urgently directed the development of a pilot project to build smart border gates on the dedicated route for transporting goods in the area of ​​landmarks 1119-1120 and the customs clearance area of ​​landmarks 1088/2-1089 of Huu Nghi international border gate (Lang Son province).

Lang Son province has consulted relevant ministries and branches, completed the project and submitted it to the Prime Minister in Document No. 150/TTr-UBND dated September 30. The locality is continuing to direct the organization of talks and exchanges on the pilot construction of smart border gates; conducting field surveys of smart border gates in China, and drafting a mechanism for meetings and exchanges on the construction of smart border gates. At the same time, the two sides are actively exchanging and promoting cooperation on opening and upgrading border gates, completing internal procedures to put the dedicated road for transporting goods in the area of ​​landmark 1088/2-1089 into operation... At the same time, Lang Son said it will soon complete technical infrastructure, border gate infrastructure, complete internal procedures, and report and submit to the Governments of the two countries for approval to officially open the pair of bilateral border gates Binh Nghi - Binh Nhi Quan. Another task identified by the locality is to actively discuss and agree on the official working hours at the Chi Ma - Ai Diem bilateral border gate pair; carry out the process to add this pair of border gates to the appendix attached to the agreement on border gates and regulations on management of Vietnam - China land border gates. In addition, Lang Son also promotes the early upgrading of the Chi Ma - Ai Diem bilateral border gate pair to an international border gate. In 2023, the People's Committee of Lang Son province directed departments, branches and sectors to regularly organize regular and ad hoc meetings, send working letters... with the corresponding agencies and units of Guangxi. Thereby, the two sides discussed and agreed on many contents to facilitate and promote import and export activities of goods through border gates such as: Agreeing to reduce the level of Covid-19 epidemic prevention in the border gate area. In particular, the two sides agreed to restore the traditional method of receiving and delivering goods as before the Covid-19 pandemic at Huu Nghi international border gate from February 21, allowing drivers and passengers to go directly to the ports in Po Chai (China) to receive and deliver goods from March 9. From November 1, people entering China do not need to make a health declaration, only need to have their body temperature measured; restore customs clearance activities at the Na Hinh (Vietnam) - Keo Ai (China) border gate from July 28; restore entry and exit activities at the Chi Ma (Vietnam) - Ai Diem (China) border gate pair from December 1...

In the first 8 months of 2023, Vietnam's total import-export turnover with China reached 105.5 billion USD (Photo: Hai Nam).

Solutions to promote cooperation

To further deepen the economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and China in general, Lang Son province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in particular, Lang Son will continue to focus on synchronous investment in border infrastructure. In addition, the province will focus on directing the acceleration of the completion of key projects serving import and export activities such as expanding the Huu Nghi international border gate area, building a goods transit area, a duty-free zone, etc. Lang Son province will increase contact, exchange, and cooperation activities between Party committees and authorities at all levels between the two provinces and regions, promoting cooperation in key areas, first of all economic and trade cooperation, building traffic connections, upgrading border gates, etc. to ensure stability and safety in the border area.

Goods are bustling through customs at Huu Nghi international border gate, Lang Son (Photo: Hai Nam).

Coordinating with China to implement trade promotion activities, research import-export markets, connect manufacturing enterprises, import and export goods of the two countries... is one of the important orientations identified by Lang Son. The two sides will also coordinate to promote the signing of protocols and expand the list of import and export goods through border gates. According to Chinese data, the total import and export turnover between Vietnam and China in 2022 reached 234.9 billion USD, an increase of 2.1%. Vietnam continues to hold the position of China's largest trading partner in ASEAN and the 4th largest trading partner in the world by individual country, after the US, Japan, and South Korea.

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