Actively clearing the way for exporting agricultural products

A Customs officer of Thanh Thuy International Border Gate Customs Branch (Ha Giang) check import and export goods. Photo provided by Thanh Thuy Customs

Deploying solutions to facilitate cargo clearance

Currently, at Thanh Thuy international border gate (Ha Giang), Customs office is actively coordinating with Ha Giang economic zone authority on export activities, especially agricultural products that China does not accept. This started on October 28, 2021, because Ha Giang had many cases of Covid-19.

According to Deputy Manager of Thanh Thuy Customs Branch Vi Quoc Thang, the Customs authority had coordinated with competent forces at the border gate to provide information and communicate to businesses to actively transfer goods to another border gate for carrying out the procedures.

At the same time propose to Ha Giang Economic Zone Authority to send a letter to the Malypho Border Economic Cooperation Zone Authority (Yunnan Province, China) to promote import and export activities at the border gates of the two sides, promptly remove several difficulties and obstacles in the export and import of goods in order to ensure the prevention and control of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The letter stated that from October 28, 2021, the number of vehicles entering and leaving Thanh Thuy - Thien Bao border gate had changed. The vehicles were mainly Chinese entering China, and Vietnamese vehicles entering Vietnam. Especially from October 31, 2021, there was no means of entry or exit. Due to an urgent change without prior notice, the situation of backlogged goods has occurred at the warehouses in Thanh Thuy international border gate. Ha Giang Economic Zone Authority requested China to coordinate in clearing backlogged goods in order to remove difficulties for businesses of both sides.

Deputy Manager Vi Quoc Thang not only suggested Ha Giang Economic Zone Authority discuss with Malypho Border Economic Cooperation Zone Authority, but leaders of Thanh Thuy International Border Gate Customs Branch also made a phone call to discuss with Thien Bao Customs - China to remove difficulties for export goods.

In order to quickly clear the flow of export goods at Thanh Thuy international border gate, the economic zone authority is proposing to the Provincial People's Committee to assign the Department of Foreign Affairs to advise and propose the Chinese side to organize online talks to remove difficulties and obstacles in import and export activities through Thanh Thuy-Thien Bao international border gates.

Clearing goods in a day for agricultural products

Not only in Ha Giang, but the Customs sector has also implemented many solutions to promote production, circulation, consumption and export of agricultural products in the context of Covid-19 pandemic prevention.

Customs offices facilitated and carried out customs clearance the same day for exported agricultural products which are in the main harvest in particular and agricultural products in general through border gates; immediately solve problems arising in customs procedures for exported goods; closely coordinated and regularly exchanged information with the quarantine agency to quickly carry out procedures for businesses. The classification of exported agricultural products is not carried out unless there are signs of law violation.

At the same time, arrange customs officers to handle clearance procedures and supervise exported agricultural products through the border gate outside office hours, weekends and public holidays; prioritize and arrange vehicles that have completed clearance procedures first to pass through the border gate. Coordinating with enterprises operating warehouses and yards at the border gate to arrange areas and locations to create favorable conditions for agricultural products to be stored and preserved while waiting for export.

Furthermore, Customs authorities have coordinated with Border Defence and Police forces to regulate vehicles, avoid congestion, ensure security and order, and not allow instability to affect export activities of enterprises; regularly exchange and capture information on policies of customs procedures and goods of the importing country and disseminate information to businesses; regularly checking, closely grasping the actual situation, handling and solving problems that arise, strictly handle cases that cause trouble for enterprises.

In the areas of Lang Son and Quang Ninh, the Customs office had a letter to exchange directly with Nanning Customs informing them about the management measures of the Government of Vietnam in general and Vietnam Customs, in particular, to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and ask Nanning Customs to facilitate Vietnamese goods to be imported into China, especially agricultural and aquatic products following the spirit of signed cooperation documents between two countries.

Also, asking China to coordinate to increase the time for carrying out cargo clearance, coordinate to resolve customs procedures and quickly remove bottlenecks for Vietnamese exports.