Customs continues to facilitate import and export activities at Northern border gates

	GDVC guides customs procedures for goods in transit
	Customs urges reform to contribute to socio-economic recovery and development

Deputy Director General Mai Xuan Thanh chairs the meeting at the headquarters of the General Department of Vietnam Customs. Photo: Thai Binh.

Actively clearing flow of goods

On the afternoon of March 1, Deputy Director General of the General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDVC) Mai Xuan Thanh chaired an online meeting to discuss solutions to implement quick clearance of imports and exports in the northern border area.

The online meeting was connected with customs departments and branches in northern border provinces including Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Lao Cai, Cao Bang, and Ha Giang.

Facing difficulties in import and export activities in the northern border provinces, the Customs sector has actively provided solutions, the Deputy Director General said at the meeting.

The sector has launched the warning function for cargo congestion at border gates on the National Single Window portal. Local customs units have worked with Chinese Customs to facilitate trade between the two countries.

However, the current situation still faces difficulties. Deputy Director General Mai Xuan Thanh requested departments and local customs departments in the northern border area to actively offer solutions to create favorable conditions for imports and exports.

“The Customs authority must be the leading agency in clearing flow of imports and exports,” the Deputy Director General said.

To remove obstacles in the area, the Deputy Director General asked local customs departments to be flexible in negotiations with Chinese Customs, and advise local governments in implementing solutions to facilitate import and export activities such as the development of a "green zone" at the border gate.

The Customs Control and Supervision Department was required to establish a working team to grasp the situation and propose solutions to perform in the short term as well as in the long-term to ensure smooth trade.

At the meeting, the Deputy Director General also encouraged officers of local customs departments to make great efforts to prevent and control the pandemic while carrying out customs procedures for the business community and ensuring customs management.

Impact of China's "Zero Covid" policy

At the meeting, Deputy Director of the Customs Control and Supervision Department Nguyen Bac Hai said that the largest number of congested vehicles is in Lang Son and Quang Ninh provinces.

On February 27, 1,561 vehicles were stuck in Lang Son province. On February 28, 1,358 vehicles were congested in Quang Ninh province while 258 vehicles in Cao Bang and 100 vehicles in Lao Cai.

The feedback from local customs departments showed that the measures for disease prevention and control of the Chinese government have led to difficulties in customs clearance in the areas.

When detecting any infection in the area, the Chinese customs has immediately suspended imports and exports to prevent the disease from spreading. Even when the operation resumes, the number of cleared vehicles is limited.

The branch only spent 15-20 minutes performing customs clearance procedures for a vehicle of agricultural products. However, it took about 4-5 hours for Chinese customs to clear a vehicle. So that only a few dozen vehicles were cleared, Director of Tan Thanh Customs Branch (Lang Son Customs Department) Dao Thu Lan said.

“For example, on February 28, the branch carried out procedures until 11:30pm, but only 30 trucks were cleared,” said Lan.

According to Deputy Director of Lang Son Customs Department Nguyen Huu Vuong, the import and export are mainly implemented at border gates of Huu Nghi, Tan Thanh, Chi Ma and Dong Dang Station. However, the volume of cleared vehicles is less than previously, especially in Tan Thanh and Chi Ma.

Deputy Director of Quang Ninh Customs Department Tran Quang Trung said that currently, the import and export only takes place at Mong Cai border gate. The operations at Bac Phong Sinh and Hoanh Mo border gates have been suspended from February 24.

In Lao Cai province, the import and export at Kim Thanh-Ha Khau has been suspended by the Chinese agency since February 17.

In Cao Bang province, 100% of border gates have been suspended. From February 1, the Chinese government has suspended Tra Linh, Soc Giang and Po Peo border gates when recording an infection.

On February 25, the Chinese government suspended operations at the largest pair of border gates in the area, Ta Lung (Vietnam) - Thuy Khau (China), Deputy Director of Cao Bang Customs Department Hoang Van Hoa said.

Facing the difficulties in import and export activities, in addition to the efforts of the Customs sector, the leaders of the local Customs Departments proposed to the Government, leaders of ministries, government agencies and localities to continue high-level meetings with the Chinese government to soon resolve the matter.