Vietnam-Lao Customs continue to develop friendship

Vietnam – Laos Customs shared experience on anti-smuggling of wild animals

The meeting. Photo: H.N

Attending the meeting was Deputy Director General of Vietnam Customs Mai XuanThanh, head of the delegation, and representatives of departments under the General Department of Vietnam Customs, Deputy Director General of Lao Customs Somphet Sivongxay, head of the delegation and representatives of departments of Lao Customs.

At the meeting, Deputy Director General Mai Xuan Thanh said the relationship between Vietnam and Lao Customs is a special traditional friendship that has been developed by Customs leaders of the two countries for years. The cooperation and mutual assistance between the two sides have met requirements of improving the efficiency of State management in customs areas and international commitments to which both are parties.

The meeting is held annually to review activities and evaluate results of cooperation, discuss and unify measures for cooperation and mutual assistance. Vietnam Customs has trained to improve qualifications for Lao Customs officers in Vietnam in customs operational areas and sent experts to Laos to exchange information on customs operations.

Deputy Director General of Vietnam Customs Mai XuanThanh (right) and Deputy Director General of Lao Customs Somphet Sivongxay signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the near future. Photo: H.N

“In addition, the two sides also discussed on exchanging bilateral customs statistics; supporting each other in verifying information for both sides' customs control; providing equipment to serve operational work of Lao Customs; cooperation of Customs units along the two countries' land borders at group, department and branch levels. Especially, the two sides have deployed the model of single-stop inspection at Lao Bao- Den Sa Van” Deputy Director General Mai Xuan Thanh said.

According to Thanh, in the last two years, the two Customs authorities have held annual meetings to evaluate the implementation of the single-stop inspection at Lao Bao- Den Sa Van, remove difficulties and orient cooperation in the future.

The two sides regularly exchange information related to smugglers, illegal trade, tax evasion at border gates, trafficking and transportation of drugs and banned goods. The two sides have coordinated to facilitate passengers, means of transport on exit and entry, goods imported and exported through border gates on the basis of the principles andlaws of each country and international treaties the two sides participated in.

According to Somphet Sivongxay, Deputy Director General of Lao Customs, Lao Customs is conducting amendments and supplements to the Customs Law, which also aims to facilitate trade and comply with international commitments.

Customs representatives of the two countries took photos. Photo: H.N

Deputy Director General of Lao Customs thanked Vietnam Customs for supporting Lao Customs in combating smuggling, trade fraud, post-clearance audit and training for many Lao Customs officers on post-clearance audit. Lao Customs desired the relationship of the two agencies to be more development.

In 2020, Vietnam and Lao Customs will continue to build a mechanism of cooperation and mutual administrative support in the investigation against smuggling and illegal cross-border goods transportation; cooperation in exchanging import and export goods statistics; and continue to implement the model of single-stop inspection at Lao Bao- Den Sa Van. The two Customs authorities will improve the efficiency of information exchange and verification, providing documents to support the fight against smuggling and assign focal points responsible for receiving and processing hot information on anti-smuggling.

Vietnam Customs appreciates and thanks the international cooperation of Lao Customs for close and timely cooperation for the two sides to complete assigned tasks. Vietnam Customs hopes the two sides will continue reviewing the contents of the MOU, and discuss the policy on negotiating and signing an agreement on mutual cooperation and administrative assistance in customs areas.