Bustling cross-border trade amid growing imports and exports

Growing imports and exports through border gates

According to the Lang Son Provincial Customs, between the beginning of the year and the end of August, the total import and export turnover through the province reached over US$40 billion, an increase of over 26.58% on-year in which, the total turnover of goods declared through Lang Son Customs Department hit more than US$3.3 billion.

The Management Board of Dong Dang - Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone said that during the National Day holiday on September 2 this year, border gates in the locality will still carry out normal import and export activities throughout the province at the international border gates of Huu Nghi, Tan Thanh, Coc Nam, Chi Ma, and Dong Dang international station border gate.

The two border gates of Na Hinh and Na Nua are still operating normally, however, from May until now no import and export goods have been cleared through the two border gates.

Import and export activities through border gates in the northern province of Lao Cai were also relatively bustling, with trade in goods seeing an improvement in August. Customs clearance of goods at the Lao Cai - Ha Khau international border gate took place smoothly, without facing any congestion or blockage.

The export staples included durian, peeled wood, dragon fruit, jackfruit, banana, and longan. In contrast, the import items were flowers, ornamental plants, fresh fruit and vegetables, coke, fertilizer, machinery and equipment, confectionery, and electricity.

Currently, the value of exported goods has increased sharply compared to previous months, primarily due to the durian crop from the Central Highlands and imported fruit and vegetables now being in their main season.

At the international railway station border gates, customs clearance activities are maintained with 04-06 departure and arrival on trains per day, with the average monthly import and export value raking in roughly US$280 million.

During the past eight months, the total value of import and export, purchase and sale, and exchange of goods through border gates in Lao Cai is estimated to be at nearly US$2.3 billion, an annual rise of 71.65%, thereby meeting 50.48% of the plan.

Particularly at Kim Thanh International Road Border Gate No. II, customs clearance activities were launched both actively and smoothly, with the total import-export value during the eight-month period hitting US$1.768 billion.

Some of the major export items through this border gate include durian, dragon fruit, jackfruit, lychee, and various types of wood. In the opposite direction, Vietnam mainly imports fruit and vegetables of all kinds, fertilizers, electricity, chemicals, along with machinery and equipment.

At the Mong Cai - Quang Ninh border gate area, as of mid-August the Mong Cai Border Gate Customs Branch has attracted 1,071 enterprises making procedures through the area, including 259 businesses in the province and 812 firms outside the locality.

The branch processed close to 55,400 declarations with a total import-export turnover of US$2.426 billion, an increase of 13% in declarations and 18% in turnover compared to the same period from last year.

Boosting cross-border imports and exports

Determining that the border gate economy represents an important element in the economy of border localities, as well as the whole country, ministries, sectors, and localities have been making every effort to carry out import and export solutions through border gates.

During his working trip to Lao Cai on August 30, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien inspected the Kim Thanh - Lao Cai border gate. The Minister also requested that the locality focus on investing in logistics infrastructure, warehouses, and yards, especially in the Lao Cai Border Gate Economic Zone in a bid to facilitate the stronger development and better circulation of goods and effectively exploit the border gate economy. This can be done as a contribution to building Lao Cai into a centre for trade links between Vietnam and ASEAN member states with the Southwest region of China and further to Eastern Europe.

In the northern province of Lang Son, competent agencies will continue to synchronously deploy solutions to create efficiency and to further facilitate customs clearance such as regularly grasping and disseminating import-export related information to businesses. This will be done while simultaneously accelerating negotiations with the Chinese side to promptly resolve arising difficulties and problems.

This is in addition to regulating the flow of import and export vehicles during peak times, as well as strengthening administrative reform in order to deal with import and export procedures.

These efforts also include continuing to give advice and to orient development planning and infrastructure investment to suit each border gate area.