Actively removing difficulties for import and export activities

– Over the past time, the complicated developments of the Covid-19 epidemic have significantly affected the import and export activities of goods through the province. The sectors and functional forces of the province have been making efforts to implement solutions to remove difficulties.

According to data from the Department of Industry and Trade, in May 2021, the import-export turnover of goods through border gates in the province only reached 350 million USD, down more than 10% compared to March and April 2021. The decrease in import-export turnover is due to the complicated developments of the Covid-19 pandemic, from May 1 to now, the Chinese functional forces have suspended customs clearance of goods at a number of auxiliary border gates.

Accordingly, at this time, only 5 over 12 border gates in the province are operating goods clearance, of which Coc Nam border gate only performs one-way customs clearance. This causes trucks carrying goods to move to the border gates that are still operating customs clearance, especially Huu Nghi International Border Gate and Tan Thanh Border Gate. This situation leads to local congestion at these two border gates and affects the clearance time of goods.

Customs force at Chi Ma border gate carried out import and export procedures for enterprises

Facing this situation, in order to remove difficulties and promote the customs clearance of goods through the area, the Management Board of Dong Dang – Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone and the Department of Industry and Trade, the Customs Department, the Provincial Border Guard Command actively found out about the developments and reported to the Provincial People’s Committee to promptly provide flexible response solutions.

Mr. Nguyen Trong Nghia, Head of Management Board of Dong Dang – Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone, said: “Following the direction of the Provincial People’s Committee, from the beginning of May 2021 until now, the Board has coordinated with the Department of Industry and Trade and the Department of Foreign Affairs to organize two talks with the equivalent agency of Guangxi (China) to exchange and propose solutions to improve customs clearance capacity. Accordingly, the Chinese functional forces have now carried out the procedures 1 hour earlier and finished 1 hour later than before (from 7 am to 8 pm), thereby helping to increase the number of vehicles that can be cleared during the day.

Not only regularly discussing with Chinese authorities, in order to promptly handle problems in import and export activities of goods through the border gates of the two sides, the provincial State management agencies, the functional forces at the border gate also develops plans and implements a number of measures to facilitate the fastest and most convenient clearance of goods.”

Mr. Nguyen Huu Vuong, Deputy Director of Lang Son Customs Department said: “In order to speed up the customs clearance time of goods, the department has directed border-gate customs branches to closely follow the progress of customs clearance and measure the customs clearance time, in order to understand the situation and take corrective measures, avoid prolonging the time for procedures more than 1 minute for shipments of green channel and more than 3 minutes for shipments of yellow channel.”

Not only implementing solutions to shorten the time for customs clearance procedures, customs forces and border guards coordinate in channeling and regulating goods according to export and import flows. At the same time, they divide the time schedule for each type of import and export goods, especially export goods. In which, priority is given to arranging a time schedule in the morning for trucks carrying fresh fruit for customs clearance.

Border Guard force of Huu Nghi International Border Gate divided and regulated vehicles for custom clearance

At the same time, border guards at border gates also coordinate with traffic police forces in the inland area to regulate trucks entering the border gate area to avoid congestion at the border gate area.

At this time, the import and export activities of goods through 5 border gates of the province still face certain difficulties, but import and export goods have been cleared, especially the volume of export cargo trucks cleared during the day has increased significantly. Accordingly, currently, the number of trucks carrying goods for export through customs clearance during the day through Huu Nghi International Border Gate is over 350 vehicles, an increase of about 100 vehicles; The volume of export cargo trucks through Tan Thanh Border Gateis about 300 vehicles, an increase of 70 vehicles compared to the beginning of May 2021.

With the timely direction of the Provincial People’s Committee, the activeness of the relevant sectors, the forces at the border gate have flexibly implemented solutions from time to time. Thereby, it helps to promptly remove difficulties for import-export activities in this difficult period.

“Currently, the Department of Industry and Trade is working with a number of sectors to accelerate the establishment of the website, which is expected to be put into operation in June 2021. This website will publish information about import-export activities through border gates in the province so that the business community in import-export can promptly look up and be informed to adjust the business plan, goods import and export activities of their enterprises”. Mr. Lieu Anh Minh, Deputy Director of Department of Industry and Trade