Lang Son leader inspects customs clearance at Tan Thanh border gate

(LSO) – Vice Chairman of the Lang Son provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Cong Truong on March 16 inspected customs clearance of goods and COVID-19 prevention at Tan Thanh border gate in Van Lang district.

The province has strictly enforced the Prime Minister’s order to resolve difficulties for cross-border trade with China. From February 20 to the end of March 15, 2,941 container trucks were customs-cleared at the border gate, including 2,208 trucks loading exports to China and imports to Vietnam. However, there was still a long queue of trucks waiting to be let through due to a severe lack of stevedores in the Chinese side to help with cargo loading and unloading as a result of the epidemic.

Provincial officials inspect import-export activities and COVID-19 prevention at Bao Nguyen parking lot.

About 200 container trucks containing agricultural products from across Vietnam were seen queuing at Tan Thanh border gate every day but only 130 – 150 trucks were let through, compared to 300 vehicles cleared daily before the COVID-19 outbreak occurred.

As of March 16, about 200 trucks had kept queuing in the Chinese side while over 700 trucks at the Bao Nguyen parking lot to enter China.

Vice Chairman Truong asked the local agencies to inform domestic exporters and importers about the problem and advise them to reduce transportation of goods to the border gate and come up with other options to minimize losses. The agencies must also closely coordinate with local parking lots to manage drivers of container trucks and strictly adopt preventive measures against the COVID-19.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Cong Truong speaks during the inspection trip.

He urged the management authority of the Dong Dang – Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone and Bao Nguyen Trading Transport JSC, who runs the Bao Nguyen parking lot, to discuss with the Chinese side on the possibility of sending Vietnamese stevedores to China to fast track the customs clearance.

Authorities at the Tan Thanh border gate must also rigorously implement measures to prevent the spread of the virus as well as collect and treat medical waste in compliance with regulations./.