Tân Thanh is one of the secondary border gates in the northern province of Lạng Sơn. This border gate was reopened last month after it was closed due to the impact of COVID-19 outbreak in China early this year. — Photo baodautu.vn

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has proposed Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc permit customs clearance of goods through all secondary border gates in the northern province of Lạng Sơn, which is on the border with China.

The proposal aims to boost the volume of import and export goods on the border gates between the two countries, which currently reach about 50-60 per cent in comparison with months prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

If the proposal is approved, fresh agricultural products and fruits of Việt Nam will be exported to China soon.

Lạng Sơn has ten secondary border gates, of which Tân Thanh and Cốc Nam were re-opened last month after they were closed due to impact of COVID-19 outbreak in China early this year.

The ministry said that the secondary border gates between the two countries were qualified for customs clearance of goods according to the Government’s Decree 112/2014/ND-CP providing management on border gates, as well as the agreement of trade, exchange, import and export of goods signed by Việt Nam and China, in which the prevention of COVID-19 outbreak must be ensured.

According to the ministry, the current clearance capacity at Tân Thanh border gate in Lạng Sơn Province is very limited, with about 130 to 150 trucks carrying goods to China, accounting for 50 per cent of goods prepared for daily export. The remaining goods are stored at the border gate area.

Meanwhile, the volume of vehicles carrying goods from inland provinces to this border gate is increasing, leading to congestion.

The Lạng Sơn Industry and Trade Department said the Chinese side is facing a shortage of labour, especially those loading and unloading at the border area due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, the Chinese forces are strengthening control and prevention of diseases on vehicles transporting goods exported from Việt Nam because the COVID-19 outbreak is increasing in some cities of provinces of the country.

Lạng Sơn Province and China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have agreed to prepare necessary conditions to soon restore customs clearance of import and export goods at this border, on the basis of ensuring strict implementation of disease prevention processes.

The ministry said China's control of the COVID-19 pandemic had been greatly improved, in which Yunnan and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region had lowered the emergency response level from one to three. “These two provinces have been partially restoring trading between border residents of the two sides to meet the increasing production and consumption demands when the pandemic is almost controlled.”

“This is a favourable factor to recover, promote import and export activities, and transport goods to the country’s northern border gates in the future,” the ministry said. — VNS