Tân Thanh border gate in Lạng Sơn Province. The Prime Minister has permitted to re-open sub-border gates and border crossing in northern provinces. — Photo nhandan.vn

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has allowed the re-opening of sub-border gates and border crossings to resume trading activities between Việt Nam and China, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

The permission was issued after proposals from the ministry and people’s committees of Lạng Sơn and Quảng Ninh provinces on returning those activities to to normal at border gates between the two countries.

They include Bình Nghi, Na Hình, Nà Nưa, Pò Nhùng and Bắc Phong Sinh sub-border gates and Ka Long border crossing.

The PM has also allowed the people's committees of border provinces to resume operation of other sub-border gates and border check-points in those provinces based on the local situation and the Government’s existing regulations on management of land border gates and border trade activities.

The localities only re-open the sub-border gates through which a large volume of goods are transported, especially agricultural and aquatic products for export and imported raw materials for domestic production which are permitted to trade via the border gates by local authorities of the two sides.

The PM has also requested the provinces ensure control and prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic for people and vehicles engaged in import and export activities under the guidance of the Ministry of Health and other relevant State offices.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Import-Export Department, as of May 11, 797 trucks carrying exports and 845 trucks carrying imports had completed customs clearance at border gates in provinces bordering China.

Meanwhile, 710 trucks were waiting to complete customs clearance at the border gates.

To avoid goods being stuck at northern border gates, especially in Lạng Sơn Province, Minister of Industry and Trade Trần Tuấn Anh has suggested people’s committees, commodity associations and enterprises to adjust the volume of farming products exported via border gates on land and consider transporting the export goods by train.

In addition, the minister requested localities and businesses continue closely monitoring customs clearance regulations for export goods trucks via the border gates. 

This would allow them to promptly report any difficulties in exporting to China and to make reasonable adjustments, he said.

To promote efficiency in farm exports, Phùng Quang Hội, director of Lạng Sơn Department of Industry and Trade, said enterprises should focus on changing from exporting raw material to processed products. — VNS