Enhancing goods clearance capacity at Lang Son border gates

A delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Industry and Trade inspected import-export activities at border gates in Lang Son province and liaised with provincial leaders on April 18.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong led the delegation to inspect import-export activities at the Tan Thanh border gate in Lang Son province. (Photo: VNA)
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong led the delegation to inspect import-export activities at the Tan Thanh border gate in Lang Son province. (Photo: VNA)

Amid the congestion of vehicles carrying agricultural exports at border gates in the northern province of Lang Son, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong said that the three ministries have actively worked with Chinese authorities to discuss measures to address the problem.

He noted that more routes will be opened at border gates to increase the inspection and clearance of goods and the Tan Thanh border gate is likely to increase its clearance time by two hours per day.

In addition, the two sides will make efforts to enhance loading and unloading capacities in order to increase vehicle flow.

Cuong also asked provinces in South Vietnam to temporarily avoid transporting agricultural products to the Lang Son border gates to avoid congestion and losses.

More than 2,000 trucks carrying agricultural products with nearly 6,000 drivers and workers are waiting at the border gates in Lang Son province, a backlog which will take approximately 15 days to address.

The Chinese side has suggested that Vietnam should not concentrate vehicles on a single border gate and take advantage of the large capacity and low cost railway connecting Vietnam’s Dong Dang station with China’s Bang Tuong (Pingxiang) station.

Lang Son province also proposed that the Ministry of Industry and Trade resume customs activities at the remaining sub-border gates on the Lang Son-Guangxi border line on the basis of strict compliance with all regulations regarding Coronavirus prevention.