Lang Son Province has piloted the digital border gate. This will reform the procedures, reduce customs clearance, enhance state management and supervision. The digital platform will create a multi-dimensional communication channel among state agencies and businesses in import and export activities.

Huu Nghi Customs officers at work. Photo: H.Nu

The digital border gate platform is a breakthrough in the digital transformation roadmap in Lang Son province, aiming to soon place Lang Son in the group of 10 leading cities and provinces in the country in digital transformation by 2023. It is expected that from September 25, the digital border gate platform will officially come into operation at Huu Nghi and Tan Thanh border gates.

“Digitalizing” procedures at the border gate

Lang Son province spent more than VND16,000 billion, of which nearly VND4,000 billion from the budget, to focus on building technical infrastructure on border economic zones. The province requested relevant units to focus on developing, exploiting and effectively managing border trade infrastructure.

In particular, the province asked agencies at the border gates to boost modernization in a number of operations at the border gates. The highlight is the implementation of "digitization" of administrative procedures in import and export activities.

Deputy Director of Lang Son Customs Department Nguyen Huu Vuong said from 2010, the Customs sector and Lang Son Customs have implemented electronic customs declarations and from 2015 all procedures related to import and export goods of businesses are carried out through the Vietnam Automated Cargo and Port Consolidated System (VNACCS).

So far, more than 90% of enterprises involved in import and export activities through Lang Son border gates have declared through this system. This helps businesses take the initiative in time, cut paperwork and declaration procedures, thereby shortening customs clearance time and saving costs for businesses.

In addition, Lang Son province has invested in functional areas and logistics services. Thereby, import-export activities of goods, entry and exit of people and vehicles through border gates, including Huu Nghi international border gate and Tan Thanh border gate are eased.

However, facing the increasing demand for import and export goods, the terminal infrastructure and logistics services at these two border gates have become overloaded. Goods are sometime stuck at the border gate area, making it difficult for the management and supervision of import and export goods and means of transport. In addition, the congestion of goods raises costs and time for businesses.

Representative of Hieu Hien Co., Ltd., Tran Thi Kim Oanh said, currently, only customs procedures for import-export goods are declared at anytime, anywhere, and other procedures are still declared directly at the border gate.

Thus, the pilot of the digital border gate platform is very good, because businesses only need to register and declare fully and completely on the system. All information about vehicles and control plates has been declared in advance, this will greatly reduce cumbersome procedures, travel time and informal costs. Furthermore, businesses can also monitor the roadmap and customs clearance process of entry and exit vehicles on smartphones, which is one of the advantages that helps to minimize the delivery time for Chinese partners, said Tran Thi Kim Oanh.

Therefore, the digital border gate platform by Lang Son province and reform of management is not only the desire of all agencies and competent units in charge of management at border gates area but also the desire of many businesses engaging in import and export activities.

Digital border gate expected to work from September 25

To solve shortcomings, Lang Son has set a target and a plan to implement digital transformation according to the National Digital Transformation Program. Lang Son aims to carry out key digital transformation at border economic zones with effective assistance via automated processes. The development of the digital border gate is to connect all relevant agencies such as Police, Customs, Border Guard and businesses.

Director of the Department of Information and Communications of Lang Son province Nguyen Khac Lich said that the digital platform will help authorities at the border gate clearly understand the volume of cargo trucks on the way to the border gate area to regulate, thereby proactively offering solutions to prevent congestion. This platform will help the volume of trucks in the border area and the status of customs clearance to regulate the number of trucks carrying goods to the border gate.

The digital border gate platform requires agencies and businesses to have a phone connected to the internet to be able to track the route and clearance process of trucks.

Lang Son Department of Information and Communications is working with Lang Son Telecommunications to install four AI cameras connected to the border gate digital platform; connect four traffic cameras along National Highway 1A from Huu Lung district to the border gate area; test the functions of the digital border gate platform on the mobile app and on the website interface; test functions of GPS connection, digital map, screening system, account creation, information declaration, operation process, online payment, transmission quality, operation quality of devices; check and evaluate information security; install system software and guide units and businesses to use the software.

The People's Committee of Lang Son province launches the digital border gate platform to make management activities at the border gate public and transparent and serve the management of leaders at all levels, administrative reform and better serve people and businesses participating in import-export activities.

In particular, the digital border gate platform will reform processes to enhance the automation and minimize human impacts on operations at the border gate; and apply digital technology in the overall and comprehensive management of activities at the border gate; as well as ensure information security and developing and providing digital services for businesses based on the digital border gate platform.