Mong Cai Customs officer checks exported goods through Bac Luan II Bridge. Photo: Q.H

According to the observations of the reporter, in the early days of July, the import and export activities of goods through Bac Luan bridge II, Km 3+4 opening path (Mong Cai, Quang Ninh) took place smoothly. In order to ensure the circulation of goods through the areas, Customs is coordinating with warehouse and yard enterprises to strictly implement measures to prevent and control the pandemic, keeping ‘safe green zones’ at the border gate area. According to the plan of Mong Cai City, officials and employees participate in a closed plan of working, eating and resting. The implementation period is 15 days/period.

The clearance point of Bac Luan Bridge II (Hai Hoa Ward, Mong Cai City) has resumed operations since April 26. Officials and employees of Customs Enforcement and Supervision Team No. 1, Mong Cai Border Gate Customs Branch (Quang Ninh Customs Department) are still making efforts every day to ensure cargo clearance. The team receives and carries out procedures every day for more than 100 vehicles transporting import and export goods.

Located in the cargo gathering place, the living and working place of Customs officers is a row of corrugated iron-roofed houses, separate from the area for drivers and workers who perform loading and unloading goods. To ensure pandemic prevention, as well as maintaining import-export activities, each customs officer regularly takes samples for rapid testing for Covid-19 (2-3 days/time).

Tan Dai Duong International Import-Export Joint Stock Company is an enterprise that invests in goods inspection locations at Bac Luan II bridge. Recently. the Company has focused on investing in many systems and infrastructure, especially many modern and large tonnage machines (container lifters, 65-ton cranes) in order to provide various services for import and export enterprises.

Talking to reporters, Mrs. Pham Thi Hoa Hien, Director of the company, said that the resumption of clearance activities was a good sign, creating a driving force for economic development and contributing to increasing revenue collection. On the side of Mong Cai Customs, the unit had always listened, supported and accompanied enterprises to facilitate to serve the ‘dual goal’ - ensuring the circulation of import and export goods and pandemic prevention.

“Currently, the Company is operating the temporary centralized cargo inspection location project and the official project, while the arrangement of living and working spaces for officials and employees (drivers, enterprises, workers and competent agencies) to perform isolation, living and working on the spot. Therefore, when the official project has not been completed, plus the pressure on pandemic prevention as mentioned above, it was a huge difficulty for businesses. In the immediate future, businesses are working with agencies and sectors at the border gate to closely coordinate in order to meet the maximum demand for import-export activities," Mrs. Pham Thi Hoa Hien said.

Since May 30, the cargo clearance point at Km 3+4 opening path has been restored. Besides making efforts to ensure a ‘safe green zone’, Customs Enforcement Team No. 2 (Mong Cai Customs Branch) held working sessions with businesses and customs broker agents to guide and solve the difficulties faced by enterprises.

Along with efforts of ensuring cargo clearance during the pandemic, Mong Cai Customs Branch has regularly exchanged and captured information on customs procedures and goods policies of the Chinese authority, to disseminate to enterprises so that they could promptly grasp, and facilitate businesses of two countries to deliver and receive goods. Along with that, increasing the flow of goods, two-way turnover, and reducing costs incurred for storing goods at the border gate.

Talking to reporters, the leader of Mong Cai Customs Branch said that, in the future, in order to further promote cargo clearance activities through Ka Long border gate - Dong Hung border gate, the Customs Branch continued to propose the Quang Ninh Customs Department to report to the Provincial People's Committee to ask the Chinese authority to arrange and settle for empty vehicles after delivery of goods to return on the same day; strengthen the capacity of delivery and receipt of empty vehicles to avoid the situation of parking at border gates and opening path causing costs for businesses, occupying area at border gates, opening path, buffer zones, which would result in congestion at border gates and opening path.

At the same time, suggesting Chinese authorities receive and carry out procedures for groups of agricultural products and fruits from Ka Long border gate - Dong Hung border gate, as well as extending the clearance time from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm (Hanoi time) that are 08:00 - 18:00 (Beijing time) at the Km 3+4 Hai Yen/Dong Hung Border Market (China) in order to increase clearance capacity at the opening path.