To accompany enterprises, especially agricultural export enterprises to overcome difficulties and recover production and business, Lang Son Customs has been communicating and disseminating new policies and regulations, or changes in Chinese border gate management policy related to import and export goods so that firms can grasp information and take initiative in the source of goods to the border gate and avoid unnecessary damage.

Taking the initiative in the fast clearance of agricultural products

According to Lang Son Customs Department, the Chinese side has taken many measures to control the pandemic recently, resulting in slow clearance of goods through border gates. In particular, the tightening and restricting the import of goods from Chinese side at a number of border gates and the opening path, causing many difficulties in exporting goods. Especially, Vietnamese enterprises are passive in trade and exchange information on exporting agricultural products, so when the goods arrive at the border gate, they must call to exchange, take pictures and record video of the information of agricultural products, then send to the buyer via apps such as Zalo or Wechat if the buyer agrees, they will carry out the export procedures in accordance with the export type of H21.

Also according to Lang Son Customs Department, another cause that leads to many difficulties for agricultural products to be exported through the area is the list of agricultural products and fruits that Vietnam and China have signed in the protocol and implementing the conditions on growing areas, phytosanitary and traceability eligible to import into China for only nine types of fruits, including: lychee, longan, dragon fruit, watermelon, rambutan, jackfruit, banana, mango and mangosteen. Therefore, it leads to the limitation in the export of agricultural products of Vietnamese enterprises to China due to other fruits have not been added to the list.

Tan Thanh Customs arrange customs officials to perform duty 24/24
for implementing customs procedure. Photo: H.Nụ

Meanwhile, the Chinese side has limited working time each day such as Lung Vai-Coc Nam border gate, Ai Diem-Chi Ma only carry out clearance in five hours/day and does not work on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. People and means of transport are also tightly controlled, leading to longer clearance times than usual.

Facing with this situation, Lang Son Customs has advised the Provincial People's Committee to remove difficulties in cargo clearance and coordinated with units in the province to exchange information and talks with the Chinese side to discuss solutions to facilitate export and import goods, especially agricultural exports of Vietnam.

Regularly exchange and grasp import and export goods situation of firms to promptly remove difficulties and problems occurring when implementing customs procedures. Proactively informing enterprises on policies and regulations related to border gate activities so that they can capture and take the initiative in transporting goods to the border gate for carrying out procedures.

Talking about taking initiative to accompany enterprises of the Customs, Mai Thanh Toan, an agent specialising in implementing export procedures of agricultural products through Tan Thanh border gate, shared that to work with firms in promoting quick cargo clearance for agricultural product shipments, Tan Thanh Customs Branch has not only implemented fast clearance procedures, but also exchanges via hotlines with the Chinese side, helping to shorten the time of controlling vehicles and goods. This move also aims to minimise the time to control vehicles and facilitate the fastest clearance for exports of agricultural products, especially for perishable agricultural products, channel classification will be organised to prioritise for export.

Nguyen Thi Dung, who works for a company specialising in carrying procedures for exporting agricultural products through Huu Nghi international border gate and Tan Thanh border gate, said some kinds of fruits of Vietnam are currently in harvest, so the flow of goods transporting to border gates in Lang Son province waiting for export also increased compared to the previous time. To facilitate the export of agricultural products to operate smoothly, the Customs authority informed about the situation so that firms could understand the regulations and policies of China. This has facilitated businesses to reduce damage and save time in business and production.

All solutions head towards enterprise

Deputy Director of Lang Son Customs Department Vy Cong Tuong said that Tan Thanh and Huu Nghi are border gates with the largest volume of agricultural products carrying out import and export procedures in Lang Son. In the past time, although strongly affected by the world economic situation, in the first two months of 2021, export turnover of agricultural products through the province still increase strongly. The volume of agricultural products such as dragon fruit, watermelon and bananas were increased compared to the same period because firms transported to the border gate and were quickly cleared by customs authorities at the border gates and there was no congestion. The reason for the strong increase in export turnover through the province in the first two months of this year was due to the re-operation of import-export activities at sub-border gates like Na Hinh, Po Nhung and Coc Nam in the first months.

Huu Nghi Customs officials instructed enterprises to implement customs procedure.
Photo: H.Nụ

“Even on the occasion of the Lunar New Year, Lang Son Customs directed units to strengthen, promote and facilitate import-export activities; organise working groups to meet and contact with import-export enterprises operating import and export activities through the area, promptly grasp difficulties, keep up with developments of import-export activities, business plans of traditional enterprises, new businesses; report and propose solutions to support businesses,” Tuong said.

Therefore most of the goods exported by enterprises at the border gates are convenient and cleared quickly, he added.

According to Tuong, through information exchange with the Chinese side, to facilitate cargo clearance from January 23, 2021 to March 31, 2021, the Chinese side would implement clearance procedure on weekends and during public holidays for Ai Diem - Chi Ma border gate, clearance time from 9:00-17:00 Beijing time, equivalent to 8:00-16:00 Hanoi time.

Lang Son Customs also directed customs branch to prioritise cargo clearance first, regularly coordinating closely with competent forces at the border gate such as the Border Gate Economic Zone Authority, Border Defence force, and the quarantine agencies in researching information about Chinese policies to support enterprises in grasping and taking the initiative in export agricultural products through border gates.

At the same time, measuring cargo clearance time to grasp the situation and having solutions to reform and carry out quick customs clearance for import-export enterprises; regular talks and exchanges with Chinese customs to remove problems related to management during the pandemic and conducting surveys and evaluate the satisfaction of enterprises; promote the application of information technology, effectively deploy online public services at levels 3, 4.

Continue to improve the forecasting of the situation, grasping policies and measures applicable to import and export activities from the Chinese side, from that and promptly propose measures to remove difficulties and improve the capacity of customs clearance for import and export goods through the province. A representative of Lang Son Customs Department said that with the application of measures for facilitating fast cargo clearance of Lang Son Customs that has been implemented, it aimed to head towards firms and accompany with enterprises to overcome difficulties to stabilise their operation.