The exchange between Vietnamese and Chinese border residents, initially scheduled on February 10, is set to take place later this month due to impact of the novel coronavirus (nCoV).

The Lang Son Department of External Affairs on February 7 received a notice on this issue from the Vietnamese General Consulate in China’s Nanning. 

The General Consulate was informed the same day that the exchange programme had been rescheduled due to a personnel shortage facing Nanning’s customs agency as many officers of the Chinese side are being quarantined for nCoV testing. 

It has asked the Guangxi Department of Commerce to soon send an official notice to Vietnam. 

Auxiliary border gates and border markets in Lang Son will remain closed until further notice. 

The Huu Nghi International Border Gate in Cao Loc district and the Chi Ma National Border Gate in Loc Binh district, Lang Son province, will maintain their normal operation but must seriously observe regulations on the prevention and control of nCoV set by competent authorities of both sides.