Customs officers of Lao Cai International Border Gate (Lao Cai Customs Department) inspect vehicles carrying exported goods across Kim Thanh II International Border Gate. Photo: T.B

Accordingly, the Ministry proposes to continue negotiating with China on signing the Protocols on phytosanitary measures for fruits officially exported to China to standardize phytosanitary requirements.

On August 16, the Ministry of Finance directed the General Department of Vietnam issued Official Letter 3388/TCHQ-HTQT on promoting the facilitation of customs clearance for goods exported to China.

The Ministry asks the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to negotiate and sign the Protocol on the quarantine of agricultural products exported to China to reduce the inspection rate for Vietnam's imported agricultural products, protect the interests of enterprises, contribute to expediting the goods clearance, and create favorable conditions for Vietnamese agricultural products.

The Ministry proposes to expedite the completion of legal and technical procedures to open the Chinese market for Vietnamese agricultural exports; increase the number of border gates allowed to import agricultural products from Vietnam.

In addition, the Ministry of Finance also recommends promoting trade in the digital environment and promoting consumption of agricultural products via e-commerce platforms and applications.

Increasing the list of goods permitted for official quota export across international and main border gates and developing an appropriate management mechanism for trading and exchange activities of border residents.

Expanding and upgrading border gate pairs that meet conditions to become international and main border gates.

According to the GDVC, due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic at the beginning of 2020, the application of pandemic prevention measures by countries affected the global supply chain, caused congestion of transportation of goods by air and land, and the increase in freight.

Due to the Chinese government's application of the "Zero Covid" policy with strict Covid-19 prevention measures, the circulation of goods, vehicles and people across the Northern border area has faced difficulties. As a result, thousands of means of transport were congested at border areas on both sides, causing significant damage to businesses.

The Government and ministries have made great efforts to implement many solutions to facilitate trade and promote the customs clearance of goods, especially agricultural products.

However, the solutions have not removed the obstacles. After the 2022 Lunar New Year, import and export goods flow across the Northern border gate has continuously dropped.

The volume of goods cleared across border gates was reduced, as announced by the Chinese authority, despite localities implementing trade facilitation measures, green zones and buffer zones at border gates.

The General Department of Vietnam Customs, now businesses tend to select the transportation method of import and export goods by international rail. This transport method is always smooth, less affected by the pandemic, and the freight is lower than other transportation methods.

The Ministry of Finance actively coordinates with relevant units to implement the necessary conditions to increase the export of official agricultural products to international markets.