Customs News interviewed Deputy Director General of the General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDVC) Mai Xuan Thanh on the achievements of the customs sector and the goal of customs modernisation in the next period.

Deputy Director General Mai Xuan Thanh.

In 2011-2020, the Customs sector made great efforts to successfully implement the Customs Development Strategy until 2020 and obtained achievements. Could you tell us about the impressive achievements of Vietnam Customs?

Over the past 76 years, the Customs sector has contributed to economic development and national security.

In the last 10 years, the sector has made great efforts and achieved positive results, supporting economic development in imports and exports.

The sector has met targets set in its strategy, contributing to the sector’s development.

What is the role of customs sector in the strong economic development and integration in recent years?

As a gatekeeper of the border, ensuring national sovereignty, the Customs sector has tried to perform all aspects of work. The sector has implemented a huge workload. The number of customs declarations, the total trade and the revenue in the last 10 years increased 268%, 268%, and 160%, respectively.

The sector has shortened customs clearance and the release of goods simplified customs procedures, especially documents in customs dossiers and applied information technology to reduce travel time for businesses and residents.

2021 is an important year for Vietnam Customs to enter a new development period with the main task of developing a Customs Development Strategy for 2021-2030. Could you tell us about the reform and modernisation of Vietnam Customs in the foreseeable future, especially the goal aiming towards a modern and smart customs model?

The 13th National Party Congress set the goal of e-government, digital economy. Therefore, the State management agency will develop the model of a digital management agency. In addition, the Fourth Industrial Revolution has had a massive impact on both businesses and government agencies.

The latest trend of customs administrations across the world is to build smart customs model. In 2021, the Customs sector has reported the Customs development strategy for 2021-2030 to the Ministry of Finance, and it has been approved by the Prime Minister. The smart customs model will be the core model in the Customs development strategy in this period.

Could you analyse more clearly the advantages of this new model?

The smart customs model allows businesses, customs, related parties, ministries, and government agencies to link and use on a unified digital platform and information system.

The importer will grasp the entire process of imports. This will create favourable for the importer in doing business. State management agencies, including customs, will get information of goods for assessment, supervision, inspection and handling.

Management agencies and businesses have enjoyed the benefits of this model. This facilitates traders and control offenders based on the application of advantaged technology. Overall, the management is based on the compliance principle.

Currently, the Customs sector is focusing on building a customs clearance system in the new period. All existing IT systems will be integrated into one system to ensure the fastest performance, reducing time and costs for customs officers and declarants.

The core system will ensure connection with peripheral devices from land borders to sea and air. These devices will convert data to the digital form to closely control all input data as well as exports.

The Customs sector has a huge workload, so what are the requirements for customs officers?

Customs has improved skills of customs officers and we believe that officers will meet requirements in the new period.

The General Department of Vietnam Customs has developed training programmes through new technologies and new programmes. The learning spirit of customs officers is increasingly being raised.