Tan Thanh border gate resumes operations as of August 18

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, customs clearance of products via the Tan Thanh border gate in Lang Son (and the Po Chai border gate in Guangxi, China) has resumed regular operations as of today, August 18.

The provinces of Lang Son and Guangxi (China) have reached an agreement on the customs clearance procedure to ensure the smooth flow of import and export products and to meet pandemic prevention and control criteria.

The ministry will continue to work closely with Lang Son province and the northern border province to monitor the import and export of products across the border to address any difficulties that arise.

Provinces that share border crossings and export agricultural products to China have stated that the nation is speeding inspection, tightening management, and tracking of product origins and transit vehicles in an effort to prevent a pandemic. The work has resulted in extended customs processing times and sometimes congestion.

Due to the complicated situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Lang Son province agreed to pilot the adjustment of export and import goods. From August 17 to August 31, Vietnamese specialized drivers will hand over vehicles to Chinese counterparts at the Po Chai (China) container yard area to carry out procedures for delivery and receipt of goods.

For modes of transport that have been the subject of transactions and full contracts, the enterprises of the two parties shall automatically exchange and agree on methods of goods delivery and receipt, vehicle delivery and receipt, information on the current status of vehicles, and preliminary modes of transport, and mode of vehicle operation control.

For modes of transport that have not been transacted or negotiated, companies and commodities owners must choose to entrust transactions to a competent and trustworthy enterprise. Simultaneously, the process of shipping products must assure compliance with the COVID-19 prevention and control regulations established by the two sides' state management authorities.

By August 30, the two sides will have meetings on the border to review the pilot's results and to re-unify the import-export process to maintain bilateral equality. and following the COVID-19 pandemic's evolution.

Lang Son province has increased the level of prevention and control of COVID-19 to the highest level possible and implemented synchronized "closed management" solutions. As a result, the pandemic situation at the Tan Thanh border gate in particular, as well as at other border gates, remains under control.

Previously, in response to the discovery of many Covid-19 instances involving long-distance transporters carrying export items to China via the Tan Thanh border gate region, the Guangxi border gate authorities briefly suspended customs clearance procedures. The initiative intended to investigate and agree on ways to enhance the process of commodities delivery and receipt through the Tan Thanh area, therefore ensuring the safe flow of import and export items and services between the two nations during a pandemic.