Vietnamese dragon fruit exported to China on the first day of lunar New Year

Trucks carrying farming products from the south of Vietnam arrived at Kim Thanh International Bordergate and entered China on the first day of the lunar new year on Friday, February 12.

Two trucks carrying about 190 tonnes of dragon fruit completed customs process at the border gate on Friday morning, marking the first Vietnamese farming products to enter China in the Year of Buffalo.

Meanwhile, two trucks carrying Chinese tangerine entered Vietnam via the same border gate.

As COVID-19 pandemic is still developed complication, such first shipments are considered a positive sign for the trade of agriculture products between the two countries.

Vice-chairman of Lao Cai Province People’s Committee Hoang Quoc Khanh visited the border gate on the same day and gave new year wishes to staff who were working there during the first day of the lunar new year.

In 2020, despite COVID-19 pandemic, the border gate saw an import-export turnover of US$1.7 billion, equally to 94 per cent of that of 2019. Of that, export turnover was more than US$1 billion or 97 per cent of that of 2019 and import turnover was US$610 million or 89 per cent of that of 2019.

Key exports included farming products, iron ores, yellow phosphorus and peeling wood while main imports include farming products, tobacco, fertilisers, chemical, machines and equipment.

Notably, last year, Lao Cai Customs attracted 580 enterprises to take customs procedures in the province, 75 more than the enterprise's number of 2019. Lao Cai Customs processed 34,500 customs declarations, an increase of 10,500 ones compared with that of the previous year.

Major Dinh Quang Chinh, head of Kim Thanh 2 International Border gate Station, said that 70 per cent of the station staff would work during Tết ( Lunar New Year) holidays to patrol and ensure security along borderlines.