China Stops Customs Clearance for Vietnamese Goods at Border Gate During Tet

Vietnam earned $1.75 billion from exporting fruits and vegetables to China in the first 11 months of 2021, up 3.6 percent year-on-year despite Covid-19 impacts.
January 15, 2022 | 19:54
China Stops Customs Clearance for Vietnamese Goods at Border Gate During Tet
Container trucks carrying agriculture exports stranded at a China border gate in Lang Son Province, December 11, 2021. Photo by Lang Son Customs Department

China will suspend customs clearance for Vietnamese goods at border gates in the northern province of Lang Son for seven days during Tet, the Lunar New Year festival, which means Jan. 31 to Feb. 6.

As of Jan. 13, a total of 1,521 trucks carrying Vietnamese goods, with over 620 carrying fresh fruits were stranded at border gates in Lang Son because of sluggish customs clearance caused by strengthened Covid prevention, according to the provincial Department of Industry and Trade.

The province said it would take a fortnight to release all the stranded goods because only 100 trucks complete customs clearance a day, according to VN Express.

For its part, Lang Son has announced that it will stop receiving new arrivals of fresh fruit-carrying trucks from Jan. 17 till the end of Tet.

Regarding customs clearance at the border between two countries, officials of Vietnam and China on December 31 discussed urgent measures to handle goods congestion in the areas bordering China’s Guangxi.

The cargo congestion was debated during the online talks between the Asia - Africa Market Department under the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), authorities of the northern border provinces of Lang Son, Quang Ninh and Cao Bang, and Guangxi’s Department of Commerce.

The MoIT said Covid-19 prevention and control measures currently imposed by Guangxi like suspending the operations of border gates or the import of certain fruits have disrupted the supply chain, adversely impacted the bilateral trade and caused great losses to businesses and people of both sides.

China Stops Customs Clearance for Vietnamese Goods at Border Gate During Tet
The cargo congestion was debated during the online talks between the Asia - Africa Market Department. (Photo: VNA)

It suggested restoring customs clearance at the border gates and increasing the time for customs clearance.

The ministry also urged Guangxi to provide updates on the operations of border gates in Guangxi, while coordinating to review and complete goods delivery process in line with pandemic prevention and control regulations.

In reply, the Chinese side called on Vietnam to join hands in the pandemic combat at border gates, and exchange information about the management of border gates and traffic routes.

Guangxi said it will extend customs clearance duration following consideration and consensus reached by authorities of the two countries’ border localities, according to VNA.

For the proposals raised by the Vietnamese side, the Guangxi Department of Commerce said it will report them to competent agencies.

On December 29, the Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien sent official dispatches to Chinese authorities regarding the cargo congestion.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu had also held phone talks with Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Jianghao to discuss measures to accelerate the circulation of goods through border gates between the two countries.

According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, Vietnam earned $1.75 billion from exporting fruits and vegetables to China in the first 11 months of 2021, up 3.6 percent year-on-year despite Covid-19 impacts. China remained Vietnam’s top fruits and vegetable export market with a market share of 54 percent in the 11-month period.

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Valerie Mai
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