Cross-border trade activities between Vietnam and China via border gates in Lao Cai and Lang Son province have been intensified over the past few days, according to the Government Portal.

Illustrative photo.

At the Kim Thanh II International Border Gate in Lao Cai, as of February 13, the customs authority processed 22 requests for clearance of 1,486 tons of goods and products worth US$975,000, mainly dragon fruit, watermelon, banana, medical face masks, and others.

Additionally, there were 21 import declarations for 814 tons of goods worth US$380,300, including vegetables and fertilizers, among others.

Customs authorities attributed a speedy clearance process to a better preparation in terms of personnel and equipment, as well as strict compliance with regulations on prevention of the Covid-19 outbreak.

At the Kim Thanh Border Gate, all trucks carrying goods going through the border would have to be sterilized and drivers are subject to 14 days of quarantine. Some truck drivers even wear protective suits and gears for extra protection.

Similarly, in Lang Son province, a series of Covid-19 countermeasures have been adopted at the Huu Nghi International Border Gate.

On February 13, around 180 trucks were cleared, including 120 carrying agricultural export products, a five-fold increase compared to that February 5 when the border gate was reopened.

Since February 13, truck drivers transporting goods from Vietnam to China via the Huu Nghi International Border Gate have been required to wear medical protective suits. By the end of the day, representatives of the International Health Quarantine Center would collect all these protective suits for sterilization and discard in line with medical regulations.

The authority is tasked with supervising the process of sterilization and quarantine of drivers and loaders.

The Economic Management Board at Dong Dang Border Gate in Lang Son province said it has been maintaining frequent communication channel with its Chinese counterparts in Pingxiang city to timely address any issues related to customs clearance.

As of present, Vietnamese authorities are working with the Chinese side for initiating clearance process at Tan Thanh and Coc Nam border gates, which should be applied with similar anti-virus measures as in the Huu Nghi International Border Gate.

China previously extended the closure of a number of border gates with Vietnam after the Lunar New Year Holiday on fears of the spread of Covid-19, but reopened a few since February 5.

China is currently one of the major export markets for Vietnamese fisheries and agricultural products. The main farm export staples to China include vegetables, cashew, coffee, rice, cassava products, rubber and aquatic products.

In 2019, Vietnam’s agro-forestry-fishery exports to China reached US$8.5 billion, of which, wood and wooden products amounted to US$1.2 billion, up 8.4% year-on-year, exports of fisheries, rubber and vegetables reached US$1.23 billion, US$1.55 billion and over US$2.4 billion, respectively.