Vietnam – Yunnan (China): Enhance customs clearance facilitation, expand trade scale

Implementing the working program approved by the Prime Minister, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang led a working delegation including representatives of a number of units of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and important localities along the economic corridor. Kunming – Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong (Lao Cai and Hanoi) visited and worked in the province Yunnan (China) end of April 2024.

The business trip aims to promote the authorities of Yunnan province to coordinate in implementing the common awareness of the two countries’ senior leaders on expanding the scale of bilateral trade, strengthening cooperation with Chinese localities and localities. Implement the Action Plan for the period 2023-2026 and implement the Memorandum of Understanding on strengthening economic and trade cooperation between the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Government of Yunnan Province.

Promote procedures to soon open and upgrade border gates

In Yunnan province (China), Deputy Minister Phan Thi Thang held talks with Deputy Governor of Yunnan province (China) Liu Yong. At the meeting, Deputy Minister Phan Thi Thang affirmed the important role of Yunnan province in economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and China as one of two Chinese localities with a land border with Vietnam. .

However, the scale of economic and trade cooperation between Yunnan and Vietnam is not commensurate with the potential and needs of both sides. Trade turnover between Yunnan province and Vietnam in 2023 will only reach 2.65 billion USD, accounting for less than 1% of Vietnam-China trade proportion.

Therefore, the Ministry of Industry and Trade proposed that the two sides coordinate to implement measures to create real changes to expand the scale of bilateral trade, thereby increasing the proportion of trade between Vietnam and Yunnan. in overall Vietnam – China trade.

To do that, Deputy Minister Phan Thi Thang suggested that the two sides first need to continue upgrading border gate infrastructure and increasing customs clearance facilitation, including:

(i) Promoting the role and enhancing the exploitation of the Lao Cai – Ha Khau railway station international border gate pair in import and export activities of goods across the Vietnam – China border, improving road transport capacity and efficiency cross-border iron between China and Vietnam;

(ii) Accelerate the signing of the Agreement (Protocol) to build the Ban Vuoc (Lao Cai) – Ba Sai (Yunnan, China) road bridge;

(iii) Soon complete internal procedures and prepare necessary conditions to upgrade the pair of Ma Lu Thang (Vietnam) – Kim Thuy Ha (China) border gates into international border gates; upgrade the A Pa Chai opening (Long Phu opening in China) into a bilateral border gate; Open the Lung Lan – Long Binh opening and the Sam Pun – Dien Bong bilateral border gate.

Regarding expanding the scale of bilateral trade, Deputy Minister Phan Thi Thang proposed that the Yunnan Provincial Government immediately focus on implementing solutions to expand the import of seafood from Vietnam, bringing these products back to Vietnam. becoming a “growth point” in the structure of Vietnam’s export goods to China through Yunnan province.

Vietnam has great advantages in the field of seafood farming and processing while Yunnan is adjacent to Vietnam, has high demand for seafood but imports of this product from Vietnam are still modest.

Specifically, the Ministry of Industry and Trade requested the Yunnan side to coordinate, facilitate and have solutions to support Vietnam’s seafood export activities in the early stages of penetrating, searching for the Yunnan market and communicating. through Yunnan towards the markets of the Southwest, Northwest, and China.

In addition, the Ministry of Industry and Trade also requested the Yunnan side to quickly complete the infrastructure so that Ha Khau railway border gate, Thien Bao border gate, and Kim Thuy Ha border gate can soon be approved as import supervision and management locations. Importing designated fruits and foods and researching pilot imports, or importing and processing at the border gate (as the Guangxi model is applying) potential agricultural products and fruits such as green-skinned grapefruit and coconuts fresh fruit, star apple… of Vietnam through border gates in Yunnan province, to meet consumer needs.

Responding to the requests of the Vietnamese side, the Deputy Governor of Yunnan province shared high agreement with the suggestions of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and especially expressed his desire to coordinate in implementing specific measures to increase trade turnover. Vietnam – Yunnan trade turnover is equal to 60-70% of Vietnam – Guangxi (China) trade turnover.

Regarding customs clearance facilitation, the leaders of Yunnan province emphasized that they will coordinate to promote procedures to soon open and upgrade border gates and suggested: (i) Promote the construction of exemplary border gates at border gates Lao Cai – Ha Khau, deploying cooperation to build smart border gates at Lao Cai border gate; (ii) Strengthen the construction of transportation infrastructure connecting border gates with domestic traffic, promoting Ha Giang province to build infrastructure to Thanh Thuy border gate to develop logistics and commercial scale .

Regarding expanding the scale of bilateral trade, the Deputy Governor of Yunnan province said that Yunnan is ready to coordinate to expand the import of high-quality Vietnamese agricultural products. Accordingly, the Deputy Governor of Yunnan province requested the Vietnamese side to promote the export of Vietnamese oriental medicinal herbs to China; Expand the number of Vietnamese bird’s nest businesses eligible to export to China and promote trade in Chinese sturgeon products into Vietnam; Strengthen cooperation on new energy and cross-border e-commerce.

Opening of the Vietnamese products display area at the Yunnan Free Trade Pilot Zone

Also on the occasion of a working visit to Yunnan, on April 23, 2024, Deputy Minister Phan Thi Thang attended the Opening Ceremony and visited the Display Area of ​​products of Vietnamese enterprises organized by the Commercial Enterprise Subdivision. internationally, the Yunnan Free Trade Pilot Zone (Division) presides over the organization.

The subdivision was built on the land fund of the Free Trade Pilot Zone of the Yunnan Provincial Government, operating under the model of “The Government instructs businesses to operate”. Currently, the construction and operation are assigned to Kunming Aosidi International Trade Services Company and Sunwah Group for coordination.

As of December 31, 2023, there were 412 businesses headquartered in the subdivision, including 366 businesses operating in the field of international trade, 29 businesses operating in the field of cross-border human resource supply. countries, 17 businesses operating in the field of cross-border e-commerce.

Southeast Asian countries that began to cooperate with the subdivision include: Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia. Participating in this exhibition at the Vietnam Pavilion are businesses operating in the fields of agricultural products, processed foods, beverages… such as dairy products of TH Group, bird’s nests of Savinest, and cakes. candy from Huu Nghi Company, Vietnam – China friendship tea from Sunwah Group, Khai Hoan fish sauce, chocolate products from Legandary Vietnam Limited Liability Company…

At the Opening Ceremony of the Exhibition Area for products of Vietnamese enterprises, the Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade thanked Sunwah Group and Aosidi Company for building the Vietnam Pavilion and supporting Vietnamese enterprises to participate in the exhibition. displayed in the Division. The Deputy Minister also said that this is only the first phase of formation and operation of the Subdivision and believes that the Subdivision will continue to develop and contribute to expanding the scale of Vietnam – China trade in general. and Yunnan in particular.

In addition, in order to research the operating model and learn from China’s trade development experience, Deputy Minister Phan Thi Thang and the delegation directly surveyed and worked at the e-commerce pilot zone through border at Hekou, smart border gate at Beishan and Jinma Fruit Distribution Center in Kunming City.

At the survey locations, Deputy Minister Phan Thi Thang directly listened to representatives of the locations report on the operations and development orientation of the locations and directly discussed and asked questions about the process. Deploy and operate at locations.

In addition to the Deputy Minister’s official working program, units of the Ministry of Industry and Trade also discussed with focal units of the Yunnan Government about plans to support Vietnamese businesses in attending the International Fair. position in Yunnan in April 2024 and other specific jobs.

The business trip to Yunnan, China of the Ministry of Industry and Trade was a great success, achieving practical and specific results. The Yunnan side gave the delegation a respectful and thoughtful welcome.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade will continue to coordinate with Vietnamese ministries and localities to implement specific work to expand the scale of Vietnam’s trade with Yunnan province, China and further promote its role as a border gateway. Vietnam’s boundary with China, especially the central role of Yunnan spreading to the southwest and northwest localities of China.