The zones, closed to ensure its safety against Covid-19, are located inside the border gates for customs clearance activities, to which entries will be limited. All the transport and goods handling activities will be implemented by drivers and workers inside them.

At Mong Cai border gate in Quang Ninh.

Since the end of 2021, Vietnam has switched the country’s Covid-19 control to safely and flexibly adapting to the pandemic, while China has maintained its “Zero Covid” policy. The difference has led to difficulties in customs clearances at border gates between the two countries.

Particularly, since February, complicated Covid-19 situation in China has prompted the country to apply stricter measures, including the closure of border gates. Since the pandemic broke out, the Chinese side has temporally closed border gates with Quang Ninh 20 times.

Congestions at the border gates have become more serious. Since February 2, over 1,100 containers with about 36,000 tonnes of goods have been stuck in the border. To date, border trade activities in Quang Ninh has still been frozen.

According to Ho Quang Huy, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Mong Cai city, it is crucial for the Vietnamese and Chinese sides to reach mutual recognition of Covid-19 testing results and criterial for “green zones” and “green lanes” as well as relevant issues.

He said that along with strengthening talks with the Chinese side, since April 2, the city has asked relevant organisations and individuals to apply drastic Covid-19 prevention measures to ensure utmost safety for the green zones at Bac Luan II border gate and the Km 3 4 Hai Yen pontoon bridge. All entries to the areas are requested to show negative Covid-19 testing results.

Meanwhile, in localities with border gates such as Mong Cai, Hai Ha and Binh Lieu, various measures have been applied to deal with congestions and prepare necessary conditions for the resumption of border trade activities.

Together with forming the green zones and strengthen discussion with the Chinese side, they have held meetings with businesses conducting import-export activities to seek solutions, while setting up checkpoints to ensure all entries to the border gate areas hold negative testing results against Covid-19 following testing standards of China.

Francophone delegation seeks trade, investment opportunities in Vietnam

A Francophone delegation for trade and economic promotion is visiting Vietnam from March 21 – 30 to help French-speaking enterprises expand business overseas and promote sustainable post-pandemic recovery.

Connecting OV businesses to help promote trade with Thailand

(BGO)- The State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (OV) Affairs (under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), the Trade Promotion Agency (under the Ministry of Industry and Trade) and Foreign Investment Agency (under the Ministry of Planning and Investment) jointly held a forum themed “Trade promotion between Bac Giang province and Thailand – needs for exporting and bringing Vietnamese goods, farm produce to Thailand through OV business network in Thailand”.

Bac Giang launches “One million creative ideas” programme among trade unionists

(BGO) – Responding to programme “One million creative ideas – efforts to overcome challenge, renovation and high determination to conquer Covid-19 pandemic” launched by Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, the Labour Confederation in Bac Giang province has instructed to implement the programme at 17 trade unions.

Vietnam-Australia trade hits all time high in 2021

Vietnam-Australia trade turnover reached 12.4 billion USD in 2021 for the first time, an increase of nearly 50 percent compared to 2020.

European firms optimistic about Vietnam’s trade and investment environment

European companies ended 2021 more positive and optimistic about Vietnam’s trade and investment environment, according to the Business Climate Index (BCI) announced by the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) on January 27.

Source: NDO/VNA