Customs officers in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province of An Giang inspects exports goods. — VNA/VNS Photo

The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province of An Giang targets increasing trade through border gates by 15 per cent in 2021-25 from the previous five years to US$9 billion.

Tran Anh Thu, deputy chairman of the province People’s Committee, said border trade infrastructure would be improved along with the circulation of goods, regional linkages and international integration. He said this would hopefully turn the An Giang border economic zone into one of the country’s eight key ones.

Authorities will also implement tax and fee measures to help businesses revive and resolve tax-related difficulties.

The province has called on customs authorities to pay special attention to clearing goods, specialised supervision and combating smuggling and trade fraud, especially of conditional import goods, independent shipments and temporary imports for re-export and temporary exports for re-import, according to the People’s Committee.

Thu also emphasised the importance of communication to raise public awareness about the dangers of smuggling and illegal cross-border trafficking of goods and to urge people not to assist illegal acts.

Under the plan, An Giang will invest more in infrastructure, solicit investments and implement its co-operation agreements on border trade with Cambodia’s Takeo and Kandal provinces.

An Giang shares a border of nearly 100km with Cambodia and has two international and national border gates each. — VNS