Despite impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, border trade activities in Mong Cai City of northern Quang Ninh Province, which borders China, have been maintained with a surge in the volume of import and export goods compared to the figure in 2020.

According to the Mong Cai International Border Gate Management Board, as of July 18, the total volume of commodities imported and exported through the border gate had reached more than 1 million tonnes, up 89.2 per cent over the same period last year. The collected fees totalled more than VND34 billion (US$1.47 million), up 58 per cent year-on-year and equal to 62.7 per cent of the yearly target.

Specifically, the number of vehicles crossing Bac Luan bridge border gate reached 28,358, including 12,806 vehicles from the Vietnamese side and 15,552 from the Chinese side, and more than 470,000 tonnes of import and export goods were transported through the border gate, a year-on-year increase of 12 .38 per cent.

Meanwhile, 24,817 vehicles carrying 608,334 tonnes of goods went through Hai Yen temporary pontoon bridge, an increase of 335 per cent in the volume of goods over the same period of 2020.

Since the beginning of the year, authorities at the Mong Cai international border gate have carried out procedures for nearly 6,500 people entering and leaving Viet Nam, of whom 1,876 were quarantined.

In order to create favourable conditions for the import and export of goods, Mong Cai city has organised quick tests for SARS-CoV-2 at the border gate for drivers and assistants of trucks carrying imports and exports.

The city has taken samples for COVID-19 testing from 6,770 officers, soldiers and civil servants at border gates and businesses, transit drivers, vessel crew members, and long-distance drivers at the border gates.

Recently, Mong Cai has also completed COVID-19 vaccinations for all residents in border areas, and workers in industrial zones to create a safe environment for economic development, especially border economic development.

The northern province of Quang Ninh has been working to gradually establish itself as a “gateway” for cross-border trade between Viet Nam and China, thus contributing to bilateral economic ties.

Quang Ninh, which shares more than 118km of land border and 191km of sea border with China, is located at the start of the countries’ “Two Corridors, One Belt” economic co-operation zone, in the Nanning - Singapore Economic Corridor, and the expanded Gulf of Tonkin inter-regional cooperation area under the ASEAN - China Free Trade Area.

In 2020, the value of goods traded through Quang Ninh’s border gates reached $2.79 billion, including over $1.11 billion in exports, $980 million in imports, and $695 million worth of items temporarily imported for re-export or stored in bonded warehouses.

Of the total figure, Mong Cai City posted over $1.09 billion in exports, nearly $1.04 billion in imports, and $694 million of goods temporarily imported for re-export or stored in bonded warehouses. Hai Ha District recorded $3.5 million in exports and $4.5 million in imports, and Binh Lieu District had $16.6 million in exports and $65.9 million in imports.

On July 16, 2021, authorities of Quang Ninh and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China officially launched customs clearance through Bac Luan No 2 Bridge, which links Mong Cai International Border Gate of Viet Nam with Dongxing Border Gate of China.

The two sides have also co-ordinated to complete infrastructure for Hoanh Mo - Dong Zhong border gate area so that this border gate pair will officially debut in the near future. — VNS