China tightens safety measures at Vietnam border gate
China tightens safety measures at Vietnam border gate
China has tightened Covid-19 safety measures at one of its border gates with Vietnam’s Lang Son Province, which could cause longer delays.
Trucks seen at Tan Thanh Border Gate in Lang Son Province. Photo by VnExpress/Binh Minh
|
Starting Wednesday, Vietnamese container drivers at Tan Thanh Border Gate will have to leave their trucks in the hands of Chinese drivers waiting in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
These drivers will transport the goods to their destination, then return the truck to the border.
This is a new pilot scheme agreed between Lang Son and Guangxi, to be trialed until the end of this month.
Vietnam’s Export-Import Department said the new regulations could increase costs and delay exports.
Many truck containers carrying farm produce from Vietnam have not been identified as having a specific destination, which means it would be difficult for Vietnamese drivers to identify the value, quantity and quality of goods before handing them over to their Chinese counterparts, it said.
The department encourages Vietnamese businesses to sign prior contracts with Chinese buyers before transporting their goods over to reduce risks.
China reopened its border gate with Vietnam’s Tan Thanh Border Gate on Wednesday after shutting it down for several days due to Covid-19 linkage.
Many trucks have been waiting to cross over as a result of the closure.
China was Vietnam's second largest export market in the first seven months with a value of $28.7 billion, up 24 percent year-on-year, according to the General Statistics Office.
