Customs clearance at a border check point (Illustrative photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – It is necessary to clear obstacles that have been hindering cross-borderroad transport, participating firms agreed at an international seminar on bordertransport between Vietnam, China and other members of the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS).
Thefunction was organised by the Vietnam Logistics Business Association (VLA) inHanoi on May 11.
VLAChairman Le Duy Hiep said cross-border road transport is important to importand export activities among GMS countries (Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam).
It will help add more valueto goods traded, raise competitive capacity and boost border trade, he noted, namingsuch transit routes formed as the Vietnam-Laos-Thailand, Shenzen(China)-Vietnam-Laos-Thailand and Vietnam-Cambodia routes.
He also shared his view ondifficulties facing transport agencies, like increasing transport prices due tounderdeveloped East-West economic corridor, complicated customs clearance, alack of coordination among agencies, and inadequate infrastructure.
Phan Thi Thu Hien, DeputyGeneral Director of the Vietnam Road Administration, said goods circulatingamong Vietnam, China, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand and from Vietnam to othercountries are often via two Vietnam – China routes through the Huu Nghi and LaoCai international border gates.
Despite increasing tradein the past three years, goods transport in the area has yet to haveprofessional logistics services, Hien said.
She proposed the formationof a coalition of inland transporters for closer cooperation as well as thelaunch of negotiations for better services.
She also stressed the need for standardized border transport fees, thedevelopment of goods tracking applications, and the establishment of professionallogistics centres.
Participants asked theTransport Ministry to expand the scale of current transport routes.
Representative of the GeneralDepartment of Vietnam Customs Nguyen Xuan Kha said the agency is pilotingtransit services in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore and will do it in Vietnamlater this year.-VNA
VNA
