Nearly 6,000 vehicles were waiting for customs clearance in Lang Son and Quang Ninh provinces on December 24 and 25. (Photo: VNA)The move is to materialise high-level agreementsreached between Vietnam and China, meet the rights and interests of both sides andavoid public concern, especially when the Tet (Lunar New Year) festival is approaching,the minister told an online meeting on January 18.
According to Phan Van Chinh, head of the Agency ofForeign Trade under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), cargo truckshave been stranded at border gates in Lang Son and Quang Ninh provinces overthe past days as China has intensified COVID-19 prevention and controlmeasures.
Notably, nearly 6,000 vehicles were waiting forcustoms clearance in the two provinces on December 24 and 25. Meanwhile,thousands of others had been stuck on the Chinese side.
The ministry reported that as of January 17 morning, atotal of 12 northern border gates had been reopened and there were only 2,643trucks stuck in Lang Son and Quang Ninh.
Leaders of Cao Bang and Lang Son provinces said theyhave regularly held working sessions with the Chinese side at different levelsto push ahead with customs clearance.
The MoIT has decided to establish a steering board tohandle the cargo congestion, headed by Minister Dien.
The board instructs competent agencies to takemeasures and solutions to remove bottlenecks in customs clearance at the northernborder gates, provides updates on the situation for localities, and coordinatewith relevant ministries, agencies and localities to regulate goods transportationto the border gates.
The MoIT has also established a working group thatgives advice to the board in this regard and advised production and businessfacilities to observe pandemic prevention and control regulations./.
VNA
