Quang Ninh sets up “green zones” for smoother border trade

Quang Ninh is setting up “green zones” and increasing discussion with the Chinese side to stabilise import-export activities through border gates, amid different COVID-19 prevention and control measures between the two sides.

The zones, closed to ensure its safety against COVID-19, are located inside the border gates for customs clearance activities, to which entries will be limited. All the transport and goods handling activities will be implemented by drivers and workers inside them.

Since the end of 2021, Vietnam has switched the country’s COVID-19 control to safely and flexibly adapting to the pandemic, while China has maintained its “Zero COVID” policy. The difference has led to difficulties in customs clearances at border gates between the two countries.

Particularly, since February, complicated COVID-19 situation in China has prompted the country to apply stricter measures, including the closure of border gates. Since the pandemic broke out, the Chinese side has temporally closed border gates with Quang Ninh 20 times.

Congestions at the border gates have become more serious. Since February 2, over 1,100 containers with about 36,000 tonnes of goods have been stuck in the border. To date, border trade activities in Quang Ninh has still been frozen.

According to Ho Quang Huy, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Mong Cai city, it is crucial for the Vietnamese and Chinese sides to reach mutual recognition of COVID-19 testing results and criterial for “green zones” and “green lanes” as well as relevant issues.

He said that along with strengthening talks with the Chinese side, since April 2, the city has asked relevant organisations and individuals to apply drastic COVID-19 prevention measures to ensure utmost safety for the green zones at Bac Luan II border gate and the Km 3 4 Hai Yen pontoon bridge. All entries to the areas are requested to show negative COVID-19 testing results.

Meanwhile, in localities with border gates such as Mong Cai, Hai Ha and Binh Lieu, various measures have been applied to deal with congestions and prepare necessary conditions for the resumption of border trade activities.

Together with forming the green zones and strengthen discussion with the Chinese side, they have held meetings with businesses conducting import-export activities to seek solutions, while setting up checkpoints to ensure all entries to the border gate areas hold negative testing results against COVID-19 following testing standards of China.