HCM Customs suggests businesses for implementing “5-together motto”

HCM Customs strives to achieve high revenue target in 2024

Do Thanh Quang, Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department and Johnathan Hanh Nguyen, Chairman of Imex Pan Pacific Group (IPPG) at the 2024 Customs-Business Forum jointly organized by the Customs Magazine and the Customs Reform and Modernization Department on September 10. Photo: T.B

Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department has provided many initiatives to develop the Customs - Business partnership. Notably, the Project on facilitating trade logistics at Cat Lai Terminal has attracted hundreds of enterprises. The business community has been highly appreciated great efforts of Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department in the development of the business community.

According to Mr. Do Thanh Quang, Tan Cang-Cat Lai Terminal is the largest and most modern terminal in Vietnam. Currently, Tan Cang-Cat Lai Terminal is the 30th port with the highest production in the world. Specifically, the import-export container output through Tan Cang-Cat Lai Terminal has grown annually, accounting for 89.5% of the market share of import-export container output through seaports in Ho Chi Minh City and accounting for 56.58% nationwide.

Deputy Director Do Thanh Quang said that although Cat Lai port is one of 40 large and small seaports in Ho Chi Minh City, it always holds the number 1 position in Vietnam. Therefore, in order facilitate trade, Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department has selected and decided to implement the project on Project on facilitating trade logistics at Cat Lai Terminal.

The project aims to implement quick customs clearance and prevent goods congestion. During the implementation, the Customs and the Cat Lai port management agency coordinated to classify channels and arrange priority counters to receive documents of businesses, and give priority to registration, inspection, loading and unloading, separate lines for container trucks, etc.

Since the project has been implemented, businesses have actively registered to participate. However, the department has decided to select enterprises that are in the top 200 (the revenue of these businesses accounts for over 50% of the revenue collected by the Department - equivalent to VND60,000 billion VND/year) and have goods gone through Cat Lai Terminal, to conduct the pilot. Notably, the department has selected Imex Pan Pacific Group (IPPG)- one of the leading and long-standing retail groups in Vietnam, with Mr. Johnathan Hanh Nguyen as Chairman of the Group.

During the project implementation, Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department has received many positive results. Specifically, the Customs has continuously improved its service attitude; enthusiastically and promptly guided all difficulties and problems for enterprises; publicly and transparently published regulations and legal policies; applied IT to build utilities in cooperation between the three parties.

When participating in the project, enterprises have increased the level of compliance of the law, honest declaration, self-declaration, self-responsibility, and healthy competition in production and business activities under the natural laws of the market.

In the initial efforts to implement the project, both Customs and enterprises have recorded a 70% reduction in customs clearance time, acceleration of the delivery of goods into production and business, quick circulation of capital and creation of jobs for workers… It is estimated that it will save about VND5,000 billion per year for enterprises and society. This is truly a valuable experience in the management and operation of a large-scale department as Ho Chi Minh City Customs.

Deputy Director General of the General Department of Vietnam Customs Dinh Ngoc Thang (8th from right) awards commemorative medals to individuals of the business association and enterprises. Photo: Thai Binh

Mr. Quang hopes that if Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department successfully implements the project, it will mean that the department has actively contributed to the process of preventing congestion, creating convenience not only for trade activities in the City but also for logistics activities of the whole country. If the department performs quick customs clearance and prevents congestion of goods of these top 200 enterprises at Cat Lai Terminal, it will also mean that the department will complete the project in the fastest manner.

However, in order to achieve maximum efficiency, the department recommends that enterprises and business associations should take the motto for all activities as the saying of the Late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong “Honor is the most sacred and noble thing”.

Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department also hopes that businesses will follow the wishes of General Secretary and President To Lam: “Say no to trade fraud, production of counterfeit goods, poor quality goods; comply with the law, fully perform tax obligations”.

Quang said that the business community should accompany Ho Chi Minh City Customs to implement the “5-together motto”: “Thinking together - doing together - sharing together - developing together - building Digital Customs, Smart Customs, Green Customs together with the Customs”.