Ho Chi Minh City Customs has many initiatives and creativity to perform its tasks: Minister Ho Duc Phoc

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Minister Ho Duc Phoc give instructions at the working session. Photo: T.H

Make an effort to perform the task

Reporting at the meeting, Director of Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department Nguyen Hoang Tuan said that in the first five months of 2024, Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department has synchronously deployed solutions to carry out political tasks. Accordingly, total import-export turnover reached US$46.84 billion (accounting for 15.33% of the country’s total trade turnover), an increase of 3.37% year-on-year (an increase of US$1.52 billion).

The state budget revenue of Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department from the beginning of the year to June 11, 2024 reached VND53,130.1 billion, equal to 40.62% of the assigned target (VND130,800 billion) and down 6.69% or VND 3,812 billion year-on-year.

Analyzing the reasons why the state budget revenue of the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department decreased, Director Nguyen Hoang Tuan said that in terms of the structure of state budget revenue, cars, gasoline, iron and steel, account for nearly 35% of total revenue. Therefore, fluctuations in these revenue sources will greatly impact the Department’s revenue. In addition, state budget revenue is also affected by policy of 2% VAT reduction; and the implementation of free trade agreements (FTAs)...

In particular, revenue from imported CBU cars decreased by 51.78% (nearly VND6,000 billion) compared to the same period in 2023 due to the impact of tariff reduction commitments in a number of free trade agreements.

Deputy Director General of the General Department of Customs Dinh Ngoc Thang speaks at the working session. Photo: T.H

According to the assessment of Director Nguyen Hoang Tuan, despite the deepest decrease in state budget revenue, the Department’s revenue decrease has improved compared to the same period last month, with a decrease from 11.84 % down to 5.51%. This result shows the efforts of all officials, civil servants and employees throughout the unit to organize and drastically implement solutions to facilitate trade, improve the effectiveness of state management, prevent revenue loss in implementing state budget collection tasks in 2024.

Director of Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department Nguyen Hoang Tuan reported on the results of the unit's tasks. Photo: T.H

To complete the assigned political tasks, Director Nguyen Hoang Tuan stated the key solutions of the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department in the second half of the year; proposed to the Minister and the working delegation a number of contents, such as: upgrading infrastructure at some Customs branches to create a working environment for civil servants; removing obstacles in handling backlogged goods; continuing to complete and implement the Can Gio international transshipment port project; building traffic connections at Tan Son Nhat International Airport and Long Thanh International Airport...

There are many initiatives and creativity

Sharing with the difficulties and problems of the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, Deputy Director General of the General Department of Customs Dinh Ngoc Thang requested that the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department pay attention to well implementing the contents of the two coordination regulations. They are the coordination regulation with Ho Chi Minh City Police on drug prevention and combat; and coordination regulation with the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department on anti-tax fraud through e-commerce and VAT refund.

To effectively carry out the coordination work, Director General of the General Department of Taxation Mai Xuan Thanh said that the Customs and Tax authorities needs to coordinate more closely, especially through the discovery of violations from Thu Duc House. It is necessary to pay attention to the high-risk items, and promote communication in risk assessment; as well as on-site import and export.

Speaking at the meeting, Minister Ho Duc Phoc acknowledged and appreciated the achievements of the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department in recent times. The Minister emphasized: Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department has promoted and maintained the tradition of solidarity, with many initiatives and creativity to successfully complete assigned tasks.

The Minister and the delegation take photos with leaders of Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department. Photo: T.H

The Minister said that Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department is the largest and key unit of the entire Customs industry, the volume of import and export goods accounts for 1/3 of the country, however the number of import and export goods has decreased, imported goods are mainly from China. This has an impact on state budget revenue.

Facing the impact of difficulties, Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department has had appropriate solutions to both ensure management and facilitate trade for businesses and investors.

“Ho Chi Minh City is a key area, a major economic area of ​​the country, Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department is one of the major units, performing political tasks in the area and has made important contributions to the Party and Government of Ho Chi Minh City.

To perform well the key tasks in the coming time, the Minister requests the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department to strictly implement regulations, while creating the most favorable conditions for businesses to increase state budget revenue at the unit.

In addition to facilitation work, the Minister requests the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department to focus on effectively implementing anti-smuggling and trade fraud work. The Minister said that the outstanding results of the Customs sector and Ho Chi Minh City Customs are seizure of large drug cases. Besides, the department has focused on preventing smuggled goods and tax evasion. In which, it is necessary to pay attention to smuggled gold items; especially the sea route, contributing to stabilizing monetary policy, maintaining exchange rates, and stabilizing the economy...

At the same time, the Department effectively coordinate with other authorities inside and outside the industry, including the General Department of Taxation and Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department in implementing anti-fraud in VAT refund work.

One of the most important issues is human resources. Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department recruits, trains and fosters a team of professional and dynamic staff; applies technology, especially high technology and information technology, in professional stages.

Regarding the problems and recommendations of the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, the Minister proposed the General Department of Customs and the Ministry of Finance to study and propose to competent authorities to resolve.