New Director General of Vietnam Customs: Concentrating all resources to prioritise comprehensive digital transformation of customs work

Congratulations to the Director General for being entrusted with the important responsibility of leading the Customs sector. Could the Director General share his feelings in his new position?

First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the leaders at all levels for their care and trust in entrusting me with the important position of Director General of Vietnam Customs. In particular, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the support of the Party Standing Committee, the leadership of the General Department; the leaders of affiliated and subordinate units civil servants, officials, and employees throughout the Sector.

Taking on the role of head of the Customs sector is both an honor and a very heavy responsibility. In my new position, I will continue to inherit and promote the achievements of previous generations of leaders. I will also continuously study, practice, and improve my capacity, qualifications, and political fortitude to complete the assigned tasks successfully.

In addition to my efforts, I hope to continue to receive the attention, leadership, direction, and facilitation of leaders at all levels; the support, coordination, and assistance of the leadership team of the General Department, civil servants, and employees throughout the Sector.

On the occasion of the 79th anniversary of the establishment and growth of Vietnam Customs, can the Director General review the outstanding contributions of the sector to the common achievements of the Finance industry and the country?

On the historic date of September 10, 1945, Minister of the Interior Vo Nguyen Giap, on behalf of the Provisional Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam), signed Decree No. 27/SL establishing the "Customs and Indirect Taxes Department" - the predecessor of today's Vietnam Customs. This event affirmed the indispensable role of the Customs force in the existence and development of the state government, affirming the country's national sovereignty in foreign economic relations.

Over the past 79 years, Vietnam Customs has grown, developed, and matured in all aspects. Notably, the legal system for the customs sector has been largely perfected by international standards and practices; the quality and qualifications of customs officials have been continuously improved; infrastructure and equipment have been invested in modern facilities to ensure meeting the requirements of customs management and facilitating trade...

In recent years, the Customs sector has always completed its assigned tasks, making significant contributions to the overall results of the Finance sector and to the cause of building, protecting, and developing the country; affirming its role, prestige, and position in the region and internationally.

79 years is a journey of tireless efforts of many generations of civil servants, officials, and workers of the Customs sector to build and develop Vietnam Customs from manual, rudimentary steps towards modernization, becoming one of the pioneering sectors in the country's reform, modernization, and international integration. To date, Vietnam Customs has a unified organizational structure from the central to local levels; the team of customs officials has developed in terms of quantity and professional competence, professional, efficient, and effective operation.

In the context of the country's deep international integration, the Customs sector has strived to perfect the legal framework following international standards and practices; promote reform, simplify administrative procedures, modernize customs; strengthen the application of information technology and use modern equipment... to facilitate the business community.

With continuous customs reform and modernization over the years, the Customs sector has made significant contributions to facilitating trade, promoting import and export growth, and driving Vietnam's trade turnover to achieve remarkable growth, reaching a record of over US$730 billion in 2022. Currently, our country has become one of the top 20 economies with the largest trading scale globally.

Regarding state budget collection, with the high growth in the volume of imported and exported goods, the Customs sector has applied many solutions to fulfilling the state budget collection task, leading to a growing contribution of the Customs sector to budget revenue. In the past 10 years alone (2014 - 2023), the Customs sector's revenue has reached over VND 3.2 trillion, an increase of 2.4 times compared to the 2004 - 2013 period.

The Customs sector's budget revenue results contribute significantly to stabilizing the country's financial capacity and ensuring resources to implement the country's economic and social development goals.

In addition to the development of trade and economy and deep international integration, the situation of smuggling and illegal transportation of goods across borders has become increasingly complex at all border lines, land border checkpoints, seaports, and airports. In recent years, in particular, the situation of transnational drug crime has been extremely hot.

With the assigned responsibility, generations of customs officials have not hesitated to endure hardships, sacrifices, ingenuity, bravery, resolutely fight, and timely detect, dismantle, and handle many cases. In recent years, the Customs sector has taken the lead in and participated in dismantling many major cases, including cases of seizing hundreds of kilograms of drugs, tons of ivory, millions of packs of cigarettes... the total value of seized violating goods each year reaches billions of VND.

More importantly, the Customs sector's proactive role in the fight against crime is demonstrated through each case; detecting, and clarifying the tricks and complex nature of the case; and prosecuting many cases and subjects...

The Customs sector's organizational apparatus is streamlined and rationalized, reducing intermediate intermediaries. Promote the construction and implementation of a human resources management model based on ability based on job positions. Develop human resources with expertise, integrity, professionalism, mastery of technology, modern technical equipment, meeting the requirements for implementing the digital customs model, smart customs, and the political tasks of the Customs sector.

Faced with the country's new requirements for integration and development, the tasks set for the entire Industry are extremely heavy. According to the Director General, what are the advantages and difficulties facing state management of customs in the current context?

The development and growth of Vietnam Customs have been facilitated by the ongoing attention and guidance of the Party, State, Government, and Ministry of Finance, creating favorable conditions for investment in resources and infrastructure; in addition to the cooperation of ministries, sectors, localities, and the business community. The context of economic development and international integration in recent years has also been favorable conditions for the Customs sector to leverage its capabilities and increasingly affirm its position and role.

In particular, the Customs sector has always promoted the tradition of solidarity, unity, and determination of the collective of civil servants, officials, and employees of all generations in building the Sector.

However, we must also proactively identify that in the current stage and the coming period, the entire Sector will have to face many difficulties and challenges due to the ever-increasing workload. Meanwhile, the global situation continues to be complex and unpredictable, including political instability, escalating military conflicts in some countries and regions, posing many risks, threatening global stability and development; in addition, natural disasters and climate change continue to have a severe impact both domestically and internationally.

Many major economies, our main trading partners and investors, are recovering slowly and continuing to tighten monetary policies; the exchange rate of the US dollar and gold prices are rising sharply; crude oil prices, basic goods, transportation services... are fluctuating strongly.

On the other hand, the strong growth of import and export turnover; and the strong development of science and technology, leading to changes in trading methods in international trade, especially e-commerce, pose extremely challenging requirements for the Customs sector in both facilitating trade and ensuring the requirements of state management of customs, protecting national sovereignty, security, and community safety.

However, in reality, there are still bottlenecks and difficulties in financial resources and human resources that are lacking for the Customs sector in carrying out its assigned duties and responsibilities.

In this context, the Customs sector continues to promote the tradition of solidarity, efforts, and high determination to complete the assigned goals and tasks.

Dear Director General, what are the goals set for the entire Industry to be able to take advantage of opportunities, overcome challenges, and successfully complete assigned tasks?

First, from now until the end of 2024, the entire sector needs to continue to make strenuous and synchronized efforts to successfully complete the year's tasks. Especially the key tasks related to facilitating trade, reforming administrative procedures, modernizing customs, implementing smart border gates, and digital border gates; resolutely implementing solutions for budget collection; improving the effectiveness of anti-smuggling work; building plans, and organizing well the activities towards the 80th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam Customs (10/9/1945-10/9/2025)...

In the long term, adhering to the direction and orientation of the leadership at all levels, especially the Customs Development Strategy to 2030 according to the Government's Decision, the entire sector strives to build a regular, modern Vietnam Customs with a level comparable to that of customs in developed countries in the world, leading in the implementation of e-Government, with a digital customs model, smart customs...

The strong digital transformation of the Customs sector brings great benefits not only to the Customs agency but also to export-import activities, businesses, ministries, sectors, and other stakeholders.

At the same time, digital transformation will help customs work solve the internal problems of the Sector, especially fundamentally and comprehensively reforming, improving the efficiency of state management of customs, and improving the labor productivity of customs officials. Which, digital transformation helps customs procedures to be carried out entirely in a digital environment, anytime, anywhere, on any device...; improves the business environment, and facilitates and reduces costs for people and businesses in the process of completing customs procedures.

The digital transformation of the Customs sector contributes to improving the efficiency and transparency of management of the Customs agency as well as ministries, and sectors, and promoting the formation of e-government, digital government in Vietnam.

In the period of 2024-2025, the Customs sector will comprehensively reform customs work to achieve the goals of innovation, reform, and modernization according to the Customs Development Strategy to 2030. So what key tasks and solutions does the whole sector need to focus on, Director General?

In order to soon complete the set goals and tasks, the entire sector needs to strive and resolutely implement well the following key tasks and solutions:

First, the entire sector needs to continue to promote administrative procedure reform, modernize customs, facilitate trade, and promote the growth of import and export activities.

Second, continue to build and perfect a modern, synchronous, unified, transparent customs legal system in line with international commitments; the focus is on building and amending the Customs Law to replace the current Customs Law, submitting it to the competent authority to ensure a full legal basis for implementing the state management of Customs; building a digital customs model, smart customs, smart border, green customs... Third, promote modernization, application of information technology and digital technology, first building a new information technology system to meet the requirements in customs clearance of goods, towards implementing digital customs, smart customs on a digital platform, a centralized database at the General Department level. Regarding digital transformation, adhering to the National Digital Transformation Program to 2025, the orientation to 2030 of the Government, and related plans of the Ministry of Finance, the General Department of Vietnam Customs has issued a Plan for digital transformation to 2025, oriented to 2030. Focusing on 3 pillars: Building an information technology system to implement digital customs; Deploying connection and data sharing between the information technology system of the General Department of Vietnam Customs and the National Population Database (Government Project 06); Implementing the National Single Window Mechanism and the ASEAN Single Window Mechanism. For the implementation of digital border gates, smart border gates, and digital seaports, strive to complete the construction of models and business processes to meet the requirements for deploying a digital border gate platform, and smart border gates with neighboring countries (China, Laos, and Cambodia) and digital seaports nationwide. In particular, the entire sector needs to focus on implementing the Prime Minister's directive on digital transformation in the customs field in Official Letter No. 245/TTg-KTTH dated April 17, 2024.

Fourth, build a lean and efficient organizational apparatus, reduce intermediate channels, and ensure effective and efficient operation to meet the management requirements of the digital customs model, smart customs. Accordingly, the entire sector needs to proactively and actively organize the implementation when the Decision to amend and supplement Decision 65/2015/QD-TTg is signed and issued by the Prime Minister. In particular, focus on reviewing the functions and tasks of each unit to ensure that there is no overlap, or duplication, as a basis for effectively implementing the assigned tasks. Continue to focus on building and developing a team of customs officials with deep expertise, integrity, and professional work style, mastering modern technology and equipment according to international standards; meet the needs of modern customs management models...

Fifth, further enhance the effectiveness of anti-smuggling and trade fraud. In particular, it is necessary to continue to promote the effectiveness of international cooperation, especially continuing to strengthen the role of Vietnam Customs in the framework of implementing the Mekong River Commission on combating wildlife smuggling and combating transnational drug crime.

Sixth, regarding post-clearance audits, focus on building a centralized post-clearance audit organization model at the General Department level; widely apply post-clearance audit methods; and gradually apply investigative techniques to post-clearance audit work... Along with that is to expand mutual recognition of authorized economic operators between Vietnam Customs and Customs of other countries to facilitate the business community.

Seventh, strengthen the implementation of state management of customs for e-commerce, which is a new method in international trade and is developing very strongly in Vietnam as well as in many countries around the world. The sector needs to focus resources on implementation, especially to soon finalize the draft Decree on customs management for goods exported and imported through e-commerce. At the same time, build an information technology system to meet the requirements of e-commerce management. Eighth, for the field of international cooperation and integration in customs, enhance the effectiveness of participation, strengthen contributions in customs cooperation and integration mechanisms in the ASEAN, WTO, APEC, ASEM, WCO, and GMS frameworks... based on the common orientations on cooperation and international integration of Vietnam, to contribute to promoting trade facilitation.

The year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam Customs (September 10, 1945 - September 10, 2025) and is also the year of organizing the 7th Conference of Typical and Advanced Delegates of the Customs Sector. So what are the requirements and tasks for the whole Sector, Mr. Director General?

2025 will be a year with many significant national holidays such as 95 years of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam, 80 years of the August Revolution's success, 80 years of the National Day, 50 years of the liberation of the South, and national reunification... In particular, 2025 will also be the 80th anniversary of the tradition of the Vietnam Customs sector (10/9/1945-10/9/2025).

The Customs sector will implement meaningful activities to promote, educate, and train civil servants, officials, and employees throughout the sector on the spirit of patriotism... Foster the bond of affection, and sense of responsibility of civil servants in building, developing, and affirming the important role and position of the Customs sector in the cause of building the country, contributing deservedly to protecting interests, sovereignty, and economic development in the new era.

Organize wide-ranging and timely dissemination inside and outside the sector through effective forms, especially reforming, modernizing, and comprehensively implementing digital transformation of the Customs sector... Respond to and promote the patriotic emulation movements of the Finance sector and the Customs sector, and prepare for the organization of the 7th Customs Sector Advanced Model Congress in 2025...

Promote the spirit of solidarity, active labor, and creativity of each civil servant, official, and employee, determined to successfully implement the Customs Development Strategy to 2030... Regarding the construction of advanced models throughout the sector, it is necessary to focus on the goal of raising awareness of the position, role, and significance of building, nurturing, and spreading advanced models in patriotic emulation movements; encouraging and motivating collectives and individuals to strive to excel in all assigned political tasks, build a clean and strong unit, contribute to successfully completing the main economic and social development targets of the 5 years (2021-2025) set out in the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress and local authorities (where the Customs agency is operated).

Thank you very much, Director General!

I wish that in his new position, the Director General and the General Department's leadership team will continue to lead and direct the entire Industry to successfully complete the assigned goals and tasks!