Prosperity at Chi Ma border gate

	Synchronizing measures to promote import and export and prevent smuggling through Chi Ma border gate area
	Terminate Pilot Project on Importing Medicinal Herbs across Chi Ma Border Gate

Goods cleared through the specialized transport route at Chi Ma border gate. Photo: H.Nu

Behind the cold wind

From Lang Son city, follow National Highway 4B through Loc Binh town for 15 km to Chi Ma border gate. The day we came, thick fog blurred the car windows. Fortunately, traffic on the border route has now received investment, especially National Highway 4B from Lang Son city to Loc Binh town center, which is being upgraded and expanded by the province. Currently, the road has been basically paved and is wide enough for 2 large trucks to move.

I remember just 2 years ago, if you travel from Lang Son city to Chi Ma border gate, it would take 1.5 hours, now the time has been shortened to 45 minutes thanks to the investment and upgrade of National Highway 4B. That shows the importance of infrastructure in facilitating the transportation of goods, saving costs for import and export activities of enterprises.

Arriving at Chi Ma border gate, as if seeing our interest, Mr. Bui Quan - a colleague currently working at Chi Ma border gate Customs Sub-department (Lang Son Customs Department) pointed towards Ai Diem town (China), winter has begun to come, the winds blow peacefully as usual but accompanied by cold. Therefore, this remote and isolated border area is always compared to: "Yellow flies, dog fleas, Chi Ma wind".

According to statistics from the Chi Ma Border Gate Customs Sub-department, from January 1 to November 25, 2024, the unit received and processed procedures for 11,370 sets of declarations with a total turnover of 343.3 million USD; the state budget payment reached over 680 billion VND. In addition, the unit also detected and arrested 192 cases, with an estimated value of exhibits of over 2.4 billion VND.

Adding to the story, Deputy Head of Chi Ma Border Gate Customs Sub-department Doan Tuan Anh said that the cold wind is just a reflection of the weather, but when we are attached, the harsh things from nature will become familiar. Sometimes the lack of them makes us miss them terribly. While speaking, Mr. Doan Tuan Anh pointed to the customs procedures as if emphasizing the familiarity and the nostalgia that the class of Customs officers who have been and are currently attached to will never forget.

Slowly in the story, Mr. Tuan Anh shared that to ensure the health of the staff, the unit has divided shifts to handle procedures for businesses smoothly from 7am to 8pm. On days of deep cold weather, the unit rotates and divides shifts flexibly to both meet the requirements of uninterrupted work and ensure the health of the staff working in all professional stages. In particular, for those working in anti-smuggling control, the unit arranges and equips them with additional clothes, shoes, warm hats, raincoats, and flashlights to meet professional requirements and suit the actual situation.

It is said that in the early years of the 21st century, Chi Ma border gate area was considered one of the "hot spots" for smuggling, drug trafficking, counterfeit money, poultry, illegal entry and exit, etc. However, from 2014 to present, Chi Ma border gate area has been upgraded, all activities of exchanging goods between border residents of the two countries have been more strictly managed. Therefore, the security and order situation, smuggling activities, and illegal transportation of goods across the border have significantly decreased.

Promoting potential

According to the assessment, the room for service development at Chi Ma border gate is still very large, currently the number of imported goods only reaches 40 to 60 vehicles/container per day (compared to the peak period of 80 to 100 vehicles/day). With 7 centralized locations for inspection and supervision of imported and exported goods, it can meet the needs of about 800 to 1,000 means of transport stopping, loading, unloading, transferring goods, etc. At Chi Ma border gate Customs Sub-department, there are 51 civil servants, with basic training, responding well to the requirements of the task when the amount of goods and means of transporting imported and exported goods increases to over 500 vehicles/day.

Besides, at Chi Ma border gate, many enterprises have invested in warehouse systems and large-scale import and export goods gathering places. Meanwhile, according to the Border Gate Planning on the Vietnam - China land border approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1199/QD-TTg dated October 14, 2023, Chi Ma (Vietnam) - Ai Diem (China) bilateral border gate pair is determined to be upgraded to become an international border gate in the period of 2021 - 2030.

In order to proactively implement the roadmap, based on the results of the 14th Annual Consultation on International Road Transport between the Delegation of the Transport Department of Lang Son Province and the Delegation of the Transport Department of Guangxi Province, China on March 21, 2024 and the Consultation between the specialized agencies of the province and the authorities of Ninh Minh district at Ai Diem border gate, Ninh Minh district, Guangxi province held on July 2, the two provinces of Lang Son - Guangxi have agreed to officially deploy the management of Vietnam - China international transport activities at Chi Ma border gate (Vietnam) - Ai Diem border gate (China) from July 2, 2024.

However, according to the People's Committee of Lang Son province, at this pair of border gates, the two sides have just agreed to put the route deep into the two countries' territories, namely Hanoi - Chi Ma border gate - Ai Diem border gate – Nam Ninh into operation, there is no route in the border area between the two countries, etc.

To organize the implementation of Vietnam - China international road transport activities through Chi Ma - Ai Diem bilateral border gate pair to ensure compliance with regulations, create favorable conditions for cultural exchange, promote economic and trade development between the two sides of the border gate area, the People's Committee of Lang Son province has sent Official Dispatch No. 1011/UBND-KT requesting the Ministry of Transport to consider agreeing with the Chinese side to add the road freight and passenger transport route, namely Lang Son City - Chi Ma border gate - Ai Diem border gate - Ninh Minh district and vice versa, into Appendix 5 of the Protocol implementing the Vietnam - China Road Transport Agreement.

Chairman of Lang Son Provincial People's Committee Ho Tien Thieu shared with us that Chi Ma border gate area is an important economic, commercial, service and tourism area of ​​Lang Son province; a place where economic activities of border gates, warehouses, supply and distribution of goods are concentrated, and is a hub for inter-regional and international trade. This is also the main border gate area oriented for development, forming a new urban area in the future; an important traffic hub of the province, with a strategic position in terms of economy, society, national defense and security.

Leaving Chi Ma border gate when the fog was thick, in the distance the lights of the inter-sectoral office were still shimmering magically, we believe that this "windy land" will promote its potential, reach far and become a key economic area of ​​inter-regional border gates in the near future.