Strenthen customs coorporation of three northen borden with Nanning Customs – China

Scene at the meeting. Photo: T.Bình

Attending the meeting, on the Vietnamese side were representatives of leaders of Cao Bang, Lang Son and Quang Ninh units, leading by the Director of Cao Bang Customs Department Hoang Khanh Hoa; on the side of Nanning Customs, China was lead by Vuong Chi - Head of Nanning Customs.

This was the first time the Cao Bang Customs Department hosted a "two countries, four sides" talks.

According to Director of Cao Bang Customs Department Hoang Khanh Hoa, since the 5th meeting in Nanning (China), in September 2018, the three provinces of Vietnam and Nanning Customs have maintained contact and have had a lot of exchanges about work to fight smuggling, illegal transport of goods across borders and facilitated the clearance of goods.

“In the border areas of Cao Bang, Lang Son and Quang Ninh provinces, smuggling and illegal transport of goods across the border were still unpredictable and complicated because the subjects used many sophisticated tricks, reckless, forming lines and groups to smuggle and illegally transport goods. The subjects focused on prohibited goods, high-value goods and conditional goods. The situation of illegal trading and transport of narcotics continued to increase, there was a appearance of some synthetic drugs which has caused difficulties for competent forces in identifying, patrolling, controlling, arresting and handling,” Hoa emphasised.

Facing that situation, three Customs Departments: Cao Bang, Lang Son and Quang Ninh have made great efforts to implement measures and achieved remarkable results.

Updated from the fourth quarter of 2018 to the second quarter of 2019, Cao Bang Customs Department seized and handled 52 cases, total value of violated goods was VND 513 million, of that handling four criminal cases.

Lang Son Customs Department seized and handled 219 cases with total value of violated goods was VND 42 billion, of that handling three criminal cases.

Quang Ninh Customs Department seized and handled 198 cases with total value of violated goods was VND 6.3 billion and 10 criminal cases.

The representatives took group photo. Photo: T.Bình

Regarding coordination, since the 5th meeting up to now, the coordination of anti-smuggling between the three provinces' Customs Department and Nanning Customs has been maintained and achieved results. Typically, the case was hosted by Quang Ninh Customs (through cooperation with Nanning Customs) closed a major drug project to seize 10 bricks of heroin, arresting one person.

To improve the effectiveness of cooperation among the Customs Departments: Cao Bang, Lang Son, Quang Ninh and Nanning Customs in the future, Director Hoang Khanh Hoa suggested the two sides should strengthen cooperation and exchange information on import and export policies between the two countries, especially policies that have immediate impact on the activities of enterprises to support traders on both sides to promptly grasp information.

Along with that, it is necessary to continue enhancing information exchange on smugglers and smuggling lines.

To improve the effectiveness of coordination at customs branch level; apply the mechanism to facilitate and implement fast customs clearance for import and export goods between the two sides, especially during congestion at the border gates.

At the meeting, Director of Nanning Customs Vuong Chi assessed that over the past years, the Customs of Cao Bang, Lang Son, Quang Ninh and Nanning Customs have organised many effective cooperation programmes to promote trade activities between the two countries. At the same time, contributing to the prevention and fight against smuggling and illegal transport of goods across borders, making an important contribution to raising import and export turnover between Vietnam and China.

Nanning Customs leaders wished to continue maintaining and strengthening cooperation between the two sides to contribute promoting trade development as well as enhancing the effectiveness of the prevention and combat of smuggling and illegal transport of goods across border.