Vietnam-China e-commerce: A perspective from Lang Son border

	Documents required for vehicles transporting cargo across Lang Son Border Gate from August 1
	Goods trading, being seen from Lang Son border gate

Vice Chairman of Lang Son Provincial People's Committee Doan Thanh Son spoke at th seminar.

According to the Lang Son Provincial People's Committee report, the province has achieved notable milestones, including 20,984 products listed on e-commerce platforms, ranking second nationwide; 48,920 successful transactions, ranking fourth nationwide; and 228,099 agricultural households trained in digital skills, achieving a 93% rate, ranking third nationwide.

These figures vividly illustrated Lang Son's commitment to advancing e-commerce cooperation with partners, especially Chinese businesses. The province has facilitated conditions for domestic and foreign enterprises to conduct surveys, explore investment opportunities, and engage in partnerships and business ventures on digital platforms, international e-commerce, and related services such as logistics, import-export (IMEX), and financial banking.

At the recent seminar “Cross-border e-commerce in Lang Son Province 2024: Breakthrough and acceleration” co-organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and Lang Son Provincial People's Committee in Lang Son City, Vice Chairman of Lang Son Provincial People's Committee Doan Thanh Son shared insights on Lang Son’s role. He emphasized that the province is a major import-export transit gateway between Vietnam, ASEAN countries, and China. Lang Son's favorable geographical location and its cooperative economic relationship with Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in China serve as a “springboard” for robust cross-border e-commerce development.

Lang Son has a significant advantage in developing border-gate economies and services such as trade, logistics, and industry, including e-commerce. The province has identified digital transformation as a strategic breakthrough to develop the economy and society in the current period, with key pillars including the digital economy and digital border gates, ultimately aiming for the goal of smart border gates.

Notably, in recent times, Lang Son has implemented various solutions to support and create favorable conditions for businesses and organizations operating in the province to access digital skills and apply digital transformation in their operations. The province has actively carried out a pilot project to build smart border gates.

Simultaneously, Lang Son has intensified efforts to improve transportation and logistics infrastructure to facilitate the clearance of international e-commerce goods, investing in and upgrading modern transportation infrastructure to ensure seamless connections with other provinces and cities.

To further boost business activities on digital platforms and foster e-commerce, particularly cross-border e-commerce, in the region, Lieu Anh Minh, Deputy Director of the Lang Son Department of Industry and Trade, shared that Lang Son would implement comprehensive digital transformation and develop a synchronized digital ecosystem with common platforms. The province will also enhance international cooperation activities, promote trade, and connect businesses between Vietnam and China.

Additionally, Lang Son will intensify strategies to develop logistics services and effectively manage the border trade infrastructure already invested in border-gate areas, with a focus on implementing the pilot project for building smart border gates.

Businesses share experiences in doing business through electronic transactions.

At the seminar "Lang Son cross-border e-commerce in 2024: Breakthrough and acceleration", Li Jianliang, Second-Level Inspector from the Department of Commerce of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, shared that Guangxi was actively upgrading border gates and streamlining customs clearance processes to promote cross-border e-commerce cooperation between China and Vietnam.

According to Li Jianliang, Guangxi’s cross-border e-commerce network now connects with over 120 countries and territories worldwide. The Department of Commerce of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has focused on creating a favorable business environment that supports both domestic and international market circulation. This effort is coupled with preferential policies within cross-border e-commerce pilot zones. As a result, the prospects for cross-border e-commerce development between Guangxi, China, and Vietnam are quite promising.

Regarding solutions for businesses engaging in online import-export through e-commerce platforms, Nguyen Phuong Thao, a representative of OSB Group (Alibaba's authorized agent in Vietnam), emphasized the need to enhance business capacity through training programs. She highlighted the importance of equipping businesses with knowledge of emerging technologies like Big Data, AI, and Blockchain, as well as promoting reputable key import-export businesses and products on international e-commerce platforms.

Le Xuan Truong, Director of the Lang Son Branch of Vietcombank, noted the necessity of developing international payment infrastructure to support cross-border e-commerce. Alongside traditional services such as letters of credit, collections, transfers, guarantees, and factoring, there is a need to implement specialized international payment technologies like tailored factoring solutions, UPAS letters of credit, quick discounting, and tax payment guarantees for import-export activities.

However, Le Hoang Oanh, Director of the E-Commerce and Digital Economy Department (MoIT), emphasized that cross-border e-commerce development must prioritize sustainability. She pointed to the need for a robust legal framework for cross-border e-commerce, including the E-commerce Law and decrees on managing import-export activities via e-commerce. Additionally, efforts should focus on integrating tax declaration systems, enhancing oversight of goods transported via express delivery, and optimizing logistics and payment systems to support cross-border e-commerce.