Lao Cai Province Facilitates Import, Export via Border with China

The northern province of Lao Cai has taken a number of new measures to facilitate operation of both Vietnamese and Chinese importers and exporters. It has made it easier for Chinese transport firms to enter its border economic zone, and worked on concrete plans to simplify customs procedures.

The local authority, on November 8, started licensing automobiles carrying Chinese goods or passengers to enter the Lao Cai Border Economic Zone with a longer period of validity a month, not a single entry as was previously the case, in an effort to improve the facilitation of imports and exports via its border. Chinese vehicles previously had to ask for licences every time they entered Lao Cai. The province will grant licenses in the first five days of each month from December 2004, instead of only one day this month.

Lao Cai plans to implement an electronic customs declaration on a trial basis in the first quarter of next year. Accordingly, enterprises can declare goods with a zero tax rate via computer networks in the first quarter, and declare other goods from the second quarter. The province is speeding up talks with Chinese customs to carry out the "one-time" inspection of goods at the Lao Cai International Border Gate, under which Vietnamese and Chinese customs will jointly examine the commodities and verify the inspection results.

Currently, customs officers in Lao Cai work from 7.00 to 22.00, but enterprises have the right to notify provincial customs and relevant agencies so that they can deal with goods which need customs clearance after 22.00. The province is to inaugurate the Center for Managing the Lao Cai International Border Gate on November 24. Lao Cai has targeted turnovers of US$330 million from imports and exports going through its border gate this year.