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| An Giang border gate customs officer carries out procedures for imported goods. Photo: T.H |
Consolidation of land and waterway border gates
The ceremony announcing the new opening of Vinh Xuong international land border gate, merging with Vinh Xuong waterway international border gate into an international land and waterway Vinh Xuong border gate, put into operated from February 23, 2023. The synchronous consolidation of these two international border gates aimed to facilitate competent agencies and units at Vinh Xuong international border gate to carry out the task of managing the import and export of goods and people on exit and entry, enterprises inside and outside the province, contributing to the socio-economic development of the province.
Sharing about the opening of the new Vinh Xuong international land border gate and its merging with the Vinh Xuong waterway international border gate, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh, Chairman of the People’s Committee of An Giang Province said that Vinh Xuong international border gate is on the right bank of Tien river, together with Thuong Phuoc international border gate of Dong Thap province which is on the left bank of Tien river, has coordinated the waterway transportation from the region to Cambodia.
The opening of Vinh Xuong land international border gate is an important premise for Vietnam – Cambodia to conduct planning, attract investment, upgrade infrastructure, research appropriate mechanisms and policies, facilitate import and export activities, promote cooperation and comprehensive development in the fields of investment, border economy, intermodal transportation, thereby, bringing benefits to the people and enterprises of the two countries, contributing to promoting socio-economic development of An Giang (Vietnam) and Kandal (Cambodia) provinces, especially localities in the border areas of the two provinces.
In addition, the pair of Vinh Xuong and Kaorm Samnor international border gate is considered dynamic and has a high growth rate. According to Vinh Xuong International Border Gate Customs Branch, in 2022, the unit carried out clearance procedures for import and export goods with a turnover of over US$750 million and over 261,000 tons of goods in transit. The primary exported goods are fuel, iron and steel of all kinds; imported goods are paper scrap, iron scrap, and natural river sand.
Besides facilitating the import and export of goods, Vinh Xuong International Border Gate Customs Branch always focuses on facilitating people on exit and entry, with the number of people on entry and exit increasing year by year and reaching nearly 300,000 turns by 2022. In particular, there are many international tourists. In addition, Vinh Xuong border gate also received many high-quality cruise ships and large cargo ships by waterway transport.
Expectations for border economic development
In 2023, An Giang set the objective of reaching US$1.17 billion in export turnover. Along with the international waterway border gate, Vinh Xuong international land border gate will have an important position and role in the development of the local border gate economy, promoting closer cooperation between Vietnam and other countries in the region, including Thailand, Myanmar, China, Cambodia, Laos, etc., to increase exports to these markets.
According to An Giang International Border Gate Customs Branch, the Vinh Xuong waterway border gate was international in the past. In contrast, the Vinh Xuong land border gate was the main gate, so some shortcomings have arisen in the management, such as management methods, types of import and export goods and requirements for human resources, equipment, and investment resources at these two border gates are different. However, when both border gates become international, it will facilitate the allocation of investment resources, shared infrastructure, flexibility in operating the apparatus, and import and export of goods through the border gate.
The new opening of Vinh Xuong international land border gate is aimed at implementing the orientation of planning the Vietnam – Cambodia land border gate system (Decision 1490/QD-TTg dated August 26, 2013, of the Prime Minister); demonstrates the high unity between the people and the government of An Giang province and Kandal province (Kingdom of Cambodia), contributing to overcoming the inadequacies in management and operation when the land and waterway border gates are located next to each other. However, it does not agree on the type and function of border gate inspection and control.
Furthermore, import and export turnover through Vinh Xuong International Border Gate reached over US$750 million in 2022. When both land and waterway have become international border gates, goods, vehicles, and people transporting through these gates will increase sharply. Therefore, it will attract more investors to deploy the project. This is an essential condition to promote the export of goods by land in the coming time.
To facilitate import-export activities and goods transit through Vinh Xuong international border gate, the Customs Branch management has prepared human resources and supporting solutions for clearing goods quickly and conveniently.
Previously, at the end of September 2022, the General Department of Vietnam Customs issued a decision to recognize the location of gathering, inspection and supervision of imported and exported goods at the Vinh Xuong border gate.
This location is owned by Huu Nhan Petroleum Company Limited, located at Vinh Xuong trade and service area in Vinh Xuong international border gate area (An Giang province). The location has a total area of more than 10,040 m2, including warehouse area; the area of storage yards for export goods; the area of storage yards for imported goods; the area of parking lots for means of transport; an area where conducting a physical inspection of goods; the area of the warehouse for storing the infringing goods and the area of the customs office.