Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Prime MinisterVuong Dinh Hue has asked for the continuation of trade with China amidtightened control of activities at border gates and border crossings to fightthe acute respiratory disease caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

He made the request at a meeting of the NationalSteering Committee for the ASEAN Single Window, the National Single Window andTrade Facilitation in Hanoi on February 6.

Hue said the nCoV outbreak has causeddifficulties for trade between Vietnam and China, noting that trucks carryingagricultural products have been stuck for more than 10 days due to tightenedcontrol at border gates. It was not until February 5 that farm produce jammedat border gates in northern Lang Son province began to clear.

The Chinese economy accounts for 17 percent of globalGDP and 33 percent of the world’s trade growth. It is also the largest market forVietnam’s agricultural and aquatic products, making up 27 percent of total exportrevenue.

The Deputy PM pointed out several agencies’inflexibility in handling goods at border gates recently, saying they have madesome decisions that do not match the reality of the situation such assuspending the imports and exports of some commodities, which has had an impacton cross-border trade.

He asked for suitable goods checks and customsclearance measures to facilitate trade.

Giving further explanation for the farm producecongestion at border gates, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran QuocKhanh highlighted two reasons, including China’s extension of the Lunar NewYear holiday due to the nCoV outbreak. 

Besides, Vietnam’s international and main bordergates, which resumed operations after the holiday on February 3, only deal withgoods exported via official channels. Meanwhile, most agricultural products,especially dragon fruits, are exported in the form of goods exchanges betweenresidents in border areas, and they need border wholesale markets that willresume on February 9 to continue their flow.

In Lang Son province, a certain volume of goodshave been cleared as owners have agreed to pay value added tax to export them viaofficial channels. By February 6, 60 containers of dragon fruits at the TanThanh border gate in Lang Son had been shipped to China, and 200 containers werestill waiting clearance. 

However, the congestion hasn’t been solved inMong Cai city (Quang Ninh province) and Lao Cai province since owners have not switchedto official channels, according to Khanh.

At the meeting, Deputy PM Hue said amid thefight against 2019-nCoV, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development andthe Ministry of Industry and Trade need to work with business associations toboost exports via the official channels.

Relevant agencies should coordinate closely withcustoms, health and financial authorities in China to reach consensus on aprocess for controlling goods, vehicles and people flowing through bordergates. It is also necessary to keep a close watch on the situation to step uptrading activities, not only by road but also by sea, while ensuring diseasecontrol, he added./.