Lang Son (VNA) – Chairman of the Lang Son provincial People’s Committee Ho Tien Thieu held talks with Lan Xiao, alternate member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Secretary of the Chongzuo municipal Party Committee on April 3.

Thieu asked both sides to implement agreements signed at the 2023 Spring Meeting for provincial Party Committees’ secretaries and the 14th conference of the joint working group of China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Vietnamese provinces of Ha Giang, Quang Ninh, Lang Son and Cao Bang, as well as common perceptions reached by Secretary of the Lang Son provincial Party Committee Nguyen Quoc Doan and Secretary of the Party Committee of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Liu Ning during their talks on March 30.

The discussions centered around solutions to step up the construction of the Huu Nghi (Vietnam) – Youyi Pass (China) international tourism cooperation zone, launch the Tan Thanh (Vietnam) - Po Chai (China) tourism cooperation, develop unique, high-quality products, facilitate cross-border tourism, and promptly address difficulties to continue with the effective implementation of the cross-border labour management cooperation agreement.

Thieu suggested that the two sides should push for the opening of the specialized freight transport route in the area of 1088-1089 border markers, making it an official passage of the Huu Nghi – Youyi Pass border gate before June 1, 2023, accelerate the upgrade and formal opening of the Binh Nghi (Vietnam) - Ping Er Guan (China) border gate.

He suggested the group submit to the respective governments for approval the official working hours at the Chi Ma (Vietnam) - Ai Dian (China) border gate, consider the upgrade of the Chi Ma - Ai Dian border gate into an international one. Another focus was to urgently consider the resumption of customs clearance at several auxiliary border gates between the two countries; propose the two sides' competent authorities approve in principle a plan for tapping the role of the Dong Dang international railway station (Vietnam) - Pingxiang station (China) border gate pair in export-import activities and increase the volume of agricultural products transported by rail.

The host called on the two localities to boost economic and trade collaboration, facilitate customs clearance, accelerate the construction of infrastructure and expressways at border areas and those connecting with border gates, modernize border management and fight crimes across the border.

Lan, for his part, wished that Lang Son, together with Guangxi and Chongzuo city in particular, would propose solutions to enhancing two-way trade via both road and rail, consider resuming customs clearance at auxiliary border gates, upgrade border gate pairs such as Binh Nghi - Ping Er Guan, and step up cross-border tourism cooperation.

The host and guest agreed to continue strengthening their close, effective and substantial cooperation, particularly in economy-trade, e-commerce, connecting inter-regional expressways with border gates, infrastructure, expanding import and export routes, ports, logistics services, smart and digital border gates, upgrade and reopening of border gates and trails.

They also invited each other to important events hosted by the two localities this year./.