On May 30, 2023, Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam led a delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to work with the Customs Bureau of Nanning (Guangxi – China) to promote the import and export of agricultural products. Vietnam vs. China.

NAM NINH CUSTOMS PRESENTS 3 PROPOSALS

At the meeting with the Nanning Customs Bureau, Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam recalled that the Secretaries-General of both countries met in October 2022 with the policy of continuing to promote traditional cooperative relations in various fields. This is the basis for an agribusiness meeting with the Guangxi provincial government as well as the Nanning Customs Department to discuss further solutions to boost agricultural trade, especially after the Covid-19 epidemic severely affecting the supply chain in the two countries.

Vuong Vi Bang, director of Nanning Customs Bureau, said that 2023 will mark the 15th anniversary of Vietnam-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation Partnership. In recent times, high-level exchanges between the two sides have intensified, mutual political trust has been further strengthened, and economic and trade cooperation has developed strongly and effectively.

Mr. Vuong Vi Bang said that China-Vietnam agricultural trade is developing very strongly, while Guangxi is the largest gateway for importing agricultural products from China. In 2022, the Guangxi Province border gates will import most Vietnamese agricultural products among the places with land borders with Vietnam.

Specifically, sales amounted to 5.85 billion yuan, an increase of 86.4% compared to 2021, accounting for 14.5% of the total number of Vietnamese agricultural products imported into China. In the first four months of 2023, the Guangxi Province border gates imported 2.49 billion yuan of Vietnamese agricultural products, up 44.7% from the same period in 2022, accounting for 19.7% of the total imported from Vietnam to China agricultural products.

Due to the peak season for fruits such as durian and mango, the handling situation at the border gates is currently showing signs of congestion, exceeding the capacity of the border gate areas. However, thanks to the efforts of both sides, the status of customs clearance of goods is still maintained normally.

Nanning Customs Director made three suggestions to Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam.

The first, suggested that both sides should further strengthen exchanges and establish closer cooperative relations.

Monday, Strengthen research to pilot the intelligent border gate system. Currently, the Chinese side has proposed setting up an intelligent customs system, and the Vietnamese side has introduced a digital border gate system, where the opinion is very similar.

Tuesday, continue to facilitate trade in agricultural products in particular and promote the development of trade between Vietnam and China in general. In particular, the potential for cooperation in agricultural trade between the two countries is great.

Reaffirming the high consensus on the policy with three proposals by Mr. Vuong Vi Bang, Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam raised the issue: Some border gates are congested while many agricultural products cannot wait long, which will negatively affect quality . Therefore, it is proposed that Nanning Customs order priority early clearance for some agricultural products of Vietnam brought through the border gate.

“There are a number of issues that we need to discuss directly, such as standards for importing and exporting agricultural products; “Customs clearance mechanism, QR code issuance to control the quantity of goods, and guidelines for mutual cooperation,” Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam suggested.

Guangxi borders four provinces of Vietnam with nine pairs of border gates, but only six of them are allowed to import and export vegetables and fruits. Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam proposed to Nanning Customs to expand and widen the scope of fruit and vegetable import and export to all nine pairs of border gates to ease the pressure on the traditional border gates, avoid congestion and reduce costs. Both sides benefit from this.

Given that the construction of a digital border gate and intelligent customs is an urgent idea, it is suggested that Nanning Customs will soon develop a specific project, because in the border gate area there are many units doing the same task, not only the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam also proposed the establishment of trade chains between Vietnam and China in the field of logistics, especially cold chains under the control of the authorities of both countries, to ensure import and export of agricultural products, ensure quality and reduce costs in trade to lower.

At the same time, Vietnam proposed building cold stores or slaughter centers for livestock and poultry in the border area to meet the consumption needs of both countries, especially at peak periods.

Finally, Deputy Minister Nam emphasized more on the seafood trade between the two countries, which is in high demand but the Seafood Food Safety Control Agreement expires in September/2023. Therefore, it is recommended that the Chinese customs side complete the procedures for signing a new protocol on import and export of aquatic products and aquatic living species between Vietnam and China soon.

UNION ESTABLISHING VIETNAM AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION – GUANG TAY

Earlier, on the morning of May 30, Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam and the delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Nanning City, Guangxi Province, China, had a meeting with the Vice President of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and leaders by provincial departments and agencies to cooperate in agricultural development and promote agricultural trade between Vietnam and Guangxi.

Hua Hien Huy said that the total agricultural output value of Guangxi will reach 427 billion yuan in 2022, ranking 9th in China and becoming a famous vegetable, fruit and sugar growing area nationwide, reaching the whole world.

Mr. Hua said that 14 companies from Guangxi are currently investing in Vietnam. Commercial and agricultural zones are now being set up in the two border cities of Dongxing and Pingxiang.

Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam said that Guangxi Province is Vietnam’s gateway to China and we need to further develop traditional ties. Deputy Minister Nam suggested promoting science and technology exchanges between the two sides and working together for mutual development. The Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has four universities and 28 colleges, all collaborating with schools in Guangxi. Many cooperative breeding and mechanization programs have been implemented.

“In addition to students studying abroad, we also hope that Guangxi will facilitate the provision of scholarships for ministry officials to study languages ​​and agricultural research.” Recommended by the university system of both sides, a center for innovation and creativity and sustainable agriculture build development. “This will be a place to nurture the creativity of students and agricultural officials from both countries,” Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam suggested.

At the talks, both sides agreed to establish the Vietnam-Guangxi Agricultural Products Association to create an official channel for the mutual development of both sides’ enterprises. Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam expressed his desire to build a sustainable supply chain under the supervision of the authorities to minimize the intermediate stages that lead to price increases.

As for the cold storage chain, this is a phase that requires close coordination between the authorities and companies of both countries to ensure quality. For the livestock sector, Vice Minister Nam wants companies from both sides to test building a high-tech livestock processing zone at the border.