Expectations of creating a "boost" from border gate economy - Part 1: Economic leverage in border areas

QTO - Quang Tri province has many advantages to exploit the potential and strengths of border gate economy. With 3 international border gates (CKQT) including La Lay, Lao Bao and Cha Lo, in recent years, the quantity of goods and means of import and export (XNK), entry and exit (XNC) at these border gates has continuously increased, creating an important "push" in budget revenue and promoting cross-border trade.

With administrative reform solutions, information technology application and synchronous coordination, international border gates in the province have achieved impressive results. Import-export and trade activities have grown strongly, contributing to promoting the local socio-economy and consolidating Vietnam's position as an important trade gateway with countries in the region.

"Gatekeeper" of border economy

Lao Bao International Border Gate connects with countries in the region such as Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar. In recent years, Lao Bao International Border Gate Customs has modernized its working process, focused on reforming administrative procedures, and focused on serving people and businesses.

In administrative procedure reform, the unit has promoted the implementation of the "one-stop" and "one-stop" mechanisms in handling administrative procedures in a direction that does not depend on administrative boundaries associated with digitalization, using the results of digitalization of records and documents. At the same time, it has proactively coordinated to handle import and export procedures for goods, luggage, vehicles, and passengers in order to ensure synchronization and tightness, both facilitating trade activities and ensuring safety, economic security and transparency. In professional activities, the unit has built an information technology system to serve digital customs, effectively using specialized equipment such as container scanners, drug detectors, luggage scanners, etc. to reduce manual inspection and shorten customs clearance time.

Lao Bao International Border Gate Customs always creates favorable conditions for vehicles passing through the border gate - Photo: NK

Thanks to that, the circulation of goods and means of import and export and import and export through the border gate is always bustling. From the beginning of the year to August 31, 2025, Lao Bao International Border Gate Customs has processed procedures for 178,364 vehicles of import and export; 510,074 passengers of import and export; 32,177 declarations of import and export goods. The import and export turnover through the border gate reached 426.88 million USD, the state budget revenue reached 286.71 billion VND.

Faced with the increasingly complicated situation of smuggling and trade fraud, the unit has strengthened inspection and control work; focused on preventing and stopping the flow of prohibited goods through the border gate, stepped up propaganda against drugs; grasped information, coordinated with functional forces to tighten management of trails and openings on the side of the border gate and the border along the Se Pon River... Thereby, ensuring the "gatekeeping" of economy and trade in the border area.

Meanwhile, Cha Lo International Border Gate is located on National Highway 12A, connecting Quang Tri province with Laos through Na Phau border gate, and connecting with major seaports in the Central region, such as Cua Lo, Vung Ang, Hon La. This is also a convenient traffic artery for travel and transportation of goods between Vietnam-Laos-Thailand-China, playing an important role in trade, trade development, investment and tourism . Therefore, in addition to implementing solutions to facilitate trade, Cha Lo International Border Gate Customs has strengthened the fight against smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeit goods, illegal transportation of goods across the border... At the same time, synchronously deploying professional measures to control customs; arranging forces to closely follow the area, standing at the border gate to closely inspect and monitor, with focus and key points of import-export, export-import, transit activities; Coordinate with functional forces to closely control the area, promptly detect, arrest, and strictly handle violations.

Breakthrough in import-export and immigration activities

Based on the assigned functions and tasks, Cha Lo International Border Gate Customs always focuses on promoting administrative reform, especially administrative procedures directly related to people and businesses; smoothly operating the VNACCS/VCIS automatic customs clearance system, online public service system, national single window mechanism, ASEAN single window. At the same time, establishing a support team, guiding and resolving problems for businesses, promptly disseminating and guiding the implementation of new documents related to state management of customs; handling customs procedures quickly, in accordance with regulations, avoiding congestion at the border gate, facilitating import-export, export-import, transit activities through Cha Lo International Border Gate.

As of August 31, 2025, Cha Lo International Customs has processed more than 40,000 import-export and transit declarations with a cargo volume of 3.464 million tons. The total value of goods reached 1,875 million USD, of which exports reached 31 million USD, imports reached 564 million USD, transit 1,280 million USD, and state budget revenue reached 512 billion VND.

La Lay international border gate - Photo: NK

As an important connecting point between Central Vietnam, Southern Laos and Northeastern Thailand; a link in the Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia development triangle, La Lay International Border Gate has recently been bustling with import-export and border-crossing activities. This is a border gate with great potential for strong development in the future.

From the beginning of the year to August 31, 2025, the import-export and transit indexes through La Lay International Border Gate all increased compared to the same period in 2024. La Lay International Border Gate Customs has carried out procedures for 2,046 import-export declarations, an increase of 8.3%; the total turnover reached 187.6 million USD, an increase of 2.3%. The total weight of goods reached 2.29 million tons, an increase of 44%. Carrying out procedures for 91,064 import-export vehicles, an increase of 41.4%. In addition, the unit has carried out procedures for 713 transit declarations, worth 27.2 million USD. The state budget revenue reached 473.4 billion VND, an increase of 33.13% over the same period (reaching 84.5% of the assigned target of 560 billion VND). The main budget revenue comes from coal 432.4 billion VND and wood 39 billion VND.

Captain of La Lay International Customs Le Cam An said that in the coming time, the unit will continue to promote the application of information technology in state management of customs according to the model of digital customs, smart customs; research and effectively use initiatives and improvements to facilitate import and export activities, shorten customs clearance time. In particular, the unit will find new solutions to facilitate trade, advise all levels to put logistics services and "Customs procedures for importing coal by closed conveyor belt through La Lay International Customs" into operation.

Ho Nguyen Kha

Lesson 2: Exploiting potential to break through

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/kinh-te/202509/ky-vong-tao-cu-hich-tu-kinh-te-cua-khau-bai-1-don-bay-kinh-te-vung-bien-1047658/