Son La: Border trade activities contribute to developing residents' lives

Facilitate import and export of goods through border gates

Son La is a mountainous province in the Northwest of Vietnam, located 320 km from the capital Hanoi on National Highway 6. The province has an area of ​​14,109.83 km², ranking 3rd in the country. The North borders Yen Bai, Dien Bien, Lai Chau provinces; the East borders Phu Tho, Hoa Binh provinces; the West borders Dien Bien province; the South borders Thanh Hoa province and Huaphanh province - Laos, the Southwest borders Luang Prabang province - Laos.

Son La has 01 international border gate with Laos, Long Sap Border Gate, Moc Chau district.

Son La has a 274.065 km long Vietnam - Laos national border, with 06 border districts: Moc Chau, Van Ho, Yen Chau, Mai Son, Song Ma and Sop Cop with 17 border communes and over 90 thousand people in the border communes. The province has 01 international border gate (Long Sap border gate, Moc Chau district), 01 national border gate (Chieng Khuong border gate - Song Ma district), 02 secondary border gates (Na Cai secondary border gate - Yen Chau district; Nam Lanh secondary border gate - Sop Cop district) and 07 trails and openings. The number of business households in the border districts is nearly 4,000 households.

Son La Department of Industry and Trade informed that, in general, border trade activities between Son La and provinces of Lao PDR, although still limited, have contributed significantly to promoting production and circulation of goods to meet the needs of production and life of border residents. The management of border trade activities of Son La province in recent years has contributed to maintaining political security and social order and safety in the Vietnam - Laos border area.

The relationship between authorities at all levels, functional forces at the border and border gates of Son La province with Hua Phan and Luang Prabang has been maintained, consolidated and developed. At the border gates, immigration control has basically been maintained in order, and coordination in border gate management has been strengthened and made effective; Administrative procedure reform continues to be promoted to facilitate border trade activities.

In recent times, to facilitate import and export activities, the Department of Industry and Trade of Son La province has coordinated with the Customs Sub-Departments and relevant units to implement regulations on the purchase and sale of goods and activities directly related to the purchase and sale of goods at border gates in the province; effectively implement the management of border trade activities to promote import and export activities, production and business of traders and facilitate the purchase and sale and exchange of goods of border residents.

Currently, public services at the border gate area in Son La province are mainly customs declaration services performed by the customs forces: Son La, Long Sap (under the Dien Bien Customs Department). The settlement of administrative procedures at the Customs Branches is carried out publicly, transparently, and in compliance with professional procedures. In addition, goods quarantine activities are carried out according to incentives under the Border Trade Agreement between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, creating openness and convenience in the process of exchanging and trading goods of residents and traders at the border of the two countries.

The warehouse system at the two main border gates of Chieng Khuong and Long Sap has initially been formed, however, it is small in scale and its ability to meet technical standards for proper use is still limited.

Particularly in 2020 and 2021, import and export activities at border gates in Son La province were affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, and at times there were almost no activities due to the Lao Government temporarily closing the border gates. The Department of Industry and Trade has coordinated with the People's Committees of border districts and functional forces to maintain strict control of import and export activities of goods on the border line in the province in conjunction with implementing measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic according to the general direction of the Government and the province; promptly update the situation through goods, handle or propose to competent authorities to resolve difficulties and problems arising in order to create the most favorable conditions for organizations and individuals to carry out import and export activities of goods through border gates in the province.

During the period 2018-2023, import-export activities at border gates in Son La province have operated stably. However, the turnover value is still very low compared to the whole country (average of less than 1 million USD/year), the commodity structure is still monotonous, there has not been a significant change in the structure of goods and methods of border trade exchange.

Exported goods through border gates in Son La province: Construction materials (mainly cement), corn seeds; temporary import and re-export of construction machinery with a term. Imported goods are mainly wood of all kinds, in addition to some agricultural products (corn, soybean seeds, coconuts); consumer goods (including some consumer goods originating from Thailand). However, since Laos has regulated the export of only finished wood products, wood import activities in Son La province have decreased sharply.

Although the border trade infrastructure still has many difficulties, the import and export value only accounts for a small proportion of the province's total foreign trade turnover, however, in the future, the Lao market will still hold an important position in the import and export strategy of Son La province for a number of items such as: Construction materials, processing industry, mineral exploitation, import and export of agricultural and forestry products...

Making good use of cooperation agreements to develop Vietnam - Laos border trade

Son La Department of Industry and Trade said that in the coming time, in order to make good use of the cooperation agreements on border trade development between Vietnam and Laos, Son La Department of Industry and Trade will coordinate with departments, branches, and People's Committees of border districts to focus on implementing key tasks and solutions such as continuing to maintain propaganda and dissemination of regulations on border trade (Decree No. 14/2018/ND-CP dated January 23, 2018 detailing border trade activities; Decree No. 69/2018/ND-CP dated May 15, 2018 detailing a number of articles of the Law on Foreign Trade Management...).

In addition, coordinate with functional forces and People's Committees of border districts to monitor the border trade situation at border gates and border openings in the province; Review the current status of border trade infrastructure.

Maintain cooperative relationships and information exchange with the Department of Industry and Trade of Northern Laos provinces; support the improvement of competitiveness of enterprises and cooperatives in the province. Continue to implement national and local industrial promotion programs and projects.

Continue to coordinate with Departments and People's Committees of districts and cities to organize trade promotion programs inside and outside the province (Safe agricultural products week, direct and online trade connection conferences...) to support businesses to participate in promoting, introducing and connecting the consumption of products and goods.

Strengthening border management, anti-smuggling, promoting trade, promoting products, promoting brands between the two sides, transferring scientific and technological applications through building models, and developing the economy for some provinces in Laos.

Continue to coordinate with departments, branches, People's Committees of border districts, and functional units to implement regulations on goods trading activities and activities directly related to goods trading at border gates and border crossings in the province; carry out propaganda and dissemination of new regulations on import and export, and trade agreements that have been signed and come into effect;

Coordinate to mobilize and attract businesses to invest in building production areas, facilities for preliminary processing and processing of agricultural products; create favorable conditions for businesses and people on both sides of the border to promote cooperation in trade, purchase and sale, and exchange of goods, contributing to economic and social development and stabilizing the lives of people in border areas.

Source link: https://congthuong.vn/son-la-hoat-dong-thuong-mai-bien-gioi-gop-phan-phat-trien-doi-song-cu-dan-273546.html