Chinanews.com, Pingxiang, Guangxi, June 28th, title: Guangxi Friendship Pass port customs clearance is moving towards smarter China-Vietnam cross-border logistics is smoother
Author Huang Lingyan Jiang Xuelin
Entering summer, importing ASEAN fruits ushered in the peak season for customs clearance. In the Guangxi Pingxiang Comprehensive Bonded Zone (Youyiguan Port) on the China-Vietnam border, durian, mangosteen, dragon fruit, jackfruit, etc. are continuously entering the country; trucks full of electronic components and large machinery equipment are also lined up. Get up the long queue, waiting for export to ASEAN countries.
The Friendship Pass Port in southern Xinjiang is a convenient international trade channel from China to Vietnam and even ASEAN, and the largest land-based fruit import and export port in China, with frequent cargo exchanges.
China’s heavy machinery is waiting to be exported to ASEAN.Photo by Chen Guanyan
Li Sidong, deputy director of the Free Trade Zone Operations Department of Pingxiang Baofa Company of Beitou Port Group, introduced on the 28th that China and Vietnam are building a “smart port” project, planning to use unmanned transport vehicles, through 5G and Beidou navigation system, to control unmanned vehicles. The whole process of positioning and navigation is carried out, and the container cargo is transported on the closed road to realize 24-hour customs clearance at the port.
On the same day, more than a dozen ASEAN media representatives who participated in the 2023 China-ASEAN Media Pingxiang Tour went to the Friendship Gate to learn about the facilitation and smart customs clearance measures of this China-ASEAN land channel.
ASEAN media representatives interviewed at the Friendship Pass in Guangxi.Photo by Chen Guanyan
“The design capacity of the unmanned vehicle mode customs clearance at the port is expected to reach 3,000 vehicles per day. In addition to the existing customs clearance of more than 1,000 vehicles per day using traditional methods, the overall daily customs clearance volume of the port will reach more than 4,000 vehicles.” Li Sidong introduced to the media. The first phase of the port project is expected to be put into use by the end of this year, and the second phase will be put into use by the end of next year.
Since January 8 this year, goods at the Friendship Pass Highway Port have returned to the direct entry and exit mode of cross-border vehicles before the epidemic. From January to May, the port’s import and export freight volume was 1.6396 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 103.76%.
ASEAN media representatives interviewed at the Friendship Pass in Guangxi.Photo by Chen Guanyan
According to Nong Weipeng, deputy director of the Cross-border Cooperation Bureau of the Management Committee of Pingxiang Comprehensive Bonded Zone in Guangxi and the Chongzuo Area Management Committee of China (Guangxi) Pilot Free Trade Zone, Guangxi Pingxiang Comprehensive Bonded Zone will be closed for operation in 2011. The design capacity at that time was about 600 trucks entering and leaving the country every day. With the rapid increase in freight volume, the customs has been closed for less than five years, and the Youyiguan Port has been unable to meet the demand for the entry and exit of freight vehicles. Through consultations between China and Vietnam, in 2017, the Sino-Vietnamese Friendship Pass-Friendship Port dedicated cargo channel was opened to realize the separation of people and goods and improve the customs clearance capacity of goods.
Nong Weipeng said that in recent years, the demand for port freight has soared, thanks to the continuous advancement of the construction of the new land-sea channel in the west, and many goods to Southeast Asia pass through the Youyiguan port. In addition, China and Vietnam have formed a close upstream and downstream industrial chain, which will inevitably produce a large number of logistics exchanges such as electronic components. In order to further expand the customs clearance capacity, the port of exit has resumed the opening of the Zuofushan Tunnel, and will apply for acceptance of the Zuofushan Second Bridge in the near future. At that time, the checkpoint at the Friendship Gate will be upgraded from “three ins and three outs” to “six ins and six outs”.
Aerial photography of Guangxi Pingxiang Comprehensive Bonded Area.
It is expected that from July to September in the future, a large number of Southeast Asian fruits will still be sold to China through the Friendship Gate. Guangxi Pingxiang Comprehensive Bonded Zone will strengthen communication and cooperation with Vietnam, and continue to guide Vietnamese enterprises to choose Puzhai and Nongyao passages to divert fruits; promote Vietnam and China to sign a protocol on the inspection and quarantine of Vietnamese fruits exported to China, and increase the inspection rate of Vietnamese fruits exported to China. Reduced from 100% to less than 30%, to promote the rapid import of fruits.
According to the introduction of the Youyiguan Entry-Exit Frontier Inspection Station of Guangxi Entry-Exit Frontier Inspection Station, as the demand for port freight has increased significantly, the border inspection station has been continuously optimized through measures such as pre-collection and filing, delayed customs clearance during peak hours, and opening fresh green channels. Fast customs clearance mode for entry and exit vehicles. (over)