Promoting trade from Lang Son smart border gate

In the picture of global economic integration, Lang Son emerges as a special highlight, as both a mountainous border province with many difficulties and the most vibrant "gateway" for trade between Vietnam and China. From highland markets to modern highways, from local agricultural products to international goods flows, all are placing a new mission on Lang Son's shoulders: to become a logistics and border trade center in the digital age.

To clarify the role of logistics, business connection solutions, as well as the vision for developing smart border gates, Cong Thuong Newspaper had an interview with Mr. Nguyen Dinh Dai, Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Lang Son province.

The role of logistics in commodity competitiveness

- Sir, Lang Son is a border province with many advantages in trading with China. However, connecting goods to other provinces in the country still faces many difficulties. So how is the role of the logistics system in improving the competitiveness of Lang Son's export goods demonstrated?

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Dai, Director of Department of Industry and Trade of Lang Son province

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Dai: Logistics today is one of the "games" that determines competitiveness. Any enterprise that owns effective logistics services at reasonable prices will have a great advantage in trade. With Lang Son, a mountainous border province, we still have many limitations in infrastructure, but at the same time, we have a special strength when owning the most vibrant border gate system in the country.

We are focusing strongly on developing border gate infrastructure, including wharves, roads, and connection systems. Currently, many key projects are being accelerated, typically the Chi Lang - Huu Nghi, Lang Son - Dong Dang - Tra Linh ( Cao Bang ) expressways. These are projects that the Prime Minister is particularly interested in, directing to be completed by 2025 to ensure inter-regional connectivity.

In parallel, the province also focuses on developing logistics centers, typically the Viettel Logistics Park in Huu Nghi, along with many ports in border areas such as Xuan Cuong... These projects not only solve the problem of goods circulation but also create favorable conditions for implementing smart border gate models, a key direction to help increase customs clearance speed, reduce costs, and promote sustainable trade.

- To maximize the role of the border gate, what solutions has the Department of Industry and Trade had to connect exporting enterprises, transporters and infrastructure systems, thereby reducing costs and shortening customs clearance time?

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Dai: It can be said that connecting the supply chain is a regular task of the Department of Industry and Trade. We determined that we cannot only develop infrastructure but forget the connection between manufacturing enterprises, logistics enterprises and border gate management units.

In recent times, the Department has coordinated with many agencies such as Customs, Border Guard, Dong Dang - Lang Son Border Gate Economic Management Board, etc. to organize trade promotion conferences and customer conferences. Through this, businesses have the opportunity to meet, learn about needs and build a chain of links, creating competitive advantages right from the logistics stage.

Thanks to the synchronous coordination mechanism, many export enterprises have significantly reduced transportation costs and shortened customs clearance time. However, we also recognize that Lang Son's logistics infrastructure has not yet fully met the needs of long-term development. If we want to become a "trade gateway" of the ASEAN - China region, we need to invest more heavily in warehouses, high-quality logistics services and modern transportation systems.

Huu Nghi International Border Gate

Smart border gates: “Leverage” to promote border trade

- Could you share more about the implementation of smart border gates in Lang Son, especially the application of digital platforms in goods management, the initial results achieved and what are the bottlenecks that need to be removed so that the province can truly become an international logistics and trade center?

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Dai: Smart border gates are an inevitable step, following the digital border gate model that Lang Son has previously deployed, aiming to digitize the entire customs clearance process, from declaration, control to cargo flow management. Previously, businesses had to prepare many sets of paper documents, submit them to each force at the border gate, which was both time-consuming and costly. But now, with digital border gate software, all data has been digitized, procedures are carried out online, and functional agencies access and process them on a common system. Thanks to that, customs clearance time is significantly shortened, and customs clearance capacity is increased 2-3 times compared to before.

Not only that, the province is determined to complete the smart border gate model with many modern technology applications: data connection system, goods monitoring by IoT, AI camera and centralized management platform. When deployed synchronously, it not only helps businesses save time and costs but also increases transparency, limits congestion, and minimizes risks arising in customs clearance. This is an important step to improve the quality of logistics services, affirming Lang Son's role as a trade gateway in the national integration picture.

However, to truly become an international logistics and trade center, we believe that Lang Son still has to face three major bottlenecks. Firstly, the scale of warehouses and logistics services at the border gate area is not large enough and needs to be expanded to be able to compete fairly with China. Secondly, inter-regional expressways such as Chi Lang - Huu Nghi or Lang Son - Dong Dang - Tra Linh (Cao Bang) must be accelerated, creating a smooth transportation corridor from seaports, plains to the border gate. Thirdly, the application of digital technology in the entire import-export process needs to be promoted more strongly, turning smart border gates into the "new standard" for border trade.

When these factors are implemented synchronously, Lang Son will not only be a transit point for goods between Vietnam and China, but also become a strategic trade gateway connecting ASEAN with the large northern market. This will not only have economic growth significance but also create momentum for border economic development, contributing to increasing income and sustainable poverty reduction for ethnic minorities in border areas.

Thank you!

Source: https://moit.gov.vn/tin-tuc/xuc-tien-thuong-mai/thuc-day-xuc-tien-thuong-mai-tu-cua-khau-thong-minh-lang-son.html

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