Vietnam urges China to take immediate action to reduce truck queues at the border

HANOI – Ministry of Commerce Vietnam ask Guangxi authorities China to take immediate action to reduce congestion at border crossings. The request comes after China stepped up border controls with its neighbors to follow its zero COVID-19 policy.

Images and video footage from the state-run Vietnam News Agency (VNA) show thousands of trucks stuck at the border, following reports that imported cases of COVID-19 have been detected in Guangxi province.

Read: LPG Prices in Indonesia: Cheaper than Vietnam, Expensive Compared to Malaysia

“The anti-virus preventive measures that Guangxi has implemented under the ‘zero COVID’ policy, including closing border gates or stopping imports of fruit, are too necessary,” VNA reported, citing the Vietnam Ministry of Commerce.

“This disruption has caused a negative impact on bilateral trade and heavy losses for businesses and people on both sides,” the statement continued.

Guangxi trade officials in response said they would increase the duration of customs duties and submit other proposals to higher authorities, according to the report.

China is Vietnam’s biggest trading partner, and the biggest market for its fruit and vegetables. Trade turnover in agricultural products between the two countries in the first 11 months of 2021 rose 19.5 percent over the same period last year to $11.3 billion, official data showed.

(esn)

– .