(VOVworld) – In recent years, Lang Son’s customs officials have stepped up administrative reforms and begun to embrace e-customs. The effort has turned Lang Son customs sector into one of Vietnam’s leading customs departments in IT application.

Lang Son province has a number of border gates with China. Imports and exports via border crossings in Lang Son account for 60% of northern provinces’ total cargos, which are mainly machinery, chemicals, components, and spare parts. Vietnam mostly imports agricultural, forestry, and aquatic products, and fine art articles.
Every year, exports going out the Huu Nghi or Friendship border gate total about 1 billion USD and an average of 250 businesses must go through import-export procedures at the crossing.

Customs officials at Tan Thanh border crossing in Lang Son province are processing procedures for farm produce exports for businesses. (Photo: Thai Thuan/VNA)

At the Friendship border crossing, approximately 2,500 people and 200 turns of vehicles declare customs each day.
Vu Hai Phong with a subsidiary of Xuan Cuong Company in Lang Son said that after 4 years, the e-customs model is highly regarded for its efficiency.
According to Phong, “the provincial customs department has shortened the time for customs declaration and clearance. E-customs has been a big improvement.”

Lang Son customs has now applied e-customs at all branches and 80% of all of customs declarations are done electronically.
Nguyen Quang Bach who works at the Friendship Border Crossing customs branch said that they “will continue to focus on administrative reforms to improve customs procedures for Vietnamese exports, and also imports from China and other ASEAN members. The reforms will emphasize careful management while ensuring that goods go through quickly.”