The Lao Cai Department of Industry and Trade in Vietnam reported at the 10th Conference of Industry and Trade of 28 Northern provinces, held on May 17, that Yunnan province in China has established a China-ASEAN e-commerce pilot zone (Hekou) with an area of over 660,000 square meters and a total investment of around 525 million USD (more than 13,100 billion VND).
These warehouses and e-commerce centers, located near Vietnam, are designed to collect domestic products for international distribution, offer online delivery services, and retail livestreams, and provide order declaration, inspection, and transshipment services.
The Lao Cai Department of Industry and Trade in Vietnam assessed that domestic production would face competition from a vast influx of Chinese consumer goods via cross-border e-commerce. However, they noted that Vietnamese products like coffee and OCOP goods could leverage this channel and China's logistics network to reach Chinese consumers.
In response, Lao Cai's Department of Industry and Trade proposed establishing a "Free trade pilot zone" or "Cross-border e-commerce pilot zone" to serve as a bridge between Vietnam, ASEAN countries, and the Southwest China market.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam acknowledged this proposal, stating that they have been in discussions with Chinese authorities, particularly in border provinces like Yunnan and Guangxi, and other regions with successful e-commerce models like Shanghai and Jiangsu.
The Ministry will compile and provide information to Lao Cai province (Vietnam) and suggest that Lao Cai's People's Committee consult with the General Department of Customs and the People's Committee of Lang Son province (Vietnam) on their experiences with smart border gate projects between Lang Son (Vietnam) and Guangxi (China).
Lao Cai province plans to submit a proposal to the Government by the end of 2024 for approval to pilot a smart border gate at the international road border gate No. II (Kim Thanh) and Ban Vuoc commune, Bat Xat district. Establishing a smart border gate is expected to boost economic development in Lao Cai, as import-export is a crucial economic pillar for the province.
(markettimes)
Comments