The Mong Cai International Border Gate in northern Quang Ninh province has seen its trade volumes decline since the beginning of this year. According to Ms. Tran Bich Ngoc, Head of the Mong Cai Border Gate Management Board, the volume of imported and exported cargo reached 192,451 tons from the start of the year until March 10, marking a 22.6 per cent decline compared to the same period of 2023.

The Bac Luan II Bridge border crossing saw 8,420 vehicles pass through, 38.9 per cent higher year-on-year, with cargo transported standing at 132,443 tons, an increase of 31.9 per cent. At the Hai Yen crossing, 5,539 vehicles carrying 54,621 tons of cargo passed through, down 59 per cent.

The cargo exported via the Mong Cai Border Gate was mostly fruit and vegetables, frozen seafood and live prawns, crab, and fish, and dried nuts and other goods, while imports were mostly miscellaneous goods and textiles.

Though trade volumes have fallen since the start of the year, total turnover of goods passing through the border gate reached $531.58 million, a year-on-year increase of 30.46 per cent, with export turnover reaching $325 million. A total of 466 businesses conducted trade procedures at the border gate, an increase of 139.

In addition to cargo transport, Ms. Ngoc said the number of people passing through the border gate has increased in recent days. The number of entries and exits through the Bac Luan I Bridge border gate reached 1.27 million, marking an increase of 2,755.6 per cent over the same period last year.

Of this, nearly 634,170 entries were recorded, an increase of 2,905 per cent, while more than 633,600 exits were made, up 2,619 per cent.

At the Bac Luan II Bridge border gate, meanwhile, the number of entries and exits reached 22,100, of which 10,327 were entries and 11,773 were exits. The border gate was originally designated only for cargo transport, but has allowed people to pass through since December 11, 2023.

Ms. Ngoc explained that the surge in tourist activities through the border gate since the Tet holiday is the result of a meeting between officials from Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Cao Bang, and Ha Giang provinces and China’s Guangxi province. Trade activities have also increased in line with the high level discussion between the two countries.

This is a sign that international tourists, mainly from China, have returned to Quang Ninh province, she said. Immigration at the Mong Cai International Border Gate has now largely recovered to levels seen before the Covid-19 pandemic.