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Kinling Lo

Long-standing plans to open joint border checkpoints between China and Vietnam could be realised as early as May, according to a Chinese official.
The two countries share a 1,280km (795 mile) land border and have been discussing a “two countries, one inspection” system for several years.
While progress had been hindered by an unwillingness on both sides to cede control over territory, a resolution could soon be reached, according to Jian Xingchao, vice-mayor of Fanchenggang, the Chinese city that is expected to house one of the two checkpoints.
“A lot of details are still being discussed, but it is the wish of both sides,” Jian said.
“The key issue is that whichever side conducts the inspections [at the border], it is in effect exercising sovereignty over the other.
“It has been a very difficult issue to tackle as neither side wants to let go of that power.”
The good, the bad and the ugly of Chinese tourists in Vietnam
The first checkpoint, in Fanchenggang, is expected to be on the Dongxing-Móng Cái bridge, which opened in September last year. The second will most probably be at the Youyi Guan, or Friendship Pass, border gate in Pingxiang.

Both Fanchenggang and Pingxiang are in southern China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. The first checkpoint will connect with the city of Móng Cái in the northern Vietnamese province of Quàng Ninh and the second will connect with the town of Dong Dang in Lang Son province.
Jian said authorities were discussing the creation of neutral zones in which Chinese and Vietnamese customs officials could work side by side without any concerns over territorial issues.
“The zone would belong to neither China nor Vietnam, or you could say it would belong to both of them,” he said.
But the legal implications of operating such a shared facility had yet to be ironed out and were still under discussion, he said.

For Beijing, the development of the “two countries, one inspection” system would be a spur for its ambitions to develop closer trade and diplomatic links with its neighbours to the south, all of which are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). The group is not only China’s third-largest trading partner, but also one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.
Given its location on the border, Guangxi’s party chief Peng Qinghua also noted that the southern region had a strategic role to play in the “Belt and Road Initiative”, China’s plan to boost trade and infrastructure links with nations from Asia to Africa and Europe. 
Vietnam was China’s largest export destination among Asean countries last year, so their shared border was the natural choice to trial the new joint checkpoint scheme, despite decades of conflict between them.
Under the present system, vehicles and individuals crossing from one country to the other have to go through two customs checks in each direction.
Vietnam and China agree to avoid conflicts in South China Sea
Le Hong Hiep, a researcher on the Vietnam studies programme at Singapore’s ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, said he was optimistic about the new scheme.
“[It] could be a good example of how two countries can work together to promote mutual benefits and handle their relations in a proper way to move beyond the South China Sea dispute,” Le said, referring to the ongoing row between Beijing and Hanoi in the disputed waters.
For Vietnam, the plan would increase the transparency of customs operations, which would in turn help it to combat cross-border corruption, he said.
Also, as most of Vietnam’s border exports to China are agricultural products, a speedier system would be a boon for both growers and distribution companies, helping them get their goods to end users quicker.
 


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Diplomacy

China and Vietnam close to landmark deal on streamlined joint border checkpoint

Chinese and Vietnamese take goods across the Dongxing-Móng Cái bridge. Photo: Kinling Lo

Chinese border at the Mong Cai/Dongxing border crossing. the new joined border control building. SCMP/ Kinling Lo

Chinese and Vietnamese crossing the Dongxing-Mong Cai bridge at the border to transport goods from one said to another. Chinese border at the Mong Cai/Dongxing border crossing SCMP/ Kinling Lo

The good, the bad and the ugly of Chinese tourists in Vietnam

Two women pass a board featuring a map of Vietnam and the words 'Spratly Islands' in a street in Hanoi, Vietnam. Diplomatic disputes between China and Vietnam have prompted resentment of Chinese tourists in the country. Photo: EPA

TO GO WITH AFP STORY "VIETNAM-CHINA-WAR-BORDER" BY AUDE GENET Chinese tourists are seen moving on a raft (R) at the Ban Gioc water fall in the northern border province of Cao Bang on January 16, 2009. Located at the border with China, Ban Gioc falls, a famous tourism spot, fuels criticism from Vietnamese bloggers on the internet who blamed, citing the spot, China for having gradually gained ground on Vietnam's territory. Thirty years ago, on February 17, 1979 China has launched a border war against its communist ally Vietnam who was regarded then too independent in the eyes of Beijing. AFP PHOTO/Aude GENET / AFP PHOTO / Aude GENET

TO GO WITH STORY: Lifestyle-tourism-Vietnam-Asia-gaming,FEATURE, by Ian Timberlake Picture taken on February 15, 2011 shows Chinese tourists walking at the lobby of Silver Shores International Resort which runs Crown casino in Vietnamese central coastal city of Da Nang. At Asia's casinos, the money just keeps on coming. Analysts say the region's increasing wealth is funding a gambling boom that saw Macau outpace Las Vegas in casino revenue, is putting billions of dollars into Singapore's coffers, and encouraged even small operators like Crown to try Cashing in. AFP PHOTO/HOANG DINH Nam / AFP PHOTO / HOANG DINH NAM

TO GO WITH STORY VIETNAM-CHINA-MARITIME-DIPLOMACY-POLITICS-TOURISM, FOCUS BY CAT BARTON This picture taken on July 16, 014 shows foreign tourists enjoying a city tour by cyclos in Hanoi downtown. Relations between the communist neighbours plunged to their lowest point in decades when Beijing moved a deep-sea oil rig into disputed waters in the South China Sea early May, triggering deadly riots in Vietnam. The rig has since moved, the riots have been smoothed over by the Vietnamese government eager to reassure foreign investors of the country's stability. But the Chinese tourists have yet to return. AFP PHOTO/HOANG DINH Nam

TO GO WITH STORY AFP STORY "Vietnam-economy-investment,FOCUS" BY RACHEL O'BRIEN This picture taken on February 15, 2011 shows bamboo fishing boats lying next to a resort under construction at a beach in central coastal city of Danang. Despite Vietnam's persistent economic woes, a record deal this month has shown foreign investors are still lured to the frontier market by its young, growing population and rising disposable incomes. AFP PHOTO/HOANG DINH Nam / AFP PHOTO / HOANG DINH NAM

Newly built buildings are seen changing the coastal line of the central city of Nha Trang on July 15, 2008. The resort city is expected to draw more tourists after its name aired world-wide by hosting the last 57th Miss Universe contest. AFP PHOTO/HOANG DINH Nam / AFP PHOTO / HOANG DINH NAM

Fishermen maintain fishing boats on a beach in the central costal city of Da Nang on August 9, 2010. US nuclear aircraft carrier George Washington cruised in waters off Da Nang this weekend amid improving relationships between US and Vietnam and the rising tension of the issue of the South China Sea in the region. Two USSs John McCain and Avenger are scheduled to make a port call in Da Nang on August 10. AFP PHOTO/HOANG DINH Nam / AFP PHOTO / HOANG DINH NAM

News

China

‘Two countries, one inspection’ system supports Beijing’s ambitions to build closer trade and diplomatic links with Asean nations


China and Vietnam close to landmark deal on streamlined joint border checkpoint

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}‘Two countries, one inspection’ system supports Beijing’s ambitions to build closer trade and diplomatic links with Asean nations

‘Two countries, one inspection’ system supports Beijing’s ambitions to build closer trade and diplomatic links with Asean nations