Lieutenant Colonel Nong Quang Tam of the Tan Thanh border post said officials from China and Vietnam have agreed to keep the border open longer, to help accelerate things and reduce congestion, but the situation has not improved much.
Meanwhile, Chinese food safety watchdogs have stepped up inspections of Vietnamese produce in the lead-up to the Lunar New Year, further slowing customs clearance.
According to english.vietnamnet.vn, the director of Lang Son Province’s Department of Industry and Trade Vu Hong Thuy said that poor weather in northern mountainous areas including the Tan Thanh border gate affected transportation and the Chinese side’s ability to receive the goods.
