Trade across narrow river between China and Vietnam

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Every morning from 8:00 a.m., the China-Vietnam Friendship Bridge see a rush as people and vehicles go from one side to the other to do business.

The bridge connects Dongxing city in China and Mong Cai, one of the richest areas in northern Vietnam. Many Chinese run businesses there, carrying goods from China for their shops. Vietnamese from Mong Cai, on the other hand, come to work in Dongxing's factories or sell goods in the mainland.

The bridge is 111 meters long, built by China and Vietnam together. The red-white line in the middle, marking the border of the two countries, is now faded as people and vehicles cross the bridge every day. So far this year, eight million trips were recorded.

Chinese businessman holding goods crossing China-Vietnam Friendship bridge to Vietnam from Dongxing city, southern China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region/CGTN photo

Below the bridge is the Beilun River, which separates China and Vietnam.

Huang Haiping from the Frontier Inspection Station says “People holding Border Area Residents Book issued by both China and Vietnam can cross the bridge every day between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., but have to come back to their own country before the border closes.”

Aside from this bridge, Dongxing also has other trade routes, like the cross-border trade zone. This mode has been praised by the State Cabinet and promoted to other parts of the country.

Dongxing residents waiting to import goods in front of Vietnamese companies in border-trade market/CGTN photo

According to Chinese regulations, residents living within 20 kilometers of the border will be able to exchange commodities at the trade zone and enjoy a duty-free policy if spending less than 8,000 yuan per day.

Residents are made into teams of 20 to import goods from Vietnamese companies in the zone. Together they could buy bigger amount of duty-free goods. These imports could only be sold to these residents first, who sell them to other procures. “ I can make 60 or 70 yuan per day,” said a senior lady sitting on small chairs in front of Vietnamese companies. “ I’ll buy shrimps if there are. If not, I’ll by tapioca flour.” she added.

Dongxing residents ready to pay for importing goods in border-trade market/CGTN photo

Xiang Jiancheng, director of the trade zone says this mode helped increase local residents’ income and help lift people out of poverty in the border area.

“In the past, residents have to go to Vietnam to import goods. Now these companies are brought into this market with easier customs clearance,” Xiang said. He developed the idea that residents not pay directly to Vietnamese companies, but to the settlement center which gives money to Vietnamese companies’ accounts. “Payments can be made in RMB and Vietnamese Dong.”

Sino-Vietnamese Border Trade Settlement Center in Dongxing city. /CGTN photo

China’s Ministry of Commerce says China and Vietnam’s trade are increasing rapidly, especially on China’s imports from Vietnam. Vietnam is China’s largest trading partner among ASEAN countries. China’s figures show bilateral trade volume reached 82.32 billion US dollars from January to September, up 20 percent year on year, that’s faster than China’s general trade increase. The trade volume is expected to reach 100 billion US dollars this year.

(Carrying goods across Beilun river on China-Vietnamese border/ CGTN photo

China and Vietnam has revised their border trade treaty, specifying trade activities and eased custom procedures. China is a huge market and exports from Vietnam will reach Chinese consumers faster through a trade zone market like this.