Trade resumes at key Vietnam-China border gate

From 11 a.m. trading activities have been resumed at Kim Thanh 2 Border Gate in the northern province of Lao Cai, said Vuong Trinh Quoc, head of the Lao Cai Economic Management Board.

Trade has been suspended since Monday afternoon as the border is linked by a bridge beneath which water has been rising in recent days due to the impact of typhoon Yagi, which hit Vietnam Saturday evening.

But by Wednesday both Vietnamese and Chinese customs authorities decided to resume trade, deeming the situation safe.

During the suspension, around 160 container trucks were stuck on the Vietnam’s side of the border, whereas on China’s side the number was 695.

Floods started sweeping Lao Cai early Monday morning. So far 4,600 houses have been flooded. Water levels started receding Tuesday noon.

Lao Cai shares a border of over 182 kilometers with China’s Yunnan Province. Around 500-600 vehicles pass through Kim Thanh 2 Border Gate on an average day. In the first eight months Lao Cai recorded a 144% spike in trade value to US$1.56 billion.