China reacts to Covid threat by closing border gate with Vietnam, again

According to the Asia-Africa market department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Chinese custom officials temporarily shut down its Lung Vai border gate in Guangxi Province with Coc Nam in Lang Son Province starting 4 p.m. Thursday.

Reopening of the border gate would depend on the pandemic situation and demand for customs clearance of goods through this area.

Lang Son authorities said as of Thursday night, there were no containers stuck at Coc Nam border gate. Provincial authorities have notified businesses and traders to stop sending goods to the border.

In order not to interrupt cross-border trade, the ministry is working with relevant agencies to develop a plan to regulate vehicles moving through Huu Nghi border gate in Lang Son Province or Ta Lung in Cao Bang for export to China. Currently, these border gates are still operating normally.

China had earlier this month shut down another border gate with Vietnam's Lang Son Province to review Covid-19 safety measures, but reopened it several days later.

Vietnam is grappling with its most challenging outbreak triggered by the Delta variant, with over 400,000 infections since the fourth coronavirus wave struck in late April.

China was Vietnam's second largest export market in the first seven months with a value of $28.7 billion, up 24 percent year-on-year, according to General Statistics Office.