Vietnam, Laos open "one-stop-shop" customs model

Source:Xinhua Published: 2015-2-7 17:45:23

Vietnam and Laos officially opened "one-stop-shop" customs model at the Lao Bao- Densavan international border gate between the two countries on Saturday, according to the state-run Vietnam News Agency (VNA).

Speaking at the inauguration, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Lao counterpart Somsavad Lengsavath highly appreciated efforts and close cooperation among the Vietnam- Laos special working team, which was managed by the two countries' foreign ministries, Vietnam's central Quang Tri province and its Lao neighboring Savannakhet province, reported the news agency.

The new customs model is a remarkable step in expanding business exchanges at international border gates across the East- West Economic Corridor, as well as other key corridors in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), said the Vietnamese official.

He also said the model shop is expected to halve the time of customs clearance procedures, promote connections and trading between the two countries in accordance with the planned targets set by the two countries' leaders, as well as help complete commitments made under the GMS Cross-Border Transport Facilitation Agreement (GMS-CBTA).

The East-West Economic Corridor, an economic development program initiated in order to promote development and integration of four Southeast Asian countries -- Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, has been created, based on a 1,450-kilometer-long road connecting the four nations, which is meaningful for Laos and Vietnam's socio-economic development and poverty reduction.

As many as 19 Vietnamese provinces and cities are part of the corridor, according to VNA.


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