[Vietnamization: Border] Vietnam urges curb on illegal goods

Cambodian men smuggle gasoline in plastic jerry tanks on their motorcycles near the Cambodia-Vietnam border at Takeo province. Reuters

Vietnam urges curb on illegal goods

Khmer Times | 13 January 2017

The Vietnamese government has urged local authorities to combat trade fraud, smuggling and counterfeit goods in provinces bordering Cambodia to boost trade with its neighbor.
 

Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh said on Monday that with its long border with Cambodia, authorities should focus more on the fight against smuggling and trade fraud in bordering areas.
 

He told the online VietnamNews, “Provinces should handle violations with stricter punishment for smugglers and officials found supporting smuggling.”

 

Mr. Binh also heads the country’s national steering committee for anti-smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeited goods.
 

He asked provincial anti-smuggling authorities to cooperate with Cambodian partners, including border guards and authorities, to prevent and uncover smuggling cases, trade fraud and counterfeit goods.
 

A Cambodian customs official said yesterday Cambodia had agreements on combating smuggling and counterfeit products with Vietnam, Thailand and Laos for many years.
 

“Well, so far we have seized a lot of smuggled products and all kinds of illegal products because we have cooperated with Vietnam, Laos and Thailand very well,” he said.
 

The official said most illegal products crossed the border via official corridors.
 

VietnamNews said gold, gasoline, electronics, tobacco, wood and wine are among the most popular smuggled products.
 

Vietnam’s Industry and Trade Ministry and Cambodia’s Commerce Ministry are presently in negotiations to finalize a border trade agreement.
 

“The Cambodia-Vietnam border trade agreement will address current challenges in overland trade between both countries. It will help smooth import and export issues along the main common border and also at other border corridors,” said Soeung Sophary, the Commerce Ministry’s spokesperson.
 

She added that both countries already had clauses for border trade in their formal trading agreements, but those clauses were “at times outdated.”
 

“This border trade agreement now focuses on issues that are more contemporary to make cross-border trade between Cambodia and Vietnam problem-free and also transparent.”