Trade value through border gates in Mong Cai, the northern province of Quang Ninh, reached nearly 5.7 billion USD in the first 10 months of 2026, up 19% year on year, with cross-border trade, smart border gate development and investment attraction all recording positive progress.

Trucks line up to clear customs at Bac Luan II Bridge, Mong Cai International Border Gate. (Photo: VNA)

Chau Thanh Hung, deputy head of the Quang Ninh Economic Zone Authority, said that cargo throughput through Mong Cai border gates totalled 2.3 million tonnes during the period.

Notably, state budget revenue from imports and exports reached nearly 4.1 trillion VND (160 million USD), surging 85% year on year. Border crossing activities also recorded nearly 6.8 million passenger entries and exits, up 14%.

Alongside these trade results, progress has been made in developing key border trade infrastructure. At Bac Luan II Bridge, Quang Ninh successfully piloted weekend customs clearance and put into operation a concentrated administrative procedure reception unit.

Regarding the smart border gate project, investment in eight automated control lanes at Bac Luan I Bridge has been completed. The lanes are expected to become operational in December 2026, in coordination with the Chinese side.

Meanwhile, the two sides have concluded two rounds of government-level negotiations between Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade and China's Ministry of Commerce on the establishment of a cross-border economic cooperation zone, reaching basic consensus on its proposed location, scope and priority sectors.

Efforts to attract investment and address business difficulties have also been stepped up. Over the past 10 months, authorities have dealt with 26 delayed projects and are continuing to promote the resolution of outstanding cases.

To date, areas outside of industrial parks have attracted 115 projects, comprising 12 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects with a total registered capital of nearly 211 million USD, and 103 domestic, non-state-budget-funded projects worth over 32 trillion VND.

The Texhong Hai Ha Industrial Park has attracted 37 FDI projects with a total capital exceeding 2.2 billion USD.

The Hai Yen Industrial Park has drawn eight projects, including 5 FDI projects worth over 380 million USD, and three domestic, non-state-budget-funded projects with a total registered capital of over 1.4 trillion VND, statistics show.

Addressing difficulties and obstacles affecting the operation of Mong Cai Border Gate Economic Zone, Dinh Huu Thanh, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Quang Ninh Party Committee, called on local authorities and agencies to comprehensively review their fourth-quarter targets, accelerate public investment disbursement and implement decisive measures to increase budget revenue, thereby contributing to the fulfilment of the year's socio-economic development targets.

For issues within the city's authority, he stressed the need to enhance the sense of responsibility to proactively resolve outstanding problems, particularly those relating to planning adjustments, the expansion and upgrading of border gate areas, and the provision of integrated infrastructure to ensure readiness for the operation of the smart border gate and the Mong Cai–Dongxing Cross-border Economic Cooperation Zone.

He also asked for stronger inspections and closer monitoring to tackle difficulties facing key projects, particularly the Van Ninh General Port project, warehouse and logistics projects in the Km3+4 area, and infrastructure development at the Texhong Hai Ha Industrial Park.

Investors were urged to mobilise resources and accelerate implementation while ensuring compliance with legal regulations and investment efficiency.

In the coming period, the city will continue proposing ministries and central agencies remove institutional and policy bottlenecks to facilitate the development of the Mong Cai–Dongxing Cross-border Economic Cooperation Zone, improve connecting infrastructure, extend customs clearance hours and expand the list of goods eligible for import and export.

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