At present, thousands of trucks are waiting for customs clearance.

According to the Mong Cai Customs Office, more than 1,000 container trucks are now jammed at the province’s border gates because of China's strict policy on Covid-19 control. There are more than 300 container trucks of Vietnamese fruits, about 100 containers of Thai fruits and over 700 containers of frozen seafood.

At the same time, trucks from the southern provinces and neighboring localities such as Bac Giang, Lang Son and Lao Cai are still flocking to the border city of Mong Cai, making the congestion even more serious. At Bac Luan 2 border gate, container trucks lining up for customs clearance are more than 3km long.

The reason for the phenomenon is that the Chinese customs force on epidemic prevention is unable to meet the requirements of goods circulation.

"Currently, the parking lots in Mong Cai City are full. There are only 50 trucks passing customs clearance per day," a representative of Mong Cai Customs Office said.

According to this official, many container trucks moved to Lang Son, but congestion in Lang Son was worse so they returned to Mong Cai.

Driver Hoang Sy Tien, 37, from the southern province of Tien Giang, told VietNamNet that he has been waiting here for more than a week. He was tired and homesick.

The situation is more difficult for drivers of trucks carrying seafood and Thai drivers transporting Thai fruits to China via Vietnam.

At border gates in Lang Son province, more than 4,000 container trucks carrying agricultural products are stuck.

Photos taken by VietNamNet at a border gate in Mong Cai City, Quang Ninh Province on December 16:

At Bac Luan Border Gate 2, container trucks lined up for more than 3km long.

Only more than 50 container trucks are cleared every day.

Before making customs clearance, drivers must be tested for covid and wear protective gear.

Drivers waited for their turn.

The cabin is drivers' temporary home.

Every day, goods owners have to spend over VND1 million for living expenses for each driver and preserving goods.

Drivers are tested for covid at Hoang Tien Company.

Pham Cong

5,500 container trucks carrying farm produce stuck at northern border gates

As China has tightened its anti-Covid measures, some 4,000 container trucks carrying agricultural products have been stuck at border gates in the northern province of Lang Son and 1,500 others at the Mong Cai Border Gate in Quang Ninh Province.