VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Transport and Hai Phong’s People’s Committee on Monday launched a pilot programme to promote passenger transport on the Hai Phong – Ha Noi – Kunming route, aiming to promote cross-border travel between Vietnam and China.

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Deputy Transport Minister Nguyen Van Cong (centre), Director of Yunnan Province’s Road Transportation Administration Fei Zai Ming (left) and Vice Chairman of Hai Phong’s People’s Committee Nguyen Xuan Binh. — VNS Photo Bich Huong

Under the pilot programme, it will take about 11 hours to travel the 780 kilometres by coach from Hai Phong’s Thuong Ly Coach Station to Kunming — the capital and largest city in Yunnan Province in southwest China.

Deputy Transport Minister Nguyen Van Cong said at the launch ceremony that the two countries had started their comprehensive strategic co-operative partnership in 2018, and since 2014, China had been Vietnam’s largest partner with trade revenue of US$93.63 billion last year and $46.81 billion in the first six months of this year.

“Road transportation contributes to the trade co-operation between the two countries,” Cong said.

The two countries have 29 international road transportation routes. Last year, about 90,000 passengers used the routes and over 6.15 million tonnes of cargo crossed over, with yearly growth of 15.9 per cent and 13 per cent respectively.

Vu Duc Hoang, vice director of Hoang Long Transport Company, said that under the pilot programme, the company would provide coaches for the new route.

Hoang said that the transport firm hoped the Chinese Embassy to Vietnam would grant one-year multiple entry visas for drivers and conductors working on the route instead of single entry visas only.

Pingxiang, Nanning, Dongxing and Hekou accept entry and exit permits instead of visas for Vietnamese visitors.

Besides the Hai Phong – Ha Noi – Kunmming  cross-border route, other international road transportation routes between Vietnam and China include Ha Noi – Nanning, Ha Noi – Shenzhen Province, Cao Bang Province – Baise City in Guangxi. 

Source: VNS