CHONGZUO, China, Nov. 8, 2024 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--
On October 14th, China and Vietnam issued a Joint Statement to announce the official operation of the China-Vietnam Detian-Ban Gioc Waterfall Cross-Border Tourism Cooperation Zone. On October 15th, the People's Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China and People's Council of Cao Bằng Province jointly hosted a ceremony for the official operation of the the Cooperation Zone.
The China-Vietnam Detian-Ban Gioc Waterfall Cross-Border Tourism Cooperation Zone started trial operation on September 15th, 2023. Through tour group reservation, fixed travel route, limited time spent across the border, limited number of cross-border visitors, and entry and exit only in tour groups, tourists from both China and Vietnam can visit each other's country. As of October 10th, 2024, the Cooperation Zone has received 1,232 China-Vietnam cross-border tour groups, totaling 17,991 visitors.
After said zone goes into official operation, the Publicity Department of Daxin County will further optimize the aforesaid cross-border travel model.
The first is to expand the scale. The intention is to expand cross-border visitor limit from 500 persons to 1,000 persons from each side, and adjustments will be made accordingly based on the number of such one-day cross-border tourists.
The second is to extend opening hours. The intention is to extend operating hours from 10:00 - 17:00 to 09:00 - 18:00 (Beijing time), allowing tour groups to spend a maximum of six hours instead of five hours across the border.
The third is to optimize border entry and exit procedures. Take for instance the country's first "face-scan" permit application model, which allows visitors to use the Guijing Tongban WeChat Mini Program to realize identity verification and visit registration, as well as "processing in one window" services related to organs in charge of entry and exit, household administration, and traffic police. Meanwhile, visitors holding valid passports won't need to acquire other documents, and they can travel in the Cooperation Zone via tour groups arranged by authorized operating parties.
The fourth is to simplify the declaration of belongings. New technologies and techniques will be employed to inspect visitors and their belongings, so as to simplify procedures for the declaration of personal items like camera and camcorder commonly carried by tourists, providing new experience in touch-free customs clearance.
The fifth is to quicken the inspection process. Vietnamese visitors who book to travel in and entering and exiting China with tour groups are entitled to the "three exemption" (exempt from fingerprint collection, border control stamping, and filling alien entry card) policy for improved convenience. Meanwhile, Chinese visitors are given "manual + express" dual customs clearance mode and border control stamp-free customs clearance convenience. These measures represent a new height in service quality.
Source: The Publicity Department of Daxin County