Proposal for Chinese tourists to drive cars into Quang Ninh

A convoy of Chinese self-driving tourist cars after passing through Mong Cai international border gate on National Highway 18 to Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province in 2018 - Photo: SON CA

A representative of Mong Cai City People's Committee said that the locality has just received a document from the Department of Trade and Dongxing Border Gate Management, Dongxing City (China) proposing preparations to open a checkpoint for people entering and exiting through Bac Luan 2 border gate. This is a way to reduce the number of people entering and exiting through Bac Luan 1 border gate.

After that, Mong Cai City People's Committee sent a report to Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee to have a policy to direct the opening of inspection and control channels for Chinese people and self-driving tourist vehicles entering Vietnam through Bac Luan 2 border gate.

In addition, Mong Cai City also proposed that the People's Committee of Quang Ninh province allow the locality to coordinate with relevant departments and branches to develop a plan as well as organize talks with the Chinese side on this issue.

Ms. Luong Ngoc Bich - Director of Hong Gai Tourism and Service Joint Stock Company - said that the unit was assigned to carry out a pilot project to welcome Chinese self-driving tourist cars to Quang Ninh via Mong Cai international border gate.

Previously, in August 2019, the Government Office had issued a document agreeing to Quang Ninh's proposal to extend the pilot period for self-driving Chinese tourist cars through Mong Cai international border gate to Ha Long city until the end of June 2020.

Then, the Covid-19 epidemic broke out in both China and Vietnam, so this activity was suspended and has not been resumed yet.

It is known that the tour for Chinese people to drive their own cars to Quang Ninh, Vietnam has been available since 2016. At that time, 5-7 seater cars from Vietnam were allowed to enter Guilin City, Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangxi Province, China, a distance of about 600 km.

For Chinese cars to enter Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province, a distance of about 180 km, and Chinese tourists traveling by self-driving car to Quang Ninh, they must have a visa, as well as complete entry procedures according to Vietnamese law.

According to the original plan, each side was allowed to allow about 300 self-driving cars with less than 9 seats to travel deep into each other's territory each month, with each trip lasting about 5 days. Most Chinese tourists entering Ha Long on this tour were luxury guests, staying at 4-star hotels or higher and strictly following regulations throughout the trip.

According to Tuoi Tre