Third China-Vietnam road opens to drive growing tariff-free trade

A new cross-border direct road transportation route from China's southwestern city Chongzuo to Vietnam's Hanoi has opened to traffic, marking the launch of the third Sino-Vietnamese road transportation route after the Nanning-Hanoi and Shenzhen-Hanoi line launched since late August this year, said Xinhua.

With further implementation of China and ASEAN's zero tariff agreement, road cargo traffic between China and Vietnam has kept an continuous growth.

In October 2011, China and Vietnam signed an agreement on cross-border direct truck transportation which took effect in February. Ten road routes for both cargo and passengers will be launched between the two countries.

The direct roads eliminate the need for cargo to discharge and reload at border points, enhancing efficiency while lowering cost, will help to boost cargo flow between China and Vietnam and facilitate trade.

Last year, Guangxi Autonomous Region, where Nanning and Chongzuo are located, recorded a value of US$7.57 billion in trade with Vietnam, up 47.7 per cent year on year, taking up 79.2 per cent of its trade with ASEAN countries.