Vietnam Customs seeks digitalization support from Intel, Microsoft

Vietnam Customs is looking to cooperate with tech giants Intel and Microsoft in its digitalization process, which aims to enhance application and processing of trade procedures.

The department had to process over 10 million customs declarations in 2022 as the country’s import-export turnover exceeded $700 billion, deputy director general Luu Manh Tuong said at a Thursday meeting with a Microsoft delegation led by worldwide public sector (WWPS) government industry leader Diana Parker.

Since digitalization and application of modern technology is the solution for better management of import-export activities, the customs department seeks to learn from foreign agencies in updating its procedures, Tuong said.

Parker made several suggestions related to building digital capacity, establishing digitalization centers and ensuring sustainable growth aided by technology and artificial intelligence. Microsoft will send experts to help Vietnam Customs with digitalization, she said.

In another meeting with Brian White, senior director, global customs and trade facilitation at Intel Corporation, director general Nguyen Van Can of Vietnam Customs said they were upgrading their system to boost trade facilitation.

He urged Intel to cooperate with the department in data sharing between businesses and customs agencies in all phases including material imports, production, payment and export of goods. The focus would be on the assessment of digital documents and information security for businesses, Can added.

He lauded existing cooperation between Intel and the customs department in building data sharing software and digitalization of the customs sector.

White said Intel was willing to collaborate with the department in data sharing. He also appreciated the customs department’s assistance for Intel’s import-export activities in Vietnam.

Vietnam’s import-export turnover fell 11% year-on-year to $497.66 billion in the nine-month period, according to the General Statistics Office. With a trade surplus of $37.94 billion and an export-import of turnover of $343.68 billion, the FDI sector accounted for 69.1% of the national total.

China, the U.S. and South Korea were Vietnam’s biggest trade partners with turnovers of $121.3 billion, $81.1 billion and $56.3 billion in the first nine months, respectively. Other top trade partners were the ASEAN bloc with $55.3 billion, the EU with $44 billion, and Japan with $33.3 billion.