On October 17th, at the Friendship Pass Customs in Pingxiang, Guangxi, officials announced the successful import of a shipment of Vietnamese fresh coconuts, weighing 22.4 tons and valued at 98,000 yuan. This marks the first import of Vietnamese fresh coconuts at the Guangxi port since they received market access in August of this year.
“The coconuts took just three days from harvest to arrival at the port, and the customs clearance process took less than two hours. Our clients are very satisfied with the speed of clearance at Friendship Pass and are already planning their next large-scale import,” said Jiang Bin, customs supervisor at Guangxi Guanglichang International Freight Forwarding Co., Ltd.
Following the approval for Vietnamese fresh coconuts, Friendship Pass Customs promptly shared the access notification with local businesses and provided policy support to help them seize market opportunities. Once they learned of the companies’ intent to import Vietnamese coconuts, the customs team proactively connected with them to explain the import process in detail, guiding them in proper declarations, and ensuring all required procedures were followed. They tailored an optimal plan to streamline the customs process, allowing for a seamless transition from clearance to release.
Since the full implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Vietnam has introduced four new fruits—durian, banana, watermelon, and coconut—into the Chinese market. As the largest land port for fruit imports in Guangxi, Friendship Pass Customs reported that between January and August 2024, imports through this port reached 13.59 billion yuan, accounting for nearly 80% of all fruit imports across Guangxi’s various ports.
