DISSEMINATION WORKSHOP CORE TRADE INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES IN BORDER AREAS OF THE LANCANG-MEKONG COUNTRIES

Trade and Investment Facilitation

Mekong Institute (MI) organized an online dissemination workshop on “Core trade infrastructure and facilities in border areas of the Lancang-Mekong countries” on October 22. The workshop was held as part of “Study on Core Trade Infrastructure and Facilities in Border Areas of the Lancang-Mekong Countries” with an aim to present and validate study results and findings, as well as obtain perspectives and discuss pertinent issues related to cross-border trade. 52 representatives of custom offices in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Thailand as well as relevant private enterprises from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam attended the workshop.  

The main finding of the study – as presented in the workshop – was that most land borders in the Lancang-Mekong region operate efficiently and time required to cross land borders is significantly lower than time needed to cross sea borders. Suggestions to further enhance efficiency of cross-border trade included extending opening hours of border gates, stepping up efforts to introduce online document submission, shifting the export-import clearance processes from border check points to dry ports, industrial and economic zones and sea ports, and increasing numbers of scanners at border gates.

During the discussion and Q&A session, representatives of custom offices from Cambodia and Lao PDR shared information on the progress and efforts made by the countries in improving efficiency of cross-border trade. Private stakeholders from Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam too shared their views, experiences and concerns regarding cross-border trade, including in light of current pandemic.

The study is being conducted under the project on “Upgrading Border Facilitation for Trade and Logistics Development”, implemented by MI in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) of the Royal Government of Thailand and funded by Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund (LMCSF).

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Mrs. Guohua Liu

Director, Sustainable Energy & Environment (SEE) Department

Mrs. Liu Guohua is the Director of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Department at the Mekong Institute. Prior to this role, she worked in the Department of International Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, where she played a key role in shaping and implementing China’s cooperation strategies with UN development agencies. During this time, Mrs. Liu was actively involved in advancing initiatives related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a focus on climate change and green development. Additionally, she contributed to the evaluation of projects funded by various Chinese initiatives, such as the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund, etc.

In addition to her work in the Department of International Economic Affairs, Mrs. Liu has an extensive diplomatic background. She spent 7 years in the Department of African Affairs, followed by a 4-year tenure at the Chinese Embassy in Lao PDR, where she gained deep expertise in both Southeast Asian and African affairs. These diverse experiences have played a crucial role in shaping her approach to sustainable development and international collaboration, particularly in building regional partnerships and tackling global challenges like climate change.

She holds a Master’s degree in Economics, with a specialization in Finance, from the Central University of Finance and Economics, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, specializing in International Economics and Trade, from the Shanghai University of International Business and Economics.