Exporters are advised to renegotiate contractual obligations with China

COVID-19 has caused a congestion of vehicles on the border with China. This was told in the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan. They recalled that recently, the media have repeatedly published materials about congestions at the border, about the lack of transparency when crossing the border and related corruption issues.

The State Revenue Committee (SRC) once again notes that China has tightened the crossing of its border in connection with the pandemic and its consequences. If earlier the Celestial Empire received more than 200 units of transport through the «Nur-Zholy» checkpoint every day, then since the beginning of the pandemic, this number has decreased to 20-30 units per day.

In order to resolve the situation from July 1 of this year the previously temporarily closed (since the end of March) Kazakhstani checkpoints «Kalzhat» and «Maikapshagai» were opened, but adjacent checkpoints on the Chinese side were closed.

In addition, the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan on July 15 of this year the Action Plan to increase trade with China was approved, according to which measures were taken to make it possible for Chinese trucks with goods to enter the border transport and logistics centers according to the simplified requirements of transport legislation, as well as the entry of drivers in a visa-free regime for 24 hours.

Currently, this model operates at the «Nur-Zholy» checkpoint, on average, up to 30 units of Chinese trailers with goods are imported to the logistic center per day.

Negotiations with China to increase the throughput have led to an increase in the number of vehicles received from the Republic of Kazakhstan up to 80 units per day.

At the same time, in an operational mode at the local level, a special headquarters was created to regulate the queue, headed by the akim of the Panfilov district of the Almaty region with the involvement of competent departments of state bodies. This headquarters has formed a list of 1,785 vehicles waiting in line on the Almaty-Khorgos highway.

From September 9 this year an electronic queue system was introduced on the GoCargo.kz website, which allows you to book a queue in advance through a mobile application. The system has a "feedback" link by notifying carriers through SMS messages. The system includes a list of 1,785 vehicles formed by a special headquarters that passed the border before October 22 of this year.

At the same time, in the media publications there were complaints about the passage of vehicles in addition to the electronic queue.

The State Revenue Committee (SRC) carried out verification activities with the authorized bodies in comparison with the electronic queue of vehicles that left Kazakhstan, as a result of which no violation of the movement order was established.

From October 23 this year movement across the border is carried out only through an electronic queue system. During this period, 821 vehicles passed through this system (583 empty, not filled, 123 with export cargo, 115 for state projects). Today the system is operating normally.

For the goods of domestic exporters, a separate queue has been created; this category of goods is moved across the border in priority order.

On November 20 of this year 6 357 empty and 615 loaded vehicles (with export cargo) were booked in the electronic queue system.

At the same time, since November 10 of this year, the Chinese side has limited the number of vehicles accepted from the Kazakh side, while vehicles with export goods are not accepted. In total, from 10 to 20 November this year. China received 364 vehicles.

At the same time, there was no official information from the Chinese side about the reasons for the decrease in the number of empty cars accepted, as well as the ban on the movement of vehicles with export goods.

To resolve the situation, an appeal was sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other involved state bodies of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the need to take urgent measures on the situation at the border.

At the same time, we urge domestic exporters to work with Chinese counterparties on the fulfillment of contractual obligations, including the possibility of extending the deadlines for their fulfillment.

In case of illegal actions on the part of the state revenue authorities, please contact the SRC contact center at 1414 or 8-800-080-7777.