Pingxiang Cross-Border Trade Workshop

The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Working Group in Agriculture (WGA) and the Asian Development Bank in collaboration with the UNECE and the Food Industry Asia (FIA) is organizing a workshop to discuss cross-border trade in agrifood products that affect GMS vis-à-vis PRC.

Provisional Program

26 March 2018

Morning Session

• Field Visit to Pingxiang Border Crossing Facility (Pingxiang,/ Lang Son (Viet Nam)
• Presentations and briefings by relevant border staff from Pingxiang border (TBC)

Afternoon Session

• Opening Remarks from PRC Head of Delegation
• Workshop Objectives and Overview from Dr. Lourdes S. Adriano, CASP2 Team Leader

Food Safety and Quality Control

• GMS Overview Presentations and Panel Discussions: Current State of Food Safety and Quality Assurance in Selected GMS Countries, Processes, Procedures, Requirements, and Policies Moderated discussion on whether the current state of affairs meets PRC standards: What are the key impediments to GMS trade in agri products? Moderator: Tom Weaver, GMS CASP Presentation of GMS country experiences and lessons learned from trading with PRC. Each representative from the GMS countries (NFPs or their representatives), can make a short presentation (7 minutes) or read a statement.
• Methodology for Regional/Country-Country Land Trade Assessing Regulatory and Procedural Measures in Trade: UNECE Methodology and Relevance/Application in the GMS By Liliana Annovazzi-Jakab, UNECE Tools and Solutions Available for Improving Quality and Reducing Legal and Regulatory Barriers in Trade: Lessons Learned from Other Regions By Liliana Annovazzi-Jakab, UNECE
• Methodology on Risk Management Understanding Agricultural Hazards and Risks in Cross-Border Trade: Insights from Cross-Border Livestock Movement Study in the GMS By Tom Weaver, GMS CASP Initial Findings of the Fruits and Vegetables Value Chain Studies in the GMS: Facilitating trade and market access for reduced-input crops: case studies out of Viet Nam, Myanmar and Thailand By Dana Roelofs, Fresh Studio, Viet Nam

Cross-Border Trade

• Pingxiang Case Viet Nam-PRC Cross-Border Trade for Agriculture Products: A Situationer & Taking Stock of Field Visit Overview and initial analysis of data collected on trade regulations and requirements via Lang Song-Pingxiang border crossing By: Yueming Shen, National Secretariat Specialist –PRC and Le Truong Son, National Secretariat Specialist – Viet Nam Presentation on the AINS platform and iTRADE tool by Phengkhouane Manivong, GMS CASP

27 March 2018

Morning Session

• Understanding the Current Trade Situation and Trade Requirements in Trading Agrifood Products to PRC Trading with PRC and What You Need to Know: Guidelines and Pointers from PRC Officials on Latest PRC Regulations and Standards By Lin Jing, General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine
• Presentation from local border officials/ Guangxi, PRC officials
• Presentation from Lang Son, Viet Nam Border Official

Break-Out Session

• Ranking the Major Sources of Non-Tariff Barriers and Obstacles and Institutional Capacity Gaps (45 minutes) Reporting to Plenary

Afternoon Session

• Private Sector Views Accessing PRC Markets: Private Sector Views on Harmonization of Regulations on International Trade and outcomes and future plans for scientist lab capacity-training initiative By Nicola Bonnefoy, Food Industry Asia
• Harmonizing and Promoting Interoperability of Traceability Initiatives By Patrik Jonasson, GS1
• Private Sector Views on PRC market potential and areas for collaboration for further trade By Unilever, Friesland, and or Nestle – TBC
• SME Views: Capacity of Small Players to Comply with Regulations (10 minutes) By Ms. Duong Thu Lam, Lang Son Agro Import Export Company (AFOREX)

Panel Discussion

• Practical Approaches Towards Harmonization and Recognition of Equivalence to Reduce Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and Technical Barriers to Trade
• Moderator: Lourdes Adriano, CASP Team Leader Identification of key areas for prioritization, optimization and reorganization of processes and procedures, where applicable

Plenary Discussion on Action Plan

• Steps on Key Solutions Overcoming Bottlenecks in Trade Processes and Procedures Moderator: Liliana Annovazzi-Jakab, UNECE
• Wrap-up and the Way Forward By Lourdes Adriano, CASP Team Leader Closing Remarks By PRC Head of Delegation