Vietnam and China signed an Agreement on Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs and launched the 8th Mekong Dragon Campaign (OMD VIII) on customs control cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

I.  On the morning of April 15, 2026, within the framework of the State visit to China by General Secretary and President To Lam, Mr. Ngo Van Tuan, Minister of Finance of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and Mr. Ton Mai Quan, Minister of Customs of China, signed an Agreement on Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in the Customs Sector. The signing ceremony was held in the presence of General Secretary and President To Lam and General Secretary and President Xi Jinping.

The signed agreement will provide a comprehensive legal framework, deepening customs cooperation between the two countries, replacing the 1993 agreement, and meeting the requirements of the strong development of bilateral trade. In the context of Vietnam-China trade turnover continuously growing and exceeding US$250 billion by 2025, strengthening coordination between the customs agencies of both sides is crucial in facilitating trade and improving the effectiveness of preventing and combating smuggling and trade fraud.

In fulfilling the commitments under the Agreement, both sides will strengthen the exchange and sharing of information on customs policies and laws, import and export activities, as well as signs of violations to promptly prevent risks. At the same time, both sides will promote cooperation in areas such as electronic data exchange, implementation of the single window mechanism, cooperation in data exchange for the application of smart border gates and cooperation mechanisms for the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) program. In addition, the Agreement also provides a basis for strengthening technical support, sharing management experience, applying technology, and enhancing the capacity of customs forces in both countries. These cooperative efforts will contribute to building a professional and modern customs sector, in line with international standards and the requirements of integration. The signing of the Agreement not only marks a new development in Vietnam-China customs cooperation, but also contributes to concretizing high-level common understandings, promoting the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries to become increasingly deeper, more substantive, and more effective. The implementation plan for the Agreement is built on the principle of early and synchronized deployment, demonstrating the determination of both sides to quickly put commitments into practice. The designation of contact points and the development of a cooperation plan immediately after the Agreement comes into effect not only ensures a smooth coordination mechanism, but also creates a foundation for the effective implementation of information exchange, investigation support, and risk control activities. In particular, cooperation in implementing support requests between the two Customs agencies will contribute to enhancing the capacity to detect and prevent violations, while simultaneously improving a transparent and safe trade environment. This is seen as an important step in translating cooperation commitments into concrete results, making a practical contribution to the modernization of customs and strengthening supply chain connectivity between the two economies.

On the sidelines of the signing ceremony, the Vietnamese delegation, led by Minister of Finance Ngo Van Tuan and Director General of the Customs Department Nguyen Van Tho, held a meeting and agreed to prioritize the implementation of the following contents:

1. It was agreed that the focal points of the Customs agencies of both sides would effectively implement the commitments in the Agreement, including implementing a cooperation mechanism through the annual rotating Conference of Directors-General of Customs to strengthen cooperation and exchange on border management, import and export situation, trade relations, especially specialized inspection work between the two countries, and to guide the implementation of priority cooperation contents for each stage.

2. Effectively implement the smart border gate initiative by promptly committing to cooperation and information sharing to facilitate the rapid customs clearance of import and export goods at the border.

3. Continue implementing the contents agreed upon in the joint statement, including: (i) implementing the next phase of  the Mekong Dragon Campaign and cooperative activities to combat smuggling and trade fraud; (ii) cooperating within the framework of the smart customs partnership; and (iii) strengthening customs clearance capacity at land and rail border crossings, unifying and simplifying specialized inspection procedures.

II.  Following the success of the  Mekong Dragon Campaigns,  jointly initiated by Vietnam Customs and China Customs since 2018, on April 15, 2026, Mekong Dragon VIII was officially launched online. Mr. Dang Van Duc, Deputy Head of the Anti-Smuggling Investigation Department, representing Vietnam Customs, presided over the launch ceremony at the Customs Department headquarters.  

The launch ceremony was held with the participation of customs agencies and law enforcement partners in the Asia-Pacific region. The meeting not only marked the start of the next phase of the campaign but also underscored the urgency of maintaining and strengthening international cooperation in combating transnational crime.

Operation Mekong Dragon VIII was implemented in coordination with China Customs, Vietnam Customs, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Regional Intelligence Liaison Office for Asia-Pacific (RILO AP), Hong Kong Customs (China), and the Australian Border Force. The participation of these key coordinating agencies provided a crucial foundation for promoting multilateral cooperation, information sharing, and the effective deployment of law enforcement activities across the region.

Speaking at the meeting, representatives from all sides unanimously agreed that the situation regarding drug trafficking and illegal trade in wildlife continues to be complex, with an expanding scale and increasingly sophisticated methods of operation. According to UNODC assessments, the number of drug users globally has increased sharply in recent years, while the use of synthetic drugs continues to increase rapidly due to low production costs and ease of distribution. At the same time, the illegal trade in wildlife and its products remains a major source of profit for organized crime groups, causing serious consequences for the environment, biodiversity, and social security.

In this context, Operation Mekong Dragon is considered one of the most effective and exemplary models of law enforcement cooperation in the region. Since its launch in 2018, the operation has continuously expanded in both scale and effectiveness, attracting more and more participants, with 24 customs agencies expected to join in 2026 – the highest number ever. The significant seizures over the years demonstrate the crucial role of multilateral cooperation in detecting, preventing, and dismantling transnational smuggling networks.

However, delegates also frankly acknowledged that the results achieved only reflect a part of the overall picture, as criminal organizations continue to adapt, change their methods of operation, and expand their scope. New transportation routes, more sophisticated concealment methods, and the support of modern technology are posing increasingly greater challenges to law enforcement.

Based on this experience, the continued implementation of Operation Mekong Dragon VIII is identified as an urgent requirement to maintain the momentum of cooperation, enhance intelligence sharing, and improve coordination among relevant agencies. Delegates emphasized that no single country or agency can effectively address these types of crimes on its own; close, continuous, and systematic coordination at the regional and international levels is necessary.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Dang Van Duc, Deputy Head of the Anti-Smuggling Investigation Department, Vietnam Customs, emphasized: “ For Vietnam, Operation OMD VIII continues to be one of the key tasks in the fight against smuggling. In fact, in 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, customs forces detected and seized large quantities of drugs of various types, reflecting the increasing and diversifying trend of the market. This urgently requires improving the capacity for analysis, forecasting, and risk management, while strengthening coordination with domestic agencies and international partners .”

The parties also highly appreciated the importance of applying modern technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and information sharing platforms in law enforcement; and expanded cooperation with the business sector, especially in logistics and express delivery, to create synergy in crime prevention and control.

At the conclusion of the meeting, delegates affirmed their determination to continue effectively implementing the Mekong Dragon VIII Campaign, considering it one of the important tools for responding to non-traditional security challenges, contributing to ensuring regional security, protecting the environment, and promoting sustainable development.

Source: customs.gov.vn