Thoroughly grasping and implementing military administrative reform programmes and plans associated with the digital transformation of the Government, the Ministry of National Defence, and the Border Guard Command, over the past period, Hai Phong City Border Guard Command has drastically and synchronously implemented numerous strategies and measures to implement breakthrough military administrative reform and to improve the quality of border and seaport management, contributing to the promotion of socio-economic development in association with strengthening the City’s national defence, security, and foreign affairs.

Hai Phong is a coastal city located in the East of the Northern Coastal region, forming an economic development triangle along with Hanoi and Quang Ninh. It boasts the largest international seaport in the Northern region and serves as a pivotal hub for transportation, trade, tourism, and services within the Northern Coastal region as well as the northern provinces and cities. In recent years, due to the increasing demand for international trade, global integration, and the rising volume of people, goods, and vehicles arriving and departing within the city, there has been a growing intensity and significant pressure, along with the emergence of complex factors. According to statistics, from 1^st January, 2019, to 13^th September, 2023, Hai Phong Port has completed procedures to receive 39,413 incoming ships and 666,888 crew members, including 21,642 foreign vessels, 367,154 foreign crew members, and 394.4 million tons of goods. Given this reality, and in adherence to their assigned functions and responsibilities, the City Border Guard’s (CBG) Party Committee and Command have attached importance to the comprehensive and synchronised implementation of border guard measures. Among these, military administrative reform and seaport electronic border guard administration have been identified as pivotal breakthroughs aimed at improving the quality of port border management.

In order to successfully carry out this breakthrough stage, the CBG’s Party Committee and Command have deeply grasped higher echelons’ resolutions decisions, and plans regarding administrative reform, especially Resolution No. 17/NQ-CP, dated 7^th March, 2019, of the Government on certain tasks and measures for e-Government development during the 2019 - 2020 period, with an orientation to 2025, Decision No. 15/2019/QĐ-TTg, dated 28^th March, 2019, of the Prime Minister on the implementation of electronic border guard procedures at border gates under the supervision of the Ministry of National Defence, Decision No. 1920/QĐ-BQP, dated 15^th May, 2019, of the Ministry of National Defence on announcing new electronic border guard administrative procedures within the scope and jurisdiction of the Ministry of National Defence. On that basis, the CBG’s Party Committee and Command issued a thematic leadership resolution on implementing military administrative reform, established a Steering Committee for Administrative Reform, promulgated operational regulations, and developed and executed plans for military administrative reform within the CBG. Additionally, they have advised the City Party Committee, People’s Council, and People’s Committee to lead and direct functional departments, agencies, sectors as well as local party committees and authorities to coordinate in the execution of this reform. Importance is attached to the reform of administrative and control procedures, the management of entry and exit, export and import, and the application of science and technology at seaports, which create a smooth and convenient corridor for domestic and foreign individuals and vehicles operating in the border region and seaports.

Digitalised procedure at the Border Guard Command of Hai Phong Port Border Gate

In close adherence to the outlined plans and action programmes, the CBG Command has directed its agencies and units to review, formulate, and refine the legal framework related to the tasks of national border management and protection, the management and control of entry and exit, and the working regulations of the Border Guard Command as well as its agencies and units. The CBG Command has directed and assigned responsibilities for area management among border posts and signed agreements and coordination plans with relevant agencies and forces such as the Public Security, Customs, and Coast Guard according to the functions, authorities, and procedures as stipulated by the law. Besides, it has reviewed, systematised, and examined legal frameworks in general, and administrative procedure reforms, in particular, to identify, suggest, and propose the authorised levels to amend and supplement documents, ensuring alignment with reality and facilitating favourable conditions for businesses and citizens to comply with legal provisions.

In conjunction with these efforts, the CBG’s Party Committee and Command have focused on leading and directing the Border Guard Command of Hai Phong Port Border Gate to diligently and effectively implement various policies and measures aimed at improving the quality of entry and exit control, promoted the reform of administrative procedures and the application of information technology in entry and exit control, and reviewed, researched, and proposed amendments and improvements to the legal framework related to national border management and protection as well as entry and exit control under the jurisdiction of the Border Guard. Notably, in implementing the Government’s policy of reforming administrative procedures at seaports, the CBG has actively collaborated with the Maritime Port Authority and other specialised state management agencies at the Hai Phong Port to maintain regular and stringent compliance with regulations in handling vessel arrivals and departures using a “single-window” system at the headquarters of the Maritime Port Authority. Besides, it has minimised unnecessary declaration forms in the border guard procedure documentation, reducing them from nine to five forms. Furthermore, it has proactively researched and innovated working processes, practices, and working styles. The CBG has directed the issuance of visas and permits at the port border gate round the clock, including days off and holidays. Particularly, in the implementation of Decision No. 10/2016/QĐ-TTg, dated 3^rd March, 2016, and Decision No. 34/2016/QĐ-TTg of the Prime Minister, since July 2016, the Border Guard Command of Hai Phong Port Border Gate has implemented shortened electronic border guard procedures on the Electronic Border Guard Information Portal connected to the National Single-Window Information Portal. Since 1^st July, 2018, the Border Guard of Hai Phong Port has been implementing electronic border guard procedures according to the Level 4 national single-window mechanism, fulfilling the set goals and requirements. This has significantly reduced the time required to complete border guard procedures for vehicles from 60-90 minutes to just 10-15 minutes, resulting in time and cost savings for travel, parking, and vehicle wear and tear. It has also expedited vessel turnaround and exploited the maximum functionality of wharves and docks. The implementation of shortened procedures has received support and high praise from agencies and businesses, especially ship and cargo owners.

In tandem with the review and improvement of legal documents as well as procedures and methods of entry and exit control, the CBG has actively mobilised resources to modernise facilities, enhanced its inspection and supervision, and build an elite, compact, and robust border control force. Thoroughly grasping and implementing Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW, dated 1^st July, 2014, of the Politburo (11^th tenure) on “Promoting the application of information technology to meet the requirements of sustainable development and international integration” as well as administrative modernisation programmes and plans of the Border Guard Command, the CBG has implemented and maintained a quality management system according to TCVN National Standards ISO 9001:2015 throughout all agencies and units, and standardised the process of handling administrative procedures in line with ISO quality management system standards. The CBG has also formulated regulations and provisions for information, records, and correspondence management to contribute to the improvement of the quality and effectiveness of its task completion. Moreover, it has implemented a pilot project for controlling various licenses using 2D barcode technology, reducing registration and border guard time from an average of 3 minutes per person to 1 minute per person. Investment has been made in the installation of surveillance camera systems, which support the shift from direct inspection and supervision aboard vessels to indirect inspection and supervision by area inspection and supervision at port gates, and inspection and supervision by technical means. This initiative has not only improved inspection and supervision capabilities for individuals, vehicles, and goods passing through the port but has also reduced inspection time, thus avoiding inconvenience for citizens and businesses. Furthermore, it is in line with the Ministry of National Defence’s policy to establish elite, compact, and robust agencies and units.

Alongside the achieved results, the military administrative reform and electronic border guard administration at the port still face certain limitations and challenges due to the unsynchronised application of science and technology in border management and control, particularly the technical surveillance and communication systems. Besides, the coordination in handling administrative procedures under the “one-window” mechanism between state management agencies at the port is not yet fully streamlined and unified. The main reasons for these challenges include the inadequate investment in equipment at the port and its units, the overlapping directives and instructions in some documents, and the limited professional skills, information technology proficiency, and foreign language abilities of some officers and soldiers.

To successfully achieve the goal of digitisation and automation in border management and control procedures at the port by 2030, contributing to the enhancement of the quality and effectiveness of the border guard work and creating favourable conditions for Hai Phong to become a seaport city and an international logistics centre, the CBG’s Party Committee and Command advocate continuing to lead and direct the promotion of the administrative reform. The focus of the reform is on streamlining administrative procedures and electronic border guard procedures at the port, aligned with the national “single-window” mechanism established in the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 15/2019/QĐ-TTg. They aim to promote the application of information technology and modern equipment in border management and control, ensuring alignment with the digital transformation roadmap. Additionally, the Party Committee and Command have focused on enhancing the quality of the border guard work, synchronously combined with border guard measures in border management and entry and exit control. Besides, they proactively detect, prevent, and handle activities that may pose a threat to national security and violations of the law. The effective implementation of coordination regulations and plans between the CBG and relevant agencies, units, and functional forces at the port will be maintained. The CBG’s Party Committee and Commander regularly strengthen its organisation and staffing and improve the level of professional skills in the management and control of entry and exit. Moreover, they strictly maintain discipline, regimes, and regularity to build a comprehensively strong, “exemplary and typical”, professional, and modern Border Guard at the port.

Furthermore, to leverage the combined strength of various forces in border management as well as entry and exit control, the CBG continues to coordinate with functional agencies and the Border Guard Command to advise and propose authorised levels to direct the refinement of the legal framework for the use of automated control gates in entry and exit control at ports in accordance with the characteristics of the Border Guard. Besides, it accelerates the implementation of projects, including the establishment of a national database to fulfil the requirements of entry and exit control, the adoption of barcode-equipped clearance documents in barcode control, the formation of specialised technical reconnaissance and anti-crime forces, and the modernised port control procedures in line with the Fourth Industrial Revolution, meeting the requirements of international economic integration and national protection.

Colonel TA DUY HIEN, Commander of Hai Phong City Border Guard Command