Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Vietnam relies heavily on imported machinery andequipment from China, and experts are worried the country might become alandfill of outdated technologies, urging measures to tighten the import ofsecond-hand machinery and equipment.

Updates from the General Department of Customs showed that Vietnam spent morethan 30.6 billion USD on importing machinery and equipment fromJanuary–November, nearly 40 percent of which was from China.

On average, Vietnam spent 1 billion USD per month on machinery and equipmentfrom China.

At the same time, Vietnam’s machinery and equipment imports from the Republicof Korea ranked second with a value of 5.6 billion USD, followed by Japan with 4billion USD.
Imports from China rose9.5 percent during the period, while imports from other countries in the topfive did not see any significant increases.

China was in a race with the US and EU in the developing Industry 4.0, so ahuge volume of outdated machinery and equipment must be eliminated during theprocess, according to experts.

This had caused concerns about China dumping outdated machinery and equipmentin Vietnam, economist Nguyen Tri Hieu told Dien Dan Doanh Nghiep (BusinessForum) online newspaper.

According to Vo Dai Luoc, former Director of the Institute of World Economicsand Politics, regulations are needed for the import of second-hand machineryand equipment.

Otherwise, the environment issue will be really alarming, Luoc said.

He added high import taxes on second-hand machinery and equipment should beconsidered.

In addition, supervision of second-hand machinery and equipment imports is needed,especially in technology transfer, to ensure compliance with regulations.

Luoc said the long-term solution is for Vietnam to renovate its industrialdevelopment strategy and focus on advanced technologies in manufacturing.

Vietnam has set a target for hi-tech products to account for at least 45 percentof the value of the manufacturing and processing industry by 2030.

A draft decision by the Prime Minister regulating the import of second-handmachinery and equipment has been posted for feedback on the Ministry of Scienceand Technology’s website.

According to the draft, Vietnam would not allow the import of second-handmachinery and equipment from other countries if it was deemed outdated, poorquality or could cause pollution.

Only second-hand machinery and equipment which meet safety, energy andenvironmental standards in accordance with the law will be allowed in.

The ministry is alsostudying amendments to Circular 23/2015/TT-BKHCN about imports of second-handmachinery and equipment which took effect on July 1, 2016.-VNS/VNA