The Guanlei Port in Kunming, China has officially opened and is the first designated fruit import inspection site along the Mekong River transport route in Yunnan Province. The new port opened a new waterway channel for importing fruits from Thailand and Asean countries into China from the Chang Saen Port in Chiang Rai.
Thailand’s acting Prime Minister and Commerce Minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, said he received a report from the commercial attaché at the Office of International Trade Promotion in Kunming, China, reported that the Guanlei Port officially opened a fruit import control center.
The Guanlei Port in Kunming, China, will receive shipments from Chiang Saen Port in Chiang Rai Province, a new trade route that can directly connect trade from Chiang Rai to Kunming, adding a channel for fruit exports to and from China.
He said this new port will help distribute produce during peak harvesting, benefiting Thai agricultural products.
Kunming in Yunnan Province borders three neighboring ASEAN countries: Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar. It is located closest to Thailand and acts as a distribution center for Thai products to provinces in the north and east of China.
It is also a gateway and logistics hub with transportation routes connecting to Thailand on land, water, and air. Most Thai fruit products imported into Kunming are imported through the Mohan checkpoint.
Guanlei Port in Kunming expands commerce
Opening the specific fruit import control center at Guanlei Port in Kunming will greatly expand channels and add new transportation routes for imported fruit products from Thailand to China.
It is a successful result of integrating the government and all sectors, which has received good cooperation,” said Mr. Phumtham.
In April this year, Mr. Phumtham led a discussion with Mr. Wang Yubo, Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party of China in Yunnan Province, Governor of Yunnan Province and Secretary of the Communist Party of China in the Yunnan Provincial Government, and local government agencies to expand trade cooperation with China.
The discussions were to solve the problem of exporting fruits and agricultural products from Thailand and negotiate to open a new trade route: the shipping route through Chiang Rai Province’s Chiang Saen Port to Guanlei Port in Kunming.
Guanlei Port will be the first specific fruit import control center on the water transport route in Yunnan Province to open a new water transport channel for importing fruits from South and Southeast Asia into China.
The Chinese Customs Office approved Guanlei Port as a specific fruit import control center, and on July 29, 2024, it was successfully accepted.
Thai durian arrives at Guanlei Port
On August 5, 2024, Mr. Ma Jun, Deputy Director-General of the Yunnan Provincial Department of Commerce and Director of the Yunnan Provincial Port Administration Bureau, officially opened the specific inspection and control center for imported fruits at Guanlei Port.
The first batch of imported fruits has already passed customs inspection and formalities.
On August 3, 2024, Xishuangbanna Jinggu Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. (Xishhuangbanna Jinggu Agricultural Development Co., Ltd.) imported the first container of Thai durian weighing 16.8 tons through the Guanlei Port after being approved as a “specific port for the import of fruits” by the Chinese National Customs.
The ship loaded at Chiang Saen Port in Chiang Rai Province and arrived at Guanlei Port on August 5, 2024, at 12:30 (China time), taking 1.5 days to transport.
In addition, China Daily reported that in the past few days, many companies have applied for customs quarantine inspection approval for fruits, including durian, mangosteen, watermelon, and bananas, with a total volume of about 20,000 tons in Thailand.
It is estimated that the amount of fruits imported through Guanlei Port will reach 150,000 tons in 2025 and increase to 300,000 tons in 2030.
Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
