BANGKOK: A new direct non-stop bus service linking Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region with Vietnam's capital Hanoi was launched on Wednesday, China's Xinhua news agency reported. The service will run a total of 381 kilometers. Passengers were previously required to change coaches after going through customs checks. The bus service was introduced based on a bilateral agreement between China and Vietnam in effect since February 17, which helped remove institutional obstacles on running direct road transport services. The agreement also allows official vehicles with special permits to be exempted from going through customs, the first such practice between China and its neighboring countries. Guangxi, considered a gateway for enhancing China's strategic cooperation with members of Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), has 28 roads linking it to Vietnam.
