The opportunities and challenges of foreign trade facing Vietnam coexist. On the one hand, the trade foundation between China and Vietnam is stable and there is strong demand for some product categories. Coupled with Vietnam's policies and location dividends, there is considerable profit potential; On the other hand, due to the impact of US tariff policies and Vietnam's own supply chain shortcomings, it also faces many operational obstacles, as follows:

　　The opportunities are outstanding and there is clear profit potential in multiple fields. The Department of Commerce of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has strong basic trade exchanges: China and Vietnam have been each other's largest trading partners for 26 consecutive years. From January to October 2025, the import and export volume between Guangxi and Vietnam reached 255.52 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 8.4%. Vietnam's clothing industry relies on imports for 80% of its fabrics, with China accounting for over 50%; More than 60% of its exports of vegetables and fruits depend on the Chinese market. At the same time, Vietnam's imports of durian, jackfruit and other agricultural products into China have also increased significantly. The stability of foreign trade business of this kind of just needed category is strong. Moreover, the construction of China Vietnam smart ports has been promoted, and the freight volume of trains has surged. In the first ten months of 2025, the export of goods from Guangxi to China Vietnam trains increased by 143% year-on-year, greatly improving the efficiency of cargo transportation and reducing the risk of logistics delays.

　　The dividend of specific high demand categories is obvious: Vietnam is promoting carbon neutrality, and the procurement budget for green products such as solar panels and electric vehicle charging piles has increased by 120%; Precision machinery and new energy equipment that cannot be produced locally can achieve a profit margin of over 25%. In addition, the upgrading of consumption in second - and third tier cities in Vietnam has led to a 30% increase in demand for affordable home appliances, fast fashion, and other products, providing an incremental market for corresponding categories of foreign trade.

　　Policies and location bring additional advantages: Vietnam provides favorable tax reductions and exemptions for high-tech and environmental projects, such as tax exemptions for the first 4 years and a 5% tax rate for the last 9 years, attracting foreign investment to settle in. At the same time, as a member of the CPTPP and having signed free trade agreements with multiple countries, Chinese companies can use these agreements to avoid some tariffs and expand downstream markets such as Europe and America if they adopt the "Chinese parts+Vietnamese assembly" model.

　　Challenges are numerous, and multiple types of risks need to be addressed with emphasis

　　The impact of tariffs and exchange rate risks is significant: In 2025, the United States will impose a 46% equivalent tariff on Vietnam, and Vietnam's exports to the United States account for 30% of its GDP, which will put pressure on the Vietnamese economy and may lead to a contraction in import demand. To protect local industries, Vietnam may also increase tariffs and strengthen origin certification, requiring "Made in Vietnam" to have a local value-added of over 35%, which increases the difficulty of accessing Chinese goods. At the same time, in 2025, the exchange rate of Vietnamese dong fell to a historical low of 25800 dong per US dollar, making Chinese exporters vulnerable to exchange losses. In addition, Vietnamese importers have a tight financial chain, with payment terms often extended from 30 days to 90 days, further increasing the pressure on capital turnover.

　　There are obvious shortcomings in the supply chain and infrastructure: Vietnam's infrastructure is incomplete, the north-south expressway is not connected, the railway freight speed is only about 30 kilometers per hour, the modernization level of ports is low, and logistics costs account for 21% of GDP, far exceeding the global average level. Moreover, the power supply is unstable and frequent power shortages occur. Even though there are many wind and photovoltaic projects, the low utilization rate due to insufficient grid load will limit the production of Vietnamese factories that rely on stable electricity, indirectly affecting the procurement pace of Chinese raw materials and components.

　　There are many obstacles to market competition and localization: foreign companies such as Samsung and LG are accelerating localization in Vietnam, while intermediate products such as Chinese electronic components are facing fierce price wars; At the same time, Vietnam has expanded its imports of cars, liquefied natural gas and other products from the United States to balance its trade deficit, squeezing the market share of similar products from China. In addition, Vietnam's labor laws have tightened the quota for foreign employees, and trade unions have great influence. Chinese companies that want to layout localized production will face the problem of increased management costs. When exporting alone, some Vietnamese people have prejudice against "Made in China", which also increases the difficulty of brand promotion.