Vietnam boosts agricultural exports to China as overall trade surges

Vietnam's foreign trade showed strong growth in early 2026. In Thanh Hóa province, export‑import activity reached $8.9 billion in the first five months, a 34 % rise year‑on‑year, and customs revenue climbed over 15 % to about 10.9 trillion VND. Exports of bamboo products neared $400 million, while overall trade balance remained in deficit, with a net import surplus of roughly $17 billion by mid‑June.

Agricultural shipments to China accelerated sharply. In the first quarter, Vietnam’s exports to China rose 37.4 %, six times the overall export growth rate. Fruit exports to the Chinese market reached $5.5 billion, accounting for 64 % of Vietnam’s fruit export value, with a market share of 22.55 %. Durian shipments hit 941,000 tonnes, and more than 20 fruit varieties are now regularly shipped. Vietnamese producers are urged to meet tighter Chinese standards on safety, traceability and carbon emissions to sustain and expand market share.

At the same time, the Vietnamese government is pushing a 40‑45 % domestic‑content target for key industries. The MTA Vietnam 2026 exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City gathered over 450 international firms to showcase advanced machinery and automation, aiming to help local manufacturers adopt the technology needed to meet global supply‑chain requirements and achieve higher localisation rates.