Vietnam-China Trade Tops $31 Billion in Early 2025, Exports Decline as Beijing Tightens Controls

Vietnam’s economy is growing rapidly through China-linked supply chains and exports, bringing it closer to Thailand’s GDP.
Dinh Vu Port in Haiphong. Vietnam’s economy is growing rapidly through China-linked supply chains and exports, bringing it closer to Thailand’s GDP. (Image: Nhac Nguyen / AFP)

Vietnam’s trade with China surged in early 2025, but not in Vietnam’s favor. Fresh data shows that while imports from China are rising, Vietnamese exports are struggling to keep up.

In the first two months of 2025, bilateral trade exceeded $31 billion. But China’s tightening grip on imports—especially on key agricultural products like durian—has sharply reduced Vietnam’s shipments.

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by Edwin Shri Bimo

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