Agricultural trade experiences strong growth.
In Vietnam-China trade landscape of 2025, many sectors have made a strong impression with impressive growth rates, from seafood to fruit. Beakthroughs in pangasius and lobster exports, the opening of official trade channels for fresh jackfruit, along with large-scale promotional activities between the two countries, are opening up new opportunities for Vietnamese exports. These developments not only demonstrate the country's internal strength but also highlight the increasingly important role of the Chinese market – a market with enormous consumption capacity and constantly changing demands.
Growth momentum of key sectors provides a solid foundation for Vietnam to implement a new export strategy, both leveraging advantages and responding to the increasingly frequent market fluctuations.
According to Vietnam Association of Seafood Processing and Export (VASEP), pangasius exports to China accelerated sharply again in October 2025, reaching US$73 million, the highest level since the beginning of the year and a 19% increase compared to the same period last year. In the first 10 months of the year, the export value reached US$483 million, a 1% increase compared to the previous year and accounting for nearly 27% of Vietnam's total pangasius export value. This remains a key market helping the industry maintain production momentum, despite increasing competitive pressure from China's domestic tilapia.
Alongside pangasius, Vietnamese lobster exports also boomed, with export value to China and Hong Kong (China) reaching US$702 million in the first 10 months, a 135% increase compared to the previous year. China imported over 17,360 tons of Vietnamese lobster, nearly tripling its exports, clearly benefiting from tariff advantages and geographical proximity for transportation. This is a rare growth rate in the aquaculture industry in recent years, providing a significant boost for both farmers and businesses.
In the fruit sector, the event on November 27th marked a turning point when Vietnam and China signed a Protocol on the official export of fresh jackfruit. With fruit and vegetable exports reaching US$7.09 billion in the first 10 months, and China accounting for 62.9%, standardizing the process for fresh jackfruit opens a major door for this product to access the market of 1.4 billion people with greater safety and sustainability.
These results are further reinforced by a series of large-scale trade promotion activities. Vietnam-China International Trade and Tourism Fair 2025, held in Mong Cai - Dongxing from December 11-15, attracted 300 businesses, creating a space for direct networking, cooperation agreements, and stimulating trade at the end of the year. Simultaneously, the "Vietnam Goods Day in China and Vietnam Fruit Festival" held at Wumart supermarket in Beijing at the end of November helped Vietnamese goods gain direct presence in the local distribution system, creating a new boost in brand recognition.
This series of positive signals shows that China is not only the largest consumer market, but also a "stepping stone" for Vietnamese goods to reposition their quality, enhance value, and expand their product range.
Large scale, diverse demand, and wide-open opportunities
According to Customs Department, China imported more than $8.7 billion worth of Vietnamese agricultural products in the first 10 months of 2025 and has consistently been Vietnam's largest trading partner for over 20 years. With increasingly high demand for quality and freshness, this market still has numerous gaps where Vietnamese goods can continue to expand.
Firstly, Chinese consumers are shifting strongly towards fresh, clean, and traceable agricultural products. This is particularly suitable for Vietnam's key sectors such as tropical fruits, seafood, and processed products.
Secondly, China's cross-border e-commerce has become the fastest-growing sales channel, while Vietnamese businesses are only just beginning to exploit it. Platforms like JD.com, Alibaba, and Douyin open a "highway" for Vietnamese goods to directly reach consumers of over 1.4 billion people, bypassing many intermediaries.
Thirdly, network of border gates, logistics, and infrastructure connecting Vietnam and China is continuously being upgraded. China's promotion of official imports instead of unofficial ones forces Vietnamese businesses to professionalize, while simultaneously creating a more transparent, stable, and predictable trade environment.
Finally, local distribution system in China is becoming more open to Vietnamese goods. Corporations like Wumart, Goodfarmer, and many other large import businesses highly appreciate the quality of Vietnamese goods and proactively seek long-term supply sources.
All these points show that: “The market door” is not only opening wider, but is also demanding that Vietnam enter with a new, more professional, systematic, and decisive attitude.
Mr. Nong Duc Lai, Vietnam's Commercial Counselor in China, stated that the "Vietnam Goods Day in China and Vietnam Fruit Festival" event at the Wumart supermarket chain in Beijing is one of the important events, not only aiming to directly connect businesses of the two countries but also serving as an invitation for deeper cooperation, encouraging Chinese businesses and associations to visit Vietnam for on-site surveys and to seek investment and trade opportunities. Vietnam is committed to continuing to create favorable conditions and act as a bridge to promote economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.
To maximize potential of the Chinese market in the new phase, according to experts, Vietnam needs a comprehensive system of solutions that are both urgent and sustainable.
Specifically, China is accelerating application of strict regulations on food safety, processing enterprise registration, and traceability (such as Order 280). If Vietnamese businesses don't "take a step ahead," exports could be immediately halted.
Therefore, it's necessary to standardize entire production chain according to GAP and HACCP processes; apply codes for growing and raising areas; build a digital database on the origin of agricultural products; and invest in on-site control of residue levels and quality.
In addition, diversify products and increase deep processing. Diversification not only increases profits but also helps businesses avoid being caught off guard by seasonal or policy fluctuations.
Furthermore, it's necessary to expand cross-border e-commerce channels. This is a new "gold mine," and to exploit it effectively, Vietnamese businesses need to cooperate with large distribution corporations in China. Invest in official storefronts on reputable e-commerce platforms. Standardize packaging, images and packing standards according to Chinese tastes. E-commerce is not just a sales channel, but an effective marketing tool to help Vietnamese goods "plant their flag" in the Chinese domestic market.
Furthermore, it is necessary to maximize use of trade promotion events. Developing specialized logistics for agricultural and aquatic products is crucial. To compete with domestic Chinese goods, Vietnam needs a cold storage system in border areas; professional logistics centers in Lang Son, Quang Ninh, and Lao Cai; and integrated, fast, refrigerated, and official transportation services. Low logistics costs will be an "invisible weapon" helping Vietnamese goods expand their market share.

Source: Vitic/ congthuong.vn