Why Do Export Agency Services Involve Tax Points? Analysis of Core Logic and Practical Operations

Exports of Smartphone Accessories to Vietnam: Compliance and Efficiency Logic Behind Tax Points

In 2026,the Vietnamese smartphone accessories market is experiencing explosive growth.In the first half of the year alone,imports of mobile phone batteries and screen components from China increased by 18% year-on-year.However,many foreign trade enterprises in Shanghai are often troubled by the issue of "tax points" when looking for export agents.Some mistakenly believe that it is an extra fee charged by the agency,while others suffer from delayed tax refunds or blocked customs clearance due to lack of understanding of Vietnam’s trade policies.Zhongshen focuses on policy adaptation for the Vietnamese market,and helps enterprises sort out the real value of tax points through full-process agency services.

Core Value of Zhongshen Agency Services: Compliance Solutions Adapted to the Vietnamese Market

As a core member of ASEAN,Vietnam has implemented a series of targeted policies for the import of electronic products in 2026: First,tariff reductions of 5% to 10% are granted to products of ASEAN origin,provided that a certificate of origin certified by the Vietnamese Embassy in China is provided; Second,mandatory synchronization of data with the "Cargo Traceability System" is required during customs clearance,and goods will be directly detained if supply chain information is missing; Third,China maintains a 13% export tax refund rate for electronic products exported to Vietnam,but real customs declaration certificates of Vietnamese importers are required.The core value of Zhongshen is to help enterprises accurately match these policies and avoid additional costs caused by compliance issues.

I.Document Module: Breaking the Certification Barriers of Vietnam’s Certificate of Origin

Vietnam Customs upgraded the certification requirements for certificates of origin in 2026: In addition to traditional paper certification,electronic versions need to be uploaded to the Vietnam Customs system simultaneously,and the commodity code must be fully consistent with the Vietnamese tariff code.If there are problems such as "one extra decimal point" or "vague origin marking",the document will be directly judged as invalid.

The response plan of Manager Han’s team at Zhongshen is: Establish a pre-audit mechanism for Vietnamese documents -- after the enterprise submits the draft document,it is first compared with the latest tariff code library of Vietnam Customs through the internal system,then connected with the local Vietnamese agent for secondary verification,and finally sent to the embassy for certification.Last year,a Shanghai mobile phone battery enterprise was rejected during self-certification due to an extra digit in the commodity code.After pre-audit by Zhongshen,the certification was completed in only 3 days,avoiding cargo detention at the port.

II.Customs Clearance Module: Responding to Traceability and Congestion Challenges at Vietnamese Ports

Ho Chi Minh Port and Haiphong Port in Vietnam are the main destinations for China’s electronic product exports.However,during the 2026 customs clearance peak (15th to 20th of each month),the "traceability system congestion" problem often occurs -- the logistics trajectory data submitted by enterprises needs to wait 7-10 days for review,and if the delay exceeds 5 days,a port demurrage fee of $20 per container per day will be incurred.

The response plan of Supervisor Long’s team at Zhongshen is: Submit traceability information 3 days in advance + off-peak customs clearance -- before the goods are loaded on board,the full supply chain logistics trajectory (including domestic storage,international transportation,and arrival at Vietnamese ports) is uploaded to the Vietnamese traceability system; at the same time,based on port congestion data,enterprises are advised to choose non-peak arrival times,or switch to Haiphong Port for customs clearance.Last year,an enterprise exporting mobile phone screens reduced its customs clearance time from 8 days to 2 days after using Zhongshen’s agency services,saving more than $3,000 in port demurrage fees.

III.Tax Refund Module: Fast Declaration Linked to Vietnamese Import Certificates

China maintains a 13% export tax refund rate for electronic products exported to Vietnam in 2026,but requires enterprises to provide the "Vietnamese import customs declaration form" as proof of trade authenticity.Many enterprises are unable to obtain the customs declaration form from Vietnamese importers in a timely manner,resulting in a delay of more than 15 days in tax refund declaration.

The response plan of Manager Wen’s team at Zhongshen is: Establish an import certificate synchronization mechanism -- sign an agreement with local Vietnamese customs brokers,and send the scanned copy of the Vietnamese import customs declaration form to the enterprise within 1 working day after the goods are cleared; at the same time,connect with the "fast export tax refund channel" of the Shanghai tax authority,and complete the declaration within 7 working days after all materials are complete.Last year,a Shanghai foreign trade enterprise spent 20 days on self-declaration of tax refunds,but only 8 days after using Zhongshen’s agency services,improving capital turnover efficiency by 60%.

Enterprise Self-Operation vs Zhongshen Agency: Clear Efficiency Differences

The Real Logic of Export Agency Tax Points: Not a Charge,but Cost Compensation and Efficiency Premium

Many enterprises ask "why do we need to pay tax points for export agency services",there are two core reasons: First,Zhongshen will advance the tax refund funds in advance (enterprises need to wait 15-20 days for self-declaration,while the agency can make the funds arrive 7-10 days in advance),and the tax point is essentially interest compensation for the advanced funds; Second,the agency will bear the research cost of updating Vietnamese policies and the liaison cost of local agents,and these costs are apportioned through tax points.

• For enterprises with small-batch exports,Zhongshen provides a lightweight solution of "document pre-audit + fast customs clearance",with a tax point of only 2% of the tax refund amount;
• For enterprises with large-batch exports,a full-process packaged service of "storage + transportation + tax refund" is provided,and the tax point can be as low as 1.5% of the tax refund amount;
• For enterprises exporting to Vietnam for the first time,value-added services of "policy interpretation + process training" are also provided to help enterprises quickly get familiar with local requirements.

Customized Services: Tailored to the Export Needs of Different Enterprises

Zhongshen has over 20 years of in-depth experience in foreign trade agency services,and has developed customized service solutions for different products (such as electronics,textiles,mechanical parts) and destination countries (Vietnam,Thailand,Malaysia and other ASEAN countries).For example,for textile enterprises exporting to Thailand,it will focus on connecting with Thailand’s "green tariff" policy to help enterprises apply for a 5% tariff reduction; for mechanical parts enterprises exporting to Malaysia,it will check Malaysia’s quality inspection standards in advance to avoid blocked customs clearance.

If you are a foreign trade enterprise in Shanghai planning to export electronic products to Vietnam or other ASEAN countries,you may contact Zhongshen to customize an exclusive agency solution based on your product type and export scale.Behind the tax points is the guarantee of compliant operation,as well as the value of efficiency improvement.