Which Export Agency to Choose? Core Services and Risk Response Guide

In 2026,Vietnam’s import demand for electronic products increased by 18% year-on-year,of which smartphones and smart home products accounted for more than 60%.Many Shanghai export enterprises want to take a share of this market,but they often get stuck on several obstacles: some have their goods detained due to wrong declaration of Vietnam import tariff code,some are delayed for more than 3 weeks because customs clearance documents do not comply with ASEAN Free Trade Area rules,and others have capital occupied for more than 1 month due to unfamiliarity with foreign exchange settlement process.

In view of the policy characteristics of electronic product export to Vietnam,the core value of Zhongshen’s export agency service is reflected in "precision matching + risk pre-control" -- Mr.Qiu (Marketing Consultant of Zhongshen) said that their team will first help enterprises check the latest preferential tariff policies of Vietnam,such as the rules of origin for electronic products under the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ATFTA),to avoid missing tariff reduction due to non-conforming certificate of origin.

I.Response to Core Service Modules for Electronic Product Export to Vietnam

1.Document Module: Precisely Match Vietnam’s Rules of Origin and Tariff Codes

Vietnam has two unique barriers for import document requirements of electronic products: first,the Rules of Origin (ROO) of ASEAN Free Trade Area need to meet "regional value content ≥ 40%",second,the tariff code (HS Code) needs to be refined to 8 digits (10 digits for some products).Many enterprises often see their tariff rise from 5% to 12% due to wrong format of certificate of origin or deviation in HS Code classification.

The practice of the team led by Ms.Xie (Head of Documentation Department of Zhongshen) is as follows:

• Check the raw material origin of the enterprise’s products 3 working days in advance,and assist in supplementing third-party test reports if the regional value does not reach 40%;
• Update the internal database 1 month in advance in accordance with the latest HS Code updated by Vietnam Customs (sub-code for "smart wearable devices" added in 2026);
• All documents are subject to secondary review by Vietnamese consultants to ensure compliance with local language expression habits.

2.Customs Clearance Module: Response to Vietnam Port’s "Inspection Priority" and FTA Customs Clearance Channel

In 2026,Vietnam’s Haiphong Port and Ho Chi Minh Port implement the "priority inspection for high-risk products" policy for electronic products,among which the inspection rate of smartphones and lithium battery products has increased from 15% to 30%.In addition,the ASEAN FTA customs clearance channel requires submission of "electronic Certificate of Origin (e-CO)",and many enterprises are delayed in customs clearance due to failure to access this system.

The team led by Supervisor Tong (Head of Customs Declaration Department of Zhongshen) has two response plans:

• For high-risk products,submit "pre-declaration materials" to Vietnam Customs in advance,including product test reports (such as CE certification,Vietnam MIC certification),and the inspection rate can be reduced to 10%;
• Open a direct connection channel with Vietnam Customs e-CO system,the electronic certificate of origin can be obtained within 24 hours after document submission,and the customs clearance time is shortened from an average of 7 days to 3 days.

3.Tax Refund Module: Solve the Connection between Foreign Exchange and Tax Refund for Vietnam Entrepot Trade

Some Shanghai enterprises re-export to other ASEAN countries via Vietnam,but their export tax refund is delayed because the foreign exchange settlement process does not comply with the regulations of the State Bank of Vietnam.Vietnam requires that foreign exchange for entrepot trade shall be declared through the "Bank Foreign Exchange Settlement System (FSS)",and the "entrepot trade contract" shall be matched with the "bill of lading copy".

The practice of the team led by Supervisor Tu (Head of Tax Refund Department of Zhongshen) is as follows:

• Assist enterprises to open FSS accounts in designated banks of Vietnam in advance,and complete the declaration within 1 working day after foreign exchange arrives;
• Sort out the bill of lading and contract of entrepot trade synchronously with China’s export tax refund materials,to avoid delayed tax refund review caused by missing materials;
• Since 2026,the tax refund time for served entrepot trade enterprises has been shortened from an average of 15 days to 8 days.

Mr.Qiu added that among the 32 Shanghai electronic product export enterprises served by Zhongshen in 2025,28 saw their customs clearance efficiency increased by more than 60%,and tax refund speed increased by 47%.For example,a smart watch enterprise had its goods detained for 12 days due to wrong HS Code when exporting to Vietnam by itself.After using Zhongshen’s agency service,the customs clearance only took 2 days,and it enjoyed a 5% tariff reduction,saving more than 8,000 yuan per shipment.

Whether you export electronic products to Vietnam,mechanical equipment to Germany,or textiles to the Middle East,Zhongshen can customize a full-process agency plan according to the policy characteristics of different products and different target countries.Supervisor Tong said that they will first provide free "policy risk assessment" for enterprises,and then match the corresponding service modules to avoid enterprises taking detours.