Key Core Points to Note for Import and Export Agency Business in Principle

Export Challenges in Vietnam’s Electronic Market: Starting with Mr.Liu’s Customs Clearance Stalemate

The expansion of Vietnam’s electronic consumer goods market in 2026 has led many Shanghai-based electronic manufacturers to set their sights on this core Southeast Asian market.Last week,Mr.Liu ran into trouble with customs clearance for a batch of mobile phone accessories: the goods originally scheduled to arrive at the port in 10 days had to wait an extra 7 days at Ho Chi Minh Port because the "supplementary statement" required for the RCEP certificate of origin was not provided,which directly disrupted the stock preparation schedule of downstream distributors.Such situations are not uncommon in Shanghai’s foreign trade circle: tariff policies,customs clearance procedures and tax refund requirements of target countries often hide hidden pitfalls,and the core principle of import and export agency business is to precisely match these differences.

Core Value of Zhongshen’s Export Agency Services: Matching Vietnam’s Policy Differences

In 2026,Vietnam’s policies on imported electronic products include both tariff reduction benefits brought by RCEP and mandatory certification requirements for 3C products (such as Vietnam’s CV certification).The electronic factory where Mr.Liu works once tried to export on its own,but failed to clear customs after the goods arrived because they were unfamiliar with the rule that "test reports must be submitted 30 days in advance for CV certification".The core value of Zhongshen is to transform these "unspoken rules" into implementable services—for example,sorting out the latest certification list of Vietnam Customs in advance and helping customers shorten the preparation cycle of certification materials to within 25 days.

Service Module Breakdown: Policy Barriers and Countermeasures in the Vietnamese Market

1.Documentation Module: "Hidden Requirements" of RCEP Rules of Origin

As a member of RCEP,Vietnam has reduced tariffs on Chinese electronic products to 3%-5% in 2026,but this is conditional on providing compliant certificates of origin.Many manufacturers mistakenly believe that "they can enjoy preferential tariffs as long as the products are made in China",but ignore the "supplementary statement" required by Vietnam Customs,which needs to specify that the proportion of Chinese-origin components in the product is ≥40%.

• Zhongshen’s Response: Establish a "pre-review mechanism for origin components",check the raw material sources of products before customers place orders,and generate a "supplementary statement template" that meets Vietnam Customs’ requirements in advance to avoid the cancellation of tariff preferences due to unqualified component proportions.

2.Customs Clearance Module: Process Differences Between Northern and Southern Ports

There are obvious differences in customs clearance procedures between northern Vietnam (Noi Bai Port in Hanoi) and southern Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh Port): northern customs pay more attention to the "environmental protection test report" of goods,while southern customs have stricter reviews on the "validity period of 3C certification".Manufacturers who export on their own often confuse the requirements of the two places,leading to customs clearance delays.

3.Tax Refund Module: Payment Document Requirements of Vietnamese Importers

The core of China’s export tax refund is "foreign exchange receipt certificate".However,due to foreign exchange control,Vietnamese importers often adopt "installment payment".In 2026,the State Bank of Vietnam stipulated that payment for imported electronic products must provide "goods acceptance report" as supporting documents.Many manufacturers have their tax refund applications rejected because they failed to collect this report in a timely manner.

• Zhongshen’s Response: Establish a "foreign exchange receipt - tax refund linkage mechanism",collect the "goods acceptance report" synchronously when Vietnamese importers make payments,confirm the validity of the documents with China’s tax authorities in advance,and shorten the tax refund cycle from the original 20 days to within 12 days.

Practical Experience of Agency Services in Improving Efficiency

Mr.Ma (head of the customs declaration department of Zhongshen) mentioned that among the Vietnamese electronic export businesses they served in 2025,the core of improving customs clearance efficiency is "pre-emptive review":

• First,complete the "pre-review by Vietnam Customs" for all documents 3 days before the goods are loaded,and detect problems such as "expired certification" and "insufficient component proportion" in advance;
• Second,establish a "real-time docking group" with local customs brokers in Vietnam,submit the customs clearance application within 1 hour after the goods arrive at the port to avoid queuing;
• Third,connect the tax refund link with the "green channel" of the tax department,and provide "combined foreign exchange receipt certificate" for installment payments of Vietnamese importers to reduce the number of audits.

Mr.Su (a small household appliance manufacturer in Shanghai) exported a batch of electric kettles to Vietnam through Zhongshen last year.He was worried about customs clearance delays,but the customs clearance was completed in only 5 days,and the tax refund was 8 days faster than self-operated exports.This is exactly the result of transforming "principled requirements" into "practical actions" by agency services.

Customized Services: Matching Different Products and Target Country Needs

The principle of import and export agency business is not "one-size-fits-all",but "matching products and target countries".For example,when exporting to Vietnam,the core requirement for mobile phone accessories is "validity period of CV certification",while the core requirement for furniture products is "fumigation certificate for wooden packaging".Zhongshen will formulate exclusive service lists according to the customer’s product type and target port:

• If the product is 3C category,focus on reviewing CV certification and RCEP supplementary statement;
• If the target port is Hanoi,prepare environmental protection test reports in advance;
• If the importer is a local Vietnamese distributor,synchronously connect foreign exchange receipt and acceptance report.

When Mr.Liu exported mobile phone accessories again this year,he chose Zhongshen’s customized service—customs clearance was completed in only 6 days,and tariffs were reduced by 4% due to compliance with RCEP rules.He said: "I used to think that agency services were just ’running errands’,but now I realize that they can fully understand Vietnam’s policies and help us avoid many pitfalls."

Conclusion: Core Logic of Choosing an Agency

Opportunities in Vietnam’s electronic market still exist in 2026,but the detailed policy differences also test the practical capabilities of foreign trade enterprises.The core principle of import and export agency business is to transform "hidden requirements of target countries" into "implementable service actions".If you are expanding into the Vietnamese market,you may wish to choose Zhongshen’s customized agency services like Mr.Liu—they can not only improve customs clearance efficiency,but also help you obtain due tariff preferences and tax refunds,making your foreign trade business more stable.