In-depth Analysis of the Full Process of China-Vietnam Import and Export Agency: A Practical Guide from Customs Declaration to Tax Rebate

At the beginning of 2026,China-Vietnam bilateral trade data hit a new record again.Statistics from Nanning Customs show that in the first quarter,Guangxi’s import and export with Vietnam increased by 23.6% year-on-year,with mechanical and electrical products,agricultural products and textiles ranking the top three.Mr.Gong runs a mechanical equipment export enterprise in Shanghai,and received a million-dollar order from a Hanoi,Vietnam client at the beginning of the year.However,he encountered consecutive obstacles in customs declaration filling,certificate of origin processing,foreign exchange verification and other links,and the goods were detained at the port for 11 full days.This case is not an isolated example,which reflects that in the China-Vietnam trade chain,the value of professional import and export agency service is far more than just "handling procedures on behalf of clients".

Stage 1: Market Access and Document Preparation

The first step of China-Vietnam trade is not to find customers,but to confirm product access qualification.In 2026,Vietnam updated its List of Technical Standards for Imported Products,including electronic appliances,children’s toys and food contact materials into the mandatory certification scope.A batch of LED lighting products that Mr.Shan agency exported last year was required to be shipped back after arrival because he did not complete Vietnam’s CR mark certification in advance,resulting in a direct loss of more than 400,000 RMB in freight and deposit.

The core goal of this stage isbuilding a compliant document system.Key actions include:

• Verify the supervision conditions and tax rate applicability of HS code at Vietnam Customs
• Confirm whether the product requires import license from Vietnam’s MOIT (Ministry of Industry and Trade) or SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary Inspection) certificate
• Prepare Form E certificate of origin to enjoy RCEP agreement tariff
• Organize Chinese-Vietnamese bilingual versions of basic documents including commercial invoice,packing list and bill of lading

Zhongshen’s role in this link is pre-risk screening.We maintain a dynamic database of Vietnam Customs supervision updates,and refresh the access list changes every week.For a batch of industrial robots entrusted by Mr.Qi for export last year,we identified in advance that the controller belongs to Vietnam’s information security control category,and assisted in completing the cyber security compliance statement,avoiding the risk of seizure after arrival at the port.

Stage 2: Customs Declaration,Inspection and Compliance Review

When goods arrive at Pingxiang Youyi Pass or Dongxing Port,the real test begins.In 2026,Vietnam Customs launched the new electronic declaration system VNSW 3.0,the number of declaration fields increased from 87 to 132,and the requirement for filling accuracy of commodity description,specification,material and composition increased by more than 40%.Ms.Zhuo’s clothing container was identified as misclassification by customs because the declared component "polyester" did not match the actually measured "modified polyester",and back tax plus fine totaled 28% of the goods value.

The goal of this stage isachieving one declaration,one release.Key actions are decomposed into:

• Pre-enter the customs declaration,focus on verifying the matching degree between commodity specifications and declaration elements
• Coordinate with third-party testing institutions to issue quality inspection reports that meet Vietnamese standards
• Respond to inquiries and inspection instructions during customs document review
• Complete tax payment and release procedures

Zhongshen’s customs declaration team is permanently stationed at Guangxi ports,and maintains daily communication mechanisms with Vietnam Customs and inspection departments.We have established a template library of declaration elements for common commodities,raising the declaration accuracy of mechanical equipment to 98.7%.When a batch of precision instruments of Mr.Si was questioned for under-reporting goods value during inspection,we submitted the original purchase contract,payment voucher and the import price database of similar commodities on site,completed the situation explanation within 24 hours,and avoided margin detention.

Stage 3: International Transportation and In-transit Management

The particularity of China-Vietnam logistics lies in the "two-stage" transportation: China section road transportation + Vietnam section connection distribution.In 2026,oil price fluctuations and border congestion have become the norm.For the 300-kilometer journey from Nanning to Hanoi,the average transportation cycle has extended from 3 days to 5-7 days.Mr.Gong’s cold chain food container once had temperature control equipment cut off for 4 hours during connection in Lang Son Province,resulting in spoilage of the entire batch of goods,and the insurance company refused compensation on the grounds of "management negligence".

The core goal of the transportation link isfull-process visualization and controllable risk.Key actions include:

• Select carriers with China-Vietnam cross-border transportation qualification,and sign transportation contracts with clear responsibility division
• Install GPS and temperature and humidity monitoring equipment to achieve real-time tracking of transportation trajectory
• Arrange on-site personnel to supervise loading and unloading at connection points such as Lang Son and Dong Dang
• Purchase freight insurance covering the "warehouse to warehouse" clause,and clarify the claim process

Zhongshen has integrated more than 20 China-Vietnam special line logistics suppliers,and matches the optimal solution according to cargo characteristics.We designed a "China dangerous chemicals special vehicle + Vietnam ordinary truck connection" mode for Mr.Qi’s chemical project,which reduced cost by 18% and stabilized the transportation cycle within 4 days.Among more than 3,000 shipments we handled last year,the in-transit cargo damage rate was controlled below 0.3%.

Stage 4: Foreign Exchange Settlement and Capital Management

In 2026,the daily fluctuation range of Vietnamese Dong against the US dollar expanded to 0.8%,so the timing of foreign exchange settlement directly affects profits.The State Bank of Vietnam stipulates that import enterprises must complete payment within 30 days after goods arrive at the port,otherwise they will be included in the foreign exchange violation list.Mr.Shan’s client delayed payment for 22 days due to tight foreign exchange quota in Vietnamese banks,which made Mr.Shan unable to settle foreign exchange on time,resulting in an exchange loss of nearly 150,000 RMB for his RMB account.

The goal of foreign exchange management islocking exchange rate risk and ensuring capital safety.Key actions include:

• Agree on exchange rate fluctuation compensation clauses or adopt RMB settlement when signing contracts
• Lock exchange cost through bank forward foreign exchange settlement and sale products
• Monitor the payment progress of Vietnamese clients,and coordinate their application for priority foreign exchange purchase quota from banks
• Complete foreign exchange verification to ensure consistent amounts on customs declaration,bill of lading and invoice

Zhongshen has established a foreign exchange settlement green channel for China-Vietnam trade with multiple banks,and provided a cross-border RMB solution of "Vietnamese Dong collection + RMB settlement" for Ms.Zhuo’s enterprise,avoiding exchange rate fluctuation risk.We also assisted Mr.Si to recover duplicate payment caused by client bank operation error,completed the refund procedure within 48 hours,and protected business reputation.

Stage 5: Export Tax Rebate and Cost Optimization

Export tax rebate is the last line of profit defense.In 2026,the State Taxation Administration of China compressed the tax rebate review time to 6 working days,but the verification of document logic consistency is stricter.For a batch of equipment exported by Mr.Qi,a 0.3% difference between the "FOB price" on the customs declaration and the "tax-exclusive price" on the VAT invoice led to a requirement for a situation statement from the tax bureau,and the tax rebate was delayed for 45 days,occupying more than 2 million RMB of working capital.

The core goal of the tax rebate link isfull eligible tax rebate,fast and stable tax rebate.Key actions include:

• Ensure 100% matching of information among customs declaration,invoice and bill of lading
• Complete tax rebate declaration within 30 days after VAT invoice is issued
• Establish a tax rebate declaration ledger,and track the review progress of each order
• Handle tax bureau correspondence and suspicious point investigation,provide complete business chain certificates

Zhongshen’s tax rebate team implements a "one strategy per order" review system,and completes internal cross-verification before declaration.Last year,among the 387 tax rebate businesses we handled,the average tax rebate arrival cycle was 11 days faster than the industry average,and the declaration accuracy reached 100%.After optimization by our team,Mr.Gong’s enterprise increased the tax rebate rate from 9% to 13%,with an annual increase of tax rebate of more than 800,000 RMB.

Comparison of Core Document Lists for China-Vietnam Import and Export

China-Vietnam import and export agency is not simply running documents,but a risk control and cost optimization project running through the entire trade chain.From document preparation to tax rebate completion,the five stages are closely linked,and any omission in any link may cause consecutive losses.The value Zhongshen has accumulated in 20 years lies in converting scattered policy requirements into standardized operating procedures,and including unexpected risks into pre-plan management.The practices of Mr.Gong,Mr.Shan,Mr.Qi,Mr.Si,Ms.Zhuo and other clients show that professional agency services can not only maintain the compliance bottom line,but also release additional profit space through refined operations.For 2026 China-Vietnam trade,competition depends on who understands the rules better and who controls details better.Choosing Zhongshen means choosing to hand professional work to professionals,allowing enterprises to focus on market development,and leave all worries behind in Shanghai.