Hanoi (VNA) 🌺- Vietnamese exporters are refusing to be boxed in by new US tariffs, adapting by a plan to restructure supply chains, chase new markets, and double down on global standards to keep their edge in the trade world.

Expanding export space

While the US's new tariff policies have placed certain Vietnamese exports under pressure, the changes are also prompting companies to rethink strategies, diversify markets, and break free from over-reliance on any single destination. Nguyen Tran Thien Thanh, Director of Thien Thanh Binh Trading and Manufacturing Co., said her company has begun reevaluating its supply chain, leaning hard into local production, and gearing up for Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) requirements. “This is not just a mandatory condition for major export markets,” Thanh said. “It’s an inevitable trend to make supply chains more transparent and improve the value of the Vietnamese brand”. Big players like Hanfimex, a heavyweight in cashew, pepper, and coffee, are also jumping on the bandwagon. Its Chairman Phung Van Sam said tariff disadvantages in the US market, compared with rivals from Brazil, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Africa, have spurred the company to look elsewhere. “We’re pivoting to markets with logistical and financial advantages, such as Asia, where shipping times are shorter, payments are faster, and capital turnover is more efficient,” Sam said. “We’re also targeting the EU and select African countries”. Rather than competing solely on prices, Hanfimex is banking on quality, supply chain optimisation, and custom trade promotion for each market.

Seizing every opportunity

In contrast to the previous rush toward the US, furniture maker Thien Minh Wood has held its ground in the EU, a bet now paying off. Its Vice Chairman Tran Lam Son said the EU orders now make up 60%–70% of the company’s exports, thanks to its heavy bets on top-notch design and quality that meet Europe’s picky standards. The result is a rock-solid trust and a wider footprint. At the recent “Vietnam International Sourcing – Diversifying Export Markets” seminar held by the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Department of Foreign Market Development, Director of the Investment and Trade Promotion Centre of Ho Chi Minh City Tran Phu Lu laid out a bold plan. The city is rolling out a digital trade promotion ecosystem and pushing into new markets like the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, and Latin America to reduce dependence on traditional partners. “We will hook up firms through trade fairs, direct distributor connections, and push digital transformation to make deals happen faster,” Lu said. Vietnamese Trade Counsellor in the US Do Ngoc Hung noted that despite new tariffs, the country remains a promising link in global supply chains. “Major corporations like Walmart, Amazon, and Costco all see Vietnam as a key supplier and are expanding their footprint here,” Hung said. “Their top concerns are not just prices, but sustainability, stable supply, and transparency of origin". To capture these opportunities, Hung advised Vietnamese companies to attend specialised international trade shows, automate production, strengthen ESG compliance, and invest in brand building. He also pointed to the Vietnamese business community in the US as an invaluable bridge for market access./.