During the state visit of Chinese President and General Secretary Xi Jinping to Vietnam from April 14–15, the two countries signed four export protocols to further boost Vietnam’s agricultural exports to China.
Newly Signed Protocols
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According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the four protocols cover:
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Phytosanitary requirements for chili peppers exported from Vietnam to China;
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Phytosanitary requirements for passion fruit exported from Vietnam to China;
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Animal and plant quarantine and safety requirements for rice bran and defatted rice bran used as animal feed ingredients;
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Veterinary hygiene, inspection, and quarantine requirements for raw and cleaned bird’s nests exported from Vietnam to China.
China Expands Bird’s Nest Imports
A key highlight is China’s decision to expand imports of raw and cleaned bird’s nests—often called the “golden food.” This marks the second protocol related to Vietnam’s bird’s nest industry. The first was signed in November 2022, and by November 2023, Vietnam successfully exported its first batch of bird’s nests to the Chinese market.
China – Vietnam’s Largest Agricultural Export Market
In recent years, China has consistently remained Vietnam’s largest agricultural export market.
In 2024, Chinese consumers spent USD 4.6 billion on Vietnamese fruits and vegetables, mainly durian, dragon fruit, banana, and jackfruit.
According to Vietnam Customs, in the first three months of 2025, fruit and vegetable exports to China reached USD 521.2 million, accounting for 47.8% of Vietnam’s total fruit and vegetable export turnover.
Expanding Bilateral Agricultural Cooperation
So far, the two countries have signed 24 memorandums of understanding and export-import protocols covering various agricultural, forestry, and fishery products—demonstrating their strong commitment to facilitating trade and ensuring high standards of safety and quality in cross-border agricultural cooperation.