Pacific Money | Economy | Southeast Asia

‘Made in Vietnam’ Is Harder To Prove Than It Looks

Companies are under increasing pressure to show that goods produced in their new locations are genuinely made there.

Transshipment has been a sticking point in the ongoing talks on reciprocal trade between Vietnam and the United States. Transshipment involves routing goods through a third country, often with minimal processing, to disguise where they were made. This has become especially sensitive as companies move production out of China to avoid U.S. tariffs. For those companies the challenge is no longer just finding new suppliers, but proving their products’ origin.  

Apple is moving almost all final assembly of U.S.-bound iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, and AirPods to Vietnam. Other examples of multinationals that have expanded their production in Vietnam include Samsung and Nike. Chinese firms themselves are also heavily investing in Vietnam, particularly in electronics and auto manufacturing. This is part of a broader shift. In a survey of more than 1,000 businesses, 43 percent had shifted outsourcing locations in 2025. These moves are driven by tariffs, as well as labor costs and supply chain diversification.

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