Importing Steel from China to Vietnam: 0% ACFTA Duty, VAT 10% & the HRC Anti-Dumping Wall (2026)
Verified 2026-10-30 against MOIT trade-remedy decisions and customs practice. With a valid ACFTA certificate of origin (Form E), most Chinese steel enters Vietnam at 0% duty; without it the MFN rate of 5–25% applies. VAT is 10%. The gatekeeper is anti-dumping: Vietnam's HRC final determination (Decision 1959/QĐ-BCT, effective 6 July 2025, five years) sets company-specific duties of 23.01–27.83% on hot-rolled coil up to 1,880 mm wide — and the April 2026 anti-circumvention decision (612/QĐ-BCT) extends a provisional 27.83% to wide plate shipped non-coiled. Mill identity and shipping form decide your rate.
Base duty & VAT on Chinese steel (2026)
| Product (HS) | MFN without C/O | ACFTA (Form E) | VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7208 / 7209 / 7210 / 7211 / 7212 / 7225 / 7226 — flat products | 5–25% | 0% (Form E) | 10% |
| 7213 / 7214 — bars & rods in coils | 10–15% | 0% (Form E) | 10% |
| 7301 / 7306 — structural hollow sections | 10–15% | 0–5% (Form E) | 10% |
Form E under ACFTA is the single biggest cost lever; without it you pay MFN plus full AD exposure.
Anti-dumping & anti-circumvention — the real gatekeeper
Vietnam is ASEAN's largest steel producer (~30 Mt/yr) and shields Hoa Phat and Formosa Ha Tinh with aggressive remedies. The HRC final duty applies to non-pickled, non-coated HRC and alloy HRC of 1.2–25.4 mm × ≤1,880 mm, carbon ≤0.3%. Rates are company-specific: cooperating exporters received the low end, everyone else pays 27.83%. Stainless and listed plate exclusions apply.
| Measure / scope | Rate | Legal basis & validity |
|---|---|---|
| Cooperating Chinese mills (rate set per company) | 23.01–24.98% | 1959/QD-BCT, 5 yrs from 2025-07-06 |
| Non-cooperating / all others | 27.83% | 1959/QD-BCT, 5 yrs from 2025-07-06 |
| Wide plate 1880–2300 mm, non-coiled (anti-circumvention) | 27.83% (provisional, stacked) | 612/QD-BCT (2026-04-02) |
| HDG 7210.49/7212.30 (provisional AD) | 15.67–37.13% | 2025 investigation, final pending |
Why the band matters: on a $600/t HRC parcel the difference between 23.01% and 27.83% is ~$29/t — before VAT stacking. Ask your supplier which cooperating-mill rate applies; a mill on the 23.01% line keeps you competitive against Hoa Phat's domestic offers.
Anti-circumvention & the HDG front
Anti-circumvention (Decision 612/QĐ-BCT, 2 April 2026): after Chinese exporters shifted from coils to non-coiled wide plate (1,880–2,300 mm) to escape the HRC duty, MOIT imposed a provisional 27.83% on that route, stacked on the original measure. The 'plate instead of coil' workaround is closed for now.
HDG (2025, provisional): galvanized coil from China faces provisional AD of 15.67–37.13% (Chinese mills at the top of the range) while the final determination is pending. Coated products are the next battleground after HRC.
India leg terminated: the parallel investigation into Indian HRC was closed (imports <3% of the total) — evidence the measures target Chinese volume specifically.
The plate route under 7225.40 — what is still open
Plain hot-rolled plate under 7225.40 is outside the HRC determination's coil definition, but the April 2026 anti-circumvention decision now captures wide plate shipped non-coiled. The clean routes that remain: alloy plate and high-strength plate whose specification sits outside the 1.2–25.4 mm / ≤1,880 mm / ≤0.3% carbon envelope, and products with a valid exclusion (stainless, listed grades).
For wear plate and high-strength plate buyers this is where Baohui's mill-direct model helps: our NM400/NM450/NM500 wear plate, Q690E and BS960E ship with full ACFTA Form E documentation and mill certificates that match the HS description — the two things Vietnamese customs scrutinise most.
Landed-cost cascade — worked example (25 t NM500 plate)
| Line | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| NM500 plate, 25 t × $850/t FOB | $21,250 | FOB China |
| Freight + insurance to Haiphong | +$38/t | $950 |
| CIF value | $21,950 | duty base |
| ACFTA duty with Form E | 0% | $0 |
| VAT 10% | +$2,195 | on CIF + duty |
| HRC AD (if scope applies) | +23.01–27.83% | company-specific |
Below the HRC scope envelope (alloy plate), the all-in landed figure is roughly $950/t before AD exposure; inside the envelope add $219–262/t of AD.
Documents Vietnamese customs will ask for
- ACFTA Certificate of Origin Form E (issued before shipment; back-to-back not accepted for China-Vietnam)
- Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading
- Mill test certificate (MTC) matching the invoiced grade and HS code
- Quality/standards conformity for regulated grades
Sources & verification
- Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) — trade remedies
- ASL Law — Decision 1959/QD-BCT final AD on Chinese HRC (2025-07-04)
- Citicom — summary of Decision 1959/QD-BCT
- GTAIC market report — Decision 612/QD-BCT circumvention (2026-04-02)
- Vietnam Customs (Tong cuc Hai quan)
- S&P Global — Vietnam HRC AD coverage
Change log — what moved, and when
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 2025-02-21 | Provisional HRC AD 19.38–27.83% (Decision 460/QĐ-BCT, 120 days) |
| 2025-07-04 | Final HRC AD 23.01–27.83% company-specific (Decision 1959/QĐ-BCT, 5 years) |
| 2025 | Provisional HDG AD 15.67–37.13% on China |
| 2026-04-02 | Anti-circumvention: provisional 27.83% on non-coiled wide plate 1,880–2,300 mm |
Related guide: electrical steel
HS 7225 also covers grain-oriented (GO) and non-oriented (NGO) electrical steel — the silicon steel grades used in transformer and motor cores. Read our guide: What is electrical steel — grades, GO vs NGO, and the global market.
Vietnam steel import FAQ
Is Chinese steel really duty-free into Vietnam?
Yes for most flat products with a valid ACFTA Form E (0%). Without Form E you pay the 5–25% MFN rate. VAT of 10% applies on top regardless (a temporary 8% reduced VAT covered most goods into mid-2026).
What is the current anti-dumping rate on Chinese HRC?
23.01–27.83% depending on the exporting mill, under Decision 1959/QĐ-BCT effective 6 July 2025 for five years. Non-cooperators pay 27.83%.
Can I import plate instead of coil to avoid the HRC duty?
Not anymore for wide plate: the April 2026 anti-circumvention decision (612/QĐ-BCT) imposes a provisional 27.83% on non-coiled plate 1,880–2,300 mm, stacked on the base measure.
Does the duty apply to alloy and high-strength steel?
The HRC scope is carbon ≤0.3%, 1.2–25.4 mm, ≤1,880 mm. Many alloy and high-strength plates fall outside this envelope — verify the exact specification against the decision's scope before quoting.
How long does customs clearance take in Vietnam?
With complete Form E, MTC and standard documents, electronic clearance typically completes in 1–3 working days; physical inspection adds 2–5 days.
来源与核实说明
- 1Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) — trade remedies
- 2ASL Law — Decision 1959/QD-BCT final AD on Chinese HRC (2025-07-04)
- 3Citicom — summary of Decision 1959/QD-BCT
- 4GTAIC market report — Decision 612/QD-BCT circumvention (2026-04-02)
- 5Vietnam Customs (Tong cuc Hai quan)
- 6S&P Global — Vietnam HRC AD coverage
本页数据已于 2026-10-30 对照下列官方来源逐项核实，并每月滚动复核更新，每次复核日期见本页标注。
