Vietnam trains offers glimpse into regional economic resilience

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By Hu Weijia (Global Times) 09:27, May 27, 2025

In recent times, China's border provinces have been actively developing a comprehensive network of connectivity and fostering economic zones, driving all-around progress in economic cooperation with neighboring countries across various fields such as trade, economic collaboration, and cross-border industrial development. This trend isn't confined to China and Vietnam alone. For instance, since its inauguration, the China-Laos railway has experienced an increase in freight traffic, underscoring the growing interconnectivity between China and ASEAN. This development highlights the strengthening economic ties and collaborative efforts in the region.

From January to April this year, trade between China and ASEAN reached 2.38 trillion yuan, a 9.2-percent increase year-on-year. Against the backdrop of the US repeatedly wielding tariffs as a weapon, disrupting global trade and supply chains, trade between China and ASEAN has demonstrated remarkable resilience. This resilience stems from multiple factors, including the complex and tight-knit trade network that China and ASEAN have gradually built over the past few decades, the continuously strengthening connectivity, and the integrated industrial chain system. These elements mutually reinforce one another, serving as a solid foundation for their enduring partnership.

The resumption of China-Vietnam international passenger rail service is merely a glimpse into the intricate web of transportation, trade, and industrial networks that bind the Chinese and ASEAN economies together. This interconnectedness forms the backbone of their economic and trade cooperation, rendering any form of economic "decoupling" unfeasible.

It's undeniable that US tariff policies have, to some extent, disrupted global supply chains and accelerated the restructuring of Asia's industrial networks. However, the tightly knit trade networks within this region demonstrate remarkable resilience and prove to be able to withstand external pressures. Every cross-border rail trip and each traded cargo shipment serve as strands that reinforce the network, offering a buffer against external shocks to Asia's industrial chains.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)