Economy
Shein finds China hard to replace as Vietnam experiment fails
Just over a year ago, Chinese ultra-fast fashion retailer Shein began leasing 15 hectares of warehouse space near Ho Chi Minh City – about the size of 21 football fields – as part of a grand experiment to make Vietnam a major export base.
When it was formulating those plans in late 2024, it seemed like a bet that, while risky, was worth making.
U.S. exemptions for duties on small parcels from China that underpinned its business model looked as if they would be abolished, Donald Trump had just been elected U.S. president for a second term and fears of a heightened trade war were soon realized, with U.S. tariffs on many Chinese goods rocketing to 145% by April 2025.
Shein started encouraging its biggest Chinese suppliers to set up manufacturing bases in Vietnam.
But things did not go to plan.
Today, IPO-bound Shein, known for selling $5 tops and $10 dresses, is drastically scaling back in Vietnam, according to a Reuters report, citing six people familiar with its operations there.
At 15 hectares, the bonded logistics hub was the largest of its kind in the country and used to employ thousands. The lease now covers 6 hectares, according to two of the sources. A separate person with direct knowledge of the matter said a third of the originally planned site is in use.
Mass layoffs began in April and more are expected, warehouse workers said, adding that some teams have retained one in four employees, while others lost even more. During a Reuters visit to the site in late July, only a handful of workers were present and just a few trucks were parked at its warehouses. Nearby warehouses operated by other tenants were bustling with activity.
Its sharp U-turn in Vietnam, which has not previously been reported, reflects abrupt changes in U.S. trade policies while underscoring how dependent Shein’s business model is on Chinese suppliers, which put up with terms that manufacturers in other countries won’t – a pattern Shein has also seen play out in Brazil.
It also highlights how Shein is hewing more closely to its Chinese roots. Having unsuccessfully sought listings in New York and London and moved its headquarters to Singapore as it expanded globally, the company is now pursuing a Hong Kong IPO while deepening its commitment to its manufacturing base in southern China.
De minimis pain quite major
The first and biggest hit to Shein’s Vietnam plans was the end of the U.S. de minimis duty-free exemption for shipments under $800 from all countries, not just China. Trump ordered the move on July 30, 2025, and it took effect a month later, only a few months after the exemption for shipments from China ended.
Then, sky-high U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods gradually came down. Vietnamese apparel is still subject to smaller tariffs than Chinese clothing, but the advantage is no longer as large as it used to be.
A knit polyester dress, for example, imported from either Vietnam or China is subject to a 16% duty, but the Chinese item would be hit with Section 301 tariffs imposed for alleged unfair trade practices that could lift the effective rate to around 33.5%.
Last month, both China and Vietnam were hit with new U.S. tariffs of 12.5% for allegedly failing to prevent imports of goods made with forced labor – a decision that puts Vietnam at a disadvantage to other Southeast Asian nations with big apparel sectors and further undermines the case for Shein’s suppliers to set up shop there.
Home base unmatched for speed, low margins
It’s not all about tariffs. Finding Vietnamese workers willing to work long hours for low wages has proven difficult, sources at Shein’s Chinese suppliers say.
Shein’s vast network of suppliers in China produces millions of styles in small batches at margins of as little as 1 yuan ($0.15) per piece, with orders fulfilled in days and quickly reordered if the company’s 273 million shoppers take a liking to them.
“Sourcing diversification beyond China has practical limits, especially for companies like Shein whose competitive advantage depends on speed, flexibility, and extremely small production runs,” said Sheng Lu, professor of fashion and apparel studies at the University of Delaware.
Many suppliers that went to Vietnam have come back, said a factory manager with the surname Wen in Guangzhou’s Panyu district, home to “Shein villages” that comprise thousands of small garment factories.
“They realized that despite the smaller U.S. tariff rate on Vietnamese goods compared to Chinese ones, the low efficiency still makes it less viable than manufacturing in China,” Wen added. He declined to give his full name, saying Shein had warned suppliers not to speak to the media.
Authorities in Guangzhou, keen to protect local jobs, were also not happy with Shein’s efforts to subsidize Chinese manufacturers opening plants in Vietnam, and in mid-2025 warned it against moving orders significantly away from the region, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter.
Shein is now investing further in Guangzhou and the broader Guangdong province, with CEO Sky Xu making a rare public appearance in February to pledge spending of over 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) on a smart supply-chain system in the region.
Commitment doesn’t go both ways
But while Shein has recommitted to China, some domestic suppliers are not necessarily recommitting back as demand slows. Shein’s draft prospectus showed a 14% slide in U.S. revenue during the first quarter due to the end of the de minimis exemption.
Wen and three other suppliers said orders from Shein were either stagnant or showing only a little growth. Demand is expected to further slow after the European Union last month imposed a 3-euro ($3.46) duty on low-value e-commerce imports.
Ping He, who has worked in operations management for Shein and TikTok Shop, said thousands of Shein’s smaller suppliers have begun supplementing their income by opening stores on PDD Holdings-owned Temu or Amazon.
“Shein is not the prettiest boy in town anymore. There are many more options now,” she said.
Other suppliers are returning to larger orders with longer lead times.
“Shein’s profit margins are just too thin … their order volumes are quite small, often just dozens of pieces at a time, which makes production a hassle. So we decided to drop them,” said Yang, a manager at Jiang Gong Clothes, a factory in Panyu that worked with Shein until a few months ago.
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi Saturday urged African countries to prioritize peaceful solutions to conflicts, strengthen state institutions and respect national sovereignty, saying stability is essential for economic development.
“Economic development cannot be built in unstable countries, and stability is not a luxury but a fundamental pillar sought by investors, manufacturers and farmers so they can operate in a safe environment,” el-Sissi said in his opening speech at the Alamein Africa Forum, which began Friday in New Alamein on Egypt’s northern coast.
“Across our African continent, we fully understand that security begins with supporting the national state and its institutions, respecting its unity and sovereignty, prioritizing peaceful solutions to conflicts and crises, and upholding the principle of good neighborliness,” he added.
The three-day forum has brought together about 1,500 government officials, business leaders, investors and representatives of financial institutions from across Africa, with discussions focused on economic development, investment and greater continental integration.
El-Sissi said Africa’s private sector is the main driver of the continent’s economies, contributing more than 70% of its gross domestic product.
About 85% of transactions by Africa’s private sector are conducted with companies from outside the continent, el-Sissi added.
Despite trade agreements and preferential arrangements among African countries, intra-African trade has accounted for only about 18% of the continent’s total trade in recent years, el-Sissi said.
On international developments, el-Sissi said Africa aspires to “a world characterized by peace and stability, rather than being made to bear the consequences of global crises in which it was not a party but whose negative repercussions it suffers.”
He cited the current energy crisis as an example, pointing to the impact of rising fuel and fertilizer prices and disruptions to supply and shipping chains on African countries.
Last February, the African Union summit in Addis Ababa approved plans to hold the Alamein Africa Forum every two years in New Alamein.
Egypt is organizing the forum in cooperation with the African Export-Import Bank and the African Union Development Agency.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday urged African countries to prioritize peaceful solutions to conflicts, strengthen state institutions and respect national sovereignty, saying stability is essential for economic development.
“Economic development cannot be built in unstable countries, and stability is not a luxury but a fundamental pillar sought by investors, manufacturers and farmers so they can operate in a safe environment,” Sisi said in his opening speech at the Alamein Africa Forum, which began Friday in New Alamein on Egypt’s northern coast.
“Across our African continent, we fully understand that security begins with supporting the national state and its institutions, respecting its unity and sovereignty, prioritizing peaceful solutions to conflicts and crises, and upholding the principle of good neighborliness,” he added.
The three-day forum has brought together about 1,500 government officials, business leaders, investors and representatives of financial institutions from across Africa, with discussions focused on economic development, investment and greater continental integration.
Sisi said Africa’s private sector is the main driver of the continent’s economies, contributing more than 70% of its gross domestic product.
About 85% of transactions by Africa’s private sector are conducted with companies from outside the continent, Sisi added.
Despite trade agreements and preferential arrangements among African countries, intra-African trade has accounted for only about 18% of the continent’s total trade in recent years, Sisi said.
On international developments, Sisi said Africa aspires to “a world characterized by peace and stability, rather than being made to bear the consequences of global crises in which it was not a party but whose negative repercussions it suffers.”
He cited the current energy crisis as an example, pointing to the impact of rising fuel and fertilizer prices and disruptions to supply and shipping chains on African countries.
Last February, the African Union summit in Addis Ababa approved plans to hold the Alamein Africa Forum every two years in New Alamein.
Egypt is organizing the forum in cooperation with the African Export-Import Bank and the African Union Development Agency.
Teknofest Southeast continues in Şanlıurfa with aviation displays, defense technologies, educational activities and cultural events, as thousands of visitors explore the festival grounds at Şanlıurfa GAP Airport.
The five-day festival, organized with the participation of the Ministry of Industry and Technology, the T3 Foundation and the Turkish Aerospace and Technology Company, is bringing together technology enthusiasts, students, researchers and families through Oct. 4.
The event features technology competitions in 14 categories, exhibitions, scientific workshops, simulation experiences and air shows, while visitors can also explore a wide range of Turkish aviation and defense platforms.
As Teknofest prepares to enter its third day, its program continues to combine large-scale aviation demonstrations with hands-on educational activities and cultural experiences reflecting the identity of Şanlıurfa.
Defense platforms take center stage
Defense and aviation remain among the main attractions at the festival, with visitors able to see a wide range of aircraft, unmanned systems and other military platforms at close range.
For the first time at the festival, a full-scale mock-up of Türkiye’s Kaan fighter jet is on display, giving visitors a closer look at the country’s fifth-generation stealth combat aircraft project.
The Kaan display is part of a large exhibition featuring Atak helicopters, Hürkuş, Cezeri, Anka, Bayraktar TB2, Bayraktar TB3 and Bayraktar Akıncı, along with Turkish land and maritime vehicles.
Bayraktar Akıncı also took part in the flight demonstrations, with images captured by the unmanned combat aircraft transmitted to large screens for visitors on the ground.
The Turkish Stars, the Turkish Air Force’s aerobatic team, performed over the festival on opening day, drawing the attention of thousands of visitors who watched the aircraft soar across the sky.
The aviation program is complemented by paramotor and hang glider demonstrations, giving visitors the opportunity to watch different forms of flight alongside military aircraft.
Technology presented beyond airfield
While aircraft and air shows provide some of the festival’s most visible moments, Teknofest is also designed around education and direct interaction with technology.
Visitors can explore advanced technology simulations, scientific workshops, exhibitions, a planetarium, science shows and the Teknofest Time Tunnel. The festival also includes displays of national air, land and maritime vehicles, as well as special first flight activities for students.
On the opening day, students visited an area operated by traffic gendarmerie teams, where they received information about traffic safety equipment including road traps, radar devices and alcohol meters. They also experienced a seat belt simulation vehicle.
Agriculture and environmental education are also part of the program. Students attending activities organized at the food, agriculture and livestock technology area were introduced to beekeeping and were allowed to observe live bees while learning about bee species and beekeeping.
The festival also features activities focused on accessibility. The Türkiye Beyazay Association is presenting projects related to technologies and methods intended to make education, employment and participation in social life more accessible to people with disabilities.
For many young visitors, the experience is closely connected to their future ambitions.
Şanlıurfa’s heritage meets modern technology
The festival is also presenting Şanlıurfa’s cultural identity alongside advanced technology.
At a stand organized by Haliliye Municipality, a traditional “sıra gecesi” music group performed locally adapted songs while preparing “çiğ köfte” (steak tartar a la turca) for visitors. A four-legged robotic dog was also presented at the stand, creating a visual meeting point between one of Şanlıurfa’s best-known culinary traditions and modern robotics.
The combination of tradition and technology is seen throughout the festival area, where visitors can move between local music, food and traditional clothing and exhibitions featuring aircraft, unmanned systems and robotic technologies.
Teknofest Southeast will continue through Oct. 4 at Şanlıurfa GAP Airport with technology competitions, air shows, exhibitions, workshops, simulation experiences, stage events and celebrations of Şanlıurfa’s cultural heritage.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is planning a visit to Türkiye this month for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in what would be the first dedicated bilateral trip to the country by a Canadian leader, Reuters reported Friday, citing four sources familiar with the plans.
One source said Carney and Erdoğan could discuss free-trade talks launched on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Ankara in July, as well as potential cooperation in energy and defense. Canadian and Turkish trade ministers agreed this week to accelerate the talks ahead of the leaders’ meeting, two sources said.
The visit would mark Carney’s latest effort to diversify Canada’s economic ties as he seeks to reduce the country’s reliance on the United States, by far its largest trading partner, following the collapse of trade talks in August.
Carney has vowed to double Canada’s non-U.S. trade over the next decade and has moved to strengthen ties with a range of countries, including China and India.
Türkiye, whose largest trading partner is the European Union, is also seeking new partnerships and investment in energy, infrastructure and mining, while expanding opportunities for its growing defense industry.
The sources did not provide dates or a detailed agenda for the visit, which is planned for later this month.
Carney’s office and Erdoğan’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
No Canadian prime minister is known to have made a standalone bilateral visit to Türkiye in recent decades, though Canadian leaders have met Erdoğan and other Turkish officials on the sidelines of multilateral gatherings, including NATO and G20 summits hosted by Türkiye.
At the NATO leaders’ summit in July, Carney and Erdoğan formally launched negotiations for a free-trade agreement.
That month, Türkiye agreed to join Canada’s Defence Security and Resilience Bank as one of 10 founding member nations of Carney’s multilateral “middle powers” bank.
The two countries’ trade ministers met in June and discussed expanding cooperation on renewable and nuclear energy, according to a Canadian government statement, which also listed aerospace, defense and security as areas for potential new partnerships.
Türkiye has held talks with Canadian engineering firm AtkinsRealis, South Korea’s Korea Electric Power Corporation and China’s State Power Investment Corporation over potentially building its second and third nuclear power plants. Russia’s Rosatom is building the country’s first.
An executive at AtkinsRealis, which holds the exclusive license for Canadian-designed CANDU reactors, told Reuters this year that the company expects Türkiye to complete an initial review of its CANDU reactors following an information exchange, potentially paving the way for formal talks on a plant bid.
In a step that helped improve bilateral ties in 2024, Canada lifted weapons-export restrictions on Türkiye, including controls on optical technology used in drones that Türkiye exports to dozens of countries.
Bilateral trade, however, remains relatively small.
Türkiye accounted for less than 0.3% of Canada’s total merchandise trade in 2025, at C$4.34 billion ($3.05 billion), compared with C$1 trillion in trade with the U.S., according to Statistics Canada data.
Canada mainly exports lentils, aircraft and electronics to Türkiye, while importing medical devices, fishing vessels, aircraft engines and jewelry.
S&P Global Ratings does not expect the ongoing investigation and liquidation of over 100 investment funds in Türkiye to put downward pressure on the country’s sovereign credit rating, according to its analysts.
S&P is due to publish its second credit rating and outlook review for Türkiye this year on Oct. 16. In its latest assessment in April, the agency affirmed Türkiye’s rating at BB-/B and maintained its outlook as stable.
Turkish authorities have stepped in to resolve the fund turmoil that erupted last month after suspected price manipulation in a number of thinly traded stocks triggered heavy losses and redemption pressures at investment funds.
Almost half a million investors hold stakes in more than 100 investment funds with combined assets of nearly $20 billion that authorities ordered to be liquidated in mid-September.
Karen Vartapetov, S&P Global Ratings’ director and lead analyst for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), said the regulatory measures and policy response to the fund investigation had been “quick and convincing,” adding that authorities had managed to contain the issue without a broader negative impact on the financial system.
“There is not much evidence that this process has negatively affected confidence and perceptions of the Turkish economy,” Vartapetov told Anadolu Agency (AA), according to a Turkish transcript of his remarks.
From a macroeconomic perspective, there has so far been limited impact, with the issue appearing to remain largely isolated, he said.
S&P had not observed significant reactions in areas it monitors, including the exchange rate, dollarization, financial conditions and banking-sector liquidity, according to Vartapetov.
If the fund-related developments remain isolated, they would not create downward pressure on the sovereign rating, he said.
“I think the negative effects will be limited if the fund crisis remains isolated and households continue to have confidence in real-currency assets,” Vartapetov said.
He stressed that sovereign ratings are determined by a committee and that the developments involving the funds would inevitably be discussed as part of that process.
S&P would likely highlight the episode as a risk, Vartapetov said, but added that there was not yet clear evidence of significant macroeconomic consequences.
If the issue remains confined to “a narrow asset class,” it would not be a “game changer” for investor sentiment, he said.
Reserve recovery supports rating
Vartapetov also discussed S&P’s outlook for Türkiye’s growth, inflation and international reserves.
The agency expects average inflation of around 30% this year and economic growth of close to 3%, he said. Inflation lastly eased to 31.51% in August.
Reserve adequacy remains one of the most important parameters for Türkiye’s credit rating, Vartapetov said.
Türkiye entered the year with reserves at a very high level, including record gross reserves. The Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (CBRT) used some reserves to contain the negative impact of higher energy prices, but later replenished part of the amount, he said.
“Gross reserves are therefore somewhat below January-February levels, but the recovery in reserves is supportive of the credit rating,” Vartapetov said.
Net reserves are not as strong as gross reserves but have also recovered, he added.
Vartapetov said household behavior had been another key focus for S&P in assessing Türkiye’s credit profile in recent years.
The agency has been monitoring whether households continue to prefer the Turkish lira, lira-denominated assets and bank deposits or shift toward the dollar, which could put pressure on foreign-exchange reserves.
Despite geopolitical developments in the Middle East, high energy prices and the fund investigation, households’ stance toward the lira has remained relatively strong, Vartapetov said.
“We have not seen much evidence of dollarization picking up again. Financial-system dollarization has not increased,” he said.
Policy response seen as ‘quite strong’
Regina Argenio, director of financial institutions ratings in the region at S&P Global, said the biggest immediate impact of the fund developments had been felt in the stock market, where equity valuations declined.
“Beyond the initial correction, however, we have seen valuations stabilize,” she said. Data arrive with some delay and may not yet provide the full picture, but there had also been no major movement in bank liquidity, she added.
Argenio said it was important that the problems remained isolated to the funds concerned and described the policy response so far as “quite strong.”
Beyond judicial proceedings, authorities had provided liquidity to the market and appointed banks to handle the liquidation of the funds, she added.
Türkiye’s newly established board tasked with overseeing the rapid liquidation of investment funds caught in the recent turmoil said Friday that work had been carried out on draft amendments to the Capital Markets Law and that the relevant institutions had been instructed to finalize the proposed changes.
The statement followed a meeting of the Fund Coordination Board set up last week and chaired by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz. The State Supervisory Council (DDK) has also been assigned to examine the issue.
The fund turmoil erupted last month after suspected price manipulation in a number of thinly traded stocks triggered heavy losses and redemption pressures at investment funds.
Almost half a million investors hold stakes in more than 100 investment funds with combined assets of $20 billion that authorities ordered to be liquidated in mid-September.
The board reviewed on Friday the results of measures already taken and discussed new steps, according to the statement by the Directorate of Communications.
It reviewed secondary regulations and a timetable for payments linked to decisions taken by the Capital Markets Board on Wednesday.
The SPK said it would begin making interim payments to investors in the funds that were ordered to shut down.
Investors in asset managers Tera Portföy, Pusula Portföy, Atlas Portföy and Hedef Portföy will receive their full net investment amount if it is below TL 1 million ($20,404). Investors whose net investment amount is TL 1 million or above will receive TL 1 million as an interim payment.
The procedure will start with money market funds, the SPK said.
Friday’s statement said the draft amendments, on which work has been underway for some time, were also discussed. It stressed that the planned regulations should not impose any additional burden on citizens.
The directorate described the problem as arising in a “specific and limited” part of the fund market. It said work to resolve it would continue quickly and effectively, in line with capital markets rules and guided by fairness and equity.
The problems emerged in early September, when the SPK changed its guidelines for investment funds. Funds could no longer put all their assets into a single stock and were required to diversify.
The move sought to address concerns that many funds were heavily invested in a small number of obscure or hard-to-sell stocks.
To comply, some funds began selling holdings, which spooked investors and set off a rush to cash out. Several fund management companies then admitted they could not meet redemption demands.
On Sept. 16, authorities ordered 131 funds managed by seven companies into liquidation.
Top officials, including Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek, have sought to reassure markets, saying the turmoil does not threaten the wider financial system and describing the problem as limited.
Şimşek told investors on Thursday that authorities had moved quickly to contain problems and prevent them from developing into a systemic crisis, adding that further regulatory measures would be needed.
Speaking separately on Thursday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said developments in the fund market would not pose a threat to the economy. He said authorities would not allow the issue to become a threat to Türkiye’s economic security or social stability.
Prosecutors are also investigating. The SPK said some funds had caused price movements that could not be explained by company fundamentals, and it filed criminal complaints over alleged manipulative transactions.
Authorities have imposed travel bans and asset freezes, while arresting 65 people, including top financial executives, as of Friday.
-
Politics3 days agoTurkish defense chief attends major joint military drills in Azerbaijan
-
Sports3 days agoTürkiye aim to stop rot against Belgium in Nations League
-
Lifestyle3 days ago190-year-old Greek church set to join Cappadocia tourism route
-
Politics3 days agoTürkiye urges end to US-Israel-Iran war, return to talks
-
Economy2 days agoTürkiye moves to finalize capital markets law changes after fund turmoil
-
Economy3 days agoEurozone, Asian factories show resilience despite energy challenges
-
Economy3 days agoŞimşek tells investors Türkiye has avoided systemic risk in fund turmoil
-
Sports3 days agoRonaldo walks away as Jesus rules out start against Denmark