How are China-made goods getting to markets?
Thanh, a petty merchant at An Dong Market, related that most China-made goods available in HCM City are from Guangdong. Traders either go directly to Guangdong to bring goods to Vietnam for resale, or get goods from wholesalers in the border province of Lang Son. “Big merchants always make deals directly with suppliers in Guangdong,” Thanh said. She went on to say that she gets goods once every one or two weeks from wholesalers, totalling 200-300 million dong worth each time. At first, merchants go to Guangdong to meet suppliers and visit their shops, but after that, they just place orders by phone. Vietnamese merchants all say that Guang Zhou, the chief city of Guangdong, is considered the ‘paradise’ of imitation brand name goods. Products carrying brand names of Louis Vuitton, Prada and Burbery are produced there and then carried to neighbouring countries, including Vietnam. Previously, goods from Guangdong went to Hanoi first and then moved on to HCM City. However, over the last six
