The shift of manufacturing out of China is shaking up shipping

Vietnam's rising importance in global shipping One country has emerged as a critical node amid the reshaping of global trade flows: Vietnam. To support that additional manufacturing activity, shipping companies have ramped up direct connections between Vietnam and the US, as well as around Asia. Asia, manufacturer of the world Shipping connections between Vietnam and its Asian neighbors are rising dramatically, too. China's "Port diplomacy" To fully capitalize on the increased demand for intra-Asia shipping Vietnam will need to invest in infrastructure. Already, China has significant ownership stakes in a number of ports across Asia, according to the China Overseas Ports tracker maintained by Zongyuan Zoe Liu at the Council on Foreign Relations. As the shift of manufacturing out of China raises the importance of ports around Asia, Beijing could see it as an opportunity to make more investments in regional ports. In 2021, China Merchants Port told Chinese industry outlet Shipping Exchange Bulletin that as global industry moves toward Southeast Asia, the state-owned port operator would "Cautiously grasp suitable investment opportunities" in the region.