Vietnam: SSI Securities says that the local cement sector faces a ‘huge’ risk due to its over-dependence on export markets, particularly its reliance on China. The securities company reports that cement shipments have risen due to China’s current investment policies on limiting the output of its own cement plants and increasing imports from foreign countries, according to the Viet Nam News newspaper. China was the largest buyer of Vietnamese cement from 2017 to 2019. In 2020 China scooped up 57% of Vietnam’s combined cement and clinker exports. This represented 22% of the country’s total sales.
However, SSI Securities has warned that exports to China are unlikely to grow as demand stabilises. It expects a fall of 20 – 25% in the short to medium term as China stops its infrastructure stimulus packages. The brokerage company also noted that the sector’s second biggest export destination, the Philippines, has accused Vietnam of dumping cement.
