Why did China spend as much as US$845 million on this premium seafood from Vietnam in 2025, a sharp jump from US$363.5 million in 2024? Vietnam also benefits from geographical proximity, shortening transport time for live lobster shipments to China and reducing mortality rates as well as logistics costs. In 2025, the country cut lobster imports from North America while increasing purchases from Vietnam and other ASEAN nations. As a result, Vietnam officially surpassed Canada, which accounted for 22%, to become China’s largest lobster supplier last year, holding a 34% share of total import value. The figure indicates that demand remains strong at the start of 2026, reinforcing Vietnam’s position in the premium lobster segment in the world’s most populous nation.

Source: VietNamNet News February 28, 2026 01:33 UTC