On 5 May 2026, Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MOCST) officially launched the review mechanism for the ‘Green Whitelist for Chinese Cultural and Tourism Equipment’. The first batch of pilot products includes LED cultural and tourism landscape light poles, solar-powered wayfinding information screens, and low-power audio guide terminals. This mechanism will directly affect equipment selection for government procurement in Vietnamese scenic areas and EPC projects, constituting a substantive policy direction for Chinese manufacturing enterprises, testing and certification institutions, and supply chain service providers exporting cultural and tourism equipment to Vietnam, and is therefore worth close attention.

Event Overview

On 5 May 2026, Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MOCST) announced the launch of the review process for the ‘Green Whitelist for Chinese Cultural and Tourism Equipment’. The first three categories of products included in the review are: LED cultural and tourism landscape light poles, solar-powered wayfinding information screens, and low-power audio guide terminals. Applicant companies must submit RoHS+REACH test reports corresponding to the relevant China Customs HS codes, as well as proof of A+ energy efficiency rating. The review results will serve as an important basis for equipment selection in government procurement in Vietnamese scenic areas and EPC projects.

Which Sub-sectors Will Be Affected

Direct Trading Enterprises

Foreign trade companies exporting cultural and tourism equipment to Vietnam will need to face a higher market entry threshold. The impact is reflected in the following: designated environmental protection and energy efficiency dual certifications must be completed before export, and the certification reports must strictly match the HS codes; products not included in the whitelist may be excluded from eligibility for bidding on government-type projects.

Processing and Manufacturing Enterprises

Manufacturers producing LED light poles, wayfinding screens, and audio terminals will face pressure to restructure product compliance. The impact is mainly reflected in the following: existing production lines must adapt to A+ energy efficiency design requirements; some models relying on non-standard power modules or auxiliary materials containing restricted substances may fail to pass repeated RoHS+REACH inspections; extended certification cycles will affect order delivery schedules.

Testing, Certification, and Compliance Service Enterprises

Business demand for third-party institutions providing RoHS, REACH, and energy efficiency testing services will clearly increase. The impact is reflected in the following: Vietnam’s MOCST explicitly requires reports to correspond to specific models under China Customs HS codes, driving testing services to move from general-purpose coverage to refined HS-code-level granularity; A+ energy efficiency verification must cover full-machine operating-condition testing, placing new requirements on laboratory capabilities.

Supply Chain Service Enterprises

Enterprises providing supporting services such as customs declaration, logistics, and compliance consulting for exporters will need to update their service scope. The impact is reflected in the following: the mandatory correspondence between HS codes and test reports requires additional cross-verification steps for technical documents during document review; some less-than-container-load export shipments that could previously be handled in a simplified manner may in the future require advance confirmation of whitelist qualification status.

What Key Points Should Relevant Enterprises or Practitioners Monitor, and How Should They Respond at Present

Pay Attention to the Detailed Review Rules and the Opening Time of the Application Channel to Be Released Subsequently by Vietnam’s MOCST

At present, only the launch of the mechanism and the scope of the first batch of products have been announced, while the review process, acceptance windows, timelines, and disclosure methods have not yet been disclosed. Enterprises should continue to monitor announcements on the MOCST official website and Vietnam investment environment portal websites (such as Vietnam Investment Portal) to avoid missing the first application window.

Verify the HS Code Classification of Your Export Products and the Validity of the Corresponding Test Reports

Enterprises must refer to the latest version of China’s Import and Export Tariff Schedule to confirm the HS codes for the models intended for export, and check whether existing RoHS+REACH reports cover all materials and components under that code item; energy efficiency reports must be issued by laboratories with CNAS or Vietnam-recognized qualifications, and must clearly indicate an A+ rating conclusion.

Differentiate Between Policy Signals and the Actual Pace of Procurement Implementation

The whitelist mechanism is currently positioned as the launch of a review, which does not mean immediate full implementation. Based on observation, government procurement in Vietnamese scenic areas usually follows annual budget cycles and tender batch arrangements. Newly established EPC projects from the second half of 2026 onward are more likely to take the lead in applying the whitelist results, and enterprises should not equate the policy launch with an immediate market shift.

Sort Out Alternative Materials and Certification Contingency Plans for Core Models in Advance

For existing components that may involve excessive levels of lead, phthalates, or hexavalent chromium, it is recommended to initiate evaluation of substitution plans; for power management modules or LED driver solutions that do not meet A+ energy efficiency standards, it is advisable to coordinate with suppliers simultaneously to carry out upgrade testing, while reserving at least 8–12 weeks as a certification buffer period.

Editor’s Viewpoint / Industry Observation

Analysis shows: this mechanism should currently be understood more as an important signal of the standardization of Vietnam’s import management for cultural and tourism equipment, rather than a fully established market access barrier. Its core value lies in incorporating Chinese-made cultural and tourism equipment into a systematic green compliance evaluation framework for the first time, marking a shift in Vietnam’s government procurement from price orientation toward a comprehensive assessment of full life-cycle cost and ESG compatibility. Observably, this move is not an isolated action, but is aligned with the goal of ‘low-carbon procurement for public infrastructure’ in Vietnam’s National Green Growth Strategy for 2021–2030. What the industry needs to continue monitoring is: whether it will subsequently expand to categories such as stage machinery and smart ticketing terminals; and whether the whitelist results will form coordinated mutual recognition with related projects of Vietnam’s Ministry of Construction and Ministry of Transport.

Conclusion: the launch of Vietnam’s ‘Green Whitelist for Chinese Cultural and Tourism Equipment’ is a key milestone in the evolution of trade rules for cultural and tourism equipment between China and Vietnam. It does not change existing export channels, but it is reshaping compliance prerequisites and competitive dimensions. At present, it is more appropriate to understand it as an institutional arrangement with clear directionality and phased implementation. Relevant enterprises should advance technical preparation and qualification adaptation with a prudent and pragmatic attitude, rather than overestimating market contraction or abrupt policy changes.

Information source notes:
Main source: official announcement by Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MOCST) on 5 May 2026.
Areas requiring continued observation: detailed review implementation rules, the first batch of shortlisted enterprises, and progress in coordination between the whitelist and procurement policies of other Vietnamese ministries and commissions.