Is Vietnam ready to fill China's supply chain gaps?

A useful guide for companies on setting up camp here

When we travelled to Vietnam in late December, the first novel coronavirus cases had not even been reported in China.

Now, with the virus battering Chinese manufacturing, our impressions from that visit seem especially timely as investors seek to assess the shift of global supply chains to Vietnamese factories. Global companies have been testing Vietnam's capabilities for several years - even before the added impetus from the US-China trade wars.  This is because China's rise as the world's factory has created labour shortages and pushed up costs.  Labour costs in Vietnam, with its younger workforce and ample supply, are about 40% lower than in China. Vietnam also offers tax benefits and a six-day...