Trade Vulnerabilities: South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand Banks Brace for Deteriorating Economic Outlook

2 min readUpdated Jun 22, 2025Jun 22, 20256:53 AM

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The banking sectors across South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, and China are bracing for challenging times ahead, with a deteriorating outlook for 2025 driven by increased trade tensions and tariff impacts that are expected to hamper loan growth and profits. This mounting concern reflects the shared vulnerabilities linked to their high export exposure and significant sales to the United States, according to Fitch Ratings.

Changing Fortunes for South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand

In a recent analysis, Fitch Ratings downgraded the outlook for South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand from neutral to deteriorating. The implications are clear: banks in these regions may grapple with weakened loan growth, deteriorating asset quality, and diminishing profitability as tariffs escalate. With their economies closely tied to exports, the ripple effects are anticipated to be significant.

Vietnam: A Unique Scenario

Contrastingly, Vietnam’s banking sector outlook transitioned from improving to neutral, yet it holds the distinction of having the highest level of export exposure to the U.S. within the Asia-Pacific region. Factors such as a potential reduction in lending rates and prospects for loan relief could provide a cushion against the adverse impacts on lending yields and provisioning. “Vietnam’s softer economic outlook may lead to higher credit costs, but it is expected to still experience solid profit growth this year,” Fitch noted.

“Vietnam’s softer economic outlook may lead to higher credit costs, but it is expected to still experience solid profit growth this year,”

Looking ahead, a projected loan growth quota of 16% for 2025 suggests that, even in a tight environment, non-performing loan rates may only rise moderately. Furthermore, Vietnamese authorities may encourage banks to lower lending rates to stimulate economic activity amid the rising tariff scenario, which could affect their net interest margins.

Challenges in China and Hong Kong

For both China and Hong Kong, the outlook remains grim as they retain a “deteriorating” status heading into 2025. Fitch highlights that Hong Kong is expected to experience the steepest rise in non-performing loans across the region, primarily due to ongoing struggles in the property sector. “Both systems are facing subdued loan demand compared to historical levels,” Fitch commented, underscoring the strain on their financial landscapes.

The situation in China reflects a similar pattern, with government policies likely to constrain profitability as banks confront asset quality challenges stemming from a faltering economy and property sector difficulties.

Not only are these banks navigating a complex landscape, but they must also do so with a sense of urgency as conditions evolve. After all, a financial ripple effect rarely stays localized; it often sets off waves that can reach far and wide.

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Questions & Answers

What has led to the deterioration of the banking outlook in certain Asian countries?

The outlook for South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand has shifted to deteriorating due to the impact of rising tariffs and trade tensions with the U.S., which are expected to weaken loan growth and profitability.

Is Vietnam’s banking sector in distress like others in the region?

While Vietnam has a high level of export exposure to the U.S., its outlook has only shifted to neutral, with potential measures like reduced lending rates and loan relief helping to buffer against economic pressures.

What challenges do banks in China and Hong Kong face?

Both regions are experiencing a deteriorating outlook characterized by rising non-performing loans and subdued loan demand, exacerbated by issues in the property sector and overarching economic weakness.

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