On the afternoon of August 1, 2025, in Hanoi, the Agency of Foreign Trade (Ministry of Industry and Trade) organized the event “Vietnam’s Import-Export: Honor – Announcement – Connection – Cooperation” to recognize the contributions of the import-export business community and to set development orientations in the context of deep international integration.
AN IMPORTANT DRIVER OF THE ECONOMY
Information shared at the event showed that in 2024, amid a more favorable macroeconomic environment compared to 2023 and thanks to the strong involvement of the Government, ministries, and the resilient efforts of businesses, import and export activities rebounded strongly, making a positive contribution to overall economic growth and supporting macroeconomic stability.
Accordingly, the total import-export turnover in 2024 reached USD 786.9 billion, up 15.5% compared to 2023. Of which, exports amounted to USD 405.9 billion (up 14.4%); imports reached USD 381.0 billion (up 16.7%).
In 2025, Vietnam’s import-export sector continues to show strong momentum despite facing various challenges. According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in the first half of 2025, total import-export turnover reached USD 432.1 billion, up 16.1% year-on-year. Of which, exports were USD 219.9 billion, up 14.5%; imports were USD 212.2 billion, up 17.9%.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên emphasized that in recent years, Vietnam has faced numerous difficulties and challenges. Strategic competition and trade conflicts among major powers have intensified, disrupting and fracturing global production and supply chains. The rising trend of trade protectionism in many economies, along with increasingly strict technical and environmental standards—essentially non-tariff barriers—on imported goods has had direct and adverse impacts on most countries, especially those with highly open economies like Vietnam.
Facing that situation, the Ministry of Industry and Trade – under the regular and direct guidance of the Government and the Prime Minister – has proactively coordinated with ministries, sectors, and localities, closely monitoring international and domestic developments to promptly and appropriately respond with policy measures; at the same time, implementing numerous effective solutions to support enterprises, associations, and sectors in developing production and business, and promoting exports.
Specifically, many activities have been organized to connect supply and demand between Vietnamese manufacturers and foreign partners through trade promotion channels and the network of Vietnam Trade Offices abroad. In addition, support and information have been enhanced for each export market, with efforts focused on removing barriers to help businesses maintain traditional markets and penetrate and exploit new ones.
At the same time, numerous activities have been carried out to support product consumption; notably, many events have been organized under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister to work with Vietnam’s representative agencies abroad, international organizations, associations, sectors, and major enterprises to resolve difficulties, boost domestic production and consumption, and expand export markets.
Minister Nguyen Hong Dien affirmed: “With the right, synchronous, and decisive leadership and direction from the Party and State; the timely and effective involvement of ministries, sectors, and localities; along with the outstanding efforts of the business community and the people, our country’s socio-economic development continues to improve, achieving important, positive, and relatively comprehensive results in various fields. Among them, import-export turnover has seen strong growth, continuously setting new records and becoming one of the key drivers of national economic growth.”
THREE SOLUTIONS FOR BREAKTHROUGH IN IMPORT-EXPORT
To overcome difficulties and challenges, continue boosting import and export activities, and contribute to achieving the economic growth target of 8.3–8.5% in 2025 and double-digit growth in the coming years, while maintaining exports as a key driver of economic growth, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien emphasized three strategic directions that must be implemented synchronously.
First, functional units under the Ministry should continue to enhance the quality of policy advice and proposals to improve mechanisms and policies, especially decrees and circulars that internalize international commitments under FTAs to which Vietnam is a signatory.
Continue to innovate and improve the effectiveness of trade promotion activities; promote the development of e-commerce, especially cross-border e-commerce, and encourage the development of supply chains and goods circulation.
Strengthen the capacity for trade defense, enhance the early warning mechanism for potential trade disputes in foreign markets; guide businesses and associations on how to respond effectively and timely to trade remedy cases to protect the legitimate interests of Vietnamese enterprises in international trade.
Second, ministries, sectors, and localities should continue to focus on removing difficulties, creating favorable conditions, and promoting the production and export activities of enterprises; actively negotiate to open new export markets for Vietnamese goods, especially agricultural and aquatic products. At the same time, focus on implementing solutions and policies to direct credit toward production and business, prioritizing the import-export sector, and further facilitating access to credit capital for production and export activities.
Third, import-export businesses, associations, and sectors should closely monitor the market, flexibly respond to market changes to organize production and export-import plans effectively. Promote official exports associated with product branding. Proactively coordinate with relevant units under ministries and sectors to promptly receive information on demands, regulations, and new policies from foreign markets for member enterprises.
At the same time, strengthen the organization of training courses on market penetration skills for target markets; actively participate in policy dialogue, provide feedback to ministries and sectors in formulating mechanisms, policies on import-export, and negotiating FTAs.
LAUNCH OF VIETNAM EXPORT-IMPORT REPORT 2024
Within the framework of the event “Vietnam Export and Import: Recognition – Announcement – Connection – Cooperation”, the Agency of Foreign Trade organized the launch ceremony for the Vietnam Export-Import Report 2024.
The Vietnam Export-Import Report is the official document of the Ministry of Industry and Trade on the export-import situation of product groups and markets, the utilization of FTA opportunities, and the management of export-import activities. Over the years, the report has provided transparent and systematic information, gaining trust and appreciation from regulatory agencies, businesses, associations, research, and training institutions.
According to the report, in 2024, against a more positive macroeconomic backdrop compared to 2023, combined with the strong involvement of the Government and ministries, sectors, and the resilient efforts of the business community, import and export activities have recovered strongly, making a positive contribution to the overall economic growth and helping stabilize the macroeconomy.
After 8 years of publication, the Vietnam Export-Import Report 2024 has compiled a relatively comprehensive overview not only of import-export activities but also of the management activities of agencies under the Ministry of Industry and Trade and other ministries and sectors.
The annual compilation of the Export-Import Report is considered by the Ministry of Industry and Trade as one of the important tasks, demonstrating the spirit of support, facilitation, and partnership with enterprises and industry associations; contributing to the highest possible achievement of the Government's socio-economic targets.
"Following the success of previous editions, this year we continue to welcome the launch of the Vietnam Export-Import Report 2024. We hope this publication will serve as an important handbook, providing useful information for state management agencies at all levels, research institutes, training institutions, associations, industry sectors, and the business community to support research, leadership, administration, and to access and exploit export opportunities in markets with great potential, promoting sustainable export growth," Minister Nguyen Hong Dien expressed his expectations.
Source: vneconomy.vn
