On the morning of September 9, the Ministry of Industry and Trade convened a trade promotion conference with the network of Vietnamese trade offices abroad. The central theme of the event was the diversification of export markets and product portfolios, as well as import sources, in order to accelerate import-export growth by 2025.
Exports Must Remain The Spearhead Of The Economy
The conference was chaired by Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien, with the participation of representatives from provincial Departments of Industry and Trade, Agriculture and Environment, and Finance; officials from units under the Ministry; and over 58 Vietnamese trade offices across global markets. Representatives from industry associations, trade promotion agencies, and other ministries such as Finance, Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, and Environment also attended.
Setting Ambitious Growth Targets
In his opening remarks, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien emphasized that in light of recent significant national developments, the industry and trade sector is facing heightened demands from the Party and the State regarding economic growth. The growth target for 2025 has been set at 8.3 – 8.5%, laying the groundwork for striving toward double-digit growth from 2026 onwards. He stated: “Today’s conference holds special significance as we exchange and deliberate on practical solutions to fulfill the objectives entrusted by the Party and the State.”
Reports presented at the conference assessed demand across major, potential, and challenging markets, alongside production and import-export performance during the first eight months of the year. Scenarios for the final months of 2025 were outlined, accompanied by proposals to diversify markets, expand product categories, and broaden import supply sources.
Trade Performance Highlights
According to Mr. Vu Ba Phu, Director of the Trade Promotion Agency, Vietnam’s trade picture in the first eight months of 2025 demonstrated notable progress. Total import-export turnover reached nearly USD 305 billion, an increase of 14.4% compared to the same period in 2024, a strong performance despite global economic uncertainties, trade conflicts, and geopolitical disruptions to international supply chains.
The foreign-invested sector continued to play a decisive role, with turnover reaching USD 228 billion, up over 18%, while domestic enterprises achieved USD 76.5 billion, up 3%. This highlights both the resilience of the FDI sector and the competitiveness challenges facing domestic firms.
Market And Product Diversification
By product category, Vietnamese agricultural exports maintained momentum in several key commodities. In terms of markets, exports to the Americas, particularly the United States, recorded impressive gains. In Europe, emerging markets such as Norway and Slovakia showed robust growth, while in Asia, exports to Hong Kong (China) and India also rose sharply. These results underscore the untapped potential of diverse markets when approached with appropriate strategies.
Minister Nguyen Hong Dien acknowledged that these achievements not only reflect enterprise flexibility but also the coordinated efforts of the entire political system, from government direction and inter-ministerial collaboration to the persistence of industry associations and the business community. He stressed: “This success stems from the consensus of the political system, the timely participation of ministries, localities, and especially the exceptional efforts of enterprises and associations.”
Nevertheless, long-term challenges persist. Global instability arising from geopolitical tensions, strategic competition among major powers, increasingly stringent trade policies in the United States, and potential supply chain disruptions all pose risks. For Vietnam, one of the world’s most open economies, such impacts are unavoidable. To achieve the annual export growth target of 12%, the final four months of 2025 must contribute at least USD 150 billion, or over USD 37.5 billion per month, a formidable challenge.
Industry And Association Perspectives
Industry associations at the conference highlighted sectoral difficulties and proposed solutions to sustain growth, stressing the importance of market diversification while also revitalizing approaches to traditional markets. Trade offices abroad shared market intelligence, identified promising opportunities for Vietnamese goods, and pointed to challenges in competitiveness and product quality, making practical recommendations to secure sustainable market presence.
Diversification And Resilience As Strategic Imperatives
In his concluding remarks, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien underscored that sustaining export growth amid uncertainty requires synchronized action across the State, the trade office system, industry associations, and local authorities. He called for trade offices abroad to fully assume their role as an “extended arm” of the Ministry, tasked with monitoring markets, reporting promptly, advising on policy, and directly supporting businesses in seizing trade opportunities.
Specific Targets And Strategic Directions
The Minister outlined specific targets: markets with negative growth must identify causes and restore orders; low-growth markets should achieve at least 8.5% growth; medium-growth markets must raise momentum to 12%; and high-growth markets should strive for over 15% to act as a locomotive for overall performance.
Beyond market access, he stressed the importance of strengthening enterprise resilience. Businesses were urged to embrace digital trade promotion, diversify supply chains and raw material sources, and invest in green technology and traceability. Industry associations should serve as hubs of information, guiding market orientation and supporting brand development. “Only when businesses build sufficient internal strength can we advance further in global value chains and reduce reliance on a limited set of traditional markets,” he noted.
The Minister also called for stronger inter-ministerial coordination, particularly among Finance, the State Bank, Agriculture and Environment, and Foreign Affairs to resolve obstacles in taxation, credit, quarantine, inspection, and FTA negotiations. Local governments were instructed to prioritize export targets within socio-economic development plans, remove bottlenecks for agricultural and fisheries enterprises, and accelerate digital transformation in trade promotion and logistics.
Regional linkages were emphasized, alongside the development of raw material areas meeting international certifications such as Global GAP, ASC, or BAP, ensuring sustainability, traceability, and compliance with global green production standards. Localities were also tasked with enabling enterprises to join cross-border e-commerce platforms and to leverage logistics hubs for cost reduction and faster delivery.
Finally, the Minister assigned concrete responsibilities to key units. The Department of Foreign Market Development, the Department of Multilateral Trade Policy, and the Import–Export Department were directed to maximize the benefits of 17 existing FTAs while advancing negotiations with GCC, SACU, Egypt, and Pakistan to open new export opportunities. The Department of Planning and Finance was tasked with resource allocation for trade promotion. The Trade Promotion Agency was assigned to modernize promotional activities aligned with market dynamics, implement flagship programs in major markets such as the EU, US, China, Japan, and South Korea, and target niche and emerging markets. Furthermore, it was entrusted with promoting strategic sectors, semiconductors, AI, and renewable energy, and finalizing plans for the annual National Industry–Trade–Consumer Fair at the Vietnam Exhibition Center, envisioned as a high-level platform for trade and investment promotion.
The positive results, along with the orientation toward diversifying markets, products, and import sources, not only demonstrate the Government’s determination but also create considerable room for the business community. This is the time for Vietnamese enterprises, particularly exporters, to proactively capture global consumption trends, expand market share in emerging markets, and strengthen their positions in traditional markets.
Effective utilization of signed FTAs, combined with efforts to enhance competitiveness, apply digital technologies, and meet sustainability standards, will enable Vietnamese businesses to better seize opportunities in a volatile international trade environment.
Opportunities For TLD Vietnam In The Global Market
In line with this global dynamic, TLD Vietnam also recognizes clear opportunities to expand its international presence. With strengths in minerals, chemicals, and virgin plastic resins, the company is actively broadening its network of partners, leveraging FTAs, and diversifying export markets. At the same time, TLD Vietnam is committed to building sustainable supply chains, integrating technology into trade promotion and logistics, and aligning with international standards on quality, traceability, and green development.
These initiatives not only reinforce TLD Vietnam’s credibility in traditional markets but also open pathways to potential new markets, thereby contributing to Vietnam’s overall export growth targets for the 2025 – 2030 period.
