According to data for the first 11 months of 2025, Vietnam’s total import–export turnover reached US$839.8 billion. Of this, exports amounted to $430.2 billion, up 16.1 percent year on year. The scale of exports has continued to expand, making a significant contribution to socio-economic development and enhancing Vietnam’s standing on the international stage.
Mr. Nguyen Anh Son, Director General of the Agency of Foreign Trade, said that during the 2020–2025 period, Vietnam’s exports recorded an average annual growth rate of around 10 percent. Since 2023, Vietnam has joined the world’s top 20 economies by export value. Notably, the country has maintained a trade surplus for ten consecutive years, helping to ensure a stable supply of foreign currency, ease exchange-rate pressures, and strengthen foreign exchange reserves. The Ministry of Industry and Trade forecasts that in full-year 2025, Vietnam’s export turnover could exceed $470 billion, representing an increase of about 16 percent compared with 2024.
However, Mr. Nguyen Anh Son also pointed to a range of challenges, including the slow recovery of the global economy, geopolitical conflicts, trade fragmentation, and a rising tide of protectionism, all of which are narrowing growth headroom. Standards related to sustainable development, emissions reduction, traceability, and the “greening” of supply chains have become mandatory requirements, placing significant pressure on businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises. In addition, export growth remains heavily reliant on the foreign-invested sector, while domestic enterprises have limited participation in high value-added segments, and many industries continue to depend on imported raw materials and components.
To achieve double-digit economic growth, leaders of the Agency of Foreign Trade emphasized the need for a decisive shift from extensive to intensive growth, with a focus on higher value added, greater technological content, and increased localization rates. The Ministry of Industry and Trade is actively seeking practical solutions to lay a solid foundation for strong and sustainable export growth in 2026 and the years ahead.
