At a press conference to release socio-economic statistics for the second quarter and the first half of 2025.
According to Director General of the General Statistics Office Nguyen Thi Huong, the global situation in the first half of 2025 remained complex, unpredictable, and difficult to forecast—particularly regarding U.S. policy and the reactions of other countries. Increasing geopolitical instability and expanding military conflicts in multiple nations negatively impacted global economic growth. As a result, many international organizations revised their global growth forecasts for 2025 downward from earlier projections.
Domestically, with a strong commitment to unlocking all available resources for development, Vietnam's socio-economic performance in Q2 and the first six months of 2025 achieved very positive results—approaching the targets set—despite ongoing global and regional uncertainties. Gross Domestic Product in the first half of 2025 grew by 7.52 percent compared to the same period last year, marking the highest six-month growth rate between 2011 and 2025.
According to the General Statistics Office, the robust economic growth observed in the second quarter and the first half of 2025 was significantly underpinned by three key pillars including consumption, investment accumulation, and trade.
Final consumption -the total amount of goods and services purchased and used by households, government, and non-profit organizations to satisfy their needs and wants - recorded one of its most substantial increases in the past five years, a trend primarily fueled by stable household spending and a marked surge in government consumption.
Concurrently, the accelerated disbursement of public investment into critical infrastructure projects including those in electricity, roads, and ports not only provided a direct boost to the industrial and construction sectors but also strategically laid the groundwork for enhancing the economy's overall production capacity in the long term.
The export activity during the first half of 2025 was notably dynamic. The total export turnover amounted to US$219.8 billion, marking a 14.4 percent increase compared to the same timeframe last year. This growth demonstrates the effective utilization of free trade agreements, efforts to expand markets, and the increased value of goods exported from Vietnam. Additionally, it signifies a continued international demand for Vietnamese products.
During the same period, 91,200 new enterprises were registered nationwide, with a total registered capital of nearly VND820.9 trillion and a registered workforce of around 591,100. Additionally, over 61,500 businesses resumed operations, bringing the total number of newly established and reactivated enterprises in the first half of the year to more than 152,700—an increase of 26.5 percent compared to the first half of 2024. On average, nearly 25,500 businesses were either established or resumed operations each month.
The total investment capital realized throughout the economy at current prices has reached VND1,591.9 trillion, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 9.8 percent surpassing the 6.6 percent growth observed in the first half of 2024. This suggests that business and production activities have maintained a positive trajectory across multiple sectors. The estimated realized foreign direct investment (FDI) stood at $11.72 billion, representing an 8.1 percent rise compared to the same period in 2024, which marks the highest level of FDI for the first half since 2021.
Looking ahead to the remainder of 2025, the General Statistics Office noted that Vietnam's economy and society still face numerous challenges. Given the country's high economic openness, it remains vulnerable to unpredictable global economic, political, health, and natural disaster developments.
Therefore, to achieve the targeted growth rate of over 8 percent for 2025, unified efforts from the whole machinery of state, government, businesses, and citizens are essential. Sectors and local authorities must enhance monitoring and forecasting capabilities, adopt flexible and timely policy responses, and remain steadfast in promoting growth while ensuring macroeconomic stability, controlling inflation, and safeguarding social welfare and people’s livelihoods.
