Vietnam Industry and Trade News Bulletin for November 03, 2025

A. POSITIVE NEWS

1. Aiming for Double-Digit Industrial Growth To realize the goal of increasing the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) by over 10% in 2025, the industry and trade sector in 8 southern provinces and cities has set a target for industrial growth in the remaining months to be 3-4% higher than in Q3.

• Focus: Key industries include processing and manufacturing, energy, construction materials, textiles, and electronics.
• Key Tasks: Accelerating investment in industrial cluster infrastructure, supporting businesses in launching new projects, and promoting support industries, green industry, and circular economy.
• Trade Promotion: Boosting domestic and international trade promotion to connect goods for the year-end season, expanding export markets, and effectively utilizing FTAs.

2. Enhancing Vietnam-US Trade Following the Joint Statement on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Vietnam and the US will continue discussions to complete the Reciprocal Trade Agreement framework based on openness, equality, and mutual benefit.

• Cooperation: The two sides agreed on commitments regarding digital trade, services, investment, sustainable development, and strengthening supply chain resilience. This framework will facilitate deeper market access for each side’s exports and reduce trade conflict risks.

3. Low-Emission Rice Conquers Demanding Markets Vietnam’s low-emission rice farming model is helping farmers increase profits and opening doors to high-end export markets.

• Goal: The “Low-Emission Production in Crop Cultivation 2025-2035” project aims to reduce 8-11 million tons of CO2 equivalent/year.
• Success: Companies like Tan Long Group have been certified with the “Green Vietnam Rice” label, proving that sustainable farming meets global consumer demand and enhances the prestige of Vietnamese rice.

4. PMI in October Rises to 54.5 Points S&P Global reported that Vietnam’s Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 54.5 points in October (up from 50.4 in September), signaling a strong improvement in the manufacturing sector.

• Highlights: Output and new orders increased sharply, employment rose for the first time in over a year, and business confidence reached a 16-month high. However, inflationary pressure on input costs remains a concern.

B. GENERAL ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS

1. Shaping New Legal Strategy for 2026-2030 Entering the 2026-2030 period, MoIT aims to perfect institutions and laws in trade, industry, and energy to create a synchronous legal corridor for sustainable development. This is considered a strategic step to realize the goals of the 10-year Socio-Economic Development Strategy (2021-2030).

2. Amending Law on Atomic Energy The draft amended Law on Atomic Energy aims to facilitate research and socio-economic development. It focuses on promoting the application of atomic energy, ensuring radiation safety, decentralizing state management, and facilitating nuclear inspections.

3. Bloomberg Index: Vietnam’s Manufacturing Capacity Rivals China Bloomberg Economics’ “Export Potential Index” shows Vietnam rivals China in manufacturing capacity and energy scores (0.12).

• Rank: Vietnam surpasses Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, ranking behind India and the US among emerging economies.
• Strengths: Competitive labor costs and improved investment environment.
• Bottleneck: Vietnam still faces major limitations in logistics infrastructure (costs account for 17% of GDP) and reliance on imported materials.

C. ENERGY

1. Power Restored to Western Da Nang After 110kV Pole Incident By the evening of November 1, over 260,000 customers in Da Nang had their power restored after heavy rains. The 110kV Phuoc Son transformer station was also re-energized, stabilizing supply for the mountainous areas of Quang Nam.

2. Removing Hurdles for Can Tho Biomass Power Plant Can Tho City supports the Biomass Power Plant project (150MW, 8,000 billion VND investment) using rice husks and straw.

• Action: The city is accelerating the integration of the project into the city’s planning and resolving land use issues to ensure early implementation.

3. Developing Rooftop Solar in Bac Ninh Bac Ninh aims to increase rooftop solar capacity by 3,392 MW by 2035. A workshop was held to guide businesses on new policies for self-produced, self-consumed solar power, connecting them with technology and credit solutions.

4. Rooftop Solar Potential in Industrial Zones Industrial zones (IZs) are key for rooftop solar development. The self-consumption model, especially when combined with Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), helps IZs reduce energy costs, ensure supply stability, and meet green standards.

5. Ready to Energize Nhon Trach 3 Transmission Line The Investor Acceptance Council agreed to energize the 220kV transmission line project connecting Nhon Trach 3 Power Plant to the grid. This project ensures power supply for HCMC and enhances system stability.

6. Removing Cross-Subsidy in Electricity Prices The amended Electricity Law 2024 aims to gradually eliminate the cross-subsidy mechanism (where production pays less than residential users). This move targets fairness, transparency, and a competitive electricity market.

7. China & US Energy Moves

• China: Renewable energy capacity increased by nearly 48% in the first 3 quarters of 2025. Renewables now account for 40% of total generation.
• US: The Department of Energy announced a $100 million package to modernize coal power plants, reversing the trend of reducing coal usage.

D. EXPORT – IMPORT

1. Can Tho Plans to Export Rice to Senegal Following an MOU, Can Tho proposes to export 100,000 tons of high-quality rice to Senegal annually. The city has sufficient capacity (3.9 million tons/year) and commits to quality and delivery timelines.

2. Cooperatives Mastering Logistics to Cut Costs To reduce logistics costs, cooperatives are linking up to consolidate goods, filling containers instead of shipping LCL. State support in capital for cold storage and logistics training is crucial for this model to succeed.

3. US Demand for Vietnamese Specialty Coffee Rises US importers are increasingly interested in Vietnam’s Robusta and specialty coffee, especially after the US imposed high taxes on Brazilian goods. Vietnam’s Robusta is becoming a top choice for US roasters.

4. Fruit & Vegetable Exports Target $10 Billion With $7 billion in exports in the first 10 months (up 14%), the fruit and vegetable sector is on track to exceed $8 billion this year and reach $10 billion soon. Key drivers are durian, bananas, and mangoes expanding in high-end markets.

5. Debate on Tobacco Import Licensing for Duty-Free MoIT proposes removing the requirement for periodic reporting on tobacco imports for duty-free shops to simplify procedures. However, the Ministry of Justice argues that importing tobacco still requires a license as per the Law on Prevention of Tobacco Harms.

E. E-COMMERCE

1. Proposing ID Verification for Online Sellers via VNeID The draft E-commerce Law proposes identifying online sellers through VNeID. This aims to manage the complex e-commerce landscape, prevent tax evasion, and protect consumers. The law also clarifies responsibilities for platforms and livestreamers.

2. Tightening Fake Goods Regulations on E-commerce To combat the rampancy of fake goods, MoIT requires platforms to provide seller information upon request and remove violating products within 24 hours. A traceability database is being built to identify and penalize violators.

3. Leaders Livestreaming to Support Local Products Government officials, including the Director of the Domestic Market Department (MoIT), are participating in livestreams to sell products like mooncakes. This trend builds trust and supports the consumption of local goods.

4. Legal Responsibility for Influencers (KOLs) Current laws lack specific regulations for influencers. Experts propose clear liability: administrative fines for false advertising and potential criminal charges for promoting fake or banned goods (e.g., fraud, trading fake goods).

F. TRADE PROMOTION

1. Hanoi to Host Major Promotion Fair in December Hanoi will organize a large-scale promotion fair in December 2025 with digital experiences like cashless payments and AI applications. This event aims to stimulate year-end consumption and promote Vietnamese goods.

G. COMPETITION & CONSUMER PROTECTION

1. Only 16 Multi-Level Marketing Firms Remain As of August 2025, only 16 licensed multi-level marketing (MLM) companies remain active in Vietnam. This reflects market screening and tighter legal compliance.

2. Consumer Rights Day 2026 Plan MoIT issued a plan for Vietnam Consumer Rights Day 2026 with the theme “Information Security – Engaging Trust – Sustainable Consumption,” focusing on protecting consumers in the digital space.

H. INTERNATIONAL INTEGRATION

1. Making FTA Index a Driver for Growth The FTA Index is pushing local provinces to be more proactive. MoIT plans to upgrade the index to evaluate local integration capacity, pressuring leaders to invest in human resources and infrastructure to utilize FTAs effectively.

I. TRADE REMEDIES

1. Investigation into HRC Steel Evasion MoIT issued Decision 3176/QD-BCT to investigate the evasion of trade remedies for HRC steel products imported from China. This move aims to prevent trade fraud and protect domestic manufacturers.

2. Trade Remedies Pressure Exporters While FTAs offer tariffs benefits, Vietnamese exporters face increasing trade defense measures from importing countries. Meeting origin rules and environmental standards requires significant investment in domestic supply chains.