Vietnam Industry and Trade News Bulletin for November 17, 2025

A. POSITIVE NEWS

1. Major Progress in Vietnam-US Trade Deal Negotiations The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) announced that the 5th round of direct negotiations for the Reciprocal Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the US has concluded in Washington D.C.

• Key Achievements: Significant progress was made in sectors including services, digital trade, agriculture, Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), and Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures (SPS). The gap on remaining issues has been narrowed considerably.
• Outlook: Both the US Trade Representative (USTR) and Vietnam assessed the results as “very positive,” creating a favorable foundation to finalize the agreement soon, which aims to boost bilateral trade and investment .

2. VinFast Delivers VF 5 Fleet to TappCar VinFast has officially handed over a fleet of VF 5 Plus electric cars to TappCar, a technology ride-hailing platform. This partnership not only promotes green transportation but also demonstrates the practical applicability of Vietnamese EVs in the service industry .

B. GENERAL ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS

1. Standard Chartered Forecasts 6.7% GDP Growth In its latest report, Standard Chartered Bank forecasts Vietnam’s GDP growth to reach 6.7% in 2025 (up from 6.0% in 2024).

• Drivers: The growth is driven by the recovery of manufacturing, strong exports (electronics, textiles, footwear), and improving domestic consumption.
• Inflation: CPI is expected to remain stable at around 3.2%, well within the target range .

2. Digital Economy to Hit $45 Billion in 2025 The “e-Conomy SEA 2025” report by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company projects Vietnam’s digital economy will reach $45 billion in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) this year.

• E-commerce: Remains the primary driver, estimated at $26 billion (up 20% year-on-year).
• Other Sectors: Online media, travel, and transport are also seeing double-digit growth. Vietnam continues to be the fastest-growing digital economy in Southeast Asia .

C. ENERGY

1. Ninh Thuan Proposes Restarting Nuclear Power Ninh Thuan province has submitted a proposal to the Government and National Assembly to restart the Ninh Thuan 1 and 2 nuclear power plant projects.

• Context: The projects were suspended in 2016 due to economic conditions. However, with the current need for energy security and Net Zero goals, local authorities believe it is time to resume.
• Capacity: The two plants have a combined design capacity of 4,000 MW. The province pledges to ensure safety and public consensus .

2. Target: 1.5 Million Homes with Rooftop Solar To meet Power Plan VIII targets, Vietnam needs 50% of office buildings and 50% of residential households to install self-consumption rooftop solar by 2030. This equates to approximately 1.5 million households.

• Challenge: Currently, specific regulations and incentives (e.g., selling excess power to the grid) are still being finalized. Experts urge quick policy issuance to unlock this potential .

D. EXPORT – IMPORT

1. Launch of “Vietnam Robusta Coffee” National Brand Strategy At the Vietnam International Cafe Show 2025, the Vietnam Coffee – Cocoa Association (VICOFA) officially launched the strategy to build the “Vietnam Robusta Coffee” national brand.

• Goal: To position Vietnam not just as the world’s largest Robusta exporter, but as a producer of high-quality, distinctive Robusta.
• Action: The strategy focuses on improving processing quality, building geographical indications, and promoting the unique flavor profile of Vietnamese Robusta to global roasters .

E. TRADE REMEDIES

1. UK Reviews Safeguard Measures on Steel Rebar The UK’s Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) has initiated a review of the safeguard measure on steel rebar (Category 13) imports from Vietnam.

• Reason: Data shows Vietnam’s share of steel rebar imports into the UK has exceeded 3%. Under UK rules, developing countries with >3% share lose their developing country exemption.
• Impact: If the exemption is revoked, Vietnamese steel rebar will be subject to the same tariff-rate quota (TRQ) mechanism as other major exporters. This serves as a warning for steel exporters to monitor market share closely .

F. INDUSTRY

1. High-Speed Rail: Opportunity for Supporting Industries The North-South High-Speed Railway project (estimated $67 billion investment) is seen as a historic opportunity for Vietnam’s mechanical and supporting industries.

• Demand: The project will require huge amounts of steel, construction materials, and electrical equipment.
• Requirement: Domestic firms need to upgrade technology and form joint ventures to participate in supplying components and equipment, avoiding total reliance on imports .

G. DOMESTIC MARKET

1. Petrol Prices Drop In the latest adjustment period (Nov 17), petrol prices decreased slightly:

• RON 95-III: Down 290 VND/liter.
• E5 RON 92: Down 250 VND/liter.
• Oil products: Decreased by 200-350 VND/liter. This reduction helps ease inflationary pressure on transport and goods .

2. Gold Prices Volatile Domestic gold prices witnessed strong volatility this week. SJC gold rings dropped sharply by nearly 1 million VND/tael over the weekend, following global trends. Experts advise investors to be cautious as the market reacts to global geopolitical signals and US economic data .