Vietnam Industry and Trade News Bulletin for November 21, 2025

A. POSITIVE NEWS

1. US Orders for Vietnamese Enterprises Full Until Year-End Ahead of new trade defense measures taking effect next year, many US importers are accelerating purchases from Vietnam to mitigate cost risks. Combined with year-end holiday demand in strategic markets, many Vietnamese enterprises report that their order books are full until the end of the year. To maintain long-term competitiveness, businesses are focusing on deep processing and building brand value to approach US consumers directly, bypassing intermediaries .

B. GENERAL ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS

1. Stabilizing Prices of Essential Goods While inflation is controlled, the cost of living remains high due to rising food and consumer goods prices driven by natural disasters and supply chain disruptions. The devaluation of the VND against the USD and EUR has also increased import costs for materials and fuel. Experts emphasize that stabilizing prices of essential goods is crucial for social stability. Recommendations include proactive price stabilization mechanisms, better forecasting, and professional management of national and regional reserves .

C. ENERGY

1. Transparent Electricity Pricing for a Competitive Market Moving towards a transparent, cost-reflective electricity pricing mechanism is essential for fairness and attracting investment in clean energy. International practices (like Thailand’s 4-month adjustment or South Korea’s quarterly adjustment) support this approach. In the long term, a two-component electricity price will encourage energy efficiency and reduce peak load pressure. This is a key driver for developing a competitive electricity market in Vietnam .

2. Power System Operation Challenges in 2026 PV Power has requested the MoIT’s Electricity and Renewable Energy Authority and the National Power System and Market Operation Company (NSMO) to review the mobilization plan for the Nhon Trach 3 & 4 Power Plant. Current scenarios predict low mobilization for these LNG plants, raising concerns about financial viability and PPA commitments. This highlights the risk of having high capacity but low mobilization, similar to issues faced by renewable energy projects .

3. MoIT Rejects Priority for Domestic BESS Projects The MoIT has rejected a proposal by VinEnergo (Vingroup) to prioritize signing Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and maximizing mobilization for Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects that use domestic equipment with a localization rate of 30% or more. The Ministry stated that these incentives fall outside the scope of the current draft circular on BESS pricing frameworks .

4. Safety Risks Behind the Meter EVNSPC reports a decrease in electrical accidents but warns that risks remain high in customer-owned systems (after the meter). Inspections in the first 10 months of 2025 revealed nearly 7,800 cases of unsafe electrical systems behind the meter. Customers are urged to perform regular maintenance to prevent accidents and power loss .

D. INDUSTRY

1. Vietnam – Russia Industrial Cooperation On November 20, the 14th Session of the Vietnam-Russia Sub-Committee on Industrial Cooperation took place in Hanoi. Co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Truong Thanh Hoai and Russian Deputy Minister Alexey Vladimirovich Gruzdev, the meeting focused on promoting the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership through specific industrial cooperation projects .

E. DOMESTIC MARKET

1. Vegetable Prices Surge in Major Cities

• HCMC: Adverse weather has disrupted vegetable supplies, causing prices to rise. The HCMC Department of Industry and Trade is coordinating with retailers to source alternatives from unaffected regions and considering imports to stabilize the market for Tet .
• Hanoi: Heavy rains have damaged hundreds of hectares of crops, causing vegetable prices to skyrocket, sometimes exceeding meat prices. The city is accelerating the production of short-term winter crops to compensate for the shortage .

2. Domestic Retail Market Share at Risk Experts warn that the domestic retail market share risks falling into the hands of foreign corporations due to the weakness of local distributors in capital, technology, and logistics. Foreign retailers with strong resources are expanding aggressively. To compete, domestic firms must fix supply chain links and improve competitiveness, supported by the Domestic Market Development Strategy .

3. Da Lat Gas Stations Return to Normal After a rush of panic buying on the evening of November 20 due to fears of landslides blocking passes, gas stations in Da Lat have returned to normal. The Department of Industry and Trade confirmed that fuel supply remains sufficient .

F. TRADE PROMOTION

1. North Central – Ha Tinh Industry and Trade Fair 2025 Opened on November 19, this fair serves as a bridge for businesses in the North Central region to expand markets and promote regional specialties and rural industrial products .

2. Expanding Exports to Thailand With a bilateral trade target of $25 billion, Vietnam and Thailand are implementing a “three connections” strategy (supply chain, local economy, and green growth). Thai consumers are increasingly open to Vietnamese goods, but businesses must overcome technical barriers and competition from local Thai products .

G. INTERNATIONAL INTEGRATION

1. CPTPP Cooperation

• Vietnam-Japan: Minister Nguyen Hong Dien met with Japan’s State Minister of Cabinet Office Kazuchita Iwata to discuss CPTPP expansion, upgrades, and Vietnam’s priorities for 2026 .
• CPTPP-EU Dialogue: At the dialogue in Melbourne, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien highlighted the potential for connecting CPTPP and EU supply chains, particularly in semiconductors, energy, and agriculture, leveraging ASEAN’s network to support SMEs .

H. E-COMMERCE & DIGITAL ECONOMY

1. Final Review of E-commerce Law Project On November 21, the MoIT held a final review of the E-commerce Law project before submitting it to the National Assembly Standing Committee. Key revisions focus on managing intermediary platforms, protecting online consumers, controlling fraud, and regulating cross-border platforms .

2. E-commerce Leads Digital Economy Vietnam’s digital economy reached $36 billion in 2024 (18.3% of GDP), with e-commerce contributing $22 billion. The sector is growing at double-digit rates, driven by social commerce. However, challenges in logistics, counterfeit goods, and legal frameworks persist .