Vietnam Industry and Trade News Bulletin for December 02, 2025

A. POSITIVE NEWS

1. Vietnam’s Exports: Opportunities to Reach New Heights According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), as of mid-November 2025, Vietnam’s import-export turnover reached $800 billion. With the current growth momentum, total international trade turnover for the year is expected to set a record of over $900 billion. Mr. Vu Ba Phu, Director of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (VIETRADE), noted that despite global supply chain shifts and rising technical barriers, these figures demonstrate the vital role of exports as a key economic driver .

2. Domestic Goods Dominate Modern Retail Channels After 15 years of the campaign “Vietnamese people prioritize using Vietnamese goods,” Hanoi has seen positive shifts in consumer behavior. A survey by the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade shows that Vietnamese goods now account for over 90% of products in major supermarket chains like Co.opmart, Winmart, Hapro, and BRG Mart, and over 60% in foreign-invested supermarkets. Notably, young consumers are increasingly favoring domestic products due to improved quality and design .

B. GENERAL ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS

1. Vietnam’s Manufacturing PMI Expands in November The S&P Global Vietnam Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) posted 50.8 in November 2025, up from 50.6 in October, signaling a renewed expansion in the sector. Manufacturers raised production output and saw an increase in new orders, leading to the fastest rate of job creation since January 2024. Business confidence regarding the year-ahead outlook also improved .

2. National Assembly Resolution on Socio-Economic Development 2026 The National Assembly passed the Resolution on the Socio-Economic Development Plan for 2026. Key targets include:

• GDP Growth: 7.0 – 7.5%
• GDP per Capita: Approx. $5,300 – $5,400
• Manufacturing & Processing Industry Share in GDP: Approx. 27.5%
• CPI Growth: Average below 4.5% The resolution emphasizes prioritizing growth, ensuring macroeconomic stability, and controlling inflation .

3. Vietnam Leads ASEAN Manufacturing While manufacturing sectors in several ASEAN nations struggled in November (with Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia recording PMIs below the 50.0 no-change mark), Vietnam stood out as a bright spot. Vietnam’s PMI of 50.8 indicates expansion, driven by recovery in both domestic and export demand, contrasting with the contraction seen in regional peers .

4. Google, Temasek, Bain Report: Vietnam’s Digital Economy to Hit $36 Billion The “e-Conomy SEA 2025” report by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company projects Vietnam’s digital economy to reach $36 billion in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) in 2025, a 16% increase year-on-year. E-commerce remains the primary driver, growing 18% to reach $26 billion. Online media and ride-hailing also showed double-digit growth .

C. ENERGY

1. Energy Law Amendments to Support Green Transition The National Assembly discussed the amended Electricity Law, focusing on promoting renewable energy and a competitive electricity market. The draft law includes policies to encourage self-produced and self-consumed renewable energy, new energy sources (hydrogen, ammonia), and offshore wind power. It also outlines the state’s monopoly in managing grid dispatch and nuclear power investment .

2. Roadmap for Two-Component Electricity Pricing Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son directed the MoIT to urgently develop a roadmap for a two-component electricity price mechanism (capacity price and energy price). This mechanism aims to transparently reflect investment and operating costs, sending clear signals to users to improve efficiency. The roadmap is to be reported to the Prime Minister before December 15, 2025 .

3. Pilot Mechanism for Offshore Wind Power The government proposes assigning state-owned enterprises (specifically PVN) to pilot the first offshore wind power projects to ensure national security. Given the complexity and security implications of offshore surveys, the Ministry of National Defense and Ministry of Public Security support restricting foreign investors in the initial pilot phase .

D. EXPORT – IMPORT

1. Textile & Garment Exports Reach $36 Billion In the first 10 months of 2025, textile and garment exports reached $36.11 billion, a 9.9% increase year-on-year. With major markets like the US and EU recovering, the sector is optimistic about reaching its full-year target of $44 billion. The US remains the largest market, accounting for nearly 40% of turnover .

2. Rice Export Prices Rise Vietnam’s 5% broken rice export price increased to $520/ton, higher than Thailand ($490) and Pakistan ($466). The rise is attributed to tightening supplies as the harvest season ends and robust demand from international buyers .

3. Tuna Exports Surge Tuna exports increased by 18% in the first 10 months of 2025, reaching nearly $800 million. Exports to the EU surged by 64% in October alone, driven by tariff preferences under the EVFTA. Israel has also become a notable market, with exports growing by 46% .

4. Coffee Export Value Soars Despite Volume Drop Due to prolonged high prices, coffee export turnover in the first 10 months reached $4.6 billion (up 40%) despite a nearly 11% drop in volume. The average export price rose by 57% to roughly $3,981/ton .

E. DOMESTIC MARKET

1. Hanoi Promotion Month Stimulates Demand Hanoi launched the “Hanoi Promotion Month 2025” to stimulate year-end consumption. The event involves 1,000 registration points offering discounts of over 50%. This initiative aims to boost total retail sales and support businesses in clearing inventory .

2. Connecting Supply and Demand The MoIT held a conference to connect supply and demand between central and local levels. The event focused on creating stable distribution channels for regional specialties and OCOP products, helping producers navigate market fluctuations .

F. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

1. Vietnam-Laos Coal Trade Agreement Vietnam and Laos signed an Inter-governmental Agreement on Coal Trade aiming to import 20 million tons of coal annually from Laos. This strategic move helps ensure energy security for Vietnam’s power generation needs while boosting bilateral trade