Vietnam Industry and Trade News Bulletin for December 04, 2025

A. POSITIVE NEWS

1. ASEAN – China Trade Expected to Hit $1 Trillion Speaking in Jakarta on December 3, the Indonesian Ambassador to China stated that ASEAN is currently China’s largest regional trading partner, with trade turnover approaching $1 trillion. It is hoped this figure will officially surpass the $1 trillion mark by the end of this year. Last year, bilateral trade reached nearly 7,000 billion Yuan (approx. $989.9 billion). This statement comes as ASEAN and China have just agreed to upgrade their Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA 3.0), which is expected to benefit small and micro enterprises .

2. Exports Break Records: Surpassing $800 Billion Preliminary data from the General Department of Customs shows that by mid-November 2025, Vietnam’s total import-export turnover reached $801.02 billion, up 17.2% year-on-year. Exports reached $410.28 billion (up 16.1%), driven by the processing and manufacturing sector utilizing 17 FTAs. Key growth drivers include electronics/computers (+48.3%) and machinery (+11.7%). Notably, coffee exports soared by 62.3%. Experts assess that Vietnam has entered the group of the world’s top 15 largest trading nations .

B. GENERAL ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS

1. Integrating Three National Target Programs On the afternoon of December 3, the Government presented to the National Assembly a proposal to integrate three National Target Programs (New Rural Development, Sustainable Poverty Reduction, and Socio-economic Development for Ethnic Minorities) into a single program for the 2026-2030 period (vision to 2035). This aims to eliminate overlaps, disperse resources, and focus investment on core poor areas and ethnic minority regions. The Government also requested to extend the implementation and disbursement period of the 2025 capital sources to the end of 2026 .

2. Vinachem Commits to Potash Project in Laos At the Vietnam-Laos Investment Promotion Conference on December 3, the Chairman of Vinachem emphasized the Potassium Salt Mining and Processing Project in Khammouane as a strategic priority. Vinachem affirmed a “just do it” spirit to accelerate the project, which is crucial for Vietnam’s fertilizer supply security. Vinachem currently supplies over 10 million tons of fertilizer annually and exports to over 70 countries .

3. Vietnam Contributes to WTO Trade Monitoring Report The WTO released its annual trade monitoring report, with Vietnam being one of 46 members actively providing information. The report highlights rising protectionism, with import restrictive measures covering $2.64 trillion of global trade. However, members also implemented 331 trade-facilitating measures. The WTO forecasts global trade growth of 2.4% in 2025 .

C. ENERGY

1. Removing Bottlenecks for Green Energy Investment Despite the Power Development Plan VIII (PDP8) targeting 30.9-39.2% renewable energy by 2030, investors face significant hurdles. Solar power projects are “frozen” due to unstable pricing frameworks and DPPA mechanisms. Wind power in the Mekong Delta (potential 3.9GW by 2030) faces transmission grid overloads. Experts propose specific mechanisms for transmission investment, similar to transport infrastructure, and a separate Law on Renewable Energy .

2. HCMC Proposes Solutions for Diesel Emissions At a workshop on reducing emissions from diesel vehicles in the Southeast region, HCMC proposed four key orientations: perfecting institutions/standards, applying clean technology, developing green logistics, and mobilizing social resources. Diesel vehicles are identified as major sources of PM2.5 and NOx. Petrovietnam committed to supplying clean fuel products meeting international standards (Euro 5) to support this roadmap .

3. Thai Investors “Call for Help” on FIT Rates The Thai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ThaiCham) sent a letter to the Prime Minister regarding prolonged issues with Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) payments for renewable energy projects. Despite numerous meetings, investors are still awaiting official guidance on temporary payment reductions .

D. EXPORT – IMPORT

1. Agro-Forestry-Fishery Exports Exceed 2024 Record In the first 11 months of 2025, agro-forestry-fishery exports reached $64.01 billion, up 12.6%, officially surpassing the 2024 record ($62.4 billion).

• Coffee: A bright spot with $7.88 billion (up nearly 40% in price).
• Cashew: Exports to China surged by 53.7% as Chinese buyers shifted away from US nuts due to tariffs .
• Rice: The only major decline, dropping 11.5% in volume and 27.7% in value due to fierce competition .

2. Tuna Exports to the Netherlands The Netherlands is a key gateway for Vietnamese tuna into the EU. While demand is recovering, Vietnam faces fierce competition from Ecuador and the Philippines. To increase market share, businesses are urged to transition to green production and obtain sustainability certifications like MSC .

E. DOMESTIC MARKET

1. Vegetable Prices Remain High, Chili Peppers Surge Following storms, vegetable prices in HCMC remain high due to supply shortages from key regions like Da Lat (where floods damaged crops). Notably, chili pepper prices skyrocketed to 150,000 VND/kg. Recovery is expected to take at least a month for short-term crops like lettuce and cabbage .

2. Vietnamese Goods Dominate Modern Retail The “Vietnamese People Prioritize Using Vietnamese Goods” campaign has proven effective. Vietnamese goods account for 80-90% of goods in domestic supermarket chains (Co.opmart, Wincommerce) and remarkably high rates in foreign-owned supermarkets: MegaMarket (95%), Go! (90%), AEON (80%) .

3. E-commerce to Surpass $25 Billion At the Digital Transformation Forum, the MoIT announced that B2C e-commerce revenue is expected to exceed $25 billion in 2025. The digital economy is projected to reach $39 billion. However, challenges regarding human resources and cybersecurity (AI-driven fraud) remain significant .

4. Cheap Imported Meat Floods Market In the first 10 months of 2025, Vietnam imported over 811,000 tons of meat (up 15.3%), mainly from India, Russia, and the US. Cheap imports coupled with surplus domestic supply pushed live hog prices down to a 4-year low (46,000 – 54,000 VND/kg in Nov), causing heavy losses for farmers .