Vietnam Industry and Trade News Bulletin for December 05, 2025

A. POSITIVE NEWS & POLICY HIGHLIGHTS

1. National Assembly Discusses National Energy Development Policy (2026-2030) On December 4, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien presented the Proposal for a National Assembly Resolution on mechanisms and policies for national energy development for the 2026-2030 period. The resolution aims to timely resolve institutional bottlenecks and ensure firm national energy security . The draft includes 8 Chapters and 24 Articles focusing on specific mechanisms to unblock energy projects immediately.

2. Government Proposes Specific Mechanisms for Energy Security To mobilize social resources per Resolution 70-NQ/TW, the draft Resolution proposes expanding the Direct Power Purchase Agreement (DPPA) mechanism. Key proposals include:

• Allowing retail electricity units in industrial zones, economic zones, export processing zones, and hi-tech parks to participate directly in DPPA.
• Allowing parties to negotiate and agree on electricity prices under DPPA, independent of the price frame in the Electricity Law.
• Clarifying the MoIT’s responsibility in defining “large electricity users” for DPPA via private lines and the national grid.

3. Central-Highlands Region Targets >10% Industrial Growth in 2026 At the 11th Industry and Trade Conference for the Central-Highlands region held in Da Nang on December 5, the sector set a target for industrial growth of over 10% for the year 2026 .

B. GENERAL ECONOMIC & INDUSTRY NEWS

1. Directive to Boost Rural Industry On December 4, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien signed Directive No. 20/CT-BCT to strengthen industrial promotion activities, aiming for rapid and sustainable development of rural industries in the new period.

2. Logistics Strategy 2025-2035 Approved The Prime Minister approved the Strategy for Development of Vietnam’s Logistics Services for 2025-2035, vision to 2050 (Decision No. 2229/QD-TTg). This is Vietnam’s first comprehensive, long-term logistics strategy, marking a major turning point. It outlines a roadmap to optimize costs—currently a burden on competitiveness—and elevate Vietnam’s position on the global logistics map .

3. Supporting Industries: “Thinking Big” for Global Supply Chains

• Automotive Strategy: The MoIT’s draft Automotive Industry Development Strategy places supporting industries at the center, targeting a localization rate of 55-60% by 2030 and 70-80% by 2035. It emphasizes forming 5 supporting industry clusters as “technology hubs”.
• Global Integration: At a recent forum in HCMC, experts urged Vietnamese supporting industry firms to “change the game” by adopting automation, digital transformation, and ESG standards to become Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers for multinationals like Samsung, shifting from “Global” to “Regional” supply chains .

C. ENERGY UPDATES

1. National Assembly Discussions on Energy Resolution

• Nuclear & Offshore Wind: Delegates supported restarting nuclear power (SMRs) and involving private/SOE sectors but requested clear regulations on asset mortgaging and foreign currency conversion for loans . For offshore wind, concerns were raised about high capital requirements and rigid ceiling prices possibly deterring investors.
• Grid Socialization: While supporting private investment in transmission, delegates warned that the state must maintain control to ensure energy security and avoid system risks.
• Capacity Challenge: Minister Nguyen Hong Dien noted that to meet 10%+ GDP growth, power capacity must grow 1.3-1.5 times. Vietnam needs to increase capacity from ~90,000 MW to 190,000-254,000 MW in just 5 years, a massive challenge requiring breakthrough mechanisms .

2. Thai Investors Call for Help on FIT Rates The Thai Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam (ThaiCham) sent a letter to the Prime Minister seeking resolution for issues related to the Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) mechanism and payment obligations under signed PPAs. Investors have sent over 20 letters regarding temporary FIT payment reductions without official guidance .

3. Private Investment in Cross-Border Energy Vietnamese private enterprises are actively investing in energy projects in Laos to export power back to Vietnam. Notable projects include the Truong Son Wind Power Plant (600 MW) and T&T Group’s Savan 1 Wind Power Plant, which recently completed a 220kV transmission line connecting to Vietnam .

4. Fuel Prices Adjusted As of 3:00 PM on December 4, petrol prices increased while diesel decreased:

• RON 95: Up 451 VND/liter to 20,460 VND/liter.
• E5 RON 92: Up 534 VND/liter to 19,822 VND/liter.
• Diesel: Down 420 VND/liter to 18,380 VND/liter .

D. TRADE REMEDIES & INTERNATIONAL INTEGRATION

1. US Investigates Steel Wheel Circumvention The US Department of Commerce (DOC) initiated an anti-circumvention investigation on 22.5-24.5 inch steel wheels from Vietnam. The allegation is that these wheels use Chinese-origin hot-rolled steel (HRS) to evade duties on Chinese products. Imports of Chinese HRS into Vietnam reportedly surged 291% from 2017 to 2023 . The Trade Remedies Authority advises businesses to review export activities and cooperate fully.

2. Ecosystem for Seafood Trade Remedies Vietnam’s seafood sector, especially shrimp and pangasius, faces frequent trade defense investigations (298 cases by Nov 2025). The Trade Remedies Authority proposes building a “trade remedy ecosystem” involving the State, Associations, Businesses, and Legal Consultants to better navigate these challenges, especially regarding the US “non-market economy” status .

3. Leveraging VIFTA for Exports The Vietnam-Israel Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA), effective from November 17, 2024, opens a new phase for trade. Businesses are urged to utilize this first FTA with a West Asian nation to boost exports .

E. DOMESTIC MARKET & OTHERS

1. Tobacco Management Tightened The MoIT issued Official Letter No. 8996/BCT-TTTN requesting provinces to strictly manage tobacco distribution and trading, preventing smuggling and improper use of licenses .

2. E-commerce Workforce Shortage Vietnam’s digital economy is booming, but a shortage of digital skills is a major bottleneck. Experts call for rapid, short-term training ecosystems for skills like store operation, livestreaming, and digital marketing .

3. Green Growth Advantage Green transition is becoming a competitive advantage. The MoIT is implementing programs like the National Energy Efficiency Program (2019-2030) and Sustainable Production (2021-2030) to support SMEs in this shift .

4. HCMC Proposes 1,000 Billion VND for Trade Promotion HCMC People’s Committee proposed a resolution for specific policies to support trade promotion, with an estimated budget of 167.1 billion VND for 2025, totaling nearly 1,000 billion VND over three years .