Vietnam Industry and Trade News Bulletin for December 10, 2025

A. POSITIVE NEWS

1. Pepper Exports Hit Historic Record In the first 11 months of 2025, Vietnam exported 223,200 tons of pepper (“black gold”), earning over $1.5 billion. This figure officially broke the historical record of $1.43 billion set in 2016, even with one month left in the year. The average export price reached $6,755.1/ton, up 30.5% year-on-year, driving a 24.1% increase in value despite a 5% drop in volume . Prices surged in November due to information regarding US reciprocal tax exemptions and supply concerns caused by floods in the Central Highlands.

2. Seafood Exports to Japan Recover Strongly Exports of seafood to Japan have become a bright spot, with turnover in the first 11 months of 2025 increasing by 11% year-on-year to nearly $1.6 billion . November alone saw a 9% increase. Key products like shrimp, squid, and octopus maintained good growth, while pangasius exports surged by nearly 70% in value . The trend is expected to continue into 2026, supported by CPTPP and VJEPA agreements.

B. GENERAL ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS

1. National Assembly Passes E-commerce Law On the morning of December 10, the National Assembly passed the E-commerce Law with a 93.87% approval rate. Key provisions include:

• Livestreaming: Specific responsibilities defined for sellers, streamers, and platform operators .
• Social Networks: Networks with e-commerce activities are classified as a distinct platform type with appropriate obligations.
• Identification: Sellers on platforms must be identified via the national electronic identification system (VNeID) to aid in tax management and anti-counterfeiting .
• Foreign Platforms: Non-resident platforms are not required to set up a new legal entity but must designate a representative in Vietnam.

2. Personal Income Tax Law Amended: Business Household Threshold Raised The National Assembly passed the amended Law on Personal Income Tax, raising the tax-exempt revenue threshold for business households from 200 million VND/year to 500 million VND/year. Approximately 90% of the 2.54 million business households in Vietnam fall under this new threshold and will be exempt from tax, reducing financial pressure and encouraging compliance .

3. Alcohol Business Regulations Simplified The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) is drafting a decree to simplify alcohol business regulations. Key changes include:

• Decentralization: Distribution licenses will be issued by provincial authorities (instead of MoIT), and retail registration will move to the commune level .
• Wholesale Abolished: The “wholesale” business type and related procedures will be eliminated.
• Industrial Production: Licensing for industrial alcohol production will be unified under provincial People’s Committees.

4. PM Dialogue with Farmers: Focus on Technology & Digital Transformation At the dialogue with farmers on December 10, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized the need to expand export markets and promote green production . Farmers and cooperatives proposed policies to support online sales training, upgrade internet infrastructure in remote areas, and provide tax incentives for high-tech agriculture investments .

C. ENERGY

1. Pricing Mechanism for Pumped Storage Hydropower MoIT issued Circular 58/2025/TT-BCT regulating electricity generation service prices for pumped storage hydropower plants. The price ensures an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) not exceeding 12% and consists of two components: capacity price (fixed costs) and energy price (variable costs for pumping) . The circular takes effect on January 17, 2026.

2. Offshore Wind as a Blue Economy Pillar Delegate Nguyen Hai Nam highlighted offshore wind power as a pillar for the blue economy but noted bottlenecks in spatial planning, pricing mechanisms, and sea leasing procedures . Proposals include creating a strong legal corridor, finalizing marine spatial planning, and establishing clear mechanisms for investor selection and surveying permits .

D. EXPORT – IMPORT

1. Trade Surplus Reaches $20.56 Billion Despite November Dip According to Customs data, total import-export turnover in November 2025 reached $77.09 billion, down 5.4% from the previous month. This is the third consecutive month of decline. However, the cumulative figure for 11 months reached $839.78 billion, up 17.2% year-on-year.

• Exports (11 months): $430.17 billion (up 16.1%).
• Imports (11 months): $409.61 billion (up 18.4%).
• Trade Surplus: $20.56 billion.
• FDI Sector: Accounted for nearly $608 billion (up 25.5%) of the total turnover.

2. Brazil’s Coffee Exports to China Surge Brazil exported over 1.04 million bags of coffee to China in the first 11 months of 2025, up significantly from the previous year. Meanwhile, Brazil’s exports to the US dropped 32.2% due to a 50% tariff applied between August and November .

E. DOMESTIC MARKET

1. Mandatory Traceability for Agricultural Products from 2026 Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Duc Thang stated that starting in 2026, basically all agricultural products (domestic and imported) circulating in Vietnam must have traceability and meet safety standards. Products containing prohibited substances will be strictly handled to protect public health.

2. Pork Prices Rise Ahead of Tet Pork prices in the South have risen to 57,000–60,000 VND/kg due to floods and pre-Tet demand. Retail prices at traditional markets range from 110,000 to over 150,000 VND/kg. Enterprises in Can Tho have committed to stabilizing supplies, anticipating a 10% price increase during Tet .

3. Fake Branded Clothing Bust in Hanoi Market management forces discovered over 6,400 sets of sportswear suspected of counterfeiting Nike, Adidas, and Puma brands at an unlicensed household business in Phu Dien ward, Hanoi . Most goods were sold via e-commerce platforms without invoices .

4. Anti-Smuggling Efforts In the month leading up to mid-November 2025, Customs detected and handled 2,176 violation cases (up 30.6%), collecting 238.4 billion VND for the budget . Violations focused on high-value items like gold, currency, and banned goods like drugs and weapons .

F. TRADE REMEDIES

1. Vietnam-Korea Cooperation on Trade Remedies The 9th Vietnam-Korea Trade Remedy Cooperation Meeting was held in Da Nang. Both sides discussed legal updates and technical issues like cross-border subsidies . Korea requested Vietnam to carefully review anti-dumping measures on four Korean steel products.

2. Warning for Exports to the US Ahead of the Vietnam-US Trade Forum on December 10, experts warned Vietnamese exporters to prepare for new trade defense measures from the US in 2026 . Companies are urged to build early warning systems and improve raw material traceability to avoid fraud allegations.