Vietnam Industry and Trade News Bulletin for December 24, 2025

A. POSITIVE NEWS

1. Textile & Garment Exports Hit $46 Billion Milestone The year 2025 is recognized as a year of “overcoming difficulties” for the textile and garment industry.

• Performance: Export turnover is estimated to reach $46 billion, an increase of 5% compared to 2024.
• Markets: Vietnamese textile products are now present in 138 markets. The United States remains the leading market with over $18 billion (up 10%).
• Impact: The average income of workers in the industry reached 11.7 million VND/person/month (up 10%), helping to stabilize the lives of millions of laborers.

2. 10 Highlights of the Industry and Trade Sector in 2025 The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) announced the 10 outstanding events of the sector in 2025, marking a year of breakthroughs:

• 1. Institutional Breakthrough: Proactively advising on strategic policies (Resolution 70-NQ/TW on energy), completing 100% of the Government’s work program, and submitting 3 Laws (Chemical Law, Electricity Law, etc.).
• 2. Industrial Boom: Industrial production recovered strongly with value added increasing by 9.5%; the processing and manufacturing sector alone increased by 10.6%, the highest in 5 years.
• 3. Domestic Market: Total retail sales of goods and services increased by nearly 10%. Vietnamese goods dominate 90% of the distribution chain.
• 4. Trade Record: Total import-export turnover reached a historic peak (estimated at over $900 billion), maintaining a trade surplus for the 10th consecutive year.
• 5. E-commerce Pillar: E-commerce has become a main distribution channel with over 60 million online shoppers. Average spending reached $400/person/year.
• 6. National Brand: Vietnam’s National Brand value reached $519.6 billion (up 2.5%), ranking 32nd globally. Soft power ranked 52nd/193.
• 7. Trade Defense: A big leap in protecting domestic production and consumer rights, especially after 5 years of implementing Directive 30-CT/TW.
• 8. International Integration: Effectively utilizing FTAs to expand markets.
• 9. Organizational Reform: Streamlining the apparatus for efficiency.
• 10. Energy Position: Vietnam leads ASEAN and is in the Top 20 globally in terms of power capacity (approx. 90,000 MW). Key projects like the 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen line and billion-dollar gas-power chains have been kicked off.

B. GENERAL ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS

1. MoIT Deploys Urgent Tasks for Growth On December 24, MoIT issued Document No. 10187/BCT-KHTC to implement the Government’s direction on accelerating growth.

• Requirement: Units must urgently review growth scenarios for Q4 and the whole year of 2025, assess the impact of natural disasters, and maximize efforts to achieve the GDP growth target of >8%.
• Focus: Disbursing public investment, supporting exporters, and finalizing legal frameworks for new industries.

C. AGRICULTURE & TECHNOLOGY

1. Vietnamese Agricultural Products: Firm Standing but Need Value Boost While agricultural exports have secured a firm position (reaching over $34 billion in 11 months), experts emphasize the need to increase value through technology.

• AI Application: Mr. Duong Thanh Son, Vice Chairman of ABM Technology, argues that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the game-changer.
• Solutions: AI can automate the entire chain: creating media content, finding customers, closing orders, managing inventory, and finance.
• Training: The key is “combat-style” training for leaders and staff—learning and applying immediately to increase performance and reduce costs.

D. DOMESTIC MARKET

1. Commodity Prices Update

• Live Hog: Prices continue to rise, approaching 70,000 VND/kg in the North due to supply shortages caused by African Swine Fever and floods.
• Coffee & Pepper: Recorded strong price increases on Dec 24, benefiting farmers.
• Exchange Rate: The USD/VND exchange rate on the free market fluctuated strongly, while the central rate remained stable.

2. Ensuring Goods Supply for Tet Localities like Hanoi and HCMC have prepared reserves of essential goods increasing by 10-20% to serve the Lunar New Year 2026, ensuring no shortages or price spikes occur.