Viet Nam's exports continue to grow, but imports are rising at a faster pace, pushing the trade balance into deficit. Pressures from international markets and dependence on imported raw materials are highlighting the need to strengthen the competitiveness of Vietnamese businesses.

International trade in the first six months of 2026 was heavily impacted by geopolitical tensions, rising trade protectionism, increasingly stringent technical standards, and the ongoing restructuring of global supply chains. While these developments have created considerable challenges, they have also unlocked new opportunities for Vietnamese exports, provided businesses can adapt proactively, strengthen their competitiveness, and meet evolving market requirements.

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc on June 25 outlined seven groups of key solutions aimed at sustaining export growth and supporting Viet Nam’s ambition of achieving double-digit economic expansion in the 2026–2030 period.

Exports through e-commerce platforms, particularly via the B2C model, are emerging as a strategic pathway for Viet Nam. This channel not only broadens market access but also enables businesses to connect directly with global consumers.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has signed a dispatch outlining a series of tasks and solutions to accelerate export growth in 2026 amid mounting global uncertainties.

Amid the profound restructuring of global supply chains and the increasingly stringent requirements for sustainable development, environmental standards, and digital transformation, enhancing the competitiveness of Vietnamese export goods is not merely an immediate necessity but a long-term strategy to enable deeper participation in global value chains.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has directed ministries, sectors, localities and State-owned groups to prioritise maintaining macroeconomic stability and accelerating export growth.

In recent times, Ho Chi Minh City has implemented a range of trade and investment promotion programmes to support businesses in expanding markets, finding partners, and fostering trade connections aimed at boosting exports.

In the first eight months of 2025, Viet Nam’s goods exports surpassed the target set by the National Assembly. Numerous key product groups recorded impressive growth. Amid tariff fluctuations, technical barriers, and signs of slowing demand in major markets, the pressure to sustain growth momentum in the rest of the year is considerable.

Ha Noi has set a target of a 7% increase in export growth in 2025 compared to 2024. To achieve this goal, the city continues to implement various support measures for businesses, including organising promotional activities to promote export goods.