Exports set new record thanks to effective integration strategy

Strong resilience of the integrated economy

In the context of the global economy still facing many unpredictable fluctuations, Vietnam is emerging as a bright spot with strong signs of recovery. The ambitious GDP growth target of 8.3% - 8.5% for 2025 in the spirit of Resolution No. 226/NQ-CP of the Government is the center of attention.

In just the first nine months of the year, total import-export turnover reached nearly 700 billion USD, equal to the whole year of 2023, up 17.3% over the same period last year, the growth rate is considered the highest in the past three years.

Photo caption — Vietnam is a potential market, attracting many investors in the world (electronic components production at Sumida Co., Ltd. (Japan) in Tinh Phong Industrial Park (Quang Ngai). Photo: Quoc Khanh/VNA

In particular, in the first 9 months, the total export turnover reached 348.74 billion USD, up 16%, far exceeding the 12% growth target set for the whole year. The trade balance continued to maintain a surplus with a surplus of 16.8 billion USD, making an important contribution to the macro balance and foreign exchange reserves of the economy. Overall, the import-export picture in the first 9 months of the year shows that the Vietnamese economy is on the right track to recovery, with the expectation that in 2025, the total import-export turnover could reach 900 billion USD, the highest level ever.

Along with trade, foreign direct investment (FDI) has also recorded positive signs. The number of enterprises entering new markets has increased again, the trade balance of services has narrowed the deficit, and industrial and agricultural production have grown steadily. Vietnam is currently in the top 15 countries attracting the most FDI in the world, with an annual growth rate of 20-25% over the past decade.

Mr. Nguyen Anh Son, Director of the Import-Export Department, said that the Ministry of Industry and Trade, together with other ministries and branches, will actively and proactively strictly implement Directive No. 29/CT-TTg dated September 23, 2025 on implementing key tasks and solutions to promote exports and develop foreign markets.

The representative of the Import-Export Department expressed hope that with the close direction of the Government and the leaders of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, along with the comprehensive and fundamental solutions that have been implemented, the target of increasing import-export turnover by 12% or more will be completed in 2025.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thuong Lang, Senior Lecturer at the Institute of International Trade and Economics, National Economics University, said that in the context of a volatile and challenging world, Vietnam's economy has "made a spectacular comeback".

“This shows that Vietnam’s economic “body” is rising strongly, demonstrating the harmony between the new development cycle of the economy and management policies, creating a resonance effect and a foundation for high growth,” Mr. Lang acknowledged.

Dr. Le Quoc Phuong, former Deputy Director of the Center for Industry and Trade Information (Ministry of Industry and Trade), assessed that the achievements in import and export in recent times are a testament to the strong resilience of the integrated economy and the success on the path of international integration of Vietnam.

After 18 years of joining the WTO (since 2007), Vietnam's economy has a clear position on the world map. Vietnam currently has the 32nd largest economy, among the top in terms of economic openness.

Import-export turnover has grown very rapidly, up 47% from 2020 to present, and is expected to reach a record of 920-930 billion USD in 2025, compared to 545 billion USD in 2020. Vietnam has signed and negotiated 20 FTAs, of which 17 FTAs are being implemented with major economies, accounting for 90% of global GDP.

Vietnam is also one of the 15 countries that have been very successful in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), with a growth rate of about 20-25%/year in the past 10 years. In particular, the growth rate of e-commerce, especially cross-border e-commerce, has reached 22-25%/year, putting Vietnam in the top 5 countries with the largest e-commerce growth rate in the world.

Affirming Vietnam's position in the global value chain

Economist Vo Tri Thanh assessed that behind the impressive figures of changes in the economy, in position, in exports, when Vietnam was named in the Top 20 largest trading countries in the world, were reforms and restructuring, the most important of which was the development orientation towards a market economy, opening up and integration, associated with efforts to stabilize the macro economy.

“In other words, opening up and integration, combined with domestic reforms, have had a strong reciprocal impact, not only to make production and business more vibrant, but integration is also a catalyst to promote institutional reform, meeting international practices and commitments, especially with commitments in new generation, high-quality FTAs such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the Vietnam - EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA)... It must be said that domestic reforms, along with macroeconomic stability, are the fulcrum for Vietnam to be more confident, "dare to play" more and "join hands" to build better partnerships", Dr. Vo Tri Thanh emphasized.

In the context of globalization, international integration is not only about opening the market, but also about the journey of innovative thinking and affirming the position in the global value chain. According to experts, looking back at 5 years (2020 - 2025), it can be seen that innovative thinking and proactive integration have created a new look for the Vietnamese economy, from maintaining a continuous trade surplus to affirming the position in the regional and global cooperation mechanism.

The Government has implemented many strategic policies such as Resolution 93/NQ-CP (2023) on improving the effectiveness of international economic integration, promoting rapid and sustainable development in the 2023-2030 period and the Prime Minister's Decision on orientation for participation in FTAs until 2030, with a vision to 2035.

At the recent meeting of the National Steering Committee on International Integration, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that it is necessary to pay special attention to thoroughly grasping the transformation of thinking in international integration: From a country "following behind, participating, signing, joining" to "actively deploying, implementing, contributing to building and shaping" new cooperation frameworks and rules of the game, not only attracting resources but now having to be ready to proactively "share and contribute resources" to common international issues; the task of "promoting foreign affairs and international integration is important and regular"; determining international integration with people and businesses as the center and subject; shifting the state to proactively, actively integrating deeply, substantially and effectively.

The Prime Minister requested to urgently complete the National Assembly's Resolution on special mechanisms and policies for international integration, remove institutional bottlenecks, create policy breakthroughs, and turn integration into a driving force for national development.

The Head of Government also emphasized the task of promoting economic diplomacy, expanding export markets, especially agricultural products, and promoting the exploitation of new markets such as the Middle East, South America, and Africa.

The Prime Minister hopes and believes that ministries, branches, localities as well as members of the Steering Committee will continue to promote their sense of responsibility, complete their work, achieve the goals and requirements according to Resolution 59 and the State's regulations, making deep, substantive and effective international integration a task of the entire political system, in accordance with the spirit set forth in Resolution 59 that "international integration must be the cause of all people", in which people and enterprises are the center, the subject, the driving force, the main force and the main beneficiaries of the benefits of international integration; contributing to bringing our country firmly into a new era of the nation - an era of strong, civilized and prosperous development, with people increasingly prosperous and happy.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/xuat-khau-lap-ky-luc-moi-nho-chien-luoc-hoi-nhap-hieu-qua-20251015111040931.htm