Business

Vietnam joins elite group of 15 largest trading countries

The country recorded its first trade surplus in 2012 and has maintained a continuous streak of surplus for 10 years since 2016. The surplus grew steadily, hitting 19.9 billion USD in 2020, a record of 28.3 billion USD in 2023, and 24.9 billion USD in 2024.

Vietnam's foreign trade is projected to hit a record of over 900 billion USD in 2025, positioning the country among the top 15 global trade powers. - Illustrative image (Photo: dantri.vn)
Vietnam's foreign trade is projected to hit a record of over 900 billion USD in 2025, positioning the country among the top 15 global trade powers. - Illustrative image (Photo: dantri.vn)

Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam's foreign trade is projected to hit a record of over 900 billion USD in 2025, positioning the country among the top 15 global trade powers, providing a new impetus for national economic growth, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).

Addressing a recent conference to review the performance of the industry and trade sector in 2025 and during the 2021–2025 period, and outline key tasks for 2026, Nguyen Anh Son, Director of the MoIT’s Agency of Foreign Trade, announced that as of December 15, Vietnam’s total import-export turnover had reached 883.7 billion USD.

By the end of 2025, the figure is expected to rise to around 920 billion USD, with exports estimated at over 470 billion USD, up 16% compared to 2024, Son said.

As a result, Vietnam will firmly secure its position among the world’s top 15 countries by trade volume and ranks second within ASEAN. The country has also maintained a trade surplus for the 10th consecutive year since 2016, with the 2025 figure estimated at around 22 billion USD.

Starting from 100 billion USD in 2009, Vietnam’s total import-export turnover surpassed 200 billion USD in 2011, 300 billion USD in 2015, and 400 billion USD in 2017, before hitting 500 billion USD within a decade.

This momentum was sustained, enabling Vietnam to break through 600 billion USD in 2021 and 700 billion USD in 2022. The figure went beyond 800 billion USD in November 2025 and crossed the 900 billion USD threshold in December this year.

The number of export items with turnover exceeding 1 billion USD has grown rapidly to 30 in 2019 from only 10 in 2007. The figure is expected to increase to 36 in 2025.

Vietnam has broadened its export reach, as the number of markets exceeding 1 billion USD in export turnover grew from 27 in 2013 to 31 in 2018, then to 34 in 2022 and 35 in 2024.

The country recorded its first trade surplus in 2012 and has maintained a continuous streak of surplus for 10 years since 2016. The surplus grew steadily, hitting 19.9 billion USD in 2020, a record of 28.3 billion USD in 2023, and 24.9 billion USD in 2024./.

VNA
#foreign trade #global trade powers #Vietnam #export. trade surplus #import-export turnover
Follow VietnamPlus

Related News

Eight export items exceed 10 billion USD

Eight export items exceed 10 billion USD

In the first 11 months of this year, eight export items each posted turnover of more than 10 billion USD, accounting for 70.3% of the country’s total export value. Electronics, computers and components led the list with 96.9 billion USD, followed by machinery and equipment at nearly 53.4 billion USD, and mobile phones and components at over 52.6 billion USD.

See more

The fruit and vegetable sector is also set to hit a record, with exports projected at around 8.5 billion USD in 2025. (Photo: VNA)

Agro-forestry-fishery exports poised to hit record high in 2025

Agro-forestry-aquatic exports totalled 64.01 billion USD in the first 11 months of 2025. If performance in the final month matches that of recent months, the figure could approach 70 billion USD, far exceeding the 65-billion-USD target set for the year.

A view of Dinh Vu port in Hai Phong city. (Photo: VNA)

Circular on domestic maritime transport permits for foreign vessels issued

Under the circular, which will take effect from February 1 next year, the Minister of Construction will grant the permits for cases such as transporting oversized or overweight cargo or other types of goods using specialised vessels; clearing congested cargo, passengers, and luggage at ports when Vietnamese ships are unable to handle them; and conducting disaster relief, disease control, or emergency humanitarian aid.

At a tax office in Hanoi (Photo: VNA)

Decree regulates corporate income tax incentives

A CIT rate of 15% applies to enterprises with a total revenue in the preceding year of not more than 3 billion VND (114,000 USD), while a CIT rate of 17% applies to enterprises with a total revenue in the preceding year of over 3 billion VND but not more than 50 billion VND.

Ho Chi Minh City’s downtown area and the Thu Thiem peninsula, where the International Financial Centre is being developed. (Photo: VNA)

GOE Alliance commits to partnering with HCM City IFC

The GOE Alliance was officially launched at the Autumn Economic Forum in November 2025, bringing together technology firms, financial institutions, policy experts and international partners, including Viettel Digital Services, Dragon Capital, Tether, Ava Labs, Sky Mavis, Republic and Onchain Academy. The alliance aims to pilot on-chain economic models within a policy-oriented legal framework.

Officials visit a booth at the festival. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam OCOP Festival 2025 opens in Hanoi

The festival functions as a space to bring together regional OCOP excellence, a forum connecting OCOP stakeholders with distributors, investors, experts and consumers, and a platform to spread pride in indigenous culture, local knowledge, and the aspiration for legitimate prosperity.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (third from right) and officials launch the Ministry of Construction’s new information technology systems at the conference on December 21. (Photo: VNA)

Modern, comprehensive infrastructure – a need for fast, sustainable development: PM

The Party and State continue to define infrastructure development as one of the three strategic breakthroughs, with priority given to building comprehensive and modern infrastructure, particularly transport facilities, technological infrastructure, and green – digital transition infrastructure, to help realise the national target of double-digit growth, the PM said.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh addresses he third meeting of the National Steering Committee implementing the Politburo’s Resolution 68 in Hanoi on December 20. (Photo: VNA)

PM pushes trust, breakthroughs to accelerate private sector growth

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh noted that since the rollout of Resolution 68, alongside supporting resolutions from the National Assembly (NA) and Government, there has been a marked change in understanding the private sector’s critical position and role in Vietnam’s socialist-oriented market economy.