Vietnam – Singapore trade surges over 27% in early 2025

The two-month trade reached over 6.57 billion SGD (approximately 4.91 billion USD), solidifying Vietnam’s position as Singapore’s ninth largest trading partner.

A shipment of 1,200 tonnes of modules was exported to Singapore by Doosan Enerbility Vietnam Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. (Doosan Vina) from Dung Quat Economic Zone, Binh Thuan Commune, Binh Son District, Quang Ngai Province. (Photo: VNA)
A shipment of 1,200 tonnes of modules was exported to Singapore by Doosan Enerbility Vietnam Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. (Doosan Vina) from Dung Quat Economic Zone, Binh Thuan Commune, Binh Son District, Quang Ngai Province. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Trade between Vietnam and Singapore continued its strong upward trend in early 2025, rising by 27.15% year-on-year during the first two months, according to Enterprise Singapore (ESG).

The two-month trade reached over 6.57 billion SGD (approximately 4.91 billion USD), solidifying Vietnam’s position as Singapore’s ninth largest trading partner.

Ranking 14th among exporters to Singapore, Vietnamese shipments to the city state exceeded 1.54 billion SGD in January–February, marking a 23.21% increase. Meanwhile, Vietnam was the seventh biggest importer of Singaporean goods, worth nearly 5.06 billion SGD during the period, up 28.38%.

viet-nam-singapore-doi-tac-chien-luoc-ngay-cang-tin-cay-va-ben-vung2024-2.jpg
Seventy percent of Hai Duong province’s carrot production is exported to the Singaporean market. (Photo: VNA)

In February alone, bilateral trade topped 3.18 billion SGD, a 40.41% increase from the same period in 2024.

Vietnamese exports to Singapore grew by 31.01% to 721.37 million SGD, while imports surged by 43.43% to nearly 2.46 billion SGD last month, statistics show.

Vietnam’s export structure remains diverse, with glass products rocketing 87.27% in February. Other high-growth categories included reactors, boilers, industrial machinery, and machinery spare parts (up 68.83%), along with machinery, mobile phones, electronic components,and spare parts (up 65.25%). Shipments of optical equipment, measuring tools, medical equipment, watches, together with musical instruments and components went up 89.64%. Meanwhile, alcoholic beverages also recorded a substantial gain of 84.32%.

In contrast, petrol, oil, and petroleum products saw a notable decline of 90.82%, and tobacco products down 23.79%.

In February, Vietnam's key imports from Singapore also posted significant increases, including mobile phones, electronic components, and spare parts (up 44.58%); petrol, oil, and petroleum products (up 24.73%); and industrial boilers, reactors, machine tools, and machinery spare parts (up 142.75%). Some commodities saw exceptional spikes such as lead products (up 34 times) and pharmaceuticals (up 2.3 times), whereas pearl, gem stones, and jewellery products dropped 52.48%, and watches and compoments fell 42.29%.

Looking ahead, Cao Xuan Thang, Vietnam’s Trade Counsellor in Singapore, emphasised continued support for Vietnamese enterprises seeking to expand in the market.

He highlighted that efforts will be made to provide market updates, facilitate trade connectivity, and promote Vietnamese brands through trade fairs and business networking events. Additionally, initiatives to attract Singaporean investment into Vietnam’s industrial, commercial, and service sectors will be further strengthened./.

VNA

See more

At the meeting between French Minister of Transport Philippe Tabarot and Vietnamese Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh in Hanoi on March 21. (Photo: VNA)

French businesses show strong interest in Vietnam’s high-speed railway project: Minister

Minh also mentioned Vietnam’s ongoing construction of Long Thanh International Airport, which will have a total capacity of 100 million passengers per year upon completion. The airport is expected to become Vietnam’s largest and serve as an international gateway, offering new opportunities for global aviation businesses, including those from France, to expand their connections in Vietnam and ASEAN, he said.

The ground-breaking ceremony for the Hon La International Port on March 21 (Photo: VNA)

Quang Binh breaks ground on 90-million-USD international port

The port features comprehensive planning with modern warehouses, logistics areas, and technical facilities. Its strategic location in the sheltered Hon La bay, protected by Hon Co and Hon La islands, provides ideal natural depth for large vessels.

SMEs face many difficulties in accessing capital. (Photo: baokiemtoan.vn)

SMEs need support policies: insiders

With nearly one million businesses and around five million business households, the private sector contributes approximately 51% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and over 30% to the State budget. However, most small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face significant barriers in scaling up and enhancing their competitiveness.

Quang Ninh plans to develop four new industrial parks (Photo: VNA)

Quang Ninh to develop four new industrial parks

To attract investment for infrastructure development in these zones, the Quang Ninh provincial People's Committee is focusing on reviewing available land and making a list of projects to attract investors for technical infrastructure construction.

A Vietjet executive performs the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Ho Chi Minh City - Bengaluru route launch. (Photo: baodautu.vn)

Vietnam’s leading airlines to open new routes to India

Vietnam's national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines plans to launch direct flights from Hanoi to Bengaluru and Hyderabad starting in May, while private carrier Vietjet has already commenced services connecting Ho Chi Minh City to these two major Indian hubs on March 18.

Inside a steel factory in northern Vietnam. Despite signs of recovery, the industry remains below 2021 production levels (Photo: VNA)

Steel sector faces challenges

Vietnam’s steel sector is grappling with mounting challenges, including a rising volume of Chinese steel exports, domestic oversupply and global trade barriers, experts warn.

The rate of opening convenience stores and mini supermarkets in Vietnam has increased by up to 200% per year. (Photo: vnbusiness.vn)

Convenience stores boom: "Game" of foreign businesses

As one of the fastest developing among Vietnam’s modern retail types, the revenue of convenience stores is forecast to increase by 226.4 billion USD, with a compound annual growth rate of over 13% from 2023 to 2028.

Rice stock for export of Duong Vu Company in Long An province. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam’s rice export prices show signs of recovery

According to the VFA's data, out of 1.1 million tonnes of rice exported in the first two months of the year, high-quality rice accounted for 80%, reinforcing Vietnam’s competitive edge against India and Thailand.