Vietnam’s Economy in 2025: Export Boom
Vietnam’s exports in 2025 surged, despite facing U.S. tariffs (currently at 20%) and increased competition from China’s rising exports. In 2025, Vietnam exported goods worth $474 billion, a nearly $70 billion increase compared to 2024.
Vietnam’s export strength is relatively robust, driven by its superior economic competitiveness. Overall indicators suggest Vietnam is reaping significant economic benefits from the latest export wave.
One clear point is that Vietnam’s strong exports are not limited to trade with the U.S. Last year, Vietnam’s exports to both the U.S. market and non-U.S. markets grew equally, by approximately $34 billion each.
IMF researchers concluded that much of the increase in Vietnam’s exports to the U.S. stems from genuine trade shifts and enhanced domestic value addition.
Total imports in 2025 rose by 19%, slightly outpacing total exports at 17%. As import and export growth generally move in tandem, this indicates Vietnam’s domestic value-added role remains largely unchanged.
What Drove Vietnam’s 2025 Export Boom
Studies from earlier periods show Vietnam benefited through industrialization, increased formal employment and higher wages, particularly for women, rising foreign direct investment, and achieving greater economies of scale, enabling higher exports to both the U.S. and other markets.
2025 data paints a similar picture. Manufacturing GDP grew by 10%. Vietnam created 265,000 new industrial jobs. The share of workers trapped in low-productivity agriculture declined. Monthly earnings for industrial workers rose by 6%.
Despite heightened uncertainty, foreign direct investment, both in realized capital and new projects, remained strong, offering a positive outlook for future exports and growth.
Simultaneously, there is clear evidence of industrial upgrading. Industrial production in consumer electronics increased by 21%, outpacing more basic manufacturing sectors like textiles, footwear, and apparel. Vietnam is also attracting higher-tech investments, such as in semiconductors and electric vehicles.
All these developments reflect Vietnam’s intrinsic progress and efforts to integrate with the global economy. Vietnam’s latest moves to accelerate competitiveness-enhancing reforms further add to its positive potential.
More importantly, other indicators suggest Vietnam is gaining broader benefits, similar to those seen after the first U.S.-China trade war.
At present, Vietnam is emerging as a winner in the uncertain global trade landscape.
U.S. Imposes New Tariffs on Iran, Asian Rice Exporter Braces for Impact as Government Assures ‘Situation Under Control’
The United States’ imposition of a 25% additional tax on Iran’s major trading partners is significantly impacting the nation’s economy.
Boost Salaries, Enhance Benefits: Attracting Top Talent in the New Year
A wave of hiring is sweeping through businesses, particularly within the FDI sector, as companies ramp up recruitment efforts. Beyond simply increasing headcount, employers are sweetening the deal with competitive salaries, generous benefits packages, and relaxed hiring criteria to attract top talent.
Vietnam Needs $200-300 Billion Enterprises to Lead Its Economic Transformation
“With a population of 100 million, a vast and dynamic workforce, a robust domestic market, and an unwavering ambition to rise, the emergence of globally competitive enterprises is not just desirable but essential. We must embrace this vision as a unified national goal as we step into an era of unprecedented growth and transformation,” shared economic expert Đinh Thế Hiển with Tiền Phong.
Resolution 79-NQ/TW: The Institutional Catalyst for State-Owned Enterprises to Lead and Dominate
In the context of a new phase of economic development, Resolution 79-NQ/TW by the Politburo serves as a pivotal institutional catalyst, empowering the state-owned economic sector to more distinctly fulfill its leading and guiding role within the socialist-oriented market economy.
Vietnam’s Rise: Perspectives from International Media and Observers
Numerous articles and reports from international media outlets and forums suggest that Vietnam is entering a new era, characterized by visionary and structural reforms that lay the foundation for sustainable growth.
