How to capitalise on the advantages and opportunities created by economic integration and make breakthrough from growth drivers were the main themes of an economic conference held in Ho Chi Minh City on March 12.
Participants said the intensive integration into the global economy has helped Vietnam perfect institutions and align them with international norms. Opportunities and challenges posed by the participation in global supply chains have required Vietnam to adapt to the increasingly fierce competition in a world of free trade.
Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Van Hieu said the country will have to step up reforming FDI attraction orientations and create a more favourable investment climate.
Aside from efforts by the Government, ministries and sectors, businesses should also actively improve their governance and manpower training to promote the capacity of integrating into the international economy, he noted.
Some experts shared the view that it will be hard for many sectors with fast growth in 2018 to sustain their pace this year, including processing, agro-forestry-fishery production, exports, the domestic market’s purchasing power, tourism, and real estate.
Meanwhile, some institutional bottlenecks relating to public investment or the project financing forms of build-transfer (BT) and build-operate-transfer (BOT) that haven’t been removed will affect the growth rate in 2019.
Dr. Tran Du Lich, a member of the Prime Minister’s advisory group, said the main issues for Vietnam for many years to come will still be growth quality and institutional reforms amid complex developments in the global economy.
Therefore, the Government’s economic-financial policies will still need to ensure both growth quality and pace, he noted, adding that the annual growth rate is likely to average 6.9 percent in 2019-2020 and 6.75 percent between 2016 and 2020.
Lich said with advantages in terms of economy and political stature, Vietnam can be considered an attractive destination for foreign investors. It has been working to perfect institutions, support private businesses, and promote the development of small- and medium-sized enterprises to boost the capitalisation of economic development chances.
He recommended that the change in mechanisms and policies, including those in the financial, monetary and banking sectors, should match developments in the market.
The annual economic conference was held by the Vietnam Economic Times in coordination with some ministries and sectors.
By 2030, Vietnam aims to rank among the world’s top 40 in the GII; raise total social investment in R&D to at least 2% of GDP, with non-State funding accounting for over 60%; increase international scientific publications by an average of 10% annually; and raise the number of patent applications and granted patents by an average of 16-18% annually.
The State Bank of Vietnam set the daily reference exchange rate at 25,624 VND/USD on October1, down 3 VND from the previous day.
Quang Ninh's GRDP grew 15.04% in the third quarter, also leading the country.
Vietnam needs flexible incentives and specialised green financial instruments, stronger inter-sectoral coordination, improved local governance capacity and a more complete MRV data system, said Ramla Khalidi, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam.
As the country enters a new development phase with greater demands for stronger marine-economy growth, institutional bottlenecks have emerged and need to be addressed.
Experts from the Institute of Vietnam and World Economy under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences noted the quality of recent growth as the high growth rate has been recorded against an increasingly higher comparative base.
Vietnam's Halal exports remain modest at around 900 million USD a year, accounting for less than 1% of the global market. Most exports are still raw agricultural and seafood products. Only around 1,000–1,300 Vietnamese businesses obtained or maintained Halal certification during 2024–2026.
Vietnam needs a comprehensive policy framework to remove legal and procedural bottlenecks and create conditions for offshore wind power projects to access long-term investment capital, helping to unlock the country’s substantial offshore wind potential, said insiders.
Under a decision of the municipal People’s Committee on establishing an inter-agency working group, departments and agencies are responsible for identifying facilities subject to greenhouse gas inventories, developing emissions-reduction plans and studying projects capable of generating carbon credits.
According to data from the Vietnam Customs cited by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), shrimp exports reached 478.5 million USD in August, up 4.2% from the same month last year. The eight-month total stood at 3.3 billion USD, representing a year-on-year increase of 12%.
Vietnam is seen as a potential market, with considerable room for growth in real estate, particularly commercial property, compared with some regional markets. Strong Vietnam-Russia ties and opportunities to establish foreign-invested enterprises are also considered favourable for Russian investors.
For 2021-2030, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam proposed bringing forward the investment in a parallel taxiway system and a connecting taxiway north of Runway No. 2 at Phu Quoc International Airport, in order to connect with the aircraft maintenance and repair facility (hangar) planned for the northern area of the airport.
For LNG-fired power to fulfill its role in Vietnam’s energy transition, bottlenecks in institutions, infrastructure, electricity pricing, PPAs, power dispatch and financing must be addressed together.
From policy and infrastructure to industrial real estate, Vietnam’s FDI advantages are broadening towards a more integrated production ecosystem, offering investors a stronger combination of conditions for high-value, technology-intensive and long-term projects.
As trade expands, systemic bottlenecks across transport networks, warehousing, ports, border gates, and industrial zones are becoming more apparent. Experts emphasise the need to shift from a fragmented, project-by-project approach toward strategic management structured around trade corridors and integrated supply chains.
The company will buy non-performing loans from credit institutions and foreign bank branches, recover and dispose of debts and collateral, restructure loans and support lenders in resolving bad debts.
Do Ngoc Hung, Trade Counsellor and head of the Vietnam Trade Office in the US, said what stands out is not only the growth in trade volume but also the increasingly deep economic ties between the two countries.
According to the Ministry of Finance, State budget revenue in the first eight months of 2026 was estimated at 2.02 quadrillion VND (77.7 billion USD), equivalent to 80% of the annual estimate and up 16% year-on-year. Domestic revenue reached 1.75 quadrillion VND, accounting for 86.6% of total revenue and rising 16.6%.
Hanoi aims to achieve average annual export growth of at least 12% during 2026-30, with the city seeking to diversify export markets, boost high-tech and value-added products and reduce reliance on traditional markets.
Great reliance on the state budget and conventional bank lending could put considerable pressure on the financial system, making it necessary to develop new and sustainable sources of funding from both domestic and international capital markets.