High on the agenda of the on-going 5th session of the Party Central Committee is economic development, particularly of the private economic sector.
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Developing the private economic sector is urgent for Vietnam in its global economic integration.
Private economy and its role in Vietnam’s economy
After 30 years of renewal, the private economic sector has grown in both quantity and quality. The number of private businesses jumped from 55,000 in 2002 to 495,000 last year, employing 85% of the labor force.
Private economic groups in construction, aviation, industry, and agriculture have generated momentum for the economy and boosted GDP growth.
Former Trade Minister Truong Dinh Tuyen said: “Private businesses have the advantage of a young population who are industrious, studious, and adaptable to new working conditions.
Private businesses which have appropriate strategies and long-term vision can win. The government considers the private economic sector a driving force of the national economy.”
Generating opportunities for the private economic sector
Despite recent growth, the private economic sector has some disadvantages and shortcomings. 97% of private businesses are small or micro-scale with poor financial, managerial, and technological capability, which hinders them from participating in domestic or global value chains.
From 2007 to 2015, 45% of all private companies declared bankruptcy. Nguyen DucTho, General Director of the An Tin Group, said that in the global economic integration, Vietnam should encourage start-ups, issue appropriate policies for private businesses, and simplify procedures for them to access capital, land, technology, and human resources.
Economist Dao Xuan Sam, former Head of the Economic Management faculty of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, said Vietnam needs to fine tune mechanisms to boost the private economy.
“Vietnam sets high targets to promote businesses. Success requires policy reforms that encourage start-ups. The Party has supported private economic development and equitization of state-owned enterprises to build a market economy of fair competition without state-subsidized enterprises.”
Vietnam hopes to have 1 million businesses by 2020. It will be no easy task for a country that had no more than 500,000 businesses during its 30 years of renewal.
More than a year after the Politburo's Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW on private sector development came into effect, expectations now extend beyond increasing the number of enterprises. The goal is to build a stronger business community with greater resilience, larger ambitions and the capacity to compete in global supply chains.
Vietnam is expected to remain one of ASEAN’s fastest-growing economies in 2026, supported by resilient exports, strong investment inflows and an ambitious reform agenda, despite mounting global uncertainties, according to the World Bank’s latest Vietnam Economic Update released on May 15.
Under a new circular, the exchange of greenhouse gas emission quotas and carbon credits is conducted on the domestic carbon credit exchange through the carbon trading system, which is interconnected with the national registration system.
As many agricultural businesses continue to face challenges in finding stable outlets, modern retail systems are increasingly becoming key distribution channels helping Vietnamese products access the market more professionally.
For biofuels, particularly E10, to develop successfully, stronger and more coordinated policies are needed, especially pricing mechanisms capable of creating a sufficiently attractive gap between E10 and mineral-based petrol, an expert has said.
A recent PM directive set a May 10 deadline for ministries, agencies and localities to complete detailed allocations of the 2026 public investment capital plan.
A Party official has urged the Vietnamese business community to improve corporate governance, technological capacity, production standards, workforce quality and international connectivity to strengthen ties with the FDI sector.
The White Book provides a comprehensive overview of Vietnam’s current tax system in line with international practices, including direct taxes, indirect taxes and sector-specific levies.
The 12th Africa Forum for Investment & Commerce (AFIC 12) opened in Algiers, the capital of Algeria, on May 9, drawing around 2,000 participants, including officials, economists, businesses, financial and development organizagtions from 43 African countries and international partners, including Vietnam.
According to Dr. Bui Thanh Minh, Deputy Director of the Office of the Private Economic Development Research Board under the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council for Administrative Procedure Reform, Resolution 68 has helped foster a stronger entrepreneurial spirit through a series of concrete policy measures.
Consolidated first-quarter 2025 statements from Vietcombank, VietinBank and BIDV showed that the Treasury’s total deposit balance at the three lenders rose by nearly 39% compared with the end of 2025.
Vietnam targets 1 million one-person businesses, 5 million business entities, 10,000 tech startups, 45 startup support networks, a position among the world’s top 40 innovation ecosystems, and 1.5 billion USD in venture capital by 2030.
The exhibition, which runs until May 9 at the Hanoi International Centre for Exhibition, showcases advanced products and technologies across a range of fields, including pharmaceuticals, drug manufacturing machinery and equipment, medical devices, hospital and clinic services and dental equipment.
The province is tightening maritime governance, with a focus on May–June 2026 to finalise a more robust legal framework and close loopholes for illegal fishing.
Leading the charge in this massive building spree is the new central city square in the core of the Thu Thiem new urban area. Spanning more than 20 ha, it’s the crown jewel of the Central Square and new administrative center complex.
The country’s stable political and economic environment provides a critical foundation for long-term sourcing strategies. At the same time, Vietnam has demonstrated a strong ability to scale up manufacturing, supported by a continuously expanding industrial base capable of meeting both high-volume demand and increasingly complex technical and quality requirements.
The update by Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to its Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON) on April 10, officially setting out import conditions for Vietnamese pomelos, is regarded as a major milestone in market access efforts.
Structured in two steps and three phases, the roadmap envisions a gradual shift from partial to full relocation of international flights, aligned with infrastructure readiness and the long-term ambition of building a regional aviation hub.
The circular economy is no longer just a policy choice. It has become an inevitable trend for delivering sustainable and green growth, sharpening competitiveness at home and abroad, and meeting Vietnam’s net-zero emissions target by 2050. It is now a prerequisite to sustain long-term economic expansion, particularly in industrial production and supporting industries.
Vietnamese fresh produce and processed foods are increasingly recognised for their quality, with items such as cashew nuts, coffee and spices gaining popularity among Middle East consumers. In 2025, Vietnam’s farm produce exports to the UAE exceeded 445 million USD, up nearly 24% year-on-year.