Vietnam enters investment grade credit rating category for first time

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Luong Hoang Thai outlined Vietnam's National Brand Programme 's achievements, the role of business community and plans for brand development in a press interview ahead of the 10th Vietnam National Brand Product recognition ceremony on October 16.

Under the decision, Vietnam aims to become a developing country with modern industry and upper-middle income by 2030, while building a competitive and effective governance system and a dynamic economy driven by science, technology, innovation and digital transformation.

In the first nine months, Vietnam's GDP was estimated to increase 9.01% from the same period last year. Agriculture, forestry and fisheries grew 4.02%, contributing 5.35% to overall gross value added growth; industry and construction rose 11.21%, contributing 49.62%; and services expanded 8.69%, contributing 45.03%.

Decision No. 1012/QD-TTg on training and developing human resources for nuclear power development sets a requirement for around 1,920 personnel for the Ninh Thuan 1 nuclear power plant and around 1,980 for Ninh Thuan 2 by 2033 and 2035.

Vietnam recorded nearly 149,700 newly established enterprises in the first nine months of 2026, up 3.2% year-on-year, with total registered capital rising 32.7% to over 1.88 quadrillion VND (71.6 billion USD).

Under Document No. 10065/VPCP-KGVX, the Deputy PM agreed with proposals by the Ministry of Home Affairs for a one-day holiday for Vietnamese Culture Day in 2026, and a seven-day Tet holiday and a four-day National Day holiday in 2027.

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.