VIETNAMESE ENTERPRISES RACE TOWARDS AI ADOPTION
While Vietnam is rapidly emerging as an AI-ready economy with strong digital ambition, industry leaders caution that successful adoption depends less on new technologies and more on the capability to govern, operate, and integrate them. At the Vietnam Future Economy Summit by Bloomberg Businessweek Vietnam on November 14, experts stressed that AI must be applied with measurable value and strategic purpose – or risk becoming a costly and ineffective investment.
VIETNAM EMERGES AS SOUTHEAST ASIA’S CROSS-BORDER E-COMMERCE HUB
Cross-border e-commerce is on the upward trend, with an export value predicted to rise from $3.5 billion in 2023 to $5.8 billion by 2028. Over the past five years, the number of Vietnamese products listed on Amazon has surged by more than 300 per cent, with 18 million items now available to customers worldwide.
HCMC TOURISM REVENUE HITS VND233.5 TRILLION IN JAN-NOV
HCMC recorded over VND233.5 trillion in tourism revenue in the first 11 months of 2025, equivalent to 80.5% of its full-year target. In November alone, the city welcomed 780,000 international visitors, bringing the total so far this year to 7.37 million, or 73.8% of the 2025 goal. Domestic tourism remained the mainstay, with 4.2 million arrivals in November and 37.28 million over 11 months.
WOOD EXPORTERS TURNING CHALLENGES INTO OPPORTUNITIES
Speaking to the media during a factory visit at Nam Tân Uyên Expansion Industrial Park, Vũ Quang Huy, chairman and CEO of TEKCOM Corporation, which exports plywood and associated products to more than 50 markets including the EU, US, India and Southeast Asia, said businesses faced numerous trade barriers.
COFFEE EXPORTS LIKELY TO EXCEED US$8 BILLION THIS YEAR
The Vietnam Coffee – Cocoa Association (Vicofa) has expressed confidence that coffee export revenue could surpass US$8 billion in 2025, far earlier than the original target of 2030. According to the association, the projection is grounded in three key factors: improved product quality, a rising proportion of deeply processed products, and market expansion based on long-term strategic planning.
VIETNAM’S SEAFOOD EXPORTS POISED TO REACH US$10.5 BILLION THIS YEAR
Vietnam’s seafood exports are expected to hit US$10.5 billion this year, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP). VASEP said outbound shipments in the fourth quarter may slow to around US$2.2 billion. The decline is attributed to a 20% duty imposed by the U.S. and the likelihood of higher tariffs on Vietnamese shrimp entering this market.
CHINA SPENDS OVER US$1 BILLION ON SHRIMP IMPORTS FROM VIETNAM IN JAN-OCT
China has become Vietnam’s largest shrimp buyer, with more than US$1.1 billion worth of the product imported in the first 10 months of the year, up 64% year-on-year, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP). China was the fastest-growing market during the period and a key driver behind the 22% spike in Vietnam’s shrimp exports to US$3.9 billion.
VIETNAM–SINGAPORE BILATERAL TRADE HITS RECORD HIGH
Bilateral trade between Vietnam and Singapore reached a record S$33 billion (around US$25.3 billion) in the first 10 months of this year, setting a new milestone for trade ties between the two nations. Vietnam continued to hold its position as Singapore’s 10th largest trading partner. Data from the Singapore Enterprise Management Agency showed that two-way trade in this period surpassed last year’s full-year record of S$31.67 billion, marking a 26.7% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
