VIETNAM ECONOMIC NEWS INSIGHT & RECAP - DECEMBER 2025
Vietnam closed 2025 with an impressive economic performance, exceeding initial targets and demonstrating the resilience of its growth model. Full-year GDP expanded by 8.02% supported by a combination of government-led stimulus, stable domestic production and consumption, and continued strength in key export sectors amid ongoing external uncertainties.
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VIETNAM’S TEXTILE AND GARMENT INDUSTRY TARGETS US$50 BILLION IN EXPORTS IN 2026
Vietnam’s textile and garment industry is aiming for around US$50 billion in export revenue in 2026, up nearly US$3 billion from 2025, as companies restructure supply chains, deepen investment and leverage free trade agreements (FTAs). The target was shared by Vu Duc Giang, chairman of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (Vitas) and chairman of Viet Tien Garment Corporation, at a press briefing on January 12 marking Viet Tien’s 50th anniversary.
VIETNAM EXPORTS OVER EIGHT MILLION TONS OF RICE IN 2025
Vietnam exported more than 8.06 million tons of rice in 2025, earning over US$4.1 billion, down 10.8% in volume and 27.6% in value from 2024, the Department of Vietnam Customs said. The sharper fall in export value reflected a decline in global rice prices over the past year, reported the Vietnam News Agency. Vietnam’s 5% broken rice was offered at US$360–365 per ton last week.
CHINA SURPASSES U.S. AS VIETNAM’S LARGEST CASHEW EXPORT MARKET
Vietnam’s cashew exports rebounded strongly in the final month of 2025, pushing full-year export revenue past the US$5-billion mark for the first time, with China overtaking the U.S. as the country’s biggest buyer. Data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment showed that cashew has become Vietnam’s fourth agricultural product, after fruit and vegetables, coffee and rice, to generate more than US$5 billion in export value in a single year.
DOMESTIC CAPITAL RISES, NEW FDI FALLS IN IPS IN HCMC
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Export Processing and Industrial Zones Authority (HEPZA), total investment capital attracted in 2025, including newly approved projects and capital revisions, exceeded US$5.4 billion, up 2.66% year-on-year and surpassing the annual target by 19.46%. Demand for production space surged alongside this growth: leased land reached 475.13 hectares, up more than 71%, while leased factory space exceeded 620,600 square meters, more than 4.5 times higher than a year earlier.
VIETNAM’S OVERSEAS INVESTMENT JUMPS 88.7% IN 2025
Vietnam’s outbound investment surged 88.7% from a year earlier to US$1.36 billion last year, according to data released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Finance. The total includes newly licensed capital and additional funding for existing projects, marking the sharpest increase after several years of relatively slow growth.
NETHERLANDS REMAINS VIETNAM’S LARGEST TRADE SURPLUS MARKET IN EUROPE IN 2025
The Netherlands remained Vietnam’s largest trade surplus market in Europe in 2025, with Vietnam posting a surplus of US$12.7 billion, while also retaining its status as Vietnam’s biggest trading partner in the European Union for the second consecutive year. Total bilateral trade between Vietnam and the Netherlands amounted to US$14.3 billion in 2025, up 3.8% from 2024, reported the Vietnam News Agency, citing data from the Vietnam Trade Office in the Netherlands.
























