VIETNAM–SINGAPORE TRADE POSTS RECORD GROWTH IN 2025

Container ships are seen at a seaport in Vietnam - PHOTO: VNA

HCMC – Vietnam and Singapore recorded a strong rebound in bilateral trade in 2025, with both exports and imports rising in every month from a year earlier, according to data from Enterprise Singapore and the Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore.

In December alone, two-way trade reached nearly S$4 billion (about US$3.1 billion), up 30.1% year-on-year. Singapore’s exports to Vietnam totaled S$2.3 billion, up 1.5%, while imports from Vietnam surged 113.6% to S$1.7 billion.

Imports from Vietnam also more than doubled in October, marking two peak months for Singapore’s inbound shipments from the country in 2025.

For the full year, Vietnam remained Singapore’s 10th-largest trading partner. Bilateral trade hit a record close to S$40 billion, up 26.2% from S$31.67 billion in 2024.

Singapore’s exports to Vietnam reached S$26.8 billion, up 16.1%. Imports from Vietnam climbed 53.2% to S$13.1 billion. Based on goods of Singapore and Vietnamese origin only, Vietnam posted a trade surplus of more than S$5.8 billion.

Electrical machinery and equipment (HS 85) and mineral fuels and oils (HS 27) were Singapore’s two largest export categories to Vietnam. Together, they were worth S$18.1 billion, accounting for 67.6% of total exports.

Exports of electrical machinery rose 26.9% to S$14 billion. Fuel and oil products increased 10.4% to S$4.1 billion.

Electrical machinery also led Singapore’s imports from Vietnam, reaching more than S$6.7 billion, up 112% year-on-year and representing 51.2% of total imports. Machinery and mechanical equipment (HS 84) ranked second at S$3.3 billion, up 79.6%, followed by glass and glass products (HS 70) at nearly S$856 million, up 3.6%.

Cao Xuan Thang, commercial counselor, head of the Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore, said the results reflected years of trade promotion efforts, effective implementation of free trade agreements, and close coordination among government agencies, local authorities, business associations, and enterprises, with the Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore playing a key connecting role.

Source: The Saigon Times