In brief
In the first ten months of 2026 Vietnam’s trade volume topped $1 trillion, driven by a 27.4 % jump in exports mainly from processed industrial products. The October trade haul hit $122.2 billion, raising the cumulative trade deficit to about $12.7 billion as the Ministry of Industry and Trade plans a new strategy toward 2030 and a vision to 2045.
In the first ten months of 2026, Vietnam’s total import‑export turnover was estimated at $1.01 trillion, an increase of 32.3 percent year‑on‑year, Xinhua reported on Sunday. The data were released by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and show robust growth in the country’s trade activity during a period that included the heightened global demand for industrial goods.
Exports accounted for roughly $499 billion of the trade volume, rising 27.4 percent from the same period of 2025. Xinhua noted that the majority of the export value came from processed and manufactured industrial products, which represented 87.4 percent of the total export share. This concentration underlines Vietnam’s positioning as a key manufacturing hub in Southeast Asia.
October was a standout month, with trade turnover reaching $122.2 billion, an increase of 47.6 percent from the previous year. That month’s trade surplus stood at $6.8 billion, which helped narrow the cumulative deficit for the 10‑month period to approximately $12.7 billion. The October figures illustrate how export momentum contributed to tightening the overall trade balance.
In response to the expanding trade activity, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is drafting a new import‑export strategy through 2030 and setting a long‑term vision to 2045. The plan aims to raise domestic enterprise participation in national exports to 30 percent by 2030 and to 40 percent by 2045, signaling a continued push for domestic value addition and industrial development.
Viet Nam’s trade performance, as reported by Xinhua, reflects a continuing momentum in the country’s economic engagement with global partners. The turnover increase aligns with the broader trend of Vietnam’s integration into supply chains that demand high‑quality processed industrial products.
The ministry’s forthcoming strategy is expected to build on the gains of the first ten months of 2026, ensuring a sustainable trajectory toward higher export shares by domestic firms and more balanced trade outcomes. By targeting a 40 percent share of exports by domestic enterprises by 2045, Vietnam hopes to solidify its status as a manufacturing powerhouse.
Overall, the reported figures provide a snapshot of a thriving trade sector that is poised to set new benchmarks in the next decade. Xinhua’s coverage offers a detailed account of Vietnam’s current trade statistics and outlines the government’s plans for continued growth, though it stops short of offering analysis on the implications for regional trade dynamics or the domestic production landscape.
