Implementing foreign policy guidelines to create new development momentum

At the 2025 year-end review and the rollout of tasks for 2026 of the Department of Foreign Market Development, held on the afternoon of January 6, Acting Director General Do Quoc Hung noted that in 2026, alongside favorable factors, business and production activities will continue to face significant challenges due to intertwined international and domestic developments.

Against this backdrop, the policy advisory role, market guidance and enterprise support provided by state management agencies particularly the Department of Foreign Market Development remain of critical importance.

“Developing foreign markets in the new year and new phase is not merely about expanding markets, but also about maintaining growth momentum, strengthening supply chains and enhancing Viet Nam’s position in the global trade network,” Acting Director General Do Quoc Hung stressed.

Accordingly, in 2026, foreign market development efforts will focus on the following key tasks:

First, continuing to thoroughly implement the Party’s and the State’s viewpoints, guidelines and policies on foreign affairs, international economic integration and foreign market development. The focus will be on effectively implementing the four pillar resolutions and the documents of the 14th National Party Congress, thereby creating new development momentum for the economy and enhancing Vietnamese enterprises’ resilience to external shocks.

Second, streamlining and strengthening the organizational structure, while improving internal coordination and interlinkages with other units within the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Human resources development will be given special attention, from recruitment and training to planning and rotation, particularly the training and grooming of young officials who are directly involved in the new phase of deep integration.

Third, proactively monitoring and analyzing developments that may affect Viet Nam’s trade relations, in order to promptly advise the Government and the Ministry’s leadership on appropriate policy responses, while providing early warnings to the business community. This approach helps mitigate risks for exporters and enhances the Ministry’s trade policy management capacity amid intensifying competition.

Fourth, prioritizing the implementation of negotiation outcomes with the United States toward a sustainable trade relationship, addressing reciprocal tariff issues and other concerns raised by the U.S. side, in close coordination with relevant ministries and agencies.

Fifth, implementing solutions to diversify export markets and promote exports to new destinations alongside key traditional markets.

Sixth, promoting the launch of negotiations on new FTAs (with the GCC, Pakistan, among others), while continuing to effectively leverage opportunities from existing free trade agreements to boost exports.

At the same time, efforts will be made to accelerate the approval of the EU–Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) to attract investment and technology transfer in strategic sectors, thereby enhancing Viet Nam’s position in the global value chain.

Seventh, intensifying research into trade barriers and conducting negotiations to remove such obstacles, including close coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to urge the EU to lift the IUU yellow card on Vietnamese seafood exports and to expand market access for agricultural and aquatic products.

Eighth, organizing meetings of intergovernmental committees, joint committees, sub-committees and trade councils with partners worldwide as planned, creating new momentum for trade, industrial and energy cooperation.

Ninth, effectively implementing the Scheme on promoting Vietnamese enterprises’ direct participation in foreign distribution systems by 2030; organizing international supply chain connection events; hosting Viet Nam Goods Weeks in key and potential markets; and gradually negotiating access for Vietnamese products into major global distribution systems.

Tenth, strengthening market information work to timely update industry associations on export market developments, enabling enterprises to adjust production plans and seek new orders.

Eleventh, enhancing the management and guidance of the trade counselor system, while proposing the establishment of new Vietnamese Trade Offices in potential markets.

The conference recorded numerous contributions from departments, agencies, enterprises, Vietnamese Trade Offices abroad and relevant stakeholders, all aimed at elevating foreign market development efforts and supporting export–import activities.

Strengthening coordination to create synergies

In her concluding remarks, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang highly appreciated the results achieved by the Department of Foreign Market Development in 2025, noting their important contribution to the overall achievements of the industry and the country.

According to the Deputy Minister, policy research and advisory work, trade promotion, enterprise support and the handling of trade barriers have seen clear improvements, helping expand markets, diversify partners and enhance the effectiveness of international economic integration.

Assigning tasks for 2026 and the new phase, Deputy Minister Phan Thi Thang requested that the Department of Foreign Market Development and the trade counselor system closely follow the directives issued by Acting Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung at the 2025 Commercial Counselor Conference.

She also stressed the need to strengthen unity, enhance coordination among departments within the Ministry, with localities, associations, industries and enterprises, and to further improve the quality and depth of policy advisory work.

The Deputy Minister cited the Vietnam International Sourcing events as a vivid example of effective coordination among the Ministry, localities, associations and businesses, noting that the events generated strong impact and attracted greater foreign investment into Viet Nam.

With clear orientations and strong determination from the beginning of the year, foreign market development and international economic integration in 2026 are expected to make substantive contributions toward the two-digit growth target and reaffirm the pivotal role of the Industry and Trade sector in national economic development.

In 2025, the Department of Foreign Market Development actively coordinated with relevant units to promote the launch of negotiations on new trade agreements. Notably, Viet Nam and Pakistan signed a Joint Statement to initiate negotiations on a Preferential Trade Agreement in October 2025, while MERCOSUR officially agreed to launch PTA negotiations with Viet Nam in December 2025 steps that open up new market space and help reduce reliance on traditional markets.