On October 1, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Minister Le Manh Hung held a working session with the Department of Foreign Market Development and Multilateral Trade. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry’s leadership and units, as well as officials and civil servants of the Department of Foreign Market Development and Multilateral Trade. 

Promoting international cooperation in energy and petroleum

Reporting on the implementation of tasks during the first nine months of 2026 and key priorities for the remaining months of the year, Director-General Le Trieu Dung said that amid complex global developments, the Department of Foreign Market Development and Multilateral Trade had comprehensively implemented tasks related to market development and multilateral trade, contributing to the goal of increasing exports by 15-16% in 2026 compared with 2025, while strengthening cooperation in trade, industry and energy.

Regarding the negotiation and signing of bilateral and multilateral international treaties and agreements, Director-General Le Trieu Dung said activities had been carried out proactively, substantively and with a clear focus, aiming to expand markets, diversify partners and promote export growth. A number of agreements, arrangements and cooperation programs negotiated and signed during the first nine months of the year had contributed to strengthening cooperation in trade, industry and energy.

The Department also carried out technical and business-matching activities to support enterprises in seeking and expanding export markets. It implemented the project on “Promoting Vietnamese enterprises’ direct participation in foreign distribution systems through 2030” and successfully organized the Viet Nam International Sourcing 2026 international supply chain connection series in Ho Chi Minh City, bringing together more than 580 international buyer delegations, 600 Vietnamese enterprises and more than 3,000 business-matching meetings.

Vietnamese Trade Offices overseas continued to proactively monitor market developments and demand, promote trade promotion activities and connect businesses to bring more Vietnamese products into host markets.

From now until the end of the year, amid complex developments in global trade, the Department will continue to closely monitor political and economic developments in key partner markets, promptly advise on policy responses and issue warnings to the business community. It will also identify emerging issues concerning imports and exports and foreign markets, conduct in-depth assessments of individual markets to tap into available space and growth drivers, and formulate plans for managing foreign markets.

At the same time, the Department will prepare for the signing of the Viet Nam-EFTA FTA and promote negotiations on new FTAs with the GCC, SACU, MERCOSUR, Pakistan, Egypt, Nigeria and others. It will also accelerate the FTA Ecosystem Project to support localities and enterprises in effectively capitalizing on opportunities arising from FTAs. In addition, the Department will coordinate with units across the Ministry to advance international cooperation in energy, petroleum, industry, minerals, science and technology in support of the sector’s development objectives.

Strengthening the role of foreign market development

In his concluding remarks, Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung praised the achievements of the Department of Foreign Market Development and Multilateral Trade, affirming that the results were positive and met the requirements set by the country and the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

According to the Minister, Viet Nam is pursuing a national development model with a 100-year vision, linked to two major milestones: the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of Viet Nam and the centenary of the establishment of the country. Therefore, development strategies and plans need to be formulated in a coordinated manner in line with national development objectives and orientations, while adapting to rapid changes in the global economy and trade.

Against this backdrop, foreign market development and multilateral trade need to be placed within a governance model aligned with the country’s new development objectives and strategies.

Regarding the Department’s responsibilities, Minister Le Manh Hung highlighted three pillars: serving as the focal point for international integration and cooperation; developing markets; and developing bilateral and multilateral relations through trade agreements and cooperation frameworks. In this regard, the Department should place greater emphasis on connecting with localities and units across the Ministry to ensure the coordinated and effective implementation of assigned tasks.

The Minister requested that the Department focus on researching and developing a strategy for foreign market development and a strategy for Viet Nam’s overseas expansion, closely aligned with the country’s development model and orientations as well as its international integration strategy. At the same time, it should develop an export strategy and market-specific development strategies to ensure coordinated, systematic and consistent implementation.

The Minister also stressed the need to improve the effectiveness of utilizing trade agreements and cooperation frameworks to which Viet Nam is a party. Next-generation FTAs should be leveraged as a driver for institutional reform and enhanced competitiveness, with particular attention to intellectual property.

Regarding the network of Vietnamese Trade Offices overseas, the Minister called for their continued role in trade negotiations, export promotion and market expansion to be strengthened. The Department should work closely with the Viet Nam Trade Promotion Agency and the Agency of Foreign Trade to simultaneously develop markets, promote imports and exports, and contribute to managing the trade balance.

In the period ahead, the Minister called for continued efforts to elevate foreign market development and multilateral trade, strengthen the Department’s role as a focal point, enhance coordination among units, build collective strength and contribute to the effective implementation of the industry’s overall tasks.