In July 1995, Vietnam signed international treaties to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and officially partook in the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) in January 1996.
Since then, the country has engaged in free trade deals such as ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement – signed in 2002 and ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement – inked in 2006; and joined the ASEAN-Japan Free Trade Area.
In October 2011, Vietnam struck a free trade agreement with Chile, and from mid-2012 onward, the Southeast Asian country has pushed ahead with negotiations on other free trade packs.
In late 2014, Vietnam concluded negotiations on bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements with the European Union, the Republic of Korea, and the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.
Vietnam has been negotiating more free trade agreements, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and deals between ASEAN and Hong Kong, and between Vietnam and Israel.
The RCEP is considered a free trade agreement which will stipulate trade activities of the entire ASEAN.
The Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement will enable Vietnam to boost relations with Central and Eastern European countries, while accessing advanced technologies and learning how to improve management skills and vocational training.
Tax reductions under the pact will increase Vietnam’s exports to the EU to about 30-40 percent.
Meanwhile, the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which came into force in October 2016, has opened up opportunities for businesses of the two sides to boost trade and services.
Vietnamese firms will have access to a market with total gross domestic product of nearly 2.2 billion USD and a population of 183 million. Vice versa, countries from the EAEU will be able to access a 90 million population in Vietnam.
The Vietnam-RoK Free Trade Agreement, which has been in effect for one year, has boosted Vietnam’s economy and is expected to help increase the bilateral trade to 70 billion USD by 2020.
Besides opportunities, there are numerous challenges, including stricter technical requirements from foreign nations on Vietnam’s export products, which cause trade barriers.
Additionally, the competitive edge of Vietnamese firms is still poorer than trade partners in the region such as Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.
It is also difficult for Vietnam to control imported goods due to tariff removals. Domestic consumers can buy products and use services from other countries, making it tough for Vietnam to protect production at home.
Vietnam plans to devise measures such as refining trade and investment policies, attracting high-quality foreign investment projects, and adjusting the structure of domestic and import-export market to optimise opportunities from FTAs.
By 2020, when all 16 FTAs that Vietnam is involved in come into effect, Vietnam will be among a massive economic network of 59 partners, including five permanent member countries of the UN Security Council, 15 out of the 20 nations from the G20 and other emerging economies.
Source: VNA
SSI forecasts a 28% year-on-year increase in after-tax profit attributable to the parent company of Vinh Hoan Corporation (VHC), driven by a gradual improvement in average selling prices from USD 3.15/kg in 2024 to USD 3.30/kg (+5%) in 2025. An Giang Fisheries Import-Export Joint Stock Company (ANV)'s after-tax profit attributable to the parent company is projected to rebound by 104%.
In 2025, the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu aims to earn 1.2 billion USD from exporting shrimp, one of the key export products that accounts for over 95% of its total export value.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Report on Vietnam Pangasius Sector 2015–2024, produced and released by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) in January 2025, is expected to provide enterprises, importers, and government agencies with a comprehensive overview of key developments in Vietnam's pangasius production and export over the past decade. In addition to highlighting achievements, the report identifies existing challenges and analyzes future opportunities and threats for the pangasius industry.
(vasep.com.vn) Overcoming two years of fluctuation in both export markets and domestic production, Vietnam's pangasius industry has demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and a strong determination to seize opportunities and boost exports to various markets. As a result, in 2024, pangasius exports reached USD 2 billion, a 9% increase compared to 2023. This achievement is a source of pride for Vietnam's aquaculture and agriculture sectors.
(seafood.vasep.com) Speaking at a conference to implement the 2025 plan of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh urged the agricultural sector to strive for a total export turnover of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products reaching $70 billion by 2025.
With robust production and processing infrastructure, combined with continuous market development efforts, Vietnam’s seafood exports are poised for 10–15% growth in 2025.
In 2025, seafood exports are expected to continue to grow better and could reach 11 billion USD as in 2022. However, this is also the year the seafood industry will face challenges, including increased competition from other countries, trade wars and market barriers...
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of December 25, at Toan Thinh Conference Center (Soc Trang City), the Soc Trang Fisheries Sub-department, under the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Soc Trang, held a conference to review the 2024 aquaculture activities and outline the brackish water shrimp farming plan for 2025. The event was attended by Ms. Quach Thi Thanh Binh, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Soc Trang.
The Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang aims to achieve export value of over 1.9 billion USD in 2025 by boosting production and processing of key products such as seafood, high-quality rice, fruits, and garments.
The UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement has significantly boosted Vietnamese seafood exports, with shrimp and pangasius leading the charge in the UK market.
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