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
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese seafood exports recorded impressive growth, generating nearly 6 billion USD in revenue during the first six months of the year, up 13% compared with the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Fishermen in Ha Tinh are gradually overcoming difficulties to maintain the efficiency of seafood exploitation. In the first six months of 2026, the entire province achieved a production of more than 23,000 tons of seafood, worth more than 1,200 billion VND.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) June 2026 brought encouraging signs for Vietnam's tuna exports, with export value rising 20% year-on-year to nearly USD 72 million. However, this increase has yet to offset the prolonged slowdown seen in key markets such as the European Union (EU), where import demand remains weak. The outlook for the second half of the year is expected to become more challenging as freight rates continue to climb.
(vasep.com.vn) As part of the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (Vietfish 2026), the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), in collaboration with the Agency for Domestic Market Management and Development under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, will organize the Domestic Seafood Supply–Demand Matching Program on the morning of August 20, 2026, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City. The program aims to foster direct business connections between Vietnamese seafood producers and processors and domestic distributors, retailers, and foodservice channels.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Cooking Show will be one of the most engaging experiential highlights of Vietfish 2026. Taking place over three days, from August 19–21, 2026, at Hall B1, SECC, Ho Chi Minh City, the event will offer visitors a vibrant culinary space where Vietnamese seafood is showcased through its flavors, stories, and real-life culinary applications.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's pangasius exports reached USD 205 million in June 2026, up 5% compared with the same month in 2025. Cumulative export value for the first six months of the year totaled USD 1.1 billion, an increase of 12% year-on-year. Growth was primarily driven by strong demand from China and CPTPP markets, while exports to the United States and Brazil continued to decline.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first six months of 2026, Ha Tinh province continued to implement comprehensive solutions to combat IUU fishing; strictly manage the fishing fleet, control fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, operate vessel tracking devices, trace the origin of seafood, and severely punish violations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's tilapia exports reached USD 7 million in June 2026, down 32% compared with the same month in 2025. Nevertheless, thanks to strong growth in the first five months of the year, cumulative tilapia exports in the first half of 2026 totaled USD 69 million, up 67% year on year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sa Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company, a member of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), has been honored with the "Famous Brand - Competitive Vietnamese Brand 2026" certification at an award ceremony organized by the Vietnam Intellectual Property Association (VIPA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China imported nearly $1.4 billion worth of Vietnamese seafood in the first half of the year, a 40% increase compared to the same period last year, surpassing the US to become the largest export market for the industry.
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