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) The year 2025 marked a pivotal milestone for Vietnam’s seafood industry in its restructuring process toward sustainability, transparency, and higher value creation, amid continued uncertainties in the global economic and trade environment. Prolonged inflation in major economies, the rising trend of trade protectionism, and increasingly stringent requirements related to environmental standards, traceability, and social responsibility have posed significant challenges to seafood production and exports. Nevertheless, overcoming these pressures, Vietnam’s seafood sector has gradually demonstrated its adaptability, maintained growth momentum, and laid an important foundation for the next stage of development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Amid the increasingly evident impacts of drought and saltwater intrusion, the shrimp-rice production model in Ca Mau province continues to prove itself as a viable direction, contributing to higher farmer incomes, improved soil conditions and the promotion of ecological and sustainable agricultural development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The management of fishing vessels, monitoring of fishing activities, and handling of violations in the fisheries sector in Lam Dong province have continued to be implemented in a synchronized and stringent manner, contributing to raising awareness of legal compliance among fishermen and aiming to end illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Can Tho’s fishery industry sustained steady growth in 2025 with total aquatic and marine output reaching nearly 783,000 tons, fulfilling 100% of the annual target. Aquaculture, capture fisheries and fishing fleet management were further strengthened, aiming for sustainable development in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius export turnover reached nearly USD 2.2 billion, up 8% year-on-year. This result indicates that pangasius exports maintained their growth momentum despite significant volatility in the global market environment. In December 2025, pangasius export value reached USD 200 million, up 10% compared to December 2024. This solid performance in the final month of the year reflects increased import demand for consumption and inventory replenishment in key markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain experienced significant fluctuations. According to Vietnam Customs, during the first 11 months of 2025, export turnover for the first 11 months of the year edged up by 0.3% year-on-year, reaching nearly $15 million.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son has signed Decision No. 16/QD-TTg, dated January 5, 2026, approving the implementation plan for the Vietnam-Israel Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA). Under the plan, in the coming period, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-affiliated entities and People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities must institutionalize and execute tasks focused on the dissemination of information regarding VIFTA and the Israeli market; legislative and institutional development, as well as enhancing competitiveness and human resource growth...
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Beyond achieving double-digit growth, Vietnam’s fish cake and surimi exports are showing a notable year-end "inflection point": the EU his accelerating with nearly twofold growth, China & Hong Kong are rising sharply, while the largest market, South Korea, signaled a slowdown in November. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover of fish cake and surimi reached $327 million in the first 11 months of 2025, up 22% year-on-year; November 2025 alone accounted for $35 million, marking a 5% increase. This serves as a critical foundation for exporters to reassess market structures and competitive intensity while finalizing order strategies for 2026.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ca Mau, widely regarded as the nation’s “shrimp capital”, continued its strong performance in 2025 as shrimp output reached nearly 600,000 tons, maintaining its position as Vietnam’s leading shrimp-producing locality.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On December 29, 2025, at the 2025 Pangasius Industry Review Conference held in Can Tho City, the Vietnam Pangasius Association announced that fingerling prices have surged to record levels due to acute supply shortages.
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