The article titled “Why Vietnam could be Asia’s biggest trade war winner” quoted a senior economist at Natixis in China’s Hong Kong as saying “Vietnam is poised to capture some of China’s global market share in labour-intensive manufacturing”.
Vietnam is taking advantage of trade tensions to boost the nation’s profile as a manufacturing and export powerhouse, selling everything from shoes to smartphones. Trade amounts to about twice its gross domestic product - more than any country in Asia apart from Singapore, the economist said.
The article also looks at what makes Vietnam attractive to foreign investors.
Production workers in Vietnam are paid an average of 216 USD a month, less than half what their peers get in China. Thanks to government subsidies, electricity is also cheaper than in Indonesia and the Philippines, according to GlobalPetrolPrices.com’s June data.
Vietnam also has one of the largest labour forces in Southeast Asia, at 57.5 million. That compares with 15.4 million for Malaysia and 44.6 million for the Philippines, according to the World Bank.
Regarding trade deals, Vietnamese leaders have pursued free trade agreements with the Republic of Korea and Europe and signed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in March this year.
Vietnam completed a trade deal with the EU in June that will eliminate almost all tariffs. In Southeast Asia, only Singapore has a similar agreement with the EU.
Vietnam’s government is also making it easier for foreign investors to do business with a proposed securities law allowing 100 percent foreign ownership of public companies, except those in restricted sectors like banking and telecommunications.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam is surging, with the government expecting disbursed FDI to rise to a record 18 billion USD this year.
Vietnam’s proximity to China also adds to its appeal, according to the article.
Chinese companies that need raw materials or product components from the US will find it easier to source these goods via Vietnam.
In addition, Vietnam is China’s largest trading partner in Southeast Asia.
Vietnam boasts one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, forecast to expand at about 7 percent this year. The dong has been relatively stable in 2018, compared with other currencies in Asia.
“Strong economic growth and political stability are very important to investors,” said Tony Foster, the Hanoi-based managing partner in Vietnam for law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP.
Relating to this topic, Erik Lundh, senior economist of the Conference Board, a non-profit independent economy research organisation in the US, told Vietnam News Agency correspondents in the US that many multinational groups which previously depended on China have considered building manufacturing workshops in countries like Vietnam because of the labour cost advantage and fewer risks posed by the US-China trade war.
According to the expert, to succeed like China over the past two decades, Vietnam should aim to become a high-tech manufacturing destination and focus on developing high quality human resources.
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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