Large media outlets, including Reuters, AFP and NHK, citing official data, report that Vietnam’s gross domestic product grew by 8.02% in 2025, placing the country among the fastest-growing economies in the region and worldwide.

International analyses note that the result stands out as global trade faces simultaneous pressure from rising protectionism, elevated logistics costs and persistent volatility in supply chains. In this context, Vietnam has sustained solid momentum through a relatively balanced contribution from exports, domestic consumption and public investment, showing a more diversified and increasingly adaptable growth model.

Jochen Schittmann, the International Monetary Fund’s regional resident representative, said Vietnam has continued to demonstrate strong determination to integrate more deeply into the global economy despite a volatile international trade environment. He noted that these shifts inevitably present challenges for maintaining and lifting growth, particularly as the impact of trade barriers and tariffs becomes more visible and weighs on highly open economies such as Vietnam. At the same time, he pointed to an ambitious and far-reaching structural reform agenda underway in the country. In the IMF’s scenario analysis, effective implementation of these reforms could lift Vietnam’s growth by roughly two percentage points above the baseline.

Reuters has placed particular emphasis on Vietnam’s expanding position in global supply chains, especially in electronics, textiles and garments, footwear, and high-tech equipment – sectors closely integrated into regional and global production networks.

Apart from exports, growth in 2025 was also supported by domestic drivers. Industrial output and construction rose by nearly 9%, services expanded by more than 8.5%, and retail sales and household consumption continued to advance. Public spending on infrastructure remained elevated, providing a stabilizing anchor for the economy while strengthening logistics capacity, connectivity and medium- to long-term growth potential.

NHK, Nikkei Asia and The Daily Star have also hailed Vietnam’s success in maintaining macroeconomic stability throughout 2025. Inflation was kept at around 3.3%, within the government’s target range. Disbursed foreign direct investment increased by 9% to more than US$27 billion, underscoring sustained investor confidence in the economy’s medium- and long-term outlook.

International coverage has also highlighted a qualitative shift in growth. Rather than relying primarily on low-cost advantages, Vietnamese goods are increasingly meeting higher requirements on technical standards, environmental compliance, traceability and sustainability. This is widely seen as a key factor supporting continued access to major markets as trade barriers and regulatory standards tighten.

Michael Kokalari, Chief Economist at VinaCapital, said he remains relatively optimistic about GDP prospects for the coming year, citing a marked improvement in consumer sentiment.

Since the middle of last year, consumer confidence has gradually recovered and remained stable. While household savings have not yet fully returned to earlier levels, a rebuilding trend is taking hold. Retail sales are currently expanding at around 7% annually, driven largely by the recovery in tourism. With confidence on a firmer footing and supportive macroeconomic conditions, domestic consumption growth could return to around 8% next year, providing an important contribution to GDP without relying on short-term or exceptional policy measures.

International institutions, including the IMF, nevertheless caution that the outlook for 2026 continues to carry external risks, notably from a slowdown in the global economy and potential adjustments in international trade policies. Against this backdrop, ambitious growth targets for the 2026-2030 period are widely viewed as a key test of Vietnam’s efforts to rebalance its growth model toward greater sustainability and self-reliance.

Vietnam’s logistics strategy targets global supply chains

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has recently held a conference to implement the national logistics development strategy for 2025-2035, with a vision to 2050, the first of its kind with long-term and comprehensive scale and clear quantified targets.