Speaking at the forum, Hoang Quang Phong, vice president of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), stressed that expanding into new markets must go hand-in-hand with restructuring export sectors and reorganising business operations.

“This is not a change that happens overnight. It requires a shift in production mindset and long-term, strategic investment in technology and management to boost productivity, enhance quality, and increase the value of Vietnamese products,” Phong said.

He added that such transformation would enable Vietnamese enterprises to meet the stringent standards of high-demand markets and improve their adaptability in a shifting international trade environment.

Market expansion, he noted, would also contribute to achieving the 2025 national economic growth target of 8% or higher. While many policy measures are already in place to support enterprise growth, additional support is still needed.

Dr. Nguyen Van Hoi, director of the Institute of Industry and Trade Strategy and Policy Research, noted that Vietnamese companies continue to face major hurdles, including institutional limitations, low competitiveness, and overdependence on a few export markets and foreign-invested enterprises (FDI).

In this context, it is crucial to fully tap into opportunities from free trade agreements (FTAs) such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to expand exports of key products, especially to European, Japanese, and Halal markets.

Experts recommended that for sustainable market expansion, businesses must improve compliance capabilities and traceability systems, by investing in quality management and supply chain traceability systems, as well as obtaining international certifications such as FSC for wood, HACCP for food, and WRAP for textiles and garments.

Businesses should also segment markets into different categories, such as highly protected markets, which require strict compliance with technical standards, and emerging potential markets, where trade promotion can be accelerated. Businesses are encouraged to take advantage of FTAs such as CPTPP, EVFTA, and RCEP, while embracing digital transformation and e-commerce to reduce costs, reach consumers directly, and expand distribution channels — particularly through B2B models.

At the forum, participants also discussed opportunities from FTAs to boost exports of key goods, ways to strengthen the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises, market diversification strategies to overcome rising trade barriers, the role of the EVFTA and the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam in opening the EU market to Vietnamese businesses, as well as solutions to address difficulties in industries such as textiles, wood processing, and manufacturing.

Bac Giang targets premium lychee quality, global market expansion

VOV.VN - Northern Bac Giang province on May 28 hosted a conference to promote the consumption of its signature lychees, key agricultural products, and its One Commune – One Product (OCOP) portfolio in 2025.