Vietnam Weekly: Vietnam sets 2026–31 leadership course, navigates US tariffs, tops trade milestones

December 19, 2025 to December 25, 2025

This week's top 10 stories from Vietnam, selected from our daily intelligence briefs.

1. Party Central Committee Endorses Leadership Slate and Policy Framework for 2026–2031, Sets Stage for 14th National Congress

The 15th plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee, chaired by General Secretary To Lam in Hanoi on 22 December, endorsed draft Congress documents and adopted personnel reports to advance a united slate for the 14th National Party Congress scheduled for January 2026. The Committee approved nominations for the 2026–2031 leadership of the Central Committee, Politburo and Secretariat, updated working and electoral rules for the Congress, and reviewed oversight and discipline work; To Lam stressed meticulous, regulation‑based selection and framed the Political Report as a unified roadmap reflecting public input.

Strategically, the plenum set three “breakthroughs” — institutional reform and decentralization; high‑quality human capital and cadre reform; and accelerated transport, technology and energy infrastructure — alongside six priority task areas covering Party‑building, legal and market reforms, innovation and digitalization, culture/human development, and defense–security–foreign affairs. Separately, authorities launched the national “Visit Vietnam” tourism data platform as the country marks 20 million international visitors, and reported a cross‑border abduction case tied to cyber‑fraud networks, underscoring governance, economic and security implications as leadership and policy directions are formalized ahead of the 2026 Congress.

Local Coverage: vnexpress.net, thanhnien.vn, vietnamplus.vn, baotintuc.vn, com.vn, tuoitre.vn, vneconomy.vn

From daily briefs: 2025-12-23, 2025-12-24

2. US Tariff Offensive Reshapes 2025 Trade Landscape, Raising Legal and Supply-Chain Risks

In 2025 the United States has elevated tariffs into a primary economic tool, imposing new import duties and “reciprocal” rates on dozens of partners to address perceived trade imbalances. After months of talks Washington reached framework arrangements with the UK, EU, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia and Switzerland, though most agreements are not yet fully implemented and coverage/timing remain uncertain; Switzerland reportedly obtained lower rates and some tariffs on Chinese goods have been temporarily deferred. Brazil and India face the steepest penalties—up to 50% on select goods—while Mexico and Canada face 25% and 35% duties respectively on items outside USMCA, which is scheduled for review in 2026.

The measures create immediate legal and operational risks for multinational firms: a pending US Supreme Court ruling on the legality of “reciprocal” tariffs could nullify or reshape the program, and the tariff regime is already straining cross‑border supply chains and sourcing decisions. For international professionals, the combination of hefty rates (25–50%), incomplete implementation timelines, and potential judicial reversal requires urgent reassessment of trade compliance, contingency sourcing and contract risk mitigation.

Local Coverage: com.vn

From daily brief: 2025-12-21

3. Record US$920B Trade Puts Country in Top 15 Global Traders; Export Surplus Extends to 10th Year

The Ministry of Industry and Trade projects merchandise trade of US$920 billion in 2025, which would place the country among the world’s top 15 trading economies; exports are forecast above US$470 billion (up 16% y/y) and a trade surplus around US$21 billion, extending a decade of surplus. Customs data to Dec. 15 show exports at US$451.2 billion and imports at US$432.5 billion (interim surplus US$18.6 billion), with FDI-backed firms remaining central to both exports and imports. Electronics are the leading export growth driver, alongside textiles, footwear, coffee, machinery and agri-seafood, while e-commerce has topped US$30 billion and 17 free‑trade agreements are cited as growth enablers.

Officials warn the expansion carries structural risks: heavy dependence on FDI, concentration in a few large markets, and mounting trade‑remedy investigations that expose firms to defense probes. Senior leaders — Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Deputy Minister Phan Thi Thang — have called for market and product diversification, accelerated digitalization and green transformation, and stronger enforcement against counterfeit goods, fraud and corruption to sustain and de‑risk the trade trajectory.

Local Coverage: tuoitre.vn, vietnamplus.vn, baotintuc.vn, vneconomy.vn, vnexpress.net

From daily brief: 2025-12-20

4. Prime Minister Forms Cross-Ministry Steering Committee for Macroeconomic Management

Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Dec. 18, 2025 issued Decision No. 2748/QD‑TTg creating a Government Steering Committee on Macroeconomic Management, appointing himself chair, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc as standing vice‑chair and Finance Minister Nguyen Van Thang as vice‑chair. The committee — whose membership includes the State Bank governor and ministers of industry, trade, agriculture, construction, science and technology, home affairs and the Government Office chair — charges the Ministry of Finance as the standing body to staff a Macroeconomic Coordination Task Force without increasing headcount, mobilize domestic and international experts, commission research, and report annually by Dec. 31 to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Government Office for consolidation to the Prime Minister.

The directive orders accelerated growth for 2025–26 while protecting macro stability and inflation control, with specific operational tasks: the State Bank must manage exchange rates, interest rates and credit flexibly and submit a proposal for a national gold exchange by Dec. 20, 2025 (initial pilot to handle physical/raw gold distribution), and the Ministry of Finance must finalize an international financial centre framework, pilot a regulated digital asset/tokenized‑asset market via a sandbox, advance green bonds, ensure 100% disbursement of 2025 public investment, and create a National Investment Single‑Window. The policy package signals a coordinated, top‑down push to balance rapid growth with financial stability and targeted credit allocation to green transition, digitalisation, social housing and disaster recovery.

Local Coverage: vneconomy.vn, baotintuc.vn, vietnamplus.vn, vnexpress.net

From daily briefs: 2025-12-19, 2025-12-20

5. Special Policy Pilots Approved for Hanoi, Danang and Ho Chi Minh City, Enabling TOD and Free-Trade Zone Plans

Vietnam’s National Assembly on December 12 approved three pilot resolutions (258/2025, 259/2025 and 260/2025) granting tailored special mechanisms to Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City to accelerate major urban renewal, infrastructure and transit‑oriented development (TOD). Key measures include broad delegated investment, planning, land and finance powers: Hanoi can fast‑track “large, important” projects from VND 30 trillion, lower consent thresholds for rebuilding dilapidated apartment blocks to 75% and raise compensation up to twice current norms; Da Nang may establish a Danang Free Trade Zone with boundary adjustments, land allocation/lease without auction for priority projects (high‑tech, semiconductors, logistics, healthcare and education) above VND 2 trillion and a 10% corporate tax incentive; HCMC gains expanded TOD land‑value capture to fund metro and Ring Road 3 works, authority to fund compensation/resettlement around stations, pilot a Cai Mep Ha FTZ with 10% tax for up to 20–30 years, and streamlined strategic investor selection.

Implications for international investors and urban planners are significant: the measures lower procedural barriers for public‑private partnerships, allow direct land allocation for high‑capital projects, and create fiscal tools to monetize land value for transport investment—HCMC authorities project potential GDP growth of 10.5–11% in 2026 if capital flows materialize. Policymakers stress rapid implementation (“do not wait for perfection”), noting some pilots will proceed ahead of full legal harmonization and could serve as templates for nationwide reforms in financing, land policy and FTZ development.

Local Coverage: tuoitre.vn, vietnamplus.vn, baotintuc.vn, vnexpress.net, vneconomy.vn

From daily briefs: 2025-12-19, 2025-12-24, 2025-12-25

6. Resolution 57 Sets Tech-Centric Path with Governance Reforms and Semiconductor Push

Vietnam’s Resolution 57-NQ/TW (issued 22 Dec 2024) reorients the country toward science, innovation and digital transformation as core growth drivers, setting a target of a 30% digital economy share of GDP by 2030 and high‑income status by 2045. After one year the policy reports notable early gains: total factor productivity contributed roughly 49% to GDP growth, the digital economy is estimated at $39 billion in 2025 (≈24% of GDP), non‑cash payments have surged, and the digital tech industry is forecast to generate $198 billion in revenue in 2025 (+26% y/y). Hardware and electronics exports are expected at $178 billion (+35% y/y); active digital firms reached about 80,052 (+10% y/y). FDI pledges rose to US$33.69 billion in the first 11 months of 2025 (+7.4% y/y) with disbursed FDI at US$23.6 billion—the highest 11‑month figure in five years.

The resolution accompanies governance reforms—merging the Ministry of Information and Communications with the Ministry of Science and Technology and shifting to performance‑based, risk‑tolerant management—and a semiconductor push highlighted by Viettel’s approved high‑tech fab plan toward 2030, FPT Semiconductor’s 70 million PMIC exports and OSAT expansion in Da Nang, and a national Semiconductor Industry Development Strategy to 2030 (vision to 2050). Remaining constraints include legal gaps for nonprofit research institutions (e.g., the ICISE case), a talent shortage in chips and AI, and infrastructure and ecosystem bottlenecks. Experts recommend legal recognition for nonprofit science entities, policy sandboxes, matching R&D funds and industry‑embedded training, alongside streamlined one‑stop mechanisms and upgraded energy/logistics to attract higher‑value investment.

Local Coverage: vietnamplus.vn, vneconomy.vn, baotintuc.vn

From daily briefs: 2025-12-19, 2025-12-23

7. LNG-to-Power Push Confronts Pricing Rules and Grid Bottlenecks as Investors Seek Guarantees

Vietnam’s Power Development Plan VIII targets 30–39 GW of LNG-to-power capacity by 2030, positioning natural gas as a transition fuel, but projects are stalled by market and grid constraints. Industry leaders say no LNG plant other than Hiep Phuoc has reached a final investment decision because of volatile global LNG prices (imported LNG near $14.05/MMBtu), capped bidding tariffs under existing rules, uncertain electricity and gas pricing, problematic take-or-pay clauses in PPAs, and an underbuilt transmission network that already restricts dispatch of existing capacity.

Stakeholders propose a package of fixes: enact a comprehensive National Energy Law, coordinate planning of LNG terminals, plants and grid links, provide government guarantees for flagship projects, allow private investment in transmission with flexible wheeling fees, and adopt a market-aligned LNG power tariff tied to stronger offtake commitments. Without these measures, analysts warn generation costs could exceed VND 3,000/kWh, undermining investor confidence and delaying Vietnam’s LNG-to-power rollout.

Local Coverage: vneconomy.vn

From daily brief: 2025-12-25

8. New UĐ1, UĐ2 visas to attract high-tech talent; streamlined residency procedures from July 2026

From 1 July 2026 Vietnam will introduce two new visa categories under an omnibus law amending 10 public-security related statutes: the UĐ1 visa for high-quality digital and industrial technology talent and other preferential cases designated by the National Assembly or its Standing Committee, and the UĐ2 visa for spouses and children under 18 of UĐ1 holders. Both visas carry up to five years’ validity and are issued with corresponding temporary residence cards, aiming to simplify entry and retention of top-tier specialists while leaving eligibility criteria at the legislative level to allow flexible expansion of beneficiary groups.

The law also eases family visits and residency administration: Vietnamese grandparents living in Vietnam may sponsor foreign grandchildren for visits, and permanent-residence reissuance for lost cards will require only a declaration on the application form rather than a separate loss report. Existing DL tourist visas and 90-day e‑visas remain available for short stays and startup exploration, positioning the reforms as targeted measures to attract tech talent while keeping standard short-term options intact.

Local Coverage: thanhnien.vn

From daily brief: 2025-12-23

9. Political–Security–Defense Dialogue Sets Course for Deeper U.S.–Vietnam Cooperation

Vietnam and the United States held their 14th Political–Security–Defense Dialogue in Washington, D.C., co-chaired by Vietnam’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang and U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary of State Fleet White. The meeting reviewed progress two years into the countries’ Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and 30 years of diplomatic relations, highlighting sustained high‑level exchanges and practical cooperation on law enforcement, transnational crime, non‑traditional security, and war‑legacy remediation (dioxin cleanup, unexploded ordnance clearance, and MIA accounting).

Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation across defense industrial ties, maritime law‑enforcement capacity, and controls on high‑tech exports, while reaffirming ASEAN centrality and UNCLOS (1982) as the legal framework for maritime disputes. The United States reiterated support for “an independent, strong, prosperous, and resilient Vietnam,” and both parties committed to maintaining the dialogue mechanism, increasing consultations, and implementing agreed initiatives to consolidate a more stable, substantive bilateral partnership.

Local Coverage: tuoitre.vn

From daily brief: 2025-12-20

10. Prime Minister Sets 2026 Double-Digit Growth Target for Industry and Trade, Orders “Six Pioneering” Priorities

At a Ministry of Industry and Trade review in Hanoi, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh set an ambitious target for the sector to deliver double‑digit GDP growth in 2026, tasking it to refresh traditional drivers (exports, consumption) and develop new ones (digital, green, circular and knowledge economies). Vietnam’s economy is estimated to have grown ~8% in 2025, with trade reaching a record US$920 billion (exports US$470 billion, US$22 billion surplus), industrial output up 9.5% and e‑commerce exceeding US$30–36 billion; active enterprises neared 1.1 million after ~300,000 new or reactivated firms in 2025 and monthly firm registrations averaging 18,000.

Chinh articulated “six pioneering” priorities—industrialization/modernization; sustainable, digital and green growth; market, product and supply‑chain diversification; a crackdown on waste, corruption and counterfeits; a capable, cleaner public workforce; and deeper decentralization with data‑driven governance—and ordered expedited guidance on land, finance, technology and digitalization by Q1 2026. The government also advanced a national data‑economy agenda (National Data Economy Framework due Jan 2026), directed greater AI adoption and 5G/data‑center expansion, and asked the Finance Ministry to revise the SME Law and corporate bond rules—moves that signal stronger state support for private investment (private capital ~75% of VND5.14 quadrillion invested in 564 major projects in 2025) but will require faster R&D funding, database integration and regulatory follow‑through to sustain momentum.

Local Coverage: vneconomy.vn, vietnamplus.vn, baotintuc.vn, tuoitre.vn, com.vn, vnexpress.net, thanhnien.vn

From daily briefs: 2025-12-19, 2025-12-20, 2025-12-21

About This Weekly Digest

The stories above represent the most significant developments from Vietnam this week, selected through our AI-powered analysis of hundreds of local news articles.

Stories are drawn from our daily intelligence briefs, which synthesize reporting from Vietnam's leading news sources to provide comprehensive situational awareness for international decision-makers.