Trade and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) continue to be vital engines driving growth and enhancing Vietnam’s integration into the global economy, according to the DHL Global Connectedness Report 2026, released on March 10 by DHL Express in collaboration with New York University’s Stern School of Business.
The report indicates that Vietnam’s global connectivity is seeing significant improvement, with its Global Connectedness Index currently ranked 36th out of 180 economies worldwide. This index tracks international flows across four key pillars: trade, capital, information, and people.
Among these, trade is Vietnam’s strongest pillar, ranking 9th globally. This is followed by the capital pillar at 46th, while the people pillar ranks 102nd.
Beyond high trade connectivity, Vietnam’s export reach is also highly impressive. The report ranks Vietnam 5th in the world for the breadth of its merchandise export network, demonstrating that Vietnamese goods are present in numerous global markets and are deeply integrated into international import networks.
Furthermore, the role of trade within the national economy is becoming increasingly prominent. Vietnam currently ranks 6th globally for merchandise exports as a percentage of GDP and 8th for merchandise imports. This reflects a higher level of economic interdependence and integration with international trade compared to most other nations.
Looking at long-term prospects, the report forecasts that Vietnam will sustain its strong trade growth momentum.
In terms of scale, between 2026 and 2030, Vietnam is projected to achieve the 4th largest absolute growth in merchandise trade in the world, trailing only China, India, and the United States. Regarding growth speed, Vietnam is expected to rank 24th globally in trade volume growth, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 6% during this period.
According to John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express, Vietnam has made remarkable strides in strengthening its connection to the global economy over recent decades, particularly in the scale and geographical reach of its merchandise trade flows.
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