Under Decision No. 1970/QD-BCT, recently signed by Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien, an Action Plan of the ministry has been promulgated to implement the Prime Minister's Directive No. 18/CT-TTg, aimed at strengthening domestic and international trade promotion activities for 2025.

The action plan is designed to foster the strong and sustainable development of the domestic market, enhance the nation's capacity to respond to trade barriers, and diversify export markets and reduce reliance on traditional partners.

These efforts are intended to maintain the momentum of economic recovery and ensure sustainable development throughout 2025.

In  Decision No. 1970/QD-BCT, the minister has directed the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency to lead and coordinate with other agencies and organizations to effectively implement a diverse range of promotional activities supporting both imports and exports.

A key part of the strategy is to roll out large-scale, specialized trade promotion programs tailored to specific industries. These initiatives will focus on key markets, including the European Union, the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, and the ASEAN region.

In parallel, the plan calls for intensifying trade promotion programs for Vietnam's key products in markets where the country has existing Free  Trade Agreements (FTAs) or Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) as that signed between Vietnam and UAE. Simultaneously, efforts will be made to expand into new and niche markets, such as the Halal market and countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The strategy also emphasizes a stronger promotional push for high-tech products, particularly in sectors like semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), automation, machinery and equipment, and renewable energy.

The Agency of Foreign Trade is tasked with proactively equipping the export business community with up-to-date information on market conditions, trade policies, consumer trends, and the technical requirements of partners within FTA/CEPA markets, with a special focus on the CPTPP, EVFTA, and RCEP.

Furthermore, the agency will proactively study and assess the bilateral trade balance with key partners, including the United States, the European Union, and China. Based on this analysis, it will propose comprehensive, long-term solutions aimed at boosting exports of high-value-added goods, expanding the market share for Vietnamese products in developed economies, effectively managing imports to gradually achieve a more balanced trade relationship with major partners, and specifically, working to sustainably reduce the trade deficit with China in a manner that benefits domestic production.