GDP growth for the whole year reached 8.02%
Information at the press conference announcing the socio-economic situation in the fourth quarter and 2025 on the afternoon of January 5, Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong - Director of the Statistics Department (Ministry of Finance) - said that the gross domestic product (GDP) in the fourth quarter of 2025 is estimated to increase by 8.46% compared to the same period last year, reaching the highest increase of the fourth quarter of all years in the period 2011-2025. GDP for the whole year 2025 grew quite well with an estimated increase of 8.02% compared to the previous year.
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thuong Lang - an economic expert, high economic growth in 2025 is not only in the figure of 8.02%, but also in structure and quality. The three economic sectors all recorded positive growth, in which the industrial and construction, service sectors continue to be the two main "pillars" when contributing nearly 95% of GDP growth. Industry and construction increased by 8.95%, services increased by 8.62%, clearly reflecting the trend of expanding production, restoring consumption and increasing commercial and service activities, tourism, logistics.
In the context of global trade still facing many difficulties, Vietnam's total import and export turnover in 2025 still reached over 930 billion USD, an increase of 18.2%. In particular, the trade balance continued to have a trade surplus of more than 20 billion USD - the 10th consecutive year of trade surplus.
A bright spot mentioned by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thuong Lang is that foreign direct investment capital continues to be one of the major bright spots. In 2025, realized FDI capital reached 27.62 billion USD, the highest level in the past 5 years.
FDI not only brings capital, but is also an important channel for technology transfer, improving management skills and promoting the formation of industrial clusters, thereby increasing labor productivity and domestic added value. 2025 also recorded nearly 300,000 newly established and returning businesses, which is a very impressive figure, reflecting strengthened business confidence.
The goal for 2026 is a major challenge, but the picture of 2025 shows that Vietnam has accumulated both momentum and strength to enter a new stage of development with a more proactive and confident mindset" - Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thuong Lang emphasized.
Growth associated with macroeconomic stability
Stepping into 2026, Vietnam sets a GDP growth target of 10% along with maintaining macroeconomic stability, controlling inflation and ensuring major balances of the economy.
Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper, Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong said that this is a major challenge, it is necessary to clearly recognize the difficulties to have timely solutions and take advantage of opportunities to well implement socio-economic development goals, creating growth momentum in the coming period.
For public investment, it is necessary to have strong, drastic, and timely solutions to further accelerate the disbursement progress in 2026. Especially important and key national projects; have solutions to remove obstacles and definitively handle long-standing projects, contributing to improving the efficiency of investment capital and promoting socio-economic development. Build an effective mechanism to selectively attract foreign investment capital, in some potential sectors, creating breakthroughs and new driving forces for growth such as chips, semiconductors, innovation, green hydrogen..." - Ms. Huong proposed.
At the same time, it is necessary to continue to promote the implementation of industrial restructuring in the direction of modernization, in-depth development, improving productivity, quality, added value and competitiveness of products of advantageous industries. Prioritize the development and mastery of new technologies, emerging industries and fields such as chips, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, green, sustainable. Strongly develop supporting industries, strengthen links between foreign-invested sectors and domestic sectors.
For import and export, it is necessary to expand and diversify supply chains, production chains and markets. Effectively exploit opportunities from signed FTAs; promote exports to large and key markets; strengthen the exploitation of new, potential markets, the Middle East, Halal, Latin America, Africa, striving for sustainable trade surplus.
Domestically, it is necessary to stimulate consumption demand, promote tourism, and strengthen trade promotion through many diverse and rich forms, including organizing large-scale trade fairs on trade, industry, agriculture, and services... innovating content and methods of tourism promotion and advertising in a professional, modern, and effective direction.
