According to the Statistics Office (Ministry of Finance), in the first quarter of 2026, the export turnover of goods reached 122.93 billion USD, an increase of 19.1% compared to the same period last year. In which, the domestic economic sector reached 24.47 billion USD, down 16.6%, accounting for 19.9% of total export turnover; the foreign-invested sector (including crude oil) reached 98.46 billion USD, an increase of 33.3%, accounting for 80.1%.
In the first quarter of 2026, there were 20 items with export turnover of over 1 billion USD, accounting for 86.8% of total export turnover (there were 5 items exported over 5 billion USD, accounting for 62.4%).
According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong, Director of the Statistics Department, this result shows the good adaptability of Vietnamese businesses in the difficult context of global trade.
In the short term, demand in key markets such as the United States and the EU remains stable; exports to China recovered positively. At the same time, many orders in the first quarter were made on the basis of pre-signed contracts, so they were not immediately affected by geopolitical fluctuations. In addition, the factor of basic commodity prices increasing also contributes to increasing export turnover value," Ms. Huong assessed.
However, export businesses still face difficulties from the impacts of the Middle East regional conflict. In fact, in recent years, geopolitical shocks stemming from conflicts and strategic competition between major countries, as well as the trend of accumulating and controlling supply, are no longer short-term cyclical, but are gradually becoming a constant factor.
From the perspective of state management agencies, Ms. Nguyen Cam Trang, Deputy Director of the Import-Export Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade) emphasized that market diversification and supply chain upgrades are two key pillars to improve resilience to these shocks.
According to Ms. Nguyen Cam Trang, in the past time, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has implemented many measures, from taking advantage of signed free trade agreements (FTAs) to continuing to negotiate and sign new agreements with potential markets, thereby expanding the "playground" for businesses when participating in the international market.
In addition, trade promotion activities are also promoted, along with the support of the Vietnamese trade office system abroad in bringing businesses to the international market to meet partners directly. In the opposite direction, trade counselors also organize bringing foreign businesses to Vietnam to connect and create conditions for direct trade. Through this, these are considered trade promotion activities that bring practical efficiency.
Another important content in market diversification is market information work. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has launched a digital platform on foreign markets, providing specific and detailed information, helping businesses access more easily. When participating in international trade, understanding the regulations, needs and tastes of foreign markets is a very important factor for businesses," Ms. Trang said.
In addition to diversification content, according to Ms. Nguyen Cam Trang, in improving competitiveness, management agencies determine that they need to prioritize trade and industrial policies in a selective direction, focusing on key sectors, in order to both maintain export growth and improve the efficiency and position of Vietnam in the global supply chain.
This includes supporting businesses to meet international standards, especially green standards, so that they can continue to penetrate and stand firm in large markets with high requirements such as the EU, Japan and South Korea," Ms. Trang said.
