VNA reported that on the evening of July 22, Politburo member and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a conference with Heads of Vietnamese Representative Agencies abroad to promote economic diplomacy, contributing to the implementation of the growth target for the last 6 months of 2025 and creating a foundation for the next growth period.
At the conference, delegates assessed that the world and regional situation continued to be complicated and unpredictable; the domestic situation was mixed with both advantages and challenges. Under the leadership of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, headed by General Secretary To Lam, the Government has directed ministries, branches and localities to implement measures to promote comprehensive foreign relations.
Vietnam has actively implemented the policy of diversifying markets and partners, creating breakthroughs in potential regions such as Latin America, the Middle East - Africa, Central Asia, and Central and Eastern Europe; promoting diplomacy in science and technology, innovation; reviewing high-level agreements. In the first 6 months of 2025, senior leaders have carried out nearly 50 foreign affairs activities, upgraded relations with 10 countries, signed 253 cooperation agreements - double compared to 2024.
Vietnamese representative agencies abroad have organized nearly 300 economic diplomatic activities, supported localities in organizing more than 150 promotional activities and signed 30 international cooperation agreements.
Thanks to those efforts, the Vietnamese economy maintained a positive trend: GDP growth in the first 6 months of the year reached 7.52%, highest in ASEAN and among the world's leading groups; stable macro economy; trade surplus of more than 7.6 billion USD; registered FDI reached more than 21.5 billion USD, up 32.6%; realized FDI reached 11.7 billion USD; international visitors increased by 20.7%.
Concluding the conference, the Prime Minister requested representative agencies to grasp the current situation, analyze and advise promptly, avoid being passive and surprised; maintain a peaceful and cooperative environment; ensure the growth target of 8.3-8.5% in 2025; implement the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization and diversification; build an independent economy, associated with extensive international integration.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the diplomatic focus in the coming period is economic diplomacy; the requirement to connect domestic and foreign enterprises, promote FTA signing, attract talent, and exploit a network of overseas Vietnamese experts in the fields of science, technology, and innovation.
The Government will continue to promote stable, substantive and sustainable relations with major countries, neighboring countries and important partners; organize high-level foreign affairs activities, multilateral and bilateral contacts; support localities and businesses to remove difficulties and develop the economy effectively both domestically and internationally.
The Prime Minister directed to promote the implementation of Resolution 222/2025/QH15 on the International Financial Center, with cooperation from the UAE and Kazakhstan; request the implementation of resolutions and conclusions of the Politburo; continue FTA negotiations with MERCOSUR; soon remove the IUU yellow card and promote infrastructure connection projects with other countries.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the growth target of 8.3-8.5% in 2025 is challenging but completely feasible if ministries, branches, localities, enterprises and Vietnamese representative agencies abroad coordinate synchronously, promote the role of economic diplomacy, and create momentum for development in the entire coming period.
