Export maintain growth
According to statistics recently released by Customs Department (Ministry of Finance), in the first half of August 2026, total import and export turnover of goods reached US$52.32 billion. Of which, export turnover reached US$25.41 billion, continuing to show that goods trade activities maintained a positive growth rate.
Notably, export structure continued to concentrate on product groups with high turnover values. In the first half of August, four product groups achieved turnover of US$1 billion or more, including computers, electronic products and components; telephones of all types and components; machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts; and textiles and garments.
On import side, turnover in the first half of August reached US$26.91 billion. Two product groups had turnovers of US$1 billion or more: computers, electronic products and components with US$12.73 billion; and machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts with US$3.12 billion. These two groups alone accounted for 58.9% of total import turnover. Cumulatively from the beginning of the year to August 15th, total import and export turnover of the whole country reached US$712.72 billion. Of which, exports reached US$345.42 billion and imports reached US$367.3 billion.
Looking more broadly, data for the first seven months of the year shows that export growth momentum is being maintained quite clearly. According to the latest announcement from MBS Research, export turnover in July reached US$53.08 billion, an increase of 4.5% compared to the previous month and a 25% increase compared to the same period last year.
Notably, domestic economic sector is showing signs of improvement. In July, export value of this sector reached nearly US$10.3 billion, an increase of 14%, marking the third consecutive month of positive growth.
In addition, manufacturing activity is creating an important foundation for exports. In the first seven months of the year, overall industrial production index increased by 11.4% compared to the same period last year; processing and manufacturing sector alone increased by 12%, higher than the 10.3% of the same period last year.
Vietnam Manufacturing Index in July rose to 52.9 points, the highest level since February. Number of new orders increased for the third consecutive month, while new export orders increased at the fastest rate in the past two years. Production increased at its strongest pace in five months, extending growth streak to 14 consecutive months.
These developments provide a basis for expecting production and export activities to continue maintaining momentum in the remaining months of the year.
According to MBS Research, export are likely to continue growing at double-digit rates until the end of this year thanks to global trade supported by investment demand in AI, along with Vietnam's strategy of diversifying export markets. Based on current factors, MBS Research estimates export growth for the whole year 2026 to range from 17.5% to 19.8%.
Raising standards for sustainable market expansion
Export growth momentum is opening up significant opportunities, but requirement is no longer simply to increase volume of goods sold abroad. Reality in major markets such as the US and the EU shows that Vietnamese businesses must shift strongly from a "have goods to sell" mindset to building long-term competitiveness.
The US continues to be Vietnam's largest export market. According to data cited by MBS Research, export to this market reached US$104.7 billion, a 23% increase compared to the same period last year. Export to China reached US$45.6 billion, a 30.7% increase; while export to the EU reached nearly US$38 billion, an 18% increase.
At the seminar “Seizing opportunities - complying with regulations - promoting balanced and sustainable trade” on August 18th, Mr. Le Hoang Tai, Deputy Director of Trade Promotion Department, emphasized that the United States is a large market with high purchasing power but also high competition and strict requirements regarding quality, traceability, labeling, environment, labor and intellectual property.
According to Mr. Le Hoang Tai, Vietnamese enterprises need to increase added value, diversify products and increase import of machinery, technology, raw materials, products and services from the United States. Compliance with regulations must be identified as a core element of competitiveness.
Meanwhile, in EU market, after six years of implementing EVFTA, bilateral trade between Vietnam and the EU has increased from US$49.8 billion in 2019 to nearly US$74 billion by the end of 2025, with a trade surplus reaching a record high of US$38.6 billion.
However, in an interview with Vietnam Industry and Trade Newspaper, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoang Thuy, Director of Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden, pointed out that requirements of this market are increasingly stringent. Regulations on packaging and packaging waste require 100% of packaging to be recyclable by 2030. Regulations on deforestation, applied from the end of 2026 to coffee, rubber and wood, also require transparency in the supply chain. Therefore, businesses wanting to effectively utilize the benefits from EVFTA must proactively raise product standards, control chemical residues, invest in deep processing and use environmentally friendly packaging.
From perspective of the US market, at seminar "Seizing Opportunities - Complying with Regulations - Promoting Balanced and Sustainable Trade", Mr. Tran Lich, Director of VISIA and General Coordinator of Ready2US - Ready for the US Market, stated that approximately 85% of surveyed businesses are not yet ready for this market. The biggest challenges include market research and understanding US consumers; a lack of marketing strategies and sales channels; legal requirements and compliance; insufficient working capital and cash flow management; and building appropriate brands, designs and R&D.
This reality shows that Vietnam's export growth potential remains very large, but to turn opportunities into actual market share, enterprises must invest more in core competencies.
Notably, issue of adding value has also become a pressing requirement. Dr. According to Nguyen Quoc Viet from University of Economics, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, value-added content of services in Vietnam's total export is only about 12%, while in manufacturing exports it is only about 7%, significantly lower than model countries like South Korea.
This necessitates improving quality of human resources, expanding high-skilled labor force, and increasing capacity to provide high-value services in the export chain.
Despite positive prospects, export still face numerous risks from potentially weakening global demand, high energy prices, logistics costs and the risk of increased trade protection measures. Vietnam is also facing investigations under Section 301 of the US related to intellectual property and structural overcapacity. Therefore, maintaining export growth in remaining months of the year is not just about export figures. The bigger challenge is how to increase the added value of Vietnamese goods, meet stricter standards and stand more firmly in global supply chain.

Source: Vitic/ congthuong.vn