At the Vietnam–US Trade Forum 2025, officials highlighted that the United States continues to be Vietnam’s biggest export destination, underscoring three decades of deepening economic partnership.
Yesterday, at the Vietnam–US Trade Forum 2025 themed “30 Years of Economic and Trade Cooperation – Overcoming Challenges, Entering a New Era”, organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, discussions reaffirmed that the United States maintains its position as Vietnam’s largest export market.
The United States is the largest export market
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, as of November 2025, Vietnam’s export value reached US$430.14 billion, an increase of over 16 percent. The United States accounted for US$138.6 billion, more than 32 percent of total exports remaining a strategic market for key sectors such as electronics, computers, phones, textiles, footwear, furniture, and seafood.
At the forum, Pham Quang Vinh, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and former Ambassador of Vietnam to the United States, noted that bilateral trade growth from under US$500 million in 1995 to today’s level was not a miracle but the outcome of continuous reform, deep integration, and mutual economic benefit.
Dr. Tran Toan Thang from the Institute of Economic and Financial Strategy stated that Vietnam’s exports to the US continue to show impressive growth, led by electronics, phones, and computers with increases exceeding 40 percent. These high-value goods have become a driving force for exports, reflecting how US corporations are expanding imports of technology products from Vietnam as part of global supply chain restructuring.
Meanwhile, textile and footwear exports have rebounded significantly, with the US market representing about 38 percent of total export value. Wooden furniture has returned to positive growth after a period of decline, while consumer goods, household items, and sporting equipment also continued to rise, broadening Vietnam’s export profile in the world’s largest market.
In the seafood sector, Nguyen Hoai Nam, General Secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), said that exports to the US have remained stable this year at around US$2 billion–US$2.2 billion.
At the same event, Matt Priest, President of the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA), remarked that Vietnam has become one of the most crucial links in the global supply chain. He praised Vietnamese enterprises for improving standards, enhancing transparency, strengthening traceability, and fulfilling large orders.
Vietnamese goods must adapt quickly
According to Nguyen Hong Duong, Deputy Director of the Foreign Market Development Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the US market is recovering rapidly, creating opportunities for sectors like electronics, wood, textiles, and processed agricultural products. However, such rapid growth could trigger trade defense investigations if businesses fail to meet emerging standards. Companies must therefore adapt quickly to requirements on origin, labor, environment, and supply chain transparency, which are criteria the US is tightening as it restructures global supply chains.
Dr. Tran Toan Thang added that US countervailing duties serve not merely as revenue tools but as mechanisms to adjust supply chains. This forces Vietnamese businesses to be more flexible in production, diversify sourcing, and invest more in trade risk management. Without timely standard upgrades, major export industries such as wood, steel, solar energy, and particularly electronics could face significant impacts from investigations or reviews.
Many companies agreed that the US market is entering a phase of “stricter selection,” with rising expectations on transparency and safety standards. Any tariff adjustment increases compliance costs, reduces profit margins, and introduces risks across entire supply chains.
Truong Thi Thuy Linh, Deputy Director of the Trade Remedies Authority (Ministry of Industry and Trade), warned that the US may simultaneously impose three measures—anti-dumping, anti-subsidy, and safeguard tariffs—for extended periods. In several recent cases, the duties imposed on Vietnamese firms have been so high that re-entering the market became nearly impossible.
Therefore, Ngo Chung Khanh, Deputy Director of the Multilateral Trade Policy Department, advised businesses to shift from viewing the US merely as a “buyer’s market” to one of “mutual benefit.” Vietnamese companies should prioritize supply chain security and bilateral interests by not only exporting but also increasing imports of quality materials and technology from the US to balance trade and strengthen production capacity.
Economic experts concluded that Vietnamese enterprises should enhance production standards, improve forecasting capacity, and pursue sustainable export strategies to minimize trade defense risks. Doing so will help them maintain the strong position in the US market and expand their reach to other global destinations.