Trade & Investment

Vietnam’s economic success over the past three decades has been built in no small part on its openness to international trade and investment. It is now among the world’s most open economies, according to the IMF – in the last 15 years alone, its share of world trade has quintupled, with combined imports and exports now equal to around 160-170% of GDP. Along with its location, Vietnam’s political and social stability, and the consistency of its legislation regarding trade, make it a natural base for manufacturers feeding into global supply chains, where reliability of supply is a prerequisite.

This chapter contains interviews with Nguyen Chi Dung, Minister of Planning and Investment; Lim Hng Kiang, Singapore Minister for Trade and Industry (Trade); and Cecilia Malmström, European Commissioner for Trade.