International media outlets have hailed Vietnam’s 8.02% GDP growth in 2025, calling it a rare bright spot in Asia amid uncertain global trade landscape.
According to Nikkei Asia of Japan, the 8.02% growth is the fastest expansion in the last three years, placing the country among the top-growing economies over the past 15 years.
The growth was driven by a broad-based recovery across economic sectors, with industry and construction up 8.95% and services rising 8.62%. In the fourth quarter of 2025, the country’s GDP expanded by 8.46% year-on-year, marking the highest fourth-quarter growth since 2011.
The results show that Vietnam’s economy has maintained strong resilience despite 2025 being a volatile year for global trade, especially with the US imposing additional tariffs on Vietnamese imports, Nikkei Asia noted.
In an article on Vietnam’s 2025 economy, The Diplomat highlighted that Vietnam’s growth is even more impressive given that the US began imposing a 20% tariff on Vietnamese goods in August 2025.
According to The Diplomat, Vietnam’s exports to the US continued to rise despite the tariffs, underscoring the country’s key role in global supply chains. Citing official data, the magazine reported that Vietnam’s total exports in 2025 reached around 475 billion USD, up 17% from 2024.
Vietnam is now a key link in global supply chains for electronics, textiles, footwear, and consumer goods. Multinational corporations such as Samsung, Apple, and Nike continue to operate large assembly facilities in Vietnam, using imported components and materials—mainly from China—before exporting to the US and other markets.
Notably, international media sees foreign direct investment (FDI) as a key pillar of Vietnam’s growth. Nikkei Asia reported that FDI disbursements in the Southeast Asian country reached around 27.62 billion USD last year, up 9% from 2024—the highest ever. Meanwhile, new investment commitments remained stable, reflecting foreign investors’ long-term confidence in Vietnam’s economic prospects.
In its report, the US-based Associated Press (AP) noted that Vietnam remains a strong magnet for foreign investors. The agency highlighted that the growing presence of FDI firms is helping position Vietnam as a new manufacturing centre in Asia and bolster its ambition to become Asia’s next “tiger economy."
AP also noted that the Vietnamese Government is accelerating public investment and infrastructure development to sustain medium- and long-term growth. The simultaneous implementation of 234 big projects worth 129 billion USD, is seen as a key step to improve infrastructure capacity, reduce logistics costs, and attract hi-tech investment.
Looking ahead to 2026, international media noted that Vietnam still faces external challenges, including trade policy risks, regional investment competition, and pressure to upgrade infrastructure and logistics.
However, AP said Vietnam’s continued efforts to streamline procedures, invest in infrastructure, and expand exports to the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and India are important strategies to sustain its growth.
By leveraging its position in global supply chains, maintaining macroeconomic stability, and improving growth quality, Vietnam has strong potential to remain one of the fastest-growing economies in the region in the coming years, foreign media said./.
