On 03 December 2025, in Da Nang City, the Department of Multilateral Trade Policy (Ministry of Industry and Trade – MOIT), in collaboration with the Da Nang City Department of Industry and Trade, organized the workshop entitled “The ASEAN Economic Community and Leveraging Commitments under ASEAN Free Trade Agreements for Vietnam’s Key Export Sectors in Da Nang City”. The event attracted the participation of around 100 delegates, including representatives from enterprises, industry associations, and government agencies.

The Workshop was opened and co-chaired by Ms. Nguyen Viet Chi, Deputy Director General of the Department of Multilateral Trade Policy, Ministry of Industry and Trade, and Ms. Do Thi Quynh Tram, Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Industry and Trade. The event featured thematic presentations by Mr. Tran Ngoc Binh, Head of the Export–Import Management Division for the Ho Chi Minh City area; Mr. Quyen Anh Ngoc, Head of the ASEAN Division under the Department of Multilateral Trade Policy, Ministry of Industry and Trade; along with representatives from the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and several other functional units of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Nguyen Viet Chi emphasized that, 30 years after Viet Nam joined ASEAN, the bloc has consistently remained one of the country’s most important economic and trade partners. ASEAN is currently the fourth-largest export market for Vietnamese enterprises, after the United States, China, and the European Union (EU). The FTAs within the ASEAN framework serve as a foundation that helps businesses expand cooperation opportunities, diversify export markets, enhance competitiveness, and participate more deeply in global value chains.

Echoing this perspective, Ms. Do Thi Quynh Tram expressed her appreciation to the Ministry of Industry and Trade for organizing this important Workshop in Da Nang. She expressed hope that the information and discussions shared during the event would help the business community in Da Nang and neighboring areas better understand and take full advantage of the benefits offered by the ASEAN Economic Community.

In their presentations at the Workshop, speakers from the Department of Multilateral Trade Policy and the Export–Import Department of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, together with representatives from VCCI, provided participants with a clearer understanding of the formation and development of the ASEAN Economic Community, its objectives, implementation activities, and future orientations. The speakers also elaborated on the implementation, review, upgrading, and new negotiations of FTAs within the ASEAN framework, as well as the key commitments and practical ways to interpret and utilize these commitments so that businesses can effectively take advantage of and realize the benefits offered by the FTAs.

According to statistics from the Viet Nam Customs Authority, in 2024, Viet Nam’s export value to ASEAN reached nearly USD 36.9 billion, an increase of 13.3% compared to 2023, accounting for 9.09% of Viet Nam’s total global export value. In the first nine months of 2025, Viet Nam’s exports to ASEAN amounted to USD 28.5 billion, up 2.8% compared to the same period in 2024.

Source: Compiled by the Multilateral Trade Policy Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade of Viet Nam