Five strategic directions for trade promotion in the new period

In the new period, trade promotion is not only an export tool, but also a national strategy, paving the way for Vietnam to conquer the global market.

Transforming to adapt: ​​From “open” to “smart” commerce

In the context of a rapidly changing global economy , increasing protectionism and the requirement for green transformation and digital transformation to become mandatory standards, Vietnam's trade promotion activities are entering a period of comprehensive restructuring. Not only stopping at market expansion, Vietnam is aiming for a modern, smart and sustainable trade promotion ecosystem, taking innovation as the driving force, data linkage as the foundation and national synergy as the strength to conquer the global market.

At the Vietnam Export Promotion Forum 2025 with the theme "Go Global: Conquering the international market" organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade on the morning of November 26, Mr. Vu Ba Phu - Director of the Trade Promotion Agency (Ministry of Industry and Trade) affirmed: " We are in an important pivotal stage ".

The period 2021 - 2025 has witnessed a strong breakthrough in Vietnam's exports, with growth in turnover at double digits and a trade surplus maintained for more than a decade. However, in the context of profound changes in the world, from geopolitical changes, trade conflicts, increasing protectionism to urgent requirements for green transformation and digital transformation, trade promotion activities are forced to enter a new stage of development.

Mr. Vu Ba Phu, Director of the Trade Promotion Agency, Ministry of Industry and Trade, presented a speech at the forum. Photo: Thai Manh

“ Old thinking will not open new doors. We need to change the way we do things, change the tools and change the way we think about trade promotion. The new model must be based on data, technology and the connection of the entire system ,” Mr. Phu emphasized.

He said that Vietnam is still facing three major challenges: low domestic added value; weak links between domestic enterprises and FDI enterprises; and an inconsistent trade promotion network, lacking mechanisms for data sharing and efficiency assessment. Therefore, a new trade promotion ecosystem is needed: more modern, more professional, and connecting all domestic and foreign resources.

According to Mr. Vu Ba Phu, the National Trade Promotion Plan for the 2026 - 2030 period that the Ministry of Industry and Trade has been completing will be implemented on the basis of five key strategic orientations, serving as the pillar for the modern trade promotion ecosystem.

Firstly , promoting trade by industry clusters means no longer approaching individual businesses, but organizing them in chains, in product clusters with deep links. This approach helps increase brand strength, save resources, and at the same time form regional industry value chains.

Second , promote green transformation and sustainable standards in exports. Trade promotion is not just about “bringing goods to the world”, but also “bringing goods on the green road”, cleaner production, low-emission logistics, environmentally friendly packaging and clear traceability. “ Green transformation and digital transformation always go together. If we are not green, we will be eliminated from the global supply chain ,” Mr. Phu emphasized.

Third , forming a digital trade promotion ecosystem where data becomes a core asset. The Ministry of Industry and Trade is deploying a digital platform system for national trade promotion, integrating business - market - product - partner data, applying Big Data and AI to analyze and forecast consumption trends and support accurate decision making.

Fourth , build a national export identity, unify the image of Vietnamese goods on the international market, associated with the Vietnam Value National Brand program. “ Each product bearing the Vietnamese export logo must reflect the quality, reputation and cultural values ​​of Vietnam. When seeing that identity, international partners will understand that this is a reliable product of a dynamic and creative country ,” Mr. Phu shared.

Finally, implement the “Go Global” program, selecting leading enterprises with international competitiveness to be the “locomotive” to lead, pulling the satellite business ecosystem to reach out to the world. “ When a Vietnamese enterprise goes international, they do not go alone, but bring the entire value chain. That is the new development model of modern trade promotion ,” said Mr. Phu.

Accordingly, the five orientations are not only an action plan, but also a comprehensive restructuring of national trade promotion work, from management models, operating methods, to human capacity and data infrastructure.

Delegates attending the Vietnam Export Promotion Forum 2025 with the theme “Go Global: Conquering the international market”. Photo: Thai Manh

Join forces to conquer the global market

According to the plan, the Ministry of Industry and Trade will simultaneously implement five key groups of solutions: diversifying markets; improving the efficiency of utilizing FTAs; developing a modern national trade promotion network with a clear horizontal and vertical coordination mechanism; improving the capacity of trade promotion staff and organizations; and comprehensively reforming the National Trade Promotion Program.

“ We cannot develop if we only look for customers. We must proactively attack the market, invite international buyers to Vietnam, and organize regional trade promotion events. The recent Autumn Fair 2025 was a successful test, opening a new direction for the modern trade promotion model ,” Mr. Phu emphasized.

According to Mr. Vu Ba Phu, trade promotion in the new era is not just the task of one agency or one program, but requires the synchronous coordination of the Government, ministries, branches, localities, associations, enterprises and international partners. Each link plays an important role in the unified ecosystem.

“ Success only comes when all actors act together, share data and work towards a common goal, improving national competitiveness, affirming Vietnam as a sustainable, dynamic and reliable partner in global trade, ” he said.

He also affirmed that modern trade promotion is not only a tool to promote exports, but also a lever for developing the processing industry, logistics services, energy conversion and digital economy. When data becomes the “new energy source” of trade, trade promotion must become the “smart engine” of the export economy .

With the spirit of “Transform to lead - Breakthrough to succeed”, Vietnam is moving towards a smart, sustainable and global trade promotion model. “ We must together conquer the international market with Vietnamese intelligence, creativity and mettle. When businesses, localities and associations share the same vision, Vietnam can absolutely become a regional trade promotion center, an important link in the global value chain ”, Mr. Phu believes.

Mr. Vu Ba Phu emphasized: "Success only comes when all entities act together, based on a modern, unified, connected and data-driven trade promotion ecosystem."

Viet Nga - Ngoc Hoa

Source: https://congthuong.vn/nam-dinh-huong-chien-luoc-cho-xuc-tien-thuong-mai-giai-doan-moi-432125.html