Vietnam pledges favourable conditions for UK businesses
Finance Minister Nguyen Van Thang noted that free trade agreements such as the UK–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) have expanded opportunities for businesses in both countries.
Finance Minister Nguyen Van Thang holds a meeting with the UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy Matt Western. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) 👍– Finance Minister Nguyen Van Thang has affirmed Vietnam’s commitment to improving its investment environment and creating favourable conditions for foreign enterprises, including those from the United Kingdom.
The statement was made during his meeting in London with the UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy Matt Western as part of his recent working trip to the UK and Italy.
At the event, the two sides discussed the state of bilateral cooperation, with Thang stressing that the UK is a strategically important partner for Vietnam, particularly as economic, trade and investment ties have continued on a positive growth trajectory in recent years.
The minister noted that free trade agreements such as the UK–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) have expanded opportunities for businesses in both countries. In customs, he said the two governments are working towards the signing of an agreement on cooperation and mutual administrative assistance.
Thang expressed confidence that the meeting would lay an important foundation for strengthening bilateral ties, thereby contributing to socio-economic development in both nations. He also highlighted the significance of 2025, which marks the 15th anniversary of the Vietnam–UK Strategic Partnership (2010–2025). He voiced his hope for the elevation of the two countries' ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, opening broader and deeper avenues for cooperation.
For his part, Trade Envoy Matt Western welcomed the robust growth in bilateral economic, trade and investment relations and praised Vietnam’s efforts in institutional reform, financial market development and international integration.
He affirmed the UK’s readiness to share expertise, provide technical assistance and cooperate with Vietnamese agencies in establishing an international financial centre, upgrading the status of Vietnam’s stock market and facilitating stronger international capital flows to enhance investor confidence.
The UK currently has 606 valid investment projects in Vietnam with total registered capital of 4.65 billion USD, ranking 15th among 152 countries and territories investing in the country./.
The Vietnamese Business Association in the UK (VBUK) has announced plans to reshape the landscape of Vietnam-UK trade relations, focusing on driving business community forward, fostering its unity and strengthening connections with their Vietnamese partners both at home and abroad.
The Vietnam-UK Business Forum 2023 took place in Hanoi on November 24, as part of activities held by the Joint Committee on Economic and Trade Cooperation between Vietnam and the UK (JETCO) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties.
The UK government has appointed TheCityUK to support Vietnam’s goal of developing a regional financial and business centre in Ho Chi Minh City, British Embassy in Hanoi announced on February 22.
The State Bank of Vietnam must launch an official gold price information portal, study the establishment of gold exchanges, and issue guiding documents to implement the Government’s decree on the management of gold trading activities.
According to the World Bank Group, Vietnam will need approximately 368 billion USD in investment for climate adaptation and carbon reduction projects by 2040. Yet, as of the end of 2024, green credit accounted for just 4.5% of the country’s total outstanding loans.
Amidst robust digital transformation across all sectors, the food processing industry has tapped such digital technologies as Internet of Things, AI, blockchain and Big Data to optimise production process, control supply chain, and meet consumers’ demands.
The French side pledged to share technical guidelines and safety standards, with the Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) ready to provide training for Vietnamese specialists.
Vietnam now has more than 940,000 private enterprises and over 5 million household businesses, contributing approximately 50% of GDP, over 30% of state budget revenue, and employing 82% of the national workforce.
Businesses underlined the need for expanding green credit and non-collateral concessional loans for circular agriculture projects, facilitating their participation in national key projects, and fostering alliances among Vietnamese enterprises as well as cooperation with regional partners.
State-owned Vietcombank currently leads the banking system with total assets exceeding 85 billion USD and a market capitalisation of over 20 billion USD, while maintaining strong financial safety indicators. Its non-performing loan ratio remains the lowest in the sector at 0.97%.
Malaysia is Vietnam’s third-largest trading partner in ASEAN and ninth globally, as well as a key investor with 731 valid projects worth about 13 billion USD. Bilateral trade reached 9.23 billion USD by July 2025, up 8% year-on-year, nearing the 18 billion USD target.
Lotte Shopping currently operates three department stores and 16 supermarkets in Vietnam, alongside one department store and 48 supermarkets in Indonesia. The company highlighted the success of its flagship Lotte Mall West Lake Hanoi, which opened in 2023, describing it as a model for future premium complexes. Kim said the group intends to replicate this concept in other major Vietnamese cities.
In the EU, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing remains a major obstacle to Vietnam's efforts to have the European Commission (EC)'s “yellow card" lifted. The bloc’s dense and constantly changing regulatory framework also affects farming zones, production processes and quality standards.
The Vietnam Private Sector Forum 2025 (VPSF 2025) opened in Hanoi on September 15, packing in over 1,500 entrepreneurs, economists, and international organisations across four thematic sessions to reshape Vietnam’s private sector landscape.
The economic picture in the first eight months of 2025, whether viewed from the overall economy or from a local perspective, is very positive. Major economic centres have recorded extremely impressive growth in the period, the Ministry of Finance stated in its recent report on the socio-economic situation, sent to the Government.
Cross-border e-commerce is set to become one of the strategic pillars in Vietnam’s national master plan for e-commerce development during 2026–2030, as the country looks to build a sustainable digital export ecosystem and enhance global competitiveness for its businesses.
The State Bank of Vietnam set the daily reference exchange rate at 25,208VND/USD on September 16, down 8 VND from the previous day.
The shift of global supply chains, coupled with the impacts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, is opening up both opportunities and challenges for the Vietnamese economy.
According to preliminary statistics from Vietnam's Customs Department, as of August 15 this year the country's shrimp exports to China (including Hong Kong) surged by up to 76% over the same period last year, reaching nearly 767 million USD and accounting for nearly 29% of the country's total shrimp export turnover.
Exquisite craftwork, diverse dishes, and vibrant music have captured the attention of international visitors at the National Entrepreneurs Day (HUN) 2025 held in Kuala Lumpur from September 12-16.
The 13th Mekong–Republic of Korea (RoK) Business Forum provided a platform to seek solutions for strengthening collaboration, overcoming economic challenges, and expanding opportunities for sustainable development in a volatile global environment.