Trade between Vietnam and the United States is experiencing positive growth, with ample opportunities for cooperation development.
Bilateral trade between Vietnam and the United States continues to maintain positive growth momentum, and the constant strengthening of the cooperation foundation is expected to provide new impetus to the expansion of economic and trade cooperation.
From September 20 to 25, 2026, Secretary-General and President To Lam and the high-level Vietnamese delegation will participate in the high-level segment of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, conduct bilateral activities in the United States, and pay a state visit to Canada.
Against the backdrop of the continued development of Vietnam-US relations under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, economic, trade and investment cooperation is one of the most prominent highlights, reflecting the increasingly close bond between the two economies.
The synergistic magnetic dynamic between the two economies
As of the end of August 2026, total bilateral trade between Vietnam and the United States reached approximately US$137.42 billion, an increase of 23.4 percent compared to the same period in 2025. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam-US trade relations continue to experience strong growth, contributing significantly to Vietnamese imports and exports. Vietnam's trade surplus with the United States is also growing year by year.
Mr. Do Ngoc Hung, Trade Advisor and Head of the Vietnamese Trade Office in the United States, pointed out that what is remarkable is not only the increase in trade volume, but also the deepening integration between the two economies.
According to Mr. Hung, one of the main drivers of bilateral trade is the complementarity of the two economies. Vietnam excels in processing industries, consumer goods, electronics, textiles, footwear, wood products, and agricultural and aquatic products; while the United States excels in technology, machinery, equipment, energy, aeronautics, agricultural products and raw materials.
Companies in both countries are placing increasing importance on their respective roles in business strategies and supply chains. Vietnam constitutes an increasingly crucial link in regional supply chains and represents a market of more than 100 million inhabitants with rapidly growing demand for technology, energy and high-quality products and services. Bilateral trade relations are poised to evolve from growth in volume to closer cooperation focused on quality, technology and value chains.
According to the Vietnam Trade Office in the United States, the potential for developing bilateral trade remains significant if the two countries continue to benefit from the complementarity of their economies. Vietnam has a high demand for machinery, equipment, technology, raw materials, energy, aeronautical and agricultural products, sectors in which the United States has a competitive advantage. Increasing imports of these products would both meet domestic needs and provide inputs for production, thereby helping to strengthen the competitiveness of Vietnamese businesses.
By the end of August 2026, total bilateral trade between Vietnam and the United States is expected to reach approximately 137.42 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 23.4 percent compared to the same period in 2025. (Photo: PV/Vietnam+)
Conversely, Vietnam has the potential to supply many products meeting the needs of the American market at competitive prices and with ever-improving quality. However, Vietnamese companies must continue to develop added value, technological content, guarantee product origin, supply chain transparency and better comply with market standards.
According to Mr. Do Ngoc Hung, the goal for the coming period is not only to increase the volume of trade, but also to aim for a more complementary trade structure, bringing concrete benefits to businesses, workers and consumers in both countries.
The United States has plenty of room for Vietnamese products.
In terms of commercial opportunities, the United States still has significant potential for Vietnamese products, provided that market access is better structured. This market shows strong demand for key sectors of the Vietnamese economy, such as textiles, footwear, wood products, electronics, machinery and equipment, seafood, processed agricultural products, value-added food products, consumer goods and related industries.
The trend of moving supply chains away from risk centers continues to create opportunities for Vietnam in attracting orders, investments and more active participation in regional and global value chains.
However, the growth potential in the coming period will not come mainly from increasing the volume and diversity of exports, but will depend more on three factors: improving product quality; strengthening compliance capacities; and establishing a transparent, traceable and accountable supply chain.
For businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the biggest challenge when entering the US market today is quickly accessing information on policy changes, improving the ability to prepare trade defense cases, improving understanding of labor, environmental, origin, certification and technical standards requirements; and participate more effectively in direct channels connecting distributors, associations and retail systems in the United States.
Therefore, trade promotion activities in the United States will be organized selectively in the coming months, targeting specific product categories and taking into account companies' compliance capabilities. In addition to the traditional approach, which is based on trade fairs and business meetings organized by the Trade Promotion Agency, this approach should become more effective.
Create new momentum for long-term cooperation.
Referring to the bilateral activities of Secretary-General and President To Lam in the United States, Mr. Do Ngoc Hung affirmed that high-level diplomatic activities are of great significance in guiding and further boosting relations between the two countries, thereby helping to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership, enhance the confidence of the business community and inject new impetus into long-term cooperation projects.
From an economic and commercial perspective, the high-level activities contribute to building trust, intensifying exchanges and creating a favorable environment for government agencies and the business communities of the two countries to promote concrete cooperation programs.
The two countries have significant potential to develop their cooperation in areas such as high technologies, semiconductors, energy, aeronautics, the digital economy, human resources training and supply chains. These sectors present strong potential for long-term value creation for both economies.
Mr. Do Ngoc Hung affirmed that the Vietnam Trade Office in the United States will continue to play its role as a bridge, supporting businesses from both countries in seeking cooperation opportunities, thereby contributing to the substantial, stable, sustainable and mutually beneficial development of economic, trade and investment relations between Vietnam and the United States.
In 30 years, bilateral trade between Vietnam and the United States has increased more than 380 times, from around $450 million in 1995 to $172.5 billion in 2025. In addition to existing pillars of cooperation in many areas, the continued realization of economic, investment and trade commitments, as well as the expansion of supply chains, are expected to enable trade bilaterals to continue their growth.
