According to representatives of the Department of Foreign Market Development under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the global economic landscape in recent years has been marked by unprecedented upheavals: trade tensions between major economies; disruption and reconfiguration of supply chains following the Covid-19 pandemic; complex geopolitical developments; and a rising trend of market protectionism through both tariff and non-tariff barriers. These factors have had a direct impact on the production and business activities of Vietnamese enterprises, forcing Viet Nam to accelerate its strategy of diversifying markets, products and distribution channels in order to maintain and strengthen its position in international trade.

Against this backdrop, the series of events “Connecting International Supply Chains – Viet Nam International Sourcing” and the Export Forum, co-organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee since 2023, has been regarded as one of the most effective tools to expand export markets. It is also a concrete step in implementing the Scheme “Promoting Vietnamese enterprises’ direct participation in foreign distribution networks by 2030” under the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 1415/QD-TTg dated 14 November 2022.

Linking three pillars: trade – investment – tourism

In 2025, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee jointly organised the series of events “Connecting International Supply Chains – Viet Nam International Sourcing & Ho Chi Minh City Export Forum 2025” in conjunction with ITE HCMC 2025, held from 4 to 6 September at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC). This is the first time that central and local authorities have closely coordinated to co-host a series of events that simultaneously promotes tourism and showcases products, businesses and investment opportunities – along with opportunities to build production and supply chains in Viet Nam.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang emphasised that this “three-in-one” model has generated a powerful synergistic effect, attracting thousands of businesses and international delegations to Ho Chi Minh City and many other localities across the country over the three days of the event. The appeal of the programme stems not only from its organisational scale, but is also underpinned by the “internal strength” and “momentum” of the Vietnamese economy, which has consistently maintained high growth in recent years and is now targeting double-digit growth in the near future.

In 2024, Viet Nam’s total import-export turnover reached more than US$786 billion, with exports amounting to US$405 billion, up 14.3%, including 37 items exceeding the US$1 billion mark and 8 items surpassing US$10 billion. In the first seven months of 2025, total import-export turnover reached nearly US$515 billion, up 16.3% year-on-year, indicating that the target of 12% growth in import-export for the whole of 2025 is entirely within reach. International tourism has also become an important growth driver, contributing around 8% of GDP in 2024 with more than 18 million international arrivals, a figure expected to rise to 25 million in 2025.

Within this broader picture, ITE HCMC 2025 is not only a showcase for cultural beauty, heritage and attractive tourism products, but also a bridge that helps tourism become a driver for trade and investment. Each international visitor, after taking home positive impressions of Viet Nam’s land and people, can also become a “trade ambassador” for Vietnamese goods, helping to expand export markets.

In parallel, Viet Nam International Sourcing 2025 and the Export Forum focus on connecting global supply chains and supporting Vietnamese enterprises to participate more deeply in international production networks and value chains. The logical linkage between trade, investment and tourism helps optimise business opportunities while enhancing the country’s image on the international stage.

Impressive figures for Viet Nam International Sourcing 2025

After three editions, Viet Nam International Sourcing 2025 has expanded in scale by 1.5 times and posted many impressive figures. In 2025, as many as 450 buying delegations from 60 countries and territories have come to Viet Nam in search of product suppliers. These delegations are not only from traditional markets such as the United States, the European Union, Japan and the Republic of Korea, but also from promising emerging regions such as the Middle East, Latin America, Eastern Europe and several countries in Central and South Asia. This geographical diversity enables Vietnamese enterprises to make effective use of the 17 free trade agreements already in force, extend their reach into new markets, reduce the risks associated with dependence on a limited number of regions and sharpen their strategic vision in export activities.

More than 400 Vietnamese enterprises are showcasing around 12,000 products over an exhibition area of 10,000 m² at SECC, ranging from agricultural products, beverages and processed foods to consumer industrial goods such as textiles and garments, footwear, wooden furniture, home furnishings, packaging, as well as supporting-industry products and consumer electronics. Around 60 Viet Nam Trade Offices and their branches abroad have been directly involved in inviting and organising delegations, ensuring that buyers have genuine demand for sourcing from Viet Nam.

On the digital matchmaking platform operated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, more than 3,000 pre-arranged B2B meetings have been scheduled, in addition to some 5,000 spontaneous contacts and on-site discussions at the booths. This volume of interaction demonstrates the strong appeal of the event and reflects the confidence and support of the domestic and international business community for goods and services bearing the Viet Nam brand.

Opportunities for localities and businesses to move deeper into value chains

Another highlight of this year’s programme is the proactive and extensive participation of localities. Beyond increasing the scale of their pavilions and the number of participating businesses, many provinces and cities have actively mobilised and organised foreign business delegations to visit and explore the local investment and business environment. Tay Ninh province, for example, will welcome around 150 business delegations and distribution groups from 24 countries and territories to connect directly with local enterprises within the framework of the event.

A series of conferences and thematic seminars held alongside the exhibition has created an effective two-way interaction channel. Vietnamese enterprises have the opportunity to update themselves on market trends, consumer preferences and new legal regulations in export markets. Meanwhile, buyers, distribution systems, foreign companies and e-commerce platforms are able to gain deeper insights into the production capacity, development orientation and supply potential of each product category in Viet Nam, while also discovering the cultural richness and warmth of the Vietnamese people.

A trusted business rendezvous for the global business community

Viet Nam International Sourcing 2025, together with the Export Forum and ITE HCMC 2025, is not merely a set of stand-alone trade promotion activities, but is gradually shaping a reputable “business rendezvous” for the region and the world. The Organising Committee expects that, from the thousands of meetings and negotiations held, numerous commercial agreements and contracts will be signed, opening up new cooperation opportunities and business ideas for participating enterprises.

With its expanding scale, the structured participation of international buying delegations and the proactive role of both the Trade Office network and local authorities, Viet Nam International Sourcing 2025 is expected to continue helping Vietnamese goods and products reach further into global markets, while affirming Viet Nam’s position as a key link in international supply chains, trade and tourism.

Some photos from the event:

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