Mark Barnes is a Hanoi based freelance business journalist. He has a Bachelors Degree in Journalism from RMIT and a Masters of International Relations from the University of Melbourne. He writes broadly about the business environment in Vietnam and is available to write feature articles, market research and business intelligence reports, as well as consult on the intricacies of doing business in Vietnam.

A Brief History of Startups in Vietnam: Unpacked 2024

Mark Barnes August 27, 2024

A culture of ingenuity along with big appetites for risk has seen Vietnamese entrepreneurs slide seamlessly into the global start-up scene. But start-ups require capital and the capital flowing into Vietnamese startups has slowed considerably post-pandemic. With this in mind, this article runs through what’s changed, how it’s changed, and what might happen next…

What’s Going On with Vietnam’s Car Market in 2024?

Mark Barnes August 20, 2024

Last week, it was announced that Vietnam would once again cut registration fees for locally assembled cars. This is on the back of slower sales of Vietnam-made vehicles which is the result of a much broader rejig of Vietnam’s car market. This article looks at how Vietnam’s car market is changing, what’s making it change, and what might come next.

The VietJet UK Court Ruling for Foreign Firms in Vietnam: Unpacked

Mark Barnes August 13, 2024

For almost two years VietJet has been in a protracted legal battle with Fitzwalter Aviation. In July, however, it came to an end–pending an appeal–when a UK court handed down a ruling in favour of Fitzwalter. This article looks at what happened and how it played out in court, as well as what might happen next.

Vietnam News Roundup: August 2 to August 8

Mark Barnes August 9, 2024

This week’s Vietnam news roundup covers foreign trader stock market activity, bad debts, the latest manufacturing developments, the Big Mac Index, EU standards warning on Vietnam produce exports, Vietnam’s outbound FDI and more…

Commerce’s Findings from Vietnam’s Non-Market Economy Review: Unpacked

Mark Barnes August 8, 2024

Last week, the United States Department of Commerce–the DOC–rejected Vietnam’s application to have its status as a non-market economy overturned. This came after a months-long review including thousands of pages of evidence and arguments, from both Vietnam and the United States, culminating in not just the aforementioned adverse findings but also a 284-page memorandum explaining the decision. This article breaks down the key points in said document.

How African Swine Fever is Reshaping Vietnam’s Pork Market

Mark Barnes August 5, 2024

Vietnam has a bad case of African Swine Fever that it just can’t seem to shake. This is fundamentally reshaping Vietnam’s pork market, which has seen a huge increase in pork imports in recent years. This article looks at how this all started, what’s happening now, and what might happen next.

Vietnam News Roundup: July 26 to August 1

Mark Barnes August 1, 2024

This week’s Vietnam news roundup covers foreign trader stock market activity, credit growth, the consumer price index for July, foreign direct investment data, S&P’s Purchasing Managers’ Index, an EU dumping complaint against Vietnamese steel, and more…

Is a Sugar Tax Right for Vietnam?

Mark Barnes July 31, 2024

A sugar tax has been on the cards for Vietnam for some time now and may be drawing closer to becoming a reality. It has, however, been met with broad push back from industry and industry groups. This article looks at the public debate around a possible sugar tax in Vietnam, the impact it might have, and what foreign-owned businesses should be mindful of in this context.

How is the EVFTA Working Out for Vietnam?

Mark Barnes July 29, 2024

On Thursday, Vietnam and the European Union will mark the fourth anniversary of the European Union Vietnam Free Trade Agreement or the EVFTA for short. This agreement has brought down tariff barriers and boosted trade but it hasn’t been without its challenges, some of which still persist. This article looks at how this landmark agreement has been implemented, the challenges it has faced, and the challenges it still faces…

What Does a Devalued Yen Mean for Vietnam?

Mark Barnes July 24, 2024

Earlier this year the Japanese yen hit a 38-year low against the greenback and it’s currently sitting about 15 percent lower now than it was at the start of the year. Similarly, the Vietnamese dong took a big fall but has been propped up by the State Bank which has by extension kept the local currency higher against the Yen too. This article looks at what that might mean for Vietnam…

Vietnam’s New Direct Power Purchases Decree: Unpacked

Mark Barnes July 17, 2024

Last week, Vietnam issued Decree 80 creating a mechanism by which private enterprises and power generators can enter into direct power purchase agreements or DPPAs. Exactly how impactful this decree might be, however, is difficult to determine at this early stage with a lot of moving parts and a number of obstacles to be overcome. This article breaks down and puts into context the key components of this new piece of legislation.

Vietnam News Roundup: July 5 to July 11

Mark Barnes July 12, 2024

This week’s Vietnam news roundup covers Vietnam’s latest import and export numbers, bond issuances, new manufacturing projects, IPO data, foreign trader stock market activity, electricity news, and more…

What’s Happened to Vietnam’s Beer Market? Unpacked 2024

Mark Barnes July 10, 2024

The closure of the Heineken plant in Quang Nam, in central Vietnam, announced a week or two ago, has been big news. This is off the back of slow growth in beer sales post-pandemic and in line with falling revenues among a number of Vietnam’s major beer brewers. This has been blamed on broader economic challenges and harsher drink driving penalties, however, it is all a little more nuanced than that…

Vietnam’s Economy in the First Half of 2024: Unpacked

Mark Barnes July 3, 2024

Six months into 2024, just days ago, Vietnam’s General Office of Statistics released GDP data that showed a marked improvement for the local economy compared to 2023. Specifically, it found that GDP growth for Vietnam for the second quarter of this year had hit a phenomenal 6.83 percent, bringing the average growth rate for the year so far to 6.42 percent. This growth, however, has not been felt equally and in this light this article breaks down the finer nuances of Vietnam’s GDP growth in the first half of 2024.

Nuclear Power in Vietnam: Unpacked 2024

Mark Barnes June 26, 2024

During a state visit by the president of Russia to Vietnam last week, Vietnam’s Prime Minister told the Russians that Vietnam would consider nuclear energy as a means of meeting the net-zero 2050 commitment it made at COP26. Indeed, Vietnam needs more low-emissions electricity, but is nuclear power really a plausible solution?

The Impact of the Ukraine War on Vietnam’s Economy: Unpacked

Mark Barnes June 19, 2024

The Ukraine War has not been kind to Vietnam’s economy. Tourism, trade, and foreign direct investment have all taken a direct hit, not to mention the indirect impacts of the greater global economic challenges the war has precipitated. With this in mind, and the President of Russia due to land in Hanoi later today, this article looks at how the Ukraine War has impacted Vietnam’s economy.

Why Cryptocurrency in Vietnam Is So Popular: Unpacked

Mark Barnes June 3, 2024

Definitive regulations for cryptocurrency in Vietnam have been somewhat elusive. However, this has not stopped cryptocurrency and digital assets from becoming very popular. In light of this, this article runs through a brief history of cryptocurrency in Vietnam including how it has developed, how the government has responded, and what might happen next.

Vietnam’s Foreign Investor Stock Sell-Off: Unpacked 2024

Mark Barnes May 23, 2024

On March 27, foreign traders net-sold US$73.8 million worth of Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange–known colloquially as the HoSE–stocks. This was the biggest single-day net withdrawal from the market since at least December. It was, however, part of a trend that has seen foreign traders exit the market to the tune of US$1.18 billion in the six months to May 3 alone…

Vietnam’s Rare Earth Partnership Contenders: Unpacked

Mark Barnes May 14, 2024

For a brief month or two last year, Vietnam’s rare earth reserves were a hot commodity (pun intended). This was on the back of a whirlwind visit to Hanoi by the President of the United States, Joseph Biden, during which he announced the US would support Vietnam with mapping its

Vietnam’s Offshore Wind Power Holdup: Unpacked

Mark Barnes May 7, 2024

At the beginning of March of this year, a 100-ton wind turbine fell apart over a fish and shrimp farm in Vietnam’s Bac Lieu province. No one was injured but some three weeks later the owner of the shrimp farm made a compensation claim in the amount of VND 160