When reports of a private consumption problem in China surfaced, it made sense to wonder if Vietnam might be facing those same problems too. And indeed, whereas it’s fairly easy to assume that Vietnam’s booming economy might correlate to booming consumer consumption, the numbers paint a somewhat different picture…

The 8th Session of Vietnam’s National Assembly: Key Takeaways

Mark Barnes December 3, 2024

Vietnam’s 15th National Assembly wrapped up its 8th session on the weekend bringing to the end a month of debate and discussion with a number of new laws and amendments to existing laws approved. Here’s a few key takeaways for firms doing business in Vietnam…

Rethinking Financing Vietnam’s Clean Energy Transition

Mark Barnes November 27, 2024

That is to say, practically speaking, the implementation of Vietnam’s JETP agreement looks to have stalled. That being the case, it might be time to start considering other options.

Vietnam’s New Social Media ID Regulations: Breaking Down the ‘Why?’

Mark Barnes November 19, 2024

The passage of Decree 157, which adds verification requirements for social media accounts in Vietnam, has caused a stir amid claims this will be used to identify distributors of content deemed ‘anti-state’. This may be true, but it seems unlikely this is the actual intent of these new regulations, with several much more pressing reasons for these new requirements…

How Well Prepared Is Vietnam for a Trump Presidency?

Mark Barnes November 12, 2024

Most analysis in Vietnam of Trump’s election has centred around two key recurring themes: an increase in import tariffs in the United States as a direct impact on Vietnam; and, a likely stronger US dollar as a result of said tariffs and subsequently increased pressure on the dong. This article looks at how Vietnam might respond.

Temu in Vietnam: What’s Fair in Free Trade?

Mark Barnes November 6, 2024

When Chinese e-commerce giant Temu officially launched in Vietnam last month the hype was palpable. Not only had the firm dropped a small fortune on advertising but it had also ruffled feathers in Vietnam’s business community: Temu’s goods were too cheap and Vietnamese producers could not compete. With a narrative containing two things Vietnamese love–huge discounts and hating on China–the local media piled on…

Media Relations in Vietnam: Lessons from VinFast

Mark Barnes October 29, 2024

How VinFast has managed its brand image and narrative offers some interesting insights into the company and, by extension, how media relations work in Vietnam…

It’s Time to Talk About Vietnam’s Credit Growth Policy…

Mark Barnes October 22, 2024

A credit growth limit policy put in place to keep inflation in Vietnam in check back in 2010 was last year, after uncharacteristically low credit growth, reframed as a credit growth target. Banks, subsequently, have been pushed to issue more loans than they otherwise might have, which could have broad economic implications…

Vietnam’s Economy in Q3 Beyond GDP Growth: Unpacked

Mark Barnes October 15, 2024

Vietnam’s GDP grew by 7.4 percent in the third quarter of 2024 compared to 2023, according to data from the General Office of Statistics. This was higher than expected and bucked an understanding that it might take a hit off the back of Typhoon Yagi. This ostensibly positive news, however, seemed to overshadow another couple of key economic observations.

Paying For Vietnam’s High-Speed Rail: Unpacked

the-shiv October 8, 2024

Vietnam’s Transport Ministry has said that Vietnam’s high-speed railway project connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will utilise domestic finances and technology, as opposed to support from abroad. It is, however, expensive and financing it alone will be challenging.

Should Vietnam Be Worried About Indonesia Joining the CPTPP?

Mark Barnes October 1, 2024

Last week, Indonesia officially applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement. Whereas the benefits to Indonesia are clear, for Vietnam, a founding member of the agreement, it could be problematic. This article looks at the risks and opportunities for Vietnam if Indonesia’s accession is approved…

Why More Foreign Films Aren’t Made in Vietnam

Mark Barnes September 24, 2024

Vietnam’s Ministry of Tourism, Sports, and Culture is headed to Hollywood to pitch Vietnam as a film set in the hopes that Vietnam’s appearance on the silver screen will boost tourist numbers. It will, however, likely take more than simply raising awareness to see more films made in Vietnam with censorship weighing heavily on foreign film productions.

Can Vietnam Survive the Steel-Trade Wars?

Mark Barnes September 17, 2024

Cheap Chinese steel is flooding markets around the world causing headaches for local steel makers. This has led to anti-dumping investigations in a number of countries that look to have caught Vietnam in the crossfire. It is not, however, going quietly but launching its own anti-dumping investigations as well. In this context, this article looks at what has happened to Vietnam’s steel industry, how it is responding, and what that might mean moving forward.

Can Vietnam Ever Quit Coal?

Mark Barnes September 10, 2024

At the Conference of Parties in Glasgow in 2021, Vietnam committed to reducing its carbon emissions to net-zero by 2050 a big part of which was reducing the burgeoning Southeast Asian nation’s dependence on coal. Three years on, however, and Vietnam’s de-coalification appears to have stalled with coal power and coal imports both on the rise. So what’s changed? Why has it changed? And what might happen next?

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.

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.

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.