Following the instructions of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Notice No. 65/TB-VPCP regarding the review of economic diplomacy, the Hai Phong City government is urgently concretizing strategic tasks to promote economic breakthroughs in the new phase.
2025: A Landmark Year of "Turning the Situation Around" At the review conference held in January 2026, the Prime Minister highly appreciated the "state-transforming" achievements of economic diplomacy in 2025. These results were summarized in 24 Vietnamese words (translated as): "Proactive and positive, expanded markets, improved quality, clear effectiveness, economic growth, and benefits for the people".
The year 2025 recorded record-breaking figures:
- Trade Turnover: Reached an all-time high of 930 billion USD.
- Tourism: Welcomed nearly 2 million visitors, exceeding pre-pandemic levels and setting a new record.
- National Brand: Significant progress was made in promoting Vietnamese products and supporting local connections.
Double-Digit Growth Target for 2026 Entering 2026, the Prime Minister requested all levels, sectors, and localities to strive for double-digit growth. The guiding spirit is the "6 Clears" motto: clear people, clear work, clear time, clear responsibility, clear product, and clear authority.
Strategic focuses include:
- Technology Breakthroughs: Prioritizing international cooperation in Artificial Intelligence (AI), semiconductor chips, digital transformation, and green transformation.
- Market Diversification: Exploiting potential in the Middle East, Africa, South America, and Halal product markets.
- Business Support: Perfecting the "Go Global" program to bring Vietnamese enterprises to the world.
- Multilateral Diplomacy: Preparing thoroughly for the APEC 2027 Summit Week.
Officials and civil servants in the foreign affairs sector are required to focus on:
- Monitoring and Strategic Consulting: Regularly staying abreast of the international situation to propose flexible and appropriate policies.
- Market Expansion: Negotiating FTA agreements with the UAE (GCC), Pakistan, and Bangladesh, and soon signing an FTA with the MERCOSUR bloc.
- Innovation: Attracting major technology corporations as well as overseas Vietnamese scientists.
Drastic Action in Hai Phong Immediately following the Prime Minister's conclusions, Vice Chairman of the Hai Phong City People's Committee Hoang Minh Cuong directed the Department of Foreign Affairs to lead and coordinate with relevant units to propose a specific implementation plan.
The city aims to closely follow strategic projects, particularly coordinating with the Ministry of Construction to complete the feasibility study for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong standard-gauge railway project by June 2026. Localities are also required to proactively connect directly with overseas representative agencies to promote investment.
The Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for reporting the implementation plan to the City People's Committee before March 10, 2026. This proactivity affirms Hai Phong's determination to turn economic diplomacy into a major driver for sustainable development and breakthrough growth in the digital era.