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| Ambassador Mai Phan Dung (centre), Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations, the WTO and other international organisations in Geneva at Vietnam’s third Trade Policy Review (Photo: VNA) |
Geneva (VNA) – Vietnam’s third Trade Policy Review (TPR) took place on November 4-6 at the headquarters of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland, providing an opportunity for the country to share its efforts and achievements in international economic integration and exchange views with WTO members on its trade policies.
The review was chaired by Ambassador Nella Pepe Tavita-Levy, Permanent Representative of Samoa to the WTO, with Ambassador Seongmee Yoon, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea, serving as discussant.
The Vietnamese delegation was led by Ambassador Mai Phan Dung, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations, WTO and other international organisations in Geneva, and included representatives from the Ministry of Industry and Trade and other relevant ministries and agencies.
In his opening remarks, Dung stressed that Vietnam views the TPR not merely as a transparency obligation but also as an opportunity to objectively assess its achievements, listen to other members’ views and identify areas for improvement.
He highlighted the country’s economic performance since its previous review, with average GDP growth of around 6.2% annually during 2021–2025. In 2025, Vietnam posted an economic growth of about 8% and merchandise trade worth about 930 billion USD, entering the upper-middle-income economy group.
He also outlined four major developments: institutional reforms and improvements to the business environment; deeper international economic integration; proactive contributions to trade rule-making; and consistent support for a rules-based multilateral trading system with the WTO at its centre.
The review attracted considerable interest from WTO members, with more than 40 statements delivered. Members commended Vietnam’s strong economic growth, resilience and deep integration into regional and global value chains. They also recognised its administrative reforms, improvements to the investment climate and efforts to modernise customs procedures.
They praised the country's contributions to the WTO, including its ratification of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, participation in the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA) and launch of the process to join the expanded Information Technology Agreement (ITA 2).
Members also highlighted Vietnam’s role as Chair of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in 2026 and its hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Finance Ministers’ Meeting in 2027.
They shared results of bilateral cooperation with Vietnam, including the upgrading of partnerships and expansion of collaboration across various fields.
Meanwhile, members raised issues requiring further clarification, including institutional improvements, transparency and predictability in policymaking, the business environment, trade and investment facilitation, and implementation of international commitments. Some also encouraged Vietnam to contribute more actively to the WTO, particularly its reform process and initiatives.
At the November 6 session, the Vietnamese delegation thanked members for their constructive comments and recommendations, while providing further information, clarifying issues and addressing their concerns.
Vietnam affirmed that it would continue studying the issues raised to refine its policies and legislation and improve the implementation of international commitments.
The review concluded successfully in an open, frank and constructive atmosphere, reflecting WTO members’ strong interest in Vietnam’s trade policies and economic integration.
Its outcomes further underscored Vietnam’s image as a proactive and responsible member of the multilateral trading system and reaffirmed its consistent commitment to a fair, transparent and rules-based global trading system with the WTO at its centre./.
