Dong Nai among Vietnam's top five localities in FTA implementation

The Ministry of Industry and Trade held a ceremony on the afternoon of August 18 to announce the 2025 FTA Index, a set of indicators assessing the implementation of free trade agreements (FTAs) by localities.

The ceremony was attended by Politburo member, Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc; Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan; representatives of ministries, agencies and People's Committees of 34 provinces and cities; representatives of industry associations and businesses; ambassadors; and representatives of international organizations in Vietnam.

Nguyen Kim Long, Member of the Standing Board of the Dong Nai City Party Committee, Standing Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai City People's Committee, represented the city at the ceremony and received a Certificate of Merit from the Prime Minister.

Dong Nai makes effective use of FTA opportunities

At the ceremony, Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc presented Certificates of Merit from the Prime Minister to five provinces and cities that recorded outstanding achievements in implementing FTAs in 2025, including Dong Nai, Tuyen Quang, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Hai Phong.

Politburo member, Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc presents a Certificate of Merit from the Prime Minister to Dong Nai City.

Standing Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai City People's Committee Nguyen Kim Long said the city has long established itself as a leading industrial, commercial and service hub in the Southern Key Economic Region and the country as a whole. Amid deeper international economic integration, the proactive implementation of next-generation FTAs such as the CPTPP, EVFTA, UKVFTA and RCEP has been identified by the city's Party Committee and administration as a key strategic task to expand development opportunities, improve competitiveness and promote sustainable growth.

"Dong Nai has consistently ranked among the country's leading localities in exports because businesses in the city have made effective use of markets, particularly those with which Vietnam has signed FTAs."

According to the Department of Industry and Trade, during 2021-2025 period, the city's export turnover grew by 8.5-18% annually, exceeding both the city's targets and the national average. This result was achieved through efforts by local authorities and businesses to overcome difficulties flexibly and keep pace with global consumer demand, enabling them to supply products that meet market needs.

Politburo member, Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc presents Certificates of Merit from the Prime Minister to representatives of provinces and cities with outstanding achievements in implementing FTAs in 2025. Photo: Chinhphu.vn

In 2025, Dong Nai took decisive action and provided strong direction, focusing on developing specific action plans and solutions for key tasks. The city maintained close engagement with businesses by responding to their concerns and organizing conferences, while creating a favorable and open environment for import and export activities in line with the requirements of international economic integration. International economic integration efforts in the city were implemented in a coordinated and effective manner and in compliance with regulations. Trade promotion, foreign investment promotion, friendship cooperation and international seminars also continued to receive attention.

"The FTA Index results provide Dong Nai with a more comprehensive assessment of the quality of FTA implementation from businesses' real-world experience and help identify areas that need further improvement," the Standing Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee emphasized.

For many years, Dong Nai has effectively capitalized on opportunities created by FTAs to expand its export markets. The city's total export turnover has followed an upward trend over the past five years, reaching US$139.9 billion during 2021-2025—approximately 1.4 times the figure recorded in 2016-2020—with average annual growth of 9.35%. FDI enterprises accounted for the majority, at 75-85%.

FTA Index as an important benchmark for localities

Since joining the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) in 1996, Vietnam has entered into and implemented 17 free trade agreements at both bilateral and multilateral levels, establishing free-trade relations with many of the world's leading trading partners.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has developed and finalized the 2025 FTA Index, a set of indicators assessing FTA implementation. The FTA Index provides a mechanism for comprehensive and systematic assessment of FTA implementation, designed to supply important information to state management agencies, businesses, foreign investors and industry associations for investment and business planning in Vietnam.

In 2025, the Ministry of Industry and Trade conducted surveys and compiled data on FTA implementation across all provinces and cities. The ministry said the FTA Index is not only an annual assessment tool but also supports monitoring, evaluation and the gradual improvement of FTA implementation.

The 2025 FTA Index expanded its data coverage and more closely reflected the reality of FTA implementation at the local level. As of December 31, 2025, the survey had collected feedback from 4,066 import-export enterprises across 34 provinces and cities, providing a stronger basis for identifying strengths, shortcomings and support needs in making use of FTAs.

Several indicators showed that FTA-related information is becoming increasingly practical for business operations. Support for businesses has improved, with the proportion of enterprises unaware of next-generation FTAs falling below 10%. The proportion of businesses receiving regular guidance on rules of origin increased by 15.9 percentage points, while the proportion receiving guidance on preferential tariff schedules rose by 16 percentage points compared with 2024.

The FTA Index is a quantitative, objective and comprehensive tool for assessing the status and level of FTA implementation across 34 provinces and cities nationwide. It also serves as a tool for monitoring, evaluating and gradually improving the quality of FTA implementation.

Standing Vice Chairman Nguyen Kim Long affirmed that, as Dong Nai enters a new stage of development, the city has strategic advantages as Long Thanh International Airport prepares to begin operations and its interregional transport infrastructure network becomes increasingly complete. Dong Nai City is committed to continuing to work closely with businesses, accelerating administrative reform and digital transformation, and developing a green and circular economy. The city aims to maximize opportunities created by FTAs and transform Dong Nai into a dynamic, modern and sustainable economic, industrial and logistics hub.

By Staff Reporter - Translated by Mai Nga, Thu Ha