The country’s trade surplus reached a record high of US$9.9 billion in 2019, the highest level seen in the past four years.

Although challenges lie ahead, there remains room for agro-forestry-fishery exports to increase in 2020, according to Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong.

The fisheries sector in 2020 will focus on granting certification to brackish shrimp farms (tiger shrimp and white-leg shrimp), tra fish farms and aquaculture in cages, Director of the Directorate of Fisheries Tran Dinh Luan said.

At a conference in Hanoi on 23 December organised by Vietnam's Ministry of Planning and Investment, Mr Le Tien Truong, vice chairman of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association, and general director of Vinatex, said the industry is keen to participate in the global supply chain and maintain growth momentum, while developing sustainably.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) may have reduced average tariffs by nearly half and streamlined world trade in its 25-year history, but the multilateral trading body is faced with the challenge of rising protectionism across the globe, the WTO chief has said.

Vietnam’s exports should out-perform the rest of South-east Asia in 2020, Maybank Kim Eng economists expect, even as the downturn in regional shipments is likely to bottom out.

China starts a host of new tax cuts on imported goods on Wednesday, as the country further promotes high-quality trade growth.

China on Wednesday moved to pump more cash into its financial system, suggesting that Beijing remained concerned about faltering growth despite signs that the world’s second-largest economy was stabilising.

Việt Nam is advancing into 2020 following good results in 2019. Experts and companies tell Việt Nam News about their forecasts of the country's economic prospects this year as well as opportunities and challenges facing the country.

Vietnam is ready to take on the role of ASEAN Chair in 2020, making contributions to building a cohesive and responsive ASEAN Community, said Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung.