Industryweek 33693 Nike Shoe Promo 1 1
Industryweek 33693 Nike Shoe Promo 1 1
Industryweek 33693 Nike Shoe Promo 1 1
Industryweek 33693 Nike Shoe Promo 1 1
Industryweek 33693 Nike Shoe Promo 1 1

Manufacturing Drives Vietnam’s Decade-High Growth of 7.1% in 2018

Dec. 28, 2018
The economy has benefitted by the exports of manufactured goods, from Nike shoes to H&M T-shirts, as well as tech products like Samsung phones and Intel computer processors.

The country has long been one of Asia's fastest growing economies -- GDP growth topped 5% over the past five years -- largely driven by the exports of cheap manufactured goods, from Nike shoes to H&M T-shirts, as well as tech products like Samsung phones and Intel computer processors. 

But this year's growth surpassed the communist government's target of 6.7%, hitting 7.08%, according to figures released on Dec. 27 by the General Statistics Office in Hanoi.

"The processing and manufacturing sector was the bright point and the main driver for the overall growth" with a 12.98% increase, said GSO head Nguyen Bich Lam.

He added the economy would remain robust next year with the expected contribution of manufacturing projects such as Vinfast, a local car assembly company owned by Vietnam's largest private conglomerate Vingroup.

Run by Vietnam's richest man Pham Nhat Vuong, Vingroup also recently unveiled its first made-in-Vietnam mobile phones in an effort to gain a slice of the lucrative market.

However, the World Bank predicted a slowdown over the next two years if Vietnam does not protect itself from escalating global trade tensions. 

"As an open economy, Vietnam needs to maintain a responsive monetary policy, exchange rate flexibility and low fiscal deficits to enhance its resilience against potential shocks," said Sebastian Eckardt, the bank's lead economist for Vietnam.

A bruising trade war between the U.S. and China has caused reverberations around the region, as Washington and Beijing have slapped tit-for-tat tariffs on more than $300 billion worth of goods.

But relations have eased after both sides agreed to a 90-day truce earlier this month.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2018

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

Empowering the Modern Workforce: The Power of Connected Worker Technologies

March 1, 2024
Explore real-world strategies to boost worker safety, collaboration, training, and productivity in manufacturing. Emphasizing Industry 4.0, we'll discuss digitalization and automation...

3 Best Practices to Create a Product-Centric Competitive Advantage with PRO.FILE PLM

Jan. 25, 2024
Gain insight on best practices and strategies you need to accelerate engineering change management and reduce time to market. Register now for your opportunity to accelerate your...

Transformative Capabilities for XaaS Models in Manufacturing

Feb. 14, 2024
The manufacturing sector is undergoing a pivotal shift toward "servitization," or enhancing product offerings with services and embracing a subscription model. This transition...

Shifting Your Business from Products to Service-Based Business Models: Generating Predictable Revenues

Oct. 27, 2023
Executive summary on a recent IndustryWeek-hosted webinar sponsored by SAP

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!