WORDS ON THE STREET 70th anniversary of Hanoi's Liberation Day Vietnam - Asia 2023 Smart City Summit Hanoi celebrates 15 years of administrative boundary adjustment 12th Vietnam-France decentrialized cooperation conference 31st Sea Games - Vietnam 2021 Covid-19 Pandemic
Home / Economy / Trade - Service
Competition is part of the game as CPTPP comes into play
Ngoc Mai 22:06, 2019/05/03
Vietnam’s participation in the CPTPP would help the country perfect legal frameworks and improve the business environment towards greater transparency, smoothness and fairness.
With the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans – Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) coming into play, the most challenging issue for local enterprises would be a change in mindset and considering competition part of the market economy, according to Tran Quoc Khanh, vice minister of Industry and Trade. 
 
Overview of the conference.
Overview of the panel on CPTPP.
Khanh made the comment at the Vietnam Private Economic Forum 2019 held on May 2, discussing the prospect of CPTPP as a breakthrough for Vietnam’s economic development. 

According to the vice minister, who has participated in many FTA negotiation, from the competition pressure, enterprises must change their stance from passive defense to be active players in the market. 

The government would support enterprises but their proactive behavior would be a decisive factor determining the success under the CPTPP, Khanh stated. 
 
Tran Quoc Khanh, vice minister of Industry and Trade.
Tran Quoc Khanh, vice minister of Industry and Trade.
Currently, Vietnam is the seventh member country to have official ratifed the deal following Mexico, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, Canada and Australia, after the US withdrew in January 2017. 

The CPTPP-11 economies make up around 13% of global economic output and are home to 500 million people. 

The National Center for Socio-Economic Information and Forecast (NCIF) under Vietnam's Ministry of Planning and Investment expected the CPTPP would boost Vietnam’s GDP by US$1.7 billion and over US$4 billion in exports, equivalent to additional growth of 1.32 and 4.04 percentage points till 2035, respectively. 

Khanh expected Vietnam’s participation in the CPTPP would help the country perfect legal frameworks and improve the business environment towards greater transparency, smoothness and fairness. 

Discussing the CPTPP’s impacts, Vu Duc Giang, chairman of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS), considered CPTPP a backbone of Vietnam’s textile industry, however, the deal would be insufficient for further development without a solid foundation. 

Giang said the government must set up a development strategy and a long-term vision for the textile industry, including infrastructure and human resources.

Chairman of the Vietnam Cotton & Spinning Association (VCOSA) Nguyen Van Tuan said another challenge to Vietnam’s textile industry is the fierce competition from foreign companies which currently dominate 70% of the domestic market. 

Over the past 18 years, the textile industry has sustained an average growth rate of 15% per year but still depends on raw imports, while for the enterprises, the key issue would be value addition instead of purely relying on low-valued work. 

Vice Minister Khanh expected the next big market for Vietnam’s textile industry would be the EU, especially with the upcoming Vietnam – EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).  

According to HSBC’s latest report, Vietnam’s textiles and footwear sectors are expected to benefit most from the EVFTA. Vietnam’s exports of textiles and footwear to the EU totaled nearly US$9 billion in 2018. Meanwhile, EU levied average tariffs on these products currently as high as 9%. 

These tariffs would be removed in three years or directly upon entry into force of the EVFTA for less sensitive products. Meanwhile, EU tariffs on more sensitive textile and footwear products would be removed after five to seven years. 
Other news
08:41, 2025/01/11
Vietnam-Laos Industrial Park: New direction to strengthen bilateral ties
Numerous Vietnamese projects in various sectors have effectively contributed to Laos' development, creating jobs and improving the livelihoods of tens of thousands of local workers.
22:19, 2025/01/09
Hanoi's foreign trade turnover hits US$60.1bn in 2024
The city will continue to support businesses in exploring new markets, capitalizing on the Free Trade Agreement of which Vietnam is a member.
11:46, 2025/01/09
Vietnam confident of achieving 8% growth rate in 2025
Key drivers of Vietnam’s growth include institutional reforms and decentralized governance.
14:34, 2024/12/26
UK’s accession to CPTPP to benefit Vietnam’s exports in 2025
Vietnam, in particular, will gain further access to a high-quality market, complementing its connections with Japan, Canada, and Australia.
16:41, 2024/12/16
Hanoi seeks greater efficiency in e-commerce tax management
Hanoi's e-commerce tax administration is expected to be significantly tightened in the near future.
17:34, 2024/12/15
Hanoi's wet markets in decline amid changing consumer behaviors
Local consumers prefer shopping options that offer convenience and assurance of product origin.