Vietnam’s garment and textile exports have risen 16.01 per cent against last year. This is the highest rise over the last three years, compared with 12.1 per cent in 2015, 4.07 per cent in 2016, and 10.8 per cent in 2017. Export turnover of clothes was up 14.45 per cent; that of fabrics was up 25.5 per cent; and the export values of yarn was up 9.9 per cent. The sector’s trade surplus was up 14.39 per cent year on year.

The sector sees rosy signs for 2019, with many businesses already receiving orders for the first six months and some even the whole year, with better product competitiveness and supply chains forecast.

The new-generation free trade agreements Vietnam has joined will be put into place and are expected to exert positive impacts on the production and business activities of the sector. Businesses are joining hands in implementing solutions on investment, marketing, human resources development, and sci-tech applications. Other proposals are policies to support waste water treatment at garment-textile industrial parks, increase personnel training, and admit wholly foreign-invested enterprises to develop the supply chain and promote experience exchange. The target is to raise the export turnover by 10.8 per cent in 2019.