On the morning of March 25, 2026, at the headquarters of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, its President Ho Sy Hung held a working session with Türkiye’s Ambassador to Vietnam, Korhan Kemik, and his delegation to discuss opportunities for economic, trade, and investment cooperation as bilateral relations continue to strengthen.

President of Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ho Sy Hung works with Türkiye’s Ambassador to Vietnam Korhan Kemik (Photo: Truong Dang).

During the meeting, the Turkish side provided an overview of its economy, which has a nominal GDP of approximately USD 1.3 trillion, a population of over 86 million, and a diversified economic structure, with services accounting for about 61%, industry 32%, and agriculture 7%.

Türkiye is currently the world’s 19th largest economy, with key industries including automobile manufacturing, petrochemicals, electronics, textiles, and food processing. In addition, the construction and tourism sectors play significant roles, with more than 30 million international visitors annually.

A notable point emphasized by the Turkish side is the country’s strategic geographic location, bridging Asia and Europe, which positions it as a gateway for goods entering the Middle East and Southern Europe markets. This is considered a major advantage for partners, including Vietnam, to expand export markets.

However, Türkiye’s economy is also facing certain challenges, particularly high inflation (around 58.5%) and macroeconomic volatility. Despite this, the country continues to maintain its role as a key economic hub in the region, while pursuing long-term strategies such as the “Türkiye Century Vision” and hydrogen energy development toward 2053.

Maintaining growth momentum

Regarding bilateral economic relations, both sides acknowledged that Vietnam and Türkiye have maintained stable cooperation since establishing diplomatic relations in 1978. In recent years, two-way trade has continued to grow, reaching over USD 2 billion in 2025, of which Vietnam’s exports accounted for approximately USD 1.6 billion.

Vietnam’s key exports to Türkiye include rice, rubber, tea, textiles, footwear, electronics, and handicrafts. In return, Türkiye supplies Vietnam with industrial products, raw materials, and equipment.

In terms of investment, as of the end of 2025, Türkiye had 36 valid projects in Vietnam with total registered capital exceeding USD 1.7 billion, ranking 23rd among countries and territories investing in Vietnam.

Notable projects mentioned at the meeting include the Hayat Kimya factory in Binh Phuoc with an investment of USD 250 million, as well as Turkish enterprises’ participation in major infrastructure projects such as Long Thanh International Airport through the Vietur consortium.

Both sides agreed that cooperation potential remains significant, particularly in processing industries, construction, energy, and logistics.

Both sides commit to cooperation to promote Vietnam–Türkiye trade and investment (Photo: Truong Dang).

Enhancing the connecting role of VCCI and TurkCham

In recent years, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry has closely coordinated with the Turkish Embassy in providing market information and connecting businesses. A highlight has been the support for the establishment of the Turkish Business Association in Vietnam in 2024.

TurkCham is expected to serve as a bridge between the business communities of the two countries, promoting cooperation in trade, investment, and tourism.

At the meeting, the VCCI proposed several specific directions for future cooperation, including organizing a series of local workshops to introduce business opportunities with Türkiye, strengthening business networking activities between TurkCham and VCCI members, and expanding cooperation with Turkish trade promotion organizations.

Another notable issue is that the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry is currently in discussions with the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), expected to take place during an upcoming high-level visit by Vietnamese leaders to Türkiye.

The parties agreed that establishing formal cooperation mechanisms would help build a stronger foundation for bilateral economic relations, especially as Türkiye intensifies its “Look East” policy and Vietnam continues to expand its global trade partnership network.