WTO praises Viet Nam’s development achievements
VGP - WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala praised Viet Nam’s development achievements, noting that the country’s merchandise exports and imports have increased approximately sixfold since joining the WTO.
Okonjo-Iweala stressed the point while addressing an event held on November 5 to mark the 20th anniversary of Viet Nam's accession to the WTO.
The event took place within the framework of Viet Nam's third Trade Policy Review (TPR) in Geneva, Switzerland.
She said that the WTO has helped Viet Nam promote reforms, strengthen investor confidence and integrate increasingly deeper into the global economy.
The WTO official recommended Viet Nam continue diversifying its markets and sources of supply, increasing value chain, strengthening linkages between domestic enterprises and foreign-invested businesses, and actively participating in new WTO initiatives.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Mai Phan Dung, Permanent Representative of Viet Nam to the United Nations, the WTO and other international organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, emphasized that joining the WTO is a strategic choice for Viet Nam, closely linked to its Doi Moi (Renewal) process, opening-up and international economic integration.
Over the past 20 years, international economic integration has become a driving force for institutional reforms, trade expansion, foreign investment attraction and the enhancement of Viet Nam's international standing, stated the diplomat.
The Ambassador stressed that a key lesson from Viet Nam's 20 years of WTO membership is that integration provides momentum for reform, while reform determines the quality and sustainability of integration.
In the coming period, the nation will continue to improve its institutional framework, enhance competitiveness, shift its focus from expanding trade volumes towards increasing value added, and proactively contribute to strengthening the rules-based multilateral trading system, shared Mai.
Representatives of South Korea, China, the Philippines and Norway at the WTO, together with international speakers, exchanged views on the role of integration in Viet Nam's economic reforms and development. Their discussions highlighted the need to improve investment quality, promote technology transfer, facilitate trade and strengthen supply chain connectivity.
On November 7, 2006, Viet Nam officially signed the Protocol on the WTO accession in Geneva, Switzerland, and became the 150th member of the world's largest trade organization on January 11, 2007.
It marked an important milestone in the country's international economic integration process and laid the foundation for Viet Nam to establish more strategic and comprehensive partnerships, as well as sign bilateral and next-generation free trade agreements (FTAs), including the CPTPP, EVFTA, RCEP, and many others.
After 20 years joining the WTO, Viet Nam's total trade turnover has surged from US$100 billion in 2007 to over US$900 billion in 2025.
As of early November 2026, Viet Nam's total trade surpassed the US$1 trillion mark. This remarkable achievement underscores the scale of the country's trade and its capacity for international economic integration. It also highlights Viet Nam's export potential, demand for imported raw materials, machinery and equipment, and ability to connect with global markets.
Viet Nam currently ranks 18th and 20th worldwide in export and import turnover, respectively, while ranking second among ASEAN countries in terms of total trade value. Its trade relations extend to 237 countries and territories, making the country an increasingly important link in the global trading system./.