Even German Media Are Running Long Features on Vietnam's Economic Boom
DW spotlighted Vietnam's 7% GDP growth and USD 25 billion in FDI for 2024, while flagging trade-war risks ahead.
[Even German Media Are Running Long Features on Vietnam's Economic Boom]
▍ DW's Vietnam Feature
Germany's public broadcaster DW recently aired a feature on Vietnam's economic trajectory. The segment featured Vietnamese-American economist Trinh Nguyen, who broke down the drivers behind 7% GDP growth.
In 2024 alone, Vietnam attracted USD 25 billion in foreign direct investment, with more than half going into manufacturing.
▍ Vietnam's Core Strengths
Beyond the familiar factors — the U.S.-China trade war, supply chain diversification, abundant labor — Trinh highlighted Vietnam's foreign-investor-friendly policies relative to India, and the world's second-largest rare earth reserves, still largely untapped.
▍ Risks to Watch
The outlook is broadly positive, but risks remain. Vietnam's massive trade surplus with the U.S. could make it a target in a new round of tariffs. Stricter rules-of-origin enforcement is another concern.
Since the U.S.-China trade war began in 2018, Vietnam has climbed from America's 12th-largest import source to 6th in just six years. Foreign investment will likely keep flowing in the near term, but the risks above deserve close attention.
