Vietnam's economy expanded by 7.52 percent in the first half of 2025, marking its strongest six-month performance since 2011, according to figures released Saturday by the General Statistics Office (GSO).

The robust economic growth comes on the heels of a breakthrough trade deal with the United States, which helped Vietnam sidestep the harshest of U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed “reciprocal” tariffs targeting its exports.

The economy surged 7.96 percent in the second quarter year-on-year — the highest Q2 growth since 2022, when the figure stood at 8.56 percent. Vietnam has set an ambitious annual growth target of at least 8.0 percent for 2025.

In its statement, the GSO described the performance as a major milestone amid global economic uncertainty.

“Our country’s socio-economic performance in the second quarter and the first six months of 2025 achieved very positive results, approaching the set target in the context of many uncertainties in the world and regional economy,” the agency said.

Trade Tensions with U.S. Eased
Vietnam's recent deal with Washington played a crucial role in easing trade tensions. The agreement, finalized earlier this week, reduced proposed U.S. tariffs from 46 percent to a minimum of 20 percent in exchange for increased market access for American goods.

Vietnam currently holds the third-largest trade surplus with the U.S., behind only China and Mexico. The country had been at risk of facing some of the steepest levies under President Trump’s aggressive tariff policy.