What Should Businesses Do to Seize Opportunities from the Government’s New Development Strategy?

I. Vietnam Enters a New Cycle of Growth 

Vietnam is preparing to enter a new phase of growth marked by long-term vision and a strong commitment to deep reforms. Under Directive No. 31/CT-TTg (2025) of the Prime Minister on developing the 2026–2030 Socio-Economic Development Plan, the country targets an average annual GDP growth of at least 10%, aiming for breakthroughs in institutional reform, infrastructure, human resources, and digital transformation. 

This context signals a period of reshaping the national growth model, in which the business sector—especially private enterprises—plays a central role in driving progress. As the Government defines a new growth model, the question arises: where will Vietnamese businesses stand in this new era? 

II. The New Strategic Landscape: Five Pillars Creating Opportunities for Businesses 

🔹 Institutional reform and business environment improvement: The Government aims to shift from a pre-check to a post-check management approach, reduce compliance costs, and expand the development space for the private sector, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and innovative startups. 

🔹 Infrastructure and energy investment: Major projects such as the North–South Expressway, high-speed railway, and national strategies for renewable and nuclear energy are shaping new value chains for logistics, construction, materials, and technical services. 

🔹 Digital transformation and science–technology development: Key sectors including the digital economy, artificial intelligence, big data, e-commerce, and green technology are becoming the main drivers of productivity and innovation. 

🔹 High-quality human resource development: The Government emphasizes STEM education, English proficiency, digital skills, and international cooperation in education and training. 

🔹 Green, circular, and sustainable economy: This pillar encourages enterprises to “green” their production, reduce emissions, and integrate more deeply into low-carbon global supply chains. 

III. Specific opportunities for different business sectors 

From these five strategic pillars, Vietnamese enterprises can clearly identify suitable directions of action. 

🔹 For manufacturing enterprises: This is the time to engage in public investment projects and infrastructure–energy supply chains, while accelerating the adoption of clean technologies, ESG standards, and green production models. 

🔹 For service and logistics enterprises: Businesses can leverage the boom in e-commerce and rising demand for transportation by investing in digital supply chain management, expanding warehouse networks, and strengthening regional connectivity. 

🔹 For technology and innovative startups: These businesses are facing a golden opportunity, benefiting from tax incentives, innovation funds, and sandbox mechanisms. This is the moment to develop digital products and platforms that support business management, data processing, artificial intelligence, and automation. 

🔹 For agricultural and local enterprises: Applying biotechnology, IoT, and traceability systems can help enhance agricultural value while participating in national programs for new rural development and regional green economies. 

IV. What businesses should do to seize the opportunities 

Enterprises must proactively adjust their business strategies to align with national orientations. Each company should ask itself: are our products, technologies, and processes truly aligned with the three new growth drivers—digitalization, greening, and innovation? 

Alongside strategic adjustments, businesses need to strengthen management capacity, ensure financial transparency, and prepare to access preferential capital sources, public investment projects, or public–private partnership (PPP) opportunities. Investing in people and technology should be a top priority, including building internal training programs on digital transformation, ESG practices, and modern management skills. 

Enterprises should also foster regional linkages and public–private collaboration, taking advantage of policies for developing key economic regions, growth hubs, and cross-sector value chains. Promoting innovation and intellectual property registration not only protects business assets but also provides advantages in accessing tax incentives, innovation funds, and high-tech zone benefits. 

V. Challenges Businesses Should Be Aware Of 

Alongside opportunities, the 2026–2030 period also presents significant challenges. The risk of “overheating growth” may put pressure on capital and human resources. Many enterprises still lack sufficient capacity to implement digital transformation or ESG management—capabilities that are increasingly essential in international cooperation. Competition will intensify as Vietnam integrates more deeply into global markets, bringing stricter demands for transparency, compliance, and international standards. 

VI. Conclusion: From “Standing Aside” to “Partnering with the Government” 

The Government’s new development strategy is not merely a state plan—it is a map of opportunities for the Vietnamese business community. In this new landscape, enterprises must shift from reactive to proactive thinking, from “adapting” to “leading the trend.” 

If 2021–2025 was a period of recovery after global disruptions, then 2026–2030 will be the phase of breakthrough—when Vietnamese enterprises rise to regional prominence and affirm their new position in global value chains. By partnering with the Government, businesses are not only beneficiaries of policy but also co-creators of Vietnam’s economic future.