Son La province's location.

The conference was held in a hybrid format, combining in-person and online participation, with the involvement of leaders from various units under the Ministry, representatives from Vietnamese trade offices abroad, and representatives from associations, industries, and 34 provinces and cities. Attending the conference at the Son La provincial branch were Mr. Nguyen Thanh Cong, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, and leaders from several provincial departments and agencies.

At the conference, the Trade Promotion Department reported on the production and import-export situation in the first eight months of 2025, and also presented a growth scenario for import-export turnover in the remaining months of the year. The report emphasized the urgent need to diversify market prices, export products, and import supply sources, considering this key to maintaining growth rate in the context of a volatile global market.

Delegates attending the conference at the Son La province venue.

During the conference, representatives from industry associations such as textiles, footwear, supporting industries, fruits and vegetables, seafood processing and export, pepper, wood products and handicrafts, as well as local authorities, raised concerns about the difficulties in expanding markets. The discussions focused on removing technical barriers, reducing logistics costs, improving processing capacity, and recommending that the Government and relevant ministries and agencies continue to provide timely support policies to enhance competitiveness.

From key markets, representatives of the Vietnamese Trade Offices in the United States, Belgium and the EU, China, and many other trade offices updated import and export information and proposed various solutions to promote trade. These proposals focused on leveraging the benefits of free trade agreements (FTAs), strengthening business connections, expanding distribution networks, building brands, and developing products in a sustainable manner.