A development model based on productivity, knowledge and technology requires long-term capital, a skilled workforce, innovation capacity, technology absorption and incentives for long-term invest.

A faster-growing Vietnam will need far more capital and power, setting the stage for a new investment cycle spanning finance, energy, infrastructure and electrical equipment.

Vietnam is not short of money for investment when viewed across the economy. Yet domestic businesses remain hungry for capital, banks are scrambling for deposits and interest rates are proving stubborn.

To ascend to a higher stage of development, Vietnam must execute three strategic transformations, with institutional reform serving as the decisive lever.

Lower rates, faster credit and double-digit growth are all desirable. Achieving them without destabilizing inflation, the currency or banks is the harder part.

After four decades of Doi Moi (renewal), Vietnam is seeking to shift its growth model away from capital, natural resources and low-cost labour towards productivity, technology and innovation.

With around 1 million businesses in Vietnam, 98% of them small and medium-sized enterprises, the proposed Law on SME Development is, in practical terms, a law for the development of Vietnam's private business sector.

Within just four years, the Central Committee issued two major resolutions on land policy: Resolution 18 in 2022 and Resolution 21 in 2026. This is a rare occurrence for a foundational policy with a comprehensive impact across the national economy.

Vietnam needs $227-231 billion in exports in the final five months of 2026 to meet its annual growth target, as exporters grapple with rising trade barriers, costs and competition.

For many Vietnamese entrepreneurs, the biggest obstacle to investment may no longer be capital or labor costs, but uncertainty over where business risk ends and legal liability begins.

Resolution No. 19-NQ/TW identifies productivity, knowledge, technology and human capital as key growth drivers, with smart, green and circular development central to Vietnam’s long-term strategy.

Vietnam wants lower lending rates while preparing to mobilize nearly $1.5 trillion in investment over five years, putting the structure of its financial system under growing pressure.

The model that powered Vietnam’s rise for nearly four decades is approaching its limits. The next transformation will depend on knowledge, innovation and better governance.

To drive new growth, Politburo Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW calls for modern digital infrastructure, high-quality Internet access and large-scale data centres to underpin a national data platform.

The world has determined that the 21st century will witness a very strong shift of development drivers to the ocean.

Now that various special mechanisms have been granted, local authorities must have innovative development mindsets, fully leverage their distinct advantages, and foster a favorable business environment to achieve double-digit economic growth.

Vietnam continues to attract new businesses, but rising market exits and weak profitability highlight the challenges facing much of the private sector.

Resolution 10 marks a shift from attracting foreign capital at scale to building a high-quality FDI ecosystem, with stronger links to Vietnamese businesses and global value chains, experts say.

The number of businesses joining the market continues to rise, and newly established companies are launching with larger amount of registered capital.

Resolution 36 has opened the right door, but to step through that door, the country needs a fundamental shift in institutions and development mindset, according to Dr. Tran Dinh Thien.