A new comprehensive development space from large scale

Following the implementation of administrative unit mergers, An Giang province has opened up a comprehensive new development space. The locality currently possesses an extremely diverse agricultural and aquatic production ecosystem, spanning from plains and mountainous regions to seas and islands.

This transformation enables An Giang to fully converge the strengths of rice, aquatic products, fruits, and the marine economy of its former administrative areas. With this new scale, An Giang is currently one of the country's major producers and exporters of agricultural and aquatic products. This serves as a solid foundation for the province to develop toward large-scale commodity production linked with deep processing and export.

Mr. Le Van Phuoc, Vice Chairman of the An Giang Provincial People's Committee, stated that to bring key products to the world, An Giang is focusing on synchronously implementing numerous economic diplomacy solutions.

Through engagement activities with Embassies, Consulates General, international organizations, and foreign enterprises, the province proactively introduces its key agricultural and aquatic items. Concurrently, in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the province promotes products through a network of over 90 Vietnamese Representative Offices abroad and 18 foreign business associations in Vietnam. In 2026, the province proactively engaged in discussions with partners from China, Indonesia, Turkey, Kazakhstan,… to expand markets, particularly for agricultural, aquatic, and Halal products.

The province is accelerating the implementation and effective utilization of new-generation Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) such as the CPTPP, EVFTA, UKVFTA, RCEP, and VIFTA to expand export markets. Support for businesses is being strengthened to help them satisfy Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, ensure product traceability, improve product quality, and promote green development, thereby enhancing competitiveness and enabling deeper participation in global value chains.

Initial results clearly demonstrate this effectiveness. In the first six months of 2026, An Giang province's export turnover was estimated at USD 1,251 million, representing an increase of approximately 14% year-on-year and reaching nearly 47% of the annual plan. Within this total, seafood exports reached USD 438 million (up 26%), rice exports reached USD 209 million (up 17%), and the province's GRDP grew by 8.83%, placing it among the nation's higher-growth localities.

In parallel, An Giang combines economic diplomacy with investment attraction and technology transfer. To date, the province has attracted 73 FDI projects from 19 countries and territories, with a total registered capital of nearly USD 3 billion, focused on high-tech agriculture, food processing, and logistics. Cooperation models with Japan regarding seafood preservation technology and with Israel on breeding production technology have contributed to enhancing product yield, quality, and added value.

The 'Three-Party' collaboration model and the APEC 2027 vision

According to Mr. Le Van Phuoc, Vice Chairman of the An Giang Provincial People's Committee, economic diplomacy yields optimal results only when there is close coordination among the Central Government, local authorities, and businesses. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs opens market doors; the locality organizes production; and businesses serve as the primary actors directly delivering goods to international consumers.

Connecting information regarding consumer trends, technical standards, and trade policies from Vietnam's overseas representative offices will assist An Giang in proactively planning production. This represents a fundamental solution to eliminate the paradox of 'good harvest, bad prices'.

An Giang identifies the APEC 2027 Summit taking place in the Phu Quoc Special Zone as a golden opportunity to introduce local agricultural and aquatic products, culture, and potential to 21 APEC member economies and thousands of international businesses.

To realize its goal of global reach, An Giang province recommends that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continue to strengthen market forecasting information sharing and early warnings of trade barriers; support direct connections between local enterprises and international distribution conglomerates; and accompany localities in expanding potential markets, particularly the Halal market.

With a proactive spirit of integration and development, An Giang province commits to continuing its close collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and central ministries and agencies to further maximize the effectiveness of economic diplomacy, contributing to propelling Vietnamese agricultural and aquatic products further in the global market./.

News by Luu Huynh Trung

Translator: Thi Huynh