AusCham Highlights Australian Market Opportunities for Vietnamese Exporters
Ho Chi Minh City, 30 September 2026 – AusCham Vietnam, Mr. Sam Conroy - President and Mr. Edwin Law - Executive Director, participated in the seminar “Trade Potential between Vietnam and Australia – Solutions to Enhance Market Access and Market Expansion”, bringing Australian market insights and practical business perspectives to Vietnamese exporters seeking to expand into Australia.
The seminar brought together representatives from government, trade promotion agencies, business associations and the private sector, including Australian Consul-General in Ho Chi Minh City Kate Wallace and Mr Le Anh Hoang, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre (ITPC). The programme covered market access, free trade agreements, consumer trends, import compliance, ESG, logistics and practical experiences in doing business with Australia.
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(Australian Consul-General in Ho Chi Minh City Kate Wallace delivered welcoming remarks) | (Mr Le Anh Hoang, Deputy Director of ITPC delivered opening remarks) |
From exporting to building a sustainable market presence
Representing AusCham Vietnam, President Sam Conroy delivered a keynote on “Australian Market Overview and Export Prospects, Australian Consumer Trends and Market Demand.”
Sam highlighted Australia as a high-value, sophisticated and highly multicultural consumer market, offering significant opportunities for Vietnamese businesses despite its relatively modest population size.
(Mr. Sam Conroy, AusCham President)
Vietnam’s commercial position in Australia has strengthened considerably in recent years. In 2025, bilateral merchandise trade reached approximately US$14 billion, with Vietnam exporting around US$6.8 billion of goods to Australia. Vietnamese exports to Australia have nearly doubled compared with 2020.
The momentum has continued into 2026. According to figures highlighted at the seminar, Vietnam’s exports to Australia increased by nearly 30% year-on-year in the first seven months of 2026, demonstrating the growing potential of the market.
Sam emphasised that Vietnamese businesses should increasingly look beyond competing primarily on price. Long-term success in Australia is more likely to come from a combination of quality, reliability, compliance, flexibility, strong branding and trusted business relationships.
He also pointed to opportunities across a broad range of sectors, including higher-value food and agricultural products, electronics and technology-enabled manufacturing, furniture and building materials, apparel, footwear and other consumer products.
Practical insights on compliance, ESG and market access
AusCham Vietnam was also represented by Mr Matt Lourey, Chairman of Alitium and an AusCham member, who delivered a presentation on “Free Trade Agreements (FTA), Import Compliance, ESG and Promising Vietnamese Export Categories.”
(Mr. Matthew Lourey, Chairman of Alitium)
His presentation provided a practical business perspective on the requirements Vietnamese exporters need to consider when entering the Australian market, including Australian import regulations, ESG expectations, biosecurity procedures and key considerations for exporters.
The discussion reinforced an important point for businesses: while trade agreements such as AANZFTA and CPTPP provide a highly supportive framework for bilateral trade, tariff preferences alone are not sufficient for market success. Exporters also need to understand Australian standards, regulatory requirements, buyer expectations and evolving sustainability requirements.
Strong momentum for Vietnam–Australia trade
The seminar took place against a positive backdrop for bilateral economic relations.
Australia and Vietnam elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2024, while both countries continue to benefit from regional trade frameworks including AANZFTA and CPTPP.
Growing demand in Australia for high-quality, safe, sustainable and value-added products is creating further opportunities for Vietnamese exporters, particularly businesses capable of meeting high standards while offering competitive value and reliable supply.
The event also included discussions on logistics and market-entry strategies, followed by a panel session where Australian and Vietnamese businesses shared practical experiences on buyer engagement, product adaptation, distribution and building partnerships in the Australian market.
For AusCham Vietnam, the seminar reflected the Chamber’s ongoing commitment to strengthening commercial connections between Australia and Vietnam and supporting businesses from both countries in identifying practical opportunities for sustainable growth.
As Sam highlighted in his remarks:
“Products may open the door. Value may win the first order. But trust wins the market.”