Catalonia seeks to strengthen trade relations with Vietnam through an institutional visit

28 Nov 2025

As part of the trip, organized by the Catalonia Trade & Investment office in Singapore, the Minister for Business and Labour will meet with institutional representatives of the country and Catalan companies operating in Vietnam.

 
 

The Minister for Business and Labour, Miquel Sàmper, is leading an institutional mission to Vietnam this week that aims to promote trade relations with Catalonia. Vietnam is a strategic market due to its role in Southeast Asia as a route to reduce dependence on China, as well as for its growth potential following the establishment of the free trade agreement with the European Union (EU) in 2020.

The business mission has been organized by the Catalonia Trade & Investment office in Singapore. The Catalan delegation also includes the Secretary for Business and Competitiveness and CEO of ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investment, Jaume Baró.

The Catalan delegation is meeting with local companies and institutions and visiting several Catalan companies established in the country. During his stay in Vietnam, Sàmper will visit Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City.

The agenda includes meetings with local institutions such as the National Innovation Centre of the Ministry of Finance, the Foreign Investment Agency of the Asian country, and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Catalan delegation will also visit the Investment Promotion Agency of Da Nang and the Department of Science and Technology of the region.

In Da Nang, the Minister for Business and Labour will also lead a series of visits to Catalan companies located in the area. Specifically, Sàmper will have the opportunity to visit the facilities of Xocolates Savall; Tucai, a manufacturer of valves and flexible water connection systems; and Relats, a company specializing in the production of technical textile coating solutions.


Trade relations between Vietnam and Catalonia

Since the entry into force of the EU-Vietnam free trade agreement in 2020, trade relations between the two markets have strengthened, especially in terms of imports.

Products imported into Catalonia from Vietnam have risen by 128% since 2020, reaching €1.64 billion in 2024. Vietnam is the leading country of origin for Catalan imports from Southeast Asia, accounting for 35% of the region’s total. The main Vietnamese products entering Catalonia are coffee, garments and footwear, which together make up almost 60% of total imports.

Regarding Catalan exports to the Southeast Asian country, these have increased by 38% over the same period, reaching €215.6 million in 2024. Catalonia mainly exports plastics, pharmaceutical products, perfumery and cosmetics, and chemical products, which together represent half of total exports. At present, 366 Catalan companies export regularly to Vietnam.

This growth has moved Vietnam from 29th to 23rd place among Catalonia’s trading partners. At the same time, Catalonia also leads both Spain’s exports and imports with Vietnam, accounting for 41% and 31% of the total, respectively.

The Minister will complete his trip to Asia with visits to Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, where he will hold meetings with local institutions and companies before returning to Catalonia on Friday the 5th.

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