CEPA Opens New Export Opportunities
In his opening remarks, Le Ngoc Lan, Deputy Director of the Hai Phong Department of Industry and Trade emphasized that amid growing global economic uncertainty, intensifying competition, supply chain restructuring, and increasingly stringent requirements for green development, sustainability, product traceability, and technical trade barriers, proactive international economic integration and export market diversification have become essential for both local governments and businesses.
The Viet Nam–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) officially entered into force on February 3, 2026. It marked a significant milestone in Viet Nam's international economic integration as the country's first free trade agreement with a Gulf nation. The agreement created new opportunities for Vietnamese goods, services, and businesses to gain broader access to markets in the Middle East, North Africa, and other high-potential regions.
Strategic Importance for Hai Phong
For Hai Phong, CEPA carried particular significance because the city served as northern Viet Nam's leading industrial, commercial, logistics, and international seaport hub. Hai Phong currently maintained trade relations with more than 130 countries and territories.
In 2025 Export turnover exceeded US$50 billion, import turnover surpassed US$41 billion. 
As competition intensified in traditional export markets, CEPA is expected to create new growth opportunities by diversifying export destinations, strengthening business competitiveness, and improving resilience against fluctuations in global trade.
The Rapidly Expanding Global Halal Market
Conference speakers noted that the Halal market has evolved far beyond food products for Muslim consumers into a global economic ecosystem worth trillions of US dollars. It now encompassed sectors including Food and beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, tourism, logistics, various other service industries 
Although the market offered strong growth potential, it also required businesses to comply with rigorous standards relating to Halal certification, manufacturing processes, product traceability, quality assurance, understanding islamic business culture 
Businesses must therefore adopt a long-term strategy and strengthen their competitiveness to capitalize on opportunities arising from both CEPA and the Halal market.
Government Support for Businesses
The Hai Phong Department of Industry and Trade pledged to continue supporting the local business community by providing updated market information, disseminating information on international economic integration commitments, helping enterprises make better use of free trade agreements, including CEPA, promoting trade promotion activities and business networking and expanding export opportunities. 
The Department also encouraged Hai Phong enterprises to innovate, improve product quality, meet international standards, and actively explore emerging markets, particularly the global Halal market to enhance their position within global value chains.
Conference Highlights
The conference provided businesses with updated and practical information on CEPA, the potential of the global Halal market, and emerging trends in international economic integration.
Experts presented a range of topics, including Viet Nam's international economic integration and factors affecting import-export activities, key considerations for effective implementation of CEPA, the potential of the global Halal market and Vietnam's Halal industry development strategy, best practices for cooperation with Islamic countries, halal standards as a gateway to international Halal markets and the introduction of Smart Log Hai Phong, a digital logistics platform designed to connect logistics data and support import-export enterprises in integrating more deeply into global supply chains. 
Expert Recommendations
Conference participants agreed that CEPA and the global Halal market presented tremendous opportunities for Vietnamese businesses. However, to convert these opportunities into export orders and investment projects, enterprises must proactively transform their operations, comply with international standards, and fully utilize government support policies.
This aligned with Hai Phong's broader objective of deepening international economic integration while achieving rapid, sustainable development and strengthening the city's role in the global trading network.