Vietnam and Myanmar (Burma)
Vietnam and Myanmar reactivated their bilateral commission in August 2026 after interruption since 2019. The meeting examined trade obstacles, telecommunications and security cooperation, with government commitments distinguished from actually verified economic or political improvements.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08Bilateral context
The tenth joint commission took place in Nay Pyi Taw on 26 August 2026 and reviewed cooperation since the ninth meeting in March 2019.
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, goods trade between Vietnam and Myanmar (Burma) totalled 470.8 million current USD.
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, electrical and electronic equipment stands out in shipments from Vietnam to Myanmar (Burma), at 15.8 million USD in 2025.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 470.77 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Vietnam to Myanmar (Burma) | 282.74 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Myanmar (Burma) to Vietnam | 188.03 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: Vietnam to Myanmar (Burma) | ||
| Export share: Myanmar (Burma) to Vietnam | ||
| Investment stock: Vietnam in Myanmar (Burma) | ||
| Investment stock: Myanmar (Burma) in Vietnam |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter MMR. Both directions come from the same verified customs document, not from adding mirror declarations together. Exports generally FOB; imports generally CIF.
- Goods: Vietnam to Myanmar (Burma)
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter MMR. Both directions come from the same verified customs document, not from adding mirror declarations together. Exports generally FOB; imports generally CIF.
- Goods: Myanmar (Burma) to Vietnam
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter MMR. Both directions come from the same verified customs document, not from adding mirror declarations together. Exports generally FOB; imports generally CIF.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | Vietnam | Myanmar (Burma) |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 514.7 billion USD2025 · World Bank | 81.67 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 5,065.99 USD2025 · World Bank | 1,488.88 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 8.02 %2025 · World Bank | -2.01 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | ||
| Inflation · annual average | 3.31 %Annual average · 2025 · World Bank | |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | ||
| Unemployment | 1.52 %ILO est.2025 · World Bank | 3.05 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -2.2 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -4.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 30.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 51.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | 6.33 %2024 · World Bank | |
| Population | 101,598,5272025 · World Bank | 54,850,6482025 · WB |
| Area | 331,338 km²2023 · World Bank | 676,590 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDVietnam: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Myanmar (Burma): 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personVietnam: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Myanmar (Burma): 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)Vietnam: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Myanmar (Burma): 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)Vietnam: 2025 · Annual average change in CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency stated
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionVietnam: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Myanmar (Burma): 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)Vietnam: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.Myanmar (Burma): 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)Vietnam: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.Myanmar (Burma): 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPVietnam: 2024 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleVietnam: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Myanmar (Burma): 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceVietnam: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Myanmar (Burma): 2023 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
Vietnam to Myanmar (Burma)
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 15.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 13.1 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 8.1 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 3.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 3.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 0.00045 M USD2025 · Source |
Myanmar (Burma) to Vietnam
How trade has changed
Millions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | Vietnam to Myanmar (Burma) | Myanmar (Burma) to Vietnam |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 561.1 | 336.6 | 224.5 |
| 2022 | 635.7 | 394.8 | 240.9 |
| 2023 | 442.7 | 293.3 | 149.4 |
| 2024 | 455.4 | 217.3 | 238.1 |
| 2025 | 470.8 | 282.7 | 188 |
Connections between people
Myanmar promised to facilitate Vietnamese business activity in telecommunications, training, agriculture and food. [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from Vietnam living in Myanmar (Burma) | ||
| Residents from Myanmar (Burma) living in Vietnam | ||
| Study and training: Vietnam in Myanmar (Burma) | ||
| Study and training: Myanmar (Burma) in Vietnam | ||
| Academic stays: Vietnam in Myanmar (Burma) | ||
| Academic stays: Myanmar (Burma) in Vietnam | ||
| Travel: Vietnam to Myanmar (Burma) | ||
| Travel: Myanmar (Burma) to Vietnam |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
Bilateral context
The tenth joint commission took place in Nay Pyi Taw on 26 August 2026 and reviewed cooperation since the ninth meeting in March 2019. The Vietnamese statement notes ambassadors had presented credentials in July 2026. [1]
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for Vietnam is 514.7 billion USD (2025), compared with 81.7 for Myanmar (Burma) (2025). The reference populations are 101.6 and 54.85 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of Vietnam was 6.3 times that of Myanmar (Burma) in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [4] [5] [6] [7]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08
Cooperation and bilateral issues
Governments agreed to convene the trade subcommittee, review licences, quarantines and customs and work towards a trade target of 1,000 million dollars. Myanmar promised to facilitate Vietnamese business activity in telecommunications, training, agriculture and food. The security agenda included drugs, cybercrime, humanitarian aid and disaster response. Vietnam proposed improved overland connections with Lao participation. Ministers signed minutes and envisaged another Vietnamese commission in 2027. The statement reflects official dialogue within the 2017 partnership; business facilitation promises do not confirm on-the-ground outcomes. [1]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (Vietnam and Myanmar (Burma)) totalled 470.8 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 282.7 million; those in the opposite direction, 188 million. The difference between the two flows was 94.7 million, in favour of Vietnam. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [2]
Five years of trade trends
The consistent series shows 561.1 million USD in 2021 and 470.8 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was -16.1 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2022, at 635.7 million. The chart allows the two directions to be compared to see whether they moved together or differently. The change combines quantities, prices and exchange rates; it is not automatically attributed to a treaty, a visit or a political decision. The same reporter is retained and missing years are not interpolated. [2]
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, electrical and electronic equipment stands out in shipments from Vietnam to Myanmar (Burma), at 15.8 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, machinery and mechanical appliances stands out in shipments from Myanmar (Burma) to Vietnam, at 3.8 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [3]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral relations — VNM-MMR
web.mofa.gov.vn · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- UN Comtrade annual data; reused verified primary payload, not re-downloaded
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official series — gdp
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- SP.POP.TOTL; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official series — population
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade
2026-10-08 · Accessed: 2026-10-08 · Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record.