The Vietnamese government has issued Decree 28/2018/ND-CP, which stipulates principles for activities of foreign trade promotion agencies in Vietnam. The decree states that the agencies, including governmental and non-governmental organisations, associations and equivalent need to set up a representative office in Vietnam in order to engage in trade promotion activities in the country. Foreign trade promotion agencies are not permitted to establish more than one representative office in a province or centrally-run city. These agencies do not include foreign entrepreneurs, non-governmental organisations, agencies for co-operation and research, cultural-educational institutes and other kinds of foreign organisations.

Representative offices of foreign trade promotion agencies are not allowed to carry out activities to make a direct profit in Vietnam. The head and personnel of those representative offices have to be registered with authorised agencies. The recruitment of foreigners working in such representative offices in Vietnam must be in line with Vietnam’s regulations as well as international treaties to which Vietnam is a member. Foreign trade promotion agencies bear responsibility for all activities of their representative office’s activities in Vietnam.

In addition to foreign trade promotion agencies in Vietnam the scope of the decree also extends to the activities of Vietnamese trade promotion organizations overseas, such that the applicable entities includes: 1) Domestic trade promotion agencies and organisations, 2) Vietnamese trade promotion organisations overseas, 3) Foreign trade promotion organisations in Vietnam, and 4) Other domestic and foreign organisations and individuals participating in and conducting foreign trade activities and foreign trade promotion activities.

According to the Decree, trade promotion activities can include: trade linking and distribution systems, development and operation of commercial infrastructure, logistics, research and the upgrading of the quality of products and goods, training and technical improvements, other trade promotion activities for the development of foreign trade as stipulated by law.

Trade linking is defined as including: The organisation and participation, including foreign delegate participation in conferences, fairs, exhibitions, events to support imports and exports, consulting and assistance regarding distribution and the introduction of goods and market surveys, and foreign delegate participation in transactions. Other trade activities included the establishment of e-commerce, e-portals, internet and telecom networks, and other specific activites as decided by the Ministry of Information Technology. 

https://en.vietnamplus.vn/new-rules-set-for-operation-of-foreign-trade-promotion-agencies/127565.vnp