Happy Vietnam

The central city of Da Nang has decided to preserve natural forests right in the heart of the city. Da Nang is currently the only locality in the country that owns three special-use forests: Ba Na - Nui Chua Nature Reserve, Son Tra Nature Reserve and Nam Hai Van Landscape Protection Area. According to statistics from the Da Nang City Forest Protection Department, in this ecological areas, nearly 1,700 species of plants and 443 species of animals have been recorded, a rare biodiversity density in urban areas of Vietnam. These forests are a place where people find balance, a commitment to the relationship between development and conservation. Photo: VNA

Amidst the highly complex developments of Tropical Storm Wipha, the third entering the East Sea this year, residents in the northern and central provinces have proactively implemented measures to respond to the storm in order to minimise damage. Localities were urged to implement the evacuation plan for residents living in river mouth areas, coastal zones, residential areas near riverbanks, and those living or working on riverbanks or in areas at risk of landslides or unsafe conditions, moving them to safe shelters before 12pm on July 21. Photo: VNA

Nghe An province shares over 460 kilometers of land border with Laos In recent years, in addition to effectively performing border guard duties, officers and soldiers at border units have worked together to develop and implement various practical models to support local people in socio-economic development, ensure national defense and security, maintain public order, and safeguard the sovereignty and security of border areas. Photo by courtesy/VNA

From a barren hilly area, Then Van So, an ethnic Han resident of Lung Buong hamlet, Thuan Hoa commune, Tuyen Quang province, boldly transformed the land to cultivate red-flesh dragon fruit. After eight years of perseverance, the model now generates hundreds of millions of VND in annual income, helping his family escape poverty and achieve prosperity—becoming a shining example of overcoming hardship and building wealth in the local community. Photo: Đức Thọ – VNA

With a population of over 100 million, the domestic market holds great potential for Vietnamese businesses amid ongoing fluctuations in export activities. However, instead of serving as a launchpad, the home market is being overwhelmed by products of unclear origin, making it difficult for legitimate businesses to compete. To support Vietnamese businesses in conquering their home market, strong measures are needed to clean up the market and expand distribution channels, enabling local products to better reach consumers. Strengthening the presence of Vietnamese goods is also an effective way to combat counterfeit and imitation products. Photo: Hương Giang – VNA

To diversify its tourism offerings and extend visitors’ length of stay, with a target of welcoming about 5.8 million tourists by 2025, Sa Pa (Lao Cai province) is focusing on developing vibrant and culturally rich night-time tourism activities. Notable products such as night markets, ethnic cultural performances, village discovery tours, and light night hiking have left strong impressions on both domestic and international visitors. In addition to helping preserve and promote ethnic culture, night-time tourism is also considered a strategic approach to increasing revenue and fostering sustainable local economic development. Photo: Hoàng Hiếu – VNA

Pham Minh Chinh, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Government, Prime Minister of Vietnam attended the 27th Party Congress of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) for the 2025 - 2030 term, which was solemnly held at the National News Center in Hanoi on July 17. Photo: VNA

The Hanoi Market Surveillance Sub-department has directed its teams to intensify inspections and monitoring of business establishments and households in accordance with the plan to strengthen market inspections and supervision, and to combat counterfeit goods, items of unknown origin, and products infringing intellectual property rights across the city. They are resolutely cracking down on high-risk violations such as trademark counterfeiting, food safety violations, cosmetics, and tobacco-related offenses. Photo: Minh Quyet - VNA

The Vietnamese team has made history by winning four gold medals, including two in the top 10, at the 57th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO), according to the Ministry of Education and Training. This marks the first time Vietnam has claimed four golds in an IChO held in-person format. The 57th IChO took place from July 5 to 14 in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), bringing together 354 contestants from 90 countries and territories. VNA/Photo by courtesy

The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO has approved the expansion of the world natural heritage site of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park in Vietnam’s Quang Tri province to include Hin Nam No National Park in Laos' Khammouane province. The decision was made during the 47th session of the committee held in Paris, France, on July 13. Following the adjustment, the world natural heritage site is officially named “Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and Hin Nam No National Park”. Vietnam is now home to nine world heritage sites. These include two inter-provincial sites – Ha Long Bay-Cat Ba Archipelago (Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong city), and the Complex of Yen Tu-Vinh Nghiem-Con Son, Kiep Bac Monuments and Landscapes (Quang Ninh province, Bac Ninh province, and Hai Phong city). The latest recognition is Vietnam’s first transboundary world heritage site. VNA Photo

Just over a week into its official operation, the authority of Thuan My commune (Tay Ninh province) has begun to earn the trust of local residents, thanks to a renewed management mindset and particularly the “close-to-the-people” approach of the commune’s Party Secretary Nguyen Van Khai. Photo: Duc Hanh - VNA

The Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son - Kiep Bac Relics and Landscape Complex has been recognised as a World Culture Heritage site. In the afternoon of July 12 (Paris time), at the 47th Session of the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Professor Nikolay Nenov, Chairman of the Session, officially knocked the hammer to recognise the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son - Kiep Bac Relics and Landscape Complex as a World Cultural Heritage site. VNA Photo

Tam Hoa plums from Bac Ha, a famed delicacy of Lao Cai, are known for their crisp texture, mild sweetness, and rich flavor of the Northwest mountains. Due to the short harvest season, Quang Tom Cooperative (Bac Ha commune, Lao Cai province) has been collecting fresh plums and processing them using soft-drying technology, preserving their natural color and flavor while extending shelf life to 6–12 months. Each year, the cooperative supplies about 10 tonnes of 3-star OCOP-certified soft-dried plums to the market, generating jobs for 10 local workers and stable income for 7 cooperative members. This is not only an effective economic solution and sustainable market channel, but also a way to enhance the value of local agricultural products and promote the regional brand of Northwest specialties. Photo: Hoang Hieu – VNA

Markets and convenience stores in Hanoi shall be banned from using single-use plastic bags and non-biodegradable foam containers from January 1, 2028, pursuant to a newly-approved resolution. The Hanoi People’s Council passed a resolution aimed at significantly reducing plastic waste across the capital at a sitting on July 10. Accordingly, the use of plastic in production, business, service, and daily activities throughout the capital city will be phased out. Photo: Thanh Phuong – VNA

Within the grounds of Buppharam Pagoda (also known as Chot Pagoda) in Cai Gia Hamlet, Hung Hoi Commune, Ca Mau province, stands a rare and nearly intact wooden structure — the Sala (Dharma hall) — built in 1915 and now over 100 years old. The Sala features traditional Khmer stilt-house architecture with two storeys, measuring 21 meters long, 10 meters wide, and nearly 10 meters high. It is supported by over 100 wooden pillars made of rare timbers such as rosewood, ironwood, and thao lao. Despite its age, the structure remains well-preserved and in active use. Photo: Chanh Da - VNA

Vietnam earned 807 million USD from fruit and vegetable export in June 2025, up 30.8% from the previous month and up 20.2% year-on-year. This brings the total export value in the first half of the year to 3.1 billion USD. Major export markets include China, accounting for 48.2%, the US with 9%, and the Republic of Korea with 5.7%. Photo: Vu Sinh – VNA

Lao Cai – a land where the cultural colors of ethnic minorities blend together – is also home to many unique traditional craft villages. In Sa Pa, the Lan Rung brocade embroidery village has diligently preserved and promoted the traditional craft of brocade embroidery for over 20 years—a craft closely tied to skilled hands and a refined spirit. The village not only preserves ethnic identity but also taps into tourism potential, creating dual benefits: safeguarding and promoting cultural values while generating socio-economic gains. Photo: Hoang Hieu - VNA

Farmers in Ninh Thuan province are proactively adapting to climate change through promoting the conversion of crop structure, applying science and technology in agriculture, and enhancing product value chain to form concentrated commodity production areas with high economic value. In 2025, the province plans to convert about 1,300 hectares of crops, including 500 hectares of inefficient rice cultivation land to dry crops that can withstand hot and dry climates and have high economic efficiency such as grapes, apples, custard apples, green asparagus, green-skinned grapefruit, aloe vera, among others. The province strives to achieve a production value of 155 million VND per hectare on irrigated land. VNA Photo: Nguyễn Thành

For the Mong ethnic people in the mountainous areas of Lao Cai, the khen (a traditional reed pipe) is an essential and distinctive musical instrument deeply embedded in community cultural life. The craft of making the khen has become an important traditional profession, preserved and promoted by the Mong people to both domestic and international visitors. Photo: Tuan Anh – VNA