VIETNAM: NEW ERA

The US is now Vietnam's fifth-largest import market, with five import categories exceed 1 billion USD, namely chemicals, animal feed, plastics, materials, and machinery.

VinFast on February 13 introduced its VF 3 mini-SUV at the Indonesia International Motor Show 2025, along with a free charging policy for EV users at VinFast-operated V-GREEN stations across Indonesia.

Vietnam has introduced regulations to simplify investment procedures, making it easier for foreign firms to establish long-term operations in the country.

The surge in AI demand is significantly impacting plans on data centre investment and expansion in Vietnam as global tech giants and local players are racing to capture the market.

Vibrant offering trays featuring lotus-shaped cakes, sticky rice, and sweet soups have become a trending choice for families celebrating this year’s Tet Nguyen Tieu.

In January 2025, seven export items exceeded 1 billion USD in turnover, accounting for 67.9% of the country's total export value.

The Deputy PM affirmed Vietnam as a safe and attractive destination for international investors. In 2024, it ranked among the world's top 15 developing nations in foreign investment attraction, securing approximately 40 billion USD, with disbursed foreign direct investment reaching some 25 billion USD.

In January 2025, Vietnamese investors launched 10 new overseas projects without any capital adjustment. Vietnam’s total outbound investment reached over 83 million USD, more than 5.1 times higher than the same period in 2024.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh called for transformative solutions for science, technology, innovation, and high-quality human resources to become driving forces for the nation’s rapid and sustainable development, while presiding over a conference in Hanoi on February 11.

Vietnam’s digital transformation is progressing at an unprecedented pace, with the country’s digital economy growing by over 20 per cent annually, making it the fastest-growing in Southeast Asia.

More than 4.33 billion USD in foreign direct investment (FDI) was funnelled into Vietnam in January, a year-on-year surge of 48.6%, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

The friendship between Vietnam and China, cultivated by generations of leaders and widely supported by both countries' people, must be passed down and adapted to modern times to further strengthen bilateral ties.

Vietnam’s index of industrial production (IIP) in January fell 9.2% against the previous month and inched up 0.6% year-on-year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

In Abyei, a region between Sudan and South Sudan known as Africa’s “furnace,” temperatures regularly soar to nearly 40°C. The land is dry, infertile, and difficult to cultivate. Yet, Vietnamese military engineers have managed to grow thriving vegetable gardens in the heart of this harsh desert.

On the occasion of the 95th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) (February 3, 1930 – 2025), General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee To Lam has written an article titled “Rang ro Viet Nam” (Shining Vietnam). He wrote in the article that given the revolution's new requirements, especially in the context of deep international integration and global challenges, the Party building work needs more attention, innovation, and drastic implementation.

Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Deputy PM Heng Swee Keat consider the Vietnamese community as an important bridge linking the two countries.

Tourism revenue in January is estimated at 5.1 trillion VND, up 17.3% compared to the same period last year, driven by high travel demand from both domestic and international holiday-makers on New Year occasion.

As Vietnam ushers in a new spring, the nation is filled with a strong sense of confidence, ambition, and resolve. The year 2025 stands as a key landmark in the journey to fulfil the 2021–2025 development plan, setting the stage for the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. More importantly, it marks the beginning of a transformational leap into a “new era” of growth, wealth, and prosperity for the country.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, during the 2025 Lunar New Year holiday (from January 24 to February 2), the number of passengers passing through airports nationwide reached approximately 3.6 million, an increase of 16% compared to the same period in 2024.

In a 10-minute talk show, Cambodian journalist Khieu Kolar analysed Vietnam's strategic orientations, especially the continued Party building and redtification, the streamlining of the political system, and the promotion of science and technology application and digital transformation in Party building.