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Vietnam

Latest news, in-depth features and opinion on Vietnam, covering politics, economy, society and the country's relationships with the United States, Australia, China and neighbouring Southeast Asian countries.

Capital

Hanoi

Head of State

President To Lam

Head of Government

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh

US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth (left) and Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner salute on arriving at Camp Aguinaldo in Manila on Friday. Photo: AFP

South China Sea

As Hegseth visits Manila, Beijing warns against meddling in South China Sea

‘Those who willingly become pawns will inevitably be discarded,’ Chen Xiaodong, foreign vice-minister, tells Boao Forum panel.

2 hours agovideocam

US-China relations

Opinion | Why the US could lose more ground in Southeast Asia

27 Mar 2025 - 5:30AMvideocam

Trade

Vietnam slashes tariffs on US gas, cars as Trump’s trade ‘Liberation Day’ looms

26 Mar 2025 - 9:43AM

Tourism

Move over Singapore, Vietnam is now Southeast Asia’s third-most-visited country

Vietnam now ranks behind only Malaysia, which it aims to edge out by 2030, and regional tourism hotspot Thailand.

25 Mar 2025 - 2:42PM

A tourist takes photos of a pagoda in Hanoi earlier this month. Vietnam is the regional leader in terms of its tourism recovery pace. Photo: EPA-EFE

Crime

Vietnamese tycoon facing death sentence scrambles to repay fraud billions

Truong My Lan’s lawyer said she was securing funds to appeal her life sentence, on top of the US$11 billion she needs to avoid execution.

25 Mar 2025 - 11:26AMvideocam

Asia housing and property

The View | Why the future looks so promising for luxury property in Asia

With clear benefits for stakeholders, the region’s branded residences are poised to boost liquidity and set high transparency standards.

24 Mar 2025 - 4:30PM

Singapore

Cosmetic cravings: Asia’s Gen Z risk it all to keep their youthful looks

Young Southeast Asians are running a gauntlet of bootleg botox, fake fillers and clandestine clinics in their quest to defy ageing.

23 Mar 2025 - 7:55AMvideocam

Gen Z beauty seekers appear undeterred by harrowing tales of disfiguring infections, scarring and deaths caused by botulism. Photo: Shutterstock

Indonesia

Indonesia and Vietnam to seal maritime deal – will China respond?

Indonesia’s parliament is set to sign an agreement to formalise maritime boundaries with Vietnam next month.

21 Mar 2025 - 8:11AMvideocam

US-China relations

US-China rivalry forcing Southeast Asia to pick sides, congressional panel hears

Washington urged to adopt a sector-by-sector approach to the region, shaping its choices before Beijing does.

21 Mar 2025 - 5:51AMvideocam

China-EU relations

Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez to meet Xi in China next month

Sanchez’s April visit will take place over the 20th anniversary of a partnership agreement between Spain and China.

21 Mar 2025 - 5:14AM

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez attends an EU summit at the European Council headquarters in Brussels on Thursday. Photo: Sierakowski Frederic / EU Council / dpa

Crime

Vietnamese ex-surgeon who dismembered mistress gets death sentence

The judges who presided over the case said Danh Son’s murder of the victim was ‘exceptionally brutal’.

20 Mar 2025 - 11:07PM

A Vietnamese doctor has been found guilty of killing his mistress. Photo: Shutterstock

Science

China’s rare earth dominance could crumble in 10 years, CAS study forecasts

Modelling suggests ‘fundamental shifts’ are under way with Africa, South America, Australia and Greenland emerging as competitors.

21 Mar 2025 - 6:39AMvideocam

South China Sea

Video | Vietnam targets Chinese dolls over South China Sea ‘map’

Investigation launched after a version of Baby Three toys with a design similar to a map of the waterway were being widely sold

20 Mar 2025 - 4:00PM

Malaysia

Backlash brews in Malaysia over tea chain Chagee app’s South China Sea map

Irate consumers spur boycott calls after Chinese tea chain’s app prominently displayed the controversial nine-dash line.

19 Mar 2025 - 1:09PMvideocam

Guests attend the opening ceremony of a new Chagee outlet in Kuching, Malaysia. Photo: Facebook/my.chagee

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong rolls out smoother entry policy for invited Asean professionals

Scheme allows event attendees and those who can contribute to local economy to make multiple trips to Hong Kong over three-year period.

18 Mar 2025 - 7:04PM

Hong Kong is working to bolster ties with the Asean bloc. Photo: EPA-EFE

United States

Only China and Mexico have larger trade deficits with the US than Vietnam

Donald Trump’s trade officials are pushing Vietnam to open up its markets and improve its trade balance with the United States.

17 Mar 2025 - 12:32PM

China trade

China lays track for stronger regional relations through railway lines

China’s neighbours in Southeast and Central Asia have begun construction or made agreements on cross-border railway projects, bolstering bilateral ties.

15 Mar 2025 - 5:00PMvideocam

China airliners

Vietnam boosts China’s aviation ambitions with C909 deal move

Hanoi is reportedly paving the way to approve the country’s first deal to lease Chinese-made civilian aircraft.

14 Mar 2025 - 8:00PMvideocam

The C909 is the smallest narrowbody jet produced by Chinese aviation company Comac. Photo: EPA-EFE

South China Sea

Vietnam targets toys featuring South China Sea map used by Beijing

Investigation launched after a version of Baby Three toys with a design similar to a map of the waterway were being widely sold.

20 Mar 2025 - 4:03PMvideocam

Donald Trump

Vietnam’s top official hurries to the US in bid to stop Trump’s tariffs

Export-driven Southeast Asian nation holds US’ third-largest trading deficit after China, Mexico.

13 Mar 2025 - 1:00PM

Asia travel

Then-and-now photos of Hoi An, Vietnam show 3 decades of change

In 1994, Vietnam was still emerging from almost 20 years of isolation. Tourism was in its infancy and visitors were a welcome sight.

12 Mar 2025 - 12:45PM

A girl plays with a kite (left) in an empty street in Hoi An, in 1994. A typical Hoi An street scene, in 2024 (right). Photo: Simon O’Reilly/Shutterstock

Indonesia

Over 1 in 5 young Indonesians are out of work. Fixing that won’t be easy

Southeast Asia’s largest economy has the world’s fourth-largest workforce, but it’s outshone by its neighbours like Malaysia and Thailand.

11 Mar 2025 - 9:49AMvideocam

A student protester raises his fists as young Indonesians hold a rally in Jakarta last month against President Prabowo Subianto’s budget cuts. Photo: AP

Hong Kong economy

Poll reveals which Hong Kong products are winning over Asean online shoppers

Consumers from Thailand, Indonesia lead in buying products from city, while Singapore respondents have highest spend per purchase.

10 Mar 2025 - 10:04PM

Asean

Opinion | Trump is bringing the trade war to Southeast Asia. Asean must act

Unless nations can work together to blunt the worst effects, the region may have to live with slower growth for years to come.

6 Mar 2025 - 5:30AMvideocam

Technology

Opinion | How American AI ambitions limit options for Southeast Asia

As the US touts opportunity over safety in artificial intelligence, countries must balance potential economic gains with strategic interests.

4 Mar 2025 - 6:56PMvideocam

A person uses a mobile phone at a park in Hanoi, Vietnam on December 18, 2023. Photo: AFP

Environment

Video | Hanoi residents endure toxic air as Vietnam struggles with pollution problem

The Vietnamese capital has regularly topped the list of the world’s most polluted cities for the past 3 months.

4 Mar 2025 - 6:05AMvideocam

China-Asean relations

Zelensky-Trump clash sparks Asean jitters over reliability of US commitments

Each nation in the bloc has different needs and ties with US and China, posing tests for non-alignment, analysts say.

3 Mar 2025 - 9:56PMvideocam

Hanoi

Video | Hanoi residents endure toxic air

The Vietnamese capital has regularly topped the list of the world’s most polluted cities for the past 3 months

3 Mar 2025 - 5:41PM

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Vietnam

As Hegseth visits Manila, Beijing warns against meddling in South China Sea

‘Those who willingly become pawns will inevitably be discarded,’ Chen Xiaodong, foreign vice-minister, tells Boao Forum panel.

Opinion | Why the US could lose more ground in Southeast Asia

Vietnam slashes tariffs on US gas, cars as Trump’s trade ‘Liberation Day’ looms

Move over Singapore, Vietnam is now Southeast Asia’s third-most-visited country

Vietnam now ranks behind only Malaysia, which it aims to edge out by 2030, and regional tourism hotspot Thailand.

Vietnamese tycoon facing death sentence scrambles to repay fraud billions

Truong My Lan’s lawyer said she was securing funds to appeal her life sentence, on top of the US$11 billion she needs to avoid execution.

The View | Why the future looks so promising for luxury property in Asia

With clear benefits for stakeholders, the region’s branded residences are poised to boost liquidity and set high transparency standards.

Cosmetic cravings: Asia’s Gen Z risk it all to keep their youthful looks

Young Southeast Asians are running a gauntlet of bootleg botox, fake fillers and clandestine clinics in their quest to defy ageing.

Indonesia and Vietnam to seal maritime deal – will China respond?

Indonesia’s parliament is set to sign an agreement to formalise maritime boundaries with Vietnam next month.

US-China rivalry forcing Southeast Asia to pick sides, congressional panel hears

Washington urged to adopt a sector-by-sector approach to the region, shaping its choices before Beijing does.

Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez to meet Xi in China next month

Sanchez’s April visit will take place over the 20th anniversary of a partnership agreement between Spain and China.

Vietnamese ex-surgeon who dismembered mistress gets death sentence

The judges who presided over the case said Danh Son’s murder of the victim was ‘exceptionally brutal’.

China’s rare earth dominance could crumble in 10 years, CAS study forecasts

Modelling suggests ‘fundamental shifts’ are under way with Africa, South America, Australia and Greenland emerging as competitors.

Video | Vietnam targets Chinese dolls over South China Sea ‘map’

Investigation launched after a version of Baby Three toys with a design similar to a map of the waterway were being widely sold

Backlash brews in Malaysia over tea chain Chagee app’s South China Sea map

Irate consumers spur boycott calls after Chinese tea chain’s app prominently displayed the controversial nine-dash line.

Hong Kong rolls out smoother entry policy for invited Asean professionals

Scheme allows event attendees and those who can contribute to local economy to make multiple trips to Hong Kong over three-year period.

Only China and Mexico have larger trade deficits with the US than Vietnam

Donald Trump’s trade officials are pushing Vietnam to open up its markets and improve its trade balance with the United States.

China lays track for stronger regional relations through railway lines

China’s neighbours in Southeast and Central Asia have begun construction or made agreements on cross-border railway projects, bolstering bilateral ties.

Vietnam boosts China’s aviation ambitions with C909 deal move

Hanoi is reportedly paving the way to approve the country’s first deal to lease Chinese-made civilian aircraft.

Vietnam targets toys featuring South China Sea map used by Beijing

Investigation launched after a version of Baby Three toys with a design similar to a map of the waterway were being widely sold.

Vietnam’s top official hurries to the US in bid to stop Trump’s tariffs

Export-driven Southeast Asian nation holds US’ third-largest trading deficit after China, Mexico.

Then-and-now photos of Hoi An, Vietnam show 3 decades of change

In 1994, Vietnam was still emerging from almost 20 years of isolation. Tourism was in its infancy and visitors were a welcome sight.

Over 1 in 5 young Indonesians are out of work. Fixing that won’t be easy

Southeast Asia’s largest economy has the world’s fourth-largest workforce, but it’s outshone by its neighbours like Malaysia and Thailand.

Poll reveals which Hong Kong products are winning over Asean online shoppers

Consumers from Thailand, Indonesia lead in buying products from city, while Singapore respondents have highest spend per purchase.

Opinion | Trump is bringing the trade war to Southeast Asia. Asean must act

Unless nations can work together to blunt the worst effects, the region may have to live with slower growth for years to come.

Opinion | How American AI ambitions limit options for Southeast Asia

As the US touts opportunity over safety in artificial intelligence, countries must balance potential economic gains with strategic interests.

Video | Hanoi residents endure toxic air as Vietnam struggles with pollution problem

The Vietnamese capital has regularly topped the list of the world’s most polluted cities for the past 3 months.

Zelensky-Trump clash sparks Asean jitters over reliability of US commitments

Each nation in the bloc has different needs and ties with US and China, posing tests for non-alignment, analysts say.

Video | Hanoi residents endure toxic air

The Vietnamese capital has regularly topped the list of the world’s most polluted cities for the past 3 months

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