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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

People work at a durian processing facility in China’s southwestern Guangxi region. China is by far the world’s largest market for the spiky, pungent fruit. Photo: Xinhua

China trade

Vietnam grabs bigger slice of China’s durian market as Thailand loses ground

Vietnam’s exports of the pungent fruit to China rose by US$500 million in 2025 as the country emerges as a serious rival to Thailand.

24 Jan 2026 - 8:00AMvideocam

South Korea

73 South Koreans repatriated from Cambodia face online scam probe

23 Jan 2026 - 10:34PMvideocam

Icons and Influencers

Designer Hung La shares the inspo behind his ‘bad boy’ brand Lu’u Dan

23 Jan 2026 - 4:17PM

To Lam

Vietnam’s To Lam gets another 5-year term as Communist Party chief

Lam, who is also seeking to become president, has pledged to speed up growth in the export-reliant country.

23 Jan 2026 - 3:57PM

To Lam

Efficiency or autocracy? What To Lam’s power grab will mean for Vietnam

The Communist Party’s general secretary is already behaving as if he ‘expects a mandate’ to add the presidency to his portfolio, experts say.

22 Jan 2026 - 8:00AMvideocam

US-Asean relations

Foot in the door or trap? Risks of Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ for Southeast Asia

Nations are likely to try to avoid early commitment while steering clear of outright rejection to minimise US retaliation, analysts say.

21 Jan 2026 - 2:30PMvideocam

Brazil

Brazil beef exports seen as stable in 2026 as industry pivots beyond China

Beef lobby Abiec said volumes not sold to China could be redirected other markets.

20 Jan 2026 - 12:47PM

A butcher weighs meat at a butcher shop in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2024. Photo: AFP

Belt and Road Initiative

US trade war? China had bigger plans in 2025 as ‘belt and road’ deals surged

China’s global infrastructure strategy logged a record US$213 billion of new deals in 2025, as metals projects in Central Asia soared, report finds.

19 Jan 2026 - 11:00PMvideocam

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong deports 113 failed asylum seekers in week-long operation

Authorities say 68 men and 45 women, some of whom completed jail sentences for offences in city, were sent back to their home countries.

19 Jan 2026 - 5:43PM

Luxury travel

Looking for a luxury Vietnamese escape with Spanish flair? We know a place

Villa le Corail, A Gran Meliá Hotel is a stunning beachfront retreat with private villas, a Michelin-star chef and even some coral conservation thrown in.

17 Jan 2026 - 2:00PM

The Villa Le Corail, A Gran Meliá Hotel is nestled on Vietnam’s stunning coastline on a private beach. Photo: Handout

Xi Jinping

Vietnam’s To Lam seeks to tighten grip on power as party congress begins

The party’s general secretary is eyeing a dual role similar to Xi Jinping’s in neighbouring China.

17 Jan 2026 - 8:53AM

Vietnam’s Communist Party General Secretary To Lam holds a meeting at the party’s central office in Hanoi on November 21, 2025. Photo: AFP

SCMP Highlights

China’s Ningbo cuisine; Hong Kong goes Back to the Past: 7 Lifestyle highlights

From the rise of Korean-style cafes in Hong Kong to dementia’s link to ‘brain drains’, here are seven stories from SCMP’s recent reporting.

15 Jan 2026 - 3:00PM

Cambodia

‘Not the end’: Cambodia keeps up scam crackdown after Chen Zhi sent to China

Phnom Penh signals zero tolerance for scam centres following the deportation of the Prince Group tycoon.

14 Jan 2026 - 7:38PMvideocam

Hong Kong economy

73% of Hong Kong, Greater Bay Area firms ramping up expansion into Asean: survey

Survey by Hong Kong Trade Development Council and United Overseas Bank also shows 98 per cent of companies plan to keep or expand Asean operations.

14 Jan 2026 - 8:27PM

The Asean flag alongside those of its member countries ahead of the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in Langkawi, Malaysia, in January 2025. Photo: Reuters

United States

As Vietnam’s US trade surplus outpaces China, Trump tries to fix ‘imbalance’

Jennifer Wicks McNamara is set to replace Marc Knapper as US ambassador to Vietnam as Hanoi’s trade surplus with US surpasses Beijing for first time.

13 Jan 2026 - 6:43PMvideocam

US President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with oil industry executives at the White House earlier this month. Photo: Reuters

China travel

China’s outbound travel set to soar by 10 million trips – but halve in Japan

Chinese tourist flows to Japan could plunge to as low as 4.8 million this year from 9.3 million in 2025 amid political dispute, survey finds.

11 Jan 2026 - 4:00PMvideocam

Artificial intelligence

Chinese robot vacuum maker Dreame sees AI-driven appliances run household chores

The firm’s ambition is to become a ‘world-class technology company’, global president Chang Xinwei says.

9 Jan 2026 - 9:07AM

Asean

Why investors continue betting on Southeast Asia amid global tensions

The region’s young labour force, rapid urbanisation and emergence as a tech hotspot have made it attractive to investors, analysts say.

8 Jan 2026 - 5:14PMvideocam

People walk across the Anderson bridge in the backdrop of the skyline in Singapore. The city state is poised to continue leading the charge in attracting FDI into the region, observers say. Photo: AFP

Asia travel

Inside central Vietnam’s first integrated resort, a stone’s throw from Hoi An

Hoiana Resort & Golf has four properties, more than 20 restaurants and bars, a golf course and a casino, and is close to Hoi An Ancient Town.

7 Jan 2026 - 3:15PM

South China Sea

Opinion | Why coastguards, not warships, are shaping future of South China Sea

The test is not claimants resolving their disputes but whether they preserve the infrastructure that keeps encounters from becoming a crisis.

7 Jan 2026 - 9:30AMvideocam

Chinese tourists

Vietnam overtakes Thailand as Chinese tourists' top choice for travel

Chinese visitors to Vietnam jumped 41 per cent to 5.3 million, topping the 4.5 million to Thailand, where safety concerns reduced Chinese travellers.

5 Jan 2026 - 8:52PMvideocam

The Night Market in Nha Trang, Vietnam, a popular destination for the growing number of mainland Chinese tourists visiting the city. Photo: Roy Issa

Hong Kong police

Police to deepen Asean ties as Hong Kong set to host first top Interpol meeting

Police chief Joe Chow says Hong Kong’s high standing will help foster ties as city looks to host 196 member country representatives in November.

5 Jan 2026 - 8:30AM

Hong Kong police chief Joe Chow Yat-ming attended Interpol’s general assembly in Marrakech, Morocco, last year. Photo: Handout

US-China relations

Open Questions | ‘Embrace the moment’: on China, Daniel Kritenbrink puts pragmatism first

Former US ambassador to Vietnam says a return to the past for US-China relations is unrealistic, but both economic powers benefit from ties.

5 Jan 2026 - 9:11AMvideocam

Japan

Canning old ways: how Japan is rethinking foreign labour

Tawara Canning has managed to maintain its workforce by offering foreigners places to stay and a chance to integrate with the community.

4 Jan 2026 - 10:44AM

Open Questions series

Open Questions | Amid US-China trade war truce, ex-diplomat preaches realism

Daniel Kritenbrink, once the top US diplomat for East Asia, doesn’t see a wider thaw in relations despite upcoming meetings between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.

2 Jan 2026 - 10:00AMvideocam

Australia

Opinion | Australia is losing its ability to engage Asia on its own terms

With security increasingly tied to regional developments, Australia’s eroding Asia literacy risks shutting Canberra out of crucial decisions.

31 Dec 2025 - 5:30AMvideocam

Chinatown in Melbourne, seen in 2020. Despite its strong trade and people-to-people links to Asia, reinforced by waves of migration, Australia’s Asia literacy has steadily declined. Photo: Shutterstock

Environment

Opinion | Forest conservation must be long-term priority for Southeast Asia

The region’s challenges are primarily political as underfunding and business interests create fragmented institutions, weak enforcement and poor data.

30 Dec 2025 - 5:30AMvideocam

Video | Pickleball craze sparks controversy in Vietnam

Pickleball has become one of Vietnam’s fastest-growing sports, with the highest number of players per capita in Asia.

29 Dec 2025 - 5:05PM

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