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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

This photo taken on February 12, 2026 shows a Vietnamese cryptocurrency investor looking at the latest bitcoin values on a smartphone in Hanoi. Photo: AFP

Banking & finance

OKX Ventures, HashKey Capital back Vietnam crypto platform’s pilot scheme bid

Under pilot rules, at least 65 per cent of capital must come from institutional investors and foreign ownership is capped at 49 per cent.

10 Apr 2026 - 11:04AM

US, Israel war on Iran

Why US-Iran truce may not end high airfares and flight disruptions

9 Apr 2026 - 9:53PMvideocam

Food and Drinks

Hainanese chicken rice origins and its versions in Singapore, Malaysia and more

9 Apr 2026 - 7:15AM

Artificial intelligence

AI fuels global trade growth as China-US flows shift, McKinsey finds

Data-centre expansion and AI investment push global trade ahead of economic growth, consultancy says.

9 Apr 2026 - 7:00AM

AI-linked goods accounted for about one-third of global trade growth last year, according to McKinsey. Photo: AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

No quick fix for Asian airlines even if Iran reopens Hormuz: IATA chief

While crude oil is likely to be cheaper after the US-Iran ceasefire, jet fuel costs will stay high for the short haul, IATA’s Walsh says.

8 Apr 2026 - 3:26PMvideocam

Asean

Most in Asean prefer China over US in survey, Trump cited as biggest concern

Support for China was stronger in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore, according to the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute survey.

7 Apr 2026 - 6:08PM

To Lam

To Lam emerges as Vietnam’s ‘supreme leader’ after being elected president

The Communist Party chief is the first person to secure the top two jobs through the party’s normal leadership selection processes.

7 Apr 2026 - 2:35PMvideocam

Communist Party head To Lam is sworn in as Vietnam’s president on Tuesday. Photo: EPA

The Philippines

Why high fuel costs could accelerate the Philippines’ EV boom

Vietnam’s VinFast is seizing the moment by offering incentives for drivers to make the switch from petrol-powered vehicles to electric.

7 Apr 2026 - 8:00AM

New Openings

Hong Kong’s hottest new openings, from Le Le’s launch to Thong Smith’s debut

Progressive Vietnamese arrives in the form of Le Le, while Bangkok’s cult-favourite boat noodle specialist Thong Smith debuts in Wan Chai.

6 Apr 2026 - 3:00PM

Thailand

Thailand’s fishing industry fights for survival as Iran war hits fuel costs

Half of the fleet is already docked as the fishing association warns the whole sector may ‘collapse like dominoes’.

5 Apr 2026 - 8:00AMvideocam

A man on a truck brings the ice that keeps the catch fresh. Photo: Aidan Jones

Asean

Cultural capitals: Southeast Asia seeks soft power to outlast the buzz

The region’s creators are going global, but the structures to sustain them are still catching up.

4 Apr 2026 - 9:50AMvideocam

Sri Lanka

152 arrested in Sri Lanka in alleged Chinese-run cyberscam

Among those arrested in a raid on a hotel rented by Chinese men in the coastal town of Chilaw were 133 Chinese people.

3 Apr 2026 - 11:23PMvideocam

Taiwan

Former KMT chairwoman calls for ‘profound mutual trust’ with mainland China

Social media post from Hung Hsiu-chu comes days ahead of sitting KMT chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s visit to mainland.

3 Apr 2026 - 8:44PM

Malaysia

‘Feels unreal’: Indonesian grandma freed from Malaysian death row flies home

Ani Anggraeni spent nearly 15 years in prison for drug trafficking before her death sentence was commuted and she was later pardoned.

3 Apr 2026 - 12:49PMvideocam

Ani Anggraeni is seen in prison last year. Photo: Handout

US-China trade war

As Xi-Trump summit approaches, tariffs continue to choke direct trade

Deficit with mainland hits two-decade low as trade shifts to Taiwan, Mexico and Vietnam amid tariff fallout and efforts to stabilise ties.

3 Apr 2026 - 5:42AMvideocam

Shipping containers wait to be transported along a railroad at the port of Los Angeles in Long Beach, California, one of the busiest gateways for US trade. Photo: Reuters

South China Sea

Why China and Vietnam are shifting from confrontation to calm in South China Sea

Disagreements continue, but the two sides are showing notable restraint in contrast with Beijing’s fierce exchanges with Manila.

2 Apr 2026 - 5:44PMvideocam

Asean

How Asean’s neutral stance in Iran war protects its energy security

Granting Southeast Asian vessels safe passage through the strait allows Iran to come across as a diplomatic good guy, analysts say.

2 Apr 2026 - 3:19PMvideocam

Science

As Mandarin dominates Cantonese, this Hong Kong AI firm is pushing back

Hong Kong-based tech firm Votee AI aims to replicate its model for other low-resource languages in Southeast Asia and Africa.

1 Apr 2026 - 9:45AMvideocam

Unlike Mandarin, English or Spanish, which have vast troves of digital text for AI training, Cantonese lacks written text that accurately reflects how it is spoken. Image: Shutterstock

The Philippines

Philippines to rename disputed South China Sea islands

The features to be renamed belong to the Spratly archipelago, site of repeated confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels.

31 Mar 2026 - 11:29PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Why spike in fertiliser prices could boost China’s political clout

Beijing could see its regional leverage grow as the Iran war hits supply, though weaponisation of exports is unlikely, analysts say.

31 Mar 2026 - 11:10PM

US-China relations

Letters | Unfinished business: the delay of Trump’s China visit

Readers discuss the postponement of the US president’s visit to Beijing, and the underlying impulse behind American military action.

31 Mar 2026 - 11:30AM

US President Donald Trump greets Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of a bilateral meeting at Gimhae Air Base on October 30, 2025, in Busan, South Korea. Photo: Getty Images

China travel

Amid soaring airfares, Chinese bookings up 20% ahead of Ching Ming holiday

Global instability fails to deter Chinese holidaymakers with airlines selling 2.04 million tickets in the lead-up to Ching Ming Festival.

31 Mar 2026 - 10:55AMvideocam

A China Eastern Airlines flight takes off from an airport in Shanghai. Demand for flights over the upcoming Ching Ming Festival holiday remains robust in China despite soaring airfares. Photo: Xinhua

US-Iran tensions

Why Trump needs a short-term win in Iran before he visits Xi in China

A surge in US service members in the Middle East suggests the makings of a protracted and low-intensity conflict, analysts say.

30 Mar 2026 - 9:51PMvideocam

Mainland China

Vietnam arrests 74 over falsified environmental, waste water data

Police arrested officials at state environmental agencies and dozens of businesses that discharge waste water and install monitoring equipment.

29 Mar 2026 - 10:24PM

China-Africa relations

Why are smugglers swarming East Africa for ants to send to China and Europe?

A black market in harvester ants has sprung up in Kenya, with big implications for the environment.

29 Mar 2026 - 12:00PM

Kenya’s Wildlife Service detected five cases of smugglers trying to take live queen ants out of the country on flights last year. Photo: AP

Singapore

Singapore seizes record Asian pangolin scales disguised as ‘dried fish skin’

The scales – estimated to be from more than 2,200 pangolins – were found after officials intercepted an inbound truck carrying sea cargo.

28 Mar 2026 - 5:59PM

Pangolin scales are examined following their seizure in Singapore on December 29, 2025. Photo: AFP/Singapore’s National Parks Board and Immigration & Checkpoints Authority

Artificial intelligence

‘Economic own goal’? Vietnam’s AI law sets a risky pace for Southeast Asia

From Malaysia’s sovereign cloud to Vietnam’s data curbs, critics say the rush to regulate will deter investment.

28 Mar 2026 - 12:30PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran says Hormuz closed for shipping to and from ‘enemy’ ports

The Revolutionary Guards said that they had turned back three vessels seeking to cross the transit point.

27 Mar 2026 - 8:22PMvideocam

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Vietnam

OKX Ventures, HashKey Capital back Vietnam crypto platform’s pilot scheme bid

Under pilot rules, at least 65 per cent of capital must come from institutional investors and foreign ownership is capped at 49 per cent.

Why US-Iran truce may not end high airfares and flight disruptions

Hainanese chicken rice origins and its versions in Singapore, Malaysia and more

AI fuels global trade growth as China-US flows shift, McKinsey finds

Data-centre expansion and AI investment push global trade ahead of economic growth, consultancy says.

No quick fix for Asian airlines even if Iran reopens Hormuz: IATA chief

While crude oil is likely to be cheaper after the US-Iran ceasefire, jet fuel costs will stay high for the short haul, IATA’s Walsh says.

Most in Asean prefer China over US in survey, Trump cited as biggest concern

Support for China was stronger in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore, according to the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute survey.

To Lam emerges as Vietnam’s ‘supreme leader’ after being elected president

The Communist Party chief is the first person to secure the top two jobs through the party’s normal leadership selection processes.

Why high fuel costs could accelerate the Philippines’ EV boom

Vietnam’s VinFast is seizing the moment by offering incentives for drivers to make the switch from petrol-powered vehicles to electric.

Hong Kong’s hottest new openings, from Le Le’s launch to Thong Smith’s debut

Progressive Vietnamese arrives in the form of Le Le, while Bangkok’s cult-favourite boat noodle specialist Thong Smith debuts in Wan Chai.

Thailand’s fishing industry fights for survival as Iran war hits fuel costs

Half of the fleet is already docked as the fishing association warns the whole sector may ‘collapse like dominoes’.

Cultural capitals: Southeast Asia seeks soft power to outlast the buzz

The region’s creators are going global, but the structures to sustain them are still catching up.

152 arrested in Sri Lanka in alleged Chinese-run cyberscam

Among those arrested in a raid on a hotel rented by Chinese men in the coastal town of Chilaw were 133 Chinese people.

Former KMT chairwoman calls for ‘profound mutual trust’ with mainland China

Social media post from Hung Hsiu-chu comes days ahead of sitting KMT chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s visit to mainland.

‘Feels unreal’: Indonesian grandma freed from Malaysian death row flies home

Ani Anggraeni spent nearly 15 years in prison for drug trafficking before her death sentence was commuted and she was later pardoned.

As Xi-Trump summit approaches, tariffs continue to choke direct trade

Deficit with mainland hits two-decade low as trade shifts to Taiwan, Mexico and Vietnam amid tariff fallout and efforts to stabilise ties.

Why China and Vietnam are shifting from confrontation to calm in South China Sea

Disagreements continue, but the two sides are showing notable restraint in contrast with Beijing’s fierce exchanges with Manila.

How Asean’s neutral stance in Iran war protects its energy security

Granting Southeast Asian vessels safe passage through the strait allows Iran to come across as a diplomatic good guy, analysts say.

As Mandarin dominates Cantonese, this Hong Kong AI firm is pushing back

Hong Kong-based tech firm Votee AI aims to replicate its model for other low-resource languages in Southeast Asia and Africa.

Philippines to rename disputed South China Sea islands

The features to be renamed belong to the Spratly archipelago, site of repeated confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels.

Why spike in fertiliser prices could boost China’s political clout

Beijing could see its regional leverage grow as the Iran war hits supply, though weaponisation of exports is unlikely, analysts say.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Letters | Unfinished business: the delay of Trump’s China visit

Readers discuss the postponement of the US president’s visit to Beijing, and the underlying impulse behind American military action.

Amid soaring airfares, Chinese bookings up 20% ahead of Ching Ming holiday

Global instability fails to deter Chinese holidaymakers with airlines selling 2.04 million tickets in the lead-up to Ching Ming Festival.

Why Trump needs a short-term win in Iran before he visits Xi in China

A surge in US service members in the Middle East suggests the makings of a protracted and low-intensity conflict, analysts say.

Vietnam arrests 74 over falsified environmental, waste water data

Police arrested officials at state environmental agencies and dozens of businesses that discharge waste water and install monitoring equipment.

Why are smugglers swarming East Africa for ants to send to China and Europe?

A black market in harvester ants has sprung up in Kenya, with big implications for the environment.

Singapore seizes record Asian pangolin scales disguised as ‘dried fish skin’

The scales – estimated to be from more than 2,200 pangolins – were found after officials intercepted an inbound truck carrying sea cargo.

‘Economic own goal’? Vietnam’s AI law sets a risky pace for Southeast Asia

From Malaysia’s sovereign cloud to Vietnam’s data curbs, critics say the rush to regulate will deter investment.

Iran says Hormuz closed for shipping to and from ‘enemy’ ports

The Revolutionary Guards said that they had turned back three vessels seeking to cross the transit point.

Letters | Unfinished business: the delay of Trump’s China visit