Knowledge & Innovation
This category covers advancements in technology, education, and research, including startups, AI, fintech, and digital transformation. It highlights government policies on innovation, investment in R&D, and digital economy trends. As economies transition to knowledge-based industries, this section explores emerging technologies, automation, AI, and blockchain, showcasing how businesses and policymakers adapt to rapid innovation.
Labour: Vietnam Ministry proposes cutting foreign work permit processing time to 10 days
Vietnam’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) is proposing to reduce the processing time for issuing work permits to foreign workers in Vietnam from 36 days to 10 days, English language news site, Vietnam News has reported.
What The Economist Episode Says About Public Debate in Vietnam
The edition of The Economist featuring General Secretary To Lam — literally pictured with stars in his eyes — offered more than just sharp analysis of Vietnam’s economic trajectory. It also, indirectly, proffered valuable insights into how Vietnam’s public space for debate operates.
Policy: Vietnam GS calls for national culture of thrift to drive sustainable development
General Secretary To Lam has called for greater thrift and efforts at fighting waste in Vietnam, in a wide-ranging article published Sunday. This, however, comes amid a push to grow Vietnam’s economy through domestic consumption.
Vietnam News Roundup: May 23 to May 29
This week’s Vietnam news roundup covers Telegram’s looming ban, rising foreign concerns over retroactive solar subsidy cuts, and the global rollout of hit horror film Detective Kien. Plus: a gold market shake-up, new JETP funding, the US$10B worth of deals reached during Macron’s Vietnam visit, and more…
Vietnam Shoots the (Telegram) Messenger: Implications & Impacts
Telegram is set to be banned in Vietnam because it is allegedly being used for nefarious activities. Foreign firms should see this as a reminder of the often arbitrary and unpredictable nature of Vietnam’s digital regulatory environment.
Minimum Wage in Thailand 2025: Daily & Monthly
Thailand’s minimum wage structure reflects a regionally adjusted approach designed to balance economic growth with social equity. This article breaks down the minimum wage in Thailand by the different wage regions.
Minimum Wage in Indonesia 2025: Monthly & Daily
Indonesia’s minimum wage system is set annually and varies by province, reflecting regional economic differences and cost-of-living disparities. This article breaks down the key rates by region.
Minimum Wage in the Philippines 2025: Daily & Monthly
In the Philippines, minimum wages are determined on a regional basis rather than through a single national rate. This article outlines those rates.
Technology: Vietnam facing cybersecurity workforce crisis
Vietnam is projected to face a shortfall of 700,000 cybersecurity professionals by 2028, driven by rapid digitalisation and rising cyber threats, Vu Ngoc Son, Head of Technology and International Cooperation at the National Cybersecurity Association has told a conference, VietnamNet has reported.
Technology: Insights into Vietnam’s black market for personal data
Personal data of millions of Vietnamese citizens is being sold for as little as VND 1,000 (4 US cents) to VND 4,000 (16 US cents) per record on Telegram, Zalo, and Facebook fan pages, Viettimes has reported.
Vietnam News Roundup: May 16 to May 22
This week’s Vietnam News Roundup covers the approval of a new airline amid ongoing turbulence in the aviation sector, fresh funding for consumer finance firm F88, State Treasury deposits at SOEs raise questions about private sector parity, and more…
Sanctions: Three Vietnam firms added to EU Russia sanctions list named
Three Vietnamese companies have been added to the EU’s Russia sanctions list as of 21 May 2025. The firms are accused of supporting Russia’s military or energy sectors through trade facilitation or indirect circumvention of export controls, according to an EU Council Decision issued May 20.
Vietnam’s US Tariff Threat Prompted Counterfeit Crackdown: Unpacked
Counterfeit goods have been highlighted as one non-tariff barrier that led to the recently announced US tariffs on Vietnamese goods. Vietnam is now responding to try to bring down those tariffs by launching a crackdown on counterfeits. So, how prevalent is the counterfeit goods trade in Vietnam? Can it be stopped? And if it can, why hasn’t it been already?
Banking & finance: Vietnam crypto stakeholders push back on forced transfer proposal
Crypto experts, investors, and legal scholars have widely opposed the Ministry of Finance’s draft regulation requiring crypto to be transferred to and stored within licensed domestic exchanges in Vietnam, Tuoi Tre has reported. They argue it is legally premature, technically unworkable, and economically harmful.
Private sector development: Vietnam National Assembly approves support package for private sector
Vietnam’s National Assembly has passed a resolution with nearly 90 percent support to strengthen mechanisms for private economic development. Policies include land rent subsidies, interest rate support, tax exemptions, inspection limits, and legal protections for private enterprises, SMEs, and startups, Vietnam Biz has reported.
News media: Vietnam police accuse local editor of 82 counts of extortion
Dong Xuan Thu, former editor-in-chief of Vietnam Environment and Urban magazine, has been accused of involvement in 82 cases of property extortion, by the Thai Binh Police, as reported by Dan Tri. He allegedly directed reporters to write negative articles about local businesses, then used those articles as leverage to pressure subjects to pay to have them taken down.
Education: Vietnam university over-enrollment concerns in spotlight at education conference
The current scale of university admissions in Vietnam—over 550,000 students across 200 universities in 2024—is “very unreasonable,” Dang Viet Xo, Principal of the Vietnam College of Industry and Trade has told an education conference, VN Express has reported.
Vietnam News Roundup: May 9 to May 15
This week’s Vietnam news roundup covers growing pressure on U.S. footwear tariffs and Vietnam’s lobbying response, a rebound in the corporate bond market, rising power prices, renewed scrutiny of gaming regulations, Hilton’s expansion plans, a proposed VAT cut extension, and more…
Vietnam News Roundup: May 2 to May 8
This week’s Vietnam news roundup covers CPI and trade data, SBV operations, credit growth, LNG tariffs, gold demand, a PMI drop, sanctions risk, the KRX system launch as well as foreign trader activity, tourism data, and more…
Private sector development: Vietnam government issues resolution aimed at private sector boost
Vietnam’s Politburo has released Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW, a directive that repositions the private sector as “the most important driving force” of its socialist-oriented market economy. It calls for sweeping reforms to remove systemic barriers and elevate the private economy’s share of GDP beyond 60 percent by 2045.
In today’s Vietnam news: GS TL on AI, Saigon Economic Times last issue, Fuel prices cut, Vinhomes issuing more bonds, Counterfeit Korean cosmetics store,
In today’s Vietnam news: Power supply imports, Hanoi boulevard project protests, Antidumping duties coming for boxes, Maersk container terminal project Hanoi, Vinpearl foreign investment,
In today’s Vietnam news: Credit limits removed for some major projects, Estonian web security company market entry, Vingroup’s Vuong becomes major shareholder LP Bank,
This is an interview with Chris Walker, a Vietnam Sourcing Expert with Vietnam Factory Tours how rising oil prices and the Middle East crisis are
This is an interview with John Gardner, CEO and Founding Partner, at Optimum Hospitality in Ho Chi Minh City. It covers fuel price impacts on:
This is an interview with Dr Nuno F. Ribeiro, Associate Professor, International Tourism & Hospitality Management at Copenhagen Business College, formerly of RMIT Vietnam. It