features
The Features category includes in-depth analyses, expert opinions, and long-form reports on key industries, policies, and market developments. It explores trends, challenges, and opportunities across various sectors, providing comprehensive insights for professionals, businesses, and policymakers.
Is Vietnam the Next Asian Tiger Economy?
This article looks at what the Asian Tigers were before 1997, what happened in 1997 when the AFC hit, and then what that might say about Vietnam’s current economic development trajectory.
What Recent Traffic Reforms Say About Doing Business in Vietnam
Change is afoot on the typically chaotic streets of Vietnam with significantly increased fines introduced at the start of the year for a myriad of traffic violations. These changes can in many ways be seen as a proxy for Vietnam’s economic development more broadly. Here’s how.
Building An International Financial Centre in Vietnam: Unpacked
At the end of December, the Government of Vietnam passed Resolution No 259/NQ-CP approving a plan to create regional and international financial centres in Danang and Ho Chi Minh City. Whereas the plan puts the emphasis on location this article looks at the regulatory issues holding this project back.
Vietnam’s Economy in 2024: A Brief Recap
Vietnam had a bumper year in 2024 based on GDP figures alone. Released on Monday, data from the General Office of Statistics, found that the economy had increased in size by 7.09 percent, a significant jump from the 5.05 percent it recorded in 2023. But that’s not to say Vietnam is on a sure footing heading into 2025 (it actually looks more to the contrary) or that everyone was a winner…
What to Watch Now Google Has An Office in Vietnam
Last week, Google announced it had opened an office in HCMC. This has been a long time coming and this makes Google one of the first big tech firms to do so. That said, the operating environment Google is entering is complicated and with this in mind, this article unpacks a few of the challenges Google might face.
Does Vietnam Have a Private Consumption Problem Too?
When reports of a private consumption problem in China surfaced, it made sense to wonder if Vietnam might be facing those same problems too. And indeed, whereas it’s fairly easy to assume that Vietnam’s booming economy might correlate to booming consumer consumption, the numbers paint a somewhat different picture…
The 8th Session of Vietnam’s National Assembly: Key Takeaways
Vietnam’s 15th National Assembly wrapped up its 8th session on the weekend bringing to the end a month of debate and discussion with a number of new laws and amendments to existing laws approved. Here’s a few key takeaways for firms doing business in Vietnam…
Rethinking Financing Vietnam’s Clean Energy Transition
That is to say, practically speaking, the implementation of Vietnam’s JETP agreement looks to have stalled. That being the case, it might be time to start considering other options.
Vietnam’s New Social Media ID Regulations: Unpacked
The passage of Decree 157, which adds verification requirements for social media accounts in Vietnam, has caused a stir amid claims this will be used to identify distributors of content deemed ‘anti-state’. This may be true, but it seems unlikely this is the actual intent of these new regulations, with several much more pressing reasons for these new requirements…
How Well Prepared Is Vietnam for a Trump Presidency?
Most analysis in Vietnam of Trump’s election has centred around two key recurring themes: an increase in import tariffs in the United States as a direct impact on Vietnam; and, a likely stronger US dollar as a result of said tariffs and subsequently increased pressure on the dong. This article looks at how Vietnam might respond.
Temu in Vietnam: What’s Fair in Free Trade?
When Chinese e-commerce giant Temu officially launched in Vietnam last month the hype was palpable. Not only had the firm dropped a small fortune on advertising but it had also ruffled feathers in Vietnam’s business community: Temu’s goods were too cheap and Vietnamese producers could not compete. With a narrative containing two things Vietnamese love–huge discounts and hating on China–the local media piled on…
Media Relations in Vietnam: Lessons from VinFast
How VinFast has managed its brand image and narrative offers some interesting insights into the company and, by extension, how media relations work in Vietnam…
It’s Time to Talk About Vietnam’s Credit Growth Policy…
A credit growth limit policy put in place to keep inflation in Vietnam in check back in 2010 was last year, after uncharacteristically low credit growth, reframed as a credit growth target. Banks, subsequently, have been pushed to issue more loans than they otherwise might have, which could have broad economic implications…
Vietnam’s Economy in Q3 Beyond GDP Growth: Unpacked
Vietnam’s GDP grew by 7.4 percent in the third quarter of 2024 compared to 2023, according to data from the General Office of Statistics. This was higher than expected and bucked an understanding that it might take a hit off the back of Typhoon Yagi. This ostensibly positive news, however, seemed to overshadow another couple of key economic observations.
Paying For Vietnam’s High-Speed Rail: Unpacked
Vietnam’s Transport Ministry has said that Vietnam’s high-speed railway project connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will utilise domestic finances and technology, as opposed to support from abroad. It is, however, expensive and financing it alone will be challenging.
Should Vietnam Be Worried About Indonesia Joining the CPTPP?
Last week, Indonesia officially applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement. Whereas the benefits to Indonesia are clear, for Vietnam, a founding member of the agreement, it could be problematic. This article looks at the risks and opportunities for Vietnam if Indonesia’s accession is approved…
Why More Foreign Films Aren’t Made in Vietnam
Vietnam’s Ministry of Tourism, Sports, and Culture is headed to Hollywood to pitch Vietnam as a film set in the hopes that Vietnam’s appearance on the silver screen will boost tourist numbers. It will, however, likely take more than simply raising awareness to see more films made in Vietnam with censorship weighing heavily on foreign film productions.
Can Vietnam Survive the Steel-Trade Wars?
Cheap Chinese steel is flooding markets around the world causing headaches for local steel makers. This has led to anti-dumping investigations in a number of countries that look to have caught Vietnam in the crossfire. It is not, however, going quietly but launching its own anti-dumping investigations as well. In this context, this article looks at what has happened to Vietnam’s steel industry, how it is responding, and what that might mean moving forward.
Can Vietnam Ever Quit Coal?
At the Conference of Parties in Glasgow in 2021, Vietnam committed to reducing its carbon emissions to net-zero by 2050 a big part of which was reducing the burgeoning Southeast Asian nation’s dependence on coal. Three years on, however, and Vietnam’s de-coalification appears to have stalled with coal power and coal imports both on the rise. So what’s changed? Why has it changed? And what might happen next?
A Brief History of Startups in Vietnam: Unpacked 2024
A culture of ingenuity along with big appetites for risk has seen Vietnamese entrepreneurs slide seamlessly into the global start-up scene. But start-ups require capital and the capital flowing into Vietnamese startups has slowed considerably post-pandemic. With this in mind, this article runs through what’s changed, how it’s changed, and what might happen next…
In today’s Vietnam news: More land for Trump golf course, Hanoi metro awarded Vingroup, Rising bank bond interest rates, GE contract stalled power plant
In today’s Vietnam news: MSCI market review, Russia’s Gazprom abandons LNG plant project, Horror movie making warning, Banking risk analysis, Denmark-VN ethanol cooperation, Work
In today’s Vietnam news: Thailand vs Vietnam tourism, India missile purchase final stages, Airport rail connections Long Thanh, BESS development Northern Vietnam, New US
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