A notable update in Ho Chi Minh City's Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) data for 2025 is the appearance of two distinct figures-one including oil-related activities and one excluding them.

A sweeping cross-cultural romance set against Vietnam’s landscapes and cityscapes, the Vietnam–India co-production Love in Vietnam is positioning itself as both a cinematic crowd-pleaser and a soft-power showcase.

Localities such as Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Ninh Binh, Phu Tho and Bac Ninh posted growth rates of between 10.27% and 11.89%, far exceeding the national average.

Vietnam, long a top-10 global destination for remittances, is gearing up for its yearly rush of money sent home by overseas workers and family members as the Lunar New Year, known as Tet, gets closer.

As 2025 came to a close, Bac Ninh emerged as the leading exporting province in Vietnam, surpassing Ho Chi Minh City and accounting for nearly 20% of the country’s total export turnover.

The widening gap between economic growth and power usage in Vietnam reflects deeper structural shifts.

Vietnam’s cultural sector is no longer just about spirit-it’s about strategy and GDP.

The year 2025 closed with a distinctive sense of relief after a long period of hardship-alongside a deeper reflection on Vietnam’s future development path.

Vietnam posted 8.02% GDP growth in 2025, among the fastest globally, and is projected to surpass Singapore and Thailand in economic size this decade.

Israel and Vietnam on January 5 launched their first direct air route, linking Tel Aviv and Hanoi in a move expected to accelerate tourism, trade and wider bilateral exchanges.

Industrial production rose by 9.2% for the year, accelerating from an 8.2% increase in 2024 and marking the strongest performance since 2019.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has signed Decision No. 16/QD-TTg approving a plan to implement the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and Israel (VIFTA), aiming to ensure the agreement is carried out fully and effectively.

Bac Ninh emerged as one of Vietnam’s fastest-growing local economies in 2025, driven by strong industry and startup activity.

The rate of fly ash utilisation has steadily increased over the years, to 84% in 2021 from 37.5% in 2018.

Despite global uncertainty in 2025, the agriculture and environment sector fulfilled and exceeded all nine targets assigned by the Government.

ASEAN, particularly Vietnam and Thailand, has also stood out. The RoK’s exports to ASEAN rose 12.5% over the period, reaching 122.4 billion USD in 2025, while exports to Vietnam climbed 10.8% to 62.8 billion USD.

Vietnam allocated about 1.15 quadrillion VND (nearly 43.8 billion USD) for development investment in 2025, the highest ever recorded, the Ministry of Finance reported at its year-end review conference held in Hanoi on January 6.

Vietnam’s total trade in services surpassed 70 billion USD last year, with exports reaching 30.3 billion USD and imports amounting to 40.5 billion USD, resulting in a deficit of more than 10 billion USD.

Ho Chi Minh City has set an economic growth target of over 10% for 2026, based on favourable international conditions and the early impact of the amended Resolution 98 on special mechanisms and policies for the city.

Vietnam's stock market continued its upward trajectory on January 7, with the VN-Index surpassing 1,835 points-a new all-time high. The early-year rally reflects strong investor sentiment and rising confidence.