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.

Health insurance cardholders from near-poor households have their payment rate raised from 95% to 100% of covered medical expenses effective on January 1.

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.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on January 7 urged the swift completion of the “Quang Trung Campaign” to rebuild storm-hit homes in central Vietnam before the 14th Party Congress and Lunar New Year.

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.

The National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Finance on January 7 launched the 2026 Economic Census across the country.

National cybersecurity authorities reveal a troubling increase in sophisticated mobile threats, with nearly 63,000 new strains recorded.

U23 Vietnam defeats Jordan 2-0 in their AFC U23 Asian Cup opener with a standout tactical performance.

Vietnam’s new 0.1% tax on gold bullion transfers is designed more as a management tool than a revenue measure.

At CES 2026, Intel officially unveiled its next-generation Core Ultra Series 3 processors, marking the company’s first chips built on the new Intel 18A process and representing a major leap in AI PC computing.

Apple is ready to rewrite the iPhone story in 2026 with bold new models, including a foldable flagship and revamped entry-level editions.

Vietnam’s tourism sector closed out 2025 with an unprecedented achievement: a record-high 21.2 million international arrivals, marking a 20.4% surge over 2024.

General Secretary To Lam has urged Vietnam’s National Assembly to be bold in confronting unprecedented issues and lead institutional reform to spur national development.

The 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup is more than a youth tournament-it’s a silent test of progress between Vietnam and Thailand.

Vietnam enters 2026 with strong momentum after a resilient 2025, but experts warn that policy execution will determine if it reaches its ambitious targets.