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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

USS Cincinnati docks at Ream Naval Base’s pier in Sihanoukville on Saturday. Photo: AP

Cambodia

Base instincts: why US warship visit won’t calm fears over Cambodian port

The USS Cincinnati is the first US warship to dock at Ream Naval Base since its China-funded expansion was completed in April last year.

30 Jan 2026 - 6:10PMvideocam

‘I’m a billionaire now’: price boom thrills Vietnamese sitting on gold hoard

30 Jan 2026 - 1:31PMvideocam

Central Military Commission

‘Communist warrior’: China’s leaders pay tribute to late general Liao Xilong

29 Jan 2026 - 11:08PMvideocam

IPO

3 Chinese firms add to Hong Kong’s IPO boom with US$2 billion in fundraising

Muyuan Foods, Shenzhen Han’s and Distinct Healthcare started taking orders for their Hong Kong listings on Thursday.

29 Jan 2026 - 4:32PM

Muyuan Foods, the world’s largest hog firm, plans to sell about 274 million new shares at up to HK$39 each. Photo: Shutterstock

Asean

Just 1 visa to rule them all? How European-style pass could help Asean tourism

While Asean members such as Malaysia and Vietnam have shown strong post-pandemic growth, tourist numbers have lagged in the Philippines.

29 Jan 2026 - 2:41PM

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong’s exports jump 15.4% in 2025 to ‘historical high’

City’s trade to be supported by sustained global growth, improved ties with new markets and strong demand for AI products, authorities say.

27 Jan 2026 - 10:04PM

Malaysia

7 Fifa-banned Malaysian footballers cleared to play after court grants stay

The Court of Arbitration for Sport said the foreign-born players linked to forgery scandal can keep competing until a final ruling is made.

27 Jan 2026 - 3:33PM

Malaysia’s players pose before the start of the AFC Asian Cup qualifier Group F football match between Malaysia and Vietnam in Kuala Lumpur last year. Photo: AFP

Cambodia

Fear of Thai border action steers Cambodia towards UN law of sea after 43 years

Cambodia’s smaller and weaker navy will find safety in numbers and rule of law now that it has ratified Unclos, according to analysts.

27 Jan 2026 - 6:03PMvideocam

My Life

He planned to only stay in Macau for a year. Now he runs the literary festival

The Mozambique-born journalist once chose Stanley Ho for his magazine’s cover instead of Gong Li, and later bought the Portuguese Bookshop.

28 Jan 2026 - 5:20PM

Asia housing and property

The View | Why Thailand, India and Japan’s hotel sectors deserve a closer look

Thailand’s resilience in the face of an eventful 2025, India’s uneven boom in branded hotel supply and Japan’s record visitor numbers amid a row with China are deserving of attention.

26 Jan 2026 - 4:30PMvideocam

Tourists dressed in traditional Thai attire visit the Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun) in Bangkok, Thailand, on January 19. Despite the multiple challenges it faced, the land of smiles still managed to welcome 33 million tourists last year. Photo: EPA

South Korea

South Korean democracy icon Lee Hae-chan dies from heart attack in Vietnam

The former prime minister had two cardiac arrests while in Ho Chi Minh City for a Peaceful Unification Advisory Council meeting.

26 Jan 2026 - 11:59AM

Former South Korean prime minister Lee Hae-chan (left) shakes hands with President Lee Jae Myung during a New Year’s meeting at the presidential office in Seoul on January 2. Photo: Yonhap/EPA

China trade

Vietnam grabs bigger slice of China’s durian market as Thailand loses ground

Vietnam’s exports of the pungent fruit to China rose by US$500 million in 2025 as the country emerges as a serious rival to Thailand.

24 Jan 2026 - 8:00AMvideocam

South Korea

73 South Koreans repatriated from Cambodia face online scam probe

Arriving in handcuffs, the suspects allegedly scammed fellow South Koreans out of US$33 million.

23 Jan 2026 - 10:34PMvideocam

Icons and Influencers

Designer Hung La shares the inspo behind his ‘bad boy’ brand Lu’u Dan

La’s misspent youth crystallised into a subversive style whose celebrity fans include Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish and Lewis Hamilton.

26 Jan 2026 - 10:24AM

Hung La of Lu’u Dan at Fashion Asia’s “10 Asian Designers to Watch” exhibition in Hong Kong, in December 2025. Photo: Handout

To Lam

Vietnam’s To Lam gets another 5-year term as Communist Party chief

Lam, who is also seeking to become president, has pledged to speed up growth in the export-reliant country.

23 Jan 2026 - 3:57PM

To Lam

Efficiency or autocracy? What To Lam’s power grab will mean for Vietnam

The Communist Party’s general secretary is already behaving as if he ‘expects a mandate’ to add the presidency to his portfolio, experts say.

22 Jan 2026 - 8:00AMvideocam

US-Asean relations

Foot in the door or trap? Risks of Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ for Southeast Asia

Nations are likely to try to avoid early commitment while steering clear of outright rejection to minimise US retaliation, analysts say.

21 Jan 2026 - 2:30PMvideocam

Brazil

Brazil beef exports seen as stable in 2026 as industry pivots beyond China

Beef lobby Abiec said volumes not sold to China could be redirected other markets.

20 Jan 2026 - 12:47PM

A butcher weighs meat at a butcher shop in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2024. Photo: AFP

Belt and Road Initiative

US trade war? China had bigger plans in 2025 as ‘belt and road’ deals surged

China’s global infrastructure strategy logged a record US$213 billion of new deals in 2025, as metals projects in Central Asia soared, report finds.

19 Jan 2026 - 11:00PMvideocam

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong deports 113 failed asylum seekers in week-long operation

Authorities say 68 men and 45 women, some of whom completed jail sentences for offences in city, were sent back to their home countries.

19 Jan 2026 - 5:43PM

Luxury travel

Looking for a luxury Vietnamese escape with Spanish flair? We know a place

Villa le Corail, A Gran Meliá Hotel is a stunning beachfront retreat with private villas, a Michelin-star chef and even some coral conservation thrown in.

17 Jan 2026 - 2:00PM

The Villa Le Corail, A Gran Meliá Hotel is nestled on Vietnam’s stunning coastline on a private beach. Photo: Handout

Xi Jinping

Vietnam’s To Lam seeks to tighten grip on power as party congress begins

The party’s general secretary is eyeing a dual role similar to Xi Jinping’s in neighbouring China.

17 Jan 2026 - 8:53AM

Vietnam’s Communist Party General Secretary To Lam holds a meeting at the party’s central office in Hanoi on November 21, 2025. Photo: AFP

SCMP Highlights

China’s Ningbo cuisine; Hong Kong goes Back to the Past: 7 Lifestyle highlights

From the rise of Korean-style cafes in Hong Kong to dementia’s link to ‘brain drains’, here are seven stories from SCMP’s recent reporting.

15 Jan 2026 - 3:00PM

Cambodia

‘Not the end’: Cambodia keeps up scam crackdown after Chen Zhi sent to China

Phnom Penh signals zero tolerance for scam centres following the deportation of the Prince Group tycoon.

14 Jan 2026 - 7:38PMvideocam

Hong Kong economy

73% of Hong Kong, Greater Bay Area firms ramping up expansion into Asean: survey

Survey by Hong Kong Trade Development Council and United Overseas Bank also shows 98 per cent of companies plan to keep or expand Asean operations.

14 Jan 2026 - 8:27PM

The Asean flag alongside those of its member countries ahead of the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in Langkawi, Malaysia, in January 2025. Photo: Reuters

United States

As Vietnam’s US trade surplus outpaces China, Trump tries to fix ‘imbalance’

Jennifer Wicks McNamara is set to replace Marc Knapper as US ambassador to Vietnam as Hanoi’s trade surplus with US surpasses Beijing for first time.

13 Jan 2026 - 6:43PMvideocam

US President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with oil industry executives at the White House earlier this month. Photo: Reuters

China travel

China’s outbound travel set to soar by 10 million trips – but halve in Japan

Chinese tourist flows to Japan could plunge to as low as 4.8 million this year from 9.3 million in 2025 amid political dispute, survey finds.

11 Jan 2026 - 4:00PMvideocam

Artificial intelligence

Chinese robot vacuum maker Dreame sees AI-driven appliances run household chores

The firm’s ambition is to become a ‘world-class technology company’, global president Chang Xinwei says.

9 Jan 2026 - 9:07AM

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Vietnam

Base instincts: why US warship visit won’t calm fears over Cambodian port

The USS Cincinnati is the first US warship to dock at Ream Naval Base since its China-funded expansion was completed in April last year.

‘I’m a billionaire now’: price boom thrills Vietnamese sitting on gold hoard

‘Communist warrior’: China’s leaders pay tribute to late general Liao Xilong

3 Chinese firms add to Hong Kong’s IPO boom with US$2 billion in fundraising

Muyuan Foods, Shenzhen Han’s and Distinct Healthcare started taking orders for their Hong Kong listings on Thursday.

Just 1 visa to rule them all? How European-style pass could help Asean tourism

While Asean members such as Malaysia and Vietnam have shown strong post-pandemic growth, tourist numbers have lagged in the Philippines.

Hong Kong’s exports jump 15.4% in 2025 to ‘historical high’

City’s trade to be supported by sustained global growth, improved ties with new markets and strong demand for AI products, authorities say.

7 Fifa-banned Malaysian footballers cleared to play after court grants stay

The Court of Arbitration for Sport said the foreign-born players linked to forgery scandal can keep competing until a final ruling is made.

Fear of Thai border action steers Cambodia towards UN law of sea after 43 years

Cambodia’s smaller and weaker navy will find safety in numbers and rule of law now that it has ratified Unclos, according to analysts.

He planned to only stay in Macau for a year. Now he runs the literary festival

The Mozambique-born journalist once chose Stanley Ho for his magazine’s cover instead of Gong Li, and later bought the Portuguese Bookshop.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}The View | Why Thailand, India and Japan’s hotel sectors deserve a closer look

Thailand’s resilience in the face of an eventful 2025, India’s uneven boom in branded hotel supply and Japan’s record visitor numbers amid a row with China are deserving of attention.

South Korean democracy icon Lee Hae-chan dies from heart attack in Vietnam

The former prime minister had two cardiac arrests while in Ho Chi Minh City for a Peaceful Unification Advisory Council meeting.

Vietnam grabs bigger slice of China’s durian market as Thailand loses ground

Vietnam’s exports of the pungent fruit to China rose by US$500 million in 2025 as the country emerges as a serious rival to Thailand.

73 South Koreans repatriated from Cambodia face online scam probe

Arriving in handcuffs, the suspects allegedly scammed fellow South Koreans out of US$33 million.

Designer Hung La shares the inspo behind his ‘bad boy’ brand Lu’u Dan

La’s misspent youth crystallised into a subversive style whose celebrity fans include Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish and Lewis Hamilton.

Vietnam’s To Lam gets another 5-year term as Communist Party chief

Lam, who is also seeking to become president, has pledged to speed up growth in the export-reliant country.

Efficiency or autocracy? What To Lam’s power grab will mean for Vietnam

The Communist Party’s general secretary is already behaving as if he ‘expects a mandate’ to add the presidency to his portfolio, experts say.

Foot in the door or trap? Risks of Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ for Southeast Asia

Nations are likely to try to avoid early commitment while steering clear of outright rejection to minimise US retaliation, analysts say.

Brazil beef exports seen as stable in 2026 as industry pivots beyond China

Beef lobby Abiec said volumes not sold to China could be redirected other markets.

US trade war? China had bigger plans in 2025 as ‘belt and road’ deals surged

China’s global infrastructure strategy logged a record US$213 billion of new deals in 2025, as metals projects in Central Asia soared, report finds.

Hong Kong deports 113 failed asylum seekers in week-long operation

Authorities say 68 men and 45 women, some of whom completed jail sentences for offences in city, were sent back to their home countries.

Looking for a luxury Vietnamese escape with Spanish flair? We know a place

Villa le Corail, A Gran Meliá Hotel is a stunning beachfront retreat with private villas, a Michelin-star chef and even some coral conservation thrown in.

Vietnam’s To Lam seeks to tighten grip on power as party congress begins

The party’s general secretary is eyeing a dual role similar to Xi Jinping’s in neighbouring China.

China’s Ningbo cuisine; Hong Kong goes Back to the Past: 7 Lifestyle highlights

From the rise of Korean-style cafes in Hong Kong to dementia’s link to ‘brain drains’, here are seven stories from SCMP’s recent reporting.

‘Not the end’: Cambodia keeps up scam crackdown after Chen Zhi sent to China

Phnom Penh signals zero tolerance for scam centres following the deportation of the Prince Group tycoon.

73% of Hong Kong, Greater Bay Area firms ramping up expansion into Asean: survey

Survey by Hong Kong Trade Development Council and United Overseas Bank also shows 98 per cent of companies plan to keep or expand Asean operations.

As Vietnam’s US trade surplus outpaces China, Trump tries to fix ‘imbalance’

Jennifer Wicks McNamara is set to replace Marc Knapper as US ambassador to Vietnam as Hanoi’s trade surplus with US surpasses Beijing for first time.

China’s outbound travel set to soar by 10 million trips – but halve in Japan

Chinese tourist flows to Japan could plunge to as low as 4.8 million this year from 9.3 million in 2025 amid political dispute, survey finds.

Chinese robot vacuum maker Dreame sees AI-driven appliances run household chores

The firm’s ambition is to become a ‘world-class technology company’, global president Chang Xinwei says.

The View | Why Thailand, India and Japan’s hotel sectors deserve a closer look