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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

Malaysia

Neighbours shocked after ‘nice uncle’ arrested in Malaysia for gunning down 3

Johor locals stunned as polite, orchard-owning man with a licensed shotgun for crops was arrested for a triple shooting.

21 Apr 2026 - 9:39AM

Art

Vietnamese-American’s war-themed art stirs painful parallels with clashes today

6 hours ago

Japan

Vietnam and Philippines trust Japan. Why doesn’t Indonesia?

20 Apr 2026 - 3:02PMvideocam

South Korea

South Korea targets India, Vietnam in ‘co-prosperity’ push for trade and tech

President Lee embarks on a strategic trip to New Delhi and Hanoi, boosting economic ties and supply chains amid the Middle East chaos.

20 Apr 2026 - 3:34PMvideocam

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung delivers a speech during a ceremony at the National Cemetery in Seoul on Sunday. Photo: EPA/Yonhap

US, Israel war on Iran

Why Iran war is making petrol cars an unwanted luxury in Asia

From Nepal to Vietnam, soaring fuel costs are making petrol cars a luxury as Asia outpaces Europe in the race to go electric.

20 Apr 2026 - 9:20AM

US, Israel war on Iran

Shock therapy: war forces oil-addicted Asia to finally go green

Burned by soaring energy prices, Southeast Asian nations are racing to future-proof themselves against the volatility of war.

18 Apr 2026 - 8:00AMvideocam

China manufacturing

Iran war energy shock sees Chinese firms recalibrate overseas expansion plans

Businesses are rethinking short-term strategies as they adapt to rising costs and slowing growth across major economies.

18 Apr 2026 - 6:33AMvideocam

China-Asean relations

As I see it | Vietnam and China are now perfectly aligned

The emerging partnership enables Vietnam to preserve diplomatic flexibility and advance economic diversification in the face of US pressure.

17 Apr 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

South China Sea

China, Vietnam vow to ‘better’ navigate South China Sea disputes

Joint communique indicates wish to keep maritime disputes from jeopardising ties and caps To Lam’s trip.

17 Apr 2026 - 8:55PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Asian airlines face ‘major headwind’ from jet fuel costs, forcing flight changes

Fuel has jumped from 25 per cent of total operating costs for airlines to nearly 45 per cent in a matter of weeks, analysts say.

17 Apr 2026 - 8:14PM

Aircraft queue up on the tarmac before taking off at Mumbai airport. Photo: AFP

Comac

VietJet Air to lease up to 10 C909 jets in boost for Chinese aircraft maker

Deal follows talks between Chinese and Vietnamese presidents in Beijing this week.

17 Apr 2026 - 3:00PM

A C909 in VietJet livery at Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport in April last year. Photo: Reuters

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police arrest 5 over shoplifting syndicate targeting Muji stores

Group allegedly posted lookouts as other members swiftly stuffed clothing into handbags and reusable bags before leaving.

16 Apr 2026 - 7:22PM

Japan

Why Japan will remain the most trusted power in Asean despite military push

A survey by ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute shows respondents trusted Japan more as a power than the EU, the US, China and India.

16 Apr 2026 - 6:27PMvideocam

The Philippines

Why Southeast Asian nations are skipping major US-Philippine Balikatan drills

Given the rivalry between Washington and Beijing, joining the annual military exercise may risk being seen as picking the US, analysts say.

17 Apr 2026 - 1:11PM

Philippine Navy Colonel Dennis Hernandez (left) looks on as United States Marines Colonel Robert Bunn speaks during a Balikatan briefing on Tuesday. Photo: EPA

China-Asean relations

Xi tells Vietnamese counterpart they should ‘jointly oppose unilateralism’

On To Lam’s state visit, Chinese president also urges keeping ‘supply chains stable and unimpeded’ as Iran war deepens global energy crisis.

15 Apr 2026 - 7:59PMvideocam

Chinese President Xi Jinping (second left) and his wife Peng Liyuan (left) welcome Vietnamese President To Lam and his wife Ngo Phuong Ly in Beijing on Wednesday. Photo: Vietnam News Agency/AFP

Japan

Japan to provide US$10 billion support to help Asia secure oil

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi says the support will be equivalent to as much as 1.2 billion ⁠barrels of oil.

15 Apr 2026 - 6:15PM

2026 Trump-Xi summit

Xi Jinping meets foreign leaders: tracker 2026

World leaders are flocking to Beijing this year as Trump’s trade war spurs US allies to look for new ties.

15 Apr 2026 - 5:45PM

US-China relations

Russian and Chinese envoys meet in Beijing to discuss Iran, Ukraine and Taiwan

Chinese readout warns of rising turmoil in veiled swipe at Washington and Trump as Beijing strengthens ties with Moscow.

15 Apr 2026 - 4:46AMvideocam

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (left) and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi pose before talks in Beijing on Tuesday. Photo: EPA

Asia travel

Lack of fuel reserves forces Southeast Asian flight cuts amid Hormuz crisis

Airlines are cutting flights, as dependence on Middle Eastern fuel hits operators from Pakistan to New Zealand.

14 Apr 2026 - 12:10PMvideocam

United States

Minnesota investigates ICE arrest of Hmong-American man as possible kidnapping

ChongLy ‘Scott’ Thao was arrested at gunpoint, and escorted in his underwear and a blanket in freezing conditions.

14 Apr 2026 - 2:41PM

Renewable energy

Opinion | Hormuz crisis a chance to spur Asia’s shift to clean, secure energy

The US war on Iran should be a catalyst for governments and industries to accelerate the transition to renewables.

12 Apr 2026 - 5:30AMvideocam

Cars and motorbikes sit in a long queue to refuel at a petrol station in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on April 6. Photo: Reuters

Mainland China

Asian Angle | Who is Vietnam’s new Prime Minister Le Minh Hung?

The ex-central banker has the credentials to succeed. Whether he has the political capital remains to be seen.

11 Apr 2026 - 1:00PM

Le Minh Hung (centre) attends a swearing-in ceremony in Hanoi on Tuesday after being elected as Vietnam’s new prime minister. Photo: Vietnam News Agency/Xinhua

China trade

‘Cancelling orders’ in China: Hormuz oil crisis hits transport and manufacturing

Analysts and industry insiders say higher costs are squeezing margins, with some of China’s wary industrial heartland compelled to make day-to-day purchases.

11 Apr 2026 - 1:00PMvideocam

Food and agriculture

Asia’s ‘panicked farmers’ brace for a looming rice crisis post-Iran war

Shortages of imported fertilisers and fuel could not have come at a worse time for many Southeast Asian rice farmers.

11 Apr 2026 - 11:04AM

Banking & finance

OKX Ventures, HashKey Capital back Vietnam crypto platform’s pilot scheme bid

Under pilot rules, at least 65 per cent of capital must come from institutional investors and foreign ownership is capped at 49 per cent.

10 Apr 2026 - 11:04AM

This photo taken on February 12, 2026 shows a Vietnamese cryptocurrency investor looking at the latest bitcoin values on a smartphone in Hanoi. Photo: AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

Why US-Iran truce may not end high airfares and flight disruptions

According to airline bosses, it will still take months for jet fuel supplies and prices to normalise.

9 Apr 2026 - 9:53PMvideocam

An Emirates A380 aircraft is parked at Cornwall Airport Newquay in southwest England on Monday. Photo: AFP

Food and Drinks

Hainanese chicken rice origins and its versions in Singapore, Malaysia and more

With roots in Hainan’s Wenchang chicken, Hainanese chicken rice shows how a dish can quietly evolve into distinct regional iterations.

9 Apr 2026 - 7:15AM

Artificial intelligence

AI fuels global trade growth as China-US flows shift, McKinsey finds

Data-centre expansion and AI investment push global trade ahead of economic growth, consultancy says.

9 Apr 2026 - 7:00AM

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Vietnam

Neighbours shocked after ‘nice uncle’ arrested in Malaysia for gunning down 3

Johor locals stunned as polite, orchard-owning man with a licensed shotgun for crops was arrested for a triple shooting.

Vietnamese-American’s war-themed art stirs painful parallels with clashes today

Vietnam and Philippines trust Japan. Why doesn’t Indonesia?

South Korea targets India, Vietnam in ‘co-prosperity’ push for trade and tech

President Lee embarks on a strategic trip to New Delhi and Hanoi, boosting economic ties and supply chains amid the Middle East chaos.

Why Iran war is making petrol cars an unwanted luxury in Asia

From Nepal to Vietnam, soaring fuel costs are making petrol cars a luxury as Asia outpaces Europe in the race to go electric.

Shock therapy: war forces oil-addicted Asia to finally go green

Burned by soaring energy prices, Southeast Asian nations are racing to future-proof themselves against the volatility of war.

Iran war energy shock sees Chinese firms recalibrate overseas expansion plans

Businesses are rethinking short-term strategies as they adapt to rising costs and slowing growth across major economies.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}As I see it | Vietnam and China are now perfectly aligned

The emerging partnership enables Vietnam to preserve diplomatic flexibility and advance economic diversification in the face of US pressure.

China, Vietnam vow to ‘better’ navigate South China Sea disputes

Joint communique indicates wish to keep maritime disputes from jeopardising ties and caps To Lam’s trip.

Asian airlines face ‘major headwind’ from jet fuel costs, forcing flight changes

Fuel has jumped from 25 per cent of total operating costs for airlines to nearly 45 per cent in a matter of weeks, analysts say.

VietJet Air to lease up to 10 C909 jets in boost for Chinese aircraft maker

Deal follows talks between Chinese and Vietnamese presidents in Beijing this week.

Hong Kong police arrest 5 over shoplifting syndicate targeting Muji stores

Group allegedly posted lookouts as other members swiftly stuffed clothing into handbags and reusable bags before leaving.

Why Japan will remain the most trusted power in Asean despite military push

A survey by ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute shows respondents trusted Japan more as a power than the EU, the US, China and India.

Why Southeast Asian nations are skipping major US-Philippine Balikatan drills

Given the rivalry between Washington and Beijing, joining the annual military exercise may risk being seen as picking the US, analysts say.

Xi tells Vietnamese counterpart they should ‘jointly oppose unilateralism’

On To Lam’s state visit, Chinese president also urges keeping ‘supply chains stable and unimpeded’ as Iran war deepens global energy crisis.

Japan to provide US$10 billion support to help Asia secure oil

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi says the support will be equivalent to as much as 1.2 billion ⁠barrels of oil.

Xi Jinping meets foreign leaders: tracker 2026

World leaders are flocking to Beijing this year as Trump’s trade war spurs US allies to look for new ties.

Russian and Chinese envoys meet in Beijing to discuss Iran, Ukraine and Taiwan

Chinese readout warns of rising turmoil in veiled swipe at Washington and Trump as Beijing strengthens ties with Moscow.

Lack of fuel reserves forces Southeast Asian flight cuts amid Hormuz crisis

Airlines are cutting flights, as dependence on Middle Eastern fuel hits operators from Pakistan to New Zealand.

Minnesota investigates ICE arrest of Hmong-American man as possible kidnapping

ChongLy ‘Scott’ Thao was arrested at gunpoint, and escorted in his underwear and a blanket in freezing conditions.

Opinion | Hormuz crisis a chance to spur Asia’s shift to clean, secure energy

The US war on Iran should be a catalyst for governments and industries to accelerate the transition to renewables.

Asian Angle | Who is Vietnam’s new Prime Minister Le Minh Hung?

The ex-central banker has the credentials to succeed. Whether he has the political capital remains to be seen.

‘Cancelling orders’ in China: Hormuz oil crisis hits transport and manufacturing

Analysts and industry insiders say higher costs are squeezing margins, with some of China’s wary industrial heartland compelled to make day-to-day purchases.

Asia’s ‘panicked farmers’ brace for a looming rice crisis post-Iran war

Shortages of imported fertilisers and fuel could not have come at a worse time for many Southeast Asian rice farmers.

OKX Ventures, HashKey Capital back Vietnam crypto platform’s pilot scheme bid

Under pilot rules, at least 65 per cent of capital must come from institutional investors and foreign ownership is capped at 49 per cent.

Why US-Iran truce may not end high airfares and flight disruptions

According to airline bosses, it will still take months for jet fuel supplies and prices to normalise.

Hainanese chicken rice origins and its versions in Singapore, Malaysia and more

With roots in Hainan’s Wenchang chicken, Hainanese chicken rice shows how a dish can quietly evolve into distinct regional iterations.

AI fuels global trade growth as China-US flows shift, McKinsey finds

Data-centre expansion and AI investment push global trade ahead of economic growth, consultancy says.

As I see it | Vietnam and China are now perfectly aligned