Vietnam not only successfully contained the pandemic but also posted a GDP growth of 2.91 percent, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) saying it was among countries with the best economic achievements. (Photo: VNA)
Beijing (VNA) - China’s Newsweek ran an article recently highlighting the positiveoutlook for Vietnam’s economy.
The articlereviewed the country’s economic development since it embarked on its “Doi moi”(Reform) cause, most notably in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic spread globallyand economies shrank deeply.
Vietnam not onlysuccessfully contained the pandemic but also posted a GDP growth of 2.91 percent,with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) saying it was among countries withthe best economic achievements.
The article also citeda World Bank (WB) forecast that Vietnam’s economy would grow 6.5 percentannually from 2021.
The 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), meanwhile, set forthstrategic targets for the short, mid, and long terms, specifically to 2025,2030, and 2045, with a focus on foreign investment attraction,scientific-technological reform, and the transformation of the digital economymodel.
Over the next twodecades, Vietnam will concentrate on industrial modernisation andscientific-technological reform, while its FDI policy will shift the focus fromquantity to quality, with attention paid to high-tech and high value-added projects.
Vietnam has thereforebegun to conduct national digital transformation and set a task of developing digital economy, digital society and digital Government while closely combining digital Government withadministrative reform, the article said, adding that transparency is considereda gauge of the efficiency of service and operational capacity of all-levelagencies.
The article alsoquoted Professor Kenichi Ohno from Japan’s National Graduate Institute forPolicy Studies (GRIPS), who is the Japanese Government’s advisor in its cooperationwith Vietnam, as saying that although Vietnam’s economy has posted rapid growthover the past years, there remain limitations in policy making.
He suggestedVietnam pay more heed to improving factors regarding production capacity suchas corporate administration, productivity at factories, worker skills, andadministrative efficiency.
Vietnam wouldbecome the biggest investment magnet in Southeast Asia once its investmentand business climate is further improved, he said./.
The authorities of northern Bac Ninh province always create favourable conditions for, and work to promptly remove difficulties facing foreign businesses, including those from the Republic of Korea (RoK), to effectively operate in the locality, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Dao Hong Lan has said.
Vietnam will remain at the centre of Asian supply chains and one of the most competitive manufacturing locations in the Asia-Pacific region, said analysts at the Economist Intelligence Unit in a report on the country released on January 13.
The Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park in Hanoi has attracted 93 investment projects with registered capital of more than 90.25 trillion VND (3.9 billion USD) so far, including more than 7.95 trillion VND in investment approved last year, the Ministry of Science and Technology has said.
Total trade between Indonesia and New Zealand in the first half of 2025 reached 963.23 million USD, an increase of 21.56% compared to 792.39 million USD in the same period last year. Of this amount, Indonesia's exports to New Zealand totaled 374.89 million USD, while imports 588.35 million USD
Malaysia, as ASEAN 2025 Chair, marked the bloc’s 58th founding anniversary on August 8 with a vibrant celebration in Cyberjaya, blending an official ceremony with a colorful cultural festival.
Vietnam plays an important role in Southeast Asia’s economic growth and is a key partner of her country in realising the shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region, said Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary of Office of Southeast Asia (OSA) – Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
The 2025 ASEAN Business Community Development (ABCD) Forum, themed “Empowering ASEAN's Next Leap: Digital, Sustainable & Entrepreneurial Transformation” brought together ministers, CEOs, and top industry experts to discuss key regional economic priorities.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Vietnam not only successfully contained the pandemic but also posted a GDP growth of 2.91 percent, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) saying it was among countries with the best economic achievements. (Photo: VNA) 
