A corner of Dong Anh district, part of the planned northern urban zone in Hanoi. The second urban zone will rise along the western section of Ring Road 4, also measuring 10,000 hectares with a similar $40 billion investment. To the east, Gia Lam will host the fourth urban zone, occupying 8,000 hectares and attracting an estimated $32 billion in investment. Like the northern and western areas, this development will include 40% high-rise and 60% low-rise housing. It is projected to cost $18.8 billion and will also maintain a 40-60 ratio between high-rise and low-rise housing.

It reaffirms that Vietnam remains one of the most active social media markets in the Asia-Pacific region. Facebook ranks as the dominant social platform, while Instagram is among the top five most-used apps by both Gen Y and Gen Z in Vietnam. Statistics show that 89% of online consumers in Vietnam message businesses at least once a week. Rather than treating AI as an experimental tool, these businesses use it to automate message replies and optimize ad performance. Short-form video shaping buying decisionsThe fact that 94% of Vietnamese internet users are on Facebook also means content competition is fierce.

Women account for as much as 57.82 percent of the total elderly population. Less than 40 percent of older people receive pensions, social insurance, social allowances, or benefits for people with meritorious service. They agreed that, with current socio-economic conditions, Vietnam needs a flexible, reasonably priced, community-based care model on a large scale and maintained sustainably in the long term. Compared with nursing homes, the day care model has many outstanding advantages: strong preventive value, helping reduce the burden on the healthcare system. In late December 2025, Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long signed Prime Minister’s Directive No35 on strengthening elderly care work in response to population aging.

The Russian then started making kombucha together with his older brother, Udjin. About 90 percent of our customers are foreigners living in Vietnam,” Fomenko said. Ivan Fomenko’s kombucha products feature flavors made from familiar Vietnamese fruits and vegetables. Since I was making kombucha in Vietnam, why not create something truly Vietnamese?" In the warm climate of central Vietnam, kombucha ferments naturally almost year-round, becoming a practical advantage.

A Ho Chi Minh City police officer announces decisions to press charges against Huynh Van Truong, 47, from Can Tho City, southern Vietnam, for allegedly violating food safety regulations. Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Department of Public SecurityInvestigators on Tuesday announced the arrest and detention of 47-year-old Huynh Van Truong, from Can Tho City, southern Vietnam, who is being prosecuted for violating food safety regulations. Huynh Van Truong and related individuals are caught in the act of soaking snails in industrial chemicals at a food processing facility in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Department of Public SecurityExpanding the inspection, authorities seized an additional 1,575 kilograms of sodium silicate hidden at the site for further use. The Ho Chi Minh City police urged the public to report any suspected food safety violations to local authorities.

Return flights from Thanh Hoa to HCMC have been fully booked for six consecutive days, from the 4th to the 9th day of Tet. The high price is mainly due to the return leg to HCMC after Tet, starting from VND4.5 million/leg (excluding taxes and fees). Specifically, the HCMC - Hanoi route recorded prices about 5-10 percent lower than the 2025 Tet. Specifically, the HCMC - Hanoi leg on February 12-13 has reached about 85-88 percent, while the reverse Hanoi - HCMC leg on February 21-23 is up to 80-96 percent. After Tet, especially from the 3rd to the 6th day of Tet (February 21-25), travel demand reverses significantly.

05 on piloting the crypto asset market. These cover the granting, adjustment and revocation of licences for crypto asset trading platform services, with applications to be accepted from January 20, 2026. Experts believe that licensing Vietnam’s first crypto asset exchange will serve as a crucial catalyst for attracting foreign capital in a more formal and effective way. Tran Quy, Director of the Vietnam Institute for Digital Economy Development and Chairman of the MetaDAP digital asset platform, noted that previously, foreign capital often entered Vietnam through informal and difficult-to-be-monitored channels. Under the new framework, foreign investors, both individuals and organisations, will be able to participate transparently by opening indirect investment capital accounts at custodian banks.

On January 19, the Government issued Decree 29/2026/ND-CP, establishing a regulatory architecture for the domestic carbon trading exchange. To participate, a business must open a dedicated carbon trading account at a securities member, separate from other financial trading accounts. Vietnam's carbon trading exchange is set to operate under a pilot regime through December 31, 2028, during which time no fees will be charged by the exchange operators for carbon market services. After the pilot period, starting January 1, 2029, carbon trading service fees will be introduced in accordance with applicable law. This phased approach aligns with the Government's roadmap toward a functional nationwide carbon market that supports both domestic compliance and potential future links with international mechanisms.

Economic impact and soft power gainsOver the past five years, Vietnam’s cultural industries have posted strong gains. The number of cultural businesses expanded at an annual rate of 7.2%, while employment in the sector grew 7.4% per year. Elevated technical standards and refined storytelling brought local cinema closer to international benchmarks, transforming it into one of the country’s most competitive creative industries. The Government rolled out the Cultural Development Strategy for 2021–2025 with a vision to 2030, the Strategy for Cultural Industry Development to 2030 with a vision to 2045, and the National Assembly approved the National Target Programme on Cultural Development for 2025–2035. Turning potential into “soft power”Looking ahead, the draft Political Report of the 14th National Party Congress sets a clear course toward a new growth model, highlighting “cultural industries and heritage economy” and calling for an accelerated expansion of cultural industries and services to meet rising public demand.

Representatives of Kim Long Motor and BYD Battery make a symbolic gesture to break ground for the first BYD EV battery manufacturing plant in Vietnam, January 27, 2026. Photo: Nhat LinhThe signing ceremony and groundbreaking took place at the Kim Long Motor automobile manufacturing and assembly industrial park in Hue City, central Vietnam. Meanwhile, Vietnam's Kim Long Motor will invest in the construction of a new energy battery factory. The factory will be located in the Kim Long Motor automobile manufacturing and assembly industrial park in Chan May - Lang Co Commune. The batteries will be integrated into commercial electric vehicles manufactured by Kim Long Motor under the ‘Made in Vietnam’ brand.

Their first destination was the Temple of Princess Nhoi Hoa, located on Den Hill in Tay Hoa Lu ward. Madam Ngo Phuong Ly and Madam Naly Sisoulith lit incense and observed a moment of silence at the princess’s tomb, honoring her memory and the historical ties she represents. Madam Ngo Phuong Ly and Madam Naly Sisoulith meet with Vietnamese and Lao students in Ninh Binh. Madam Naly Sisoulith, spouse of the General Secretary and President of Laos, with local residents in Ninh Binh Province. As a heartfelt gesture, Madam Ngo Phuong Ly presented Madam Naly Sisoulith with an embroidered scarf featuring the Champa flower - Laos’s national blossom.

Two Chinese nationals suspected of breaking into a home and forcing open a safe are seen at a police station in Da Nang City, central Vietnam, January 2026. Police said the burglary was reported late on Saturday by a 34-year-old homeowner in Ngu Hanh Son Ward, who found a mini safe forced open and an emergency exit door damaged after returning home in the evening. Investigators determined the suspects changed clothes and discarded them along the roadside before separating and using ride-hailing services to evade detection. The suspects then purchased train tickets to Hanoi, prompting police to deploy officers to transport hubs including bus stations, rail stations, and the airport. Police said they recovered suspected stolen property including silver bars, gold jewelry, and two watches, worth a total of VND300 million, and have transferred the suspects back to Da Nang for further investigation.

Weather conditions across Vietnam are expected to remain divided between the chilly north and the sunny south on January 27, 2026, according to the national weather agency. Check out the latest news in Vietnam today:Politics-- Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam on Monday held separate phone talks with Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping and Cuban First Secretary and President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, according to Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. -- General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defense of Vietnam, received Senior Lieutenant General Khamliang Outhakaysone, Minister of National Defense of Laos, in Hanoi on Monday. Economy-- Unauthorized transactions of gold bars at unlicensed shops will face confiscation, starting February 9, as per Government Decree 340/2025 on administrative penalties in the monetary and banking sector. Education-- The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training on Monday announced plans to recruit more than 1,400 additional teachers for the 2025-26 academic year.

Four days after U23 Vietnam’s emotionally charged victory over U23 Korea in the AFC U23 Championship 2026, both the team and their head coach Kim Sang Sik continue to stir public sentiment in South Korea. U23 Vietnam celebrate a dramatic win over U23 Korea to claim third place at the AFC U23 Championship 2026. In stark contrast, coach Kim Sang Sik’s return to Vietnam drew widespread admiration. U23 Vietnam’s win marked their first-ever victory over U23 Korea after 10 encounters - an outcome many say was foreshadowed by the teams’ divergent approaches. With a heartfelt gesture and a fearless squad, Kim Sang Sik has not only made history, but also reminded Asia of what true leadership in football looks like.

The population is projected to continue growing thereafter, although trends will diverge depending on future fertility levels. Population continues to grow, but at slower paceUnder the medium-fertility scenario, Vietnam’s population is projected to exceed 110 million by 2039 and reach around 114.2 million by 2074. Over the 50-year projection period, Vietnam’s population would increase by only about 12.7 percent under the medium scenario, a modest rise compared with previous decades. Rapid aging toward ‘super-aged’ societyWhile the labor force gradually shrinks, the elderly population is projected to grow rapidly. Under international criteria, Vietnam will officially enter an aging society by 2034, when people aged 65 and above make up 14 percent of the population.