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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

A women uses an electric fan to cool off in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photo: AFP

Weather

A heatwave is coming to Southeast Asia. So is an energy shock

Indonesia and Malaysia are set to feel the worst of an early summer first, compounding an LNG supply crisis triggered by the Iran war.

4 hours ago

My Take

My Take | An America in decline will keep losing wars to weaker foes – including in Iran

9 Mar 2026 - 10:39AM

Two Sessions 2025

Beijing signals high hopes for South China Sea ‘golden rules’ by end of year

8 Mar 2026 - 6:44PMvideocam

Asean

Why Vietnam’s new AI law makes it proving ground for Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia’s first law on AI could raise the bar from voluntary guidelines to binding legal frameworks across the region, analysts say.

8 Mar 2026 - 6:43PMvideocam

A girl checks her phone next to Communist Party and Vietnamese flags in Hanoi on February 27. Vietnam’s new artificial intelligence law went into effect on March 1. Photo: AFP

Electric & new energy vehicles

Iran war oil shock accelerates Southeast Asia’s EV revolution

Southeast Asia was already going electric. Then war broke out in the Middle East and it started going faster.

8 Mar 2026 - 10:00AMvideocam

South Korea

In Vietnam’s Da Nang, South Korean tourism boom meets growing resentment

The coastal city has become a hub for Korean tourists and businesses, but workers and residents say the boom has also exposed frictions.

8 Mar 2026 - 9:59PMvideocam

Hong Kong economy

As Iran war closes Middle East skies, how high can Cathay Pacific fares fly?

Cathay fares to Hong Kong surge 93 per cent on average for Saturday departures compared with typical prices over past 12 months.

49 minutes ago

Cathay Pacific has been adjusting routes to redirect capacity after suspending services to and from Dubai and Riyadh, the SCMP has learned. Photo: Eugene Lee

Singapore

How Southeast Asia’s coffee chains are brewing cross-border success

Home-grown brands such as Zus Coffee are betting on cultural fluency, halal positioning and digital tools to make further inroads.

5 Mar 2026 - 4:47PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Opinion | US war on Iran isn’t likely to go as planned

US war planners have overlooked viewing their adversary through realpolitik in the past. They now face a far more organised opponent.

3 Mar 2026 - 9:50PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Millions of Asian migrant workers in Gulf at risk as war with Iran rages on

Deaths or injuries of people from the Philippines, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh, who were working in the region, have been reported.

2 Mar 2026 - 8:25PMvideocam

Smoke rises from a burning building in Bahrain hit by an Iranian drone strike, after Israel and the US launched strikes on Iran. Photo: Reuters

Artificial intelligence

Asian Angle | Southeast Asia needs AI sovereignty – the Grok scandal proved it

From Singapore’s SEA-LION to Malaysia’s ILMU, Southeast Asian nations aim to build AI that reflects their own languages, cultures and values.

1 Mar 2026 - 12:00PM

A link to the Grok website is seen in a social media post. Grok released a feature in December that allowed users to generate non-consensual sexualised images of women and children. Photo: Getty Images

To Lam

Build fast, grow rich: To Lam’s blueprint for a rising Vietnam

Vietnam’s Communist Party chief is staking his legacy on 10 per cent growth, domestic megaprojects and an overseas charm offensive.

1 Mar 2026 - 8:00AM

Hong Kong tourism

Scam-hit Cambodia tries to woo Hong Kong but travel agencies have doubts

Tourism board chief says addressing visitors’ safety concerns is a priority, adding that government is ‘determined’ to get rid of scam compounds.

28 Feb 2026 - 7:20PMvideocam

US-ally trade wars

Opinion | Southeast Asia, do not mistake Trump’s tariff defeat for a reprieve

One court loss won’t end the trade wars. But if ‘Peak Trump’ has arrived, the region’s negotiating hand may have just got stronger.

28 Feb 2026 - 12:00PM

Vietnamese workers stitch apparel at a garment factory in Thai Nguyen province on July 2, 2025. Photo: AFP

Asean

Letters | Asean is not choosing sides, but strategically maximising space

Readers discuss how Southeast Asian governments have gained bargaining power, the benefits of cheap public transport, and a harbourfront project.

28 Feb 2026 - 11:30AM

A boat cruises past a nickel processing plant at Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park in Central Halmahera, North Maluku province, Indonesia in 2024. Photo: AP

China exports

As China’s firms go global, foreign expertise is becoming a hot commodity

Chinese companies are rushing to hire a range of service contractors to help them expand overseas – from compliance experts to TikTok gurus.

27 Feb 2026 - 10:42AMvideocam

Japan

Cash-for-tips scheme in Japan sparks debate over migrant rights

Backers argue tougher measures are needed to curb unauthorised employment, but migrant advocates fear unintended social consequences.

26 Feb 2026 - 4:26PM

South China Sea

Chinese maritime militia in South China Sea hit ‘record high’ in 2025: US report

Deployments averaged 241 vessels per day, Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative report says, notes waning role for civilian fishing fleets.

24 Feb 2026 - 6:22PMvideocam

A vessel identified by the Philippine coastguard as Chinese maritime militia is seen near the contested Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea in February 2025. Photo: AFP

Trade

Tariff whiplash throws Asia’s recent US trade deals into doubt

India has already paused trade talks with Washington as other Asian nations are left to question the validity of their recent agreements.

23 Feb 2026 - 5:48PM

China airliners

China’s C909 jet gets international uplift with funding for adoptive airline

Chengdu Airlines, an affiliate of C909 manufacturer Comac, has received a capital injection to help widen the jet’s international coverage.

23 Feb 2026 - 11:00AM

Trade

US to remove Vietnam from tech export control list, Hanoi says

Donald Trump’s reported pledge follows a massive US$37 billion spending spree by Vietnamese airlines on US aerospace contracts.

21 Feb 2026 - 12:06PM

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (right) and Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung shake hands in Washington on Thursday. Photo: AFP

South Korea

#SEAbling: the hashtag uniting Southeast Asia against South Korea

A row over K-pop fan behaviour in Malaysia has spiralled into a bitter regional dispute online, with echoes of the ‘Milk Tea Alliance’.

21 Feb 2026 - 9:20AM

A meme circulating on social media under the hashtag #SEAbling. Photo: X/sna_zizah17

Bangladesh

Bangladesh faces daunting post-election challenges in economy, garment sector

A key concern for Dhaka is the upgrade to developing nation status, with the key garment sector set to face stiffer competition.

20 Feb 2026 - 8:29PM

Asean

Opinion | Building Asean ties puts Hong Kong on path to long-term growth

Expanding relations with Southeast Asia can open new markets for the city’s firms, deepen the talent pool and promote greater understanding.

20 Feb 2026 - 9:30AMvideocam

Indonesia

Indonesia seals ‘great’ US trade deal, agrees to send 8,000 troops to Gaza

A US general said Jakarta will take a deputy commander role in the international stabilisation force in Gaza.

20 Feb 2026 - 10:35AMvideocam

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto (centre) attends the inaugural meeting of the “Board of Peace” in Washington on Thursday. Photo: Getty Images/AFP

US-China trade war

US trade deficit widens sharply in December, testing Trump tariff claims

Trade with China remains a major driver of the US deficit, even as imports shift towards Southeast Asia and other partners.

20 Feb 2026 - 1:03AMvideocam

In December, the US goods deficit with China stood at US$12.4 billion, underscoring Beijing’s continued role in America’s trade gap. Photo: Getty Images

China-Asean relations

Chinese missions in Vietnam, Singapore warn citizens to stay away from gambling

Consulate and embassy issue statements after two separate incidents in which Chinese men fell to their deaths, allegedly after gambling.

18 Feb 2026 - 3:21PMvideocam

Cambodia

Battered Cambodia seeks economic reset after Thailand border war

Shuttered borders have choked trade and sent migrant workers home, forcing Phnom Penh to seek new partners and markets.

17 Feb 2026 - 3:23PMvideocam

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Vietnam

A heatwave is coming to Southeast Asia. So is an energy shock

Indonesia and Malaysia are set to feel the worst of an early summer first, compounding an LNG supply crisis triggered by the Iran war.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}My Take | An America in decline will keep losing wars to weaker foes – including in Iran

Beijing signals high hopes for South China Sea ‘golden rules’ by end of year

Why Vietnam’s new AI law makes it proving ground for Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia’s first law on AI could raise the bar from voluntary guidelines to binding legal frameworks across the region, analysts say.

Iran war oil shock accelerates Southeast Asia’s EV revolution

Southeast Asia was already going electric. Then war broke out in the Middle East and it started going faster.

In Vietnam’s Da Nang, South Korean tourism boom meets growing resentment

The coastal city has become a hub for Korean tourists and businesses, but workers and residents say the boom has also exposed frictions.

As Iran war closes Middle East skies, how high can Cathay Pacific fares fly?

Cathay fares to Hong Kong surge 93 per cent on average for Saturday departures compared with typical prices over past 12 months.

How Southeast Asia’s coffee chains are brewing cross-border success

Home-grown brands such as Zus Coffee are betting on cultural fluency, halal positioning and digital tools to make further inroads.

Opinion | US war on Iran isn’t likely to go as planned

US war planners have overlooked viewing their adversary through realpolitik in the past. They now face a far more organised opponent.

Millions of Asian migrant workers in Gulf at risk as war with Iran rages on

Deaths or injuries of people from the Philippines, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh, who were working in the region, have been reported.

Asian Angle | Southeast Asia needs AI sovereignty – the Grok scandal proved it

From Singapore’s SEA-LION to Malaysia’s ILMU, Southeast Asian nations aim to build AI that reflects their own languages, cultures and values.

Build fast, grow rich: To Lam’s blueprint for a rising Vietnam

Vietnam’s Communist Party chief is staking his legacy on 10 per cent growth, domestic megaprojects and an overseas charm offensive.

Scam-hit Cambodia tries to woo Hong Kong but travel agencies have doubts

Tourism board chief says addressing visitors’ safety concerns is a priority, adding that government is ‘determined’ to get rid of scam compounds.

Opinion | Southeast Asia, do not mistake Trump’s tariff defeat for a reprieve

One court loss won’t end the trade wars. But if ‘Peak Trump’ has arrived, the region’s negotiating hand may have just got stronger.

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Letters | Asean is not choosing sides, but strategically maximising space

Readers discuss how Southeast Asian governments have gained bargaining power, the benefits of cheap public transport, and a harbourfront project.

As China’s firms go global, foreign expertise is becoming a hot commodity

Chinese companies are rushing to hire a range of service contractors to help them expand overseas – from compliance experts to TikTok gurus.

Cash-for-tips scheme in Japan sparks debate over migrant rights

Backers argue tougher measures are needed to curb unauthorised employment, but migrant advocates fear unintended social consequences.

Chinese maritime militia in South China Sea hit ‘record high’ in 2025: US report

Deployments averaged 241 vessels per day, Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative report says, notes waning role for civilian fishing fleets.

Tariff whiplash throws Asia’s recent US trade deals into doubt

India has already paused trade talks with Washington as other Asian nations are left to question the validity of their recent agreements.

China’s C909 jet gets international uplift with funding for adoptive airline

Chengdu Airlines, an affiliate of C909 manufacturer Comac, has received a capital injection to help widen the jet’s international coverage.

US to remove Vietnam from tech export control list, Hanoi says

Donald Trump’s reported pledge follows a massive US$37 billion spending spree by Vietnamese airlines on US aerospace contracts.

#SEAbling: the hashtag uniting Southeast Asia against South Korea

A row over K-pop fan behaviour in Malaysia has spiralled into a bitter regional dispute online, with echoes of the ‘Milk Tea Alliance’.

Bangladesh faces daunting post-election challenges in economy, garment sector

A key concern for Dhaka is the upgrade to developing nation status, with the key garment sector set to face stiffer competition.

Opinion | Building Asean ties puts Hong Kong on path to long-term growth

Expanding relations with Southeast Asia can open new markets for the city’s firms, deepen the talent pool and promote greater understanding.

Indonesia seals ‘great’ US trade deal, agrees to send 8,000 troops to Gaza

A US general said Jakarta will take a deputy commander role in the international stabilisation force in Gaza.

US trade deficit widens sharply in December, testing Trump tariff claims

Trade with China remains a major driver of the US deficit, even as imports shift towards Southeast Asia and other partners.

Chinese missions in Vietnam, Singapore warn citizens to stay away from gambling

Consulate and embassy issue statements after two separate incidents in which Chinese men fell to their deaths, allegedly after gambling.

Battered Cambodia seeks economic reset after Thailand border war

Shuttered borders have choked trade and sent migrant workers home, forcing Phnom Penh to seek new partners and markets.

My Take | An America in decline will keep losing wars to weaker foes – including in Iran

Letters | Asean is not choosing sides, but strategically maximising space