Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc during a meeting in Moscow on Nov. 30.
Economy

Vietnam poised to resume nuclear project a decade after Fukushima

Hanoi greenlights building small research reactor, joining hands with Russia

19 December 2021
A student in Vietnam takes part in an online class. (Photo by Tomoya Onishi) 
Education

Vietnam edtech market soars to $3bn on remote learning boom

Blue chips and startups tap national campaign for digital talent

18 December 2021
U.S. online retail leader Amazon.com says growth in Vietnam is higher than in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines. (Photo courtesy of Amazon)
Technology

Amazon denies unfair seller policy as it aims to expand in Vietnam

E-commerce giant to promote shipping service under scrutiny elsewhere

14 December 2021
A vendor preparing to open his stall ahead of a day of business at a wet market in downtown Kuala Lumpur. 
Economy

ADB slashes Malaysia and Vietnam annual growth forecasts

Bank trims emerging Asia's 2022 projections on omicron's emergence

14 December 2021
Vietnam began trials of vaccine passports in Phu Quoc, but beaches and bars were still nearly empty in December. (Photo by Lien Hoang)
Travel & Leisure

Paradise in waiting: Vietnam's 'sandbox tourism' stirs to life

Flights to resume Jan. 1 as Phu Quoc aims to rival Bali but omicron looms

13 December 2021
Mizuho looks to catch up with peers in the growing Asian mobile payment market with its MoMo investment. (Source photos by Akira Kodaka and Reuters)
Business deals

Japan's Mizuho to acquire 7.5% of Vietnam's M-Service pay app

Investment up to $170m aimed at Asia's growing online services business

10 December 2021
Pandemic lockdowns, energy restrictions and chip shortages across Asia have led to an ongoing supply chain crisis, causing delivery delays for many electronic gifts this festive season.
The Big Story

Apple's nightmare before Christmas: Supply chain crisis delays gift deliveries

Two years of lockdowns, chip shortages, and energy cuts have finally caught up with the iPhone maker

8 December 2021
Sanitizing a Mumbai movie theater: India has risen in the COVID-19 Recovery Index as its cases decline, but its low vaccination rate raises concerns in connection with omicron.
COVID-19 Recovery Index

Asia rises in COVID Recovery Index as omicron variant fogs outlook

Region's overall cases fall, bucking global trend; South Korea, Vietnam struggle

6 December 2021
Guangzhou University geologist David Zhang with the handprint and footprint "Art Panel" in Quesang, Tibet, made during Earth's last ice age, between 169,000 and 226,000 years ago. (Photos courtesy of David Zhang)
Arts

Do these handprints show humanity's earliest creative instinct?

Debate rages over whether markings can be considered art

4 December 2021
A South Korean tourist is tested for COVID upon arrival on Vietnam's island of Phu Quoc in November.
Coronavirus

Vietnam COVID cases hit record as omicron fears weigh

Prime minister orders authorities to tighten measures against new variant

3 December 2021
Demand for faucets has increased as health experts urge the public to wash their hands often to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Companies

Toto plans Vietnam faucet plant to keep the world's hands clean

Japanese creator of Washlet boosts overseas capacity as COVID fuels demand

3 December 2021
Passengers walk on the tarmac at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta on Oct. 20. 
Coronavirus

Philippines, Vietnam and others tighten travel rules over omicron

Indonesia imposes ban on entries from southern Africa, Hong Kong

29 November 2021
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh spoke at an investment event in Tokyo on Nov. 25. (Photo courtesy of Japan External Trade Organization)
International relations

Vietnam PM vows to improve human rights to attract investors

Premier also asks Japanese companies for help to fight climate change

25 November 2021
Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, left, and his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, discussed raising sales of Japanese arms to Vietnam at a summit in Tokyo on Nov. 24.  
International relations

Japan and Vietnam share concerns over China at summit

Both sides agree Tokyo will offer more ships, other defense gear to Hanoi

24 November 2021
Factories in Vietnam's industrial south were allowed to reopen on Oct. 1, but companies say they still face labor shortages, sealed borders and other challenges. (Photo by Rie Ishii)
Companies

Vietnam's supply chains struggle to shake off COVID impact

Labor scarcity and pandemic rules persist two months after brutal shutdown

24 November 2021
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, right, meets with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on the sidelines of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland on Nov. 2. (Pool photo)
Indo-Pacific

Vietnam-Japan summit nears with China looming in background

2 sides will discuss regional security and Beijing's CPTPP bid

23 November 2021
Containers at Tien Sa port in Da Nang, Vietnam. The country in recent years has witnessed a sharp rise in supply-chain operations.
Transportation

Daiwa House to debut logistics business in Southeast Asia

Investment comes as Japanese companies expand supply-chain presence in region

23 November 2021
An auto plant in  Hai Phong City, Vietnam. Pandemic restrictions caused production disruptions felt around the world.
International relations

Vietnam PM vows to fix COVID-hit supply chains on trip to Japan

Pham Minh Chinh arrives in Tokyo for four-day visit with Kishida

23 November 2021
Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will be the first foreign leader received by his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, who took office in October.
Your Week in Asia

Vietnam PM visits Japan, Asia-Europe summit, Marcos Jr. in focus

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

21 November 2021
A resident in Ho Chi Minh City uses three devices to go online in November 2021. Vietnam has since introduced a contentious law to guard data privacy.
Technology

Big Tech warns Vietnam data rules risk 'damage' to digital economy

Strict EU-style privacy law could also fall afoul of free trade agreements

17 November 2021
Natalie Black, trade commissioner for the Asia-Pacific region: "Trade is about promoting free and open societies and demonstrating that capitalism works for everyone."
Interview

U.K. 'on track' to join CPTPP by 2022, trade official says

E-commerce, state spending talks 'moving incredibly quickly;' tariffs up next

16 November 2021
A power plant in northeastern China. The country made several commitments at COP26 but backed weakening the final agreement to "phase down" rather than "phase out" coal.
COP26

COP26: What Asia pledged, from China to Vietnam and Philippines

Sideline deals on 'coal, cars, cash and trees' set to impact growth strategies

15 November 2021
A girl receives a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Ho Chi Minh City on Oct. 27: Vietnam has received a string of investment commitments from drugmakers to increase production in the country.
Economy

Vietnam bags greentech and vaccine investment from U.K., France

Standard Chartered, Sanofi and AstraZeneca scramble to gain foothold

15 November 2021
Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech to the APEC CEO Summit, stressing that "openness and inclusiveness" are key to the region's continued growth.
International relations

Xi warns APEC against Cold War redux in wake of AUKUS

Singapore's Lee urges digital integration as Vietnam's Phuc talks sustainability

11 November 2021
The coronavirus pandemic has added further fuel to Southeast Asia's rapidly growing digital economy. (Source photo by AP)
Business trends

ASEAN's digital economy projected to hit $1tn by 2030

Google-led report says retail and finance to fuel growth as internet use surges

10 November 2021