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Vietnam's overseas investment in the first two months of 2025 totalled nearly 239 million USD, 9.5 times higher than the same period last year.

Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse, accompanied by a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, departed from Hanoi on March 9 for a state visit to Indonesia, an official visit to the ASEAN Secretariat headquartered there, and an official visit to Singapore. The trip, taking place from March 9 to 13, is made at the invitation of Indonesian President and Chairman of the Great Indonesia Movement Party Prabowo Subianto, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, and Singaporean Prime Minister and Secretary-General of the People's Action Party (PAP) Lawrence Wong.

Vietnam grants visa exemptions to citizens of 16 countries from March 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025, as part of the country's tourism development stimulus programme.

Within the framework of the official visit to Vietnam and attendance at the 2nd ASEAN Future Forum by New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon (February 25-28, 2025), the two countries have signed a Joint Statement on upgrading Vietnam - New Zealand relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Under the theme "Building a United, Inclusive, and Resilient ASEAN amidst Global Transformation," the ASEAN Future Forum 2025 serves as a high-profile platform to drive discussions on strengthening regional cooperation, fostering sustainable development, and positioning ASEAN as a key player in global affairs.

According to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, as of February 14, 2025, provinces and cities across the country have provided support to eliminate 106,189 temporary and dilapidated houses, an increase of 5,552 houses compared to February 7, 2025.

The Hitachi Global Foundation has selected six Vietnamese scientists for the Asia Innovation Award 2024, recognising their outstanding achievements in scientific research.

Favorable visa policies, intensified tourism promotion programmes, and prestigious international travel awards have driven a surge in international arrivals to Vietnam in January 2025, reaching nearly 2.1 million, up 18.5% from the previous month and 36.9% year-on-year.

More than 4.33 billion USD in foreign direct investment (FDI) was funnelled into Vietnam in January, a year-on-year surge of 48.6%, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

The Huong Pagoda Festival welcomes visitors from February 3 to May 1, 2025 (from the 6th day of the first lunar month to the 4th day of the fourth lunar month). This year’s festival marks a significant milestone as the Huong Son Complex, a nationally recognised special relic site, has been officially designated a municipal-level tourist area.

Throughout its leadership of the revolution, the Communist Party of Vietnam has upheld many noble traditions, reflecting its core values and ideals.

President Ho Chi Minh, the founder, builder, and trainer of the Communist Party of Vietnam, has left a glorious revolutionary cause and an invaluable legacy, which is Ho Chi Minh’s ideology and a shining example of virtues. His exemplary life, devoted entirely to the cause of national independence, freedom, and the happiness of the people, was centred on the paramount goal of building a transparent and strong ruling Communist Party of Vietnam. This aspiration serves as the nucleus for leading the entire political system. Key elements include political integrity, strengthening grassroots organisations, fostering unity within the Party, implementing self-criticism and criticism, and conducting regular Party inspections and corrections. His teachings continue to provide profound and lasting guidance for current Party-building efforts.

According to the Politburo’s resolution on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation, Vietnam has set ambitious targets for 2030. The country aims to achieve advanced capabilities in science, technology, and innovation across several key fields, ranking among the leading nations in the
upper-middle-income group.

To achieve the goals outlined in Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, the Government has called on ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-affiliated bodies, and provincial and municipal People’s Committees to prioritise translating these objectives into concrete actions and implementing various tasks alongside their regular duties in the coming period.

Booking.com, one of the world’s leading online travel platforms, has announced the top 10 domestic destinations most searched by Vietnamese travelers between January 24 and February 9, 2025 - coinciding with the Lunar New Year holiday (Year of the Snake).

Throughout history, the traditional customs of Vietnamese people during Tet (Lunar New Year) have been preserved and passed down from generation to generation. These include decorating and cleaning the house to welcome Tet, making banh chung and banh tet (traditional sticky rice cakes), worshiping the Kitchen Gods, hosting a year-end feast, and celebrating New Year’s Eve, among others.

The Hanoi Old Quarter will be vibrant with traditional cultural colours during the event entitled “Tet Viet - Tet Pho” (Vietnamese New Year - Street Festival) programme, organised by the Hoan Kiem Lake and Old Quarter Management Board (Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi). The event, held annually as the Lunar New Year approaches, attracts a large number of both domestic and international tourists.

The year 2025 holds special significance as it marks the final year of the 2021-2025 five-year socio-economic development plan. Following the directives of the Government and the Prime Minister, which aim to achieve a high GDP growth rate of 8% in 2025, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has proactively reviewed and raised growth targets in the industrial and trade sectors, setting specific key goals.

In 2024, eight Vietnamese commodities achieved export values exceeding 10 billion USD, contributing to over 69% of the country's total export turnover.

The Lunar New Year 2025 tourism season has seen exceptional growth. Accommodation searches from international tourists for Vietnam have surged by 139%.

Based on the continued restructuring and streamlining of the organisational apparatus of the ministries and agencies under Resolution 18 by the Politburo, the Government structure for the 15th tenure (2021-2026) is expected to consist of 14 ministries and 3 ministerial-level agencies, a reduction of five entities.

In 2024, Vietnam's rice exports set new records in both volume and value, solidifying the country's position as one of the world's top three rice exporters. Export volume reached an unprecedented 9 million tonnes, generating nearly 5.8 billion USD in revenue.

By the end of 2024, the disbursed FDI capital in Vietnam is estimated to reach approximately 25.35 billion USD, up 9.4% compared to 2023, marking the highest disbursement level ever recorded. Total newly registered capital, additional capital adjustments, and foreign investors' capital contributions and share purchases are estimated at nearly 38.23 billion USD.

The average Consumer Price Index (CPI) in 2024 increased by 3.63% compared to 2023, meeting the target set by the National Assembly.

Vietnam's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2024 is estimated to grow by 7.09% compared to 2023. This growth rate is second only to the figures recorded in 2018, 2019, and 2022 within the 2011-2024 period.

The Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) celebrate its 80th founding anniversary on December 22, 2024, a milestone in the army’s glorious history of serving and defending the nation. After 80 years of construction and development, the VPA has truly proven its revolutionary nature as an army “born from the people, fighting for the people, and serving the people”.

As of November 30, 2024, the total newly registered capital, adjusted capital, and capital contributions or share purchases by foreign investors in Vietnam reached nearly 31.4 billion USD, up 1% increase compared to the same period last year.

In the first 11 months of this year, Vietnam’s total import-export turnover reached 715.55 billion USD, up 15.4% against the same period last year, of which exports rose by 14.4% and imports up 16.4%. In the reviewed period, Vietnam enjoyed a trade surplus of 24.31 billion USD.

Vietnam’s total export turnover of agro-forestry-fishery products in the first 11 months of 2024 reached 56.74 billion USD, an increase of 19% over the same period in 2023. The sector has exceeded the set target of 54-55 billion USD for the whole year, and is confidently aiming for a new record of 60 billion USD.

Hanoi achieves rather comprehensive results in its socio-economic development in 2024, with 23/24 targets completed or exceeded.