Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina Ngo Minh Nguyet (center) in a photo with representatives of the Communist Parties of Uruguay and Argentina (Photo: VNA)

Viet Nam, Argentina see ample potential to elevate bilateral ties: ambassador

Ample room remains to elevate relations between Viet Nam and Argentina, Ambassador Ngo Minh Nguyet has said, expressing her hope that people of both countries will further contribute to the friendship and bilateral ties.

She made the remarks at a ceremony organized by the Vietnamese Embassy in Argentina on October 29 to mark the 81st anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day.

The event was attended by representatives of the Vietnamese community in Argentina, the Communist Parties of Argentina and Uruguay, the Argentina–Vietnam Cultural Institute (ICAV), and the Cuban Embassy, among others.

Reviewing bilateral ties, the Vietnamese ambassador said the traditional friendship and Comprehensive Partnership between the two countries have continued to develop positively, becoming increasingly substantive and effective.

Argentina is one of Vietnam’s leading trading partners in Latin America, with complementary import – export structures offering favourable conditions for economic cooperation, Nguyet noted.

She highlighted the two countries’ active coordination in negotiations on a preferential trade agreement (PTA) between Viet Nam and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur). The agreement is expected to provide a favourable legal corridor, reduce trade barriers and create new opportunities for Viet Nam's trade, investment and economic links with Argentina and other Mercosur members.

The diplomat noted that 2026 marks an important milestone in Vietnam’s development, with the successful organization of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, which outlined strategic orientations for a new development period and the goal of ushering the country into an era of the nation’s rise. Efforts to streamline the state apparatus are also underway to improve its efficiency and effectiveness, supporting the country's development goals, cited VNA.

She highlighted Vietnam’s positive economic performance, with manufacturing, high technology, services and foreign trade continuing to drive growth. The country remains an attractive destination for foreign direct investment, particularly in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, renewable energy and the green economy.

Major infrastructure projects, including North–South Expressway and Long Thanh International Airport, are also being implemented to expand development space and improve connectivity.

On foreign affairs, Nguyet said Viet Nam continues to pursue proactive and comprehensive international integration and promote its role as an active and responsible member of the United Nations, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other multilateral forums.

As part of Viet Nam's foreign policy of multilateralisation and diversification of external relations, Latin America always holds an important position, she said, adding that Viet Nam and regional countries share long-standing solidarity and mutual support, from their past struggles for national independence to ongoing efforts in national construction and development today.

The ambassador also commended the Vietnamese community in Argentina for its contributions, efforts to integrate into local society and commitment to preserving the national cultural identity and Vietnamese language while complying with host-country laws.

She affirmed that supporting and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of overseas Vietnamese remain a key task of the embassy, expressing her hope that the community will maintain solidarity, support one another and serve as a bridge of friendship between the two peoples.

The celebration offered an opportunity for Vietnamese people in Argentina and local and international friends to reflect on Vietnam’s 81-year journey of national construction, defense and development, while strengthening Viet Nam's solidarity, friendship and cooperation with Argentina and other nations in the region.

Viet Nam, Greece boost cooperation in legal education, training

A delegation from Hanoi Law University led by its Rector Assoc. Prof. Dr To Van Hoa visited Greece from October 25 to 29 to promote cooperation in education and training.

With the support of the Vietnamese Embassy in Greece, the university signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Deree College of the American College of Greece (ACG) and Panteion University.

The delegation also held working sessions with the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and the European Public Law Organisation (EPLO) to discuss specialised training and student exchanges.

At a meeting with the delegation, Vietnamese Ambassador to Greece Pham Thi Thu Huong highlighted Greece’s leading position in global maritime transport and its role in the development of democracy and the rule of law. She noted that Greece’s legal system offers valuable experience for Viet Nam to study and explore cooperation.

The two countries share a traditional friendship and common views on maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight, and settling disputes peacefully in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), according to VNA.

Hanoi Law University signs memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Deree College of the American College of Greece (ACG) and Panteion University. (Photo: VNA)

Education has been identified as a priority area in bilateral cooperation, Huong noted, adding that the delegation's visit will help further enhance ties in this field, particularly training in international law and international maritime law.

Hoa briefed the ambassador on Hanoi Law University’s international cooperation orientations, scale and development priorities.

He said cooperation with Greece forms part of the university’s broader international engagement, particularly in areas where Greece has strengths such as training students and officials in international and maritime law.

The cooperation is also expected to contribute to the implementation of the Political Bureau’s Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW on building and developing Viet Nam into a strong maritime nation, he said.

Standard Chartered projects Viet Nam growth to peak at 11% in 2027

Standard Chartered has forecast Viet Nam's GDP growth at 9.5% in 2026 and 11% in 2027, while upgrading its 2028 projection to 9.1% from 6.7%, supported by fiscal and monetary policy, robust FDI inflows and stronger domestic demand.

The Bank expects growth to remain in double digits in early 2027, supporting household income and prospects for the consumer sector. Disbursed FDI rose 12% year-to-date in the first nine months of 2026, according to the figures cited in its assessment.

“We continue to see a commitment to strong growth in 2027, supporting prospects for domestic consumption and investment,” Tim Leelahaphan, Senior Economist, Viet Nam and Thailand, Standard Chartered, said.

He added that rebuilding foreign exchange reserves could strengthen Vietnam’s external position and increase domestic liquidity, helping support the domestic interest rate market and stabilise funding costs.

Standard Chartered has raised its headline inflation forecasts to 4.7% for 2026 from 4.4%, and to 3.9% for 2027 from 3.3%. Inflation is forecast at 5.2% year on year in the fourth quarter of 2026 and 4.6% in the first quarter of 2027, before easing to 3.3% in the second quarter of 2027.

This projected moderation would give the State Bank of Viet Nam room to maintain a relatively accommodative monetary policy in the near term.

The bank has lowered its 2028 inflation forecast to 3.7%, from 5.5%, anticipating that gradual monetary tightening will help contain price pressures, cited VOV.

Standard Chartered projects Viet Nam's economy to maintain strong growth through 2028. (Illustrative image)

Standard Chartered expects the refinancing rate to rise by 25 basis points to 4.75% in the fourth quarter of 2027, followed by a further 25-basis-point increase to 5.00% in the fourth quarter of 2028.

The projected increases would mark a gradual normalisation of monetary policy. The bank expects growth to remain a priority well into 2027, with policymakers placing greater emphasis on stability in 2028.

“While stability concerns do not appear to require an urgent response, growth ambitions are expected to be gradually balanced with a greater focus on stability,” Leelahaphan noted.

Vietnam’s foreign exchange reserves stand at approximately US$83 billion, according to the report.

Standard Chartered also highlighted uncertainty over whether electronics exports will generate a sufficient surplus to offset imports of production inputs. However, the bank noted that these imports support the production of electronic goods, which account for around 30% of Vietnam’s total exports.

The outlook therefore points to continued strong growth in the near term, supported by domestic demand, investment and policy measures, alongside a gradual shift towards greater macroeconomic stability as inflation and financing conditions evolve.

Vietnamese culture takes center stage at UN Mission in Abyei

Vietnamese peacekeepers showcased the country’s traditional culture, cuisine and performing arts during United Nations Day 2026 celebrations at the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) on October 29.

The event, themed “Together for Peace”, brought together United Nations peacekeeping personnel and members of the local community in Abyei for cultural exchanges celebrating friendship and international cooperation.

Vietnam’s Engineering Unit Rotation 5 made a strong impression with a cultural and food fair featuring traditional handicrafts, publications and dishes that offered international visitors an insight into the country’s heritage and everyday life, reported VOV.

Vietnamese booth at the fair (Photo: sggp.org.vn)

The Vietnamese booth presented a range of cultural items, including conical hats (nón lá), flat palm hats (nón quai thao), handmade kites, paper fans, and oil paintings. Prepared and arranged by members of the engineering unit, the display highlighted distinctive elements of Vietnamese culture.

Books, newspapers and publications introducing Vietnam’s history, people and national traditions were also on display, giving international personnel an opportunity to learn more about the country.

The booth attracted visitors who stopped to explore the exhibits, exchange stories and take commemorative photographs.

Vietnamese peacekeepers also prepared traditional dishes, including fried spring rolls, sweet bean pudding and crispy fried sticky rice, bringing familiar flavours from home to the multicultural gathering.

The cultural fair was followed by an artistic exchange featuring performances by peacekeeping personnel and local community members.

Vietnamese peacekeepers presented a traditional conical-hat dance to the song “Hello Vietnam”. The performance brought a recognisable symbol of Vietnamese culture to the stage, expressing the performers’ affection for their homeland despite being thousands of kilometres away.

At the conclusion of the celebrations, the Vietnamese unit received three gold trophies: two for the men’s and women’s badminton doubles events and one for the best-decorated cultural booth.

Viet Nam's aviation market serves over 110 million passengers in January-October as fleet grows

Viet Nam's airports handled more than 110 million passengers in the first 10 months of 2026, representing an increase of over 10 percent year on year, reflecting continued growth in air travel demand.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Viet Nam (CAAV) reported international passenger traffic reached nearly 43 million, up more than 11 percent from the same period last year, while domestic passenger traffic totaled nearly 68 million, an increase of over 9 percent.

Domestic airlines transported more than 50 million passengers during the January-October period, up over 7 percent year on year.

Of this figure, international passenger traffic exceeded 16 million, up 2 percent, while domestic passenger numbers reached nearly 34 million, up more than 9 percent.

As of October 15, Viet Nam had 261 aircraft, an increase of 26 from 2025. Of the total, Vietjet operated 107 aircraft, mainly Airbus A321s, while Viet Nam Airlines had 94 aircraft, including Airbus A320s, A321s and A350s, as well as Boeing 787s, VGP reported.

Photo: VGP

The addition of new aircraft has strengthened airlines' capacity to serve passengers, particularly as the market enters the year-end peak travel season.

The CAAV called on Vietnamese airlines to develop plans to restore, maintain and expand domestic air routes, helping strengthen the role of air transport in socio-economic development and tourism promotion.

The authority also emphasized the need to enhance regional connectivity and make more effective use of existing aviation infrastructure capacity.

Earlier, the authority targets handling approximately 94 million passengers and 1.6 million tons of cargo, representing year-on-year increases of 13 percent and 9.3 percent, respectively.

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