| Vietnam News Today (Apr. 5) notable headlines PM seeks stronger energy security cooperation with Kuwait Vietnam's GDP growth reaches 7.83% in January-March period FDI inflows to Vietnam surge 42.9% in Q1 Foreign tourist arrivals reach all-time high in Vietnam in first quarter Weak cold spell cools north as heat builds in central, southern regions HCM City records strongest Q1 growth in five years at 8.27% Vietnam industrial output rises 9% in Q1, highest in seven years Singapore tops foreign investment inflows into Vietnam Vietnam aims to develop five globally competitive cities by 2045 |
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| PM Pham Minh Chinh (R) receives Kuwaiti Ambassador to Vietnam Yousef Ashour Al-Sabbagh in Hanoi on April 4. (Photo: VNA) |
PM seeks stronger energy security cooperation with Kuwait
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted a reception in Hanoi on April 4 for Kuwaiti Ambassador to Vietnam Yousef Ashour Al-Sabbagh, pressing for deeper strategic partnership and energy security cooperation.
PM Chinh reaffirmed that Vietnam always highly values its relationship with Kuwait and recalled his successful phone talks with Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Ahmed Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah in early March. He urged both sides to work closely on the agreed commitments, with particular focus on ensuring the safety of Vietnamese citizens in Kuwait and carrying out the 2026–2030 action plan to diversify cooperation areas.
On the occasion, he conveyed greetings from Party General Secretary To Lam and other high-ranking Vietnamese leaders to Kuwait’s Emir and leaders, and invited the Kuwaiti PM to pay an official visit to Vietnam this year.
Amid complex developments in the Middle East, the host expressed concern over negative impacts on global economic and energy market stability.
He emphasized Vietnam's consistent advocacy of the peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue in accordance with international law, expressing his hope for a swift return to peace in the region.
On the economic front, he suggested stronger collaboration through accelerating negotiations on a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Gulf Cooperation Council, along with enhanced business connectivity between the two countries. He also pushed for tighter coordination on energy security to tackle current challenges and ensure stable production and daily life, cited VNA.
Ambassador Al-Sabbagh said Kuwait’s Emir and leaders highly value the Vietnamese PM’s official visit to Kuwait in November 2025, particularly the elevation of bilateral ties to a strategic partnership, which marked an important milestone, adding that relevant ministries and agencies from both sides are actively working on the visit’s outcomes.
Kuwait remains committed to cooperating closely with Vietnam to ensure energy security, he said, noting that the Kuwaiti Government is striving to provide necessary support for both Kuwaiti and foreign residents, including those from Vietnam.
He pledged to act as a bridge to encourage Kuwaiti energy corporations and investment funds to expand their presence in Vietnam, making the bilateral strategic partnership more substantive, effective and reliable.
Vietnam's GDP growth reaches 7.83% in January-March period
Vietnam's GDP grew 7.83% in the first quarter this year, the National Statistics Office reported Saturday.
The figure is well below the growth rates in the last three quarter of 2025, but still higher than the corresponding period of the previous year.
In the reviewed period, industrial production rose 9.01 percent against the same period last year, contributing 38.34 percent to the overall added value of the national economy, the National Statistics Office said.
Total foreign direct investment inflows were estimated at US$15.20 billion, a year-on-year increase of 42.90 percent while disbursement volume rose 9.1 percent year-on-year to US$5.41 billion, according to VGP.
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| Photo: VGP |
Export turnover increased by 19.1 percent to US$122.93 billion and import volume soared by 27 percent to US$126.57 billion.
The U.S. remained the biggest importer of Vietnamese goods, with US$39 billion while China was the largest supplier of goods worth over US$50 billion.
Foreign arrivals to Vietnam climbed 12.4 percent year-on-year to a new record of 6.76 million.
FDI inflows to Vietnam surge 42.9% in Q1
Total registered foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam reached 15.2 billion USD in the first quarter of 2026, up 42.9% year-on-year, according to the National Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance.
Of the total, 904 newly licensed projects registered combined capital of 10.23 billion USD, marking a 6.4% increase in the project number and a 2.4-fold rise in capital compared to the same period last year.
The manufacturing and processing sector continued to attract the lion’s share of new FDI, drawing 7.07 billion USD, equivalent to 69% of the newly registered capital. It was followed by electricity, gas, water and air conditioner production and distribution, which secured 2.28 billion USD, accounting for 22.3%. The remaining sectors posted 884.6 million USD, or 8.7%.
Notably, the disbursed FDI in the January–March period was estimated at 5.41 billion USD, up 9.1% year-on-year and the highest first-quarter figure recorded over the past five years.
Manufacturing and processing also dominated the disbursed capital, with 4.48 billion USD, representing 82.8% of the total. Real estate saw 389.5 million USD disbursed (7.2%) while electricity, gas, hot water, steam, and air conditioner production and distribution 196.1 million USD (3.6%).
Among the 52 countries and territories with newly licensed projects, Singapore remained the largest investor with 5.32 billion USD, making up 52% of total new capital. It was followed by the Republic of Korea with 3.68 billion USD (35.9%), China with 417.5 million USD (4.1%), Hong Kong (China) with 256.8 million USD (2.5%), Japan with 191.3 million USD (1.9%), and the US with 91.3 million USD (0.9%).
Meanwhile, 251 existing projects registered additional capital of 2.3 billion USD, down 55.1% year-on-year, VNA reported.
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| Production at the Fancy Industrial Co., Ltd., a Chinese-owned company in Pho Noi A Industrial Park, Hung Yen province. (Photo: VNA) |
Combining both newly registered and additional capital, the manufacturing and processing sector attracted 8.85 billion USD, accounting for 70.6% of the total. Electricity, gas, water, and air conditioner production and distribution followed with 2.28 billion USD (18.2%), while other sectors drew 1.4 billion USD (11.2%).
Foreign investors also contributed capital to and purchased shares of local companies through 703 transactions worth 2.66 billion USD, up 2.3 times year-on-year. Of these, 158 transactions increased charter capital while 545 involved share acquisitions without capital expansion.
Via foreign investors' capital contributions and share purchases, investment in wholesale and retail trade, and repair of automobiles, motorcycles, and scooters reached 1.85 billion USD, accounting for 69.6% of the total capital contribution. That in manufacturing and processing stood at 389.2 million USD, accounting for 14.6%; and other sectors 421.1 million USD, or 15.8%, according to the NSO.
Foreign tourist arrivals reach all-time high in Vietnam in first quarter
Vietnam welcomed a record 6.76 million international visitors in the first quarter of 2026, marking the highest number ever recorded for a first quarter, according to the National Statistics Office.
In March alone, the country received nearly 2.1 million foreign arrivals, up 1.3% year on year. Overall, international arrivals in the first three months rose by more than 12% compared to the same period last year.
Authorities attributed the strong growth to Vietnam’s stable political and social environment, improved safety, and more open visa policies. Enhanced tourism promotion, diversified products and better service quality have also helped attract more international visitors.
Air travel remained the primary gateway, accounting for 5.56 million arrivals in the first quarter, or over 82% of the total, up 7% year on year.
Notably, land arrivals saw a sharp increase of 53% to 1.05 million, making up 15.5% of total visitors. Sea arrivals also rose by more than 11% to over 148,200.
Asia continued to be Vietnam’s biggest source market, contributing more than 4.9 million visitors, slightly above last year’s level.
China emerged as the largest market with over 1.4 million arrivals, followed by the Republic of Korea with more than 1.32 million visitors.
Several regional markets posted strong growth, including India and the Philippines (both exceeding 169% year on year), and Indonesia (nearly 144%), cited VOV.
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| Foreign visitors enjoy exploring destinations in Da Nang City, central Vietnam. |
Europe obtained the fastest growth rate, with over 1.23 million visitors in the first quarter, up nearly 156% year on year.
The surge was largely driven by a sharp rebound in Russian visitors, which reached nearly 367,170, up 294.5% compared to the same period last year.
Other markets, including the Americas and Oceania, also maintained steady growth, with 403,175 and 189,670 visitors respectively.
In contrast, outbound travel by Vietnamese residents declined sharply to around 1.2 million trips in the first quarter, down 55% year on year.
Domestically, while the price index for culture, entertainment and tourism services edged down slightly in March due to lower hotel demand, package tour prices continued to rise.
Tour prices increased by 0.81%, including a 1.36% rise for outbound tours and a 0.72% increase for domestic tours, mainly driven by higher transportation, accommodation and service costs.
Weak cold spell cools north as heat builds in central, southern regions
Weather conditions across Vietnam showed a clear contrast on April 4, as a weak cold spell brought cooler temperatures to the north while heat persisted in central and southern regions.
According to meteorological authorities, the current cold air mass is relatively weak and shifting eastward, mainly causing light rain, drizzle and cloudy conditions in northern areas. As a result, temperatures in the north dropped slightly, bringing a cooler and more humid feel typical of the seasonal transition.
However, such cold spells in April are expected to remain mild and short-lived. Experts said a few additional cold air waves may occur later this month, but they are unlikely to trigger severe cold conditions as seen during winter.
In contrast, central and southern regions are experiencing intensifying heat. Temperatures in many areas, particularly in the south, are forecast to exceed 35°C, with the heat expected to expand further in the coming days, cited VOV.
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| A weak cold air mass brings cool weather to northern Vietnam before strong heatwaves return. (Illustrative image) |
Meteorologists noted that the 2026 climate pattern points to a gradual increase in heat from April onwards, which will likely spread to northern and central regions in the following months. This suggests that the current cooler conditions in the north are temporary before temperatures rise again.
April 4 marks a typical transitional period in Vietnam’s weather, with short-term cooling in the north but a broader shift toward widespread heat. Residents are advised to stay alert to rapid weather changes, especially during the seasonal transition, which may bring extreme events such as thunderstorms, strong winds and localized heavy rain.
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