Delegates at the launch of projects in Ho Chi Minh City on August 29. (Photo: VNA)

Major projects launched, inaugurated nationwide ahead of National Day

A number of major infrastructure, housing and industrial projects were launched or put into operation in cities and provinces across Vietnam on August 29, as part of activities marking the 81st National Day (September 2).

In Ho Chi Minh City, authorities held ceremonies for the launch and inauguration of 16 projects in transport, technical infrastructure and social housing, aimed at improving urban conditions and residents’ quality of life.

Among the key projects launched was a social housing project under the urban renewal scheme in the Ma Lang and Cho Ga – Gao areas in the former District 1. The project has a preliminary investment of nearly 16.37 trillion VND (627 million USD) and will provide 2,253 resettlement apartments, scheduled for completion and handover in 2029.

In the 3.77ha Ma Lang area, a school complex and a resettlement housing complex will be built, including a social housing apartment building of about 38 floors with 1,400 apartments and 93 low-rise houses. In the 4,350sq.m Cho Ga – Gao area, a 35-storey social housing building with 760 apartments will be constructed.

The two areas are densely populated parts of central Ho Chi Minh City, where many houses have deteriorated and infrastructure remains inadequate. Narrow alleys also pose challenges for firefighting and rescue operations.

The Ma Lang project will affect about 1,070 properties, involving 1,459 households and 4,693 people, while the Cho Ga – Gao project will affect around 252 houses, involving 192 households and 744 people.

The city also launched a 7.21 trillion VND water environment improvement project in the area of former Binh Duong province, including a package to increase the capacity of the Thuan An wastewater treatment plant by 20,000cu.m per day.

A 510 billion VND project to build a new Block C at Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital was also launched to improve facilities and support the hospital’s development of specialised medical services.

Five other social housing projects were launched, with investments ranging from 307 billion VND to 64.05 trillion VND.

Three school projects were also inaugurated and put into use, including the newly built and renovated Vo Truong Toan High School, the upgraded Tran Van Giau High School and the renovated Marie Curie High School.

In Da Nang, Nam Thang Binh Industrial Park Infrastructure Investment JSC launched three projects with a combined investment of 1.1 trillion VND: a ready-built factory complex, a wastewater treatment plant and the second phase of technical infrastructure at Subzone B of Nam Thang Binh Industrial Park.

The ready-built factory complex covers about 18ha with an investment of 670 billion VND. The 160 billion VND wastewater treatment plant will have a capacity of 4,200 cu.m per day, while the second-phase technical infrastructure covers about 29.5ha with an investment of 268 billion VND.

The three projects are designed to connect production space, technical infrastructure and environmental treatment facilities, helping shorten investment preparation time and enable businesses to put factories into operation sooner.

Vice Chairman of the Da Nang City People’s Committee Phan Thai Binh said modern industrial infrastructure and high-tech, environmentally friendly investment are key to achieving sustained double-digit economic growth.

He urged the investor to accelerate construction, ensure high standards for quality, safety and environmental protection, and attract investors using modern, low-emission technologies while prioritising local recruitment and vocational training.

The city pledged to work closely with investors to ensure effective resettlement, vocational training and job conversion, with living conditions at new residential areas maintained at or above previous levels.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President To Lam (third, right) inspects the Hoang Cau–Voi Phuc section of the Ring Road No. 1 project. (Photo: VNA)

Top leader inspects key transport, education infrastructure projects in Hanoi

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and President To Lam on August 29 inspected the Hoang Cau–Voi Phuc section of the Ring Road No. 1 project and the Hoang Quan Chi High School project in Hanoi, urging municipal authorities to ensure timely completion of the transport project and provide quality conditions for students in the new school year.

The Hoang Cau–Voi Phuc section of Ring Road No. 1 is more than 2.2km long and 50m wide, running through O Cho Dua, Giang Vo and Lang wards. It is seen a crucial project to completing the ring road and improving Hanoi’s transport infrastructure, helping ease inner-city congestion once put into operation.

At the project site, the top leader commended Hanoi for its efforts in site clearance and for ensuring stable living conditions for relocated residents. He asked relevant agencies to maintain progress and strive to put the entire route into operation as soon as possible.

Emphasising the importance of Ring Road No. 1 as a continuous transport route to reduce congestion in the city centre, he called on Party committees and authorities at all levels to step up efforts to persuade residents to hand over land so that the project can be completed.

He also requested that authorities clearly communicate the project’s broader benefits to the city and the advantages of resettlement policies, while continuing to plan the urban landscape and architecture along both sides of the road.

At the Hoang Quan Chi High School project in Yen Hoa ward, General Secretary and President Lam applauded the school’s well-planned investment in facilities.

Covering an area of nearly 13,000 sq.m, the school comprises four above-ground floors and one basement. It is among four new public high schools in Hanoi put into operation in time for the 2026-2027 academic year.

General Secretary and President Lam expressed his belief that its opening, together with other educational facilities in the city, would help meet students’ growing learning needs.

He stressed that education should aim at comprehensive development, with schools meeting required standards and balancing academic studies with arts, sports and foreign languages to create an enjoyable learning environment. He also called for regular health check-ups to monitor students’ physical development, and appropriate healthcare plans to be developed.

The leader stressed the importance of identifying and nurturing talented students early, from the arts and sports to STEM subjects; encouraging universities to directly admit students with outstanding academic records throughout their 12 years of schooling; and placing greater emphasis on career guidance so students can make choices suited to their qualifications, abilities and the practical needs of society.

Vietnam provides 100,000 USD in emergency aid to Colombia after earthquake

The Vietnamese State and people have decided to provide emergency humanitarian aid of 100,000 USD to the Colombian Government and people to help them overcome the consequences of the natural disaster and soon stabilise the lives of affected communities.

The aid comes in response to the significant loss of life and property caused by the earthquake that struck Colombia on August 10, 2026, and reflects the traditional friendship and solidarity, as well as the spirit of mutual support between the Vietnamese and Colombian peoples.

The first round of negotiations for the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between Vietnam and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) concludes on August 28 after five days in Buenos Aires. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam, Mercosur begin trade negotiations

The first round of negotiations for the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between Vietnam and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) concluded on August 28 after five days in Buenos Aires, marking a significant step forward in strengthening economic and trade cooperation between Vietnam and South American countries.

The opening session, held on August 24, was attended by the Undersecretary for International Economic Negotiations and Integration of the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Roberto Alejandro Salafia; Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina Ngo Minh Nguyet; and members of the negotiating delegations from Vietnam and Mercosur.

During the session, both sides reaffirmed their determination to advance the negotiations in a spirit of goodwill, with a view to reaching a balanced agreement that aligns with the interests of both Vietnam and Mercosur.

As part of the negotiation round, on August 26, the delegations from Vietnam and Mercosur held a meeting with Argentina's Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship Pablo Quirno.

During the meeting, the Argentine foreign minister affirmed that Vietnam is an important partner for Argentina in Southeast Asia and expressed his hope that both sides will continue to expand and deepen their economic and trade cooperation.

He also proposed that Vietnam and Mercosur establish a specific roadmap for the negotiations to add momentum to the process.

During the working sessions, the parties actively exchanged views on the contents of the future agreement and clarified fundamental issues, laying the groundwork for continued talks in upcoming rounds.

The two sides agreed to maintain a spirit of cooperation, flexibility and a results-oriented approach, demonstrating their determination to seek appropriate solutions that balance interests and address the concerns of all parties.

The first round of negotiations on the Vietnam–MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) laid an important foundation for Vietnam and MERCOSUR to continue discussions and prepare for the next round, with the goal of reaching an effective and balanced trade agreement that brings practical benefits to all parties.

The launch of the PTA negotiations reflects the two sides’ interest and determination to strengthen economic ties, expand market access opportunities and further tap the trade potential between Vietnam and South America.

In a social media post, Minister Pablo Quirno said he was pleased to welcome the working groups participating in the first in-person round of PTA negotiations between MERCOSUR and Vietnam. He noted that Vietnam is currently Argentina’s sixth-largest trading partner, with bilateral goods trade reaching around 4 billion USD a year.

In December 2025, Vietnam and Mercosur – comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay – agreed to launch negotiations on a PTA in line with World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. The move marked an important milestone in strengthening Mercosur –Vietnam relations, contributing to regional integration and creating fresh momentum for dynamic and mutually beneficial economic ties.

Speaking to the Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Buenos Aires, Ambassador Salafia stated that “Mercosur is very interested in expanding its network of trade agreements with all countries in the world,” and that Vietnam is a particularly important partner.

“All four Mercosur countries have very intense business ties with Vietnam. And obviously, we want to increase these trade flows, which we hope to achieve through negotiations and by reaching a trade agreement with Vietnam,” he said.

Regarding bilateral relations, Salafia noted that “with Argentina in particular, there is a very significant volume of trade and great complementarity”.

He also highlighted the potential of Southeast Asia, a region which, he stated, has experienced significant development over the past few decades.

Thus, the first round of negotiations represents a concrete step toward expanding economic ties between Vietnam and Mercosur, in a context where both sides are seeking to diversify markets, products, and areas of cooperation.

At the business roundtable with Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Van Thang in Washington on August 28.

US businesses hail Vietnam as bright spot among emerging markets

US business leaders praised Vietnam as a bright spot among emerging markets during a roundtable with Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Van Thang in Washington on August 28.

The event gathered representatives from nearly 60 major US corporations, financial institutions, and investment funds across finance, digital technology, cybersecurity, energy, healthcare, and logistics, featuring names such as Visa, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, Qualcomm, Caterpillar, and Atlas Air. Earlier on August 27, the Vietnamese delegation also visited the headquarters of Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Speaking at the working sessions, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Van Thang affirmed that Vietnam attaches great importance to its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the US and considers the foreign direct investment sector an important component of its economy.

The Government of Vietnam continues to prioritize macroeconomic stability, institutional improvement, and the construction of a transparent, equal, and safe legal framework for foreign investors to operate and conduct long-term business, Thang added.

He proposed that US enterprises expand investment in high-tech projects, boost knowledge transfer, support the innovation ecosystem, and train high-quality human resources, while creating conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to participate more deeply in global value chains.

Thang stressed that Vietnam is committed to maintaining dialogue, listening to investor recommendations, and coordinating to resolve difficulties in a spirit of harmonizing benefits and sharing risks.

He also suggested that the US business community continue to promote its bridging role, bolstering bilateral economic and trade cooperation toward a balanced, sustainable, and substantive direction, thereby helping facilitate negotiations on a reciprocal, balanced, and counterbalanced trade agreement between the two countries.

Representatives of US businesses highly appreciated Vietnam's socio-economic development achievements, institutional reform efforts, administrative procedure simplification, and strategic orientation toward science, technology, and innovation.

They recognized Vietnam as a bright spot among emerging markets, featuring positive growth prospects, an expanding middle class, quality human resources, and an open business environment for foreign investors.

Many expressed the view that Vietnam's economy continues to hold strong prospects and ample room for expanding cooperation in high-tech fields, digital finance, renewable energy, infrastructure, and services.

Several businesses noted that they are considering or advancing specific investment plans in Vietnam, expressing a desire to expand research and development, high-tech manufacturing, digital payments, cybersecurity, and workforce training.

In addition, US businesses suggested that Vietnam continue to ensure policy stability, transparency, and predictability; increase consultation with investors during the regulatory drafting process; establish appropriate transition roadmaps; and ensure consistent implementation between central and local authorities. Opinions also emphasized the role of contract enforcement, fair dispute resolution mechanisms, favorable licensing procedures, and technical standards in line with international practice.

The businesses and investors also raised specific recommendations with a focus on facilitating international capital flows, developing the bond market and risk-hedging instruments, expanding digital payments and financial inclusion, improving procurement and registration processes in the healthcare sector, perfecting visa policies, and streamlining procedures for technology, energy, infrastructure, and logistics projects.

The engagement activities created a direct exchange channel between Vietnamese policymaking agencies and investors, helping identify bottlenecks, connect demand with implementation capacity, and suggest new cooperative projects. On this basis, relevant agencies will continue to study proposals and maintain coordination with US associations and businesses following the working visit to speed up the implementation of projects in Vietnam and attract high-quality investment flows.

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