| Vietnam News Today (Feb. 9) notable headlines U.S. vows to work closely with Vietnam for successful APEC Year 2027 Vietnam Fatherland Front cherishes OV contributions Vietnam’s GDP ranks 32nd globally, per capita income rises sharply Spring Concert 2026 celebrates Vietnam–China friendship Cold air surge brings rain and rarely harsh chill to Northern Vietnam Jubilant Homeland Spring 2026 for Vietnamese nationals in Tokyo Vietnam reaffirms China ties as top strategic priority Party chief urges overseas Vietnamese to remain bridge for national development Hanoi revives ancient gate-opening ritual for Lunar New Year |
The Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) always values and treasures the valuable contributions made by overseas Vietnamese (OVs), Chairwoman of the VFF Central Committee Bui Thi Minh Hoai affirmed, stressing that the Party and State consistently regard the OV community as an inseparable part and an important resource of the Vietnamese nation.
Speaking at a meeting honoring outstanding OV collectives and individuals in 2025 held in Hanoi on February 8, Hoai expressed her delight at the growing development of the community in terms of size, composition and potential. Many expatriates have achieved success, established their standing in host societies, some even entering politics, while others have earned global academic recognition. She noted that their achievements vividly reflect the enduring qualities of the Vietnamese people: perseverance, resilience and a constant aspiration to rise in life.
To translate Party guidelines into reality, a wide range of policies related to OVs have been implemented in an increasingly comprehensive and synchronised manner, better addressing legitimate aspirations of the community. Numerous legal documents have been issued to facilitate expats returning to live, work, study and conduct research in Vietnam.
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| Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Bui Thi Minh Hoai presents certificates of merit to collectives and individuals abroad for mobilising and uniting OVs to participate in patriotic emulation movements and campaigns launched by the VFF. (Photo: VNA) |
Through different periods, the VFF Central Committee has consistently paid special attention to the role, voice and valuable contributions of OVs in national construction and defense.
In the time ahead, the committee will urgently implement the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress through concrete programs and solutions to promote the strength of great national unity. Hoai voiced confidence that Vietnamese living abroad will continue to turn towards the homeland, strengthen solidarity and contribute to building a prosperous, strong, civilized and happy country while accompanying the Party and State on the path of development in the new era.
She also called on representatives of OV communities to foster common ground, awaken self-reliance, confidence and national pride, and build a united and strong OV community from the very beginning of the new era. The Party, State and VFF hope to receive practical and breakthrough initiatives from expatriates to effectively unlock the community’s vast resources, particularly in science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, knowledge-based, digital, green and circular economies, contributing to the goal of turning Vietnam into a high-income developed country by 2045.
Hoai praised achievements in OV affairs with the pioneering role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, along with coordination across the political system. She urged the agencies to further strengthen support for overseas Vietnamese while creating motivation for continued contributions to national development.
The VFF Central Committee will continue coordinating with the MoFA and relevant agencies to expand engagement, information exchange and support for OVs, study and absorb their recommendations, and improve policies in line with national development needs and the growing scale and diversity of the community.
On the occasion, the committee presented certificates of merit to collectives and individuals abroad for mobilizing and uniting OVs to participate in patriotic emulation movements and campaigns launched by the VFF.
Reporting on the community’s situation in 2025, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said that about 6.5 million Vietnamese living in more than 130 countries and territories have not only increased in number but also significantly improved their legal status and social prestige in host countries. A notable highlight is the surge in intellectual resources as many expatriate experts, scholars and entrepreneurs increasingly assert Vietnam’s presence on international forums, from advanced laboratories to leading multinational corporations.
Remittances in 2025 reached about 18 billion USD, becoming an important economic resource and a vivid testament to strong bonds between expatriates and the homeland, she added. OVs also contributed more than 2,300 comments to the draft Political Report to the 14th National Party Congress and donated over 45 billion VND (1.73 million USD) to support disaster-hit people at home.
At the event, OV representatives proposed establishing regional networks of young expatriate representatives to enhance connectivity, promote youth potential and support the VFF in effectively mobilizing OV resources in line with deep international integration.
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| Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang (R) meets Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker, Washington D.C., the U.S., February 6, 2026. |
The U.S. will closely work with Vietnam to successfully host the APEC 2027, said Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker during her meeting with Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang.
The meeting took place within the framework of the Vietnamese delegation's working visit to the U.S. to attend the sixth round of negotiations of the Vietnam–U.S. Reciprocal Trade Agreement from February 2–6.
At the meeting, the U.S. side highly appreciated Vietnam's role and credibility in organizing the APEC Year for the third time, and acknowledging the nation's active spirit in preparing for the APEC 2027.
Hooker warmly congratulated Vietnam on the successful organization of the 14th National Party Congress, expressing her confidence in Vietnam's development prospects as well as the Vietnam–U.S. bilateral relations.
She expected that the bilateral relations will maintain their positive momentum, including the early conclusion of a balanced and fair Reciprocal Trade Agreement, thereby creating a foundation to advance cooperation between the two countries across various fields.
Nguyen, for her part, expressed her delight at the positive developments in the Vietnam–U.S. Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, affirming that Vietnam attaches great importance to this partnership and calls on both sides to maintain regular high-level engagements and further deepen bilateral cooperation across various fields, especially in economy, trade, investment, science and technology, and innovation.
Vietnam hopes to develop economic and trade relations with the U.S. towards a more balanced and sustainable manner, on the basis of compatibility with the interests, capacities, and institutional frameworks of each side, told the Vietnamese official, cited VGP.
She expressed thanks to the U.S. for its support and close coordination with Vietnam in the APEC engagement over many years, adding that hosting APEC 2027 will be one of Vietnam's top multilateral foreign policy priorities in the coming period.
In her capacity as Standing Vice Chair of the National Committee for APEC 2027, Nguyen urged the U.S. to continue its support and close coordination with Vietnam in successfully organizing the APEC 2027.
Both sides vowed to continue efforts toward concluding negotiations and signing the Reciprocal Trade Agreement, thereby contributing to a more sustainable and effective development of Vietnam–U.S. economic and trade relations for the benefit of their businesses and peoples.
The occasion, the Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister had meetings with the U.S. Senior Official to the APEC Forum, leaders of the National Center for APEC, and senior vice president for Asia at the US Chamber of Commerce.
The U.S. officials pledged to make effective contributions to related activities during the APEC 2027 in Vietnam.
Vietnam’s gross domestic product (GDP) reached US$514 billion in 2025, up 1.48 times from 2020, placing the country 32nd worldwide and fourth in ASEAN.
The information was released at a national conference on the implementation of the 14th National Party Congress’s Resolution, during a review of five years of the 2021–2030 Socio-Economic Development Strategy and preparations for the 2026–2030 development plan.
It’s reported that during 2021–2025, Vietnam maintained overall macroeconomic stability, with inflation kept under control and major economic balances safeguarded. Public debt, government debt and external debt remained well below warning thresholds.
Monetary, fiscal and other macroeconomic policies were implemented in a coordinated and flexible manner, strengthening market confidence and supporting sustainable growth.
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| Vietnam’s economy has expanded by nearly 1.5 times over the past five years, ranking 32nd globally in 2025. (Illustrative image) |
Notably, Vietnam’s economy recorded an average GDP growth rate of about 6.2% per year over 2021–2025, with growth in 2025 at 8.02%. GDP expanded from US$346.6 billion in 2020 to more than US$514 billion, lifting Vietnam five places in global economic rankings.
GDP per capita in 2025 was around US$5,026, up from US$3,552 in 2020. Gross national income (GNI) per capita rose from US$3,400 to approximately US$4,750, marking Vietnam’s approach toward upper-middle-income economy status.
The country’s merchandise trade continued to expand, hitting US$920 billion in 2025, up 16.9% year on year, ranking the country 20th globally, with a sustained trade surplus. Energy and food security were maintained.
State budget revenue averaged about 18.7% of GDP during 2021–2025, while the budget deficit was kept at around 3.1% of GDP. Public debt was maintained at 34.4% of GDP by end-2025, well below the statutory ceiling. Total social investment accounted for around 33% of GDP, meeting set targets, cited VOV.
Despite severe impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic and a challenging global environment, Vietnam sustained positive growth during 2020–2021 and rebounded strongly in 2022 with 8.54% growth, emerging as a global economic bright spot.
The achievements during 2021–2025 underscore Vietnam’s rising economic scale, improving quality of growth and strengthened international standing, providing a solid foundation for sustained development in the 2026–2030 period and beyond.
The Spring Concert 2026 themed “Vietnam–China: Friendly Neighbours” was held on the evening of February 7 at the Ho Guom Theatre in Hanoi to celebrate the success of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the 76th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam–China diplomatic ties, and the traditional Lunar New Year of the two nations.
The concert was jointly directed by the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam, and co-organized by the China National Opera House, the Ho Guom Theatre, the Department of International Cooperation under the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Hanoi Opera House, and the China Cultural Center in Hanoi, VNA reported.
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| A performance at the Spring Concert 2026 (Photo: VNA) |
Featuring renowned artists from both countries, the program comprised two parts with a well-structured and engaging artistic arrangement, guiding the audience from traditional Chinese music to melodies praising Vietnam–China friendship, as well as excerpts from classic world operas.
According to the organizers, the concert once again underscored the spirit of “friendly neighborliness,” conveying a profound message of peace, cooperation, and shared development.
A strengthened cold air mass swept across northern Vietnam and the North Central region on February 8, bringing widespread rain, strong winds and a spell of unusually biting cold, meteorological authorities said.
Unlike many winter cold spells that typically bring dry conditions, this surge is accompanied by persistent rain and high humidity, significantly intensifying the cold and creating a sharp, penetrating chill across large areas, particularly in mountainous and midland provinces of the north.
From early February 8, northeast monsoon winds combined with rainfall caused temperatures to drop rapidly in many localities. The Red River Delta experienced severe cold conditions from the afternoon, while mountainous areas entered extreme cold, with strong winds and prolonged rain making temperatures feel much lower than recorded readings.
Forecasters said February 9 is expected to be the coldest day of the spell, with daytime highs in much of the northern delta struggling to exceed 15°C. Overnight lows are forecast at 10–13°C in lowland areas, while mountainous regions may see temperatures fall to 7–10°C, and below 3°C in high-altitude areas, raising the risk of frost and sleet.
The rapid temperature drop, combined with rain and gusty winds, has made the cold spell feel harsher than typical dry winter conditions, with residents reporting an all-day biting chill rather than cold limited to nighttime and early morning hours.
The cold air mass has also affected the North Central region, including Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces, where temperatures began falling from the afternoon of February 8, accompanied by rain and occasional showers. Minimum temperatures in the region are forecast to range between 12 and 15°C.
Further south, from Ha Tinh to the central coastal region, the interaction between the cold air and upper-level easterly disturbances is expected to trigger widespread rainfall, with some areas seeing moderate to heavy rain and thunderstorms, VOV reported.
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| Meteorologists say the combination of strong cold air, high humidity and rainfall is the key factor making this cold spell particularly uncomfortable, as wet cold tends to lower perceived temperatures throughout the day |
Authorities warned that rain occurring under low temperatures could disrupt daily activities and transportation, particularly in the lead-up to the Lunar New Year when travel demand is rising. Slippery roads, reduced visibility and prolonged exposure to cold pose health risks, especially for the elderly, children and outdoor workers.
Meteorologists noted that the combination of strong cold air, high humidity and rainfall is the key factor making this cold spell particularly uncomfortable, as wet cold tends to lower perceived temperatures throughout the day.
Residents in northern and north-central Vietnam have been advised to take precautions against cold-related health risks, limit outdoor exposure during periods of low temperatures, and remain alert to potential hazards such as frost, sleet, thunderstorms, lightning and strong gusts, especially in mountainous areas.
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