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Vietnamese Ambassador to Tanzania Vu Thanh Huyen meets with Regional Commissioner of Tanga region Batilda Salha Burian. (Photo courtesy of Vietnamese Embassy in Tanzania)

Vietnam, Tanzania explore local cooperation opportunities

Vietnamese Ambassador to Tanzania Vu Thanh Huyen paid a working visit to Tanga region from July 23-25, during which she had a meeting with Regional Commissioner Batilda Salha Burian to explore cooperation opportunities between Vietnamese and Tanzanian localities.

The discussions came in the lead-up to the 60th anniversary of Vietnam–Tanzania diplomatic relations (1965-2025).

Burian praised the long-standing friendship between the two countries, rooted in their historic struggles for national independence. She expressed Tanga’s strong interest in deepening ties with Vietnam and welcomed Vietnamese cooperation initiatives.

Agriculture remains Tanga’s economic backbone, employing around 70% of the local workforce, she said, highlighting Tanzania’s focus on developing fisheries, seaweed cultivation, and crab farming - areas where the province seeks to learn from Vietnam’s experience. Additionally, domestic aquaculture and livestock development are being promoted.

Tanga is currently the only Tanzanian province with three large cement factories which import clinker primarily from Vietnam - an example of existing bilateral economic ties.

On the technology front, Tanga is also one of the few Tanzanian provinces with cross-border fiber optic connectivity to Kenya and an active ICT startup hub for youth. However, it currently lacks a regional television station and hopes to learn from Vietnam’s experience in local media and digital transformation, said the Regional Commissioner.

For her part, Huyen expressed her confidence in the potential for cooperation between Tanga and Vietnamese localities such as Lam Dong, noting their similarities in climate, ecology, and focus on sustainable agricultural development. Vietnam's central province is a hub for high-tech agriculture and could serve as a model for cooperation in this field.

The ambassador also highlighted Vietnam’s expertise in rice and Robusta coffee production and showed interest in Tanzania’s beans and high-quality Arabica coffee. She encouraged exploring new avenues in agricultural trade, processing, and export, cited VNA.

During her visit, the Vietnamese diplomat also met with Tanga District Commissioner Dadi Kolimba, toured a gypsum factory, and visited a sisal processing facility. Tanga accounts for 70% of Tanzania’s sisal exports, making it a key contributor to rural livelihoods and sustainable development.

The delegation visited the Isit mangrove forest and met with female entrepreneurs working in marine economy and green development, exploring local business models and indigenous products.

Huyen and Burian, alongside leaders of telecom provider Halotel, visited the Goodwill and Humanity House of Orphanage in Tanga city, where they presented gifts to children in need.

On July 25, the ambassador traveled to Lushoto district, where she met with its Commissioner Zephania Stephen Sumaye and participated in a tea industry development workshop. The event aimed to connect Lushoto producers with Vietnamese enterprises and promote sustainable agricultural collaboration.

Time Out names Vietnam among best budget destinations in Southeast Asia

In an article titled The Most Affordable Countries to Visit in Southeast Asia, Time Out notes Southeast Asia has long been a hotspot for budget-conscious backpackers. With less than GBP40 a day, travellers can do far more than just scrape by, from enjoying hearty meals and staying in comfortable accommodation, to fully immersing themselves in local experiences.

Travel writer Lola Méndez, who has been spending five years exploring the region, highlights Vietnam as one of Southeast Asia’s cheapest and most rewarding destinations. She praises Vietnam for offering exceptional value across a range of experiences, from vibrant street food and affordable accommodations to breathtaking natural landscapes and rich cultural heritage.

According to a survey by Omio, a travel booking platform, Vietnam has the cheapest beer in Asia, with a glass of local brew costing just GBP0.80. A filling street-side meal like pho (instant noodles) or banh mi (sandwich) often costs less than US$1.

Golden Bridge in Da Nang - a major tourist destination in central Vietnam. (Photo: Sun World)

Comfortable dorms and guesthouses with excellent reviews (over 8.0 on Booking.com) can be found for around GBP2.30 per night.

Méndez shared experiences acquired by Carli Korik of Girls Who Travel who spent GBP6.30 daily on street food, GBP3 for a traditional water puppet show, and GBP23 for a train from Hanoi to Hue.

"In Vietnam, you can travel in near-luxury on a backpacker's budget. Dollar meals and free rich cultural experiences," noted Korik.

Public transport is another highlight, with many bus fares costing less than GBP0.40, and motorcycle taxis typically running less than GBP0.80. Numerous temples and museums have free entry, while attractions like the Marble Mountains in Da Nang charge a modest GBP1.20. A visit to Ba Na Hills, a famous tourist destination in central Vietnam, is considered more of a splurge at GBP1.20.

Time Out also spotlighted other affordable Southeast Asian countries, namely Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. Meanwhile, Singapore and Timor-Leste are considered significantly more expensive in comparison.

Vietnam, UAE sign Letter of Intent on defense cooperation

Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a Letter of Intent on defense cooperation, orienting for more substantive development of defense ties between the two countries in the time ahead.

The document was signed in Abu Dhabi by Vietnamese Deputy Minister of National Defense Hoang Xuan Chien and Deputy Minister of Defense of the UAE Ibrahim Nasser Al-Alawi, during the Vietnamese official's recent working visit.

At the meeting between the two officials, Hoang expressed his delight at the strong development of Vietnam–UAE relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1993.

He affirmed that the Government, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Vietnam People's Army always attach great importance to strengthening the friendly relations and substantive cooperation with the Government, the Ministry of Defense, and the Armed Forces of the UAE, for the legitimate interests of their peoples and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in each country, the region, and the world, according to VGP.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of National Defense Hoang Xuan Chien and Deputy Minister of Defense of the UAE Ibrahim Nasser Al-Alawi sign the Letter of Intent on defense cooperation. Photo: VNA

The guest hailed the positive developments in defense cooperation between the two nations, particularly in delegation exchanges at various levels, as well as active support and participation in international defense exhibitions, conferences, and seminars organized by each side.

Both officials stressed the importance of the comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and the UAE, noting that defense cooperation should be further advanced to strengthen mutual trust and serve as a driving force for collaboration in diplomacy, economy, and culture.

They pledged to prioritize the promotion of defense ties in the coming period through the signing and effective implementation of cooperation documents, with a focus on key areas such as high-level delegation exchanges, training, United Nations peacekeeping operations, defense industry, military trade, cybersecurity, maritime security, responses to non-traditional security challenges, logistics, and military medicine.

5G and AI synergy offers Vietnam a strategic edge

A recent report by the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP) at the National University of Singapore, led by Vietnamese professor Vu Minh Khuong, outlines how Southeast Asia can capitalise on 5G-AI integration to drive transformative economic growth.

Titled 'Harnessing 5G to accelerate AI-driven transformation in ASEAN', the report released on July 22 calls for decisive policy action, especially in infrastructure, to ensure the region does not miss a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

According to the report, Vietnam has adopted a 'smart follower' strategy, avoiding the high costs of pioneering technologies while leveraging established standards, infrastructure savings and global lessons. This approach has allowed the country to deploy 5G in a more focused and cost-efficient way, particularly in priority areas such as high-tech parks, ports, and industrial zones.

Vietnam’s geopolitical neutrality has also positioned it well to attract global investment into strategic sectors, including semiconductor manufacturing, telecom infrastructure and AI innovation.

By concentrating investments in high-impact applications, from smart manufacturing and precision logistics to remote healthcare, Vietnam is aligning 5G and AI to generate real economic value for businesses and society. The country is not merely pursuing faster connectivity, but rather targeting strategic use cases where the two technologies converge to deliver productivity and innovation, VOV reported.

Vietnam is aligning 5G and AI to generate real economic value for businesses and society. (Photo: chinhphu.vn)

However, Professor Khuong noted that while Vietnam has made visible progress in AI deployment, the level of commitment from local telecom operators toward 5G remains insufficient.

“I have yet to see a clear strategy from telecom operators. They recognise the economic potential of 5G, but their level of investment is still lacking. This could delay the rollout,” he said.

“The Government should take a more active role, similar to Singapore’s approach, by connecting stakeholders, including international tech providers, domestic enterprises, end users and funding bodies.”

He stressed the importance of creating specific use-case scenarios to catalyse collaboration and ensure 5G infrastructure supports scalable AI deployment.

Becky Fraser, vice president of Global Government Affairs at Qualcomm, echoed this view, highlighting that 5G’s low latency and high bandwidth provide an ideal foundation for edge computing. This allows AI inference to take place directly on devices or local servers, eliminating the need to transmit data to the cloud, improving response times, security and operational efficiency.

“5G does not just support AI. It unleashes its full potential,” Fraser said, adding that the two technologies operate best as complementary forces.

“Together, they are opening up a new era of smart connectivity that will reshape industries across the board.”

Laying the groundwork for 6G

The LKYSPP report also points to the importance of private 5G networks in accelerating Industry 4.0, while fixed wireless access (FWA) is seen as a key solution to bridging digital divides in remote areas.

Significantly, current 5G deployments will serve as a foundation for 6G by 2030, making today’s strategic decisions critical for future competitiveness. The report warns that ASEAN’s real race is not about deploying 5G or 6G first, but about maximizing the value these technologies can deliver.

The report envisions an ASEAN where AI-powered smart manufacturing goes global, precision agriculture boosts rural productivity, and immersive education reaches even the most remote students. But realising this vision, it says, will require coordinated policies, clear strategies and robust ecosystem collaboration.

As Vietnam continues its digital journey, experts agree that unlocking the true economic value of 5G and AI will require not just ambition – but accelerated investment and strategic alignment across sectors.

Training course opens for overseas Vietnamese language teachers

An online training course for Vietnamese language teachers abroad opened on July 26, aiming to equip them with effective, accessible methods and materials to help younger generations preserve their mother tongue and cultural identity.

The event was jointly hosted by the Vietnamese Consulate General in Japan's Fukuoka, in collaboration with the Vietnamese Association in Japan, the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (SCOV) under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other relevant agencies.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Consul General in Fukuoka Vu Chi Mai described the task of bringing the Vietnamese language to the overseas younger generations as a noble yet challenging mission, requiring dedication and strong belief in the value of the mother tongue.

Nguyen Trung Kien, Chairman of the SCOV, underlined that preserving the Vietnamese cultural identity, especially the language, is both a vital task and a sacred responsibility of all Vietnamese, at home and abroad. He noted that the overseas Vietnamese community now numbers over 6 million.

In 2026, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and diplomatic missions plan to hold conferences and seminars to assess the current status of language preservation abroad and develop a national plan to promote cultural identity among overseas Vietnamese, cited VNA.

Delegates attend the event in Japan (Photo: VNA)

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Minh Thuyet, chief editor of the 2018 General Education Program, highlighted three main challenges in overseas Vietnamese language teaching, namely limited tailored materials, a shortage of trained teachers, and the informal nature of many classes. He suggested methods tailored to learners with varying language proficiency.

According to the organizers, the training course will run over five Saturdays until September 20, focusing on helping teachers select or develop teaching materials, apply appropriate methods, manage classrooms, and coordinate with families and communities in teaching both Vietnamese language and culture.

Additional programs include advanced training on Vietnamese phonetics, script, vocabulary, grammar, and culture; ongoing consultation support for teachers facing practical challenges; and sessions for experience-sharing among Vietnamese language educators worldwide.

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