| Vietnam News Today (July 14) notable headlines Deputy PM calls for stronger Vietnam – Laos cooperation in agriculture, environment Vietnam, Indonesia chart new strategic cooperation agenda Green-certified Vietnamese farm produce gains premium in global markets Vietnam enters pivotal phase in AI development, experts say Vietnam targets top-five spot among Asia's most attractive cuisines Vietnamese students shine at int'l mathematics competition in Japan Over one million visitors visit President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in H1 Ho Chi Minh City seeks to deepen practical cooperation with French partners Vietnam receives remains of 14 volunteer soldiers, experts repatriated from Cambodia |
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| Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc (right) reveives Lao Minister of Agriculture and Environment Linkham Douangsavanh in Hanoi on July 14. (Photo: VGP/PN) |
Deputy PM calls for stronger Vietnam – Laos cooperation in agriculture, environment
Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc hosted a reception for visiting Lao Minister of Agriculture and Environment Linkham Douangsavanh in Hanoi on July 14, calling for closer bilateral cooperation in agriculture and environment and the implementation of high-level agreements between the two countries.
During the reception, Tuc said Linkham's visit provides an opportunity for the agriculture and environment ministries to review cooperation, particularly the implementation of high-level agreements, the outcomes of the 48th meeting of the Vietnam–Laos Intergovernmental Committee, and the results of recent visits by high-ranking leaders of the two Parties and countries.
He noted that during Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone's official visit to Vietnam in June 2026, the two sides reached broad consensus on cooperation in areas under the two ministries' management, laying important orientations for future collaboration in agriculture and environment.
The Vietnamese official said agricultural and environmental cooperation has always played a key role in bilateral ties, given the sector's importance to both economies and its close connection to people's livelihoods.
He highlighted close cooperation between the two countries in ensuring food security, adapting to climate change, managing natural resources, forestry, geology and minerals, and protecting the environment, saying these efforts have contributed significantly to each nation's development and the implementation of high-level agreements between the two Parties and States, cited VNA.
As the two countries are advancing their strategic cohesion, Tuc called on the two ministries to strengthen coordination in implementing high-level agreements, sharing policy-making experience, supporting human resources training, and transferring science and technology.
He also suggested expanding cooperation in crop cultivation, livestock farming, forestry, irrigation, water resources management, environmental protection, development of processing value chains, increasing the value of mineral resources in Laos, and promoting agricultural trade.
For his part, Linkham said his ministry will work closely with its Vietnamese counterpart to implement cooperation programs.
The two sides will review cooperation over the past time and work on orientations for 2026–2030, making bilateral cooperation in agriculture and environment more substantive, practical and effective, the official said.
Expressing appreciation for the consistent support provided by the Party and Government of Vietnam to Laos in general and its agriculture and environment sector in particular, Linkham welcomed the Vietnamese Deputy PM's proposals.
He pledged to continue creating favorable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises investing in Laos, and called for continued support to help the two ministries carry out bilateral cooperation programs and projects, contributing to deepening the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between Vietnam and Laos.
Vietnam, Indonesia chart new strategic cooperation agenda
Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung paid an official visit to Indonesia on July 14, where he co-chaired the sixth meeting of the Vietnam - Indonesia Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation and, together with his Indonesian counterpart Sugiono, signed the 2026–2030 Action Plan to realise the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
Sugiono praised Trung's visit and co-chairing of the commission’s sixth meeting, an important mechanism for cooperation across various sectors.
Trung congratulated the Indonesian Government and people on their recent progress, believing that under President Prabowo Subianto’s leadership, Indonesia will notch further gains, deliver on the Golden Indonesia 2045 Vision, and elevate its global and regional role and standing.
The Vietnamese minister welcomed the strides in bilateral friendship over the past more than seven decades of diplomatic ties, especially since the upgrade to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Party General Secretary To Lam's visit to Indonesia in March 2025, according to VNA.
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| Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung (left) and his Indonesian counterpart Sugiono (Photo: VNA) |
Both sides noted that since the fifth meeting, sectoral cooperation has continued to deepen and produce concrete results despite global headwinds and a challenging international economic backdrop.
Two-way trade hit 17.2 billion USD in 2025, up 3.2% from 2024, and topped 6 billion USD in the first four months of 2026, a 7% year-on-year jump. On that trajectory, they expressed confidence that bilateral trade would hit the 18 billion USD target by 2028 and advance further in subsequent years.
The two sides agreed to intensify cooperation in national defence and security, combat transnational crime, including cybercrime and human trafficking, and boost air connectivity. They also committed to expanding collaboration in agriculture, fisheries, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.
Host and guest welcomed the signing of the 2026–2030 Action Plan, calling it a major new milestone that charts strategic cooperation orientations, especially in emerging and priority areas such as high technology, innovation, energy, and cross-border payments.
Building on that foundation, they agreed to fully leverage existing mechanisms and convene an early meeting of the Joint Committee on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation to tap complementary strengths, spur economic connectivity, and drive both nations’ development in the new period.
Expressing confidence in Vietnam’s growth prospects, Sugiono said Indonesian companies are keen to expand investment in Vietnam, while stressing that the Indonesian Government welcomes Vietnamese firms investing and operating in Indonesia.
Trung urged both sides to facilitate diversification and scaling of investment, particularly in promising fields like renewable energy, semiconductors, the digital economy, electric vehicles, and the Halal industry.
On global and regional issues of mutual concern, including the East Sea and the Middle East conflict, they reaffirmed a commitment to continued coordination and mutual support at regional and multilateral forums, while bolstering ASEAN unity and centrality.
Both sides agreed to work closely with ASEAN member states and China to finalize an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) consistent with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
On the occasion, Minister Trung visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Indonesia, the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to ASEAN, and met with Vietnamese officials serving at the ASEAN Secretariat.
Green-certified Vietnamese farm produce gains premium in global markets
Vietnamese agricultural products that meet stringent sustainability standards are beginning to command premium prices in international markets.
Coffee is emerging as one of the strongest examples of this trend.
Despite sharp fluctuations in global coffee prices last week, Vietnamese robusta prices remained firm at around VND95,500 (US$3.65) per kilogram, up roughly VND2,500 from the previous week and also the highest in many months. More notably, Vietnamese coffee certified under the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is currently fetching about US$50 more per tonne than conventional coffee in the EU market.
Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Coffee – Cocoa Association (VICOFA) Do Ha Nam said Vietnam is well positioned to benefit when the EUDR comes into full effect on January 1, 2027, reported VOV.
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| Grape, apple, and seaweed products from Trang Huynh Green Agricultural Facility in Phuoc Dinh commune, Khanh Hoa province at the 2025 Autumn Fair. (Photo: VNA) |
Although the regulation was originally scheduled for implementation in early 2025, it was postponed to allow exporting countries and businesses more time to prepare. Vietnam, however, has been among the best-prepared suppliers, he said.
"Vietnamese coffee already compliant with EUDR requirements is being sold at a premium of around US$50 per tonne. Once the regulation is fully enforced, opportunities for Vietnam's coffee industry will become even greater," Nam said.
Thai Anh Tuan, General Director of Simexco DakLak, shared a similarly optimistic outlook, noting that many European buyers have already begun sourcing EUDR-compliant coffee despite the delayed implementation.
The company, moving to adhere to the EUDR early, has worked with provincial authorities to establish a digital database covering coffee-growing areas and around 20,000 farming households, allowing customers to trace products back to their origin. At the same time, it is expanding deep processing to increase product value, he said.
The EU remains Vietnam's largest coffee export market, accounting for nearly 41% of total export value. In 2025, Vietnam exported about 666,000 tonnes of coffee worth US$3.6 billion to the bloc. However, compared with the coffee industry's value chain of the EU+ (comprising the EU, the UK, Norway and Switzerland), estimated at nearly US$667 billion, experts say there is still significant room for Vietnamese coffee to increase both market share and value through higher quality, processing and packaging.
Beyond coffee, sustainability standards are becoming increasingly important across the agricultural sector.
The EU has introduced strict regulations not only on deforestation but also on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Meanwhile, other major markets, including the US and China, are tightening environmental and food safety requirements for imported agricultural products.
Vietnam has responded by promoting sustainable production models, including its one-million-hectare low-emission rice cultivation project in the Mekong Delta, which is expected to strengthen the competitiveness of Vietnamese rice in foreign markets.
Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetables Association (VINAFRUIT), said although fruit and vegetable exports are not currently subject to the EUDR, exporters should prepare for expanding environmental requirements as green consumption becomes mainstream in Europe.
He noted that the EU is continuously tightening maximum residue limits for pesticides, meaning a single violation could place an exporter or even an entire country's products under closer scrutiny.
European consumers also increasingly favour products with biodegradable packaging, water-saving farming practices and lower greenhouse gas emissions. To access major supermarket chains, Vietnamese exporters must obtain internationally recognized certificates such as GlobalG.A.P., Organic or SMETA, he said.
Nguyen added that climate change and rising temperatures in Europe are creating growing demand for tropical fruits with high water content, including passion fruit, dragon fruit, seedless limes and fresh coconuts. Processed products such as frozen diced mango, frozen passion fruit cubes and frozen pineapple are also becoming increasingly popular, offering new opportunities for Vietnamese exporters able to meet evolving consumer preferences.
Vietnam enters pivotal phase in AI development, experts say
As AI adoption accelerates, Vietnam is moving beyond experimentation and into practical implementation, supported by expanding digital infrastructure and growing industry demand.
Vietnam is entering a critical phase in its artificial intelligence (AI) development, with the market moving beyond experimentation toward large-scale deployment, according to international technology experts.
As AI adoption accelerates across Vietnam and Southeast Asia, businesses are increasingly focused on turning promising concepts into practical applications that can operate reliably in production environments.
Strong digital foundations
Vietnam's digital economy now contributes more than 18% of national GDP and is expected to reach 30% by 2030, reflecting the country's rapid digital transformation.
The country also ranks among the top five ASEAN nations for AI readiness, while nationwide 5G coverage has surpassed 90%, providing a stronger foundation for real-time AI applications and increasing demand for integrated solutions and advanced engineering expertise.
Based on these trends, Tan Aik Hoon, Regional President for South Asia and South Korea at Avnet, said Vietnam has reached an important milestone in its AI journey.
"Vietnam is entering a pivotal stage in AI development as the market shifts its focus from experimentation to real-world deployment," she said.
According to Tan, Vietnam has already established a solid foundation for expanding AI adoption. The next priority is ensuring AI applications are implemented effectively, enabling organisations to translate existing capabilities into measurable business outcomes by combining global technological innovation with local engineering expertise.
Manufacturing driving AI demand
Across Southeast Asia, companies are increasingly concentrating on bringing AI concepts into scalable commercial applications.
The trend is particularly evident in Vietnam, where manufacturing accounts for around one-quarter of GDP and rapid digitalisation is driving investment in intelligent industrial systems, VNN reported.
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| Vietnam is entering a new phase of AI adoption as businesses move from pilot projects to large-scale deployment. Photo: Medium |
According to the Avnet Insights 2026 report, 56% of engineers worldwide have already brought AI-enabled products to market, demonstrating that artificial intelligence is increasingly being embedded directly into commercial products and industrial environments.
Despite this progress, several fundamental challenges remain across the region, particularly in system integration, data quality and secure deployment.
These findings suggest that the biggest obstacle is no longer access to AI technology itself, but the ability to integrate, deploy and scale AI solutions effectively in real-world environments.
AI central to Vietnam's growth strategy
Vietnam's policy direction also reflects the growing strategic importance of AI.
Resolution 57 of the Communist Party's Politburo and subsequent central government conclusions identify science, technology, innovation and digital transformation as the primary drivers of a new economic growth model aimed at achieving double-digit growth in the coming years.
Within that framework, AI is regarded as one of the country's key strategic pillars, alongside semiconductors, data and digital transformation.
To help bridge the gap between innovation and practical implementation, the Edge & Beyond Tech Day conference and exhibition will be held in Hanoi on July 21 and Ho Chi Minh City on July 24.
The event will bring together technology partners across the AI ecosystem, providing a platform for industry experts, businesses and policymakers to discuss strategies for deploying AI and edge computing technologies more effectively in Vietnam.
Vietnam targets top-five spot among Asia's most attractive cuisines
Vietnam is set to rank among Asia's five most attractive cuisines under a draft 2026-2030 tourism and culinary promotion plan that places cuisine at the core of the country's national tourism brand.
The Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) has submitted the proposal to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for presentation to the government, seeking to strengthen Vietnam's competitiveness as a tourism destination in Asia and globally by promoting its culinary culture rather than food alone.
According to Nguyen Thi Hoa Mai, VNAT Deputy Director General, competition among tourism destinations is becoming increasingly intense, particularly in Southeast Asia, making innovation in tourism promotion an urgent priority.
Many countries, including Japan, Thailand, the Republic of Korea, Italy and China, have developed national strategies that promote not only their cuisine but also the history, traditions and cultural identity behind each dish, helping strengthen their national image and enhance their appeal as tourism destinations.
Research by UN Tourism and the World Food Travel Association shows that cuisine is one of the key factors influencing travelers' choice of destination and accounts for around 25% to 35% of total travel spending. Beyond its direct economic contribution, culinary tourism also supports cultural industries, the creative economy, the night-time economy, strengthens regional linkages and encourages longer visitor stays.
The proposal therefore focuses on promoting Vietnam through its culinary culture rather than cuisine alone, highlighting the stories, history and local knowledge embodied in Vietnamese dishes to offer visitors richer travel experiences, cited VOV.
It sets out specific targets and measures aimed at placing Vietnam among Asia's five most attractive cuisines. Planned measures include developing a national culinary tourism brand, expanding standardized food streets, improving quality standards, broadening the overseas network of Vietnamese restaurants, stepping up international promotion, developing Halal tourism and strengthening cooperation between local authorities and businesses in developing tourism products.
Vietnamese cuisine has gained growing international recognition in recent years. Signature dishes such as pho (Vietnamese noodle soup), banh mi (Vietnamese baguette sandwich), bun cha (grilled pork with rice vermicelli), banh xeo (Vietnamese savory pancake) and egg coffee have frequently appeared in international food rankings, while the arrival of the Michelin Guide in Vietnam and its recognition of Michelin-starred restaurants and Bib Gourmand establishments have further enhanced the global profile of the country's cuisine.
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