Vietnam News Today (Feb. 26): Russia Backs Stronger Strategic Ties With Vietnam Following Party Congress
	Vietnam News Today (Feb. 28): Vietnamese, Portuguese Foreign Ministers Hold Talks in Hanoi

The talks between Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung and Portuguese Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Paulo Rangel in Hanoi on February 27. (Photo: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Vietnamese, Portuguese foreign ministers hold talks in Hanoi

Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung held talks with Portuguese Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Paulo Rangel in Hanoi on February 27 during the latter’s official visit to Vietnam.

Welcoming Rangel, Trung noted that this is the first visit to Vietnam by a minister from a European Union (EU) member state following the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the recent trip by President of the European Council Antonio Costa.

The visit demonstrates Portugal’s determination, as well as that of the EU, to further strengthen multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam, he said, welcoming Portugal’s official inauguration of its embassy in Hanoi.

The Vietnamese minister briefed his guest on the major outcomes of the 14th National Party Congress, including key development orientations and new directions in Vietnam’s foreign policy.

To deepen bilateral ties, Trung proposed increasing delegation exchanges at all levels and between the two countries' parties, states, parliaments, and peoples while maximising cooperation potential.

He suggested establishing channels and mechanisms to guide and support businesses of both countries in connectivity, investment and cooperation in areas matching each side’s strengths and needs. He also called on Portugal to actively encourage the remaining EU member states to soon ratify the EU – Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).

For his part, Rangel congratulated Vietnam on the success of its 14th National Party Congress and expressed his admiration for the country’s socio-economic achievements and rising international standing.

Underlining the centuries-old historical ties between the two nations, he affirmed that Portugal regards Vietnam as an important partner in Southeast Asia, and wishes to further enhance multifaceted cooperation.

The opening of Portugal’s embassy in Hanoi, he said, is vivid proof of the robust development of relations 50 years since diplomatic ties were set up.

Noting significant untapped potential, particularly in trade and investment, Rangel said Portuguese enterprises are keen to increase their presence in Vietnam in sectors such as renewable energy, culture and sports.

The two ministers agreed to work closely to promote Portugal’s relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Vietnam's ties with the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), as well as ASEAN – EU links, cited VOV.

They concurred in making economic, trade and investment cooperation a key pillar of bilateral relations while stepping up collaboration in maritime economy, renewable energy, education and training, start-ups, innovation and locality-to-locality connectivity.

They agreed to effectively implement the existing cooperation mechanism and agreements while promoting the negotiation and signing of deals on visa exemption for diplomatic passport holders, judicial cooperation, and partnerships between the chambers of commerce and industry.

The officials also discussed international issues of mutual concern, stressing the importance of respect for international law and multilateralism in addressing traditional and non-traditional challenges.

Vietnam consolidates traditional ties with Cambodia

Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu paid a courtesy call on First Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia Neth Savoeun in Phnom Penh on February 27.

Vu conveyed regards and best wishes from Vietnamese leaders to Neth Savoeun, highlighting the strategic significance of Party General Secretary To Lam’s state visit to Cambodia and his co-chairing of the high-level meeting between the Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and the Standing Board of the Cambodian People’s Party Central Committee on February 6.

The visit, he said, helped reinforce political trust and further deepen the traditional friendship and neighborliness, comprehensive cooperation and long-term sustainable ties between the two Parties, States and peoples.

The Deputy Foreign Minister affirmed that by dispatching a delegation to Cambodia shortly after the visit, Vietnam demonstrates its leaders' strong political determination as well as proactive, prompt and responsible efforts to effectively implement the high-level agreements and common perceptions through concrete programs and clear roadmaps. The move aims to swiftly translate political commitments into substantive cooperation outcomes, delivering tangible benefits to both peoples and generating fresh momentum for stable, sustainable and long-term development of bilateral relations.

Congratulating Cambodia on its important and comprehensive achievements, the official expressed confidence that under the leadership of the Royal Government, headed by PM Hun Manet, and with significant contributions from Deputy PM Neth Savoeun, Cambodia will continue to prosper, realise its goal of becoming an upper-middle-income country by 2030 and a high-income nation by 2050, and further elevate its regional and international standing.

For his part, Neth Savoeun congratulated Vietnam on the success of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam and commended the country’s significant achievements under the leadership of General Secretary To Lam, according to VNA.

The meeting between Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu and First Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia Neth Savoeun in Phnom Penh on February 27 (Photo: VNA)

He voiced confidence that with the Party’s strategic vision, Vietnam will successfully implement the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress, secure double-digit economic growth, and meet its targets of becoming a developing country with modern industry and upper-middle income by 2030, and a developed, high-income socialist nation by 2045.

Hailing Vietnam’s prompt sending of a working delegation to Cambodia following the Party leader's state visit and the Lunar New Year holiday, Neth Savoeun reaffirmed that Cambodia consistently attaches importance to and prioritises developing the friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam.

The Cambodian First Deputy PM showed his hope for close coordination between the two sides to effectively implement the high-level strategic orientations and agreements, further advancing stable and sustainable bilateral ties for the benefit of both peoples.

He welcomed efforts to accelerate negotiations and signing of an agreement on the management of land border gates, as well as preparations for a new treaty on land border management to replace the 1983 agreement in the near future.

Vietnam remains bright spot for FDI inflows: Sputnik

Vietnam continues to stand out as one of Asia’s most attractive destinations for foreign direct investment (FDI), with strong inflows recorded last year and positive prospects for 2026, according to a recent article published by Sputnik.

The article, released on February 25, said Vietnam attracted its highest level of FDI over the past five years in 2025 and is expected to maintain its appeal in 2026 as international investors regard the country as one of the region’s most promising long-term investment destinations. However, it also cautioned that sustaining large inflows will come with notable challenges.

Citing Italy-founded international law firm D’Andrea & Partners Legal Counsel (DP Group), which specialises in cross-border legal and tax advisory services, the report noted that Vietnam ranks among the seven most promising markets in Asia. This assessment is based on a combination of macroeconomic stability, ongoing domestic reforms, and shifts in the global investment landscape. A stable macroeconomic foundation was highlighted as a key factor underpinning the country’s attractiveness.

Referring to data from the National Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance, DP Group said FDI inflows in January alone were estimated at US$1.68 billion, up 11.3% year-on-year and marking the highest January figure in the past five years. The performance reflects sustained investor confidence in Vietnam’s growth outlook. In addition to newly licensed projects, many existing projects expanded their capital, signalling long-term commitments from foreign investors and positive assessments of the country’s business climate.

The upbeat start to the year followed strong results in 2025, when total registered FDI exceeded US$38.4 billion and disbursed capital reached US$27.62 billion, also the highest level in five years. Notably, more than 80% of disbursed capital was channelled into processing and manufacturing, underscoring the long-term and stable nature of the inflows and laying the groundwork for a demand increase in industrial real estate and logistics, reported VOV.

Electronic components are manufactured at the SANYOU VIETNAM Electronic Equipment Co., Ltd. in Tu Ha Industrial Park, Hue city. (Photo: VNA)

DP Group forecasts that Vietnam will sustain robust GDP growth in 2026, supported by the resilience of its manufacturing sector and steady expansion of domestic consumption. The firm also observed that the country’s new policy orientations increasingly emphasize technology, innovation, sustainable development and knowledge transfer, providing a foundation for long-term growth.

Several sectors are seen as particularly well-positioned to attract FDI, including high-tech manufacturing, electronics assembly, semiconductor packaging and testing, and advanced component production. Meanwhile, the development of the energy sector, especially renewable energy, is expected to draw substantial investment.

According to DP Group, these fundamentals position Vietnam as one of Asia’s leading destinations for foreign investment, not only in scale but also in quality, amid the ongoing restructuring of global capital flows.

Nevertheless, the article pointed to several bottlenecks that could affect the country’s ability to sustain FDI momentum in 2026. These include intensifying competition within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), infrastructure constraints in some localities, and shortages of highly skilled labour, particularly in technology-related fields.

Global factors such as geopolitical realignments, interest rate adjustments in major economies, and mounting environmental, social and governance (ESG) requirements are also expected to influence multinational investment strategies and, consequently, capital flows.

In this context, further institutional reform, policy consistency, improvements in the quality of human resources, and the development of strategic infrastructure are seen as crucial conditions for Vietnam to maintain its FDI growth trajectory in the coming years, the article noted.

Vietnam emerging as attractive destination for AI data center investment

Vietnam is emerging as an attractive destination for artificial intelligence (AI) data center investment, competing strongly with Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines in the race to attract AI infrastructure in Southeast Asia, Indonesia's The Jakarta Post assessed in a recent article.

According to the newspaper, Southeast Asia is witnessing a sharp rise in data centers driven by surging AI demand and multi-billion-USD investments by global tech giants to build new infrastructure serving AI and cloud services.

The Jakarta Post noted that super-connected Singapore was long Southeast Asia's data center hotspot, but the city state halted developments between 2019 and 2022 over energy, water and land use worries. That, along with an explosion of AI interest after ChatGPT's debut, brought a surge of data centers to neighboring Malaysia, and increasingly Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Photo: VOV

The article quoted Trung Ghi of the consulting firm Arthur D. Little as holding that hosting data centers is a "win-win situation" for governments, noting it boosts business efficiency with faster online tools and grows local economies as people come to work at new tech parks.

The Jakarta Post also noted that although Vietnamese banks have relatively low capital buffers, with a Tier-1 capital ratio of around 9% – roughly half the Southeast Asian average, the gap is expected to narrow in the coming years as higher capital requirements are introduced.

According to a report by auditing firm KPMG, Southeast Asia’s data center capacity by 2030 is projected to triple compared to 2025 levels, driven by a tenfold increase in AI adoption.

“Spring colors across the nation” program celebrates national cultural strength

Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh attended the opening of the 2026 “Sac Xuan tren moi mien To quoc” (Spring colors across the nation) program at the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism on February 28.

The annual event brings together representatives of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups in a celebration of traditional culture and national unity.

Addressing artisans, village elders, and community leaders, the Deputy Prime Minister extended greetings on behalf of Party and State leaders and stressed the program’s symbolic significance in fostering solidarity and national pride at the start of the new spring.

He described the event as more than a cultural gathering, calling it a vivid expression of the great national unity bloc and a source of inspiration for the country’s aspirations in a new era of development. He noted that the successful 14th National Party Congress had reaffirmed culture as a central pillar of sustainable development, alongside economic growth and international integration, NDO reported.

The program is launched at the Viet Nam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism.

Referring to Resolution 80-NQ/TW of the Politburo on developing Vietnamese culture, he underlined that culture embodies the nation’s finest values and serves as a vital internal resource shaping the intellect, character, and resilience of the Vietnamese people.

In recent years, he said, preservation and promotion of traditional cultural heritage have achieved tangible results, particularly at the cultural village in Ha Noi, where thousands of festivals and events have drawn domestic and international visitors. This year’s program continues to recreate distinctive rituals and honour respected community figures.

The Deputy Prime Minister called for greater investment in digital transformation for heritage conservation, support for artisans, development of cultural industries and community-based tourism, and enhanced international cultural exchanges to promote Vietnam’s image abroad.

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