| Vietnam News Today (Mar. 11) notable headlines Vietnam, RoK seek to boost all-around cooperation Vietnam and China defense ministers to meet at border exchange Vietnam and Japan step up cooperation in human resource development Vietnam becomes vital player in global semiconductor value chain: Deputy PM Hanoi Tourism Festival 2026 to highlight green tourism, digital experience Bac Ninh ready to host 2027 Vietnam Film Festival From strategy to action: Realizing Vietnam Party Congress goals Vietnam’s semiconductor development must deliver tangible results: Deputy PM Japan–Vietnam parliamentary cooperation praised ahead of Vietnam elections |
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| Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung (C) holds phone talks with his Korean counterpart Cho Hyun on March 10 (Photo: VNA) |
Vietnam, RoK seek to boost all-around cooperation
Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung and his Korean counterpart Cho Hyun discussed measures to further promote cooperation between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) in their phone talks on March 10.
During the talks, Cho affirmed that he stands ready to work closely with Trung to effectively implement existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms, including the annual dialogue between Vietnamese and Korean FMs on reviewing the implementation of the Action Program for the Vietnam –RoK comprehensive strategic partnership signed in June 2023; as well as broader cooperation between the two ministries and the two countries in general.
Trung briefed his RoK counterpart on the outcomes of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the country’s new development goals, noting that Vietnam aims to become a developing country with modern industry and upper-middle income by 2030 and a developed, high-income nation by 2045.
He emphasised that Vietnam will continue transforming its growth model based on science and technology, innovation and digital transformation, while mobilising the participation of all economic sectors. He said the country will enhance the efficiency of the state economic sector while promoting the private sector as a key growth driver.
International economic integration, including direct and indirect foreign investment, will remain an important engine for Vietnam’s development in the time to come, he said, noting that for the first time, the CPV has identified strengthening foreign affairs and international integration as a crucial and regular task.
Vietnam consistently attaches great importance to its relationship with the RoK and wishes to further deepen bilateral cooperation in a substantive and effective manner across fields, Trung stated.
The two ministers welcomed the strong development of bilateral ties, especially since the state visit to the RoK by General Secretary To Lam in August 2025. They agreed to continue strengthening political trust and mutual understanding, while promoting breakthroughs in economic cooperation, and taking effective measures for the goal of raising bilateral trade to 150 billion USD in a more balanced manner by 2030.
They also discussed facilitating Vietnamese exports to the Korean market and encouraging RoK companies to expand investment in Vietnam, particularly in high-tech industries, renewable energy, smart cities and environmentally friendly and less labor-intensive sector, cited VNA.
The two FMs agreed to expand cooperation in science and technology - a new pillar of bilateral relationship. They pledged to speed up the implementation of the second phase of the Vietnam – Korea Institute of Science and Technology (VKIST) project; share experience in policy and strategy development, and promote cooperation in digital innovation and the training of high-quality human resources.
In addition, the two countries will further expand cooperation in culture, tourism, labor and locality-to-locality exchanges, while continuing to strengthen friendship and mutual understanding between the two countries' people.
Regarding multilateral cooperation, the two ministers agreed to maintain close coordination and mutual support on regional and international issues of common concern; explore appropriate forms of cooperation in response to the increasingly complex global and regional situation, including efforts to maintain stable supply chains.
The two sides agreed to closely coordinate in supporting Vietnam to successfully host the APEC Economic Leaders' Week 2027 in Phu Quoc, promote the organization of the Mekong–RoK Summit in 2026, and continue cooperating and supporting each other at multilateral mechanisms and forums.
Vietnam and China defense ministers to meet at border exchange
The 10th Vietnam-China Border Defense Friendship Exchange will bring senior military leaders together to deepen cooperation and reinforce ties between border forces.
General Phan Van Giang, Vietnam’s Minister of National Defense, and Senior Lieutenant General Dong Jun, China’s Minister of National Defense, will lead delegations from their respective countries to attend the upcoming Vietnam-China Border Defense Friendship Exchange.
Speaking at a press briefing in Hanoi on Tuesday morning, the Ministry of National Defense introduced plans for the 10th Vietnam-China Border Defense Friendship Exchange.
Colonel Tran Van Loi, head of the Asia Division at the ministry’s Department of Foreign Relations, said the event is scheduled to take place from March 18 to 19 in Quang Ninh province of Vietnam and in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China.
The Vietnamese delegation will be led by General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defense, while the Chinese delegation will be headed by Senior Lieutenant General Dong Jun, China’s Minister of National Defense.
The exchange aims to implement the shared understanding of senior leaders of the two parties and countries on strengthening practical defense cooperation, according to VNN.
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| General Phan Van Giang, Vietnam’s Minister of National Defense, and Senior Lieutenant General Dong Jun, China’s Minister of National Defense, during a border exchange event in 2025. Photo: Le Anh Dung |
It is also intended to enhance friendship and solidarity while promoting substantive cooperation between border protection forces, local authorities and people living in border areas of the two countries, as well as between the armed forces of Vietnam and China.
The activities are expected to contribute to building a border of peace, friendship, stability, cooperation and development.
According to the plan, activities on the Vietnamese side on March 18 will include a welcoming and farewell ceremony for the Chinese delegation at Mong Cai International Border Gate in Quang Ninh province, a friendship tree planting ceremony, the groundbreaking of a friendship medical station project in Hai Son commune, visits to Tran Phu High School and Tra Co Border Guard Station, and talks between the two defense ministers.
On March 19, activities in China will include a welcoming and farewell ceremony for the Vietnamese delegation at Dongxing International Border Gate at Beilun Bridge 2 in Guangxi province, a visit to a border guard company, a friendship tree planting ceremony, and the launch of a joint patrol and training exercise between the navies of Vietnam and China in the Gulf of Tonkin.
Delegations will also visit a historical site related to the Ho Chi Minh maritime route, tour a local enterprise, and lay wreaths at the memorial dedicated to revolutionary martyrs of both Vietnam and China.
Vietnam to deploy two missile frigates for joint patrol
Ahead of the exchange, several side activities will also take place. These include free medical examinations and medicine distribution for residents in border areas by military medical forces of both countries, as well as the presentation of 100 scholarships for disadvantaged students and 50 breeding cows for families facing economic hardship along the border.
At the Vietnam-China Friendship Cultural House in Hoanh Mo commune, a ceremony will be held to review the twinning relationship between residential clusters on both sides of the border, linking Cua Khau hamlet in Hoanh Mo commune of Vietnam with Dongzhong village in Dongzhong township of Fangcheng district in China.
One of the highlights of this year’s exchange will be the joint patrol and training exercise between the two navies in the Gulf of Tonkin, aimed at strengthening coordination and improving the effectiveness of maritime security management.
Vietnam’s Navy will deploy the missile frigates 015 Tran Hung Dao and 012 Ly Thai To from Brigade 162 under Naval Region 4 to participate in the joint patrol and training exercise with the Chinese Navy.
The planned activities include coordination meetings to finalize patrol and training plans, briefings for the defense ministers of both countries on preparation efforts, and mutual visits to the patrol ships of each navy.
Following the launch ceremony, both naval forces will conduct joint patrol operations within agreed maritime areas in the Gulf of Tonkin.
Training activities are expected to include maneuvering formations, maritime escort operations, communication exercises using signal lights at sea, anti-piracy drills, and cooperation in sharing search and rescue experience and ship damage control techniques.
These activities aim to further strengthen solidarity and friendship between the armed forces of Vietnam and China, particularly between the two navies, while enhancing operational capabilities at sea and expanding defense diplomacy.
Vietnam and Japan step up cooperation in human resource development
Le Minh Hung, Politburo member and head of the Party Central Committee’s Organization Commission, received Takebe Tsutomu, Special Adviser to the Japan–Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance, on March 10, highlighting stronger cooperation between the two countries in developing high-quality human resources.
The meeting took place at the headquarters of the Communist Party of Vietnam’s Central Committee during Takebe’s visit to Hanoi to attend the 11th Vietnam–Japan Festival in Ho Chi Minh City on March 7–8.
Hung, who is also Secretary of the Party Central Committee, welcomed the steady and substantive progress of the Vietnam–Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, expressing appreciation for Takebe’s long-standing contributions to strengthening bilateral ties, particularly in cultural exchanges, people-to-people connections, local cooperation and human resource development.
He congratulated Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party on its recent victory in the House of Representatives election and expressed hope that Japanese leaders would visit Vietnam in the near future.
Hung also praised the successful organization of the 11th Vietnam–Japan Festival in Ho Chi Minh City, noting that the event helped promote economic cooperation, cultural exchange, local partnerships and collaboration in human resource training between Ho Chi Minh City and Japan, as well as between the two countries more broadly.
Sharing Vietnam’s long-term development aspirations, Hung stressed that building a strong industrial base and developing high-quality human resources are key conditions for achieving the country’s two centennial development goals.
He affirmed that Vietnam attaches great importance to Japan and considers it one of its leading strategic partners. Vietnam, he said, hopes to learn from Japan’s experience and further expand cooperation in training high-quality human resources, while also promoting collaboration in politics, defence and security, economy, culture, labour and local partnerships on the basis of mutual benefit.
For his part, Takebe congratulated Vietnam on the successful organization of the recent 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
He thanked Vietnamese leaders for their strong support in promoting the Vietnam–Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and shared ideas on how Japan could accompany Vietnam in developing human resources to support the country’s industrialisation, modernisation and long-term development goals, reported VOV.
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| Le Minh Hung, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and head of the Party Central Committee’s Organization Commission, receives Takebe Tsutomu, Special Adviser to the Japan–Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance, in Hanoi on March 10. (Photo: VNA) |
Takebe also briefed his host on recent progress in the Vietnam–Japan University project.
Hung affirmed that Vietnamese leaders attach great importance to the project, describing it as a symbolic initiative in bilateral cooperation. He suggested that both sides continue to coordinate closely to begin construction of the university in 2026, in line with agreements reached by senior leaders of the two countries.
The university is expected to become a center for training high-quality human resources and contribute more significantly to Vietnam’s long-term development.
Takebe thanked Hung for his guidance and reaffirmed his commitment to continuing efforts to further strengthen the Vietnam–Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the coming time.
Vietnam becomes vital player in global semiconductor value chain: Deputy PM
Vietnam is emerging as an important link in the global semiconductor value chain, particularly in chip packaging and testing, as the country continues to lay key foundations for developing its semiconductor industry, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung has stated.
Deputy PM Dung, who is head of the National Steering Committee on Semiconductor Industry Development, made the remark while chairing the committee’s first meeting in 2026 in Hanoi on March 10.
He noted that ministries and sectors have actively implemented tasks under the national strategy for developing semiconductor industry and the program on developing human resources for the industry, focusing on removing institutional bottlenecks, improving the legal framework and creating favourable conditions to attract investment.
According to the Deputy PM, Vietnam has consistently pursued a balanced approach to developing its semiconductor industry, ensuring harmonious interests and balancing relations with major partners while selectively attracting foreign investment and strengthening the capacity of domestic enterprises.
To date, many global technology giants have invested in and expanded their operations in the country, mainly in semiconductor assembly, packaging and testing.
Vietnamese companies have also gradually joined the global value chain by improving their capabilities in chip design, production and related services. Notably, a semiconductor chip manufacturing plant project developed by the Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group (Viettel) has already commenced.
However, the Deputy PM pointed out that the industry still faces significant challenges, including shortages of high-quality human resources, limited research and development capacity, infrastructure constraints and the relatively modest participation of domestic enterprises in the global value chain.
At the meeting, members of the Steering Committee reviewed the implementation of assigned tasks and discussed solutions to accelerate the effective and strong development of semiconductor ecosystem in Vietnam.
According to Permanent Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Vu Hai Quan, the national strategy for semiconductor development to 2030 with a vision to 2050 assigns 38 tasks and projects to ministries, sectors and localities. So far, 13 tasks have been completed while the remaining 25 are being implemented on schedule. The tasks are being performed in a coordinated manner with the participation of ministries, sectors, localities, organizations, businesses and research institutions.
Regarding the program on developing human resources for semiconductor industry to 2030 with a vision to 2050, initial progress has been made. Currently, 166 universities in Vietnam provide training in disciplines related to semiconductor technology. The country now has around 7,000 chip design engineers, more than 6,000 engineers and over 10,000 technicians working in semiconductor packaging, testing and related industries.
Alongside improving the legal framework, the Ministry of Science and Technology is promoting domestic semiconductor production by supporting the implementation of a Vietnamese chip manufacturing plant, the establishment of a national semiconductor manufacturing center, and chip production activities at companies such as Viettel and FPT. Meanwhile, cooperation with global technology firms such as Samsung, NVIDIA and Qualcomm, as well as investment promotion organizations in Japan, the Republic of Korea and Taiwan (China), has been strengthened.
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| Participants at the first meeting of the National Steering Committee on Semiconductor Industry Development in 2026 (Photo: VNA) |
Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung noted that the ministry will develop a policy communication plan to better promote the development of the industry.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Finance Nguyen Duc Tam said that by March, foreign direct investment in the semiconductor sector had reached nearly 16 billion USD across 228 projects. Investors from the RoK accounted for the largest share at 45.3%, followed by the Netherlands with 25.8% and Singapore with 12%. Ho Chi Minh City leads the country with 53 projects.
In his concluding remarks, Deputy PM Dung said Vietnam is moving in the right direction and has started to establish essential foundations for developing its semiconductor industry.
He stressed the need to further develop a complete semiconductor ecosystem, expand high-quality human resources and boost research and development.
He requested ministries, localities, research institutions and enterprises to strengthen coordination, improve infrastructure and expand international cooperation to enable the country to participate more deeply in the global semiconductor value chain.
Hanoi Tourism Festival 2026 to highlight green tourism, digital experience
The Hanoi Tourism Festival 2026, themed “Hanoi-Green Tourism, Digital Experience,” will take place from March 13 to 15 at Thong Nhat Park, with a string of activities introducing the capital as a friendly and experience-rich destination.
The event is organised by the Hanoi Department of Tourism under Program No. 02 dated January 9, 2026 of the Hanoi People’s Committee on investment, trade and tourism promotion for 2026.
The annual festival introduces to domestic and international visitors a Hanoi that combines rich cultural heritage with a dynamic and modern tourism sector.
This year’s festival will feature nearly 100 booths, designed as a journey through Hanoi via several themed spaces. The “Memory” space will recreate the beauty of Hanoi’s heritage, Old Quarter, architecture and traditional craft villages through destination models, photography exhibitions and art displays.
Meanwhile, the “Connection” space will serve as a meeting point between tourism businesses and visitors, introducing new tour routes, tourism products and various promotional programs, including discount vouchers, VOV reported.
A new highlight of the festival is the “Technology” space, where visitors can experience digital tourism applications such as VR360 virtual reality technology, international online tourism platforms, artificial intelligence and reception robots.
The “Green Region” space will introduce eco-tourism, rural tourism, resort and outdoor sports products at destinations around Hanoi.
The “Essence” space will showcase Hanoi’s craft villages and culinary traditions through demonstrations of traditional crafts and tastings of specialties such as lotus tea, Vong village green rice flakes, Hanoi pho, Ngu Xa rolled pho, Thanh Tri steamed rice rolls and Hang Duong preserved fruits.
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| The Hanoi Tourism Festival 2026 introduces the capital as a friendly and distinctive destination. |
The “Four-Direction Link” space will feature tourism booths from several localities, thereby strengthening tourism links between Hanoi and other regions of the country.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for 7 p.m. on March 13 at the main stage of Thong Nhat Park, with a staged art program featuring young performers.
Other activities include destination survey tours such as a visit to Bat Trang pottery village, as well as seminars and discussions on rural craft village tourism development at the Vietnam Craft Village Center.
The festival will also present cultural performances including Te Tieu land puppetry, Keo Mo Xuan Lai – Da Phuc folk performance, excerpts from the stage production “Quintessence of the North,” Suoi Hai gong dance and Bac Ninh Quan Ho singing.
Visitors can also take part in experiential activities such as “Tea Talks by the Veranda,” enjoying tea while listening to stories about cultural and historical sites linked to Hanoi’s tourism destinations. Tourism, transport and aviation services will also introduce products and domestic and international tour packages alongside promotional programs.
The festival will see the participation of organizations including the Hanoi Tourism Association, the UNESCO Hanoi Travel Club, the UNESCO Center for Vietnamese Culinary Culture, along with city districts and heritage site management boards.
Major tourism enterprises such as the Hanoi Tourism Corporation and many travel companies, tourist sites and accommodation providers will also introduce new tourism products and promotional offers.
With its wide range of activities, the Hanoi Tourism Festival 2026 is expected to attract large numbers of domestic and international visitors, helping present Hanoi as a safe, friendly, good quality and attractive destination, while supporting sustainable tourism development and the capital’s green economy.
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