Business News

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung chaired a working session on July 14 with the Standing Committee of Phu Tho Party Committee to review the province's socioeconomic performance, double-digit growth target, public investment disbursement, implementation of the two-tier local government model, and progress on Politburo Resolution No.57-NQ/TW on science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE), China continued to increase imports of Vietnamese seafood, particularly shrimp, in the first half of 2026, the ministry reported on July 13. Vietnam exported more than $5.7 billion worth of seafood in the first half of 2026, up 11.4 per cent from a year earlier. China accounted for nearly $1.4 billion of the total, making it Vietnam’s largest seafood export market, while shipments to the US reached almost $898 million.

Defying global supply chain volatility and shifting trade dynamics, European business confidence in Vietnam has surged to 79.7 points in the second quarter of 2026, underscoring Vietnam's resilience amid one of the most volatile global operating environments in recent years. Marking the 15-year anniversary of the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) flagship Business Confidence Index (BCI), the second-quarter report reveals a renewed surge in European business confidence.

On July 10, VinFast announced that it had delivered 17,955 electric vehicles (EVs) to customers in Vietnam in June, bringing its total sales in the first six months of 2026 to 115,916 units, up 72 per cent compared to the same period in 2025. It also marked the first time a carmaker in Vietnam has surpassed the milestone of 100,000 vehicles sold within the first half of a calendar year.

Budget revenue from Vietnam's import-export activities reached VND264.795 trillion (US$10.59 billion) in the first six months of 2026, up 18.6% from the same period last year. The result reflects not only the strong recovery in trade but also progress in institutional reform, administrative simplification, and digital transformation across the customs sector, helping reduce compliance costs, improve competitiveness, and facilitate trade for businesses.

According to Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology (the drafting authority), although the city is a hub concentrating most research institutes, universities, and microchip human resources nationwide, domestic businesses are still facing enormous financial barriers. The high costs of training, R&D, and equipment investment are bottlenecks that the market cannot regulate on its own.

According to the National Statistics Office (NSO), total registered FDI in Vietnam as of the end of June, including newly registered capital, additional capital for existing projects, and foreign investors' capital contributions and share purchases, reached $34.65 billion, an increase of 61 per cent on-year. Regarding newly registered investments, 2,013 projects were licensed with a total registered capital of $17.39 billion, up 1.3 per cent in the number of projects and 87.2 per cent in registered capital on-year.

Central Highlands province Gia Lai attracted 168 new investment projects with total registered capital of nearly VNĐ165 trillion (US$6.3 billion) in the first half of 2026, putting it within reach of its annual investment target. According to the provincial Department of Finance, as of the end of June, the province had licensed 168 new projects with total registered capital of VNĐ164.9 trillion, achieving 98.8 per cent of the provincial People's Committee's target of 170 projects for the year.