DONG NAI LOOKS TO BECOME CENTRALLY-RUN CITY BY 2030
Dong Nai Province has recently established a team to draft a master plan for transitioning the southern province into a centrally-run city by 2030. This team is tasked with conducting comprehensive research and reviewing current administrative standards, including urban classification, communal-level administrative systems, urbanization rates, and socio-technical infrastructure to ensure the province meets all legal requirements for a first-tier municipality.
HANOI CITY WANTS DIGITAL ECONOMY TO CONTRIBUTE 22% TO GRDP BY 2026
The Hanoi City government aims for the digital economy to contribute 22% of the city’s gross regional domestic product (GRDP) by 2026, officials said on March 11. The target is part of the city’s implementation of Resolution 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation.
VIETNAM’S HIRING OUTLOOK OPTIMISTIC IN Q2
Employers in Vietnam report an optimistic hiring outlook for the second quarter of 2026, with a net employment outlook (NEO) at 47% in the country’s inaugural edition of the ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey. The survey, conducted between January 1 and February 3, gathered responses from more than 41,700 employers worldwide, including 260 companies in Vietnam.
JAN-FEB AGRO-FORESTRY-FISHERY EXPORTS PUT AT US$11 BILLION
Agro-forestry-fishery imports were estimated at US$7.81 billion, up 6.9% from a year earlier. Agricultural imports accounted for US$4.94 billion, rising 10.1%. Livestock imports reached US$849.4 million, up 22.7%, while seafood imports totaled US$497.9 million, increasing 1.6%. Forestry imports rose 27.2% to US$523.9 million. Imports of production inputs declined 18.6% to US$993.9 million.
INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS TO VIETNAM DOWN IN FEBRUARY
International arrivals to Vietnam reached more than 2.2 million in February 2026, down from 2.45 million in January, according to the National Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance. Despite the decline, February marked the third consecutive month with more than two million international visitors, following 2.02 million arrivals in December 2025.
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION RISES 10.4% IN JAN-FEB
Vietnam’s index of industrial production (IIP) rose 10.4% in the first two months of 2026 from a year earlier, according to a report released by the National Statistics Office on March 6. The growth exceeded the 7.5% increase recorded in the same period last year. In February alone, industrial production fell 18.4% from January as factories reduced operations during the extended Lunar New Year holiday and the number of working days declined.
RETAIL, SERVICE REVENUE NEARS VND1.24 QUADRILLION IN FIRST TWO MONTHS
Retail revenue from goods and services reached nearly VND1.24 quadrillion in the first two months of 2026, up 7.9% from a year earlier, according to the National Statistics Office. The statistics agency reported on March 6 that trade and services remained strong in February, meeting shopping demand during the Lunar New Year holiday.
TRADE REVENUE RISES 22.2% IN JAN–FEB
Vietnam’s total import-export revenue reached US$155.7 billion in the first two months of the year, up 22.2% from a year earlier, with a trade deficit of US$2.98 billion, according to the National Statistics Office. A report released on March 6 showed exports totaled US$76.36 billion in January–February, up 18.3% year-on-year, while imports rose 26.3% to US$79.34 billion.
