Vietnam Pursues Multifaceted Growth and International Cooperation

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung recommended that Vietnam and Greece step up all-level exchanges and meetings, especially at the high level, make full use of existing cooperation mechanisms, and expand collaboration in economy, trade, and investment, stressing the effective implementation of the EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). Minister of Migration and Asylum Athanasios Plevris of Greece stressed that Greece is keen to strengthen labor ties with ASEAN countries to address labor shortages. The "Vietnam Day in Greece 2026" was highlighted as a meaningful event that helps strengthen people-to-people exchanges and promote Vietnam's image, culture, and people, further reinforcing the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Greece. The Ly Son Special Zone in the central province of Quang Ngai is enjoying an unprecedented tourism boom, attracting around 120,000 tourists in the first half of 2026, surpassing expectations. Six months after its launch, the Vietnam International Financial Centre in Ho Chi Minh City (VIFC-HCMC) has attracted approximately $20 billion in investment commitments. Its priority is to translate these commitments into actual capital inflows by strengthening the legal framework and introducing a new generation of financial products. In a recent interview, UNESCO Representative to Vietnam Jonathan Baker highlighted the role of technology in preserving and promoting Vietnam’s cultural heritage, while making cultural knowledge more accessible to the public, particularly younger generations. The World Bank stated that Vietnam must shift beyond traditional growth drivers such as low-cost labor and foreign investment to achieve high-income status by 2045, emphasizing that higher productivity, innovation, and stronger domestic enterprises should drive the next phase of development. Vietnam's Engineering Company Rotation 4, serving with the UN, has renovated Minyang Primary School in the Abyei region, improving learning conditions. Despite global economic uncertainty, Vietnam's economy delivered a strong performance in the first half of 2026, with GDP expanding by 8.18%, outperforming the previous year and laying a solid foundation for achieving double-digit growth for the full year. Party General Secretary and State President To Lam urged for stronger public participation in safeguarding national security and social order, stressing that every citizen should help build safe, peaceful, and resilient communities. He also affirmed that caring for revolutionary contributors is a political and moral obligation, calling for more comprehensive and timely policies. Prime Minister Le Minh Hung urged provinces like Son La, Lang Son, and Phu Tho to develop into specialized economic centers. Son La is encouraged to become the Northwest's hub for ecological agriculture, agro-processing, and distinctive tourism, while maintaining sustainability. Lang Son should capitalize on its strategic border location to transform its border-gate economy into a new engine of growth, accelerating institutional reforms, infrastructure development, and digital transformation. Phu Tho is called upon to prioritize high value-added and high-tech investment, rejecting labor-intensive, outdated, and environmentally harmful projects. Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung paid an official visit to Indonesia, co-chairing the sixth meeting of the Vietnam-Indonesia Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation and signing the 2026–2030 Action Plan to realize their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. As Ho Chi Minh City targets double-digit GRDP growth, the trade and services sector is expected to remain its key growth engine, supported by recovering consumer demand and the approaching year-end shopping season. The national semiconductor chip prototyping support center's launch is expected to accelerate the country's drive towards technological self-reliance, recognizing semiconductors as a strategic technology in global competition. Information Source: VietnamPlus English