Vietnam Focuses on Economic Growth and Cultural Promotion Amidst Sectoral Progress

As part of the Hanoi Lotus Festival 2026, the artistic parade “Lotus takes to the street” brought together around 2,000 participants dressed in lotus-themed Ao dai, setting a new record for the largest-ever lotus Ao dai parade and creating one of the festival's standout events. The “Mrs Ao Dai Europe 2026” pageant not only celebrated the beauty of Vietnamese women but also helped strengthen the bridge of friendship between Vietnam and the Czech Republic, while further promoting Vietnamese cultural values to the international community. At the Malaysia International Food and Beverage Trade Fair 2026, held from July 15–17 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, businesses from Vietnam’s Central Highland province of Dak Lak showcased a range of processed agricultural products, opening up promising opportunities in the rapidly growing Halal market. After one month of pilot implementation, the centralised customs clearance model at Regional Customs Sub-department III in the northern port city of Hai Phong has delivered promising initial results. To improve service quality and ease congestion during peak hours, Noi Bai International Airport has introduced biometric check-in kiosks. Vietnam’s agro-forestry-fishery exports reached an estimated 35.88 billion USD in the first half of 2026, up 6% year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. With its rich marine resources, Co To Special Zone in Quang Ninh province is capitalising on its coastal advantages to generate higher economic value while improving local livelihoods and incomes. The nationwide 500-day campaign to search for, recover and identify the remains of fallen soldiers is being stepped up. Most recently, a mass grave containing soldiers killed during the 1968 Tet Offensive was uncovered at Le Thi Rieng Park in Ho Chi Minh City. Archived records played a crucial role as the golden key that led search teams to the site. Prime Minister Le Minh Hung has affirmed that Vietnam always values its relationship with Greece, describing the European nation as a traditional partner with significant untapped potential for cooperation. The Ly Son Special Zone in the central province of Quang Ngai is enjoying an unprecedented tourism boom, attracting more domestic and foreign visitors than ever before. Since the beginning of the year, the island has welcomed around 120,000 tourists, far surpassing the expectations of both local residents and authorities. Six months after its launch, the Vietnam International Financial Centre in Ho Chi Minh City (VIFC-HCMC) has attracted around 20 billion USD in investment commitments from domestic and international investors. The centre’s ambition, however, extends beyond securing pledges. Its priority now is to translate those commitments into actual capital inflows by strengthening the legal framework and introducing a new generation of financial products. In a recent interview with the Vietnam News Agency, 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 condition of the last victim still receiving treatment following a speedboat capsizing off Phu Quoc has shown positive signs, Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City reported on July 16. After three days of intensive treatment, the Indian male patient has made encouraging progress. A delegation from the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs led by its Deputy Minister Le Thi Thu Hang paid a working visit to Laos on July 15 – 16. Party General Secretary and State President To Lam on July 16 urged Son La to develop into the Northwest's centre for ecological agriculture, agro-processing and distinctive tourism while maintaining environmental sustainability and social welfare. Vietnam must shift beyond traditional growth drivers such as low-cost labour and foreign investment to achieve high-income status by 2045, according to the World Bank. The next phase of development should be driven by higher productivity, innovation and stronger domestic enterprises capable of creating greater value added. Vietnam's Engineering Company Rotation 4, serving with the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei, has renovated Minyang Primary School, improving learning conditions for children in the Abyei region. The handover ceremony was attended by representatives from Vietnam's Ministry of National Defence, the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei and the Abyei Administration. Despite persistent global economic uncertainty and downward revisions to the global growth outlook for 2026 by international organisations, Vietnam's economy delivered a strong performance. GDP expanded 8.18% in the first half of 2026, outperforming the same period last year and laying a solid foundation for achieving double-digit growth for the full year. Party General Secretary and State President To Lam on July 15 called for stronger public participation in safeguarding national security and social order, stressing that every citizen should help build safe, peaceful and resilient communities. Prime Minister Le Minh Hung on July 15 offered incense and laid flowers in tribute to fallen soldiers at the Vi Xuyen National Martyrs' Cemetery in Tuyen Quang province during a working visit, ahead of the 79th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs' Day (July 27, 1947–2026). Prime Minister Le Minh Hung on July 15 urged Lang Son province to capitalise on its strategic border location by transforming its border-gate economy into a new engine of growth while accelerating institutional reforms, infrastructure development and digital transformation to achieve double-digit economic growth. Party General Secretary and State President To Lam on July 15 affirmed that caring for revolutionary contributors is both a political responsibility and a moral obligation, calling for more comprehensive and timely policies to ensure that those who sacrificed for the nation receive the care and respect they deserve. Copyright, VietnamPlus, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Editor-in-chief, Mr. Tran Tien Duan.