Business News

Eight major infrastructure projects with a combined investment of more than VND253 trillion ($9.7 billion) have broken ground in Ho Chi Minh City. The groundbreaking took place on July 1 to mark the 50th anniversary of the city being officially renamed Ho Chi Minh City on July 2, 1976. The projects, excluding social housing developments, draw on funding from public investment, public-private partnerships (PPPs), and direct private capital.

As Việt Nam looks to tap the potential of its marine economy, logistics is increasingly emerging as a key driver of growth for coastal regions. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the marine economy currently contributes around 50 per cent of the country's gross regional domestic product (GRDP), with many coastal localities ranking among the nation's top performers in terms of income per capita.

Import-export turnover through border gates in the northern province of Lào Cai rose by more than 60 per cent year-on-year in the first half of 2026, driven by a sharp increase in agricultural exports, particularly durian. Export value reached US$636 million during the six-month period, up 62 per cent from a year earlier and accounting for more than half of the province's total border trade. Agricultural products remained the dominant export category, making up over 90 per cent of outbound shipments.

Industrial developer Becamex IDC on Friday broke ground on four social housing projects in HCM City, adding more than 6,200 apartments as Việt Nam's largest metropolis aims to tackle a shortage of affordable housing. The four projects, comprising 6,229 apartments, will be developed in Chánh Hiệp and Thuận Giao wards and are intended for low-income residents, industrial workers and other beneficiaries of government housing support programmes.

Developing smart energy infrastructure will be critical for Việt Nam to achieve its green growth ambitions, as the global energy transition has entered a new phase that requires more flexible, resilient and digitally enabled energy systems. At the Smart Energy Infrastructure Development Forum in Hà Nội, experts said that countries must move beyond simply expanding renewable power generation and focus on building smarter energy systems.

With its extensively expanded economic space, Can Tho now possesses a range of strategic advantages, including an extensive road transport network with both north-south and east-west expressways; an inland waterway transport system; an international airport; a network of ports along the Hau River; a large concentration of industrial parks and agricultural and seafood processing facilities; and connectivity to the Mekong development corridor.

The HCMC People’s Council has approved a series of major transport and urban redevelopment projects under public-private partnership (PPP), with preliminary investment estimated at nearly VND155 trillion. Resolutions passed at the closing session of the council’s third meeting for the 2021-2026 term on June 19 included two flagship transport projects.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Construction has proposed expanding 15 sections of the eastern North-South Expressway, instead of prioritizing upgrades on the busiest stretches, with construction on eligible projects expected to start in early 2027. Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh on June 2 approved a plan to expand 15 component projects along the eastern North-South Expressway that were initially built under a phased investment approach.