Nguyen Trung Khanh, head of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, speaks at a year-end conference organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism to review 2025 performance and outline key tasks for 2026, Ho Chi Minh City, December 30, 2025. Nguyen Van Dung, vice-chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, shares views on building high-quality, sustainable tourism at a year-end conference organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism to review 2025 performance and outline key tasks for 2026, Ho Chi Minh City, December 30, 2025. Photo: Bong Mai / Tuoi TreAgainst that backdrop, Ho Chi Minh City continued to assert its role as the country’s leading tourism hub and growth engine. Gross regional domestic product growth exceeded eight percent, reinforcing Ho Chi Minh City’s position as the nation’s economic locomotive. In the year to come, Ho Chi Minh City has set a state budget revenue target of about VND803.6 trillion ($30.5 billion).

However, the COVID-19 pandemic severely affected Vietnam's seafood export activities. The General Department of Customs then reported that seafood exports to China (including Hong Kong) fell from $1.37 billion in 2020 to $1.14 billion in 2021. In 2022, seafood exports to the market of more than one billion people recovered strongly, reaching $1.57 billion, a historical record at the time. This trend has contributed significantly to the surge in lobster exports and to Vietnam’s overall seafood exports to this market. If these regulations are strictly enforced, leading to longer inspection times or higher costs, lobster exports could be affected immediately.

Photo: Hoang GiamAfter a period of disruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Vietnam's seafood exports to China have rebounded dramatically, setting historical records. China has now overtaken Japan and the United States to become Vietnam's top seafood export market. For many years, China - Vietnam’s neighbor - has been among the top three key destinations for Vietnamese seafood. Despite the downturn, China remained one of the top three markets for Vietnamese seafood, behind only the US and Japan. If these regulations are enforced rigorously, longer inspection times and increased costs could immediately affect Vietnam’s lobster exports.

At the secondary school, fees are minimized to the lowest possible level. Integrated and enhanced programs are organized on a voluntary basis, where parents and students have the right to choose whether to participate. On the "HCMC Education" page, hundreds of parents shared details of the monthly fees they must pay for their children. This parent noted that monthly integrated programs include: life skills VND70,000, STEM education VND90,000, and foreign language with foreigners VND195,000. From this reality, many parents argue that although students are exempt from tuition by law, the actual total monthly cost remains high due to excessive fees from integrated programs.

A leap in tax administrationA notable trend in 2025 was the revenue concentration in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Hoang HaA large portion of the revenue surplus in 2025 stems from improved tax management and a broader tax base. Tax revenue from e-commerce, the digital economy, and cross-border services is emerging from the shadows. Real estate: The biggest, most volatile contributorAmong the drivers of the 2025 revenue boom, real estate stands out as both the biggest contributor and the most cyclical. Twin economic engines, rising concentration riskAnother key takeaway from 2025 is the regional concentration of tax revenue.

Hanoi has thus anchored digital transformation in administrative reform and organizational restructuring. For Hanoi, digital transformation means not digitizing outdated systems but building a new model of governance from the ground up. When everyone moves in the same direction, digital transformation becomes a collective mission rather than a tech-sector task. Over the past year, Hanoi has expanded data systems across many sectors, enabling citizens to access information more easily. Only then will digital transformation truly benefit citizens and businesses.”In summary, Hanoi’s digital transition is not a sprint but a journey - one of persistence, adaptability, and coordination.

May Bac Peak is the highest point in Cuc Phuong at 648 meters. The main entrance is in Cuc Phuong commune, Ninh Binh province. Over the past decades, Cuc Phuong has become a top eco-tourism destination in northern Vietnam, attracting visitors with its diverse wildlife, majestic landscapes, and opportunities for scientific exploration and adventure. Once atop May Bac, visitors can check in at the highest point, take panoramic photos, and marvel at a landscape blanketed in fog and floating mist. According to Cuc Phuong Park representatives, the May Bac trek is suitable for visitors who are physically fit and have basic hiking experience.

Face ID has been a signature biometric feature of Apple’s premium devices for years, offering fast unlocking, strong security, and seamless user experience. But with the foldable iPhone, Apple is said to be exploring alternatives. This implementation removes the need for Face ID or an under-display sensor while still providing a quick, familiar unlocking method. iPhone Fold may mark a new chapterMany analysts believe the foldable iPhone will still become a global sensation upon release. Though it may lack Face ID - a feature that has defined the iPhone for nearly a decade - the foldable iPhone still carries the DNA of a strategic, game-changing product.

These include increases in regional minimum wages, reductions in personal income tax, and revised compensation schemes for healthcare workers and teachers. Healthcare workers engaged directly and regularly in high-risk specialties such as psychiatry, forensic medicine, emergency care, or pathology will receive a 100% professional allowance. No personal income tax for earners of up to USD 680/monthThe amended Law on Personal Income Tax, which takes effect on July 1, 2026, introduces significant adjustments to relieve the tax burden on tens of millions of salary and wage earners. The standard deduction for taxpayers rises from VND 11 million to VND 15.5 million/month (USD 435 to USD 613), or USD 7,356/year. With the new deduction levels, a single taxpayer earning up to USD 680/month (after mandatory insurance contributions) will be exempt from personal income tax beginning in 2026.

For instance, running a red light could cost car drivers between USD 740 and USD 820. Driving in the wrong direction or reversing on expressways could result in fines of USD 1,240 to USD 1,660. Since its implementation, Decree 168 has led to a notable decline in traffic violations, according to authorities. Driver license point deduction system introducedFor the first time nationwide, a point-based penalty system is now in place. Every driver's license is granted 12 points per year.

Free tuition and strategic investments in education systemAlongside Resolution 71, the Politburo introduced numerous strategic measures to reform and expand education. Breakthroughs in education legislation and governanceIn 2025, the Ministry of Education and Training passed or proposed 99 legal documents - including laws, resolutions, and circulars - marking an unprecedented push for institutional reform. Four major education laws were passed by the National Assembly: the Law on Teachers, amendments to the Law on Education, the Law on Higher Education, and the Law on Vocational Education. Online training was held for 50,000 local education leaders and school principals. Digital transformation of the education systemIn 2025, the national education database integrated 24.55 million student records.

Excavation site at Kinh Thien Palace, revealing deep foundation layers over 3 meters thick. The conference unveiled new discoveries that clarify the historical depth, spatial scale, and architectural layout of one of the most sacred spaces in the ancient Thang Long Citadel. Based on these permissions, the Thang Long Heritage Center and the Institute of Archaeology, under directives from the Hanoi People’s Committee and Decision No. Archaeologists also uncovered two water drainage channels and 26 out of 64 column bases from the Long Thien Palace, built during the Nguyen dynasty (19th century). The excavation also clarified the construction scale and method used for the Kinh Thien Palace.

Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko has announced that the leaders of Vietnam and the Russian Federation have officially extended invitations to visit each other in 2026. Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko. The ambassador highlighted the May visit to Russia by General Secretary To Lam as a pivotal moment of the year. “We hope this meeting will review progress on the master plan for Vietnam–Russia cooperation until 2030. At the press conference, responding to questions about high-level visits in 2026, Ambassador Bezdetko revealed, “Vietnamese leaders have extended invitations to Russian leaders, and we have officially invited Vietnamese leaders to visit Russia.

The Ministry of Finance affirms that all funds for Tet gifts to eligible groups have been fully disbursed. This funding is designated for Tet 2026 gifts to individuals with meritorious service, those under social protection, social pensioners, and other vulnerable groups. 2814, approving a targeted additional allocation of over 2.513 trillion VND (approximately USD 104.5 million) from the central budget’s contingency fund in 2025. The purpose is to facilitate the Tet gift program by the Party and the State. Recipients of these Tet gifts include: individuals with meritorious service to the revolution; people under official social protection categories; social pensioners; orphans without guardians; and children living in orphanages.

A user checks messages on the Zalo app on her mobile phone in Vietnam. The controversy comes just days before Vietnam’s Law on Personal Data Protection takes effect on January 1. The company is further required to disclose policies governing the collection, processing, storage, sharing, and protection of user data. The legislation further mandates that the use of consumer information must align with the purposes communicated to and approved by the consumer. The law also guarantees fundamental consumer rights, including data security, protection of privacy and personal secrets, and the right to make decisions regarding personal information.