Politics

☕ Afternoon briefing on July 21

The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.

☕ Afternoon briefing on July 21

Hanoi (VNA) – The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.

- Localities across Vietnam are increasingly placing heritage, natural landscapes and cultural identity at the heart of their tourism strategies, transforming indigenous assets into distinctive destination brands that offer authentic experiences and strengthen their competitive edge.

The northern province of Quang Ninh has emerged as a leading example by weaving heritage into cultural products, tourism offerings and large-scale events, turning its natural and cultural assets into key drivers of economic growth. In the first half of 2026, the province welcomed more than 12.4 million visitors and generated 35.2 trillion VND (1.33 billion USD) in tourism revenue. It also organised 30 provincial, national and international cultural and sporting events, alongside 152 tourism promotion and stimulus programmes. Read full story

- Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung has signed a decision approving the National Digital Transformation Strategy for 2026–2030, with a vision to 2045, setting out ambitious targets to build a prosperous, secure and human-centred digital nation while accelerating economic growth through data and artificial intelligence (AI).

Issued under Decision No. 1266/QD-TTg dated July 14, the strategy places people and businesses at the centre of the country's digital transformation, identifying them as both the driving force and the primary beneficiaries of the process. Read full story

- Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra has signed a decision approving Vietnam's cultural diplomacy strategy through 2030, with a vision to 2045.

The blueprint seeks to deepen international cultural integration, export Vietnamese values and absorb the essence of world cultures. The end goal is an advanced culture steeped in national identity, deployed as a soft power to fuel rapid, sustainable growth, lift Vietnam’s global standing, and add a distinct thread to the tapestry of human civilisation. Read full story

- Vietnam is well-placed to embed itself more deeply into the global semiconductor value chain if it can capitalise on its competitive edges and develop a suitable ecosystem, according to experts.

Vietnam’s biggest takeaway from Taiwan isn’t just cutting-edge technology alone, but how to build an entire semiconductor ecosystem from the ground up, said Dr. Vo Duc Thang, Assistant Professor at the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (Taiwan Tech) and President of the Vietnam Innovative and Intellectual Network in Taiwan (China) (VIN Taiwan) told the Vietnam News Agency. Read full story

- After strong growth in the first half of 2026, Vietnam’s economy is forecast to face greater pressure in the months ahead as rising inflation, exchange-rate and interest-rate pressures test its ability to sustain growth and maintain macroeconomic stability.

In a recently released report, Vu Binh Minh, CFA, Associate Director, FX Trading, Markets and Securities Services at HSBC Vietnam, said Vietnam’s economy has built a relatively favourable position in the first six months of the year with GDP expanding 8.18% – the highest first-half growth rate in recent years – as key growth drivers have operated in tandem. Read full story

- The Vietnam–Singapore Semiconductor Industry Development Cooperation Forum 2026 was held in Ho Chi Minh City on July 21 to promote investment connectivity, technology transfer, human resource development and broader cooperation in the semiconductor industry.

The forum was co-organised by the Quang Trung Software City Development Company Limited (QTSC) and the Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore. Read full story

vna-potal-phu-quoc-named-worlde28099s-second-best-island-084534714-7482423.jpg
A fishing village on Hon Thom Island, Phu Quoc. (Photo: VNA)

- Phu Quoc has secured a spot in Expedia's Island Hot List 2026, ranking among the world's top 10 island destinations for the year, according to the global online travel platform.

The Vietnamese island appears alongside internationally renowned destinations such as St. Lucia, Porto Santo (Portugal), Syros (Greece), the Lofoten Islands (Norway) and Fiji. Read full story

- Vietnam is intensifying efforts to sustain export momentum in the second half of 2026 as the country works toward its target of approximately 550 billion USD in export revenue for the year, despite continuing uncertainties in global trade.

Statistics show that exports reached 294.34 billion USD in the first six months, meaning the economy needs to generate roughly 255.7 billion USD more during the remainder of the year to meet the annual goal./. Read full story

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