Hanoi (VNA) – The following is a brief review of the day’s events as reported by the Vietnam News Agency.
- Vietnam Airlines will officially launch a direct air route connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Phuket, Thailand, starting April 2, further expanding its Southeast Asian network and offering passengers more travel options.
According to the national flag carrier, the route will operate five flights per week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, using Airbus A321 aircraft. Read full story
- The close geographical proximity, cultural affinity and expanding economic ties between China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Vietnam, together with growing cooperation in science and technology, offer favourable conditions for strengthening collaboration in artificial intelligence (AI), according to Guangxi's Chairman Wei Tao.
In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency in China, Wei said AI has emerged as a major focus globally over the past two years and has become a strategic development priority for Guangxi. Since 2025, the region has mapped out a comprehensive roadmap for AI development, including approval to establish the China–ASEAN AI Application Cooperation Centre and the signing of 44 cooperation agreements on AI with ASEAN partners such as Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia and Myanmar. Read full story
- Chinese electric two-wheeler manufacturer YADEA has chosen Vietnam as a key production hub in Southeast Asia, with its newly inaugurated 100-million-USD smart electric motorbike plant in the northern province of Bac Ninh expected to support Vietnam's demand and exports to regional countries.
In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency, Liu Jia, General Director of YADEA Vietnam, said the factory is a key component of YADEA’s global strategy, designed to primarily serve the Vietnamese market in the initial stage, while gradually expanding its capacity to support exports to neighbouring Southeast Asian countries. Read full story
- Vietnam exported an estimated 640,000 tonnes of rice worth 289.4 million USD in February, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.
In the first two months of the year, rice exports reached 1.3 million tonnes valued at 599.3 million USD, up 5% in volume but down 11.2% in value compared with the same period last year. Read full story
- Nearly 35,500 enterprises were established across Vietnam in the first two months of 2026, indicating a robust rebound in business formation despite continuing market headwinds.
The enterprises registered combined capital of about 313.7 trillion VND and more than 167,500 employees. Compared with the same period last year, the number of new businesses surged by 70.7%, while registered capital rose by 36.1% and registered labour increased by 19.1%. Read full story
- Vietnam’s industrial production maintained strong growth in the first two months of 2026 despite fewer working days due to the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, with the processing and manufacturing sector continuing to serve as the key growth driver.
According to the National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Finance, the index of industrial production (IIP) in February was estimated to decrease 18.4% from the previous month but increase 1% year on year. Overall, in the January–February period, the IIP rose 10.4% compared with the same period last year. Read full story
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- A 3.9-magnitude earthquake struck Mang But commune in Quang Ngai province at noon on March 9, posing a level-0 natural disaster risk.
According to the Vietnam Earthquake Information and Tsunami Warning Centre under the Institute of Earth Sciences, the tremor occurred at 11:35:06 (Hanoi time) with coordinates of 14.864 degrees North latitude and 108.210 degrees East longitude, at a depth of about 8.1 km. The event was assessed as having a level-0 disaster risk. Read full story
- Vietnam received nearly 4.7 million international visitors in the first two months of 2026, up 18.1% year-on-year, according to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT).
Tourist arrivals by air accounted for the largest share with more than 3.83 million visitors, representing 81.8% of the total. Arrivals by land made up 15.8% while sea travel accounted for 2.4%. Read full story
- Tokyo Girls Collection Vietnam (TGC Vietnam) 2026 will take place in Ho Chi Minh City on March 28–29, marking the first time the renowned Japanese music-fashion festival is held in Vietnam.
Founded in 2005, Tokyo Girls Collection has become a pop culture phenomenon in Japan, known for promoting ready-to-wear and street fashion trends. The event has expanded in scale and influence, attracting more than 30,000 spectators to each edition. Read full story
- More than 50 outstanding books and book series across five different categories were honoured at the 8th National Book Awards ceremony held in Hanoi on March 8.
The event, which was jointly organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilisation, the Vietnam Publishing Association, and Vietnam Television, attracted the participation of 46 out of 52 publishing houses nationwide, with 397 book titles and series submitted./. Read full story
