Party chief attends inauguration of Hanoi – Moscow direct flight

Vietnam Airlines’ Hanoi – Moscow air route is expected to boost trade exchange and tourism development while demonstrating long-term commitment to strengthening strategic connections between the two countries.

Party General Secretary To Lam (fourth from left) and officials at the launch of the Hanoi – Moscow direct air route on May 9. (Photo: VNA)
Party General Secretary To Lam (fourth from left) and officials at the launch of the Hanoi – Moscow direct air route on May 9. (Photo: VNA)

Moscow (VNA) – Party General Secretary To Lam and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation attended the launching ceremony of Vietnam Airlines’ Hanoi – Moscow air route on May 9 (local time) as part of his trip to Russia for an official visit and participation in the celebration marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

The air link marks a significant stride in bolstering the two countries’ comprehensive cooperation across multiple areas, particularly economy, trade, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.

In his speech, Vietnam Airlines General Director Le Hong Ha stressed that beyond transportation, the new route serves as a bridge connecting the two countries’ rich cultures and symbolising the enduring friendship between their people.

It will open new pathways for Russian travellers to explore Southeast Asia through Vietnam while facilitating Vietnamese access to Eastern Europe via Moscow, he stated.

Looking ahead, Vietnam Airlines commits to scaling up operations, considering potential new destinations, and exploring charter flights to Russia, including the Far East region. The airline also plans to bolster cooperation with multiple travel partners to diversify its products and enhance operational efficiency, bringing the people of both countries closer together and creating new dynamics for cooperation, Ha added.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Dang Minh Khoi praised the national flag carrier’s efforts to resume the direct connection between the two capitals, noting that it fulfills the desire of both sides to strengthen connectivity. He emphasised that the route will boost trade exchange and tourism development while demonstrating long-term commitment to strengthening strategic connections between the two countries.

The Vietnamese Embassy will continue serving as a bridge between businesses and citizens of both countries, helping promote Vietnam’s images internationally, he highlighted.

Vietnam Airlines is currently operating the Hanoi – Moscow route twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays using Boeing 787 wide-body aircraft, with plans to increase frequency to three flights by July 2026.

The resumption of the Hanoi-Moscow direct route represents a strategic step in Vietnam Airlines' international network expansion plan, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of Vietnam Airlines Corporation (1995-2025). This development demonstrates the airline's ongoing commitment to promoting Vietnam's image, enhancing the country's international standing, and fulfilling its mission of taking off with the nation in a new era.

On the occasion, Party chief Lam and the delegation also witnessed the exchange of tourism cooperation deals between Vietnamese firms and their Russian partners./.

VNA

See more

Activities in Chan May Bay, part of the Chan May–Lang Co Economic Zone in Hue city. (Photo: VNA)

Hue steps up investment drive in Chan May–Lang Co Economic Zone

Covering more than 27,000ha, the Chan May–Lang Co Economic Zone is emerging as a key economic, urban, industrial and eco-tourism centre in southeastern Hue, with functional areas dedicated to seaports, industry, non-tariff activities, urban development and tourism.

The Ministry of National Defence's inter-agency inspection team visits La Gi Fish Port in Phuoc Hoi ward, Lam Dong province. (Photo: VNA)

Lam Dong's IUU fishing prevention efforts inspected

According to the Lam Dong provincial IUU Fishing Prevention Steering Committee, all 8,177 fishing vessels measuring at least 6 metres in length have been registered and updated in the national fisheries database VNFishbase.

A member of Minh Quang Cooperative in Hung Yen province works on a farm. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam aims to link half of farm cooperatives with enterprises by 2030

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment will promote links between cooperatives, enterprises, science and technology organisations and other economic entities along with carrying out programmes to develop concentrated agricultural, forestry and fisheries raw material areas and enhance value chain production.

The night-time economy is increasingly seen as an important avenue for Vietnam’s tourism sector to extend visitors’ stays (Photo: VNA)

Revitalising growth momentum for night-time economy

The night-time economy has moved beyond being merely an add-on service to become a new growth driver for tourism. Night-time activities can “awaken” familiar heritage spaces and breathe new life into them. Art, light and music experiences after dark can create distinctive attractions while meeting the desire of middle- and high-end visitors to explore cultural depth.

A livestream session promotes green-skinned pomelos grown in Cho Lach commune, Vinh Long province. (Photo: VNA)

E-commerce reshapes rules of game

Once fixed fees, payment fees, infrastructure charges and service packages are included, sellers may have to spend around 24.5-27.6% of their revenue on platforms. The figure shows that the era of easy selling and low costs in e-commerce has officially come to an end.

Ho Chi Minh City targets third-quarter growth of over 11% (Photo: VNA)

Ho Chi Minh City targets third-quarter growth of over 11%

Ho Chi Minh City will continue to implement drastic measures to achieve double-digit growth, targeting GRDP growth of at least 11.07% in the third quarter of 2026, 9.43% in the first nine months and 12.3% in the fourth quarter, with a view to completing the full-year goal of 10% or more.

MM Mega Market An Phu supermarket in Ho Chi Minh City is brightly decorated for the National Day holiday. (Photo: VNA)

Domestic consumption up over 13%, tourism continues strong growth

The total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenues in August were estimated at 679.8 trillion VND (26 billion USD), up 1.6% from the previous month and 14.9% year-on-year. In the January-August period, the figure reached 5.24 quadrillion VND, representing a 13.3% increase year-on-year.

A production line of Onaga Co., Ltd. (Japan) at HANSSIP (Photo: nhandan.vn)

Hanoi moves to maintain appeal to FDI inflows

In the first eight months of 2026, the capital city attracted more than 3.7 billion USD in FDI, equivalent to 83% of the plan set for the year. Newly registered FDI exceeded 572 million USD across 450 projects, up 175.78% in project numbers and 209.46% in capital compared to the same period last year. Additional registered capital topped 492 million USD, while capital contributions and share purchases exceeded 2.6 billion USD.

Saigon Marina IFC is the first private-sector project contributing to realising the goal of developing the Vietnam International Financial Centre in Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: VNA)

VIFC offers various opportunities to attract forein investment

Turning the VIFC into an effective channel for international capital will require clear rules, quality projects and strong connections between investors and domestic businesses. Meeting these requirements will be key to transforming investor interest into concrete capital flows and investment projects in Vietnam.

Production line at Yadea Vietnam’s smart manufacturing plant, which has an investment of more than 100 million USD, in Tan Hung Industrial Park, Bac Ninh province. (Photo: VNA)

Development model for new era – An inevitable trend

International organisations broadly agree that shifting the growth model from reliance on traditional factors toward technology and innovation is no longer an option for Vietnam, but an imperative of the times.

At a commune administrative service centre in Hung Yen province (Photo: VNA)

Government determined to cut administrative procedures to drive double-digit growth

Resolution No. 258/NQ-CP, dated August 31, 2026, calls for substantive and comprehensive reform, with a focus on maximum cuts and simplification of administrative procedures and business conditions. It also seeks to shift management from pre-licence inspection to post-licence inspection based on risk management, while strengthening real-time, data-driven oversight and putting people and businesses at the centre of public services.