Japanese companies are accelerating investment in Vietnam, expanding beyond manufacturing into retail, housing and consumer sectors as they reposition the Southeast Asian nation as a strategic growth hub in Asia.

The Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS) has announced that its member enterprises are invited to attend a seminar on digitalisation, automation solutions, Fourth Industrial Revolution transformation in the garment sector, scheduled to take place in Hanoi on May 28.

VOV.VN - Vietnam and China have put into operation an additional cross-border logistics route, helping improve transport connectivity and boost trade exchange between the two countries.

A seminar on how to apply the circular economy in agriculture will be held on May 26 in Hanoi by the Institute of Environmental Economics Policy under the Vietnam Association of Environmental Economics.

VOV.VN - Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Nguyen Dac Thanh worked with a delegation from the northern province of Bac Ninh led by Tran Huy Phuong, Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, at the Vietnamese Embassy in Berlin on May 23 to discuss investment cooperation and business connectivity between Bac Ninh and German partners.

Vietnam always wishes to continue strengthening cooperation with UK partners in capital market development, green transition, green finance, and the establishment of Vietnam international financial centre (VIFC), said Minister of Finance Ngo Van Tuan.

VOV.VN - Vietnam has kept inflation below 4% since 2015, and maintaining macroeconomic stability while effective inflation control in 2026 will be crucial to supporting the country’s goal of achieving double-digit GDP growth.

VOV.VN - Expo ANTAD 2026, held in Guadalajara in Mexico’s Jalisco state from May 19-21, drew strong interest from businesses in Mexico and across Latin America in Vietnamese goods and investment opportunities linked to one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing economies.

Major automakers including Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Ford and Mercedes-Benz have confirmed that most modern vehicles currently operating in Vietnam are compatible with E10 biofuel, easing concerns ahead of the fuel’s nationwide rollout from June 1.

Venture capital is critical to spurring technological innovation and pushing Vietnamese firms into emerging sectors while supporting legal fine-tuning to create breakthrough momentum for economic growth, Deputy Minister of Finance Nguyen Duc Tam said.

Vietnam and the European Union (EU) should further deepen their economic and trade ties in a substantive and effective manner.

VOV.VN - US-based logistics publication MoreThanShipping.com on May 21 described Vietnam as carrying out reforms while emerging as an attractive destination for investors in the 2026-2035 period.

VOV.VN - Ho Chi Minh City now holds unprecedented strategic advantages for development as logistics infrastructure, seaports, finance, trade, industry and innovation converge to create new growth momentum, participants heard at a conference held in the city on May 22.

The Vietnam Agriculture Reputation Index (VARI), a new programme to rate the credibility of agricultural businesses, and its portal were launched in Hanoi on May 22, a move expected to improve transparency, strengthen market trust, and ease access to finance across the sector.

VOV.VN - AVC Technology (Vietnam) Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Taiwan-based AVC Group, on May 22 broke ground on a US$600 million electronic components manufacturing plant at the Kim Bang 1 Industrial Park in the northern province of Ninh Binh.

Amid growing agricultural and trade cooperation, the coffee industries of Vietnam and China, particularly in Yunnan province, are witnessing notable developments.

The Petrovietnam Refining and Petrochemical Corporation (BSR), a member of the Vietnam National Industry – Energy Group (Petrovietnam), will produce and distribute between 80,000 and 100,000 cubic metres of E10RON95 biofuel petrol per month to meet growing market demand for E10 fuel during May 2026 and months to come.

VOV.VN - Marriott International plans to open four new hotels in Vietnam in 2026 alongside expanding a pipeline of more than 50 projects across the country, underscoring growing confidence in Vietnam’s tourism and hospitality market.

The Institute for South Asian, West Asian and African Studies (ISAWAAS) under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences convened a scientific seminar in Hanoi on May 21 to chart a path for Vietnam-Africa cooperation for sustainable development, timed for Africa Day on May 25.

VOV.VN - Vietnamese Ambassador to Italy Nguyen Phuong Anh delivered remarks at the fourth Annual International Meeting 2026 (AIM2026) at the invitation of Marco Natali, President of the Confederation of Italian Professional Associations (Confprofessioni).

NordCham Vietnam, in coordination with several partners, on May 21 hosted Work the Nordic Way 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City, its flagship employer branding conference.

VOV.VN - Vietnam’s trade deficit widened sharply in the first four months of 2026 as imports surged alongside the recovery of manufacturing and exports.

VOV.VN - Vietnam’s machinery and equipment exports posted strong growth in the first months of 2026, highlighting the country’s increasingly important role in the global industrial supply chain.

A series of international exhibitions on the automotive industry and transport infrastructure opened at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City on May 21, bringing together hundreds of domestic, foreign enterprises seeking business partnerships and technology exchange opportunities.

In an effort to strengthen trade promotion activities in Vietnam, Bord Bia (the Irish Food Board) – a government agency under Ireland’s Department of Agriculture – is rolling out a trade promotion campaign in Vietnam this May.

VOV.VN - An International Maritime Finance Ecosystem initiative was launched in Ho Chi Minh City as part of efforts to develop the Vietnam International Financial Centre in Ho Chi Minh City (VIFC-HCMC), and to strengthen Vietnam’s position in global maritime finance and logistics.

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc on May 20 inspected progress of the Gia Binh International Airport project and related infrastructure works, including the route linking the airport with Hanoi and the Ring Road No. 4 project in the Hanoi Capital Region passing through Bac Ninh province.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), in coordination with the Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnam Business Association in Bangladesh, hosted a Vietnam – Bangladesh business forum and B2B Matching 2026 event in Dhaka on May 19.

The Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC), in coordination with the Vietnam Lawyers Association, will organise the Vietnam ADR Week 2026 (VAW 2026) from May 25 to 29 under the theme “Arbitration & ADR: Reaching New Heights”.

The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has launched an anti-dumping investigation into imports of polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG) from several countries and territories, including Vietnam, mainland China, the Republic of Korea and Taiwan (China), the Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam said on May 20.