AGP Executive Report

Port & Logistics: Midea Group and Hutchison Ports signed an MoU to deepen port and shipping cooperation, aiming for a more resilient global supply-chain ecosystem. Air Cargo: DHL Global Forwarding added a new Bangkok–Cincinnati freighter service (3x weekly) with road feeder links to boost Southeast Asia–US logistics reliability. Finance & FDI: Vietnam’s foreign-invested sector policy urges a shift from chasing investment volume to prioritising advanced tech, innovation and spillovers for local firms. Capital Markets: DatVietVAC set for an IPO with 11.15 million shares at VND54,800, targeting listing on Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange in 2026. Green Transition: Deputy PM Nguyen Van Thang pushed firms to be transparent on environmental data and join the carbon market as Vietnam’s exchange begins pilot trading. Energy & Industry: The Ministry of Construction approved revisions to Vietnam’s airport development plan, adding a second international airport for the capital region and expanding the network to 36 airports by 2030. Business Climate: Vietnam’s corporate wellness focus is shifting from reimbursement to holistic wellbeing ecosystems, with companies increasingly treating it as a strategic investment.

Aviation & Connectivity: Vietnam has officially added a second international airport for the Hanoi capital region to its revised national airport development plan, with a proposed site in southern Hanoi (Ung Hoa, Chuyen My) and a network target of 36 airports by 2030. Digital Government: Vietnam is pushing deeper public-sector digitalization, including lifelong learning records integrated into VNeID, and tighter biometric re-authentication rules for SIM transfers. FDI Quality & Sustainability: The Politburo’s Resolution 10-NQ/TW signals a shift in foreign investment strategy toward green and digital priorities, but experts warn Vietnam still faces logistics-cost and clean-energy infrastructure gaps. Industrial Finance Risk: Atradius’ Asia survey finds B2B payment stress is rising in Vietnam alongside other markets, with construction and trade hit hardest as risk concentrates in weaker segments. Trade & Logistics: Vietnam’s air travel rules also tighten, setting refund deadlines for delayed or canceled flights, while regional border moves (Thailand–Malaysia) aim to ease cross-border trade and tourism flows. Energy Transition: Vietnam’s E10 biofuel rollout shows early emissions benefits, as policy makers continue work on a suitable energy-transition roadmap.

Semiconductor Support in HCMC: Ho Chi Minh City is consulting a draft policy to back domestic chip design projects with up to 30% of total costs (capped at $600,000 per project), covering training, R&D, pilot production and equipment—plus full IP registration and ownership for eligible local firms. Digital Payments Expansion: NAPAS and TikTok Shop signed to bring TikTok Shop checkout payments onto the NAPAS Digital Payment Platform, using NAPAS cards and accounts from 44 banks. Logistics Leadership Move: FM Logistic Vietnam appointed Héloïse Hadoux as managing director, aiming to grow high-value logistics (luxury, cosmetics, retail) and expand bonded warehousing, customs clearance and urban logistics. Insurance Retail Push: NNX Insurance opened its first Hanoi insurance centre, blending tech and in-person services to handle advice and claims as competition shifts toward customer experience. Aviation Rules for Passengers: Vietnam set refund and compensation timelines for delayed/canceled flights, including water and meal requirements and defined refund windows. Seafood Trade Pressure: VASEP urged urgent government action over Brazil’s proposed tilapia import restrictions affecting Vietnamese exporters. Tourism Revenue Up: HCMC reported strong H1 tourism earnings, with international arrivals up nearly 50% and visitor spending rising over 60%.

Wildlife Enforcement in Vietnam: Vietnam’s Pu Mat National Park antipoaching unit is using SMART patrol planning and remotely monitored “PoacherCams” to spot trafficking hotspots and guide field teams, while admitting tech still struggles with rugged terrain and patchy connectivity. Vietnam Trade & Industry Signals: Vietnam’s textile and garment exports rose 1.7% YoY in H1 2026, while coffee export value hit US$4.78B in H1 even as prices fell—both point to demand resilience but margin pressure. HCMC Logistics Push: Ho Chi Minh City plans to cut logistics costs to 11–14% of regional GDP, aiming to improve competitiveness for manufacturers and exporters. Foreign Investment & Policy: Vietnam issued rules on minimum equity requirements for foreign offshore wind investors, and a Politburo resolution shifts foreign investment strategy toward quality and sustainability. Regional Heat Risk: An Oxford study flags Ho Chi Minh City among the world’s highest heat-risk cities as El Niño concerns rise, with knock-on effects for labor, agriculture, and energy demand. Vietnam in Global Tech/Payments: M-DAQ Global expands into Vietnam’s payments market, adding to the fintech push.

Offshore Wind Policy: Vietnam set minimum equity rules for foreign offshore wind investors, requiring at least 15% equity plus domestic participation and local supply use, with the decree effective July 4 through end-2030. Logistics Push in HCM City: Ho Chi Minh City aims to cut logistics costs to 11-14% of regional GDP by 2030, betting on ring roads, expressways, rail links and upgraded waterways to boost competitiveness. Energy Contract Milestone: PV GAS signed a 2027-2031 LNG forward deal with Shell Eastern Trading, a first for Vietnam’s domestic LNG market and a step toward long-term energy security. Trade & Compliance Pressure: Vietnamese trade offices urged exporters to adapt fast for tougher US and EU rules, stressing documentation, traceability and sustainability compliance. EFTA-Vietnam Deal: Vietnam and EFTA concluded a comprehensive FTA covering goods, services, investment, IP and customs facilitation, opening more predictable access for manufacturers and exporters. Payments & Fintech: M-DAQ Global integrated with METech to build a more unified ASEAN payments hub, giving it direct VND rails in Vietnam. Infrastructure & Connectivity: Nearly 400 km of expressways opened in H1, while HCM City also floated metro line No. 3 extensions toward Long Thanh airport. Climate Risk Watch: An Oxford study flags extreme heat risk for cities including Ho Chi Minh City as El Niño concerns rise.

Vietnam Airlines Long-Haul Milestone: Vietnam Airlines flew a humanitarian A350-900 nonstop from Hanoi to Caracas, about 16,398 km, setting a world record for the aircraft type and highlighting Vietnam’s growing aviation reach. Industrial Safety Alert: A fire at a Vinh Long seafood processing plant owned by Godaco caused damage estimated at over USD 6.2 million, with VASEP urging members to review fire-prevention and firefighting measures. Apparel Supply Chain Shift: A study says Cambodia and Vietnam have overtaken Bangladesh as China’s apparel order share declines, pointing to continued momentum for Vietnam’s garment exports. Tourism & Policy Context: Vietnam’s H1 growth and trade updates continue to frame demand for travel and consumer spending, while regional policy moves (like VAT refund rules for foreign tourists in the Philippines) signal how governments are trying to pull more spending into local industries. Energy & Waste-to-Value Lesson: A regional analysis warns that anaerobic digestion projects in Asia won’t be profitable just by processing more waste; feedstock quality and purification matter most for grid-ready output.

Port & Logistics: PSA Vietnam and Lach Huyen International Logistics & Industrial Park (LHF) will jointly develop and operate four deep-sea container berths at Lach Huyen Port in Hai Phong, targeting a 4.5m teu hub; first two berths start late 2026, with full completion aimed for 2035. Energy & Industry Decarbonisation: TotalEnergies ENEOS has commissioned a nearly 28 MWp rooftop solar PV system at Samsung Electronics’ HCMC complex under Vietnam’s Decree 57 direct power purchase framework, generating 40,000+ MWh/year and cutting 500,000+ tons of CO₂ over the contract period. FDI & Manufacturing: Vietnam secured $34.65bn in foreign investment commitments in H1 2026, up 61% YoY, with manufacturing and processing the top recipient; disbursement hit a five-year high. Policy & Business Climate: Vietnam strengthens IP protection under its 2030 strategy, with trademark filings near 100,000 in 2025, as enforcement becomes more central to attracting innovation-driven investment. Digital & Finance: Banks and payment providers must share customer payment account information with tax authorities from July 1 under Decree 252, with monthly electronic reporting. Green Agriculture: Regenerative farming is being pushed to help Vietnamese coffee clear “green barriers,” improve biodiversity, and meet tighter export-market sustainability demands. Climate Risk: El Niño-linked heat and water stress are raising concerns for Vietnam’s agriculture and infrastructure planning. SME Growth Push: Business groups propose updates to SME support laws and regulatory sandboxes to help second-half GDP growth.

Vietnam EV & mobility: VinFast unveiled the VF 2 compact urban electric car at 188 million VND (about $7,200) with a claimed up to 210 km range; pre-orders open July 15 and deliveries are set for September 2026. Retail & capital markets: Mobile World’s electronics retailer Dien May Xanh raised over VND13.3 trillion (about $505.8m) in its IPO, selling 93% of offered shares. Ports & logistics: PSA Vietnam plans to develop container berths at Lach Huyen Port in Haiphong, aiming to expand capacity for regional trade flows. FDI & growth signals: Vietnam reported a trade deficit in H1 as imports outpaced exports, while realized FDI hit a five-year high; Ho Chi Minh City also posted strong H1 growth. Industrial policy & business climate: Vietnam’s officials reviewed a new e-commerce law and implementation decree, while manufacturing remains a key growth driver in H1 data. Energy & industry tech: Samsung Vietnam put a nearly-28MWp rooftop solar project into operation, adding to Vietnam’s distributed energy push.

Trade & Investment Pulse: Vietnam’s merchandise trade swung to a $16.65bn deficit in H1 2026 as imports (up 33.4%) outpaced exports (up 21%), with the gap largely tied to raw materials, machinery and intermediate goods for manufacturing. At the same time, realised FDI hit a five-year high: $13.03bn disbursed in H1 (+11.2% YoY) and registered FDI rose to $34.65bn (+61%), led by manufacturing and processing. Business Formation: New enterprise creation accelerated—111,700 firms launched in H1 (+22.5%), with newly registered capital surging to VND1,352.6tn (+64.8%). Industrial Real Estate: Industrial property stocks gained momentum as policy support and FDI inflows lifted sentiment, with Resolution 10 seen as a catalyst for industrial land demand. Ports & Logistics: PSA Vietnam will co-develop four deep-sea container berths at Lach Huyen Port in Haiphong (4.5m TEU/year), strengthening North Vietnam’s gateway role. HCMC Growth: Ho Chi Minh City posted 8.55% H1 growth, driven by services and a strong industrial production rebound; FDI licensing also jumped. Aviation Cargo: Vietnam Airlines plans its first dedicated freighter in Q3 2026, targeting Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and India, plus logistics investments around Long Thanh and Gia Binh.

Vietnam Macro: Vietnam’s economy grew 8.4% y/y in Q2, beating forecasts as manufacturing and construction held up despite import disruptions and higher fuel costs linked to the Iran war; H1 growth was 8.2% with exports up 21% to $266.5bn. Vietnam Policy & Trade: Vietnam officials reviewed a new e-commerce law and its implementation decree, signaling tighter rules for the digital marketplace. Energy & Industry: Vietnam reported early gains from the nationwide E10 biofuel rollout, while offshore wind is positioned as a new marine-economy growth lever. FDI & Business Climate: Ho Chi Minh City moved to attract more FDI and digital transformation for 100,000 SMEs by 2030, alongside announcements of major infrastructure and AI-related investment. Textiles & Manufacturing: Hyosung TNC promoted sustainable, bio-based spandex from its Vietnam production at the Functional Fabric Fair in New York. Food & Agriculture: Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports rose nearly 18% in H1, and Vietnam launched a pilot carbon market covering 51 cement plants.

Vietnam Execution Push: Party General Secretary To Lam urged ministries and localities to remove “bottlenecks of all bottlenecks” and speed up policy implementation after H1 growth missed targets, with public investment disbursement and key infrastructure lagging. Hanoi STEM Drive: Vietnam is prioritising a high-quality STEM workforce to boost competitiveness in AI, semiconductors and quantum tech. AI Infrastructure in the Capital: G-Group received an investment certificate for a nearly US$300m AI-ready G-Campus at Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park, including R&D, HPC, cloud and cybersecurity facilities. Digital Economy & Retail Expansion: AEON opened its first central Vietnam “supersized” supermarket in Đà Nẵng, while Shopee doubled down on AI investments and Trip.com expanded its HCM City office to deepen local tourism partnerships. Market Watch: VN-Index fell for a second session as foreign investors kept selling net on HoSE, with PNJ hit after a diamond smuggling crackdown. E-commerce Skills for Crafts: Coca-Cola Vietnam backed e-commerce training for women in Hà Nội’s conical hat craft village, blending digital tools with heritage preservation.

Vietnam Economy Watch: Vietnam’s GDP grew 8.39% y/y in Q2 2026, with industry and construction leading at 10.51% and services up 7.87%, while H1 GDP rose 8.18% y/y—signaling broad-based momentum despite global headwinds. Anti-Smuggling & Market Control: Vietnam’s MoIT reported nearly 20,000 smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit cases handled in H1 2026, with Steering Committee 389 inspecting 23,715 cases and generating 330bn VND for the state budget through fines, illicit gains and confiscations. Energy & Maritime Industry: Vietnam’s offshore wind is gaining traction as a green marine-economy driver, with Resolution 36-NQ/TW pointing to a wider industrial ecosystem from surveys and engineering to steel, offshore construction, ports, logistics and O&M. Aviation Connectivity: Da Lat’s Lien Khuong airport will reopen Aug 19, with 91 weekly return flights resuming from Vietjet and Vietnam Airlines across major cities. Digital Infrastructure: NEC will supply the I-2SEA submarine cable linking India–Malaysia–Singapore, targeting service in 2029 to boost AI and cloud bandwidth and route resilience. Trade & Compliance: USTR hearings next week will review forced-labour import restrictions across 60 economies, with Vietnam among those submitting views. Agriculture & Climate Risk: Offshore wind and climate resilience themes also show up in food policy—Vietnam’s growth backdrop comes as regional agriculture faces El Niño-linked pressure and seed strategy shifts.

Vietnam Macro: Vietnam’s GDP grew 8.18% in H1, with industry and construction up 9.81% and services up 8.09%, while the country targets 11.9% growth in H2 to hit its 2026 goal. Inflation Watch: CPI rose 4.38% in H1; June CPI eased 0.39% month-on-month as cheaper fuel helped cool price pressures. Industrial Momentum: Industrial production jumped 10.8% in H1, the fastest pace since 2019, led by manufacturing and processing (+11.4%). Fintech & Investment: Blackstone, CVC Capital Partners and MUFG are among bidders for a stake in Vietnam’s MoMo ahead of a partial sale process that could value the firm at over $2bn. Trade & Sourcing: EFTA and Vietnam concluded comprehensive FTA negotiations, aiming to cut barriers and improve market access for goods and services, with apparel and footwear highlighted. Energy for Industry: TotalEnergies ENEOS commissioned a nearly 28 MWp rooftop solar PV system at Samsung Electronics’ HCMC complex under Vietnam’s DPPA framework, supplying about 26% of the site’s electricity. Real Estate: Huong Viet Properties outlined a high-rise market outlook driven by infrastructure, shifting buyer preferences toward real value, and developer consolidation. Logistics/Ports: PSA and LHF plan to jointly develop four deep-sea container berths in north Vietnam, reinforcing capacity for regional trade flows.

Aviation & Connectivity: Vietnam’s carriers have filed initial plans for Ho Chi Minh City’s Long Thanh trial operations, with VietJetAir proposing early December 2026 domestic flying and later scaling up narrowbody fleets plus first international routes in the airport’s initial phase, while Vietnam Airlines plans to shift several international routes from HCMC to Long Thanh. Manufacturing & Supply Chain: East West Manufacturing is buying Vexos to expand engineering and high-mix electronics manufacturing capacity, including regulated work for medical, aerospace and AI data centers, with added footprint across the US, Canada, Mexico, China and Vietnam. Consumer & Retail: Sendo will shut down its online grocery platform Sendo Farm on July 10 as it restructures, with refunds for unused memberships and wallet balances. Automotive Demand: Toyota Vietnam reported June sales up 12% month-on-month, driven by hybrid deliveries surging 89%, signaling continued shift toward fuel-efficient models. Agri-Exports & Trade: Vietnam’s agriculture push for higher-value, low-carbon fruit and vegetable exports to China is increasingly centered on quality, traceability and deeper processing to stabilize market access. Real Estate: Malaysia is offering a 10% home purchase discount during AREC 2026 to ease deposit burdens and support affordable housing supply.

World Bank Income Reclassifications: The World Bank upgraded Vietnam to upper-middle-income status alongside the Philippines and Sri Lanka, signaling stronger growth momentum and likely new investor expectations. Digital Payments & Cross-Border Trade: Vietnam and Singapore launched a cross-border QR payment service via NAPAS, enabling cashless payments across Vietnam with real-time currency conversion for visitors. Port & Heavy Industry: HD Hyundai Eco Vina won a contract to supply two rail mounted quay cranes for Vietnam’s international terminal, underlining Vietnam’s role in global port equipment supply chains. Local Supplier Upgrading: Bắc Ninh and Samsung renewed a five-year partnership to push digital transformation, smart manufacturing, and skills for domestic suppliers. Green Finance for Agriculture: The Green Climate Fund approved $50m for Mekong Capital’s MERF, targeting climate-resilient agribusiness and value-chain investments in the lower Mekong. Energy Storage Market Signals: A Wood Mackenzie report says Chinese firms captured 76% of the global BESS integrator market in 2025, with competition shifting toward software, grid-forming tech, and financing support. Supply Chain Integrity: An EIA report alleges illegal timber from Cambodia and Laos still enters Vietnam through falsified paperwork and quota manipulation, urging tighter verification and oversight. FDI & Semiconductor Push: Vietnam’s semiconductor ecosystem is expanding, but experts warn that prototype manufacturing infrastructure and shared “tape-out” capacity remain bottlenecks for moving up the value chain.

Energy & Renewables: Ca Mau kicked off a 240-million-USD, 100MW offshore wind project in the Khai Long–Ca Mau tourism area, targeting first power in May 2028 and about 253GWh clean electricity annually. Agri-exports & Trade Facilitation: Vietnam is pushing for faster “green lane” customs clearance and tighter traceability to keep fruit and vegetable exports to China growing, after China tightened production-code and packaging approvals. Logistics & Ports: Hai Phong reported 96 million tonnes of cargo throughput in H1 2026, up 11.4% y/y, citing digital upgrades and the deep-water Lach Huyen port complex to attract larger container ships. Manufacturing Pulse: Asia’s factory activity stayed resilient in June as AI demand offset war-driven cost pressures, while Vietnam’s broader industrial momentum remains supported by policy and investment signals. Policy & Climate Markets: Vietnam launched a pilot carbon market covering 51 cement plants, aiming to build a domestic carbon trading exchange pathway for net-zero transition. Business & Finance: UOB Vietnam broke ground on a US$450 million HQ in HCMC’s financial center, underscoring continued financial-services investment in next-gen growth areas.