Vietnam news in brief - February 10

General Secretary urges 490th Missile Brigade to improve readiness and welfare

General Secretary To Lam urged the 490th Missile Brigade to enhance the quality of training, apply technology and improve soldiers' welfare during his visit to the brigade's headquarters in the northern province of Hai Duong on February 10. Established in 1946, the unit serves as the strategic reserve ground-to-ground missile force and the primary land-based firepower of the Vietnam People's Army. It has 83 units and 17 individuals honored as Heroes of the People's Armed Forces.

Vietnam ranked 2nd globally for Khan Academy online learning 

Vietnam ranks second globally in online learning on the Khan Academy platform in 2024, behind Brazil, with over 204 million learning minutes and two million new accounts. According to the organization, this growth reflects the efforts of the government, teachers and students to adopt technology in education, and confirms Vietnam as a pioneer in digital education, expanding equal and effective online learning opportunities.

Vietnamese Proficiency Test attracts candidates from all over Japan

The 8th Vietnamese Proficiency Test was held at Osaka University, Japan, on February 9, attracting candidates from 20 localities across Japan. The test comes as Vietnam and Japan have become Comprehensive Strategic Partners. The 9th Vietnamese Proficiency Test is scheduled to be held in Osaka and Tokyo in August.

Airline Ratings names VietJet the world's best ultra-low-cost carrier in 2025, ahead of Cebu Pacific. Photo: Pham Hung/The Hanoi Times

VietJet named World's Best Ultra Low Cost Carrier 2025

Airline Ratings has named VietJet the World's Best Ultra Low Cost Carrier 2025, ahead of Cebu Pacific. The organization praised VietJet for offering competitive fares while maintaining quality and passenger experience.

Phu Quoc the fastest growing destination in South East Asia

Vietnam's largest island, Phu Quoc in the southernmost province of Kien Giang, has topped Travel Off Path's list of the top five fastest-growing destinations in Southeast Asia. Airlines serving Phu Quoc Airport added over 108,000 seats in January, an increase of 185.2%, according to Aviation A2Z.

Sky tram to Hon Thom Islet in Phu Quoc City, Kien Giang Province. Photo: tourphuquoc.vn

Hoa Phat to invest $400 million in steel for railway projects

The Hoa Phat Group plans major investments in 2025-2030, focusing on steel production for national railway projects. The company is proposing a $400 million rail production plant and is seeking legal guarantees for investment security. Hoa Phat is also expanding its Dung Quat steel complexes to achieve self-sufficiency in high-quality steel to support key infrastructure, including the North-South High-Speed Railway.

Vietnam adds one more new national park 

Xuan Lien natural reserve in the central province of Thanh Hoa has been designated a national park, bringing the total number of parks in Vietnam to more than 34. Covering 25,600 hectares, it protects biodiversity, supports research and promotes ecotourism. Home to rare species such as white-cheeked gibbons and Roosevelt's muntjac, the park strengthens conservation and sustainable environmental efforts.

Vietnamese students win big in tech competition

Vietnamese students won two gold and two silver medals at the Youth Tech Asia Challenge (YTAC 2025) in Malaysia from February 7 to 9. Gold medals went to projects on AI-based sign language translation (Trang An Primary School, Hanoi) and fraud detection on digital platforms (Chi Lang High School, Gia Lai). Two other teams won silver medals for innovative technology solutions.