Vietnam news in brief - July 2 

Vietnam, Italy expand defense cooperation

Vietnam and Italy agreed to strengthen defense ties by increasing cooperation in peacekeeping, defense industry, training, and demining. The two countries reached this agreement during their 5th Defense Policy Dialogue in Hanoi on July 2, co-chaired by Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien and Italian Secretary of State for Defense Matteo Perego di Cremnago. They also established a bilateral defense working group.

Vietnam promotes military medical ties at ACMMC-12 in Indonesia

Vietnam and Indonesia agreed to focus on disaster medical response and share their respective strengths in hospital ships, proton therapy, immunotherapy, burn treatment, and infectious disease treatment. These discussions were held at the 12th ASEAN Chiefs of Military Medicine Conference (ACMMC-12), which took place from June 30 to July 2 in Indonesia. The conference aimed to strengthen regional military medical cooperation and foster a more unified and responsive ASEAN community.

Japan plans to double tourism exchange with Vietnam

Japan aims to increase two-way tourism with Vietnam to two million visitors by 2030, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) announced at a forum in Hanoi on July 2. Over 30 Vietnamese firms met with 26 Japanese partners to discuss potential collaborations. In 2024, about 621,000 Vietnamese visitors arrived in Japan, up 8.2% year-over-year. The JNTO is promoting regional destinations, off-peak travel, and Expo 2025 to attract more Vietnamese tourists.

Doveco opens new sustainable canning line

Vietnam’s Doveco inaugurated the country’s first fruit canning line using Sweden’s Tetra Recart paper-based packaging in Son La on July 2. The new line can process 6,000 packs per hour, optimizing operations and reducing waste. This innovation will enhance Vietnam’s processed fruit industry by providing sustainable, preservative-free packaging that extends shelf life and maintains product quality.

AI Hay raises funds to boost local AI use

The Vietnamese AI platform AI Hay has raised $10 million in a new funding round led by Argor Capital, bringing the total amount of investment to over $18 million. Since its launch in 2024, the app has grown to serve over 10 million users and has become one of the top 10 AI apps in Southeast Asia. AI Hay aims to expand into education and daily-life applications tailored to Vietnamese users.

Vietnam–Myanmar Trade Fair 2025 set for Yangon

The Vietnam-Myanmar Trade Fair will take place from October 10 to 12 in Yangon to feature over 100 booths representing various industries, as well as a business networking forum. The event aims to expand markets and connect Vietnamese firms with Myanmar's market, which has weak production capacity and infrastructure in need of upgrades, especially following the March 2025 earthquake.

MTA Vietnam 2025 boosts manufacturing industry

The MTA Vietnam 2025 trade show opened on July 2 in Ho Chi Minh City, featuring 500 exhibitors from 21 countries and territories. The event included seminars on semiconductors, metrology, and automation and offered valuable business networking opportunities. As an international trade platform, MTA Vietnam 2025 supports the country's industry restructuring strategy, which aims to establish manufacturing as a key economic pillar contributing 30% to GDP by 2030.

Vietnam canoeing team eyes SEA Games 33 gold

After earning 13 gold, five silver, and eight bronze medals at the Youth, U23, and Asian Championships in 2025, Vietnam’s Canoeing Team is targeting gold at the 33rd SEA Games and the 2026 Asian Games. These strong results confirm the team's regional standing, but they also highlight the need for focused investment to improve performance and support Vietnam’s policy of developing high-performance sports.