The project will be developed on a 1.9-hectare land plot with a total investment of $15 million, representing another significant milestone in Amata City Ha Long’s efforts to attract high-tech and advanced manufacturing investments. The facility will specialise in the production of high-value electronic components serving key industries, including industrial automation, automotive manufacturing, and medical technology.

The project is expected to achieve an annual production capacity of approximately 17 million units. Beyond expanding Quang Ninh’s growing electronics manufacturing ecosystem, the investment will create new employment opportunities, support technology transfer, and strengthen the province’s position within global supply chains.

Nguyen Van Nhan, general director of Amata City Ha Long, said, "This decision further reinforces the growing appeal of Quang Ninh City as an ideal investment destination and highlights the attractiveness of Amata City Ha Long to high-quality manufacturers."

He noted that the project demonstrated how Amata City Ha Long's world-class infrastructure, stable utility services, and well-planned industrial ecosystem successfully met the stringent requirements of advanced and high-tech manufacturing industries.

Photo courtesy of Amata

Amata City Ha Long remains committed to contributing to Quang Ninh's long-term development by fostering a technology-driven industrial ecosystem and building a strong supply chain network centred on innovation and advanced manufacturing.

Through these efforts, the company aims to create sustainable economic value, strengthen regional competitiveness, and support the growth of a dynamic new economic centre in northern Vietnam.

As of September 2026, Amata City Ha Long has attracted 26 investment projects with a total registered investment capital of approximately $3.3 billion, establishing itself as one of the leading industrial parks in Quang Ninh city.

Supported by world-class infrastructure, excellent connectivity to seaports, airports, and expressways, and a strong commitment to sustainable development, Amata City Ha Long continues to provide an efficient, reliable, and future-ready environment for business growth, and a strategic destination for global investors in advanced manufacturing and high-technology sectors.

Amata City Ha Long lands $8 million investment from TianJian Vietnam Amata City Halong, also known as Song Khoai Industrial Park, has signed a land lease agreement with TianJian Vietnam for a new factory manufacturing speaker enclosures, plastic components, and moulds.

Continuous supply chain expansion at Amata City Halong: Topping Industrial On August 18, Amata City Halong JSC signed a Land Use Right Sublease Agreement with Topping (Quang Ninh) Industrial Co., Ltd., marking the arrival of a new Chinese supporting manufacturing project in Amata City Halong Industrial Park (also referred to as Song Khoai Industrial Park).

Amata CEO champions high-tech growth and smart cities As global foreign direct investment shifts towards green and high-tech standards, Amata CEO and founder Vikrom Kromadit has concluded a tour of Vietnam alongside a delegation of Chinese technology investors.

More than three decades of development among Vietnamese private enterprises shows that as the business environment becomes increasingly transparent, the private sector gains greater room to build its internal capabilities, invest for the long term and gradually strengthen its competitiveness.

If fair rules in sport motivate athletes to continually push beyond their limits, a healthy competitive business environment similarly gives companies the confidence to invest in technology, innovation and long-term strategies.

Through policy recommendations submitted to the government over the years, Vietnam's private business community has shown that what it needs is not preferential treatment or privileges, but a transparent, stable and consistent business environment where every player can grow on the strength of its own capabilities.

“Businesses do not need preferential treatment; they need a stable, predictable, transparent and fair environment; they need their business and property rights to be protected; they need streamlined administrative procedures and a consistent policy implementation system from the central to local levels. Reform only truly matters when it delivers tangible results,” said Nguyen Duy Hung, member of the Board of Directors at Tan Hiep Phat Beverage Group, one of the leading fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) businesses in the country.

Established in 1994, just a few years after the Law on Enterprises expanded the space for the private sector, Tan Hiep Phat was among the businesses that came of age alongside the country's reform drive. More than three decades later, Tan Hiep Phat has become the only Vietnamese firm among the top five leading beverage companies in Vietnam.

The journey of companies such as Tan Hiep Phat, therefore, serves as a reflection of the relationship between the business environment and the process of building internal capabilities within the private sector.

Hung uses the metaphor of “where the soil is fertile, birds will come to nest”: when confidence is strengthened, “flows of knowledge, talent, technology and legitimate aspirations for prosperity will naturally find their way in.”

Nguyen Duy Hung, member of the Board of Directors at Tan Hiep Phat. Photos: Tan Hiep Phat Beverage Group

But reform only creates the space for development. Opportunities become competitive advantages only when businesses have the determination to invest in capabilities that form a lasting foundation.

Building internal strength through manufacturing and technology

According to the Vietnam Private Economy Report and Provincial Competitiveness Index 2025, Vietnam's private economic sector currently provides jobs for approximately 26 million people, equivalent to 50.2 per cent of total employment nationwide.

Behind this scale lies the production capacity accumulated over many years by millions of businesses, with leading companies playing an important role in shaping supply chains, creating jobs and generating spillover effects across other parts of the economy.

According to Nguyen Van Viet, chairman of the Vietnam Beer – Alcohol – Beverage Association (VBA), persistent investment in modern production technologies and quality control in line with international standards not only enables businesses to provide consumers with quality products at reasonable prices, but also helps raise standards across the beverage industry and strengthen the competitiveness of domestic companies.

When a manufacturing company makes long-term investments, the value it creates extends beyond the company itself, spreading throughout the wider ecosystem

Tan Hiep Phat is an example of this process of accumulation. Nearly two decades ago, when most of the market was still using conventional filling technology, the company chose to invest in an Aseptic filling system from Germany – a technology requiring substantial investment and stringent operating standards.

Aseptic technology enables the product and packaging to be sterilised separately before filling in a sterile environment, helping control product quality and safety without the use of preservatives to extend shelf life.

Aseptic filling technology requires stringent technical operation and a long payback period

This was not simply a technology decision, but a decision to invest in long-term capabilities. The substantial investment required, stringent technical operating requirements and longer payback period made it far from an easy choice.

In return, Aseptic technology has become one of the key foundations that have enabled Tan Hiep Phat to build its manufacturing capabilities and develop its core products over the years.

More importantly, the company did not stop at adopting the technology. Through continuous operation and improvement, Tan Hiep Phat has gradually built up its capabilities, mastered the technology and worked with international partners to develop solutions better suited to Vietnam's climate, raw materials and consumer needs.

Over more than 30 years, the company has continuously reinvested in its production capabilities, gradually building a system of four manufacturing clusters in the country's key economic regions – Ninh Binh, Danang, Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho – with 12 Aseptic filling lines and total investment exceeding $300 million.

The company has also brought its products to demanding markets such as France, the Netherlands, Australia and Canada by meeting globally-recognised standards including the Food and Drug Administration, Halal, ISO and HACCP.

These figures reflect more than the scale of investment. More importantly, they represent a decades-long process of building capabilities – a process that is still ongoing at Tan Hiep Phat.

In 2025, the company decided to invest an additional $100 million in next-generation production lines to enhance its manufacturing capacity and meet growing market demand. As the company has expanded, so have tens of thousands of partners across its supply chain matured and grown alongside it.

Seen through this lens, Tan Hiep Phat is more than simply a beverage company. Behind every bottle of Zero Degree Green Tea, Dr Thanh Herbal Tea or Number 1 Energy Drink lies an extensive economic ecosystem spanning farmers in raw-material growing regions, packaging companies, logistics providers and technology partners, through to distributors and retailers across the country.

This is also how the capabilities of individual businesses are transformed into the capabilities of an entire industry. And as more Vietnamese companies choose to invest in capabilities rather than pursue short-term growth alone, today's private-sector investments will become part of Vietnam's comprehensive productive capacity and economic competitiveness in the future.

Tan Hiep Phat joins efforts to care for children In the course of its business, southern beverage major Tan Hiep Phat is also diligently caring for children, striving to be always of good service to society.

Tan Hiep Phat: a 30-year journey of sustainable development In early October, Tan Hiep Phat, Vietnam's leading beverage manufacturer, in collaboration with the Red Cross Society of Hau Giang Province, awarded 200 scholarships, each worth VND1 million ($39.54) to disadvantaged students.

Tan Hiep Phat awards 200 scholarships to disadvantaged students in Binh Duong On October 28, Tan Hiep Phat, Vietnam's leading beverage manufacturer, joined forces with Binh Duong Youth Union to award 200 scholarships to underprivileged students.

Tan Hiep Phat - 30 years of perseverance and breakthroughs Overcoming challenges, many beverage businesses have affirmed their breakthrough with synergy coming from a chain of links that have been persistently built over decades.

After being examined at several major hospitals in Canada and the United States, doctors determined that she had L4-L5 spondylolisthesis, causing spinal stenosis and nerve root compression.

Her case was considered complex because she still had an old spinal fixation system in place. With conventional treatment, the doctors would have had to remove the entire existing system and replace it with a new one.

After doctors explained the significant risks associated with such major surgery while the likelihood of success remained uncertain, M.C. hesitated to undergo the procedure. She continued searching for hope and eventually decided to travel halfway around the world to Vietnam, seeking treatment at FV Hospital.

After directly examining the patient, Dr Tran Luong Anh, specialist level II, head of Neuro-Surgery and Spine Surgery, said “After more than 30 years, the bone has healed and covers almost the entire plate-and-screw system. If we wanted to remove it, we would have to break through the healed bone, making the surgery extremely complex and risky.”

The situation was further complicated by a screw in the right side of the L4 vertebra that had broken long ago, with the fractured portion embedded deep within the vertebral body, leaving no room for placement of a new screw.

Before deciding on surgery, the FV team collaborated with the Pain Clinic to perform a nerve block to accurately identify the source of the pain.

The results showed that her symptoms were actually caused by spondylolisthesis and nerve compression. Because the pain relief provided by the nerve block lasted less than a month, surgery was considered the only optimal solution to preserve the patient’s mobility.

A novel treatment strategy from the FV team of experts

Recognising this as a rare case involving a unique anatomical structure, the FV medical team agreed on a novel treatment strategy: retaining the entire existing plate-and-screw system and adding a new fixation system only to the lower section, thereby minimising tissue damage to the patient. To carry out this plan, the hospital ordered specialised connecting components from overseas because they were not yet available on the domestic market.

The surgery was performed with the assistance of a navigation system. Photo: FV Hospital

To place new screws while avoiding the fractured screw lodged deep within the vertebral body, the surgical team used a navigation system.

Based on data from computed tomography images, the system reconstructed the spinal anatomy in 3D in real time, allowing the surgeons to accurately visualise and track the trajectory of the surgical instruments down to the millimetre throughout the procedure.

“Navigation helps us choose a safe trajectory for screw placement and avoid the fractured screw remaining inside the vertebral body. If the screw deviates by just a few millimetres, the patient may require revision surgery or experience impaired mobility,” Dr. Luong Anh said.

A typical surgery for spondylolisthesis takes approximately two hours. However, due to the rare complexity of this case, the procedure lasted longer than expected.

After more than three hours of surgery, the doctors successfully placed four new screws, replaced the artificial disc at the L4-L5 level, and decompressed the compressed nerve root.

Experts urge caution about persistent back pain

After surgery, the patient remained in the hospital for about a week and underwent physical therapy. Her pain gradually improved, and her mobility recovered well. One month after surgery, she was discharged from the hospital and returned to Canada.

The patient’s letter to Dr. Tran Luong Anh sent before returning home. Photo: FV Hospital

According to Dr. Luong Anh, people should not ignore persistent back pain, pain radiating down the legs, or difficulty walking or standing for extended periods.

These symptoms may be warning signs of serious conditions such as spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis, or nerve compression. In patients with a history of spinal surgery, anatomical changes over time can make subsequent treatment much more complex. Early diagnosis and timely intervention at reputable healthcare facilities are key to protecting mobility and quality of life.

FV and Metfone launch Vietnam-Cambodia health corridor to ease cross-border care The collaboration between FV Hospital and Viettel Cambodia (Metfone) is expected to streamline cross-border healthcare for Cambodian patients, making access to high-quality services more convenient, transparent, and seamless.

Robotic surgery at FV Hospital removes stage 3A lung tumour A 42-year-old pharmacist diagnosed with stage 3A lung cancer involving major blood vessels made a rapid recovery after doctors at FV Hospital successfully removed the tumour using the Da Vinci Xi robotic surgery system.

Personalised lung cancer treatment: From genetic technology to robotic surgery The era of personalised medicine is transforming the way lung cancer is treated. By analysing the molecular characteristics of each tumour, doctors at FV Hospital can tailor treatment strategies to individual patients instead of relying on the one-size-fits-all approaches used in the past.

Non-smoker diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer during routine health check-up Chev Cheng, a 54-year-old Cambodian, was diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer during a routine health check-up and successfully treated with robot-assisted surgery using the da Vinci Xi surgical system at FV Hospital, avoiding chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Reaching those people is the easy part. Getting them to choose a foreign brand over a familiar local one is harder, and that gap is what separates a digital marketing agency in Vietnam that runs campaigns from one that builds a market position.

Competition is intensifying at the same time. The e-Conomy SEA 2025 report from Google, Temasek and Bain & Company estimated Vietnam's digital economy at $39 billion in 2025, up 17 per cent on-year, with e-commerce accounting for roughly two-thirds of that value. Every point of growth pulls in more local, regional and international players bidding for the same attention.

What everyone is seeing now is a market that is highly reachable and difficult to localise well, making it all the harder to coordinate across the channels where decisions actually happen.

Vietnamese purchase journeys now span social media, search, marketplaces and messaging platforms. Image: Evato

Vietnamese buyers rarely decide on one channel

A single platform rarely does it for an average Vietnamese consumer. The typical path runs from a TikTok video to a Google search, then to Facebook comments or a marketplace listing to check price and reviews, and finally to a Zalo message, a Messenger chat or a website form. The last step in that sequence is often the one foreign marketing stacks are least equipped to measure.

That makes a single translated landing page and a few paid campaigns an incomplete answer. A working strategy has to specify how Vietnamese users search, what they treat as proof, which platforms carry weight in the category, and what kind of content moves someone from interest to enquiry.

As Vincent On, founder and CEO of On Digitals – a Vietnam-focused digital marketing agency that helps international brands connect with Vietnamese consumers, explains, “Foreign brands usually do not fail in Vietnam because they lack marketing assets, but because their global brand voice does not always match how Vietnamese customers find, compare and trust a brand.”

To support that journey, a local agency should be able to coordinate search engine optimisation, content, pay-per-click, social outreach and website development across Google, Meta, TikTok, Zalo and LinkedIn. Running those channels under one plan is what keeps messaging consistent and reporting readable.

Foreign brands need local insight, not only translated campaigns, to compete in Vietnam. Image: Evato

AI adoption is accelerating, speed not the constraint

AI is now part of routine business operations in Vietnam. AWS research published in September 2025 – the Unlocking Vietnam's AI Potential study, conducted with Strand Partners – found that 18 per cent of Vietnamese businesses had adopted AI, up from 13 per cent a year earlier, a 39 per cent increase on-year. The same study found that 74 per cent of adopters still use AI for basic efficiency work.

For marketing teams, that second number matters more than the first. The tools are widely available and cheap, which means speed of production has stopped being a differentiator. What a team does with the output is.

AI is accelerating marketing production, while local teams remain responsible for interpretation and decision-making. Image: Evato

AI finds the patterns, local teams decide what they mean

AI can cluster keywords, draft ad variations and summarise a competitive set in minutes. What it cannot reliably do is read local context. A product category searched in English in Vietnam often signals a procurement officer at a foreign-invested factory; the same category searched in Vietnamese more often signals a domestic reseller comparing price.

That single distinction changes the keyword list, the landing page and the follow-up channel – and it comes from people working the market, not from a model.

Search behaviour, platform preference, language nuance and buying triggers all vary by industry and by region. AI can surface the pattern. Someone still has to judge which keywords carry real purchase intent, which messages will land with a Vietnamese audience, and which channels deserve the next increment of budget.

On Digitals combines AI-supported workflows with local market knowledge, so foreign companies adapt global strategy to Vietnamese customer behaviour rather than shipping generic AI-generated campaigns.

Most foreign brands do not arrive in Vietnam short of marketing assets. They arrive with brand guidelines, approved messaging, product pages and campaign frameworks – all built for another market.

What is missing is the layer underneath: localised keywords, culturally relevant examples, the right platform mix, and content that answers what a Vietnamese buyer actually weighs before committing.

On Digitals works on that layer, turning global direction into local execution across search, content, paid media and digital infrastructure. The goal is a Vietnam growth system that can be measured and improved over time, not a campaign calendar.

For companies entering or scaling in Vietnam, the practical starting point is a review of current search visibility, paid media opportunities, local content gaps and the conversion path. That review usually shows quickly where local execution will move the number fastest.

Unilever Vietnam embraces machine learning and AI in marketing Applying machine learning and AI to digital marketing and distribution channels is one of the key focuses of Unilever Vietnam in promoting digital transformation at businesses.

Meta VP discusses AI’s role in Vietnam’s digital economy Speaking at the Meta Marketing Summit Vietnam in Hanoi on May 8, Benjamin Joe, vice president of Meta, Southeast Asia, sat down with VIR to discuss how AI can offer local businesses greater capabilities to unlock their growth potential in today’s digital economy.

Carlsberg Asia partners with RedNote for regional digital marketing campaign Beverage brand Carlsberg Asia partnered with social platform RedNote on 20 August 2026, launching its regional "Cheers from the Origin" digital marketing campaign featuring actor Shawn Dou.

AI adoption reshapes marketing across Southeast Asia AI is rapidly reshaping marketing across Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, as businesses move beyond experimentation to integrate the technology into their core marketing strategies, according to a new report.

The agreement provides a platform for the parties to exchange expertise, experience and capabilities, while exploring integrated urban development models that bring together public transport, residential, commercial, service and public spaces.

Gamuda Land signed an MoU with MTR Corporation (MTR) and SonKim Land. Photo: Gamuda Land

Importantly, this is not the first collaboration between Gamuda and MTR. The two groups have already established a track record of working together in Australia, particularly in urban rail infrastructure and the integrated development of spaces around railway stations.

Under Sydney Metro West, the Riverside Link Consortium, formed by Gamuda companies and MTR Corporation (Australia) Pty Ltd, was awarded a A$880 million ($630 million) contract to deliver the underground Parramatta Metro Station and associated infrastructure.

The project also includes development rights for commercial, retail and residential buildings above and adjacent to the station, demonstrating an integrated approach that brings transport infrastructure and urban development together within a connected ecosystem.

This experience provides a strong foundation for Gamuda and MTR to explore further opportunities in Vietnam, where urban rail networks are gradually expanding and becoming an increasingly important component of the development strategies of major cities.

The collaboration between Gamuda Land and MTR is underpinned by the complementary strengths of the parties across transport infrastructure, urban rail, TOD and integrated urban development.

With more than 50 years of experience, Gamuda Berhad brings deep expertise in transport infrastructure, urban rail and tunnelling technology, alongside extensive experience in delivering major infrastructure projects across international markets.

MTR, meanwhile, contributes decades of experience in urban rail operations and property development integrated with public transport, underpinned by its renowned “Rail plus Property” model, which combines transport infrastructure with commercial, residential and service functions to create highly connected urban environments.

In Vietnam, Gamuda Land has developed a portfolio of townships and residential developments across Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai and Haiphong. Many of these developments have been planned with a focus on connectivity to existing and emerging transport infrastructure, including Artisan Park, Eaton Park and The Meadow in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as Springville in Dong Nai.

These experiences provide a foundation for Gamuda Land to further explore and develop integrated urban models aligned with TOD principles, in response to the expansion of public transport networks and the rapid urbanisation of Vietnam.

The combination of Gamuda Berhad’s transport infrastructure and urban rail capabilities, MTR’s TOD expertise and Gamuda Land’s integrated urban development experience creates a strong platform for the parties to explore integrated station models that are responsive to Vietnam’s planning context, infrastructure needs and urban development priorities.

Through this collaboration, public transport can serve not only as a means of connectivity, but also as a catalyst for creating modern, sustainable, and vibrant urban environments.

Eaton Park sells 90 per cent of units within hours of launch Eaton Park has once again demonstrated its strong appeal in Ho Chi Minh City's luxury residential market, selling 90 per cent of units within hours at the exclusive launch of its Cove & Lagoon towers.

Gamuda Land commit long-term investment On the sidelines of the Vietnam Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) Forum 2025 held in Ho Chi Minh City on December 9, VIR’s Bich Ngoc spoke with Khanh Nguyen, general director of Gamuda Land Vietnam, about the company’s outlook for the Vietnamese market.

The list will focus on AI, edge computing, next-generation telecommunications, sensors, the Internet of Things (IoT), power electronics, and hardware security.

Tuan noted that, amid increasingly fierce global technology competition, Vietnam had identified the semiconductor industry as not only a high-value-added economic sector but also a foundation for ensuring technological self-reliance, national security, and economic competitiveness.

The Vietnam Semiconductor Industry Development Strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2050, issued under Decision No.1018/QD-TTg, adopts the formula C = SET + 1, in which “S” stands for specialised chips.

Specialised chips are designed to solve specific problems and can be used in AI cameras, IoT devices, robots, UAVs, telecommunications equipment, power electronics, smart grids, and security systems.

“This is considered a suitable direction for Vietnam, given that the country already has a chip design workforce, a developed electronics industry, and a large market in areas such as telecommunications, AI, electric vehicles, energy, and digital transformation,” Tuan said. “If successful, Vietnamese companies can gradually master high-value-added stages such as chip design, verification, testing, and integration.”

A list of around 20 groups of specialised semiconductor chips for priority state procurement. Photo: Ha Vy

Tuan noted that the gap between a chip design and a commercial product remains substantial. Companies need access to electronic design automation tools and licensed intellectual property (IP) libraries, which come at a high cost. In particular, each tape-out can cost millions of USD and always carries the risk of technical failure. Meanwhile, Vietnam has yet to develop a complete ecosystem covering design, fabrication, packaging, testing, and quality certification.

“For companies with small orders, accessing international packaging and testing services is both costly and time-consuming. Even when they have a chip prototype, companies still need to further develop the software and circuit boards, assess reliability, and integrate the chip into the final product,” Tuan said.

“But the biggest challenge may lie in the market. This is the ‘chicken-and-egg’ problem: companies are reluctant to make large investments without customers, while customers do not want to purchase a chip that has not yet been proven in real-world applications. This vicious cycle means that many new chip projects remain at the research stage and fail to move on to commercialisation.”

Tuan said one notable solution was to use public investment projects, national digital transformation programmes, and major infrastructure projects as the first customers for Vietnamese-designed chips. This could be the key to breaking the current vicious cycle.

“Once the first order is secured, companies will have an incentive to invest; when the chip is deployed in real-world trials, the product has an opportunity to be validated; and once companies have operational data and a track record, they will have a stronger basis for approaching larger customers,” he said. “At the same time, Vietnam needs to develop standards, testing laboratories, certification mechanisms, and reliability assessment systems so that domestically developed chips can compete effectively.”

Photo: Ha Vy

An Chen, vice president of Engineering at Qualcomm, said the group is expanding its R&D centres in Vietnam to address the intersection of four areas: AI, semiconductors, software, and systems engineering.

“Our goal is not simply to open another engineering office. We want to build teams that can take on increasingly complex technical challenges, contribute to global products, create intellectual property, and develop the next generation of engineering leaders. Vietnam has talented people, strong universities, a growing technology industry, and a clear national strategy for semiconductors and AI. Our shared task is to turn this strong foundation into long-term engineering capabilities,” Chen said. “We want engineers in Vietnam to develop deep expertise in their respective fields while also understanding the broader system. Over time, this broader perspective will enable them to shape system architecture and lead increasingly complex technical programmes.”

Meanwhile, Geleximco Group revealed that they are advancing investment procedures for a chip manufacturing plant in Hung Yen, with construction expected to begin in November and commercial products expected to reach the market in early 2028.

The company has committed to prioritising the testing and integration of control ICs, sensors, and power chips designed by Vietnamese engineers into its electric vehicle models and industrial ecosystem. The move addresses the “first customer” challenge facing the domestic integrated circuit industry at its core.

LG Innotek selects DEEP C Haiphong 2 for $1 billion semiconductor project LG Innotek, a leading South Korean electronic components manufacturer, has selected DEEP C Haiphong 2 Industrial Park for the development of a semiconductor substrate manufacturing complex with a total investment reaching $1 billion. This will be LG Innotek’s first semiconductor manufacturing facility established outside South Korea.

Danang and Laos seek deeper cooperation in semiconductors, AI and digital technology Vietnamese and Lao officials explored Danang’s experience in digital transformation, semiconductor technology and AI during a visit from August 26-28.

Hi-Tech Vietnam 2026 takes flight Held from September 9-11 at the Vietnam Exposition Centre in Hanoi, Hi-Tech Vietnam 2026 brings together a wide range of businesses operating in high technology, AI, semiconductors, robotics, unmanned aerial vehicles and the digital economy.

The way Vietnamese travellers purchase train tickets is changing as more passengers turn to digital channels to plan and pay for journeys. Alongside this shift, the reliability of the booking channel is becoming increasingly important, particularly when passengers need to exchange or refund tickets.

Vexere, a multi-modal booking platform covering coach, train, air and bike rental services, is an authorised agent of Vietnam Railways. According to Vexere data, roughly 20 per cent of ticket transactions generate a need for an exchange or refund, making the post-purchase process an important part of the overall booking experience.

Digital rail booking attracts a new generation of passengers

Vexere's transaction data for the Lunar New Year 2026 travel season, covering departure dates from February 9 to 25, points to continued growth in online rail ticket demand.

Vietnam Railways ticket volume on Vexere increased 33.6 per cent period over period during the period. At the same time, the platform recorded a high proportion of first-time users: 78 per cent of buyers were first-time train ticket customers on Vexere, while 51.1 per cent were entirely new to the platform.

Vexere data shows rising Vietnam Railways ticket demand alongside a large influx of first-time digital buyers during Tet 2026. Photo: Vexere

"The Lunar New Year 2026 numbers show a clear shift towards online channels for Vietnam Railways tickets," a Vexere spokesperson said. "As more first-time buyers enter the market, the quality and transparency of the booking channel become increasingly important."

Route-level data also points to changing travel patterns. Haiphong-Hanoi ticket volume rose 27.7 per cent, while Phu Yen-Khanh Hoa increased 76.3 per cent. Meanwhile, some traditional long-distance Lunar New Year routes recorded slight declines.

The transaction structure also reflects the family-oriented nature of Lunar New Year travel. On average, passengers purchased 2.2 tickets per transaction, suggesting that a significant share of online bookings involves family or group travel rather than individual journeys.

Genuine ticket does not eliminate transaction risks

As digital booking expands, passengers may focus primarily on whether they receive a valid ticket code. However, the transaction channel can also determine how easily passengers manage their booking afterwards.

When a third party purchases a ticket using its own payment account, the original paying account may remain associated with the transaction. If an exchange or refund is subsequently requested, the transaction is handled under Vietnam Railways' applicable rules and the refund is processed through the original payment account used for the booking.

For passengers, this distinction can become particularly important when booking multiple tickets for a family or group.

"A valid Vietnam Railways ticket is only part of the equation. Passengers should also make sure the booking is made with their own traveller information and through Vietnam Railways or an authorised channel, so they can directly manage exchanges, refunds and post-purchase support," the spokesperson said.

For authorised agents such as Vexere, passengers receive an e-ticket after payment with their traveller information. Exchanges and refunds are then handled through the applicable Vietnam Railways process and the original payment channel, subject to the relevant rules.

This becomes particularly relevant during peak travel periods, when a booking may involve several passengers and any refund or change can affect an entire family itinerary.

Digital channels compete on price, convenience and support

The expansion of online booking is also increasing the importance of the overall value proposition offered by digital distribution platforms.

For passengers, the decision is not based solely on the listed fare. Service fees, available promotions, payment offers and post-purchase support can all influence the final booking experience.

Vexere keeps its service fee low for Vietnam Railways ticket bookings, helping keep the total price close to the fare listed by Vietnam Railways itself.

Passengers can also benefit from applicable Vietnam Railways promotions alongside selected offers from Vexere and its payment partners. Depending on the route, fare and promotions available at the time of booking, the combined offers can result in savings of up to 20 per cent.

Comparison between official Vietnam Railways agents and intermediary channels. Photo: Vexere

Beyond pricing, digital platforms are also competing on convenience and customer support. Vexere said its customer care team supports passengers with Vietnam Railways exchanges, refunds and other booking-related issues.

The channel mix itself is changing as well. Vexere's Lunar New Year 2026 data shows Web Mobile bookings increased 31.3 per cent period over period, making it a notable growth channel as more first-time users use mobile browsers to search and purchase tickets.

However, the growth of browser-based booking also creates an opportunity for lookalike websites and unofficial resellers to reach consumers searching online. Checking the domain and seller information before payment therefore remains an important step.

Trust becomes part of the digital booking experience

For the wider digital travel market, the shift towards online rail ticket purchases highlights a broader consumer expectation: convenience needs to be accompanied by transparency and reliable after-sales support.

Vexere recommends that passengers complete three basic checks before paying for a Vietnam Railways ticket: confirm that the website belongs to Vietnam Railways’ official system or an authorised agent; verify the legal entity, support policies and payment method before providing personal information or making payment; and save the ticket code and transaction confirmation in case an exchange, refund or other support is needed.

"Passengers should treat the choice of ticket channel as part of the trip itself, not an afterthought," the spokesperson said.

Passengers can purchase Vietnam Railways tickets through the railway's official channels, at stations, or through authorised agents such as Vexere.

Specific financial mechanism proposed for Vietnam Railways The Ministry of Finance is drafting a decree on the operational and financial management mechanism for Vietnam Railways to create a legal basis for state capital investment and management.

Awaiting a revolution in rail and property for Vietnam Vietnam is entering a decisive phase in its economic journey. The government has set an ambitious plan for 2026–2030, targeting $1.4 trillion in total investment.

State corporations poised to drive 2026 growth Vietnam is targeting average GDP growth of 10 per cent during 2026-2030, with state-owned corporations expected to spearhead investment, infrastructure development and productivity gains.

Minister Tuan expressed his appreciation to Bertrand Walckenaer and AFD officials for their warm welcome to the Vietnamese delegation. Looking back on the history of cooperation, he stressed that AFD has always held a special position in Vietnam-France bilateral relations.

Reviewing 2021-2025, Tuan acknowledged that Vietnam faced some challenges in mobilising, managing and using official development assistance (ODA) and foreign concessional loans due to both objective and subjective factors. These challenges affected the preparation, appraisal, approval and negotiation of foreign loan agreements. Despite these difficulties, AFD has remained a reliable and stable partner of Vietnam.

During the period, the Vietnamese government signed seven loan agreements with AFD out of a total of 42 foreign loan treaties and agreements. This result reflects the strong alignment between France's development support priorities and Vietnam's actual development needs.

Regarding Vietnam's economic development, Minister Tuan said that amid a challenging global environment, Vietnam is seeking a stronger breakthrough to achieve its long-term development objectives, including its ambition to sustain double-digit economic growth in the coming years.

To realise this goal, Vietnam will require substantial resources for key infrastructure and nationally important projects. The government remains committed to comprehensive institutional reforms, stronger public-sector management and the development of new growth drivers, including digital transformation, green transition and innovation.

Against this backdrop, Vietnam asked AFD to continue its support by providing highly concessional loans combined with grants to enhance the overall concession for financing. Priority should be given to infrastructure projects with broad spillover effects, climate change adaptation and the green transition.

“Vietnam's Ministry of Finance is committed to remaining a reliable partner, acting transparently and maintaining financial discipline as we work with AFD to deliver successful projects,” the minister said.

AFD deputy director general Bertrand Walckenaer. Photo: Nguyen Yen

AFD deputy director general Bertrand Walckenaer praised Vietnam's institutional reform efforts and macroeconomic financial management, affirming that AFD considers Vietnam a key strategic partner in France's development cooperation policy in Asia.

AFD pledged to work closely with Vietnamese technical agencies to review and optimise internal procedures, ensuring greater flexibility and creating better conditions possible for the approval and disbursement of financing.

In particular, AFD will continue to prioritise resources to support Vietnam's sustainable development objectives, especially in green finance, climate change response and a just energy transition.

Regarding the Agreement on Strengthening Capacity for Green Finance Policy Development signed on May 26, 2025, Minister Tuan thanked AFD for providing technical assistance to the Ministry of Finance in four key areas: green tax policy, green bond issuance, development of the carbon market, and integration of carbon pricing into Vietnam's long-term Net Zero pathway.

The two sides agreed to maintain close coordination, accelerate implementation of the agreement and initiate procedures to extend the MoU when necessary to better meet practical requirements.

Photo: Nguyen Yen

At the meeting, Vietnam's Ministry of Finance and AFD also signed an MoU on cooperation. The seven-article document sets out the objectives, areas and methods of cooperation, implementation principles, dispute settlement mechanisms and the validity of the document.

The MoU provides a formal foundation for strengthening and elevating development cooperation between Vietnam's Ministry of Finance and AFD in the new phase.

EU and AFD help North-central Vietnam strengthen resilience to climate threats On May 15, the "Climate Resilient Urban Infrastructure in North-central Vietnam" project concluded its Technical Assistance phase, marking a shift from planning to lasting community empowerment.

The Ministry of Finance and AFD map out ODA priorities for 2026-2030 The Ministry of Finance and the French Development Agency have held a meeting in Hanoi to assess cooperation programmes and projects for 2026, with a focus on green transition, transport infrastructure, and climate change adaptation.

Petrovietnam and AFD advance cooperation on energy transition projects Petrovietnam and the French Development Agency have signed an MoU to foster collaboration on energy transition ventures in Vietnam.

Minister Tuan highlighted the long-standing traditional friendship between Vietnam and France, noting that bilateral ties have developed across various fields since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1973.

"The elevation of bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership in 2013 and a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2024 has provided a solid foundation for increasingly substantive and in-depth cooperation," he said.

Minister Tuan said cooperation between the two countries had progressed across three key pillars: trade, investment and development finance. In the first eight months of 2026, two-way trade exceeded $5 billion, with Vietnam's exports to France reaching $3.1 billion and imports from France totalling $1.9 billion.

France currently has 749 valid investment projects in Vietnam with the total registered capital of $4.01 billion, ranking 16^th among 154 countries and territories investing in the country. Meanwhile, Vietnamese investors have 20 projects in France with the total registered investment of $39.18 million.

France has also maintained its position as Vietnam's leading European bilateral ODA provider through the French Treasury Directorate General (DGT) and the French Development Agency (AFD), with average annual funding of more than €100 million ($116 million).

On tax cooperation, Minister Tuan shared Vietnam's efforts to improve its legal framework and implement international standards on information transparency. He asked France to recognise and support these reforms during international assessments.

Tuan proposed that the two sides continue to make effective use of the Vietnam-France High-Level Economic Dialogue mechanism, co-chaired by the two finance ministries, in preparation for its 10^th session, scheduled for early December 2026.

Given Vietnam's growing demand for strategic infrastructure development, he expressed hope that France would provide highly concessional loans, technical assistance and technology transfer.

In trade and investment, the Vietnamese minister called on France to complete ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement at an early date. He also encouraged French corporations to invest in infrastructure, aerospace and renewable energy, as well as form joint ventures with Vietnamese companies to capitalise on ongoing supply chain shifts.

MoU between the Tax Department Vietnam and France's Directorate General of Public Finances. Photo: Nguyen Yen

Minister Roland Lescure, for his part, discussed several key cooperation projects, including Hanoi's Nhon-Hanoi Station Urban Railway Line 3, the VNREDSat-2 satellite project and regional railway connectivity projects.

"France is ready to support Vietnam in discussions with the European Union on the list of countries cooperating on tax matters, while pledging close coordination to resolve difficulties and accelerate the implementation of joint projects," he said.

Minister Lescure also proposed exploring bilateral cooperation on regional railway connectivity projects.

During the meeting, Ministers Tuan and Lescure witnessed the signing of an MoU between the Tax Department of Vietnam and France's Directorate General of Public Finances.

The MoU aims to establish a framework for bilateral cooperation and support the Vietnamese tax authority in reviewing its organisational structure and improving working procedures towards greater alignment with OECD standards. It will also seek to strengthen the professional capacity of tax officials and gradually establish a network of experts between the two agencies.

Photo: Nguyen Yen

The two sides identified several priority areas for cooperation, including exchange of information upon request and automatic exchange of information; IT infrastructure, data platforms and the application of AI in tax administration; tax inspection; and international assistance in tax debt recovery.

In addition to technical cooperation, the two agencies will work together through a range of activities, including high-level visits and working sessions, training programmes, conferences and thematic seminars, expert exchanges, and joint development of annual action plans.

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The agreements cover the project “Integrated Water Resources Management for Livelihoods, Climate Change Adaptation and Socioeconomic Development in Tuan Giao District, Dien Bien Province.”

The project is being implemented in Tuan Giao, with Dien Bien People's Committee serving as the project owner and the Department of Agriculture and Environment acting as the implementing agency.

The project proposal was approved under Decision No.836/QD-TTg dated August 15, 2024. Dien Bien People's Council approved the investment policy under Resolution No.215/NQ-HDND dated December 10, 2024, while Dien Bien People's Committee approved the project under Decision No.1139/QD-UBND dated June 6, 2025.

The project will be financed through an AFD loan and a grant from the Water and Natural Resources Management Fund, which is entrusted to AFD for management.

Under the approved project plan, total investment is estimated at nearly VND1.39 trillion ($54 million), comprising an AFD loan of $45 million, a $1.7 million non-refundable grant and nearly $12 million in counterpart funding.

The loan has maturity of 18 years, including a seven-year grace period, and is denominated in euros, with an interest rate of six-month EURIBOR plus 0.97 per cent per year.

The project aims to improve the management and efficient use of water resources, regulate water supplies between river basins, address drought, prevent erosion and flooding, and strengthen climate change resilience.

It will provide a stable water supply, regulate water flows and reduce disaster risks, while increasing crop productivity and facilitating the development and expansion of long-term industrial crops such as macadamia. This is expected to increase the economic value of local agriculture and encourage farmers to shift from traditional crops towards more sustainable, higher-value farming models.

The project will also provide domestic water supplies for 35,000 people and irrigation for 21,000 hectares of agricultural land. It will gradually complete the local irrigation infrastructure and connect water regulation networks across sub-regions, facilitating water resource exploitation, management and operation.

The project is also expected to strengthen climate change adaptation in Tuan Giao and Dien Bien province, green degraded hills, protect the environment and contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Agribank and AFD sign climate finance deal to boost green growth Agribank and the French Development Agency have signed a climate finance credit facility, marking a new step in international financial cooperation to promote green growth in Vietnam.

The Ministry of Finance and AFD map out ODA priorities for 2026-2030 The Ministry of Finance and the French Development Agency have held a meeting in Hanoi to assess cooperation programmes and projects for 2026, with a focus on green transition, transport infrastructure, and climate change adaptation.

Petrovietnam and AFD advance cooperation on energy transition projects Petrovietnam and the French Development Agency have signed an MoU to foster collaboration on energy transition ventures in Vietnam.

To this end, Daesang acquired AMINO GmbH, a German company specializing in pharmaceutical-grade amino acids, earlier this year, marking a major push into the global biopharmaceutical market. Founded in 2006, AMINO produces high-purity amino acids used in medical infusion solutions, clinical nutrition, and the manufacture of cell culture media and excipients for biopharmaceuticals. The company operates an R&D center and a 6,000 m² production facility in Frellstedt, northern Germany, and maintains established business relationships with global biopharmaceutical and clinical nutrition companies.

Through the acquisition, Daesang has gained AMINO's amino acid purification technology, production facilities, European regulatory expertise, and global customer network. Daesang has established a global supply chain in which raw materials for pharmaceutical-grade amino acids are produced using existing facilities at its Korean plant, with final purification carried out at AMINO's production facility in Germany. Building on this framework, the company plans to maintain its established presence in Europe while gradually expanding into North American and Asian markets.

Since becoming the first Korean company to develop MIWON, a sugarcane-based fermented seasoning, Daesang has strengthened the competitiveness of its biotechnology business through continuous technological innovation. The company currently exports products under the MIWON brand to more than 80 countries and supplies a range of amino acids, including feed-grade lysine and L-Histidine, to global markets. Going forward, Daesang plans to improve production efficiency across its commodity portfolio while focusing its resources on premium, high-purity amino acids used in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.

Jung-bae Lim, CEO of Daesang Corporation, said, "We are now leveraging the fermentation technology that began with MIWON and our capabilities in the amino acid business to expand into the high-value biopharmaceutical sector. We will continue to establish new operations overseas and pursue technology exchange and business partnerships with international companies as we work to emerge as a global leader."

For more information, visit www.daesang.com/en.

Reveillon Creations pairs professional livestreaming facilities with talent management, operational support and commercial representation. Through its affiliation with V Gallant Sdn Bhd, the company will also draw on the V Gallant GPU Lounge's AI infrastructure, powered by high-performance GPUs including NVIDIA Blackwell, to support content development, data analysis and workflow automation. This combination brings talent, technology and market access together while creating room for creators to expand into brand collaborations, music production, film and the wider entertainment industry.

Connecting Malaysian Talent with the Douyin Ecosystem

As part of the launch, Reveillon Creations also formalised a Douyin licensing partnership with 3Z LIVE. Douyin is ByteDance's short-video platform for mainland China and operates separately from TikTok, which serves markets outside mainland China.

The scale of the opportunity with Douyin is significant as according to the data in March 2026, Douyin itself has over 750 million daily active users, which is exponentially large. Through the partnership, Reveillon Creations aims to help Malaysian talent understand the platform, develop relevant content and explore suitable opportunities within the China market.

"Malaysia has a vibrant pool of creative talent, but turning an audience into a lasting career takes more than visibility. Reveillon Creations brings together professional support, AI capabilities and industry connections to help creators take that next step. Our partnership with 3Z LIVE adds a route into China, while our wider ambition is to help talent move beyond livestreaming into branded content, music, film and entertainment," said Alvin Wong, Chief Executive Officer of Reveillon Creations.

The launch comes as content, commerce and entertainment become increasingly interconnected. Based on findings released in March 2026, in less than four years, social commerce's share of Southeast Asia's e-commerce gross merchandise value has grown from under 5% to between 20% and 25%. In Malaysia itself, TikTok's March 2026 report has also indicated that nearly 35% of content creators surveyed identified as full-time creators, while 45% reported earning revenue above the national minimum wage.

"China offers enormous reach, but creators also need local market knowledge and the right operational support. Together with Reveillon Creations, we aim to help Malaysian talent better understand the Douyin ecosystem and identify appropriate ways to build their presence," said Leo Zhou, Founder of 3Z LIVE.

Building Pathways Beyond Livestreaming

Registration is now open to livestreamers and emerging creators. Talents signed with Reveillon Creations will gain access to dedicated livestreaming spaces with professional equipment at KL Eco City, together with practical guidance in content development, livestream operations and personal branding.

Beyond the facilities, the company will connect talent with potential opportunities across brand partnerships, music production, film and entertainment, helping them broaden their capabilities and avoid relying on a single platform or content format.

With its studios ready, talent registration underway and a China-facing partnership in place, Reveillon Creations enters the market with a clear goal: to give Malaysian creators the tools, guidance and industry reach to take their talent further.

For more information, visit https://reveillon-group.com/.

The centerpiece is the Baseus PicoGo Air AM72 Qi2 Magnetic Power Bank (5K, 25W), designed as a true 1:1 match for iPhone Duo—from its precisely tailored dimensions and camera-safe magnetic layout to its refined finish. AM72 also features an Apple-matched aluminum-alloy body that echoes the phone's premium design language, allowing it to blend naturally with the device rather than look like a separate accessory.

Whether commuting, working between meetings, filming on the move, or using the unfolded display for longer sessions, AM72 keeps power close without disrupting the experience. Its 5,000mAh capacity supports Qi2 15W magnetic wireless charging and up to 25W USB-C wired charging, while a 12N magnetic hold keeps it securely aligned. Besides, AM72 sets itself apart from conventional magnetic power banks with a raised platform design that creates a cooling gap between the power bank and iPhone Duo. Together with Glacier Cooling Structure 2.0 and AI adaptive temperature management, it helps dissipate heat more effectively for a cooler, more comfortable charging experience. Despite this enhanced thermal design, AM72 measures just 7.9mm at its slimmest point, maintaining a card-slim profile that feels natural in hand. PowerSense NFC also gives users easy access to battery health and key cell-status information through the app.

For users who want iPhone Duo to be ready before they leave home, the Baseus AH22 100W Digital Display Fast Charger delivers high-output performance in a compact, travel-friendly design. Intelligent power allocation, smart device recognition, and AI temperature control help make everyday charging efficient and dependable, while the customizable digital display keeps charging status clearly in view.

The Baseus HoopRing Phone Case completes the ecosystem with tailored protection and an integrated 360-degree rotating magnetic stand. Its soft-edged design offers a comfortable grip, while the stand enables flexible hands-free viewing in portrait or landscape—whether iPhone Duo is folded, unfolded, or paired with Baseus magnetic accessories.

Together, AM72, AH22, and the HoopRing phone case turn charging from an interruption into a natural part of the foldable experience. The collection for iPhone Duo will be officially available in November. Stay tuned for more details.

PNOC035 is conducted by the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium (PNOC), an open-label, multi-center platform study. In Arm A, patients receive oral, once-daily paxalisib in combination with intravenous gemcitabine on Days 1, 8 and 15 of each 28-day treatment cycle.

The combination increased median survival nearly four-fold (22 to 82.5 days; p<0.0001) in an orthotopic AT/RT preclinical model and demonstrated complementary anti-tumor activity across multiple AT/RT cell lines. These preclinical findings provided the rationale for advancement into the multicenter PNOC035 clinical study evaluating paxalisib plus gemcitabine in children and young adults with recurrent or progressive AT/RT. These findings, previously presented at ISPNO, AACR and Neuro-Oncology meetings, provided the scientific rationale for PNOC035 and extend paxalisib's pediatric neuro-oncology development beyond diffuse midline glioma into another area of significant unmet need.

Paxalisib has been granted both Orphan Drug Designation and Rare Pediatric Disease Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for AT/RT. These designations do not constitute FDA approval or endorsement of any therapeutic claim. If paxalisib were to receive marketing approval for this indication, which would require successful completion of clinical development and FDA regulatory approval, Kazia could become eligible to receive a pediatric priority review voucher from the FDA.

"AT/RT typically affects infants and very young children, and families facing this devastating diagnosis have limited treatment options," said Dr. John Friend II, Chief Executive Officer of Kazia Therapeutics. "Despite decades of research, there are still no approved therapies for recurrent or progressive AT/RT, underscoring the urgent need for new treatment options. We've remained committed to pediatric brain cancer because this is an area where the need is especially great and the options are often fewest. Reaching this milestone with the PNOC035 team is a meaningful step forward, and we look forward to working closely with PNOC as enrollment progresses."

About PNOC035

PNOC035 is a Phase 2 platform trial conducted by the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium (PNOC) for patients ages 1 to 39 with recurrent or progressive AT/RT. The platform design allows multiple treatment arms to be evaluated within a shared trial infrastructure, with patients enrolling in an arm based on availability and arm-specific eligibility criteria. Arm A evaluates paxalisib in combination with gemcitabine. Additional information about the study is available on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT07447076).

For more information, please visit http://www.kaziatx.com/

HiCB platform integrates intensified continuous perfusion upstream processing with hybrid continuous downstream purification, enabling a step-change in productivity, achieving significant increase in productivity compared with conventional fed-batch processes, while maintaining superior product quality through shorter residence time and optimized culture conditions. HiCB can significantly reduce cost of goods, lower capital investment, and enable agile and just-in-time production. It also provides a solution for improving recovering yield and product quality for complex biologics.

This collaboration is part of Transcenta's continued efforts to advance partnerships for its HiCB technology platform and broaden its application to address CMC challenges for complex biologic molecules. It also offers a flexible approach to rapidly expand production capacity. Transcenta plans to further unlock the commercial value of the HiCB platform through external licensing and industry partnerships.

For more information, please visit www.transcenta.com

• Base Service: Covers loss, damage, and delays. Compensation is based on the actual order amount, capped at USD 2500 per single package, alongside fixed-amount compensations for logistics timeouts.
• Extended Benefits: A growing lineup of everyday perks that will be rolled out gradually, featuring popular items like video/music streaming subscriptions, free AI tool credits, and options to support tips.
• Seller-Customized Perks: Features like worry-free exchanges, VIP customer service and repurchase vouchers—all fully configurable and price-adjustable by the seller.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Please visit https://www.enterpriseasia.org/ for more information.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Please visit https://www.enterpriseasia.org/ for more information.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

• Workplace productivity drain: 97% of respondents experience a productivity drop after a poor night's sleep, with 58% estimating their performance drops by more than 20%.
• Hidden clinical risk: 1 in 4 (24%) office workers screen at intermediate-to-high risk for Sleep Apnea.
• Widespread awareness gap: 60% of employees have never heard of Sleep Apnea or only know the name. Additionally, 56% have never evaluated their sleep quality via a doctor, app, or diagnostic test.
• Nightly sleep deficit: Singapore workers average 6.3 hours of sleep per night compared to the 7.4 hours they need to feel refreshed, leaving a daily 1.1-hour shortfall.
• Normalised misconceptions:50% view daytime fatigue as a normal part of busy working life, 25% believe brief breathing pauses during sleep are harmless, and 24% mistake loud snoring for deep sleep.
• Key hurdles to care: Cost of diagnosis/treatment (51%) and lack of knowledge on where to seek help (36%) are the primary reasons workers avoid getting evaluated for Sleep Apnea.

• 50% of respondents view daytime sleepiness as "just a normal part of a busy working life."
• 25% believe brief pauses in breathing during sleep are harmless.
• 24% believe loud, regular snoring is a sign of deep, healthy sleep.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

This momentum is reflected across Prudential's markets:

• Indonesia has held the No. 1 in-country ranking for more than a decade and continues to have the largest number of MDRT members in the market.
• Hong Kong climbed three places in MDRT rankings to No. 3 globally and No. 2 in-country, with the second-highest number of Top of Table (TOT) and Court of Table (COT) qualifiers.
• Singapore ranked No. 1 in-country for TOT qualifiers, with an 83.8 per cent MDRT member retention rate, and sits in the global top three. It also led the 2026 MDRT Culture of Excellence Awards, with 29 Agency Leader award recipients from a total of 68 winners worldwide.
• In Africa, Prudential remains the only insurer represented in the MDRT Global Top 100 company rankings in the last three years, with Nigeria and Ghana each ranked No. 1 in-country.
• In the Chinese Mainland, Prudential grew MDRT qualifiers 40 per cent year-on-year in the first half of 2026.

Prudential's base of quality producers is driving year-on-year double-digit growth in new business profit per MDRT agent, as reported in its 2026 Half Year Results.

Pankaj Banerjee, Group Chief Agency Officer, Prudential plc, said: "Our agency transformation is gathering pace, and our direction is clear: we are building a higher-quality, more professional and more productive agency force, equipped to deliver the trusted advice our customers increasingly need, at every stage of their lives. The continued growth in first-time MDRT qualifiers reflects the progress we are making and the commitment of our advisers, agency leaders and colleagues to raising professional standards across the industry."

As customer needs become more complex, particularly in health, protection and wealth planning, the demand for trusted, high-quality advice is rising. For Prudential, upholding agency excellence is about providing advisers access to learning, role models, communities and opportunities that help them progress and deliver better outcomes for customers.

This commitment is reflected in Prudential's long-standing partnership with MDRT, which gives advisers access to a global professional community, learning opportunities and standards of excellence. At every stage of the adviser journey, Prudential continues to invest in attracting high-quality talent, strengthening capabilities and productivity. This includes equipping advisers with deeper wealth planning capabilities, insights and AI-enabled tools to meet evolving customer needs and drive sustained MDRT growth.

To accelerate this progress, Prudential recently established the MDRT Advisory Council, a Group-wide platform bringing together leading producers in 11 agency markets to share best practices, accelerate adviser growth and support advisers in their professional progression across the force.

Prudential's commitment to adviser development was also reflected at the 2026 MDRT Global Conference in Sydney, where it was recognised as MDRT Premier Sponsor and joined by 400 of its advisers and agency leaders from across different markets.

As MDRT approaches its 100th anniversary, Prudential looks forward to continuing its partnership with MDRT with a focus on expanding development pathways, raising professional standards, and supporting the next generation of advisers to achieve their full potential.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

www.prudentialplc.com/

For more than a decade, governments have competed to announce ever more ambitious forest and landscape restoration targets. The Bonn Challenge has attracted pledges covering 257 million hectares of degraded and deforested landscapes - an area larger than Algeria. Yet behind the headline numbers lies a more stubborn question, and one that featured prominently in Ulaanbaatar in August: how do countries finance and sustain restoration long after the donor projects end?

When the 197 parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) gathered for COP17 from August 17 to 28 under the banner “Restoring Land, Restoring Hope,” they did so against a sobering financial backdrop. The UNCCD estimates the world needs roughly $355 billion a year for land restoration through 2030 - and is falling short by about $278 billion annually. Put another way, closing the gap requires close to $1 billion every day. Current global investment, which climbed from $37 billion in 2016 to $66 billion in 2022, is not even one-fifth of what is required.

The temptation is to read those figures as a fundraising problem. Increasingly, practitioners argue it is a design problem. Restoration has too often been financed in short, fragmented project cycles - three years of grant money, a ribbon-cutting, a final report - with little that endures once the funding stops. The trees may go into the ground; the system to keep them growing, monitored, and economically useful isn’t keeping pace with the ambition.

“Restoration succeeds when monitoring, communities, finance and institutions work together. It is not about planting trees. It is about building systems that outlast the project,” said Mirey Atallah, chief of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Adaptation and Resilience Branch, at the UNEP–Korea Forest Service event on the sidelines of the conference.

The event brought together policymakers, practitioners and financing specialists from across Asia. Their shared argument was that the next generation of restoration must be treated less like a planting campaign and more like a long-term economic system: one built around credible measurement, viable community enterprises and institutions capable of attracting patient finance.

Source: UNEP

Why carbon finance alone cannot close the gap

For several years, carbon markets were pitched as the answer. Forests absorb carbon; investors pay for the tonnes; restoration funds itself. The reality has proved far more complicated. Forest-based credits - projects under REDD+ (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation) make up more than 40 per cent of the voluntary carbon market - have been dogged by integrity concerns, with independent studies finding some projects overstated their climate benefit by wide margins. Prices and volumes fell as buyers grew wary, and a recurring criticism is that too much value has flowed to intermediaries rather than the communities doing the work.

The lesson emerging from the Ulaanbaatar discussions was not that carbon finance has no role, but that it should be treated as a catalyst rather than a cure. It works best as one revenue stream inside a broader model - alongside blended finance, sustained public investment and, crucially, monitoring systems robust enough to give both governments and investors confidence that results are real and measurable.

“The gap was never ambition. It’s the connective tissue - the policies, the data, the enterprises, the coordination - that turns a pledge into a payment,” said Sunpil Jin, vice executive director of the Asian Forest Cooperation Organisation, at the event.

A test case

One attempt to build that broader model is the SAFE Initiative - Sustaining an Abundance of Forest Ecosystems - a partnership born from a 2023 agreement between the Korea Forest Service and UNEP. Rather than treating conservation, monitoring and enterprise as separate workstreams, SAFE deliberately stitches them together across four countries: Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

The early results are modest in scale but instructive in design. Working through eight community forest management plans, SAFE has restored more than 120 hectares of degraded forest and engaged over 2,000 households. It has trained more than 120 forest “ecopreneurs” across 5,500 hours of instruction, seeding small enterprises - from non-timber forest products to nurseries - that give communities a financial reason to keep forests standing. And it has published a Forest Restoration Impact Monitoring Framework, or FRIMF, designed not as a project deliverable but as a public good that countries can fold into their own national monitoring systems in 2026–2027.

“The strongest evidence of success is what continues after the project ends - the models that get scaled, the framework that becomes national policy, the enterprises that keep trading,” said Park Eun-sik, director general of the Korea Forest Service.

That monitoring backbone is what turns good intentions into something investable. Without credible data on whether forests are actually recovering, neither a finance ministry nor a private investor can justify long-term capital. With it, restoration begins to look less like charity and more like an asset class.

The country experiences presented at the event sharpened that argument. In Bhutan, SAFE has focused on restoration, a national monitoring framework and results that could underpin forest carbon finance, while linking small- and medium-sized enterprises to community forestry so that livelihoods and conservation reinforce one another.

In Laos, a restoration pilot with rigorous impact monitoring has helped connect forest enterprise development to REDD+ results-based payments - an example of carbon finance working precisely because it sits on top of credible measurement rather than standing in for it. Vietnam’s experience adds a third data point on what institutions need to make any of it durable.

Across the cases, three elements repeatedly reinforced one another: credible measurement, viable local enterprises and patient finance. When finance is pursued without the first two, restoration risks slipping back into the familiar boom-and-bust project cycle.

None of this makes the financing gap disappear. Restoring 350 million ha by 2030 - the Bonn Challenge’s global goal - could deliver an estimated $170 billion a year in net benefits, and every dollar invested in land restoration returns between $7 and $30. The economic logic is overwhelming. The bottleneck is architecture: the connective tissue between a pledge and a payment.

That may be one of the quieter but more important shifts to emerge from COP17. For years, the restoration movement measured progress mainly in hectares pledged. The more revealing measure is whether those hectares sit inside systems - monitored, locally supported, economically viable and institutionally anchored - that can survive the end of any single grant.

P&G and Central Retail Vietnam launch forest restoration drive In celebration of Earth Day 2023 on April 22, P&G Vietnam, in collaboration with Central Retail Vietnam and Gaia Vietnam, have launched the 'Forests for Good' restoration scheme to promote environmental protection and inspire consumers to play an active role in preserving the earth.

Asia-Pacific countries convene to advance green agricultural value chains and forest protection Governments, industry representatives, smallholder organisations, development partners and technical experts from across Asia-Pacific are gathering this week in Vietnam to strengthen regional collaboration on traceable agricultural value chains that are decoupled from deforestation.

Singapore firms commit S$5 billion-plus to Forest City as JS-SEZ investment builds Forest City Special Financial Zone reported Singapore-based companies have committed more than S$5 billion in the early phase of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, signalling growing cross-border investment momentum.

Forest City SFZ issues 2026 property purchasing guide Forest City Special Financial Zone issued an updated property purchasing guide for 2026 buyers, noting Johor has become Malaysia's second-largest residential market by transaction volume and value, according to JLL.

EU and Germany finance support for Vietnam on forestry conservation The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the European Union, and Germany on August 7, launched the “EU-Vietnam Forestry Support Programme,” which will contribute to the conservation, restoration and sustainable management of Vietnam’s natural forests and advance climate‑smart, inclusive forest‑based value chains.

Outbound investment surge signals stronger push into global markets Local businesses are accelerating overseas expansion, with more than $1.2 billion splashed in seven months, as regional integration and supply chain shifts reshape their international growth strategies.

The AEON Hai Duong Shopping Centre represents the Japanese retailer's continued expansion into Vietnam's fast-growing retail market and its first medium-sized format in the northern region. At a press conference on September 10, AEON Vietnam general director Tezuka Daisuke said the retailer plans to open three more shopping centres in Haiphong, Thanh Hoa, and Quang Ninh in the coming years.

AEON Hai Duong, located in Thach Khoi ward, Haiphong, represents an investment of nearly VND1.2 trillion ($46.3 million) and covers 35,700 square metres.

The opening will bring the number of new shopping centres launched by AEON Vietnam this year to five, the highest annual figure since the Japanese retailer began its retail operations in Vietnam 12 years ago.

“This is the fastest pace of expansion we have ever achieved in the Vietnamese market,” Tezuka said.

AEON Hai Duong is the retailer’s third medium-sized shopping centre, following AEON Tan An Shopping Centre, which opened last year, and AEON MALL Danang Thanh Khe, which opened in July. The format is designed to accelerate AEON’s expansion into regional cities.

The centre is located near a major transport corridor connecting Hanoi with central Haiphong, an area seeing increasing industrial park and residential development. It will target local families, industrial park and office workers, students, and other residents.

The centre will combine AEON-operated retail areas with 37 speciality stores across five categories: food, kids and entertainment, fashion, beauty and wellness, and living.

Photo: AEON Vietnam

AEON opened its first shopping centre in Vietnam in 2014. For much of its first decade in the country, the Japanese retailer focused its expansion on major cities, opening eight shopping centres and stores.

The pace of expansion has accelerated since 2024, with Vietnam now identified as a top-priority market for AEON during the 2026-2030 period.

Tezuka said modern retail currently accounts for less than 20 per cent of Vietnam's retail market, highlighting substantial room for future growth. AEON plans to step up investment, expand its network, and develop a regional retail ecosystem tailored to different markets.

In major metropolitan areas such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, AEON plans to deploy its full retail ecosystem, including shopping centres, general merchandise stores, supermarkets, small- and medium-sized supermarkets, and speciality stores.

In regional hub cities, the retailer will focus on shopping centres and medium-sized shopping centres, while prioritising large shopping centres in suburban areas.

AEON also plans to expand its private-label products, covering the process from research and development to manufacturing and sales.

“We expect to allocate 60 per cent of our total investment in Southeast Asia to Vietnam. AEON is also deploying human resources from Japan to support the market, while expanding payment services, lending, and cinema operations,” Tezuka said.

The retailer is also targeting a major expansion of its supermarket network. Its supermarket and super supermarket formats are expected to grow from around 40 stores currently to 300 by fiscal 2030.

The company recorded revenue of $624 million last year, 2.5 times the level recorded six years earlier. The company expects revenue to triple and profit to quadruple by 2030, with the longer-term goal of becoming Vietnam’s leading retailer within the next decade.

AEON currently has 25 shopping centres and general merchandise stores, 40 supermarkets, 71 speciality stores, and 182 convenience stores in Vietnam. The group has also entered pharmaceutical retail, operating two pharmacies in Ho Chi Minh City.

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