The commitment marks a significant milestone in the airline’s capital arrangement process, laying a favourable foundation for Vietnam Airlines to continue discussions with international lenders and advance its long-term fleet development strategy.

EXIM’s Preliminary Commitment enhances Vietnam Airlines’ access to international financing sources at competitive costs while diversifying its funding channels. Photo: Vietnam Airlines

EXIM’s Preliminary Commitment will enhance Vietnam Airlines’ access to international financing sources at competitive costs while diversifying funding channels for the carrier’s key initiatives.

To date, Vietnam Airlines remains the first and only Vietnamese airline to receive EXIM export credit support for aircraft acquisition financing, including previous investments in Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleets.

The continued receipt of EXIM’s Preliminary Commitment for the 50-aircraft Boeing 737 MAX 8 project reflects Vietnam Airlines’ financial capability, reputation, and growth prospects, while also underscoring the confidence of the US government and financial institutions in the long-term development strategy of Vietnam’s national flag carrier.

Earlier, in February 2026, Vietnam Airlines signed an agreement in Washington, D.C. to purchase 50 Boeing 737 MAX 8 narrow-body aircraft. Under the plan, the aircraft are scheduled for delivery between 2030 and 2032.

The Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet is expected to operate on domestic and regional Asian routes, meeting growing passenger travel demand as well as increasing air cargo transportation needs across the region.

The acquisition forms part of Vietnam Airlines’ long-term development plan aimed at sustaining double-digit average growth over the next five years, targeting total traffic of approximately 168 million passengers and more than 2.25 million tonnes of cargo.

In addition to supporting the project for 50 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, EXIM has also expressed its willingness to work with Vietnam Airlines in exploring financing solutions for other strategic projects involving US goods and services, including aircraft engines, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities, and related sectors.

To secure resources for large-scale investment projects, Vietnam Airlines is working with domestic banks and international financial institutions to develop appropriate financing structures, optimise investment efficiency, and strengthen financial risk management capabilities.

Vietnam’s aviation authority pushes shift to greener operations The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has instructed aviation stakeholders to study alternative fuels and gradually deploy sustainable aviation fuel, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the sector’s energy transition.

Vietnam Airlines partners with 2C2P to expand digital payment options Vietnam Airlines has partnered with Southeast Asia’s leading full-suite payments platform 2C2P by Antom to expand payment options for customers across Asia-Pacific beyond traditional card payments.

Vietnam Airlines inaugurates nonstop Hanoi-Amsterdam service as first direct Vietnam-Netherlands route Vietnam Airlines has officially inaugurated its nonstop service between Hanoi and Amsterdam, becoming the first Vietnamese carrier to operate a direct route connecting Vietnam and the Netherlands.

Leong Boon Hoe, CEO Arcadia Consulting Vietnam

From our experience operating in Vietnam, I feel economic journalism plays an important role because it sits at the intersection of policy, business confidence and market understanding.

For businesses like ours, the market is not shaped only by transactions or investment appetite. It is also shaped by how clearly investors understand the direction of policy, the quality of infrastructure planning, the regulatory environment, and the longer-term ambition of the country. Good economic journalism helps bring these different pieces together in a way that is factual, balanced and useful, making it conducive for businesses to work within, forward, and to thrive.

It also gives businesses a constructive channel to reflect what is happening on the ground. Very often, the private sector sees early signs and signals from investor sentiment, operational bottlenecks, shifts in demand, or areas where policy execution can be improved. When reported responsibly, these insights can help government agencies better understand market realities without the conversation becoming adversarial.

Government to Business and Business to Government, and economic journalism plays an intersection role between Business and Government

As Vietnam enters its next phase of development, we hope the press in general, and VIR in particular, will continue to play this bridging role with independence, depth and a strong sense of responsibility. Vietnam is attracting serious international attention, but with that comes the need for clearer information, more thoughtful analysis and a more mature conversation between the public and private sectors.

For Arcadia Consulting, we value journalism that does not simply promote optimism, but helps explain why confidence is justified, where the challenges remain, and what needs to be done for Vietnam to continue attracting long-term, quality capital.

Vlad Savin, Partner, Acclime Vietnam

On the occasion of Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day, Acclime would like to express our appreciation for the consistent role that the economic press, particularly Vietnam Investment Review, plays in supporting the business and investment community.

From our experience working closely with investors and companies on the ground, economic journalism serves a practical and wide-ranging role. It goes beyond reporting policies to reflect how the market is evolving across industries, how businesses operate in practice, and how investment trends are taking shape.

For many investors, especially those entering Vietnam for the first time, this broader perspective is essential. It helps them understand not only regulatory direction, but also how sectors are performing, how companies are adapting, and where opportunities are emerging. In this context, credible media like VIR plays an important role in connecting policy direction with real market dynamics, contributing to a clearer and more transparent investment environment.

VIR has maintained a strong position in this regard. Its coverage combines timely updates with deeper analysis, while bringing together perspectives from businesses, advisors, and policymakers. For Acclime, this provides a practical platform where technical insights and on-the-ground observations can be shared in a way that is relevant to both investors and state management agencies.

Over time, this exchange has helped improve mutual understanding across stakeholders and supported more informed discussions around market development and regulatory refinement.

Vietnam’s growth is increasingly driven by higher-value manufacturing, digitalisation, and sustainability requirements, making the role of economic journalism even more important. Beyond reporting trends, there is an increasing need for grounded insight into how supply chains are evolving, how investment decisions are shifting, and how businesses are responding to both global and domestic changes.

Going forward, we believe VIR can continue to strengthen its role as a reliable reference point by maintaining its focus on accuracy, balanced perspectives, and practical insight from across the market. Its ability to reflect both what is happening on the ground and the broader direction of the economy will remain essential for both the business community and policymakers.

At Acclime, we value our ongoing collaboration with VIR and look forward to contributing further to this shared objective of supporting a transparent and well-informed investment environment in Vietnam.

Cao Minh Chuyen, Japan Small and Medium Enterprise Development JSC

The media plays an important role in bridging the gap between the day-to-day realities faced by businesses and the policymaking and regulatory processes of government authorities. In production and business activities, particularly in the industrial real estate sector, enterprises are constantly affected by a wide range of factors, including market fluctuations, rising input costs, investment procedures, infrastructure requirements, labour availability, environmental regulations, and shifts in global supply chains.

If these issues are viewed solely from a regulatory perspective or through aggregated data, they may not fully capture the challenges, pressures, and expectations experienced by businesses on the ground.

Economic journalism serves as a valuable channel for conveying the pulse of the market. It helps reflect the realities of business operations, capture signals from the corporate community, and communicate legitimate recommendations to policymakers and relevant authorities. A well-researched, objective, and responsible article not only gives businesses a voice but also provides practical insights that can help ensure policies are more closely aligned with development needs.

For projects such as JSC, the media also plays an important role in promoting information about the investment environment, infrastructure development, and strategies to attract high-tech, advanced, and environmentally friendly industries. In doing so, it helps localities enhance their competitiveness in attracting investment.

As Vietnam enters a new phase of development, with greater emphasis on green growth, digital transformation, the quality of foreign direct investment inflows, and green development, we hope that the media in general, and Vietnam Investment Review in particular, will continue to serve as a trusted forum for businesses.

The media should continue to focus on substantive market issues, provide multidimensional perspectives and in-depth analysis, while also highlighting successful business models, sustainable industrial parks, and enterprises that make meaningful contributions to society.

AI and innovation reshape Vietnam’s journalism industry Technology is fast becoming a strategic cornerstone of modern journalism, influencing not only how news is produced and consumed, but also how media organisations sustain themselves in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Redefining journalism amid social media disruption Vietnam’s revolutionary press has played a vital role in the country’s development for a century, from documenting key historical moments and shaping public opinion to reflecting social and economic changes.

AI pushes journalists to rethink roles, skills, and responsibility The rapid rise of AI is prompting journalists to reconsider how they work, learn, and adapt in a shifting media landscape.

Many businesses contributed opinions on the draft amended Customs Law

Dau Anh Tuan, deputy secretary general and head of the Legal Department, said, “In surveys conducted by VCCI, Customs has consistently been recognised by the business community leading sectors in administrative procedure reform and digital transformation.”

“It is on this positive foundation that the current amendment to the Customs Law has been received with high expectations by the business community. We appreciate the spirit of the draft, especially the institutionalisation of important Party resolutions such as Resolution 57, Resolution 66, and Resolution 68, with a clear message: shifting from a management to a service mindset, with businesses at the centre,” Tuan said.

Nguyen Thanh Hung, deputy director of the Customs Department, said that Customs Law No.54/2014/QH13 came into effect on January 1, 2015, and has been in effect for 12 years. During this time, it still has seen delays, waste time and money for the business community.

“To overcome this, the draft law is expected to amend, supplement, and repeal 42 articles, while adding four new articles out of 104 articles in the current law. This is a concrete step in implementing the Politburo’s resolutions on encouraging the private economy, national digital transformation, and reforming the legislative process, while also aligning with the policy of streamlining the local government apparatus from three levels to two levels,” Hung said.

At the meeting, dozens of businesses concentrated on six subjects. The first was digital customs. Converting all documents to electronic form, automated document verification, and eliminating geographical boundaries will save a significant amount of time and costs.

Regarding customs management via e-commerce platforms, the draft stipulates the responsibility of e-commerce platform owners to declare customs. This is a very new issue, with rapid development and involving many stakeholders. VCCI hopes business can clarify the boundaries of responsibility between platform owners, sellers, shipping companies, and buyers, to ensure strict management while avoiding an excessive compliance burden.

Furthermore, the representatives of firms and manufacturers gave opinions on compliance management, customs clearance agents, the temporary suspension of customs procedures for transit goods showing signs of intellectual property infringement, and post-clearance inspection and decentralisation of authority.

Le Thi Xuan Hue, deputy director of BowerGroupAsia Vietnam Co., Ltd., said, “The drafting agency should also consider adding a mechanism for accountability in the process of assessing business compliance. In reality, many cases of businesses being penalised are not due to intentional violations but stem from inconsistencies or overlaps between legal regulations in various fields.”

“Being rated low in compliance has many consequences, such as increased inspection frequency, prolonged customs clearance time, and increased production and business costs. A mechanism is needed to allow for accountability in cases arising from objective reasons or force majeure before deciding on the level of compliance assessment,” she said.

Phan Manh Ha, director of External Relations at Shopee, suggested reconsidering the regulation requiring e-commerce platforms to declare and verify buyer information because platforms are only intermediaries connecting businesses; they do not own the goods or original data. Therefore, their role should only be to provide information. Ha also expressed concern that verifying the buyer for low-value goods (under $200) would increase costs and prolong customs clearance time.

Customs reform to prioritise high-tech and innovative businesses Au Anh Tuan, deputy director general of the Department of Vietnam Customs, outlines key changes to the Customs Law aimed at simplifying procedures and offering more incentives for high-tech, innovative, and semiconductor businesses, and helping to support supply chains and boost the startup ecosystem.

Customs Law amendments to strengthen digital integration Vietnam’s proposed amendments to the Customs Law would expand automated data control, strengthen inter-agency data sharing, and establish a regulatory framework for the fast-growing cross-border e-commerce sector.

The National Competition Commission under the Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Decision No.122/QD-CT in May on a competition case involving violations of regulations on economic concentration related to a share acquisition.

According to the regulator’s findings, BAF Vietnam Agriculture JSC and Thanh Xuan Clean Agriculture Development JSC failed to fulfill mandatory notification procedures under the Competition Law in relation to BAF Vietnam’s acquisition of 99.99 per cent of the shares/charter capital of Thanh Xuan.

For the violation, the National Competition Commission imposed a fine of more than VND820.2 million ($32,200) on BAF Vietnam and more than VND78.5 million ($3,100) on Thanh Xuan Clean Agriculture Development JSC, bringing the total penalty for the two companies to nearly VND900 million ($35,300).

The commission said both companies have complied with and completed the enforcement of the decision in accordance with regulations.

BAF Vietnam is known as part of the Tan Long Group ecosystem led by businessman Truong Sy Ba. Tan Long is currently one of Vietnam’s major agricultural trading groups, with key products including grains, rice and cashew nuts, and expanded into pig farming in 2017.

BAF Vietnam recently proposed investing in a 220-hectare multi-storey pig farming complex in Hanoi using a closed-loop, high-tech model aimed at reducing costs and environmental impacts.

Under the proposal, the project would operate as a fully integrated system with modern production lines covering breeding to commercial pork production. Compared with traditional farming methods, the model is expected to save land space while reducing feed and labour costs.

BAF Vietnam also submitted a proposal in July last year to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment seeking opinions on the deployment of multi-storey pig farming models.

Agricultural sector sees mixed results Due to the ongoing economic effects caused by rising raw material prices and decreasing demand, the business results of many large agricultural and livestock producers for the first six months of 2023 have been mixed.

BaF enters industrial catering market Industrial catering marks the third and final element for BaF to complete its Feed-Farm-Food (3F) chain.

BAF launch $454m high-tech pig farm with China’s Muyuan in Tay Ninh A $454 million high-tech pig farming joint venture in Tay Ninh province aims to combine large-scale livestock production with advanced animal feed manufacturing, setting a new benchmark for efficiency and sustainability in the sector.

Vinh Hoan Corporation recently released its first-quarter financial results, reporting consolidated revenue of approximately $118.2 million, up 12 per cent on-year, while net profit rose sharply by 38 per cent to about $10.6 million.

The company’s core basa fish segment recorded revenue growth of more than 14 per cent and accounted for 55 per cent of total revenue, serving as the primary driver behind their strong start to the year.

Also benefiting from robust global demand was Nam Viet Corporation, which posted a 66 per cent increase in net revenue to approximately $73.8 million, while net profit surged 48 per cent to around $7.8 million.

Seafood companies continue to face significant risks in 2026 despite improving business performance

Beyond basa fish, Nam Viet has gained attention for expanding exports of tilapia, a whitefish species that is increasingly favoured as a substitute for more expensive whitefish products amid ongoing pressures on the global economy.

The positive picture was also reflected in the financial performance of shrimp exporters. For instance, Sao Ta Foods JSC reported Q1/2026 net profit of approximately $2.03 million, up 34.6 per cent on-year, despite a nearly 30 per cent decline in revenue to around $56 million.

According to PAN Group, Sao Ta’s parent company, the sharp revenue decline resulted from the company’s deliberate decision to limit exports to its key market, the United States, while awaiting the outcome of anti-dumping proceedings. At the same time, disease outbreaks affecting shrimp farming reduced the supply of raw shrimp, further weighing on revenue.

Nevertheless, Sao Ta was able to optimise costs thanks to its self-sufficiency in raw material supply. According to the company, the sharp increase in earnings stemmed largely from favourable results from the settlement of its late-2025 shrimp farming season.

Meanwhile, Minh Phu Seafood Corporation reported a twelvefold increase in after-tax profit during the period, reaching nearly $8.6 million, while the company’s revenue climbed more than 98 per cent to approximately $228 million.

The comeback of the company was driven by improved cash-flow management and a strategic focus on value-added products, which significantly enhanced profit margins.

The performances of Sao Ta and Minh Phu underscore the resilience and adaptability of Vietnam’s shrimp producers at a time when competition in international markets is intensifying and the United States – one of the industry’s most important export destinations – continues to pose challenges through trade remedies and protectionist measures.

In the first five months of 2026, Vietnam’s seafood export value reached $4.67 billion, up 11 per cent on-year.

Combined with the strong financial results reported by leading industry players, the figures point to a promising recovery trend for the seafood sector.

However, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), underlying market conditions are not entirely favourable, as buyers have become more cautious and divergences among export markets are becoming increasingly apparent.

Notably, tightening standards and growing trade protectionism are creating headwinds for the industry.

This was reflected in a 10 per cent decline in seafood exports to the United States and a 2.2 per cent drop in exports to EU during the first five months of the year.

These two markets have been among the most proactive in introducing trade defence measures, traceability requirements, sustainability standards and policies aimed at combating illegal fishing.

For the shrimp industry, the most significant challenge stems from anti-dumping litigation involving warm-water shrimp exports to the United States.

Although preliminary tariff rates have been reduced substantially compared with earlier findings, they continue to place considerable pressure on corporate profit margins.

For the basa fish sector, challenges arise from rising costs of fingerlings, production, feed and transportation, all of which have continued to increase since 2025. As a result, many farming areas remain cautious about expanding cultivation acreage.

In 2025, Vietnamese basa fish exporters shipping to the United States benefited from a zero per cent anti-dumping duty, creating better conditions for business. Nevertheless, VASEP cautioned that future trade defence measures in the US market remain highly uncertain.

VASEP forecasts that Vietnam’s seafood exports could grow by 8-10 per cent in 2026, surpassing $12 billion if market conditions remain favourable and trade remedy obstacles are effectively addressed.

Conversely, if compliance costs, transportation expenses, logistics costs and trade barriers continue to persist, growth in the seafood industry is likely to slow significantly in the latter part of the year, particularly for shrimp exporters and fishing companies.

Seafood exporters urged to prepare for expected downturn in 2026 After a bright year with export revenue on track to reach $10 billion in 2025, Vietnam’s seafood industry is forecast to face multiple headwinds from 2026 onwards.

Seafood exports to Japan surge towards new annual record Vietnam’s seafood exports to Japan have gained strong momentum, reaching nearly $1.6 billion since the start of the year and positioning the sector to set a new annual record.

Middle East tensions drive cost pressures for seafood exporters Seafood companies are facing mounting cost pressures and rising cold chain risks as the Middle East conflict escalates, posing urgent questions about market restructuring.