Vietnam Weekly: Vietnam reshuffles cabinet, lands Apple/Intel moves, upgrades UK partnership

October 24, 2025 to October 30, 2025

This week's top 10 stories from Vietnam, selected from our daily intelligence briefs.

1. Government Reshuffle Elevates Two New Deputy PMs and Reassigns Portfolios Across Cabinet

Vietnam’s National Assembly completed a significant mid-term cabinet reshuffle for the 2021–2026 term, expanding the government to 27 members and appointing two new deputy prime ministers — Phạm Thị Thanh Trà (the first woman to hold the post) and Hồ Quốc Dũng — alongside new ministers Lê Hoài Trung (Foreign Affairs), Đỗ Thanh Bình (Home Affairs) and Trần Đức Thắng (Agriculture and Environment). The Assembly voted overwhelmingly in late October (electronic ballots with tallies such as 427–430 in favor) to dismiss several incumbents, create an additional deputy PM slot and formalize leadership changes following acting appointments earlier in 2025.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chinh and decision 2369/QĐ‑TTg (27 Oct) then defined portfolios for nine deputy prime ministers to sharpen accountability: Standing Deputy PM Nguyễn Hòa Bình will oversee anti‑crime, anti‑corruption, inspections, judicial reform and stalled projects and act for the PM when delegated; Lê Thành Long will supervise education, health and social issues; Phạm Thị Thanh Trà will handle home affairs, administrative reform and labour; and Hồ Quốc Dũng will focus on legal/institutional building and international dispute handling. The reshuffle aims to accelerate public investment disbursement, advance delayed major projects and clarify institutional responsibilities ahead of year‑end milestones and pending legislative work on security, justice and emergency laws.

Local Coverage: vnexpress.net, thanhnien.vn, com.vn, tuoitre.vn, vietnamplus.vn, baotintuc.vn, vneconomy.vn

From daily briefs: 2025-10-25, 2025-10-26, 2025-10-28

2. Intel to Shift Assembly and Testing from Costa Rica to Ho Chi Minh City Plant

Intel will shift additional assembly, packaging and testing operations from its Costa Rica facility to its Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) site as part of a global manufacturing realignment aimed at improving efficiency and competitiveness, Intel Products Vietnam (IPV) head Kenneth Tse said. The company is importing new production lines into Saigon Hi‑Tech Park and has requested HCMC support on equipment operation licensing and air cargo security; it has also begun recruiting more production technicians through 2025, though precise staffing numbers and transfer timelines were not disclosed.

The move reinforces HCMC’s strategy to deepen high‑tech manufacturing capacity and strengthens IPV, Intel’s largest assembly and test site, which already accounts for more than 50% of Intel’s assembly and test output, employs over 6,000 workers and handles next‑generation 18A products. IPV reported more than $100 billion in cumulative export value since inception, underscoring Vietnam’s growing role in Intel’s global supply chain and the broader semiconductor production footprint.

Local Coverage: vnexpress.net

From daily brief: 2025-10-26

3. Apple Shifts Vision Pro Assembly to Vietnam with Next-Gen M5 Model

Apple has begun assembling its next‑generation Vision Pro mixed‑reality headset in Vietnam, a notable supply‑chain shift from China where the original M2‑based model was built exclusively by Luxshare. The new unit reportedly uses an M5 chip and a Dual Knit headband; Bloomberg also says Apple’s forthcoming smart‑home line—smart display, indoor security camera and tabletop robot—will be labeled “Made in Vietnam,” reinforcing Vietnam’s growing role as a core Apple production hub alongside existing AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad and HomePod output.

The move signals a strategic geographic diversification: iPhone production remains concentrated in China, but U.S.‑bound iPhone 17 units are expected to be produced largely in India while more Macs are now made in Thailand and Malaysia. Apple additionally plans U.S. production of cover glass for all iPhones and Apple Watch, underscoring a broader effort to spread manufacturing risk and respond to geopolitical and trade pressures.

Local Coverage: thanhnien.vn

From daily brief: 2025-10-24

4. UK Ties Upgraded to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with 6-Pillar Agenda and Big-Ticket Deals

During a three-day UK visit beginning October 28, General Secretary To Lam and a high‑level Vietnamese delegation secured a Joint Statement upgrading UK–Vietnam ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership built around six pillars: politics–defence–security; trade–investment–finance; science–innovation–digital–health; environment–energy–green transition; education–culture–people‑to‑people; and regional–global coordination. The leaders set an ambition to double bilateral trade, deepen UKVFTA/CPTPP implementation and JETP-aligned energy transition work, and launched partnerships on international financial centres (HCMC, Đà Nẵng), green finance, offshore wind and grid upgrades, customs cooperation, and migration management. Commercial and institutional deliverables include aircraft purchases and engine services, pharmaceutical, AI/digital and education MOUs, the Oxford–Vietjet Net Zero research collaboration, the Tien Phong Oxford Pioneer Scholarship, and a Tam Anh Research Institute–Oxford agreement for joint training and health research from December 2025.

The visit signals a UK political reset toward greater supply‑chain, defence and maritime-security coordination, and deeper engagement in semiconductors, AI and advanced technology—areas repeatedly highlighted by UK Ambassador Iain Frew—while To Lam framed Vietnam’s development strategy at Oxford around science, digital transformation, low‑carbon growth and rule‑of‑law governance aimed at reaching upper‑middle income by 2030 and high‑income status by 2045. Concurrent talks in Sofia produced Vietnam’s first Strategic Partnership with Bulgaria, with similar trade and technology ambitions and concrete action plans for cyber, UN peacekeeping and defence cooperation.

Local Coverage: vietnamplus.vn, tuoitre.vn, baotintuc.vn, thanhnien.vn, vneconomy.vn, vnexpress.net, com.vn

From daily briefs: 2025-10-24, 2025-10-29, 2025-10-30, 2025-10-31

5. UN Cybercrime Convention Opens in Hanoi with 72 Signatories, Setting Fast Track to Enforcement and Elevating Host’s Diplomatic Profile

The UN’s first global cybercrime treaty opened for signature in Hanoi on October 24–25, drawing about 2,500 participants from 119 countries and 150 organizations; 72 states signed the nine‑chapter, 71‑article “Hanoi Convention” during the ceremony—well above the 40 ratifications required for the pact to enter into force (90 days after the 40th ratification). The treaty creates common definitions for cyber offences (including ransomware, online fraud, child sexual exploitation and, for the first time in any international treaty, non‑consensual intimate‑image distribution), mandates 24/7 points of contact, and streamlines cross‑border electronic evidence sharing, extradition, asset recovery and victim protections.

For international practitioners and policymakers the rapid uptake signals a stronger pathway to legal harmonization and closing safe havens for cyber gangs, while catalysing capacity‑building — notably across ASEAN — and prompting national measures (e.g., Thailand’s tougher anti‑scam steps aligned to the framework). UN Secretary‑General António Guterres and Vietnamese leaders framed the event as a test of multilateralism and urged swift ratification and implementation; Vietnam’s successful hosting also elevated its diplomatic profile and may spur bilateral security cooperation and training initiatives with UNODC and partners.

Local Coverage: vietnamplus.vn, baotintuc.vn, vneconomy.vn, tuoitre.vn, com.vn, thanhnien.vn, vnexpress.net

From daily briefs: 2025-10-24, 2025-10-25, 2025-10-26, 2025-10-27, 2025-10-28

6. November Rules Tighten AML Reporting, Overhaul Non-Cash Payments, and Expand Gold Bar Handling

In November several Vietnamese regulations take effect that will affect banking operations, payments, labor compliance and corporate registries. From Nov. 1 (Circular 27/2025) banks must send electronic AML reports to the Anti‑Money Laundering Department for domestic electronic transfers ≥ VND 500 million and international transfers ≥ USD 1,000 (intermediary financial institutions excluded). Circular 30/2025 (effective Nov. 18) tightens non‑cash payment rules: Level‑2 eKYC is required (Vietnamese citizens via national ID or Level‑2 digital ID; foreign residents via passport/equivalent or Level‑2 digital ID), providers must limit annual online payment downtime to four hours and report outages over 30 minutes within four hours with a detailed follow‑up in three working days.

Separately, Decree 274/2025 (effective Nov. 30) codifies sanctions for late or evaded compulsory social insurance contributions, with specified force‑majeure exceptions, while Circular 33/2025 (from Nov. 15) permits commercial banks to receive and deliver gold bars under new packaging and classification standards. Decision 36/2025 (effective Nov. 15) revises economic activity codes, obliging firms to align registered codes to improve data harmonization and support policy design. Collectively these measures increase compliance burdens — particularly KYC/AML reporting, service‑availability SLAs and corporate registry updates — with operational and IT implications for international financial institutions and corporate clients in Vietnam.

Local Coverage: thanhnien.vn

From daily brief: 2025-10-30

7. Thailand Imposes Up to 29.8% Anti-Dumping Duties on Vietnamese Cold-Rolled Stainless Steel

Thailand’s Department of Foreign Trade (DFT) has imposed final anti‑dumping duties ranging from 9.95% to 29.8% on cold‑rolled stainless steel from Vietnam (CIF basis), covering coils, sheets and strips 0.3–3 mm thick and up to 1,320 mm wide under 33 HS codes. The measures, following an investigation initiated by Posco‑Thainox Public in October 2024, take effect for five years from 11 October 2025; the investigation period was 1 July 2023–30 June 2024 with a pre‑initiation review for 1 July 2022–30 June 2023.

Exemptions apply for imports used to produce goods for re‑export under Thai industrial estate, investment promotion or customs laws. Affected parties may appeal to the Intellectual Property and International Trade Court within 30 days of receiving the decision; Vietnam’s Trade Remedies Authority has advised exporters to review the ruling and consider compliance adjustments or legal challenges. The duties are likely to raise costs for Vietnamese suppliers to Thailand and could prompt supply‑chain shifts or trade remedies responses in the region.

Local Coverage: vneconomy.vn

From daily brief: 2025-10-25

8. Bosch Elevates Ho Chi Minh City as Its No. 2 Global Software Hub

Bosch has designated Vietnam as its No. 2 global software development hub after India, anchoring operations at the Bosch Global Software Technologies (BGST) center in Ho Chi Minh City with about 3,000 software engineers. According to country head Andre de Jong, the group has invested more than €500 million in Vietnam across factories, production lines and software centers since establishing a presence there in 1994, making Bosch the country’s largest German investor.

The expansion signals a strategic shift beyond consumer products into AI, chip design and semiconductor collaboration with Vietnamese universities and research institutes, aligning with Hanoi’s national push into semiconductors and AI. For international markets this strengthens Bosch’s regional R&D capacity and talent pipeline, accelerating deep‑tech product development and underscoring Vietnam’s growing role in global software and semiconductor ecosystems.

Local Coverage: vietnamplus.vn

From daily brief: 2025-10-25

9. Reciprocal Tariff Talks with U.S. Put 0% List Under Negotiation as 20% Rate Threatens Key Exports

The U.S. and Vietnam have agreed a “reciprocal, fair and balanced” trade framework (joint statement issued Oct. 26, 2025) that keeps a 20% U.S. reciprocal tariff on most Vietnamese-origin goods under Executive Order 14257 (Apr. 2, 2025) while allowing Annex III items under Executive Order 14356 (Sept. 5, 2025) to be negotiated down to a 0% rate. Ho Chi Minh City’s export processing and industrial zone authority says the 0% product lists are still under negotiation; a survey of zone-based exporters warns a sustained 20% rate would most sharply damage wood products, apparel, footwear and electronics and undermine Vietnam’s cost competitiveness versus neighbours. Businesses are pressing the Ministry of Industry and Trade for clear rules of origin and implementation procedures once lists are finalised.

The framework — part of the countries’ Comprehensive Strategic Partnership announced at the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur — also contemplates broader cooperation on non‑tariff barriers, digital trade, IP, labour and environmental standards, and market access (including Vietnam accepting U.S. vehicle safety/emissions rules and streamlining approvals for U.S. medical devices and farm products). Officials flagged near-term commercial wins such as Vietnam Airlines’ order for 50 Boeing jets (~$8bn) and $2.9bn in agri MoUs; bilateral trade hit $126.4bn in the first nine months of 2025. Outcomes on the 0% list will be pivotal for manufacturers’ supply‑chain and FDI decisions and for Vietnam’s leverage in future negotiations.

Local Coverage: thanhnien.vn, vietnamplus.vn, baotintuc.vn, vnexpress.net, vneconomy.vn, tuoitre.vn

From daily briefs: 2025-10-27, 2025-10-28, 2025-10-31

10. European vendors deepen role in 5G rollout as lawmakers push long-term digital and green transition

Vietnam is accelerating a nationwide 5G rollout after late‑2024 spectrum auctions, with nearly 14,000 base stations now active in major cities and tech hubs and targets of 99% population coverage by 2030 (90% by end‑2025 and 50% of 4G site parity). European vendors Ericsson, Nokia and Alcatel Submarine Networks are expanding roles across radio access, core networks and subsea cables as the government plans to grow submarine systems from six to 15 by 2030; regulators also flagged needs for additional spectrum beyond the initial 100 MHz allocation and are incentivizing deployment with a 15% equipment subsidy to build 20,000 new 5G sites this year.

Lawmakers and regulators stressed 5G’s role as a platform for telemedicine, smart cities, logistics and industry, and linked rollout to AI adoption, faster mobile speeds (from 26.67 Mbps in 2019 to 159.57 Mbps by Sept. 2025, ranking 13th globally) and regional harmonization of spectrum policy. However, deputies warned of structural challenges—low local tech content, SME capability gaps and green‑transition financing—and urged creation of a domestic carbon market as only ~20% of major emitters have complete inventories, exposing exporters to EU/Japan/US border carbon measures.

Local Coverage: vneconomy.vn, vietnamplus.vn, baotintuc.vn, vnexpress.net

From daily briefs: 2025-10-29, 2025-10-30

About This Weekly Digest

The stories above represent the most significant developments from Vietnam this week, selected through our AI-powered analysis of hundreds of local news articles.

Stories are drawn from our daily intelligence briefs, which synthesize reporting from Vietnam's leading news sources to provide comprehensive situational awareness for international decision-makers.