Vietnam

• Laos and Vietnam are expanding their economic partnership to increase cooperation in sectors like renewable energy, telecommunications, and mineral processing. • Vietnam Airlines is providing a 15 per cent fare discount for passengers aged 60 and older on domestic Economy Class tickets booked via its website. • Prime Minister Wong announced that Singapore will focus on advancing ASEAN integration and inclusive partnerships during its 2027 chairmanship.

• Coach Kim Sang-sik led the Vietnam men's national football team to their second consecutive ASEAN Hyundai Cup title. • Vietnam secured the championship by defeating Thailand with a 4-2 aggregate score in the final. • This victory reinforces Vietnam's dominance in the top Southeast Asian football tournament under Kim's leadership.

• Vietnam is experiencing a surge in large-scale data center investments driven by the accelerating demand for AI, cloud computing, and the broader data economy. • Current installed capacity of approximately 104MW is projected to grow five-to-six-fold, reaching nearly 600MW by 2030. • This boom positions Vietnam as one of the highest-potential markets in the region, attracting billions of dollars in foreign and domestic capital.

• Vietnam has been rated as having a "closed" civic space due to systematic state efforts to silence human rights defenders, journalists, bloggers, and religious actors. • Authorities are utilizing national security laws to jail activists and book publishers, while reports indicate the use of torture, ill-treatment in detention, and restrictions on freedom of movement. • The situation has escalated with the implementation of a new retaliatory decree specifically targeting lawyers who provide legal support to these marginalized groups.

• Vietnam recorded over $1 billion in total M&A deals during June, reflecting strong overall investment activity. • The technology sector remained largely absent, with only three deals totaling $0.6 million, accounting for less than 1% of the total value. • This stark disparity underscores a significant gap between the country's digital ambitions and actual investment in tech acquisitions.

• Allianz Global Investors (AllianzGI) has signed an agreement to acquire UOB Asset Management (UOBAM), the asset management arm of Singapore's UOB Group. • The deal expands AllianzGI's reach into high-growth Southeast Asian markets, specifically Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia, while scaling existing operations in Singapore, Taiwan, and Indonesia. • This acquisition is strategically significant as it increases AllianzGI's assets under management in the Asia-Pacific region to over €170 billion.

• Indonesia and Vietnam will co-host the group stage of the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026, while Zinedine Zidane is set to make his debut as the manager of the French national team. • In other sports updates from July 29, Myanmar and Malaysia earned dominant victories during the second round of Group B in the ASEAN Cup 2026. • Vietnam U23 has officially announced a 29-player squad to compete in the upcoming 20th Asian Games.