Vietnam

Vietnam News | English | News | Nov. 17, 2025 | Geopolitical Conflict and Disputes

US President Donald Trump held phone calls with the leaders of Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia following fresh clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces. Trump claimed he used the threat of tariffs to persuade the countries to stop the fighting, stating that without such measures, the US would face unfair tariff use from other nations. He expressed optimism about the situation's resolution after his discussions.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirmed that both Thailand and Cambodia had withdrawn military forces from the border in accordance with the Kuala Lumpur Peace Agreement Framework, which he welcomed and credited Trump’s active involvement in sustaining regional stability. This peace deal was signed on October 26, 2025, hosted by Trump and Anwar Ibrahim, but was suspended by Thailand on November 10 after renewed border violence.

The clashes resulted in one death and several injuries, with both sides blaming each other. Thailand denied unprovoked aggression and said its forces only returned fire to defend sovereignty. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet thanked Trump for his role in establishing the ceasefire and emphasized the US president’s commitment to ensuring lasting peace and preventing further conflict.

Thailand has delayed the release of 18 captured Cambodian soldiers, a key condition of the joint peace treaty. The border dispute between the two countries traces back to colonial-era boundary disagreements, and recent tensions have escalated to include fighter jets and missile strikes earlier in the year. The White House confirmed Trump’s mediation efforts, involving Malaysia, to help end the violence.

Ngân sách dành 95.000 tỷ đồng cho khoa học công nghệ năm 2026

VN Express | Local Language | News | Nov. 17, 2025 | UndeterminedBudgets-Budgeting

The Vietnamese Government has allocated 95 trillion VND for science and technology in the 2026 budget, emphasizing digital transformation, innovation, and strategic infrastructure development. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh directed the State Bank of Vietnam and commercial banks to implement a 500,000 billion VND credit program to support these areas, with strict oversight on fund allocation. Priority areas include national data centers, key laboratories, research centers, strategic technology projects, and critical databases. The Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Science and Technology are tasked with proposing financial mechanisms and ensuring adequate capital.

The Ministry of Science and Technology is preparing initiatives to help digital technology companies expand globally and to enhance R&D capacity in public organizations. Efforts include nationwide 5G coverage and facilitating the deployment of Starlink in 2026 with a target of 500,000 subscribers. Various ministries have been assigned responsibilities such as reviewing online public services and database management (Ministry of Justice), supporting digital election processes and launching National Digital Data Centers (Ministry of Public Security), developing smart city and border gate projects (Ministry of Construction), and digitizing education and health records (Ministries of Education and Health).

Prime Minister Chinh highlighted the need to reduce unnecessary bureaucratic procedures, citing examples where citizens face burdensome steps despite available digital systems like VNeID. He stressed the importance of public knowledge and skills training to enhance the use of digital platforms, aiming for more efficient and user-friendly government services by 2026.

Vietnam Net - E | English | News | Nov. 17, 2025 | UndeterminedTech Development/Adoption

Vietnam’s space technology development began with remote sensing research in the 1980s, but significant satellite mastery started in 2006 with the National Strategy for Research and Application of Space Technology through 2020. Since then, the country has launched multiple satellites including VINASat-1 (2008), VINASat-2 (2012), VNREDSat-1 and PicoDragon (2013), MicroDragon (2019), NanoDragon (2021), and recently completed LOTUSat-1, the first Earth observation radar satellite ready for launch. The Communist Party and the State have shown strong commitment to space technology through key policies like Politburo Resolution 57 (2024), Prime Minister Decision 1131 (2025), and the National Assembly's Resolution 93, creating a supportive legal and strategic framework.

Human capital development is prioritized through master’s and doctoral programs in Japan and partnerships with major Vietnamese universities, training experts involved in satellite projects and infrastructure. Infrastructure growth includes facilities like the satellite data reception and processing station, integration and testing complex, and the Vietnam Space Museum, which bolsters public knowledge and supports a satellite data ecosystem linked to national data infrastructure.

Challenges remain, including limited coordination among agencies, absence of a long-term strategy, lack of unified technical standards and specialized legislation, modest technical infrastructure, a small pool of specialists without formal skill standards or incentives, and the high capital requirements and risks of space R&D. Despite these, Vietnam has established a policy framework, trained human resources, and initial infrastructure to support further growth.

The proposed growth strategy focuses on gradual scaling through small, low-Earth orbit satellites, enhanced control and data stations, and improved integration and data utilization. This approach aligns with global trends favoring small satellites, enabling developing countries to lead in core components. Over the next 10-20 years, building a cluster of small Earth-observation satellites is planned to address national needs like disaster reduction, climate mitigation, agriculture, environmental protection, infrastructure, and maritime security. Immediate steps include mission-based service procurement emphasizing social and economic benefits, investment in domestic capabilities, data standardization, and localization of space products. The emergence of private enterprises like VinSpace signals increased interest and momentum in Vietnam’s space industry.