Vietnam Defense and News forum

[Viet]

Sr. Lt. Hoang Xuan Chien visiting the North Korean army in Pyongyang
the atmosphere seems to be tense. North Korea is under siege.

 

[Viet]

North Korea army chief Kang Sun Nam
they all (except Kim Young Un) are a bit malnourished if compared to their brothers South Korean army. they can´t fight against the US with empty stomach.
Why Kim not export more foods from Viet Nam? those items are not under sanctions.

 

[Viet]

Vietnam upgraded to emerging market status by FTSE Russell​

Change in classification by index provider set to bring in billions of dollars of investment


Vietnam has been upgraded to emerging market status by an index provider for the first time, in a move that could bring in billions of dollars of investment into the country’s equity markets. FTSE Russell cited Vietnam’s improvements to settlement of trades in its decision to elevate the country to a list of so-called secondary emerging markets, which includes China, India and Indonesia. The status will take effect next September, pending an interim review in March.

An upgrade from “frontier market” status comes at a crucial time for Vietnam, which has become a pivotal link in the global supply chain as manufacturing moves away from China.“The reclassification is expected to be a structural positive for Vietnam’s capital markets,” said Wanming Du, director of Asia-Pacific index policy at FTSE Russell.

“It reinforces the country’s progress towards greater openness, improved liquidity and deeper institutional participation.”Thuy Anh Nguyen, a director at Dragon Capital, a Vietnamese fund manager, said the upgrade could bring in tens of billions of dollars in active investment and about $500mn of passive inflows. “Previously [some] institutional investors could not invest because we were classified as a frontier market,” said Nguyen. “Now that we are classified as EM it will be easier for them.”.

Bill Hayton, an associate fellow for the Asia Programme at Chatham House, said the upgrade was “pretty significant for Vietnam” and “another step towards being treated as just another international economy”.Vietnam has been on FTSE Russell’s watchlist for an upgrade since 2018 and undertaken a series of market reforms to qualify.It has broadly loosened regulations to make it easier for foreign investors to trade, ending some foreign ownership limits and removing a requirement to fund transactions in advance. It has also adopted market infrastructure from South Korea’s stock exchange.

Despite a sharp sell-off following US President Donald Trump’s “liberation day” tariffs, which make the country’s export sector more expensive, the benchmark Ho Chi Minh stock index is up 35 per cent this year, making it among the top performers in Asia. The index rose 1.7 per cent in early trading on Wednesday following the announcement.

Investors said the government’s pivot to more business-friendly policies after Trump’s tariffs had helped bolster confidence in the stock market.“Vietnam realised they’re so exposed to the US so they’re really trying to up their game now,” said Ruchir Desai, a fund manager at Asia Frontier Capital. “They’re doing reforms on the ground in terms of trying to give more focus to the private sector, spending more on infrastructure, spending more on domestic investments.

Last year the World Bank said an upgrade to emerging market status by MSCI, another index provider, and FTSE Russell could mean a net inflow of $25bn by 2030 if strong reforms continued and the global investment environment remained healthy.MSCI classifies Vietnam as a frontier market, but the country aims to earn an MSCI upgrade to emerging market by 2030. It is pushing to be classified as an “advanced emerging market” by FTSE by the same date and plans further reforms to meet the stricter criteria.

Investing in Vietnam from overseas has long been challenging. It can take months for investors to acquire the identification needed for the market, and foreigners pay a premium for shares of some companies due to limits on non-Vietnamese ownership, said Owens Huang, a portfolio manager at Dalton Investments.Most non-Vietnamese retail investors gain exposure through overseas listed funds. FTSE noted the “limited access to global brokers for trading in Vietnam” in its announcement of the upgrade.

Vietnam upgraded to emerging market status by FTSE Russell

Change in classification by index provider set to bring in billions of dollars of investment

www.ft.com

 

[Viet]

Vingroup Establishes VinMetal Steel Manufacturing Company, Officially Enters the Metallurgy Industry​

VinMetal is launching with an initial investment of VND 10 trillion (approx. USD 380 million), with plans to build a high-tech industrial steel production complex in Vũng Áng, Hà Tĩnh. Phase 1 will have a capacity of around 5 million tons per year.

The company will focus on producing steel products for civil construction, including hot-rolled steel, high-strength steel, and specialized alloy steels for electric vehicles and high-speed transportation infrastructure. Its flagship products will include high-quality sheet steel and stamped automotive body steel, as well as international-standard rails and structural steel for bridges, ports, and railways, targeting import substitution and future exports to regional markets.

VinMetal will initially prioritize supplying materials for Vingroup's core sectors such as Vinhomes real estate and VinFast electric vehicles. In addition, the company seeks to secure high-quality steel supply for major projects in industry, energy, and transportation currently under research and proposal, including the North-South high-speed railway, the HCMC-Cần Giờ line, and the Hà Nội-Quảng Ninh route.

In the long term, VinMetal aspires to become a leader in green steel production in Vietnam, applying carbon-reducing technologies and reusing energy from renewable sources. This will not only advance the domestic metallurgy industry but also promote the growth of Vietnam's heavy industry as a whole.



Nguyễn Việt Quang, Vice Chairman and CEO of Vingroup and concurrently CEO of VinMetal, stated: "VinMetal is not just a steel plant. It represents a strategic preparation for a modern, green, and sustainable infrastructure future for Vietnam. At Vingroup, we believe that proactively developing foundational industries will help our country enter a new growth era, where Vietnamese people master technology, materials, and the execution of national-scale projects."

The establishment of VinMetal marks another milestone in Vingroup's development strategy across its five business pillars: Industrials & Technology; Real Estate & Services; Infrastructure; Green Energy; and Social Enterprises.

Belonging to the Industrials and Technology pillar, VinMetal also serves as a foundational element directly supporting the Infrastructure pillar, where Vingroup is expanding investments in high-speed railways, bridges, ports, and logistics. Domestic steel production will not only ensure material supplies for these large-scale projects but also strengthen Vietnam's heavy industry capabilities, enhance national competitiveness, and elevate Vietnam's global standing.

With this new step, Vingroup reaffirms its commitment to contributing to the nation, while advancing its industrial, energy, and infrastructure value chain toward sustainable and long-term prosperity for Vietnam.

Vingroup Establishes VinMetal Steel Manufacturing Company, Officially Enters the Metallurgy Industry #Vingroup #VinMetal

HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach Newswire - 6 October 2025 - Vingroup today announced the establishment of VinMetal Joint Stock Company for...

www.media-outreach.com

 

[Viet]

domestic made M79-VN 40mm grenade launcher
a copy of M79 extensively used by the US army during the Vietnam war

 

[Viet]

still a long way to manufacture T90 tanks
only parts of the T90 till yet. the industry can make ammos, armored chain, 2A46M 125 mm smoothbore gun, 12.7mm machine guns, auxilaries. important pieces still missing: chassis, turret, fire control system, diesel engine.

 

[Viet]

conscripts with domestic made PKM 7.62x54mm machine gun

 

[Viet]

technically making guns is like making shoes.
no difference
different types of infantry weapons made in Viet Nam

 

[Viet]

On October 4, Putin sent off a cargo plane off to Vietnam with medicine, foods and relief goods. Those are to help Vietnamese families be devastated by the recent storm, although Russia is facing itself difficulty, midst of a war.
However Vietnam asked him to send the majority of those relief goods to the people of Gaza. Those poor souls urgently need more than the Vietnamese.

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[Viet]

Vietnam pushes ahead with its International Financial Center dream​

Dual-hub project aims to lure foreign capital, fuel double-digit growth

An artist's impression of Danang after construction is completed on its part of Vietnam's International Financial Center. (Nhan Dan news website sourcing Danang local government)

Vietnam pushes ahead with its International Financial Center dream

Dual-hub project aims to lure foreign capital, fuel double-digit growth

asia.nikkei.com

 

[Viet]

the biggest one is said as VCM-06 cruise missile, range 600km+, a copy of Russian Kalibr cruise missile.

 

[Viet]

Inside missile factory Z189 where all VCM cruise missiles are developed and manufactured. the Kalibr can reach max 1,500 miles or 2,500km (similar to Tomahawk).

 

[Viet]

What camo did US soldiers wear during Tet offensive 1968? The year marked the turning point of the Vietnam war.
Almost no armor protection vest
The casualties among US army members were high.

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[Viet]

Vietnam communist chief To Lam arrived North Korea.
Congrats to Kim Jong Un
He brings North Korea back to world stage as “normal” country.

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[Viet]

the Americans, Japanese, southern Koreans are probably not amused.