On October 10, the Vietnam Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (VAMM) reported that combined sales from its five members – Honda, Yamaha, Piaggio, Suzuki, and SYM – totalled just under 622,000 units between July and September 2025, down almost 9.4 per cent on-year. Despite Vietnam remaining one of Southeast Asia’s largest motorcycle markets, the decline signals a pause after two decades of strong growth.

With around 80 per cent of market share, Honda continues to dominate, but has not been spared from the downturn. In September alone, Honda sold almost 164,000 motorcycles, down 11.4 per cent on-year. From April to September, its total sales amounted to just over 1 million units, a slight fall compared with the previous year.

Dealers report sharper drops in recent months, particularly in mid-range scooters, as consumers adopt a wait-and-see approach. “People are wondering whether buying a petrol bike now could restrict them later, or if it’s better to wait until EVs become more affordable. This hesitation is putting the entire market on pause,” a major distributor explained.

In contrast, non-VAMM players such as VinFast, Yadea, and Dat Bike are gaining traction in the two-wheeler EV segment, forcing traditional giants like Honda and Yamaha to accelerate their electrification strategies.

The policy landscape is also reshaping expectations. Under a directive issued by the Prime Minister in July, Hanoi authorities must implement measures to restrict fossil-fuelled motorbikes from operating within Ring Road 1 by July 2026. The following stages will limit petrol-powered private cars inside Ring Roads 1 and 2 by 2028, extending to Ring Road 3 by 2030.

In response, VAMM has petitioned the government, warning that the 2026 restrictions in Hanoi could impose significant burdens on both consumers and industry. The association argues that low-income households and families reliant on multiple petrol bikes would face steep costs in switching vehicles. For businesses, the abrupt shift risks disrupting the entire motorcycle ecosystem – from production and distribution to after-sales services.

“Manufacturers will be forced to make substantial investments in restructuring production lines, upgrading technology, and developing new products, without sufficient time or financial support. This could result in heavy losses, production disruptions, and even bankruptcies,” VAMM noted. Nearly 2,000 dealerships and 200 component suppliers tied to internal combustion engines are expected to bear the brunt of declining revenues, with supply chain fractures a likely consequence.

VAMM also pointed out that companies have already invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in new technology and equipment to meet forthcoming regulations effective from 2027, such as EURO4 emission standards and fuel consumption limits. A sudden pivot to EVs could render these efforts wasteful and undermine the effectiveness of recently enacted environmental policies.

To avoid a disorderly transition, VAMM has proposed a more phased approach with a minimum preparation window of two to three years, giving households, businesses, and regulators time to adapt and mitigate risks.

The association further explained that infrastructure remains a critical barrier. Public charging stations are still insufficient, while concerns over fire safety – particularly in ageing apartment buildings with degraded electrical systems – are rising. “Addressing these issues is essential for consumer confidence, business investment, and the safe, effective rollout of electric mobility,” the association stressed.

In addition, VAMM urged policymakers to introduce supportive incentives, such as tax breaks and preferential credit, to encourage consumer adoption of electric two-wheelers.

The motorcycle market is shifting from sheer volume growth to structural transformation. While 2025 has been a challenging year, analysts predict stabilisation from the second half of 2026 as economic growth resumes, incomes rise, and the green consumption trend strengthens.

The interplay of electrification, technological renewal, and consumer appetite for sustainable mobility is expected to shape the next growth cycle. In the long term, Vietnam will remain a pivotal two-wheeler market in ASEAN, not only for domestic consumption but also for its export potential.

At a national conference in Hanoi on October 9, held ahead of Vietnam Entrepreneurs’ Day, Hoa Phat Group chairman Tran Dinh Long urged the government to streamline decision-making, enhance transparency in public procurement, and prioritise Vietnamese products. He explained that clearer and more responsive policies are crucial to helping local industries remain competitive amid international headwinds.

Reflecting on nearly three decades since Vietnam joined ASEAN, Hoa Phat Group chairman Tran Dinh Long said, “The steel sector has evolved from a peripheral player to a pillar of regional manufacturing. From an output of just over one million tonnes in 1995, Vietnam has become Southeast Asia’s largest steel producer and now ranks 11th globally, reflecting the strength of our industry as well as Vietnam’s success in economic integration.”

He called for faster and more decisive implementation of the Politburo’s Resolution No.68-NQ/TW on private-sector development, stressing that bureaucracy remains a brake on enterprise growth. “Time is life in business. Every delay means missed opportunities,” he said. “Enterprises need ministries and local authorities to respond faster and act with conviction.”

Long also warned that rising global protectionism is compounding challenges for Vietnamese exporters, citing the EU’s recent move to double steel import duties from 25 to 50 per cent. “This will hit our exports directly,” he said. “The government needs flexible, timely countermeasures to safeguard domestic production while keeping trade fair and rules-based.”

For state-funded projects, Long urged ministries and agencies to prioritise Vietnamese materials that meet technical standards, arguing that national procurement policies should directly support local manufacturing. “The message is simple: if Vietnamese producers can deliver, they should have the first chance,” he said. Transparent bidding and fair competition, he added, must guide all major public schemes, from social and worker housing to national infrastructure.

“Domestic enterprises have invested heavily in capacity and technology,” Long concluded. “We’re ready to drive the country’s development, but that requires a level playing field and clear, consistent rules.”

Hoa Phat’s recent performance underscores its leading position. In the third quarter of 2025, the group produced 2.8 million tonnes of crude steel, up 14 per cent on-quarter and 35 per cent on-year. Sales of hot-rolled coil (HRC), construction steel, high-quality steel and billets reached 2.5 million tonnes, an increase of 21 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Construction steel and rolled steel sales fell 17 per cent from the second quarter to just over one million tonnes, affected by the low building season and adverse weather. In contrast, HRC sales climbed 8 per cent from the previous quarter and 71 per cent on-year to over 1.2 million tonnes. September alone saw a record 477,000 tonnes sold.

Downstream HRC products also expanded steadily, with coated steel sheets reaching 120,000 tonnes and steel pipes 225,000 tonnes in the quarter.

Over the first nine months of 2025, Hoa Phat produced 7.9 million tonnes of crude steel, up 23 per cent on-year. Total steel sales reached 7.4 million tonnes, up 22 per cent, maintaining its 37 per cent market share in construction steel.

HRC output surged 51 per cent to 3.43 million tonnes, accounting for more than 56 per cent of Vietnam’s total, according to the Vietnam Steel Association. Coated steel output reached 320,000 tonnes (down 7 per cent), steel pipes 627,000 tonnes (up 25 per cent), and pre-stressed and wire-drawn steel 116,000 tonnes (up 25 per cent), with exports contributing 42 per cent.

The completion of blast furnaces No.1 and No.2 at the Hoa Phat Dung Quat 2 complex during the second and third quarters marked a strategic milestone. The fully operational project will significantly expand national HRC capacity, reinforcing Vietnam’s steel independence amid rising protectionism in global markets.

The MoC announced this finding at a meeting held on October 3 to review the nine-month performance and set tasks for the upcoming months.

The ministry has submitted and received approval from the prime minister for the plan to reduce 181 business investment conditions and simplify 12 more business investment conditions, exceeding the target set in Resolution No.66/NQ-CP.

The MoC’s meeting on October 3 in Hanoi. Photo: Ministry of Science and Technology

Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh assessed that the work of building and perfecting institutions continues to be implemented strongly and effectively. The ministry focused on completing, submitting and having the National Assembly approve the Railway Law and six resolutions. It also had nine decrees, one resolution and 32 circulars issued.

They have many new contents, contributing to creating motivation for the country in investment and development of construction infrastructure, strengthen decentralisation, in accordance with the two-level local government model, reform and simplify administrative procedures and investment and business conditions.

However, Minister Minh pointed out that there are still many problems after the two-level local government model came into operation, such as provincial planning and urban planning. Therefore, the work of building institutions must be more substantial and truly creative to help remove obstacles and create conditions for people, localities, and businesses to thrive.

He also admitted that the application of science, technology and digital transformation in its agencies and units is still slow, not really meeting the requirements of the practical situation.

Minister Minh asked heads of units to focus on strictly implementing the tasks assigned in Notice No.372 dated September 16 and Notice No.425 dated September 30 on the development of standards and regulations.

Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh chaired the meeting. Photo: Ministry of Science and Technology

The minister assigned the Department of Science, Technology, Environment, and Construction Materials and the Information Technology Centre to actively work with research facilities and enterprises to promote innovation and national digital transformation in the fields of construction and transport.

“Heads of units, especially specialised departments, need to closely coordinate with the Information Technology Centre to urgently build a construction industry database to ensure completion in 2025,” he directed.

The minister requested that in the last quarter of 2025, the Legal Department and agencies and units must organise the effective implementation of the strategic resolutions of the Politburo. At the same time, they should focus on completing legal documents and schemes to submit to the 13^th Party Central Committee Conference and the 10^th session of the 15^th National Assembly. These include the Aviation Law, Urban and Rural Planning Law, and Construction Law (amended) for consideration and approval; as well as 10 draft decrees in accordance with the plan.

MoC reviews progress and pushes plans to meet 2025 targets The Ministry of Construction held a critical mid-year evaluation on June 6, analysing the performance over the first five months of the year across all sectors and developing implementation roadmaps to hit 2025’s construction and housing development targets.

MoC could eliminate construction licensing procedures The Ministry of Construction (MoC) will assess the impact of eliminating construction licensing procedures to create better conditions for individuals and businesses.

Ministry of Construction updates draft Water Supply and Sewerage Law A comprehensive legal framework is being prepared for Vietnam’s water sector, with a new law on water supply and sewerage scheduled for completion in 2026.

Vietnam considers model on real estate transaction centre Vietnam is working on a pilot model of real estate and land use rights transaction centre to create a healthy and sustainable real estate market.

The global data centre sector continues to expand at around 15 per cent each year, Photo: Shutterstock

At the Vietnam Digital Infrastructure Development Forum held last week in Hanoi, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Dung, chief of office at the National Data Association, said that Vietnam is entering a decisive phase of its digital transformation and enactment of the Data Law and the Personal Data Protection Law marks a strategic step to turn data into national strength while ensuring security and ethics.

“Data is no longer simply the ‘new oil’ but has become the core means of production across every sector of the economy,” Dung said “We are committed to delivering on seven central missions, with three pillars in particular: standardising the national data architecture, developing technology platforms owned and controlled by Vietnamese entities, and building a high-quality workforce through the launch of the Global Data Expert Network.”

Dung pointed to several issues that could slow progress, ranging from digital and energy infrastructure to macro policy gaps, talent shortages, and a still-nascent data market.

“There will be turning points that determine our destiny. But with the Party’s leadership, and the will of businesses, experts, and people, we will reach the finish line: a Vietnam that masters digital infrastructure, strategic technologies, and its own data future,” Dung added.

Professor Ho Tu Bao of the Vietnam Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics highlighted that Vietnam’s digital future rests on technology, data, and applications. He observed that progress has been most visible in technical infrastructure, especially in connectivity and hardware, yet the other pillars lag behind.

“Data infrastructure, while advancing with national data centres and sectoral databases, continues to face architectural bottlenecks that slow down integration and prevent the creation of a seamless ecosystem,” he said. “Application infrastructure remains the weakest link as it is still shallow, lacking depth, and not sufficiently tied to core technologies that could move Vietnam from surface-level adoption to genuine innovation.”

Enterprises, both domestic and international, are already responding. VNPT outlined its ambition to lead the way with 5G, the cloud, AI, and blockchain. CMC Telecom presented a dual approach such as CMC Cloud, a Vietnamese platform designed to reinforce digital sovereignty’ and CMC Comprehensive Security Platform, an AI-powered suite intended to shift enterprise defence from reactive to proactive.

Global corporations at last week’s event also offered strategies on AI infrastructure, proposed positioning Vietnam as ASEAN’s next AI hub, introduced Wi-Fi 6 GHz to bridge the digital divide, and highlighted stringent data security requirements for hyperscale data centres.

Behind these opportunities lies a critical question about sustainability. The global data centre sector continues to expand at around 15 per cent annually, yet demand is outpacing this growth. ABB forecasts that data centres already account for 1–2 per cent of global electricity consumption, potentially rising to 3–4 per cent by 2030. The sector also faces scrutiny for high water consumption, CO2 emissions, and e-waste.

Nguyen Xuan Hoa, global market director for Compact Substation Products at ABB said, “Sustainability across the data centre ecosystem is critically important. Data centres must balance energy efficiency and energy costs with growing demand, scalability, and uptime.”

ABB’s response places efficiency and design at the centre of sustainability. The company advises that using the newest and most energy-efficient equipment will support more sustainable operations. Its HiPerGuard MV UPS, for instance, achieves up to 98 per cent efficiency at loads from 50 to 100 per cent, is scalable up to 25MW, and has a 15-year design lifespan with up to 10 years between intrusive maintenance.

As of 2025, Vietnam counts over 80 million internet users. With the deployment rate of Internet Protocol 6.0 exceeding 60 per cent, the country ranks second in ASEAN and ninth globally.

According to the VNCDC 2024 Report, Vietnam’s cloud computing market reached $775 million in 2024, and is projected to grow to $1.24 billion in 2025 and double that by 2029.

In parallel, data centre capacity is making rapid strides, from 45MW in 2024 to an estimated 525MW in 2025 and nearly 1,000MW by 2030. Colocation service revenues are also expected to hit $1.4 billion by the end of the decade.

On October 2, the brewer was named among the Top 10 Reputable Brands at Vietnam’s Excellent Brand Awards 2025 by VnEconomy. SABECO also secured fourth place in Forbes Vietnam’s “Top 25 Leading Listed Brands” and ranked among the Top 5 Reputable Beverage Companies 2025 by VNReport.

This recognition marks the third time SABECO has appeared in Forbes’ Top 25 Leading Listed Brands and the ninth consecutive year in the Top 10 Most Reputable Food and Beverage Companies, underlining its consistent industry leadership.

The awards are the result of transparent and rigorous evaluations. Vietnam’s Excellent Brand Awards considers business performance, brand reputation, corporate culture, social responsibility, innovation, and international integration. Forbes Vietnam calculates brand value based on tangible and intangible assets, sector price-to-earnings ratios, and audited financial data. VNReport applies three key benchmarks: financial strength, media reputation, and stakeholder surveys.

Lim Pei Chi Patsy, deputy general director of Marketing, SABECO, at the award ceremony

SABECO’s consistent presence in these rankings underscores its strong brand equity, sustained performance, and resilience in Vietnam’s highly competitive beverage market.

The brewer has also placed sustainability at the core of its growth. Since 2024, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies have been integrated into its key performance indicators, while a Sustainability and Risk Management Committee has been established at the Board of Directors level. SABECO has announced its Net Zero roadmap and publishes Sustainability Reports in line with standards from the Global Reporting Initiative

By the end of 2024, 64 per cent of SABECO’s breweries had installed solar power systems, cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 9.3 per cent and reducing water consumption per unit by 7.3 per cent. Renewable energy accounted for more than 40 per cent of total energy use, while more than 64 per cent of waste was recycled or reused. These results underscore the tangible progress of SABECO’s ESG strategy.

The company currently operates 25 breweries, 11 subsidiaries, and a nationwide distribution system of more than 200 outlets. This ecosystem generates tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs. SABECO has also remained among the largest taxpayers in Vietnam, contributing significantly to state budget revenues.

In 2025, SABECO celebrates 150 years of heritage with a series of community activities being implemented.

With steady growth, ongoing sustainability efforts, and a long-standing heritage, SABECO remains a key player in Vietnam’s food and beverage sector, delivering lasting value to consumers and investors alike.