"It took only a few seconds," he told Reuters on Monday, recalling one of the worst accidents in recent years to hit the UNESCO-protected archipelago, which consists of thousands of limestone islands about 200 km (125 miles) northeast of Hanoi.

The death toll from a tourist boat accident in Vietnam's Halong Bay climbed to at least 38 with several people still missing, the government said, as rescuers continued to search for survivors while bracing for the approach of Typhoon Wipha.

China and Vietnam plan to hold their first joint army training exercise this month, a sign of deepening military ties as the two countries grapple with US tariff policies.

Data from online travel platform Agoda shows a sharp rise in interest from travelers in Poland, Switzerland, and Czechia following Vietnam's introduction of a visa exemption for citizens of these countries.

Digital governance in Vietnam is gaining momentum, with nearly 40 percent of administrative procedures completed fully online in June.

An airman from Florida will finally be laid to rest after he disappeared off a mountain in Laos over 50 years ago during the Vietnam War.