January 2, 2022

Google announces top 10 search trends 2021 in Vietnam

Google has announced a list of top 10 search trends in Vietnam in 2021 together with 14 most-searched categories on Google Search.

Accordingly, the Google Year in Search 2021 depicted a panorama of interests by the Vietnamese people, which experts said, will enable firms and organisations to catch consumption trends as well as market and social information.

Topping the list of search trends was Euro 2021 with the keyword “L?ch thi d?u Euro” (Euro fixtures). The key word “VTV6” – a channel that broadcast live Euro 2020 matches – was among the top three in this category.

The second on the list is online learning website OLM.vn that was developed by the Hanoi National University of Education’s Centre for Computational Science. It provides curricula of subjects such as maths, Vietnamese, English and exam reviews for history, literature, geography, chemistry and physics. The keyword “OLM” was mostly searched by parents and students as many schools used its portal to hold online exams.

In online learning category, “Azota”, “K12online” and “Vioedu”, which are used for online teaching and exams, were popular keywords.

As the pandemic is spreading complicatedly, questions related to COVID-19 also arose with keywords such as “Phòng ch?ng COVID” (COVID-19 prevention and control), “Khai báo y t?” (Health declaration), “COVID hôm nay” (COVID today) and “Ch? th? 16” (Directive No.16) to learn more about social distancing regulations. In the first stage of vaccination, the public paid special attention to synchronising data between “C?ng thông tin tiêm ch?ng” (Vaccination portal) and “S? s?c kh?e di?n t?” (Electronic health record).

Notably, online entertainment and hi-tech tips also became special topics in the list as more Vietnamese sought to interact with each other. Online game platforms such as Play together, Poki, Genshin Impact, Among Us made new trends.

They also spent time on searching avatars or beautifying their computer or browser interfaces.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

January 2, 2022

Vietnam looks to master technology in renewable energy

The draft Power Development Planning (PDP) VIII has demonstrated the trend of developing clean and renewable energies in line with commitments to cutting carbon emissions at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference.

Under the planning, offshore wind power will be given priority in the near future.

CEO of the Global Wind Energy Council Ben Backwell expressed his belief that Vietnam will draw a huge amount of capital when financial organisations are switching their investment from fossil fuels to renewable energies.

Vietnam should tap this opportunity to turn itself into a clean power hub in Southeast Asia as it will bring a considerable strategic advantage to the country in the region, he said.

Director of the State Agency for Technology Innovation Ta Viet Dung said Vietnam has advantages in wind and power solar but needs modern technologies to serve value chain, starting from manufacturing technology and material production.

Vietnam looks to master technology in renewable energy hinh anh 2

Illustrative photo (Source: congthuong.vn)

Director of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Electricity and Renewable Energy Department Hoang Tien Dung said Vietnam is gradually mastering advanced technologies, developing human resources and investing in important technical infrastructure to lay a solid foundation for energy application and development.

He added that Vietnam still much relies on imported technology to develop wind power so that the country needs to stay more active in building projects and producing spare parts, towards increasing the rate of domestically-made items.

Dung also suggested developing biomass and geothermal energy, and even energy derived from tides and sea waves in the future.

According to him, apart from developing a smart grid, technology related to energy storage is also a good orientation. When renewable energy is developed at a high level, it is possible to consider hydro producing and storing, he said.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

January 2, 2022

Muong ethnic group’s stilt houses preserved via community-based tourism development

The central province of Thanh Hoa is making efforts to develop community-based tourism in its mountainous district of Ngoc Lac in a bid to preserve the traditional stilt houses of the local Muong ethnic people, which account for over 70 percent of the district’s population.

According to the local authorities, the district houses 1,465 stilt houses of the Muong ethnic community, including more than 700 in Thach Lap commune alone. Many of them date back some 100 years.

Muong ethnic group’s stilt houses preserved via community-based tourism development hinh anh 2

In Lap Thang, Thach Lap commune, Ngoc Lac district (Photo: VNA)

Ngoc Lac has developed a 2021-2025 project to conserve such traditional value in association with the development of community-based tourism. As planned, Muong stilt houses in Lap Thang commune will open their doors for visitors in early 2022.

Pham Van Dat, Vice Chairman of the Ngoc Lac People’s Committee, said this type of tourism caters to tourists’ demand for experiencing and learning about cultural values of the local community. Ten stilt houses are getting ready for operation in 2022, he added.

To effectively implement the project, the district plans to increase its tourism management function, diversify tourism products and improve their quality, and step up related communications efforts.

It is striving to preserve some 400 traditional stilt houses and raise the total number to about 1,800 during the five-year period.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

January 2, 2022

Tet gift hampers become more affordable with local products

With people forced to tighten their purse strings due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tet gift hamper sellers have switched to predominantly local products to ensure prices remain affordable.

Thanks to this, sales have prospered in recent days and are expected to remain strong during the lead-up to Tet (traditional Lunar New Year), experts said.

Hampers sold at supermarkets and other places include items typically used during Tet such as confectionery, cooking oil, soft drinks, instant coffee, wine, and Tet jams.

Their prices range from 200,000 VND to several millions VND.

At Co.opmart supermarkets, the hampers are carefully selected to ensure quality.

Nguyen Ngoc Thang, director of operations, said to stimulate demand amid the belt tightening, this year Co.opmart and Co.opXtra are offering dozens of different hampers besides customised ones.

Most have beverages, bird’s-nest drinks, sugared fruits, confectionery, dry fish and meat, cheese, sausages, and others.

Some also contain speciality agricultural products like dien grapefruit, canh orange and cashew.

MM Mega Market is offering theme-based hampers at a range of prices from 300,000 to 3 million VND (13-130 USD), and demand for them is increasing by the day.

Retailers are also offering free packaging for customised hampers.

Shops in traditional markets like Tan Dinh, Thi Nghe and Ba Chieu are also displaying various kinds of hampers.

Tran Van Nho, a trader at Tan Dinh, said sales had been very good, thanks to the variety of goods and prices that meet a wide range of needs.

“Besides hampers, customers also want to buy individual items to gift and my shop packs the gifts for them.”

Shopping websites are also flooded with hampers these days, but experts said, as always, when buying online, buyers should be careful.

Farm co-operatives and organic agricultural producers are offering many gift hampers this year.

Hoa Canh Cooperative in Lam Dong province, for instance, which grows fruits and vegetables to VietGap and Global standards, is selling 20 kinds of fresh and dried fruits and vegetable hampers.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

January 2, 2022

Flexibility, adaptability key to success amid COVID-19: Minister

The agricultural sector has overcome difficulties given the COVID-19 impacts to meet its 2021 targets, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan told the Vietnam News Agency.

According to the minister, in the third quarter, complicated developments of the pandemic in southern localities and in big industrial and agricultural hubs of the nation caused serious production and distribution disruptions, while difficulties were seen in many export markets of Vietnam.

He attributed the year-end sound outcomes to the flexibility of the involved management systems from central to local level, business communities, associations, and farmers in connecting goods and enterprises and pushing for a rapid recovery during last months of the year.

“We can be proud that even with tens of millions of people being put under social distancing measures, food still reached their doors,” the official stated.

Flexibility, adaptability key to success amid COVID-19: Minister hinh anh 2

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan (Photo: VNA)

The ensuring of food supply reiterates the important role of the sector when the nation faces difficulties, he added.

In a year of changes on the climate, market and consumption trends, flexibility and adaptability are key to Vietnam’s success, Hoan affirmed.

In the time to come, the sector plans to further switching to the mindset of agricultural economy from the previous agricultural production. The change is expected to bring about better value added and increase farmers’ income.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

January 2, 2022

Vietnam Trade Office works to boost exports to North Europe

The Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden and North Europe plans to take European food importers to Vietnam to buy goods this year while popularising more Vietnamese products in the area.

Priority will still be given to online trade promotion activities apart from holding weeks of Vietnamese goods and expos.

As Vietnam and Latvia will mark their 30th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties this year, the office will launch major activities in the European country, including holding the Vietnam – Latvia business forum in collaboration with the Ministry of Economics of Latvia.

It will also conduct a scientific study on measures boosting Vietnamese exports to North Europe in the context of the implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Statistics showed that Vietnam’s export to North Europe, including Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Latvia, reached 1.86 billion USD in 2020. The figure hit 1.74 billion USD in ten months of 2021, up 0.04 percent annually. In recent years, Vietnamese rice has become a major currency earner from these markets.

Over the past two years, the office has published 14 e-books about each Northern European market and several outstanding Vietnamese goods such as farm produce, coffee, organic food, plastics and plastic products, and footwear.

It has also used an English website to introduce Vietnam’s business environment together with its companies and products to Northern European firms.

In particular, the Vietnam Business Association named Vietnamesiska Handelsförening I Sverige officially debuted on November 28, 2021 to create a wide network of businesses for exchange.

Following its debut, the association and the office held an online consultation seminar for Vietnamese farm produce exporters wishing to enter the North European market.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

January 2, 2022

Land plots for sale abound in provinces

The real estate market is witnessing a boom in land plots for sale in many provinces as new projects are rolled out in large numbers.

In Nghe An province, Hoang Son urban project has been put up for sale. Covering an area of nearly 115,232 square metres, the project is located in Dien Chau district in two zones, Thach Nien Tung Zone and Sala Zone, offering 409 land plots with a price of around 20 million VND (878.35 USD) per metre.

Era Central City is also a notable urban project on offer in Thai Binh province. Situated in Thai Thuy district, the project has been jointly invested by Phu Hung Import-Export Production Company and Lam Son Thai Binh Join Stock Company. It encompasses an area of 227,500 square metres and offers 616 land plots with 25 million VND (1,099 USD) per square metre price tag.

Recently, Hoa Binh province has been witnessing new housing developments mushroom in suburban areas, notably the NTR Stars Cao Phong project in Cao Phong district. With a total area of 99,000 square metres, the project has 343 land plots available for purchase, of which 327 are adjacent plots and 16 are villa plots. Each plot is priced at around 13 million VND (570.8 USD) per metre.

In Hai Duong province, Thanh Ha New City is a 93,000-square-metre project open to buyers in the last days of the year. This project consists of 279 adjacent plots with an area of 72-157 square metres apiece and 52 villa plots, 172-253 square metres apiece. The price of each land plot stands at 20 million VND per metre or higher.

More than 1,000 land plots in Thanh Hoa province have also been put on the market recently thanks to the year-end roll-out of NRT Star Bim Son. The project put up for sale a variety of land plots, from shophouses to villa plots. Under the construction plan, shophouses will be built four-storey with an area of 65-150 square metres a plot, whereas villas 3.5-storey and 200-350 square metres a plot.

Experts say the pick-up of the real estate market can be attributed largely to the reopening of the economy after mid-September.

Previously, land plots had to experience a sharp drop in both supply and demand due to the negative impacts of the pandemic.

A report from the Vietnam Association of Realtors (VAR) showed land plots were in short supply in Q3/2021, equivalent to just about 4 percent of the previous quarter. Almost no new land was put up for sale during that period.

At the same time, land plots demand also fell to a new low in Q3, notably in southern provinces, due to strict lockdown measures. A drop in land prices could be seen in several localities.

After mid-September, the economy began to recover and pick up steam thanks to the easing of lockdown measures. Investors began to divert their money into real estate following the reopening, leading to a year-end upturn in the market.

“Money diverted away from securities, foreign exchanges and some other ailing sectors are pumping into the real estate market,” said VAR Chairman Nguyen Van Dinh.

“Undoubtedly, real estate is still a lucrative investment channel as well as a safe haven for cash flow.”

For investors, suburban land plots, notably those with land use rights certificates, were a real money-spinner in real estate market in 2021, Dinh added.

The chairman of VAR recommended investors put money only into land projects with good planning and adequate legal documents. They are advised not to buy land plots on grounds of rumours or prevailing sentiments.

Investors are also recommended not to take out too many bank loans for land purchase as over-leveraging would reduce investment efficiency.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

January 2, 2022

Disbursed social investment capital in 2021 sees lowest increase

The total social investment capital disbursed in 2021 was estimated at nearly 2,892 trillion VND (126.5 billion USD), up 3.2 percent annually, reported the General Statistics Office (GSO).

A GSO leader said it has been the lowest increase over the past years, but the result was positive amid the complicated developments of COVID-19 pandemic at home and abroad.

Of which, the capital of the State and FDI sectors decreased 2.9 percent and 1.1 percent respectively while that of the non-State sector increased 7.2 percent.|

According to the Ministry of Finance, as of December 31, 2021, disbursement of public investment capital reached 77.3 percent of the target assigned by the Prime Minister compared to 82.66 percent from the same period last year. Of which, 83.66 percent was domestic and 26.77 percent was foreign capital.

Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Quoc Phuong said the ministry will continue reviewing legal regulations related to public investment and disbursement for amendments and supplements and report to competent authorities in line with regulations, especially those regarding construction, land and natural resources.

The PM’s special working teams on tackling difficulties for projects and public investment disbursement in ministries, agencies and localities will continue grasping the situation and promptly address obstacles in the process.

Source: Vietnam News Agency