Vietnam News Highlights for July 22, 2023

Telecom carrier Vinaphone has the fastest download speed in Q2

A Vinaphone customer care office in Hanoi. Photo: Xuan Ngoc/The Hanoi Times

Telecom group Vinaphone has the fastest average mobile download speed in Q2/2023 with 52.30 Mbps, according to data mining site Ookla's SpeedTest Q2 Internet Performance report. This is followed by Viettel, with a median download speed of 49.46 Mbps, and MobiFone, with a figure of 35.77 Mbps.

Vinaphone is among the top three companies with the highest consistency and lowest median mobile multi-server latency.

Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports reach US$3.25 billion in 7 months

Fruit and vegetable exports are estimated to grow nearly 70% year-on-year to US$3.25 billion in January-July 2023, making it the sector with the highest export growth rate in agriculture year-to-date, according to the Vietnam Fruit Association. The increase in fruit and vegetable exports is attributed to strong purchases from Chinese consumers.

In January-June, fruit and vegetable exports to China surged 122% year-on-year to US$1.76 billion, accounting for nearly two-thirds of Vietnam's total fruit and vegetable exports.

Finance Ministry urged to refund overpaid taxes soon

The Government has asked the Ministry of Finance to find a way to refund taxes to local enterprises as soon as possible to boost the domestic economy's performance.

The delay in tax refunds has remained one of the biggest obstacles for local enterprises, especially those in the rubber, paper, and timber sectors, as their overpaid taxes have not been refunded, leaving them in a critical financial shortage.

Vietnamese app developers listed among the world's top 50

Four Vietnamese app developers, Falcon Global, ABI Global, Zego Global, and Rocket Studio, have been listed among the top 50 companies globally for new apps with more than 100,000 downloads in 2022, according to a report by DataAI & AppMagic. The report highlights that Vietnam has emerged as a hub for top developers, solidifying its reputation as a powerhouse in the app development industry.

In 2022, in-app purchase (IAP) revenue for apps developed in Vietnam grew by 20%, while the same metric for global apps declined by 2%. A total of 171 apps developed by 93 game and app companies in Vietnam made it to the weekly top 10 most downloaded apps chart on Play Store at least once.

Vietnam suffers defeat against World Cup holders USA

Vietnam's women's national soccer team  makes its debut at the 2023 World Cup on July 22. Photo: Economic & Urban Newspaper

Vietnamese female footballers on July 22 debuted at the Women's World Cup 2023 with their first match in Group E against the USA, the title holder, however, disadvantages in physical attributes made the former lost three nil.

Vietnam will face Portugal in their second match on July 27. The Vietnamese are the underdogs in Group E, which is made up of the defending champions, the USA and the runners-up, the Netherlands.

Long An to have 51 industrial parks by 2030

The southern province of Long An plans to establish 17 new industrial parks, bringing the total to 51 by 2030, with a total area of nearly 12,500 hectares. According to the provincial People's Committee, this will make Long An the second province in the country with the highest number of industrial park, after Binh Duong. The move is expected to create favorable conditions and significant investment opportunities.

Long An has also planned 72 industrial clusters with a total area of nearly 4,000 hectares during this period. The province also focuses on technological innovation, productivity improvement, and effective resource management to achieve an average annual industrial output growth rate of about 13% in 2021-2030.

Hung Yen to invest US$407 million in road along Red River

The northern province of Hung Yen will invest up to VND9.275 trillion (US$407 million) to build a road connecting cultural and tourist sites along the Red River to boost economic growth. The road will pass through the districts of Van Giang, Khoai Chau, Kim Dong and Hung Yen City.

The project is led by the provincial Department of Transport and is expected to be completed between 2023 and 2027. The initiative aims to promote tourism, preserve cultural heritage, and stimulate economic development in the region.

Hanoi hosts trade fair to promote textile and fashion industry

Hanoi is hosting the Sustainable Production and Consumption Network Program for the Textile and Fashion Industry Chain, which will be held at Melinh Plaza Ha Dong Shopping Center from July 21 to 23, aiming to strengthen the links between production and business and improve the quality of textile and fashion products of businesses in Hanoi for sustainable development.

The fair includes six exhibition areas, showcasing the traditional handicraft villages of Van Phuc silk (Ha Dong District), Van Tu garments (Phu Xuyen District), embroidery and garments from Thuong Tin District, cocoon silk products from My Duc District, as well as the city's industrial textile and garment products.