Vietnam News Highlights for June 1, 2023

Hanoi has a new chip development centre 

Delegates attend the opening ceremony of new chip development center. Photo: Infineon Technologies

German semiconductor solutions provider Infineon Technologies announced on May 31 the establishment of a new chip development center in Vietnam's capital city of Hanoi.

The center will focus on testing and customizing digital and analog signal circuits to support applications such as autonomous driving, battery monitoring, and balancing. The new office is expected to employ around 25 technical experts by the end of this year and will report to Infineon Technologies Vietnam, a subsidiary of Infineon Technologies Asia-Pacific. The center is expected to play a key role in Infineon's growth plans for its design and support services business.

First ICHAM CUP Golf Tournament runs until August 7

The first ICHAM CUP golf tournament, organized by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (ICHAM), will be held in the northern province of Vinh Phuc to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Italy. The tournament, from May 31 to August 7, has attracted over 100 players, including successful businessmen, ICHAM members, and distinguished guests.

It aims to strengthen ties between Italian and Vietnamese businesses, with additional activities including a sustainable energy seminar and business networking events.

Nokia and VNPT deploy Vietnam's first 10G broadband network

Nokia has partnered with Vietnamese telecom group VNPT to deploy the country's first 10G fiber broadband network. The initial rollout will connect 10,000 homes and businesses in eight major cities and provinces.

Nokia provides fiber access nodes for the operator's exchanges and fiber modems for end-user premises. With this new technology, VNPT can offer its customers a full range of speeds up to 10 Gbps on the existing platform without the need for construction work to lay new fiber. The cooperation aligns with the Vietnamese Government's National Digital Transformation Program.

Vietnam’s top 10 architecture and property firms honored

BCI Asia Awards 2023 recognized Vietnam's top 10 architecture and property firms, with the former's project value totaling $6.1 billion and the latter's $4.5 billion.

The selection criteria were based on ongoing projects' total construction value and early efforts to go green. Top real estate companies included BIM Land, Frasers Property Vietnam, and Vinhomes, while top architecture firms included Baumschlager Eberle Architekten and HPA-BKV Vietnam. The awards also honored green architecture and international interior design winners.

Vietnam's formal national dress code proposed

Speaking at a discussion on the results of the socio-economic development plan for 2022 and the first months of 2023 during the fifth plenary session of the 15th National Assembly, Vietnamese National Assembly delegate Nguyen Van Canh proposed that the traditional five-piece male ao dai be adopted as formal dress for events and conferences.

Canh argued that ao dai represents the love of family and cultural values, so making it the official dress code would help establish a unique national identity at international events. Currently, the formal dress code for men is limited to suits. He also urged the design of an official national dress code that combines traditional and modern elements. Vietnam has yet to adopt an official national dress code.

Vietnam honors 2022 outstanding science and technology innovations

Forty-three outstanding solutions won the Vietnam Science and Technology Innovation Award 2022 at a ceremony in Hanoi on May 31. Out of 128 entries, the organizing committee awarded four first prizes, nine second prizes, 15 third prizes, and 15 consolation prizes.

The awards were given in six fields: mechanics-automation, materials technology, information technology-electronics-telecommunications, and biology for production and life. The awards honor scientists and technologists whose innovative work has contributed significantly to Vietnam's scientific and economic development.

Two Vietnamese airlines ranked among world’s best airlines for 2023

Two Vietnamese airlines, Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet, have been ranked in AirlineRatings.com's list of the world's best airlines for 2023. 

Vietnam Airlines, the national flag carrier, was ranked 20th on the list of the top 25 airlines. The awards are based on safety records, incident handling, and completion of International Air Transport Association (IATA) safety audits. AirlineRatings named Vietjet Air as its Best Ultra Low-Cost Airline and Best Low-Cost Airline Onboard Hospitality for 2023, recognizing its low fares, innovation, and its great value in-flight offering.