Vietnam news in brief - December 12

Vietnam People's Army founding anniversary celebrated with film week

A week-long film festival to commemorate the 79th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army (December 22, 1944 - 2023) will be held across the country on December 22-28.

Co-organized by the Cinema Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and stakeholders such as the People's Army Cinema and the National Documentary and Scientific Film Studios, the event will include a TV series, three documentaries, and two cartoons.

Ha Giang in top search by Vietnamese tourists in 2023

A buckwheat field in Ha Giang Province. Photo: Pham Hung - Minh Huy/The Hanoi Times

The northern province of Ha Giang is among Google's top 10 tourist destinations in 2023, according to Google's Year in Search 2023. The ranking reflects the interests and search trends of Vietnamese people in 2023, including tourist destinations.

Cantho, Vietnam is another place in the top 10.

Hanoi to complete land clearing for Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park in 2024

Hanoi Mayor Tran Sy Thanh on December 11 asked local authorities in Thach That and Quoc Oai districts to complete land clearance and hand over the areas to Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park in 2024. The request aims to improve the park's infrastructure and attract more investors.

Since 2002, the two districts have cleared more than 1,400 hectares of land, accounting for 89.3% of the total area needed for the park's development. There are 169 hectares left to be cleared. As of November 2023, a total of 111 projects have landed in the park, covering nearly 670ha of land.

Bac Lieu Province's capital to move up in city category

The southern province of Bac Lieu plans to upgrade its capital from a tier-2 to a tier-1 city by 2050, according to the province's urban development plan approved by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha. The province also plans to develop one tier-3 city and 15 tier-3 and tier-4 cities.

Bac Lieu also aims to improve infrastructure and facilities for irrigation, power plants, seaport terminals, industrial parks and food processing.

Vietnam to help Laos draft regulations in science and technology

Vietnam is willing to share practices and experience with Laos in developing innovation and technology regulations, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bui The Duy said on December 11. The deputy minister said ministerial agencies and their Lao counterparts will implement several joint research projects shortly.

The two nations view innovation and technology as key to the growth of the digital economy, which plays an essential role in increasing productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness of the two economies.

Vietnam's retail sales to reach US$180 billion in 2023

Vietnam's retail sales are estimated to reach US$180 billion in 2023, the Department of Domestic Markets under the Ministry of Industry and Trade reported on December 11. The forecast for 2024-2029 predicts an average growth of around 6.3% in Vietnam's food retail sector, with hypermarkets, supermarkets, minimarts and convenience stores expected to grow by around 9.6%.

Vietnam's Ca Mau Airport to undergo infrastructure upgrade

Ca Mau Airport will build a new runway to the north and expand aprons and terminals with a budget of more than VND2.25 trillion ($92.2 million), excluding land reclamation costs. The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), under the Ministry of Transport, expects the project to take 38 months, including six months for design adjustments and 32 months for construction.

Vietnam to promote digital transformation at 2023 marketing festival

Vietnam Marketing Day (VMD) 2023 officially kicks off today (December 12) online at  vietnammarketingday.org.vn.

Organized by the Vietnam Marketing Association and gathering many speakers, organizations and enterprises, the event aims to disseminate typical product marketing and sales solutions of Vietnamese marketers and enterprises, while honoring the values of creativity and innovation in marketing and promoting the image of Vietnamese brands to the world.