Vietnam news in brief - May 14

Lam Dong Province wants more Vietnam Airlines flights

Bird's eye view of Da Lat, the capital of Lam Dong Province. Photo: Trung Nhan/The Hanoi Times

The government of the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong said on May 13 that it is in talks with national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines to increase flights connecting Da Lat to major provinces and cities and meet the demand for travel. Lam Dong also wants to tap regional source markets such as South Korea, China, Thailand and Malaysia.

Vietnam Airlines now has only five flights a day connecting Da Lat to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Flights have been curtailed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

National Salt Harvesting Festival to be held in late December

Entitled "A Hundred Years of Salt Harvesting - A Lifetime Career", the Vietnam-Bac Lieu Salt Harvesting Festival 2024 will be held on December 26-28 to honor the salt industry. The festival will include a trade fair with 100 enterprises and producers, a business matching conference, and a workshop on new salt harvesting methods under climate change.

Participants will also have the opportunity to visit salt fields in the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu, enjoy traditional folk singing don ca tai tu, and experience a photo exhibition.

Vietnamese to enjoy AI-based health checkup

One million Vietnamese people will have their physical health checked by an AI platform operated by the Vietnam Young Doctors' Association, according to a press conference on May 13. The activity is part of a health check program from May to October. It involves 20,000 young doctors who will conduct health checks and advise people on how to avoid diseases and improve their conditions.

The program is scheduled to start on May 18.

India wants to import durian from Vietnam

India wants to import durian from Vietnam, according to the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association. Vietnamese durian is currently being exported to 22 countries and territories, with China being the largest market in terms of both value and volume. The export value to the Chinese market is expected to reach US$3 billion this year.

Thanks to off-season production techniques in Tien Giang and Vinh Long provinces, Vietnam has an advantage in durian exports.

Vietnamese tech firms: 80% of revenue generated from global markets

According to the Ministry of Information and Communications, as of 2023, there were nearly 1,500 Vietnamese digital technology businesses operating overseas, generating about US$7.5 billion in revenue. This figure accounted for 80% of the total revenue of Vietnamese digital technology companies.

Vietnam can attract Google, Amazon to build data centers: JLL

Vietnam has the potential to attract tech giants like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft to develop their own data centers thanks to its strategic location and dynamic policies, reported JLL, a real estate and investment management services firm. The report stated that Vietnam is becoming a focal point for data center investment in Asia.

Vietnam's data center market is currently dominated by domestic telecom companies such as Viettel IDC, FPT Telecom, VNPT, and CMC Telecom. At present, some international companies are starting to enter the market, such as Hong Kong-based Gaw Capital Partners' 20MW center in Ho Chi Minh City's High-Tech Park. Japan's NTT and Vietnam's QD Tek are teaming up to open a $70 million data center.