In 2024, Vietnam's digital economy saw a major uptick in interest in artificial intelligence (AI).

Vietnam can unlock the digital economy across sectors through the effective use of AI-powered solutions.

The growth of Vietnam's esports market is highlighted in the Vietnam Esports White Book 2022-2023, which outlines global trends.

The National Fund for Science and Technology Development will o­nly consider giving sponsor to the scientific research themes with internationally published scientific articles (ISI articles). Scientists believe that this is unreasonable requirement.

The Hanoitimes -  Japanese and Russian scientists have announced their discovery of a new striped Ichthyophis species in Vietnam’s Central Highlands o­n Japan’s Current Herpetology Journal.

According to Circular 10/2012/TT-BTTTT just issued by Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) that will take effect from August 31, 2012, VNPT must restructure its capital contributions in VinaPhone and MobiFone.According to this circular, a company which holds more than 20 per cent of a telecom company’s stakes will not be allowed to own more than 20 per cent of stakes in another telecom company.At present, VNPT holds 100 per cent stakes of Vinaphone and Mobiphone.Under Decision 929/QD-TTg, the MIC will assess the organisational measures then design restructuring plans for state-owned enterprises to be submitted to the prime minister for approval within 2012’s third quarter.The government will own more than 75 per cent of charter capital of state-owned corporations and groups which operate in telecom network infrastructure supplying. The restructuring of telecom corporations and groups such as VNPT and Vietnam Multimedia Corporation (VTC) was of prime importance, MIC Minister Nguyen Bac Son said.VNPT appointed Nguyen Van Hai, former director of VASC Software and Media Company, as new director of Vietnam Data Communication Company (VDC). This move was considered as the first step for the new VDC operating model’s human resource preparation.Additionally, Vietnam Telecom International (VTI) has officially been renamed as VNPT-International (VNPT-I). VNPT used to propose an advanced operating model based on re-arrangement of its members’ operating models.Specifically, VNPT expected to establish VNPT-Networks based on re-organisation of Vietnam Telecom National and part of VTI, set up VNPT-Media from re-arrangement of Vietnam Data Communication Company (VDC), VASC and VNPT Information and Public Relations. Also, 63 VNPT provincial and urban branches nationwide might become 63 one-member companies.

The Hanoitimes -  Scientists have made public their discovery of a new black ginger species, an endemic species of VietnamThe new ginger species is named Distichochlamys benenica Q.B. Nguyen & Škorničk. It was discovered by Vietnamese and Singaporean scientists in the Ben En National Park in the central province of Thanh Hoa in April 2011.

E-commerce is expected to help Vietnam meet its export turnover target of more than US$110 billion this year, according to an official with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce.Vo Tan Thanh, director of the chamber's HCM City branch, said e-commerce was considered the best option for import-export companies in terms of time and pricing power.Thanh spoke at an Open Sesame event held on Friday.At the event organised by the world's largest online B2B marketplace for global trade Alibaba.com and OSB Joint Stock Co, Thanh said e-commerce would become indispensable in the near future for businesses, allowing them to access customers more easily.Vietnamese small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have paid more attention to international trading activities, and increase exports instead of only focusing on domestic markets.Vietnam has a good foundation for e-commerce to develop. The country has currently more than 30 million internet users, accounting for 35 per cent of the population.Moreover, Vietnam is one of the top countries in Asia that is developing rapid internet speed for information technology infrastructure.According to the global e-commerce platform Alibaba.com, Vietnam is viewed as a country with great potential, having 210,000 registered members on its platform as of the first quarter of this year.According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, total export turnover for the first six months of the year reached $ 53.1 billion.With rapid development of online trading in Vietnam, the target is expected to be met.Thanh said that Business-2-Business (B2B) e-commerce floors had attracted many businesses from around the world, including those from Vietnam.Timothy Leung, deputy chairman of Alibaba.com Group's global business and development division, said that "by using e-commerce, enterprises are able to easily access new markets and customers. online trading helps reduce transaction times and costs".There are 3,600-4,000 Vietnamese businesses per month that register on Alibaba.com. Vietnamese items that top the list for foreign viewers of the site are related to agriculture, food and beverage, and construction and property.US, China and India are among the buyers who have great demands to seek Vietnamese suppliers.This means that Vietnamese businesses will be able to gain a leg-up on e-commerce competition.Thanh said that e-commerce had opened up opportunities for businesses to contact partners around the world, and make it easier to seek new clients as international consumers tend to search for new supplies of goods.He said that using e-commerce, businesses should be responsible and reliable in their trading, and answer buyers' inquiries as quickly as possible.Alibaba Group in collaboration with OSB Joint Stock Co and its partner VCCI have launched a project to help Vietnamese businesses intensify exports via e-commerce conducted nationwide from July to December.The project is expected to contribute to export growth of Vietnam in the remaining six months and promote e-commerce development among the Vietnamese business community.The project targets supporting 500-600 local exporters with total sponsor value of VND21 billion ($1 million). It will give priority to exporters operating in key sectors such as agriculture, food, furniture, construction materials, minerals, chemicals, textiles and garments.The exporters will have an opportunity to join the world's largest online B2B marketplace, with 45 per cent discount on member registration fee for a Gold Supplier on Alibaba.com.They also will receive free training on e-commerce, and be able to meet large exporters to share experiences.

The Hanoitimes -  Vietnam aims to increase the number of people using mobile phone services to 90 percent of its population by 2015 and 95 percent by 2020.

Hundreds of strange birds which have appeared in Tan Thanh Ward in the northern mountain province of Dien Bien recently have been confirmed as the Asian openbill stork (Anastomus oscitans).

The Hanoitimes -  Monitors show the value of the Facebook, Inc. stock during morning trading at the NASDAQ Marketsite in New York June 4, 2012.

The Hanoitimes -   Petrosetco Distribution, a member of PetroVietnam and a leading distributor of technology brands, last week signed an agreement with Samsung Vietnam to become the official distributor of Samsung cell phones in Vietnam.“This marks an important step for Petrosetco Distribution and Samsung in the way to subdue and further expand information technology market in Vietnam,” Petrosetco Distribution (PSD) stated.It added its cooperation with Samsung would bring more opportunities to local consumers to own hi-tech products from Samsung, o­ne of the largest electronic firms in the world.Established in 2007, PSD has rapidly emerged as a leading distributor of well-known technology brands including HP, Dell, Acer, eMachines, Fujitsu and Lenovo. During the past five years, PSD has developed its agents from 288 in 2007 to 1,600 in 2012 and eleven branches nation wide. Thanks to the rapid growth in terms of revenue and profit, PSD was regconised among the 500 largest companies in Vietnam.Last year, PSD’s revenue was $350 million and the distributor expects this number would grow sharply in 2013 after it entered into a cooperation with Samsung. Phung Tuan Ha, general director of Petrosetco, which holds 95 per cent of stakes at PSD, said Samsung products would “create a break-through in term of revenue in 2013.”“With a wide distribution network based o­n the outlet chains and the strategic partner Petrosetco Distribution, in association with outstanding products and continuously improved services, we are aiming to make Samsung be the top mobile phone brand in Vietnam as soon as possible,” said Cho Seok Hee, general director of Samsung Vina.In 2012’s first quarter, Samsung produced 93.8 million mobile phones, surpassing Nokia to become the biggest mobile phone maker, according to International Data Group. In the smartphone segment, Samsung kept its first position with 38 million units sold, accounting 40 per cent of the globe’s Android phones. In Vietnam, Samsung also accounts for the biggest smartphone market share with 53 per cent till the end of 2011. But in general, Nokia still accounts for the biggest share in Vietnam’s mobile phone market.Samsung expects PSD, with five years of experience in distributing Nokia’s products, will help it replace the position of Nokia to become the biggest player in Vietnam’s mobile phone market. Apart from introducing the new distributor, Samsung will continue presenting new technology products, expanding maintenance network and improving service quality to attract more customers in Vietnam.

Second-hand mobile phones, laptops, tablet computers and other office machines will not be allowed to be imported into Vietnam as from September 2012.

The Hanoitimes -  The unmanned Japanese spacecraft HTV-3 left the Tanegashima Space Centre o­n July 21, bringing five small satellites, including Vietnam’s F-1, into orbit.

Vietnamese amateur astronomers who enjoy gazing at the stars will be anxious to catch a glimpse of the Southern Delta Aquarids meteor shower, due early o­n July 29, with about 20 meteors expected to blaze across the skies every hour. 

Scientists and educators have warned that with the current unreasonable investment policies, Vietnam would lack the workforce for the science and technology development in 5-7 years.

The Hanoitimes -  Vietnamese amateur astronomers who enjoy gazing at the stars will be anxious to catch a glimpse of the Southern Delta Aquarids meteor shower, due early o­n July 29, with about 20 meteors expected to blaze across the skies every hour. Nguyen Duc Phuong, the Secretary General of the Vietnam Astronomy and Cosmography Association, suggested looking towards the constellation of Aquarius in the southeastern part of the sky, which will be the centre of the meteor shower. Phuong added that a number of astronomy clubs in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will gather to observe this event if the weather is fine. The best view of the shower will be from the suburbs, away from light pollution, and with the moon out of the field of vision. A meteor shower is a celestial event in which a number of meteors radiate from o­ne point in the night sky. These meteors are caused by streams of cosmic debris, called meteoroids, entering the Earth’s atmosphere at extremely high speeds o­n parallel trajectories

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, July 11, called for the development of a national programme to apply science and technology to boost sustainable development in the northwest region.Phuc was speaking at a meeting organised by the Northwest Steering Committee. The North-west region includes 12 mostly mountainous provinces, such as Ha Giang, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, and 21 districts located to the west of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An provinces. The region is of strategic importance to the economy, national defence and foreign affairs. Despite the development of agriculture, forestry, hydro-electricity, mineral resources and tourism, it still remains o­ne of the poorest regions in the country. At the meeting, participants agreed that a national science-technology development programme could help the development of the region's human-resources and transport infrastructure. The Deputy PM asked the Vietnam National University in Hanoi to draft a programme for the purpose in co-ordination with other institutes and agencies.

Vietnamwould likely face a shortage of graduates in the fields of science and technology within the next five to seven years due to poor salaries and incentives, experts told a recent workshop in Hanoi.

With 12 million people using social networks, or 60 percent of Internet users in Vietnam, developing apps on social networks has become a good job.

Telcos believe that they have big advantages in providing cable TV services. Therefore, they have jumped o­n the bandwagon.

According to the EXIM Bank spokesman, Vietnam – a fast growing and populous country in Southeast Asia - has “enormous infrastructure needs” ranging from renewable energy to highways, airports and telecommunications equipment.

An international exhibition of construction technology, Vietconstech 2012, is running at the Vietnam Exhibition and Fair Centre in Hanoi from June 27-29.