Business News

Global tech giant Qualcomm has just launched an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research & Development (R&D) centre in Việt Nam, which is expected to help position Việt Nam as a leading AI R&D hub in the region and the world. Deputy Minister of Finance Lê Tấn Cận called this event a “significant milestone” that marks a new phase of cooperation between Qualcomm and Việt Nam in the field of AI.

The European Union is increasing imports of fruit from Việt Nam, with the export of mangoes, pineapples, coconuts and pistachios registering growth of 41-200 per cent in the first four months of this year. Data from the General Department of Customs showed that Việt Nam’s fruit and vegetable exports to the EU totalled US$132 million from January to April, up 33 per cent year-on-year.

The Government has decided to establish a free trade zone (FTZ) in the central city of Da Nang, the first of its kind in Viet Nam. Covering an area of around 1,881ha, the FTZ features functional areas covering production-logistics, trade-services, digital technology industries, innovation. The FTZ is designed to bolster the development of high-tech industries, innovation and digital transformation in the central city.

Vietnam’s economic performance in May remained solid, even as the country continued grappling with external headwinds, particularly the U.S. tariff situation. Nevertheless, key indicators point to the underlying resilience of Vietnam’s economy. Total registered FDI rose 51% year-on-year, trade turnover increased by nearly 16%, and Vietnam maintained a healthy trade surplus of USD4.6 billion.

The National Assembly passed the Law on Digital Technology Industry at its ongoing 9th sitting held in Ha Noi on Saturday. With this move, Viet Nam has become the first country in the world to enact a standalone law specifically dedicated to digital technology industry, according to the Ministry of Science and Technology whish is responsible for drafting the law.

Against a rapidly changing geopolitical and economic backdrop, global wealth flows continue to evolve as high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) and businesses take a more holistic approach to location. Vietnam is emerging as a promising destination, but it must seize the moment with improved policy framework, infrastructure, and living standards.

The combination of e-commerce and artificial intelligence (AI) will be an important tool to help start-ups optimise sales processes and improve the customer experience. AI is not just a support tool, but also a key driver in optimising marketing strategies, analysing data and crafting effective advertising campaigns, said Vũ Minh Ngọc, a representative of the Centre for E-commerce and Digital Technology (eComDX), at a recent seminar on e-commerce applications for young entrepreneurs.

Business activity showed signs of recovery in the first five months of this year, with the number of newly established and returning businesses rising by 11.3% year-on-year. According to the General Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance, nearly 111,800 enterprises were newly established or resumed operations nationwide between January and May, up 11.3% compared to the same period in 2024.