Business News

Việt Nam’s proposed requirement that leading digital technology companies spend at least 3 per cent of their annual revenue on research and development (R&D) can help add hundreds of millions of dollars for innovation, as the country seeks to build globally competitive technology firms. This is one of eight proposed criteria for Vietnamese digital technology companies seeking to be seen as on par with firms in advanced economies, according to a draft circular recently unveiled by the Ministry of Science and Technology for public comment.

Việt Nam exported an estimated 6.03 million tonnes of rice worth nearly US$2.91 billion in the first eight months of 2026, down 5 per cent in volume and 10.7 per cent in value year-on-year, reported the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. However, rice export prices have shown signs of recovery since July. The average export price in July reached $511 per tonne, up 5.8 per cent year-on-year, marking the first annual increase this year.

Ports in the northern city of Hải Phòng handled an estimated 134.34 million tonnes of goods in the first eight months of 2026, exceeding the eight-month target of 115 million tonnes by 16.8 per cent and rising 11.74 per cent year on year, equivalent to 56.2 per cent of the full-year plan. The strong performance followed a series of measures to optimise port capacity and improve the competitiveness of the city’s seaport system, with a focus on maximising the efficiency of the Lạch Huyện international gateway port as new berths came into operation.

Việt Nam’s rice exports are expected to improve in value during the final months of this year as export prices show signs of recovery while stronger demand in several major markets could support shipments. The Vietnam Food Association reported that as of August 15, Việt Nam exported an estimated 5.7 million tonnes of rice. The full-year volume is projected at about 7.7 million tonnes.

Speaking at a logistics conference on August 26, Ho Thi Quyen, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre, said that Vietnam is now home to more than 34,000 logistics companies, with the sector contributing around 4.5-5 per cent of GDP. However, logistics costs remain high at approximately 16 per cent of GDP. 

With its distinctive advantages, long-term development planning, and a series of strategic infrastructure projects in the pipeline, Dong Thap province is steadily turning its ambition of becoming a cross-border logistics hub into reality, connecting the Mekong Delta with Ho Chi Minh City, the southeast region, and other countries in the Mekong subregion.

Việt Nam shipped 22,743 tonnes of pepper last month, raking in US$147.3 million, marking a modest 1.6 per cent drop in volume and 2.6 per cent slide in value from June, but an 8.8 per cent year-over-year volume jump, according to the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association (VPSA). During January-July, the country exported 168,429 tonnes of pepper worth $1.087 billion, a 16.1 per cent surge in volume and a 10.1 per cent climb in value compared to the same period last year.

The capital has considerable advantages in workers, science and technology, universities and research institutes, consumer demand, service infrastructure and its position as a regional connectivity hub. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Hà Nội are being encouraged to tap into opportunities arising from public investment, infrastructure development, digital transformation and the green economy as the capital seeks to mobilise the private sector in pursuit of sustainable double-digit growth.