Jeff Paine, managing director at the Asia Internet Coalition, talked with VIR about opportunities for international investors in the Vietnamese market throughout 2019.

A surge in IT and cloud computing, as well as major smartphone coverage are considered to be the key enablers for Vietnam to develop its digital economy. How can these areas be maximised effectively and efficiently? 

 In the midst of Vietnam’s strong economic restructuring and the booming Fourth Industrial Revolution, it has become a necessity for Vietnam to develop its own smart urban areas. 

 A beach spanning nearly 4 kilometres in Danang City has been seriously polluted with the water turned into black colour for days.

Bkav announced on security forum Whitehat.vn that it has detected deliberate attacks by foreign hackers on servers offering services in Vietnam. As of February 14, victims of the attacks amounted to hundreds of agencies and organizations.

 Comprehensive measures have been taken to preserve biodiversity at the Nui Chua National Park in the south central province of Ninh Thuan. 

There is no way around Industry 4.0. Each business and the country as a whole should prepare, plan, and build strategies for adaption. Every member of the society needs to change their mindset, strengthen links, and invest more in technology.

With an aim to industrialise and modernise the economy by 2020, Vietnam is actively pursuing science and technology innovation as well as the attraction of foreign investment into relevant industries, especially robotics.

Squirrels, porcupines, and deer are still displayed for sale right after being slaughtered at the Huong Pagoda Festival in Hanoi this year despite a ban from local authorities.

 More than 5,000 residents in Phuc Tho district of Hanoi have signed their names to a petition calling for an end to bear farming, said Deputy Director of the Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV) Nguyen Thi Phuong Dung.

 The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has recently issued a decision to remove plant protection products containing chlorpyrifos-ethyl and fipronil from the list of those allowed for use in Vietnam.

 The air quality index (AQI) taken from 10 different air monitoring stations in Hanoi from February 11-12 showed air quality at a bad level, according to the Hanoi Environment Protection Sub-department.

 Vietnam is expected to master the remote sensing satellite manufacturing technology under the national remote sensing development strategy to 2030 with a vision towards 2040, recently approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

 Advanced International JSC (AIC) has launched a free application named “9999 Tet,” helping users, especially visually-impaired people, access information about the Tet (Lunar New Year) festival. 

 Weirdest pig breeds in the world

 As many as 521 endangered wildlife animals were saved in Vietnam in 2018 thanks to the engagement of people and law enforcement agencies, NGO Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV) announced on February 11.

More than 500 wild animals were rescued in 2018 as awareness about nature increases, according to the Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV).

 Local people in Ky Anh District, Ha Tinh Province have set up a protest camp outside the Phu Ha Waste Treatment Plant for a third time, complaining it has seriously polluted the environment.

With the development potential of renewable energy, coupled with preferential policies, VN has drawn the attention of both domestic and foreign investors in the clean energy field, which is expected to grow quickly in the coming years. 

 The IVACFLU-S vaccines, which have been produced in Vietnam to protect against seasonal flu such as A/H1N1, A/H3N2, and B, are now available on the market, according to the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals under the Ministry of Health.