Global warming and climate change

Rikkeisoft's leaders announced the establishment of RKTech in the US and appointed Bui Hoang Tung as their Senior Executive Vice President of Rikkeisoft Corp. and CEO of RKTech Corp. — Photo courtesy of the firm Rikkeisoft on Tuesday officially announced the establishment of its subsidiary company - RKTech in the US, acting as a bridge coping with timezone and communication challenges between US businesses and Viet Nam-based production teams. Located in Plano, Texas - a technology hub in the US, RKTech could help US companies easily access Southeast Asian IT services as an alternative to ones from other outsourcing countries such as India and Argentina. RKTech will develop and deliver high-value IT services to the US market. This is also an opportunity for the corporation to access global cooperation, helping them achieve their goal of becoming a billion-dollar company in the next five years. RKTech also appointed Bui Hoang Tung as their Senior Executive Vice President of … [Read more...] about Rikkeisoft enters the US market to realise the “Go Global” strategy

The Vietnamese Ministry of Finance has proposed increasing the maximum levels of the environmental protection tax on gasoline, diesel oil, and lubricants in the tax frame and keeping the tax band on kerosene unchanged. The proposal was included in a draft program to develop laws and ordinances in 2024 over which the Ministry of Justice is consulting relevant ministries and agencies. In other words, the Ministry of Finance has proposed amending the Environmental Protection Tax Law. In particular, the minimum environmental protection tax rates on fuels should be kept unchanged, while the maximum rates should be revised up to facilitate policy adjustments when needed. The tax band on kerosene was proposed to be maintained as the product is an essential commodity for the poor and ethnic minority groups in remote areas. In addition, the unit of heavy oil fuel was suggested to be changed from liter to kilogram to match the reality. At present, the band for the environmental … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s finance ministry suggests increasing maximum environment tax levels on fuels

Riccardo Puliti, IFC’s new regional vice president for Asia and the Pacific. — Photo courtesy of IFC Riccardo Puliti, who was on Wednesday appointed IFC’s new regional Vice President for Asia and the Pacific, will focus on addressing multiple crises amid global economic slowdown. An Italian national, Puliti will oversee IFC’s regional efforts in spurring private sector growth and identifying impactful collaborations for a green, resilient, and inclusive recovery in response to multiple crises and a deteriorating global economic outlook. Economies in the Asia and Pacific region continue to suffer from COVID-19 disruptions. At the same time, Russia’s war in Ukraine, tightening global financial conditions, weaker global growth, and more frequent disruptive weather events linked to climate change threaten to dampen the region’s growth trajectory, according to the World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects report. In taking on the role of IFC’s Vice President for Asia and the … [Read more...] about IFC appoints new regional Asia-Pacific VP

Pineapple processing at Dong Giao Foodstuff Export JSC in the northern province of Ninh Binh. Agriculture plays a pivotal role in the economies of Viet Nam and the Netherlands and is deeply imprinted in the culture and people of the two countries. — VNA/VNS Photo Thuy Dung Due to their similar geographical features and advantages, the Viet Nam and the Netherlands have increased their sustainable development partnership in agriculture, water management, and climate change adaptation, said Ambassador of the Netherlands to Viet Nam Kees van Baar. Agriculture plays a pivotal role in the economies of Viet Nam and the Netherlands and is deeply imprinted in the culture and people of the two countries, the diplomat told Dau tu (Vietnam Investment Review). Close co-operation between the two sides has resulted in new visions and the blooming of business cooperation, with a growing number of the Netherlands' companies doing business and investing in Viet Nam. The Netherlands is the … [Read more...] about Viet Nam, Netherlands eye further cooperation in sustainable development

Singapore (VNA) – Singapore on February 2 inaugurated the largest energy storage system in Southeast Asia as part of efforts to ensure energy security given the global energy crisis and transition to clean energy. The Sembcorp Energy Storage System has a maximum storage capacity of 285 megawatt-hours (MWh). Starting operations last December, it is designed to store surplus power that can be delivered to the grid to mitigate solar intermittency caused by changing weather conditions in Singapore's tropical climate. The facility is located on two sites spanning two hectares on Jurong Island, a man-made island that houses Singapore 's petrochemical complex. It allows Singapore to achieve its 200 MWh energy storage target. Amid the global energy crisis, the government appointed Sembcorp Industries to build the facility in June last year. It is the fastest deployment in the world of an energy storage system of its size, Sembcorp Industries and the Energy Market … [Read more...] about Singapore opens largest energy storage system in Southeast Asia

A petrol station in HCM City. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has proposed that fuel prices be adjusted weekly on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) to take measures to ensure the supply of all key commodities, especially fuel, and to stabilise the country's distribution channels for the economy after the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday. Vietnam Electricity (EVN) was told to speed up the construction and implementation of major power projects, including renewable energy, to ensure enough power for the country's crucial industries. In addition, priority should be given to connecting isolated and remote communes to the national power and telecommunication networks. MoIT, the ministry in charge of Viet Nam's power sector, was told to quickly finish and submit the country's Power Planning VIII to the central government for review. The PM said the country's top priority in the short term is to focus on boosting … [Read more...] about MoIT propose adjusting fuel prices every Thursday

ChatGPT and AI is set to boom in Vietnam In the early days of 2023, ChatGPT released by OpenAI is becoming popular all over the world. ChatGPT is a chatbot providing solutions to complex problems directly like composing essays, coding, and drafting business proposals. Within a few seconds after entering keywords, ChatGPT will provide text, images, audio, and other entertainment media in excellent quality. Just a few weeks after launching, this “super AI” has reached over 10 million users and has rapid growth. This success helps OpenAI negotiate an investment agreement worth $30 billion, more than double its valuation in 2021. After investing $1 billion in ChatGPT in 2019, Microsoft is planning to invest another $10 billion in exchange for 49 per cent of OpenAI's stake. This tech giant is considering integrating ChatGPT into Word, Powerpoint, Outlook, and even the Bing search engine to compete for market share with Google Search. Eric Boyd, CVP of AI Platform at Microsoft, … [Read more...] about ChatGPT and AI booms in Vietnam