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A wind farm of Trung Nam Group in Ninh Thuan province in the central region of Vietnam (Photo courtesy of the Group)

Hanoi (VNS/VNA) – Vietnam needs about 128.3 billion USD of investment capital to develop its electricity industry in 2021-2030, according to draft electricity planning released by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).

On February 9, the MoIT issued a draft national electricity development planning project for 2021-2030, with a vision to 2045 or the power master plan VIII and asked other ministries and agencies to contribute their ideas.

With forecasts that Vietnam’s GDP growth will reach an average of 6.6 percent per year in 2031-2045 and 5.7 percent per year in 2031-2045, the MoIT forecast the supply of commercial electricity to reach 491 billion kWh by 2030, and 877 billion kWh by 2045.

The draft expected by 2030, the total installed capacity of electricity sources in the country would reach 137.2 GW including 27 percent from coal-fired thermal power, 21 percent from gas thermal power, 18 percent from hydroelectricity, 29 percent from wind power, solar and renewable energy and 4 percent from the imported sources and 1 percent from other types of energy from storage devices.

The MoIT’s draft said by 2045, the total installed capacity will reach nearly 276.7 GW including 18 percent from coal-fired thermal power, 24 percent from gas thermal power, 9 percent from hydroelectricity, 44 percent from wind power, solar and renewable energy and 2 percent from the imported sources and 3 percent from other types of energy from storage devices.

The power master plan VIII encourages the development of renewable energy and discourages hydroelectricity. Renewables made up 13 percent of power in 2020 and are aimed to make up 30 percent by 2030 and 44 percent by 2045.

Regarding the power grid development programme, the plan proposes to continue building the 500kV power transmission system to transmit electricity from major power source centres in the Central Highlands, south-central, north-central and central regions to the large load centres in Ho Chi Minh City and the Red River Delta. It also asked to strengthen the interconnected transmission grid to support the transmission of power capacity.

In the draft, they also research the application of smart grid and the 4.0 technology in power transmission to calculate and propose in the master plan.

The MoIT calculated total investment capital for electricity development in 2021-2030 of about 128.3 billion USD including 95.4 billion USD for electricity and 32.9 billion USD for the grid.

For the next 15 years, the ministry calculated the need at about 192.3 billion USD including 140.2 billion USD for electricity and 52.1 billion USD for the grid.

Combining the two periods, Vietnam needs 320.6 billion USD to develop its national power system./.

Some provinces have failed to meet the Prime Minister’s deadline for site clearance for the eastern part of the North – South Highway.

In January 2019, the group merged a number of its affiliated units specializing in defense industry, telecommunications, and commercial production into Viettel Hi-tech Corporation. Two years after the foundation, Viettel Hi-tech Corporation (VHC) is running smoothly and becomes an important technological segment of Viettel’s production and business ecology.

Developing typical hi-tech products

Regarding defense industry production, VHC has produced a number of advanced hi-tech military equipment and weaponry systems equivalent to those used by NATO forces. These include control systems, optoelectronic products, and communication equipment, contributing to modernizing the military.

In 2020, VHC successfully tested various valuable hi-tech equipment and products and is ready to transfer them to military units.

In terms of telecommunications, VHC manufactured 5G NodeB base stations, the 5G core network, RFIC and DFE integrated circuits for 5G networks. Particularly, the core equipment made by VHC has helped Viettel’s 5G network test-run smoothly in a number of areas in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City since November 2020. Additionally, VHC has also created Viettel Online Charging Service (vOCS), Viettel IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and Viettel Site Router. These Viettel-made products and systems have been employed to Viettel’s telecommunication and communication networks in Vietnam as well as in its invested markets, such as Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Burundi. In fact, few telecoms in the world can produce the above mentioned products and services.

In commercial production, VHC focuses on technologies, services, and products for a digital society. As a result, it attaches much importance to researching, developing, and investing in IoT platform, AI camera, smart power distribution system, vessel monitoring system, remote cardiac monitoring device and air purifiers. Most of the products and systems have been tested successfully and are now in mass production. It is expected that commercial production of hi-tech products will hike 24% in revenue in 2021.

Focusing on defense industry development

As a key component of Viettel in research and development, VHC completed 48 research projects on core technologies while it had 66 patents recognized in 2020. Especially, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) licensed four patents to VHC last year while domestic competent agencies granted protection certificates to 19 patents, five technological solutions, and seven industrial designs of the corporation. Additionally, 25 articles were published in prestigious science and technology journals or presented at international seminars.

The above results of VHC’s research and development has contributed to building Viettel’s competitiveness in the global market as well as helped the group realize its strategy “Make in Vietnam” (researching, developing, and making hi-tech products in Vietnam).

According to the Military Balance 2020 released by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), VHC is considered one of leading Asian defense industry companies. The report underlines that VHC is successfully developing advanced military equipment and weaponry, particularly products and systems related to signal, communication and control.

Regarding its production orientation in 2021 and the coming time, VHC Director General Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Vu Ha said that Viettel has been assigned to play the core and leading role in Vietnam’s defense industry by the Ministry of National Defense in the near future. As a major defense industry branch, VHC is the nucleus of the core of Vietnam’s defense industry.

Although VHC invests in all three sectors: commercial products, telecommunications and defense industry, VHC will attach more importance to defense industry, according to its development strategy, the official stressed.

“We will continuously upgrade our technologies to produce hi-tech products of both civilian and military use,” VHC Director General said.

Translated by Thu Nguyen

The Hanoitimes – Many businesses are in shortage of workforce after a long-break Tet holiday, as travel remains restricted between different localities.

A prolonged Covid-19 in a number of provinces and cities is putting local businesses under serious stress to avoid disruption of operations.

A Covid-19 checkpoint at An Duong district, Hai Phong city. Source: Phapluatxahoi.vn

The Private Economic Development Research Board (Board IV) revealed the information following its quick survey with 12 business associations from February 19-22.

In the survey, the majority of respondents said they forecast the Covid-19 pandemic to stay in long-term and have adjusted their operations to better cope with the situation.

However, businesses are facing some common problems, including shortage of workers after a long-break Tet holiday as travel remains restricted between different localities.

The Covid-19 pandemic also causes severe impacts on the transportation sector, in which many transport companies are operating at 20-30% of their capacity.

In recent days, movements of goods from and out of Hai Duong province, the country’s pandemic hotspot, to other localities have been stalled, impacting supply and production chains of various industrial parks.

This came at the fact that drivers from Hai Duong are not allowed to leave the province, while those from outside do not want to enter on fear of Covid-19, or some Covid-19 checkpoints stop drivers from Hai Duong to go through.

Strict anti-Covid-19 measures adopted by Hai Duong’s neighboring cities/provinces, especially in Hai Phong, have led to a stagnation of sale and distribution of farm produce from Hai Duong, including the transportation of such products to Hai Phong port for exports.

A report from Hai Duong Automobile Transportation Association noted in case hurdles for transportation of Hai Duong farm produce are not removed until early March 2021, the financial damage would be around VND400 billion (US$17.3 million).

“Transportation firms not allowed to enter Hai Phong are forced to seek different routes and thus it incurs additional costs, making it harder for enterprises as they are still struggling with Covid-19 impacts,” noted the Board IV.

Chairman of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s Advisory Council for Administrative Procedure Reform Truong Gia Binh said while social distancing and other safety measures have affected demand for farm produce, the lack of empty containers for exports remain the biggest concern for local traders.

“The business community seeks greater support from local authorities in working with shipping  firms to resolve the situation and prevent unreasonable surge of container shipping rates,” Binh added.

To resolves these issues, Board IV cited recommendations from business associations calling for authorities in Hai Phong and Hai Duong to set up a “buffer zone” to apply safety measures for drivers, trucks and goods; change truck drivers upon entering certain province/city.

“Regarding the transportation of goods from Hai Duong to Hai Phong port, the government could set up a specialized transport corridor to avoid disruption of supply chains,” Board IV stated.

According to Board IV, the government could consider lowering transportation fees on expressways as transport firms are forced to change their routes.

The Hanoitimes – The initial results of the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement promise to continue creating new impetus for economic and trade cooperation between the two countries in the coming time.

Since the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) took effect on January 1, the bilateral trade turnover between the two countries has recorded a spectacular rise in the context of exports disruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Vietnamese rice exports to EU. Photo: Vinaseed

According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, in January, the total trade turnover between Vietnam and the UK reached US$657.3 million, up 78.6% over the same period last year.

Vietnam’s exports to the UK reached US$598 million worth of goods, up 84.6% compared to last January and 56.5% to last December.

Among Vietnam’s exports to the UK,  farm produce attained stable and positive growth in January, with seafood reaching US$19.7 million, representing a rise of 18.1% over the same period last year, and vegetables and fruits with US$1 million, increasing 148.6%.

Chart: Phi Nhat

Vietnamese shipments to the UK get opportunities to rise drastically and expand market share thanks to many tariff preferential treatment under the agreement, according to the MoIT.

Under the trade deal, more than 94% of the total 547 tariff lines of vegetable and fruit will be reduced to zero. Many Vietnamese key products such as litchi, longan, rambutan, dragon fruit, pineapple and melon will have more market access advantages over tropical fruits originating from rivals such as Brazil, Thailand and Malaysia, the countries that have not signed an FTA with the UK.

Chart: Phi Nhat

Shipments of the group of processing and manufacturing industries to the UK achieved an impressive growth in January such as phones and components (up 371.6% over the same period last year), followed by machinery, equipment and spare parts (109.9%), computers and electronic components (91%); iron and steel of all kinds (11%).

In 2020, the bilateral trade reached US$5.64 billion in value, in which Vietnam exported goods worth US$4.95 billion to the UK and enjoyed a trade surplus of US$4.27 billion. The UK continued to be the third largest trading partner of Vietnam in Europe, behind Germany and the Netherlands.