Vietnam

Chủ tịch Bảo Tín Mạnh Hải: Doanh nghiệp trang sức gặp khó về nguyên liệu vàng

VN Express | Local Language | News | Nov. 20, 2025 | Supply Chain Issues

Mr. Vũ Hùng Sơn, Chairman of Bảo Tín Mạnh Hải, highlighted significant challenges faced by Vietnamese jewelry businesses due to restrictions on importing gold raw materials, a mechanism that has been absent for 13 years. Domestic gold mining is limited and exhausted, forcing companies to rely on unofficial sources, which raises production risks and destabilizes supply.

Mr. Nguyễn Thế Hùng, Vice President of the Vietnam Gold Trade Association, noted that many gold producers and traders in Ho Chi Minh City have suspended operations due to material shortages, causing financial losses despite prior investments in equipment. To address the supply problem, the government issued Decree 232 in August, granting import and production rights to qualifying banks and enterprises with stringent capital requirements. Eight banks currently qualify for this license, but Ms. Phan Thị Hồng Điệp of VietinBank Gold & Jewellery emphasized the need for the State Bank to clarify the resale mechanisms for imported gold to alleviate market difficulties.

The State Bank is exploring the introduction of a gold exchange to enhance transparency and supply. Mr. Nguyễn Thế Hùng suggested that during the exchange pilot, licensed importers should avoid trading among themselves to prevent market manipulation and recommended direct distribution of imported gold to jewelry manufacturers for traceability and legitimacy. Mr. Vũ Hùng Sơn expressed optimism that the planned gold exchange, set to launch in stages focusing initially on physical gold, will offer businesses legitimate access to raw materials at transparent prices, though licensed banks and enterprises alone cannot meet the entire market demand.

The government’s pilot gold exchange will unfold in three phases: starting with physical gold products, then gold bars, and finally integrating gold funds, certificates, derivatives, and international connections. Meanwhile, experts warned about risks associated with the black market, where gold is sold at inflated prices without quality assurance or legal documentation, exposing buyers to financial loss, fraud, and physical danger.

Công nghệ mở lối cho doanh nghiệp sản xuất, xuất khẩu thực thi ESG

Dantri | Local Language | News | Nov. 20, 2025 | UndeterminedTech Development/Adoption

ESG (Environment - Social - Governance) has evolved into a critical "green passport" for manufacturing and exporting enterprises to access international markets amid tightening sustainable development standards in global supply chains. Science and technology are pivotal in helping enterprises, including SMEs, enhance competitiveness and meet stringent environmental and labor regulations. A workshop in Hanoi, part of the Vietnam ESG Forum 2025, highlighted applications of technology—from data management to production digitization—as key enablers of ESG implementation.

Vietnam's agricultural, forestry, and fishery export turnover increased by 14% in the first nine months of 2025, reaching $52.31 billion, reflecting both potential and pressure to comply with international green standards. Companies like Refrigeration Electrical Engineering Joint Stock Company (REE) and Minh Phu Seafood Corporation have invested heavily in digitization, automation, and sustainability initiatives. REE’s digital transformation efforts improved efficiency, transparency, and reduced carbon emissions, while Minh Phu utilized IoT, AI, and robotics to boost productivity, cut costs by up to 50%, and promote a circular economy model.

In the electrical-electronics sector, Hanel PT New Generation Technology Joint Stock Company integrates intelligent management systems such as ERP, MES, IoT, and automation to optimize resource use, improve productivity, and reduce environmental impact. These technological applications help meet international quality standards and align with ESG values emphasizing sustainability.

The beverage industry, contributing significantly to Vietnam’s economy and employment, faces evolving consumption trends and green economy demands. Industry leaders stress the necessity for green transitions and technology adoption to maintain competitiveness and fulfill sustainability commitments.

Key challenges for enterprises include shifting organizational awareness about ESG from leadership to staff and managing high initial costs for advanced technology and energy-efficient systems. Success requires ongoing training, cultural adjustment, and effective use of digital platforms to monitor and report production, energy, and emissions data. The synchronized integration of ESG, digital transformation, and green transition is fundamental to improving productivity and international competitiveness.

Companies are also targeting automation to realize "dark factory" models for nearly fully automated operations, alongside prioritizing green transitions aimed at net-zero emissions by 2030. Strategies include increasing solar energy usage to over 50% and optimizing resource consumption across production. Enhancing human resource capabilities to align operational practices with sustainability goals remains a core focus to ensure long-term growth and influence sustainable business standards domestically.

Nhật Bản lập cơ quan do Thủ tướng đứng đầu ứng phó khủng hoảng dân số

Bao Dien Tu | Local Language | News | Nov. 20, 2025 | UndeterminedDemographics

On November 18, 2025, the Japanese government established the "Population Strategy Headquarters," an agency led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to address the country’s ongoing population crisis. The agency will coordinate with the Children and Families Agency, the Cabinet Office, and other ministries to implement comprehensive measures aimed at population decline, including support for local governments to revitalize non-urban areas and promote economic recovery.

Japan’s population continues to decline significantly, with a decrease of approximately 908,000 people from 2023 to 2024, bringing the total population to 120,653,227. The 2024 birth count fell to a historic low of 687,689, marking the 16th consecutive year of decline and the largest recorded drop since 1968. As of January 1, 2025, the total population, including foreign residents, was 124,330,690, a decrease of about 554,000 from the previous year. The elderly population (65 and over) now comprises 29.58%, and the working-age population (15-64) accounts for 59.04%, both figures showing slight increases.

The population decline is driven by multiple factors, including high child-rearing and housing costs, job insecurity, eldercare burdens, delayed or forgone marriage among young people, and women’s growing reluctance to have children due to insufficient work-family balance support. Although the government has introduced subsidies, expanded childcare, improved women’s working conditions, and provided housing support for young couples, experts view these efforts as inadequate to reverse the trend.

Prime Minister Takaichi has identified population decline as Japan’s biggest issue and has pledged to establish a robust framework for ongoing responses to the crisis. The new agency aims to coordinate government measures to create a society allowing people to live where they choose while addressing demographic challenges at both urban and regional levels.