E-commerce workforce needs boosting

The country’s e-commerce market surpassed 25 billion USD last year, growing by 22% year-on-year, and now accounts for approximately 9% of total retail sales in goods and consumer services.

The workshop on technology management in the digital age held in Hanoi on May 27. (Photo thoibaonganhang.vn)
The workshop on technology management in the digital age held in Hanoi on May 27. (Photo thoibaonganhang.vn)

Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - The e-commerce market has experienced rapid growth, leading to a surge in demand for highly skilled talents.

The country’s e-commerce market surpassed 25 billion USD last year, growing by 22% year-on-year, and now accounts for approximately 9% of total retail sales in goods and consumer services.

Meanwhile, the human resources for e-commerce were currently both lacking and weak, said Nguyen Huu Tuan, Director of the Centre for E-commerce and Digital Technology Development (eComDX) under the Vietnam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, at the workshop on technology management in the digital age held in Hanoi on May 27.

To solve this situation, Tuan believed that the 'on-demand' training model between the State and enterprises was a potential solution. This is a flexible model that meets market demand, providing both theoretical knowledge and focusing on practice, effectively connecting labour supply and demand.

However, for this model to operate effectively and sustainably, there needed to be clear and transparent co-ordination between the State and enterprises, he said.

Training programmes, even those 'on-demand', also needed to ensure the provision of basic knowledge and core skills, helping students adapt to the ever-changing e-commerce environment in the long term, he added.

In addition, he said that e-commerce training programmes were increasingly diverse and had positive changes thanks to the application of new technology.

Some universities have begun to integrate subjects related to new technologies into their curricula, such as AI applications in e-commerce, blockchain and cryptocurrencies, AI in finance, big data management and analysis.

The Vietnam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency has also implemented many digital technology training programmes for businesses and local departments to raise awareness and increase capacity to apply technology to e-commerce activities.

From a domestic policy perspective, Dr Nguyen Minh Thao from the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM), affirmed that Vietnam has made significant progress in developing the digital economy but still faces numerous challenges, such as a shortage of digital talent, limited innovation capacity, and inconsistencies in policies to encourage R&D investment.

"To move fast and sustainably, the institutions must stay ahead of technology. We need to expand the policy experimentation space, promote sandbox models and develop soft policies to support businesses, while ensuring the safety of digital systems and managing systemic risks," Thao emphasised.

Resolution 57-NQ/TW represented a political turning point as it was the first time that digital transformation, innovation, and science and technology had been identified as three strategic breakthroughs in the country's development, she added.

The objectives have been set that by 2030, Vietnam aims to be among the top three ASEAN countries in AI research capacity and by 2045, the digital economy is expected to contribute at least 50% of GDP./.

VNA

See more

Visitors savor freshly prepared dishes on-site at the “Discover US Agriculture” programme, held on July 19, 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City. (Illustrative photo: VNA)

Vietnam, US work to step up agricultural cooperation

Vietnam has strengths in tropical farm produce, seafood and wooden products, while the US is a major supplier of key inputs such as soybeans, corn, wheat and dairy products. This trade structure creates a balanced supply chain with little direct competition, delivering tangible benefits to businesses and consumers in both countries.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha speaks at the opening ceremony of the Vietbuild Hanoi International Exhibition 2026 on March 26. (Photo: VNA)

Vietbuild Hanoi 2026 International Exhibition opens

The five-day event, themed “Construction – Building Materials – Real Estate – Green Transport”, brings together more than 2,500 booths from domestic and international enterprises, reflecting the development momentum of Vietnam’s construction sector and the broader economy.

An overview of the International Coffee Conference 2026 (Photo: VNA)

Global Coffee Alliance launched to drive sustainable, inclusive growth

The Global Coffee Alliance is envisioned as a public–private partnership that bridges diplomatic efforts with business operations. Looking ahead to 2040, it aims to develop a global coffee ecosystem that is inclusive, technology-driven, and aligned with net-zero emissions goals.

At Dung Quat oil refinery (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam races to restart idle ethanol plants to meet surging demand

Do Van Tuan, Chairman of the Vietnam Biofuels Association, said that monthly ethanol demand for the E10 blend is projected at 92,000–100,000 cu.m. The country’s six ethanol plants have a combined design capacity of roughly 41,000 cu. m per month, but only three are now running, churning out about 25,000 cu.m, or just 25–27% of demand. Even if every plant hits full tilt, local supply would cover only around 41% of national needs.

At a supermarket in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: VNA)

Ho Chi Minh City to pilot pork trading on Mercantile Exchange of Vietnam

Nguyen Nguyen Phuong, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade, said listing pork on the MXV will finally give consumers and firms more stable prices, while slapping on stricter food safety rules and making it easier to track where the meat actually comes from. Farmers, meanwhile, stand to gain from more predictable margins and dodge fewer of the supply-demand imbalances that routinely distort prices.

Processing octopus for export to the Japanese market at Huy Nam Company in An Giang (Photo: VNA)

Squid, octopus exports pick up early in 2026

In terms of product structure, squid has emerged as the main growth driver. Export turnover of squid exceeded 64 million USD, rising nearly 30%, while octopus exports brought in more than 47 million USD, up over 16%. The development indicates that demand for squid products is recovering faster in the short term.

The world’s longest over-sea cable car to Hon Thom Island in the Phu Quoc special zone, An Giang province. (Photo: VNA)

An Giang steps up tourism development ahead of APEC 2027

Tourism in the province has recorded strong growth, affirming its position as one of the region’s leading destinations. Phu Quoc Island continues to attract the majority of international travellers, receiving more than 817,660 visitors, accounting for over 98.5% of total foreign arrivals to the province.

Import-export activities at Lach Huyen international port in Hai Phong (Photo: VNA)

Reducing risks, removing logistics bottlenecks amid Middle East volatility

According to Truong Xuan Trung, Trade Counsellor of Vietnam in the UAE, the Middle East serves not only as a consumption market but also as a key global transhipment hub, meaning instability in the region creates ripple effects across intercontinental transport networks. Shipping route adjustments and airspace restrictions have lengthened transit times, increased costs and disrupted delivery schedules, with some Vietnamese shipments forced to reroute or seek alternative markets.

Cargo is handled at container terminals No. 3 and No. 4 of Hai Phong International Gateway Port. (Photo: VNA)

Businesses seek “survival momentum” amid global geopolitical turbulence

This is an urgent move as the challenges of 2026 differ markedly from previous ones, shaped by overlapping external shocks ranging from geopolitical tensions disrupting supply chains to surging logistics and raw material costs, exchange-rate pressures, and increasingly complex tariff barriers in global markets.

At the 2025 trade connectivity week for mechanical, electrical and digital industries. (Photo: VNA)

Ho Chi Minh City gives boost to supporting industry firms

Supporting industry firms in Ho Chi Minh City are scrambling to embed themselves more deeply into both global and domestic supply chains, backed by a suite of local incentives that are speeding up their tech upgrades and market access.

Italy's national pavilion at the ongoing Food & Hospitality Vietnam 2026 exhibition at Ho Chi Minh City's Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC) draws visitors for hands-on experiences. (Photo: IVNA)

Italian food firms eye opportunities in Vietnam

Italy’s exports of food and beverages to Vietnam reached 105.1 million EUR in 2025, up 4% year-on-year, positioning the country among the leading EU suppliers to the Vietnamese market.

An overview of the working session (Photo: baoquangninh.vn)

Quang Ninh promotes all-round cooperation with Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region

Quang Ninh encourages Guangxi enterprises to invest in high-tech marine aquaculture and expand aquatic product exports in China. At the same time, the province aims to develop livestock farming in line with international standards and attract investment in deep-processing plants for agricultural products such as cinnamon, star anise and tea, linked with traceability systems at border gates.

Illustrative image (Source: VNA)

Vietnam becomes fastest growing market for Norwegian salmon in Southeast Asia

The Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) reported at the “Norwegian seafood industry in Vietnam market 2026” event held in Ho Chi Minh City on March 25 that fresh Norwegian salmon exports to Vietnam jumped 16% in volume in the first two months of 2026 compared with a year earlier, while frozen salmon shipments surged about 37%.