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TOP 10 OUTSTANDING EVENTS OF 2023, AS SELECTED BY VIETNAM ECONOMIC TIMES

RECORD 475 KM OF EXPRESSWAYS COMPLETED
6
Nine expressway projects with brought the total length of expressways nationwide to nearly
a total length of 475 km were 1,900 km, helping push transport projects forward more vigorously
completed in 2023; the highest to meet key targets for transport infrastructure set out in the ten-
ever figure in a year and equal year (2021-2030) socio-economic development strategy approved
to nearly half of the total built by the 13th National Party Congress in early 2021. Under the
since 2020, which is estimated strategy, Vietnam is to have 3,000 km of expressways by 2025 and
at some 1,160 km. The record 5,000 km by 2030.

7 Coast Guard Command, among oth-
ANTI-CORRUPTION FIGHT ACCELERATED, WITH MANY SERIOUS CASES OF ECONOMIC-RELATED VIOLATIONS UNCOVERED
Under Politburo Regulations No. 114-QD/TW, 131-QD/TW, and
ers. Hundreds of individuals, includ-
132-QD/TW on controlling power and preventing and combating
ing many high-ranking officials such
corruption and other negative phenomena in personnel affairs,
issued in 2023, the anti-corruption fight was vigorously accelerated
as members of the Party Central
during the year, with many serious cases of economic-related
Committee, ministers, deputy min-
violations in both State and non-State areas uncovered, including
at the Van Thinh Phat Group, the Saigon Joint Stock Commercial
committee secretaries, provincial
people’s committee chairpersons, and private group CEOs or
Bank (SCB), the Viet A Company, the FLC Group, the Tan Hoang isters, generals, provincial party
Minh Group, the Advanced International Joint Stock Company presidents have been prosecuted, detained for investigation, or
(AIC Group), and Sai Gon Co.op, as well as a Covid-19 repatriation taken to court, while large amounts of money and assets have
flight scandal and a corruption case relating to the Vietnam been recovered.
TOURISM WITNESSING STRONG RECOVERY
Vietnam welcomed 12.6 million inter- amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on the
International tourist arrivals to Vietnam,
by year (2017-2023) Unit: million people national tourists in 2023; the highest Entry and Exit of Vietnamese Citizens and the Law on the Entry,
18.0
15.5 figure in the post-pandemic period Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam officially
12.9 12.6 8
and equal to more than 70 per cent became effective on August 15. Under the new visa policy, the e-
3.84 3.36 of the number in pre-pandemic 2019. visa period has been increased from 30 days to 90 days, and the
0.16
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Meanwhile, domestic tourists were temporary residence period for foreigners entering the country
estimated to total nearly 108 million; under unilateral visa exemptions has been increased to 45 days.
Source: GSO
the highest figure ever in the sector. The figures demonstrate the From August 15, the issuance of e-visas is available to citizens from
extent of the strong recovery of tourism being seen in Vietnam, all countries and territories in the world visiting Vietnam via 16
which is partly due to the country’s new visa policy. The law land border gates, 13 sea border gates, and 13 air border gates.
9 In addition, the Prime Minister
FIRST NATIONAL MASTER PLAN LAUNCHED
A National Master Plan for 2021-2030 with a vision to 2050,
approved plans for national energy
which had been built under National Assembly Resolution No.
81/2023/QH15, dated January 9, 2023, was launched at a meeting
and mining development, including
on April 20 chaired by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
the National Power Development
According to the National Master Plan - the first ever in the
Plan VIII for the 2021-2030 period
country - Vietnam is to become a developing nation with modern
national plan for the development
industry, high average incomes, and economic growth based on
of infrastructure for reserves and supply of petroleum and oil
science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation with a vision to 2050 (PDP8), the
by 2030. By 2050, it is expected to be a developed nation with and gas products in 2021-2030 with a vision to 2050, the plan for
high incomes and a fair, democratic, and civilized society. It will the exploration, extraction, processing, and use of minerals in
strive to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, while average the 2021-2030 period with a vision to 2050, and the master plan
economic growth in 2031-2050 is to reach 6.5-7.5 per cent annually. on national energy in the 2021-2030 period with a vision to 2050.
PIVOTAL YEAR FOR THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY
10
2023 was considered a pivotal year Minh Chinh’s trips to the US later in the month and then to Japan
for Vietnam’s semiconductor industry, in November, where he met with leaders from renowned semicon-
with many meetings held between ductor groups, were regarded as springboards for the country’s
government leaders and representa- semiconductor industry to develop. The Ministry of Information
tives from global semiconductor giants and Communications has been assigned by the Prime Minister to
as well as investment promotion activ- build a national strategy for semiconductor industry development,
ities. The upgrade of Vietnam-US and the Prime Minister in August ordered four government bodies
ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership during President Joe to cooperate to train 30,000-50,000 engineers and 100 experts in
Biden’s visit to Vietnam in September and Prime Minister Pham digital transformation and the manufacturing of semiconductors.

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