The seminar in Ho Chi Minh City on August 25 explored how strong institutions and a fair legal framework can unlock private-sector growth and support Vietnam’s broader economic development. The session formed part of the legal-themed discussions in the Local Dialogues of this year’s Vietnam Private Sector Forum (VPSF), running from July until September.

The seminar, titled ‘Enabling Institutions – Unleashing the Flow of Development’ was held on August 25

In her opening remarks, Pham Thi Bich Hue, vice president of the Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs Association and head of the VPSF Organising Committee, highlighted the “quartet of pillar resolutions” – 66-NQ/TW, 68-NQ/TW, 57-NQ/TW, and 59-NQ/TW – noting that they have helped shape the nation’s ambitious development goals.

“To turn our development goal aspirations into reality, we first need an institutional system that is transparent, fair, and predictable,” Hue said. “That’s why today’s thematic session is such an important part of the VPSF journey.”

According to Hue, nine local dialogues and a startup-focused session have already taken place, and today’s second thematic session is helping lay the groundwork for the ministerial-level discussions and the high-level plenary set for September 15–16.

“I am confident that every voice in this room will contribute to strong, evidence-based, and practical policy recommendations–ones that can remove obstacles and chart a sustainable path for private-sector growth,” said Hue.

Tran Dinh Chien from AVB Lawyers and a member of the Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs Association, observed that in the current economic context, Vietnamese businesses and entrepreneurs are facing many challenges.

“Among the biggest bottlenecks are overlapping legal frameworks, lengthy litigation processes averaging 400 days, and dispute resolution costs that can consume nearly 30 per cent of the claim’s value,” Chien said.

Additionally, Chien added that the criminalisation of certain economic relations under Article 175 of the Penal Code has left many firms vulnerable and hesitant to pursue innovation.

To address these issues, Chien recommended that the government expand the use of simplified legal procedures, pilot the ‘loser pays’ principle (where the losing party bears litigation costs), and limit the criminalisation of economic relations to protect enterprises from unnecessary risks.

For business associations, he suggested establishing specialised legal committees, implementing regular legal training, building legal databases, and developing internal arbitration and mediation mechanisms to help businesses resolve disputes quickly and effectively.

Sharing the same perspective, Dr. Nguyen Thi Anh Hong, lecturer at the Faculty of Criminal Law, Ho Chi Minh City University of Law, emphasised that criminal law is not just a tool to combat crime, it is also a vital component in establishing legal order.

“Its purpose is to ensure safety for business activities and protect the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises,” said Hong. “A transparent and fair legal system will serve as a springboard for sustainable private-sector development. However, the ongoing criminalisation of civil and economic violations has created a climate of apprehension among businesses.”

“Many economic disputes that could have been resolved through civil measures or arbitration have been escalated into criminal cases, paralysing business operations,” Dr. Hong said.

“This not only results in significant losses for businesses, but also erodes confidence in the investment environment,” she added.

To address these challenges, Dr. Hong suggested shifting criminal policy towards reducing the criminalisation of economic matters and clearly distinguishing civil, administrative, and criminal responsibilities.

“Violations that can be resolved through civil or economic measures should not be subject to criminal proceedings. At the same time, genuinely harmful acts such as fraud, money laundering, or environmental destruction must be strictly prosecuted to protect fairness and maintain trust for legitimate businesses,” she explained.

From her perspective as vice president of the Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs Association, Luu Thi Thanh Mau, CEO of Phuc Khang Corporation, asserted that the role of the private sector has been clearly demonstrated, contributing up to 40 per cent of national GDP and driving both broad-based and in-depth economic growth.

Therefore, the introduction of new policies should redefine the perception of the private sector’s role while also recognising private enterprises not merely as entities to be managed, but as essential partners in building a modern, transparent, and effective economic institution.

According to Mau, private businesses are directly exposed to market dynamics, meaning every policy or legal change has immediate effects.

“Feedback, whether positive or negative, serves as a vital basis for legislators and regulators to make timely, flexible, and context-appropriate adjustments. In particular, the community of small and medium-sized enterprises, which accounts for the majority of the economy, bears the brunt of these impacts and requires greater support,” Mau said.

“I believe that with the government’s companionship and the business community’s determination for renewal, we can certainly build a transparent, fair, and highly competitive economy that contributes positively to Vietnam’s international integration,” Mau added.

PM outlines 15 groups of tasks, solutions to boost private economic sector After three months of implementing Resolution 68, Vietnam’s private economic sector has seen many positive changes, with the establishment of over 24,000 new businesses in June and more than 16,000 in July. This brought the total number of newly established enterprises in the first seven months of 2025 to nearly 108,000.

Rita Mokbel, president at Ericsson Vietnam

How has 5G commercialisation been performing in Vietnam since its rollout last year, and what new 5G use cases has Ericsson brought forward?

5G has been commercialised since October 2024, with all our customers, Viettel, VNPT and MobiFone launching their 5G services in Vietnam. In major cities, we already have strong 5G coverage that will continue to grow.

Vietnam did very well in terms of deploying 5G in a short timeframe; what usually takes years in other countries. In Vietnam, 5G was licensed in March and went live in October. In less than 12 months, the government licensed operators, and together we deployed 5G. This was very impressive and very smart.

Now, together with our customers, we are exploring use cases. For example, we have started trialling fixed wireless access with some of them. With the investment in 5G, it’s possible to leverage this network to provide fixed wireless access to other areas.

In addition, we are also testing 5G functionalities with our customers such as network slicing, network exposure and UE routed selection policy. These features provide the 5G network with clear distinction over 4G, to expose and use various network characteristics to address new enterprise and retail use cases.

We are now working to establish vertical ecosystems in Vietnam by connecting solution providers of AI camera, autonomous cars, drones, and robots; end-users such as manufacturing and ports; and operators to boost the utilisation of 5G technology to drive digitalisation in Vietnam.

There are many other use cases. Together with our customers, we are working to bring this 5G technology closer to enterprises and consumers faster.

What challenges face the local market in its path of anticipating the next growth phase?

While our customers are deploying 5G in major cities, there’s still a lot to be done to expand coverage to at least 90 per cent of the nation. This requires significant effort and resources from both the government and our customers. But I believe we are getting closer.

For example, the Ministry of Science and Technology’s (MoST) initiative to sponsor 15 per cent of the investment for any operator deploying 20,000 sites is already a great step forward. Not all operators will reach 20,000 sites this year, but we have great progress cross the board.

The other challenge, which is also an opportunity, is market readiness. When we showcase global references, they often asked for examples from Vietnam. This is because building local competence is essential. That’s why, as we work across different industries, it’s important to demonstrate capabilities locally to gain momentum and attract interest.

Traditionally, our customers have focused on providing the best network performance and delivering strong consumer use cases and customer experiences.

But now, they need to extend this to enterprises as well. We see 5G as critical for mission-critical applications today, those involving public safety, security, and defence. And all of this requires expertise and competence from both our customers and ourselves.

Vietnam has issued strategic resolutions to accelerate innovation and digital transformation. How is their importance to the business community, and Ericsson as well?

Vietnam has set a very ambitious goal to become a high-income country by 2045, and to make the digital economy even stronger, contributing up to 30 per cent of total GDP by 2030.

We commend the government’s leadership in trying to achieve this ambition. It has issued several resolutions and are driving digital transformation across different enterprises, considering 5G as critical national infrastructure.

The 700 MHz auction is in progress and will ensure good 5G coverage for standalone networks in Vietnam.

All these initiatives align with the government’s ambition and support its vision and goals. The government is eager to introduce more research and development (R&D) investments, focusing on scaling and strengthening talent in Vietnam. We believe we can contribute to this initiative by supporting more R&D investments and enhancing talent competence in Vietnam.

We are working with different universities on how to upskill talent in Vietnam, not only in 5G technology but also in emerging technologies like AI, the cloud, digital twins, and others. Ericsson wants to continue being a trusted partner in Vietnam’s journey towards becoming a leading digital economy in Asia.

What new prospects for enterprises and industries do you foresee?

We believe that 5G is a game changer, not only for consumers, but also for enterprises. We have a 5G business study showing that 5G will create new revenue for our customers in Vietnam, estimated at $1.5 billion by 2030. This is huge. For cloud and AI to scale, you need strong connectivity. Now, when we see a lot of new applications, whether in AI or new cloud requirements, none of these can happen without 5G. The government also believes that 5G is critical national infrastructure because it’s the foundation on which the economy can be built.

Obviously, some industries will benefit the most. One of the industries is manufacturing, which is undergoing a huge transformation thanks to 5G and advanced connectivity. We have seen these benefits ourselves in our US 5G smart factory, where engagement and productivity doubled, waste management was reduced by 32 per cent, and even product quality improved.

Another sector that will benefit from 5G is healthcare. With 5G, healthcare will shift from offline to more online, remote care. In Vietnam, and globally, while healthcare is a huge industry, it is still very difficult in rural areas to access highly competent and skilled doctors. With digital healthcare, it’s possible to reach any doctor or hospital remotely.

In order to capture that growth and those opportunities, one way is to join forces with operators engaging enterprises in manufacturing, healthcare, and areas like airports or seaports, and see how we can leverage 5G to bring automation.

Another way is to work with academia to train students, build national competence, and create an ecosystem where the government, academia, and both public and private sectors work together to drive stronger transformation.

5G subscriptions expected to hit 2.9 billion globally The telecom industry is entering an exciting new chapter with strong 5G adoption and a growing ecosystem that will drive innovation and reshape the way people live, work, and connect.

Vietnam’s adoption of 5G networks driving innovation The telecom industry is entering an exciting new chapter with strong 5G adoption and a growing ecosystem that will drive innovation and reshape the way people live, work and connect.

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) is seeking government approval of a decree detailing the Law on Corporate Income Tax (CIT), adopted by the National Assembly two months ago. As it stands, the decree is expected to be passed by the government this month and scheduled to take effect on October 1. It will apply for the period of calculating CIT in 2025.

A corporate income tax reduction would save smaller companies some cash, Photo: Le Toan

According to the MoF, the decree is expected to create a firm legal framework for the implementation of the CIT law, boosting the domestic business climate in a more transparent manner, with more support provided for micro- and small-sized enterprises, and promotion of investment into the sectors of agriculture, technology, and environment.

One of the biggest highlights in the draft decree is that it covers some specific policies, such as the supplementation of regulations for the application of lower CIT. Under Article 10 of the draft, the CIT common tax rate is 20 per cent. However, a rate of 15 per cent shall be applied to micro-sized firms with total annual revenue not exceeding VND3 billion ($120,000), and a rate of 17 per cent shall be given to small firms with total annual revenue between that figure and VND50 billion ($2 million).

“The total revenue used as the basis for determining whether a business is eligible for the 15 or 17 per cent CIT rates includes total revenue from sales of goods, provision of services, financial activities, and other income as reported in the appendix on business performance results attached to the CIT finalisation return for the immediately preceding tax year,” the draft decree read.

Under the existing Law on Support for Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises, small enterprises refer to those which employ 10-49 people, and has a total annual revenue and total capital of VND50 billion ($2 million) and VND20 billion ($800,000), respectively. Micro-sized enterprises refer to those which utilise fewer than nine employees, and has a total annual revenue and total capital of VND3 billion ($120,000).

Businesses in the oil and gas industry are subject to CIT rates ranging 25-50 per cent, depending on each contract. Firms which engage in prospecting, exploration, and exploitation of certain mineral resources, including platinum, gold, silver, tin, and other rare and precious resources, are subject to a rate of 50 per cent.

Vietnam currenrly has nearly one million enterprises, of which as many as 97 per cent are micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises that are often cash-strapped and lack output markets, with weak competitiveness.

The country has set a target of two million enterprises by 2030, with efforts to be made for private enterprises to create 58 per cent of GDP, 40 per cent of state budget revenue, and 85 per cent of labourers.

In the first seven months of 2025, the number of businesses registering to halt performance hit 88,600, up 13.6 per cent on-year. Moreover, 41,500 enterprises halted operations to await dissolution procedures, up 16.7 per cent on-year; and 14,300 businesses completed such procedures, up 20.5 per cent on-year. On average each month, 20,600 enterprises left the market.

Nguyen Cong Bang, director of Cong Bang Foodstuff Co., Ltd. based in the outskirt of Hanoi, told VIR that currently like thousands of other enterprises, his company is faced with major difficulties.

“Prices of input materials like sugar, gas, beans, and cooking oil have increased by an average 15 per cent over the past seven months, while we still have to pay many types of taxes including a CIT rate of 20 per cent costing about VND25 million ($1,000) per month,” said Bang, whose company employs 40 people.

“If the CIT is reduced to 17 per cent, we can save about VND720,000 ($30) a month and VND8.64 million ($350) a year. The sum is not so big, but it is a testament to the state’s support to small-sized enterprises like us,” Bang said.

However, according to Tran Hai Van, director of Red Lotus Trading Co., Ltd. in Hanoi, specialised in trading home appliance products, there is an urgent need to reduce assorted taxes including CIT for smaller enterprises that are often vulnerable to shocks in the market. “For example, a CIT reduction can be offered to those with total revenue of below VND10 billion ($400,000) a year and this should be divided into different levels for application,” Van said. “For instance, a rate of 15 per cent is offered to a revenue of more than VND5 billion ($200,000) and a rate of 10 per cent is offered to a revenue of below VND5 billion ($200,000).”

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 August 2025 – Hongkong Land has launched the city’s first AI-powered intelligent facility management platform, the IFMCT, setting a new industry standard for commercial property management and demonstrating the Company’s commitment to PropTech innovation. Following a successful pilot at Alexandra House, which earned the Industry Excellence Award for best practice, the IFMCT has been scaled to Chater House and Exchange Square, demonstrating its adaptability. With proven results, Hongkong Land is now preparing to roll out the platform across its entire Central Portfolio by 2026.
Michael Smith, Chief Executive, Hongkong Land, said:” This pioneering initiative stands as a testament to Hongkong Land’s leadership in delivering forward-thinking sustainable solutions, highlighting the Group’s long-standing culture of innovation and our commitment to creating lasting value for all our stakeholders. We’re proud of the platform’s success in Hong Kong and look forward to extending its impact across our regional portfolio.”
The IFMCT unifies over 20 standalone building systems into a single platform – integrating the Building Management System (BMS), AI-driven Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Systems (HVAC), thermal comfort control, energy optimisation, and soft services such as cleaning, vendor management, procurement and tenant wellness monitoring. By leveraging real-time monitoring, advanced AI analytics, and 4D digital twin visualisation, the advanced system enhances operational efficiency and minimises disruptions, improving reliability and extending asset lifecycles.
The IFMCT drives operational excellence, accelerating decarbonisation efforts through close collaboration with tenants
The IFMCT automates workflows to optimise both hard and soft services, improving daily building operation as well as tenant experience. Shifting from traditional, reactive maintenance to a predictive, proactive model, the platform harnesses AI-powered health analytics to detect early signs of performance decline, preventing service interruptions.
For instance, Air Handling Units (AHUs) are managed like people: healthy units skip routine check-ups, while symptomatic ones receive priority servicing. This condition-based approach resulted in a 16% reduction in AHU maintenance effort after one year, cutting maintenance frequency from monthly to biannual, clearly demonstrating the tangible benefits of intelligent servicing. Other measurable outcomes include a 66% automation rate for work orders, and an 80% reduction in time needed to retrieve asset documentation. The platform has significantly decreased the volume of alarm monitoring calls to both tenants and vendors, streamlining communication.
As climate resilience takes on greater urgency, the IFMCT elevates the adaptability of buildings and operations through intelligent energy management. The platform balances energy demand and adjusts heating and cooling systems in response to forecasted weather patterns, helping Hongkong Land and its tenants reduce energy consumption and accelerate decarbonisation efforts.
Hongkong Land to scale the IFMCT regionally following successful pilot and Central Portfolio expansion
The IFMCT’s standardised data structure enables seamless integration across markets, supporting Hongkong Land’s regional expansion of intelligent property management solutions towards the ultra-premium integrated commercial properties strategy. Building on its success in Hong Kong, the platform is set to be deployed at Westbund Central in Shanghai, a development offering high-quality retail spaces, office towers, residences, hotels, and arts and cultural venues. This cross-market implementation reinforces Hongkong Land’s position as a regional leader in building management technology.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

SYDNEY, Aug. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Manhattan Associates Inc. (NASDAQ: MANH) has promoted Raghav Sibal to Vice President, APAC, a newly expanded role that reflects the company’s commitment to supporting rising demand across the region. The move follows a standout year of growth, with cloud subscription revenue in APAC rising 49% year-on-year in 2024 and services revenue up 21%, reflecting the region’s growing appetite for cloud-first, AI-enabled supply chain solutions.

“Over the past 14 years, Raghav has played a pivotal role in establishing Manhattan Associates’ strong foundation and continued growth in Australia and New Zealand. With the APAC region undergoing rapid transformation and expansion, the time is right to elevate his role,” said Eric Clark, President and CEO at Manhattan Associates. “He brings the operational expertise, customer-first mindset and regional insight needed to accelerate our vision for unified supply chain commerce across Asia-Pacific.”

With more than two decades at Manhattan Associates, Sibal brings deep operational experience to the position, having worked across both the US and Australian markets, leading some of the company’s most complex global implementation programs. Since taking on leadership of the Australia and New Zealand business in 2011, he has overseen significant growth, built a high-performing local team, and helped position Manhattan as a trusted technology partner for leading retailers, distributors and logistics providers across the region.

“APAC is an incredibly diverse region, with each market presenting unique challenges and opportunities,” commented Sibal. “As supply chains continue to evolve and digital transformation accelerates, I’m excited to work closely with our teams, partners and customers across the region to help them unlock new levels of efficiency, resilience and customer experience.”

Manhattan Associates’ APAC operations service emerging opportunities in China, Southeast Asia, and India, as well as more established markets in Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

For more information about Manhattan Associates, visit www.manh.com.au. Receive up-to-date product, customer and partner news directly from Manhattan Associates on X, LinkedIn and Facebook.

For more information, please visit www.manh.com