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A corner of Da Lat (Photo: vnexpress.net)
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Situated in the central highlands province of Lam Dong, Da Lat city goes by different names due to its romantic beauty such as “Little Paris”, “City of Pine Forests”, and “Land of Mist”. Indeed, Da Lat’s flowers, lakes, and waterfalls attract tourists both near and far.
According to CNN, at 1,500 meters above sea level, the city’s cooler weather is a welcome reprieve from the tropical humidity that is typically found elsewhere in the country.
It noted that based around the romantic Xuan Huong lake, Da Lat boasts everything from French colonial architecture, which is a part of its legacy from its days as a hill station, to the "Crazy House", the Seussian creation of architect Dang Viet.
“Plentiful waterfalls and a vibrant flower industry mean that delights abound in the city for honeymooners and nature lovers,” says the website.
Lan Ha Bay can be found to the east of Cat Ba island in the northern port city of Hai Phong and is just to the south of Ha Long Bay. The area is a wonderful destination for visitors to explore, enjoy great experiences, and spend their weekend vacations.
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Lan Ha Bay (Photo: The Travel)
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Recently recognised as a member of the Beautiful Bay Club Association, Lan Ha Bay is a very quiet bay with around 400 large and small islands. Nearly 400 limestone islands in the bay are covered with natural green vegetation.
CNN shared that Lan Ha Bay is a stretch of shimmering water broken up by limestone (karst) islands that can be enjoyed by day trip such as kayak or canoe, or alternatively overnight, such as on a cruise ship.
Rounding off the list of the top 18 destinations were Isaan of Thailand, Leshan of China, Skardu of Pakistan, Nikko of Japan, Davao of the Philippines, Meghalaya of India, Pulau Ubin of Singapore, and Samosir Island of Indonesia. This is along with Pakse of Laos, Tengchong of China, the Gogunsan Islands of the Republic of Korea, Kenting of Taiwan (China), Banteay Chhmar of Cambodia, and Jaffna of Sri Lanka.
Vietnam emerges as a major motorcycle market and manufacturing hub
Vietnam's motorcycle market has been among some of the fastest-growing markets in the world in the last decades despite setbacks brought by the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Vietnam News Agency qouted the information of the Vietnam Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (VAMM).
Currently, there are more than 70 million registered motorcycles in the Southeast Asian country with the figure projected to grow even larger in the future. In the first four months of 2023 alone, the country produced more than 1 million new motorcycles.
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Motorcycle manufacturing (Photo: baodautu.vn)
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Five major manufacturers: Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Piaggio, and SYM hold over 90% of the market share in Vietnam, manufacturers also export fully assembled models to international markets.
VAMM said the stage has been set for Vietnam to become an attractive destination for motorcycle manufacturers in the Asia-Pacific region.
Due to supply chain difficulties and rising trade tension between the US and China, manufacturers have been shifting their investments to smaller markets in Asia to minimise risks. For example, the Japanese government has allocated a 2.2 billion USD fund in support of Japanese businesses relocating from China while the US government has been calling for US businesses to either return to the US or relocate to another country.
Against this backdrop, Vietnam has emerged as a promising new destination for many motorcycle manufacturers.
Honda Vietnam currently owns and operates three factories in the country with a production capacity of 2.5 million motorcycles a year. Yamaha Motor Vietnam owns and operates two factories. Piaggio Vietnam owns and operates two factories with a production capacity of 250,000-400,000 motorcycles a year.
However, the market is not without its challenges.
Vietnam's motorcycle market in recent years has shown signs of saturation. While annual motorcycle production continued to rise, demand and purchasing power have largely failed to keep up. This has forced manufacturers to start investing more in product diversification, particularly in the premium segment, as well as seeking ways to boost exports of fully assembled models, and spare parts to international markets.
For instance, Yamaha Motor Vietnam has been exporting models to supplement the Indonesian market since 2019. Last year, the company became the first foreign factory to produce and export the NEO'S electric motorcycle to European markets.
In May this year, Yamaha Motor Vietnam officially inaugurated its fourth assembly line, specifically for engine assembly for exports. This move demonstrated the Japanese company's confidence and commitment to Vietnam.
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A showroom of Hon Da (Photo: vneconomy.vn)
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According to the company, the new line will produce engines for export to Thailand during Phase 1 with a localisation rate of up to 95%. Over the next three years, the company is to expand its exports to other markets including the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia, with an expected export volume of around 200,000 units.
Similarly, Honda Vietnam has been pushing the export of fully assembled models and spare parts. Last year, the company exported 207,000 motorcycles with a total export turnover of over 462 million USD, a 25% increase in revenue over 2021, according to VAMM. The company said this year it has set a target to export nearly a quarter of a million models or a 9% increase over 2022.
According to industry experts, in order to maintain growth in the Vietnamese market companies must start investing in the development of new product lines to cater to customers' evolving preferences.
New trends include prioritising energy-efficient models, compact design and hassle-free operation.
According to MotorCycles Data, a website specialised in the motorcycles market data and forecast, Vietnam's electric bike segment has maintained a steady growth rate at 5.6% during the first quarter of 2023 in comparison to a contracted internal combustion segment.
Vietnamese-American scientist awarded Wilhelm Exner Medal 2023
Vietnamese-American scientist Nguyen Thuc Quyen has recently been awarded the Wilhelm Exner Medal 2023 for her valuable contributions directly impacting the future economy through the development of organic solar cells. According to the Vietnam News Agency.
She is the first Vietnamese-origin person to be nominated and receive this prestigious award from the Austria Trade Associations.
The Wilhelm Exner Award 2023 honours researchers who have directly influenced businesses and industries through their scientific achievements and contributions. The award ceremony took place in the capital city of Vienna, Austria. Over the past more than 100 years, 241 scientists and inventors, including 23 Nobel laureates, have been honoured with this award.
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Prof. Nguyen Thuc Quyen receives the award. (Photo: wilhelmexner.org)
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As Director of the Centre for Polymers and Organic Solids (CPOS), Prof. Quyen has been involved in research and teaching at the University of California’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry since 2004. She conducts research on organic electronic devices such as optoelectronics, LED lights and field-effect transistor-based biosensor, using optical, electrical, and structural techniques to study the materials and devices in this field.
The focus of her research is on the development of organic solar cells which differ from other types that are made from plastics, semi-transparent, and can be easily produced as thin films using industrial printing methods.
According to the Wilhelm Exner Medal Foundation, solar cells are more eco-friendly, cost-effective, and can be applied in various cases.
Prof. Quyen is among 1% of material science researchers cited worldwide, as reported by Reuters news agency and Clarivate Analytics. In 2023, she was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in the US.
Throughout her scientific career, she also received numerous esteemed awards, including the Avenue of Fame for Advanced Materials in 2019, the Royal Society of Chemistry Researcher Award in 2016, the Alexander von Humboldt Research Award in 2015, and was included in the list of the World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds in 2015-2019. She has also been a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science since 2019./.