Representatives from government agencies highlighted the stellar growth of Vietnam’s digital economy at a recent conference while expressing concern over the challenges that still lie ahead.

The event organized annually with the main participation of businesses from Japan, Vietnam, China and ASEAN.

The expo attracting 323 exhibitors from 15 countries, territories.

Purchasing Managers’ Index rises to 50.3 points in opening month of the year.

Tumbling global demand and resulting fall in orders from US and European manufacturers is also affecting Vietnam.

The Quang Ninh Provincial People’s Committee began construction of a high-end industrial complex costing more than VND2.7 trillion ($115 million) in Quang Yen town on September 1. The People’s Committee also granted investment certificates to two projects at the complex - the Quang Yen electronics factory, invested in by SHP and Saigontel, and a factory producing spare parts for agricultural machinery invested in by the Quang Yen Manufacturing Industry Co.

The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) reached 52.7 points in August, up from 51.2 points in July and signaling a strong improvement in manufacturing. Of note is that input cost growth continued to decline sharply, which helped limit increases to output prices and thereby boosted demand.

According to a source from Nikkei Asia, Apple is in discussions to produce the Apple Watch and MacBook computers in Vietnam for the first time. This is part of diversifying production lines away from China.