9 | | SEPTEMBER 2026ECONOMIC GROWTH REAL ESTATE & TOURISM SEMICONDUCTORS & MANUFACTURING VIETNAM'S TRADE TURNOVER HITS RECORD OF OVER $770 BILLIONTSMC SEES KAOHSIUNG TO BOOST SEMICONDUCTOR TESTING EFFICIENCYORASCOM AND MURIYA PRESS AHEAD WITH THREE PROJECTS IN OMANTechnology is changing the world, and we have to change with it................................................................- Terry Gou -- Founder, Foxconn Vietnam's overall import-export turnover reached 770.14 billion USD during the first eight months of 2026, the highest level recorded for this period, according to the National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Finance. The figure increased 28.7 percent from the same period last year. Exports grew 22.4 percent year-over-year to 374.84 billion USD, while imports surged 35.3 percent to 395.3 billion USD, resulting in a trade deficit of 20.46 billion USD.In August, Vietnam's trade volume reached 109.7 billion USD, up 31.7 percent year-over-year despite a 0.1 percent monthly decline. Exports totaled 54.79 billion USD, rising 3.2 percent from July. The domestic sector generated 10.5 billion USD, while the foreign-invested sector, including crude oil, contributed 44.29 billion USD overall. Orascom Development and its Oman platform, Muriya, are continuing work on three key projects in the Sultanate: Hawana Salalah, Jebel Sifah, and As Sodah Island. Despite the growing uncertainty in some parts of the region, Muriya said it has not halted activities and continues construction and delivery across all three destinations.The company highlighted a consistent approach to developing distinctive locations for long-term growth, citing projects built by Orascom from El Gouna to Andermatt and Mamula Island. New phases are progressing at Jebel Sifah, while Muriya plans to add around 1,000 hotel rooms across its destinations over the next three to five years. The joint venture between Orascom Development and Omran has invested more than $750 million in Oman overall. TSMC is expanding its semiconductor operations in Kaohsiung with a new verification line at Baipu Industrial Park, a move expected to strengthen southern Taiwan's role in advanced chip production and packaging. The facility will help equipment and material suppliers align their technologies with production needs by providing a dedicated space to test hardware, software, and process integration before entering large-scale manufacturing facilities operated by TSMC or ASE Group.Speaking at a semiconductor forum by SEMI, TSMC Vice President of Advanced Packaging He Jun said the Baipu site will cover approximately three hectares and include two structures. The facility will feature a modular key-process verification line, enabling suppliers to complete integration testing and validation before transitioning their solutions to mass-production plants.
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