Though the sugar industry enjoys benefits from protectionism, manufacturers are still complaining that business is tough because of smuggling.

Many foreign conglomerates have jumped into the Vietnamese farm produce market after Vietnam signed a series of FTAs.

Pham Nhat Vuong, president of Vingroup, Trinh Van Quyet, president of FLC and Bui Van Nhon, president of Novaland are developers of the most luxurious projects in Vietnam. They have now jumped into the low-cost apartment market segment.

Fish noodle soup, goby fish hot pot and noodles and fried tofu are attractive dishes that make Hoang Cau Street in Hanoi always crowded with customers.

The 10 richest women on the stock market have total assets worth VND19.301 trillion, accounting for 11.5% of total assets of the 500 richest Vietnamese billionaires.

Vietnam in 2016 saw a high farm produce trade surplus of US$7.6 billion, but big difficulties are still ahead, including returning protectionism with Brexit and US President-elect Donald Trump.

Thai sweet soup in Nam Dong market, pillow-shaped cakes, and steamed meat rice cakes in Nghia Tan market are well-known dishes of each residential area.

Many technology startups that called for capital in 2016 are expected to be even more successful in 2017.

In Hue, the old capital of Vietnam, the Temple of Literature (so-called Van Mieu Hue or Van Thanh) majestically lies on the bank of Perfume River, to the west of the Citadel, just 1km from prestigious Linh Mu pagoda.

The 2016 list of stock billionaires showed big changes compared with the 2015 list. Many new faces are on the list, while Pham Nhat Vuong, who topped the 2015 list, fell to number two.