Chinese investment in Vietnam rose to US$2.3 billion in 2013, up sharply from the US$345 million in 2012, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment’s Foreign Investment Agency.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Honeycomb coal has been processed in homes along the banks of the Red River since the 1990s.

 VietNamNet Bridge - When they are observed from a height of over 200m, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, National Assembly Building, Hanoi Flag Tower, The Huc Bridge and Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam and the squares of Hanoi are more gorgeous.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Short films with innovative content made by independent young enthusiasts who form groups to produce them remain popular.

 A government draft regulation on casinos continues the ban on gambling for Vietnamese citizens and places tight controls on investors.

 VietNamNet Bridge – VNPT, the country’s leading telecom firm, is seeking approval from the Ministry of Information and Communications to provide cable TV service.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City has long been a centre for the development of science and technology in Vietnam, and the effective investment in the field has significantly contributed to speeding up the modernisation

 VietNamNet Bridge – Are the Vietnamese people happy? That depends on how you define happiness. However, a new index likely to be publicised in 2015 will attempt to stick a number on that subjective truth.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Last week, Viet Nam News asked readers about whether they supported the destruction of illegal wildlife stockpiles or the sale to provide additional funding for the fight against the trade.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Up to 30% of university graduates are attending vocational schools and additional courses after being unable to find a job in their chosen profession.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam officially celebrates Book Day on April 21, but many believe this is a small step to rouse people's interest in books and cannot immediately alter their reading habits.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The recent arrival of a horde of international fast food giants to the Vietnamese market has triggered a stiff battle for retail premises in the nation’s major metropolises.

 VietNamNet Bridge – A brewery in the central province of Nghe An, long resented by its neighbors, has nevertheless been welcomed with open arms by the local authorities, because it is a big tax payer.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The central coastal province of Ninh Thuan welcomed 378,000 tourists in the first quarter of 2014, up 41 percent from a year earlier, which is attributable to improved facilities and the promotion of marine and cultural tourism.

 The 21st century has seen the growth of 3-D printing, with well-known applications in architecture, manufacturing, engineering, and now increasingly in medicine.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Since early 2013, the General Department of Taxation has been inspecting foreign invested enterprises operating in Vietnam, especially processing and manufacturing enterprises operating in industrial zones.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Starting to pursue an art dream at the age of 31 two years ago, Nguyen Trung Nghia has crafted his own path in local and international projects through images and voices of wild life in his paintings.

 VietNamNet Bridge – War forced them to face off nearly four decades ago, but today this Vietnamese former pilot and the man he once aimed his missiles at have become close friends.

 Japanese firm makes battery-powered bikes in city; ANZ: Bad debts hinder lending; Casino winners may repatriate money abroad; State Audit says to examine road maintenance fund; Occupancy peaks in HCMC office market

 VietNamNet Bridge – Many farmers in Hanoi have turned away from growing some types of traditional trees to create ornamental and ecological gardens.

 VietNamNet Bridge – With an aim to promote musicals to local audiences, especially youth, Meritorious Artist Cao Minh has initiated a self-financed project to hold musical plays at his café in HCMC.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Phan Thi Nhuan, a 37-year-old farmer, knows little about the term "climate change". However, what she knows for sure is that during the past three years, prolonged cold and rain killed 40 per cent of her winter-spring crop.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The office and retail space segments in two major cities showed signs of recovery in the first quarter, with a drop in overall vacancy rates, noted property services providers.

 The six-member national badminton team, led by prominent stars Nguyen Tien Minh and Vu Thi Trang, are making last-minute preparations for the 2014 Badminton Asia Championships which take place in Gimcheon, Republic of Korea from April 22-27.

 VietNamNet Bridge – You need to meet Nguyen Ngoc Truong An and Nguyen Hoang Khanh if you are fluent in English and think that is good enough.