Hanoi (VNA) - The Government and business community are increasingly focused on leveraging digital technology and cross-border e-commerce to tap into global export potential.

In the next two to three years, if not participating in the 'game' of cross-border e-commerce, businesses will quickly become left behind in a playground which is growing very strongly at the moment, an e-commerce forum heard. Amazon Global Selling coordinated with the Vietnam E-Commerce Association (VECOM) to host the 2024 Cross-border E-commerce Forum in Hanoi on June 27. Its aim is to update policy directions and outline proposals and solutions to expand online export routes, promoting business across the globe for Vietnam. In the context of increasing globalisation and international integration, e-commerce has become an indispensable part in Vietnamese enterprises’ business strategies, said Bui Trung Kien, VECOM Deputy Chairman. Applying modern e-commerce platforms helps businesses not only access international markets quickly and effectively, but also improve their competitiveness and sustainable development, he added. However, e-commerce not only opens up new opportunities but also poses many challenges, said Kien. Changes in consumer shopping habits, the development of technology, as well as increasing requirements for product and service quality, are all factors that businesses need to address in order to adapt and innovate, he said.

Speaking at the forum, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)'s Agency of Foreign Trade Tran Thanh Hai, said that market expansion is not only through traditional means such as fairs, exhibitions and trade connections, but markets could develop via online and digital platforms, in addition to developing logistics to support imports and exports. Statistics from Amazon show that the cross-border e-commerce will grow twice to three times faster than the growth rate of normal e-commerce in the 2022-2025 period. It is forecast that the annual growth rate of cross-border e-commerce will reach 28.4 per cent (across 2020-2027) worldwide. For Vietnam and the Southeast Asian region, the average annual growth rate is 20 per cent (for 2021-2026). Trinh Khac Toan, representing Amazon Global Selling, said there were more than 17 million products from Vietnam sold on its e-commerce platform, as of August last year. The revenue grew by over 50 per cent last year, demonstrating the effectiveness of the sales channel for retailers from Vietnam, he said. To improve competitiveness and build a global brand, Toan said the business is co-ordinating with the MoIT's Vietnam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency (iDEA) to train about 10,000 workers over the next five years for cross-border e-commerce business in improving sales skills. Amazon has also provided solutions for businesses to register and protect their brands, as well as tools to help businesses to build brand right on this platform.

At the forum, Hoang Ninh, a representative from iDEA, said the goals of the National E-commerce Development Plans stressed the need to promote regional links and diversify supply chains to maximise the strengths of each region. In addition, the MoIT had implemented many solutions to support small and medium-sized enterprises through training courses both in person and online, all for free he said. Businesses were encouraged to register with iDEA to participate in training programmes on cross-border e-commerce, said Ninh./.