Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – A Vietnamese delegation led by Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet attended the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Foreign Ministers' Meeting on July 5-6, in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. Entitled “Non-Aligned Movement: united and steadfast in confronting emerging challenges", the event drew the participation of more than 80 representatives of NAM member countries, regional and international organisations which are observers of the movement. He pointed out that small and medium countries, like NAM member countries, need to be autonomous in diplomatic, political and economic strategies and policies. "Vietnam persists in the foreign policy of independence and self-reliance to maximise national interests," the deputy FM noted. On this occasion, Viet updated participants on the situation in the East Sea and called on NAM member countries to support the position of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on this issue.

Japan received the largest number of Vietnamese laborers in the period with 34,500 people, followed by Taiwan (China), over 31,500. The Republic of Korea (RoK) and China took the third and fourth places, respectively. In June alone, more than 12,600 Vietnamese laborers went abroad, mostly to Japan and Taiwan. For Vietnamese guest workers, the RoK is a high-income and close-to-culture market, so it attracts many workers from the Southeast Asian nation. The EPS program brings many high-income jobs to Vietnamese workers as well as contributes to the RoK’s development.

Despite some improvements, child nutrition remains a major challenge in Việt Nam, where chronic malnutrition is a key concern among vulnerable children. “The New Zealand embassy is pleased to continue assisting the New Zealand’s leading fruit and dairy exporters, who generously provide nutritious and fresh products to support vulnerable children and women in Việt Nam. “Over the last three years this programme has provided an opportunity for New Zealand companies to share their exceptional produce with under-served communities here in Việt Nam. The following year in 2022, seven New Zealand fruit exporters donated 10,000kg of fruit to five children’s and women’s charities in Hà Nội and HCM City. This year’s donations are made by Bostock Group, Fonterra, Fresh Fruit Company of New Zealand (Freshco), Golden Bay Fruit, Heartland Fruit, Kiwi Crunch, Meadowfresh, Mr Apple, T&G Global, and Zespri International.

Vietnam News in Brief: Weekly Roundup July 7Vietnam Briefing keeps track of what’s happening in Vietnam’s business and economic news so that you don’t have to. Essentially, this is the result of bad press around the methods that have been used to sell insurance products through financial institutions. See also: Vietnam’s Insurance Industry M&As: Opportunities and ChallengesF&B newsPhilippines’ fast-food giant eyes greater share of Vietnam marketThe Philippines’ Jollibee has announced that it intends to further expand in Vietnam. S&P says that this is on the back of weaker demand in key export markets but that power shortages in northern Vietnam have also been a problem. See also: Vietnam’s Industrial Parks: Choosing the Right Location for Your InvestmentChinese automaker to officially enter Vietnam marketChina’s Great Wall Motors has announced it intends to start selling hybrid electric vehicles in Vietnam this year.

He proposed that France promptly ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) to optimise bilateral cooperation potential in investment. The two sides took note with joy the positive outcomes of bilateral cooperation across all aspects. For their part, Greek leaders highlighted the traditional relations with Vietnam and the support of Greek people for Vietnam, and thanked the Vietnamese Party, State and people’s solidarity for Greece. Chile wants to strengthen bilateral trade ties in the near future, with the goal of lifting two-way trade, he said. He asked France to swiftly adopt the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) to optimise bilateral cooperation potential in investment.

The company currently has 20 affiliates operating in Việt Nam, including Lotte GRS, Lotte Shopping and Lotte Culture Works. Lotte Shopping is set to open Lotte Mall West Lake Hanoi in the capital city in August. "Vietnamese retail market grew about 100 times in the past 20 years. Shinsegae plans to open a third Emart store in Việt Nam under a master franchise contract with local THACO Group in the second half of this year. Việt Nam has a domestic market with a population of nearly 100 million.

The Party Central Committee’s Secretariat has issued directives on ensuring traffic order and safety every ten years, in 2003, 2012, and 2023. The situation of traffic order and safety remains complicated with serious losses caused by traffic accidents. Firstly, it was necessary to strengthen leadership, guidance, and supervision to strictly implement the Party's guidelines, policies, and laws regarding ensuring traffic order and safety. They must enhance management capacity and cooperation among forces in ensuring traffic order and safety. In particular, they should prioritise investment in public transportation and eco-friendly public vehicles.

HÀ NỘI — The Government recently issued Decree 46/2023/NĐ-CP regulating the supply and use of cross-border insurance services in Việt Nam. According to regulations under the decree, those providing cross-border insurance and insurance brokerage services are foreign insurance and insurance brokerage enterprises with headquarters in countries or territories with which Việt Nam has signed international treaties on trade, including agreements on the supply of cross-border insurance services in Việt Nam. The decree stipulates that in order to be allowed to provide cross-border services in Việt Nam, a foreign insurance or insurance brokerage company must have a licence from a state management agency in charge of foreign insurance where the firm is headquartered, and must provide proof that it has been operating legally for at least 10 years until the time it begins to provide cross-border insurance services in Việt Nam. It also must have a document certifying that it has not violated legal regulations on insurance business and brokerage operations, and other legal regulations within three consecutive years preceding the year it begins providing cross-border insurance services in Việt Nam. Foreign insurance companies are required to provide cross-border insurance services in Việt Nam through an insurance brokerage company licensed and operating in Việt Nam, while foreign brokerage firms must provide brokerage services for foreign insurance firms or branches of foreign insurance firms licensed and operating in Việt Nam.

Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province, which was recognised as a World Heritage Site in 1994 by UNESCO, captivates tourists by thousands of islets rising out of the emerald waters and floating villages. "China has reopened the outbound market to Vietnam and the Indian market has grown since 2022," he was quoted by the article.Nguyen added that the use of social media and the influence of large travel groups have also helped promote Vietnam's international popularity.The author also pointed to the Vietnamese Government’s new visa policy for international visitors arriving in the country, tripling visa waivers from 15 to 45 days for selected countries. The changes will come into force on August 15.Gary Bowerman, a tourism analyst based in Kuala Lumpur, said the visa changes will boost the tourism sector. "It's picking up, and over the next six months, you will see travelers to Vietnam increase. I think it's going to be very strong, and you'll see growth particularly now the Chinese market is back," he said.One of Vietnam's selling points is that it's a lesser-known destination, and it offers both tourism and business opportunities, said Bowerman./.

An overview of the conference (Photo: nhandan.vn)– A conference was held in Hanoi on July 5 to discuss the role of the youth in the implementation of sustainable development goals in Vietnam.A survey released by ActionAid Vietnam and partners showed that nearly 57% the of youngsters held that a lack of knowledge and career skills is one of the factors hindering their engagement in sustainable development.The survey is part of a project to support Vietnamese youngsters in enhancing capacity to become global citizens and encouraging them in realising sustainable development goals regarding climate change and environment.Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Communist Youth Union (HCMYU) Central Committee Ngo Van Cuong said that the youth play an important and indispensable role in the sustainable development of the country, and the development of the youth should go along with the country’s development.Stressing that environmental protection is a crucial need and a foundation for sustainable development, he said that the issue has received great attention from the union at all levels and youngsters across the nation.Notably, a programme called “For a Green Vietnam” has been implemented with a hope to plant 100 million trees in the 2021-2025 period, along with a campaign to clean beaches and a festival to encourage youngsters to limit plastic waste, he said.Particularly in 2023, the HCMYU Central Committee has launched a project to promote the union’s participation in environmental protection and climate change response in the 2023-2027 period, he said.Participants agreed that youngsters are the key factor in changing public awareness and behaviors on environmental protection and climate change response in Vietnam amid many challenges facing the country.They underlined the need for closer coordination among the ActionAid Vietnam, the Fund to Support Social Security Programmes and Projects in Vietnam, and the HCMYU in organising activities to protect the environment, thus contributing to realising sustainable development goals in Vietnam./.

The signing ceremony took place within the framework of the programme “Meeting in response to National Hygiene Day to Improve People's Health” organised by MoH, Ha Tinh Province’s People's Committee and the Unilever Vietnam Foundation. Building a healthy and sustainable Viet NamUnilever and the MoH’s Vietnam Health Environment Management Agency (VIHEMA) have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in implementing the programme in the next five years, aiming to improve hygiene and health conditions for 15 million people nationwide. “This contributes to the overall success of the national hygiene movement to improve people's health, and also proves the close and effective public-private partnership between the two parties,” she said. National Hygiene MovementIn addition to the cooperation signing ceremony with Unilever, the MOH in collaboration with Ha Tinh Province and Unilever Foundation held “Meeting in response to National Hygiene Day to Improve People's Health” in 2023 in Ha Tinh City. A range of activities in response to the National Hygiene Day to improve people's health in 2023 include organising a meeting with the theme “For a healthy and sustainable Vietnam”, communication activities on hygiene and disease prevention at localities, and exhibiting achievements during the past 10 years of the health sector in implementing the National Hygiene Movement to improve people’s health.

In June alone, VNĐ16.94 trillion, or 85.77 per cent of the total G-bonds on offer, was mobilised via 14 auctions on the HNX. Most of the volume offered in the month was 15-year and 10-year bonds, accounting for 50.18 per cent and 45.75 per cent, respectively. In the first half of the year, foreign investors' total trading value amounted to VNĐ22,196 billion, accounting for 3.13 per cent of the total market trading value, with a net selling value of VNĐ5.108 trillion. There were seven initial public offerings with a total value of VNĐ5.5 trillion and 35 private placements worth VNĐ37.26 trillion. For the second half of the year, the total value of bonds reaching maturity is VNĐ158.5 trillion.

Agreeing with his host, Tan affirmed that Singapore wishes to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in many areas of mutual interest. Cambodian tourist arrivals in Vietnam surgeCambodian nationals now constitute the largest growing segment of the Vietnam tourism market, reported the Khmer Times. French Ambassador to Vietnam Nicolas Warnery said his country is willing to support Vietnam in power development in general and hydrogen power in particular. Agreeing with his host, Tan affirmed that Singapore wishes to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam in many areas of mutual interest. Labour co-operation between Vietnam and the RoK officially started in 1993 through a collaboration programme focusing on labour supply.

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At the exhibition (Photo: VNA)The first-ever Vietnam Fisheries Technology Exhibition ( FISTECH 2023 ) opened in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh on July 5, featuring around 100 booths from nearly 100 domestic and international firms and organisations.Introduced at the three-day fair are various aquaculture and seafood processing products, including feed, medicine, additives, machinery, and equipment.On the sidelines, there is a seminar on Vietnam ’s fisheries technology, where leading domestic and foreign experts are sharing information, updating knowledge, and presenting the latest technologies in aquaculture.The seminar is set to cover such topics as the application of advanced technologies for efficient commercial shrimp farming, and sustainable marine aquaculture development in Quang Ninh and other provinces in the Red River Delta, among others.The event is expected to attract around 8,000 visitors, including scientists, managers, businesses, farmers, and students from across the northern region./.