Textile-garment export target of over $34 bln achievable: VITASWith the bright outlook of both global and domestic economies, the textile-garment sector’s exports target of 34 – 34.5 billion USD for 2018 is achievable, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS) Truong Van Cam said. Many companies said they have been working to diversify export markets. Textile-garment exports in Q1 are estimated at 7.62 billion USD, up 13.35 percent from the same period of 2017. Of this figure, 5.98 billion USD worth of apparel was shipped abroad, rising by 12.49 percent year on year. In 2017, the industry gained a year-on-year increase of 10.23 percent in export revenue to 31 billion USD, higher than its target set at the beginning of the year at 30 billion USD.-VNA

Australian surf event cancelled after shark attacksA major surfing tournament in Australia has been called off following two shark attacks in the area. The Margaret River Pro was due to conclude on Sunday -- Photo: WORLD SURF LEAGUEThe World Surf League (WSL) said the final days of the Margaret River Pro event in Western Australia would be cancelled due to safety concerns. On Monday, two recreational surfers survived separate attacks in Gracetown, about 6km (3.8 miles) from the event. "Two shark attacks in less than 24 hours here in Australia, just a few kilometres from where the event is being held," he wrote on Instagram. The Margaret River Pro had been due to conclude on Sunday.

Besides opportunities for domestic businesses to import good quality machines and material at reasonable prices, it is inevitable that imports will bring fiercer competition for locally-made goods. In fact, the pressure from regional integration has already been felt in the domestic auto industry. The import tariffs of completely build up (CBU) cars were kept at 100-150 percent over the past two decades. Following the ATIGA commitments, automobile import tariffs fell to 70 percent in 2012, 50 percent in 2014 and zero percent in 2018, raising concerns among assembling businesses at home. To cope with low-cost import goods, domestic businesses should focus on creating high-quality and competitive products and services, reduce the costs of production and invest in packaging and preservation to secure a firm foothold in the domestic playground and reach foreign markets.

PM Phuc recognised the fruitful coordination between the Government and the presidium of the VFF Central Committee last year. HCM City Party Committee reviews socio-economic developmentSecretary of the HCM City Party Committee Nguyen Thien NhanThe Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, tenth tenure, convened its 16th meeting on April 17 to discuss the local socio-economic development in the first quarter of 2018 and a mid-term review plan. The Vietnamese Party official also congratulated Wang on his election as Vice President of China. Binh is leading a CPV delegation on a working visit to China from April 15-19 at the invitation of the CPC’s Central Committee. HCM City pledges to support Iranian businessesSecretary of the HCM City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan (right) and Speaker of the Parliament of Iran Ali Ardeshir Larijani.

Vietnamese painter wins silver at A’Design Awards & CompetitionsVietnamese painter Nguyen Thu Thuy has won the silver trophy of the International A’Design Awards & Competitions, the world’s largest and most internationally dispersed design awards event, for her ceramic designs for Mirror House in Hanoi’s Thong Nhat Park. Painter Nguyen Thu Thuy inside the Mirror House (Photo: dantri.com.vn)Thuy’s ocean-inspired work was awarded the prize in the category of Social Design for Environment. The Mirror House, or Laughing House, was built in 1979 with support from the former Czechoslovakian government. Images of the Hanoi Ceramic Mirror House will be exhibited in MOOD Museum during the occasion. The A’ Design Awards were established to raise public awareness of outstanding design practices and principles.

Mitsubishi Vietnam to recall 918 vehiclesMitsubishi Vietnam said it will recall 918 vehicles over a faulty power relay that may overheat and cause the engine to stall while driving. — Source: mitsubishi-cars.co.ukThe recalled vehicles include models of Lancer and Outlander Sport manufactured in 2015 and Outlander and Outlander PHEV manufactured in 2016. The recall campaign is scheduled to begin on May 7, 2018, and end on May 6, 2020. Last year, Mitsubishi Vietnam recalled 943 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport units, manufactured between 2014 and 2016, and 3,275 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport units, manufactured from 2011 to June 2016, to test and replace the rear hatch door. This recall campaign is still ongoing and will end on July 31, 2019.

VN player wins Cyprus junior badminton eventUnseeded Vietnamese player Nguyen Hai Dang won in the boys’ singles category of the Cyprus Junior International Badminton Tournament on April 16. Nguyen Hai Dang and Vu Thi Anh Thu celebrate winning the Cyprus Junior International Badminton Tournament. Earlier, Dang had defeated arch rivals Dennis Koppen of the Netherlands, World No 25, and Scotland’s Christopher Gimbley, World No 19, to reach the final. Another Vietnamese player, Vu Thi Anh Thu, was the runner-up in the girls’ singles category after losing to Purva Barve of India 0-2 (13-21, 9-21) in the final match. Both Dang and Thu have earned a berth in Youth Olympics 2018, which will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in October.

Hand-ground cha muc, a speciality of Ha LongVietNamNet Bridge – Visitors of Ha Long City can enjoy fresh seafood to appease their hungry stomachs, but they can also enjoy the local speciality of cha muc — fried ground squid cakes. Crunch: Workers grind cha muc in Ha Long City. Since then the dish has been known as cha muc Ha Long. Big business: Cha muc Ha Long for sale. Money maker: Yellow grinded cha muc sells very well in Quang Ninh’s Ha Long City.

All health stations should sign up with the Việt Nam Social Security and provide basic drugs to patients like district-level hospitals do to achieve success, he said. The model aims to strengthen coordination among justice, healthcare, social agencies as well as the community in assisting drug addicts in accessing and strictly following healthcare, social and judicial services in the community, thus reducing the risk of relapse. Besides providing seedlings, the wood pulp is also paid in cash so that local farmers have incentive to plant more trees, she added. AnHoa Paper Corporation is one of five firms following the cooperatives forestation model with local farmers to support them in tree planting. Paper companies can purchase high quality wood pulps and local farmers can improve their income, and this acts as a way to protect the environment.

Potato brand to fight Chinese fakesLam Dong Province has approved a programme to build a Da Lat potato brand to prevent farmers from selling cheap Chinese potatoes disguised as potatoes from Da Lat, which are more expensive. Potatoes from Da Lat will have a new logo and brand that will make it more difficult for traders to sell cheaper Chinese potatoes under the Da Lat name. The packages will feature the logos of the Da Lat brand (the provincial brand for produce and products made in Da Lat), and will be designed in ways that make it difficult to imitate. During transportation, inspections and other procedures, the fake Da Lat potatoes are registered and referred to as Chinese potatoes. After the programme takes effect, individuals and organisations who package Chinese potatoes as Da Lat potatoes will be disciplined and charged with fraud.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 18/4Dialogue talks Vietnam – Iran business opportunitiesA Vietnam – Iran business dialogue took place in Hanoi on April 17 to discuss business opportunities between the two countries. At the meeting, the Viet Nam Exporters Association and other business groups based in HCM City said they would send business delegations to the summit. This is a promising start for further expansion of business relations between Germany and Viet Nam. At present, there are some 300 German enterprises doing business in Viet Nam, of which 68 per cent said they were satisfied with the country’s business environment and 75 per cent hoped to further invest in Viet Nam in future. However, one of the main obstacles for German firms is seeking skilled workers in Viet Nam, said Marko Walde, chief representative of German Industry and Commerce Viet Nam.

The ‘grey’ areas of coastal Economic ZonesVietNamNet Bridge - It is expected that by 2020, coastal economic zones (EZs) will play a decisive role in developing the marine economy of Vietnam, making up 53-55 percent of GDP. In 2016, coastal EZs brought total revenue of $8 billion, including $5 billion from exports. An MPI report showed that the total investment capital for infrastructure had climbed to VND170 trillion by the end of 2010. “Vietnam doesn’t receive big benefits from coastal EZs, but has to pay a heavy price for environmental disasters,” an economist said. There are 16 coastal EZs with a total area of 815,000 hectares.

Vietcombank sells out OCB stake at auctionVietcombank sold out all 6.67 million shares of Orient Commercial Bank (OCB) at an auction on Tuesday. The OCB price in this auction doubled that in the first auction held at the end of last year. After last year’s auction, Vietcombank’s ownership rate at OCB fell from 4.72 per cent to 3.97 per cent. On the OTC market, OCB shares are also trading at around VND25,000 to VND27,000 per share, compared with some VND10,000 at the end of last year. With the success of the OCB share sale, Vietcombank currently holds 8.19 per cent stake in Eximbank and 6.97 per cent stake in Military Bank.

Vietnam to allow universities to set independent admission standardsVietNamNet Bridge - After many delays, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has decided that from 2018, it will not set floor marks, or minimum required standards, on students applying for universities. MOET will no longer set floor marksThe floor mark has been used for many years to select the best students for universities. Examinees must obtain marks equal to, or higher than the floor marks to be eligible for enrollment in any university in Vietnam. He said instead of the national floor marks to be applied to all schools, universities will set floor marks themselves based on their prestige and number of applicants. It has become easier now to conduct surveys on the number of university graduates getting jobs within 12 months after graduation.

Could tungsten mines be the springboard for Vietnam’s auto industry? VietNamNet Bridge - Increasing the localization ratio and reducing production costs are vital issues for Vietnam’s automobile industry. As Vietnam is one of the worlds’s largest tungsten producers, it could be material that could help revive the auto industry. The auto production cost in Vietnam is 10-20 percent higher than in Thailand and Indonesia because of the high number of imported car parts. Vietnam’s automobile industry, after 20 years of development, still cannot reach the targeted localization ratio.