SCIC seeks approval for Vinamilk’s ESOP planThe State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC) has asked for the Prime Minister’s approval of Vinamilk’s plan for an Employee Stock Ownership Programme (ESOP) in the 2018-21 period. ESOP shares are restricted to transfer within two years, with 50 per cent of the shares being cleared away every year. SCIC has rationalised that the previous ESOP issuance had contributed to Vinamilk’s positive business performance as well as encouraged employees’ loyalty. Vinamilk’s revenue and pre-tax profit increased by an average of 14.8 per cent and 13.4 per cent, respectively, in the 2012-16 period. Vinamilk’s shares have soared over 140 per cent, from VND86,500 per share in 2012 to VND208,600 each by the end of 2017.

Vietnam performs first transplant of lung from brain-dead donorVietnam’s first patient undergoing a lung transplant with the organ donated by a brain-dead person is now in stable health 16 days after the operation, doctors said. Scene at the lung transplant at the Central Military Hospital 108Lieut. The patient’s only chance to survive was lung transplant. After finding a brain-dead donor, the hospital held a 40-hour inter-hospital consultation and decided to perform the transplant for the patient. To date, the hospital has successfully performed 18 kidney transplants, one liver transplant, 14 cornea transplants, and 27 marrow transplants.-VNA

HCM City parking fees face six-fold increaseHCM City People's Council approved a six-fold increase in car parking fees on roads at a meeting on March 16. HCM City People's Council approved a six-fold increase in car parking feesThe city authorities will apply the new fees for cars with less than nine seats and trucks weigh less than 1.5 tonnes from June 1. The parking fees for the first hour is VND20,000 (88 US cents) to VND25,000. The parking fees on 35 streets have seen VND30bn (USD1.3m) poured into the city's budget. HCM City People's Council chairwoman Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam said they would gather opinions from the experts and the public and adjust the plan if necessary.

Greater Mekong Subregion countries to boost transportation connectivityGreater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries have reached an agreement on the implementation of a cross-border transport facilitation agreement (CBTA). GMS member countries sign a Memorandum of Understanding on the "Early Harvest" of the GMS-CBTA Agreement, which will be implemented from June 2018. With the support of the ADB as well as the efforts of each country, the transportation infrastructure has improved, essentially meeting the demand for the socio-economic development of GMS countries, according to the minister. The Early Harvest will be subjected to annual review by the joint committee, the statement says. Myanmar will join the Early Harvest CBTA implementation with neigbouring countries during a grace period that will last until June 1, 2020.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc meets New South Wales leadersPrime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had meetings with Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Governor David Hurley of New South Wales on March 16 immediately after he arrived in Sydney, continuing his official visit to Australia. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) ​and Premier of New South Wales Gladys Berejiklian (Source: baochinhphu.vn)At the meetings, the PM said he is impressed by the prosperous development of Sydney and New South Wales in general, and congratulated the state on its locomotive position in Australia’s economy, contributing more than 30 percent of the national gross domestic product (GDP). New South Wales is also an attractive destination of tourists worldwide, including those from Vietnam, he added. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L), Governor of New South Wales David Hurley and their spouses. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and former Premier of New South Wales Marie Bashir.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc urges Australian businesses to invest in VietnamPrime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has urged Australian companies to invest in the potential market of Vietnam at the Vietnam-Australia Business Forum in Sydney on March 16, which was held during the Vietnamese PM’s official visit to Australia. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan PhucAustralian investors should come to Vietnam now to find their own chances among many available opportunities, the PM said. This will make it easier for promoting investment collaboration between Vietnamese and Australian enterprises, he stressed. Therefore, investment promotion agencies of both countries should pay attention to boosting bilateral trade and investment ties, he suggested. Australia hopes to welcome more Vietnamese investors in the time head, he said.

PVEP sells 5 percent interest in Block 15-1/05 to MurphyThe PetroVietnam Exploration Production Corporation (PVEP) has signed a deal on the transfer of a 5-percent interest and the administration right in Block 15-1/05 to Murphy Cuu Long Bac Oil Co. Ltd. According to PVEP, Block 15-1/05 is located in the Cuu Long Basin off the southern coast of Vietnam managed by the PetroVietnam Domestic Exploration Production Operating Company Limited (PVEP-POC). In August 2015, PVEP and Murphy inked an agreement on interest transfer, which recognised the participation of Murphy in the Block 15-1/05 project. After negotiations, they reached a consensus on transferring to Murphy 5 percent of interests and the administration right of PVEP under the Product Sharing Contract of Block 15-1/05. Therefore, cooperating with Murphy – a partner experienced in developing small and marginal oil fields- will help facilitate the progress of the project.-VNA

Nearly 96,500 foreigners apply for e-visa in 2017As many as 96,478 foreigners requested e-visas on Vietnam’s immigration portal at https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn in the Feb-December period of 2017, according to the Administration of Immigration under the Ministry of Public Security. Foreign visitors in central Da Nang cityProcedures for granting e-visas on the website are implemented simply, ensuring publicity and transparency. The government recently decided to expand e-visa issuance for visitors from six more countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the UAE, India and the Netherlands. Visitors with e-visas can enter through eight international airports, 13 international border gates on land or seven ports. The issue affected security procedures and management of immigration activities of the Border Guard as well as tourists’ journeys.

Book of those born in Year of Renewal marked best-sellerVietNamNet Bridge – The book 1987, containing stories of those born in 1987 — the first year after the initiation of the country’s famous Doi Moi (Renewal) policy — has become a best-seller, with 10,000 copies selling out only three months after its release. Celebrating renewal: The book 1987 is seen in Barcelona, Spain. They have read the book and posed with it in front of landmarks of these countries. The book is scheduled to be published in foreign countries by the end of this year. The renewal era marked the transitional period between the subsidised economy and the promotion of the expansion of business.

HCM City adopts resolutions to implement special mechanisms, policiesThe Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council (ninth tenure) adopted resolutions to implement the National Assembly’s Resolution 54 on piloting special mechanisms and policies for the city’s development at the closing session of its seventh meeting on March 16. The council approved the number of people working in the public service institutions and administrative organisations in the city in 2018, which is 119,976 and 12,345, respectively. There are many new points in the resolutions, so the People’s Committee should make regular inspections over the implementation of the resolutions, she suggested. 54/2017/QH14 on piloting special mechanisms and policies to bolster the city’s development. Later, the municipal People’s Council issued Resolution No.

Vietnamese goods less competitive because of high costs, bad designVietNamNet Bridge - A report from the World Bank released in 2017 showed that business costs in Vietnam are much higher than in other regional countries such as Malaysia and Singapore. Business costs in Vietnam are higher than in other regional countriesHigher taxes, expenses on import/export procedures, and transportation and logistics costs all contribute to the weak competitiveness of Vietnamese goods. Pham Ngoc Thanh, director of Phuc Lam Consultancy & Trade JSC, said that in order to compete with imports, Vietnamese goods need to be available at large supermarkets. “With low quality and bad design, it is understandable why Vietnamese goods are less favored,” he said. RELATED NEWSForeign chains a launchpad for Vietnam goods to reach world marketAre 70-80 percent of goods at supermarkets Vietnam-made?

Hanoi to host photo exhibition on beautyAn exhibition showcasing foreign people and international landscapes through the lens of Vietnamese photographers will open at Vietnam Art Photograph Archives and Exhibition Centre on Ton That Thuyet Street on March 17. Sydney Opera House, photo by Vietnamese photographer Nguyen Anh ThuThe exhibition will display 135 photographs capturing the natural beauty, architecture and unique features in daily activities, cultural traditions and human portraits in various countries worldwide. The photos have been selected from over 1,700 entries by 293 photographers from 49 provinces and cities throughout the country, which were submitted to the International Landscapes and Humans Through the Lens of Vietnamese Photographers photo festival. It is also expected to build archives of photos about countries worldwide to serve as references for domestic studies and to tighten the solidarity between Viet Nam and the international community. The exhibition will conclude on March 25.

Indonesia urges ASEAN to strengthen patrols in East SeaIndonesia has lobbied countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to carry out maritime patrols in the East Sea to strengthen security. Indonesian Defence Minister Ryamizard RyacuduIndonesian Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu made the statement at a joint press conference in Sydney on March 16 after talks with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Defence Minister Marise Payne ahead the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit. Minister Ryacudu said he has gone around to ASEAN defence ministers so that each country that faces the East Sea patrols around 230 kilometres. Indonesia is focusing on the Sulu Sea and the Malacca Strait as well as cooperating with Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines in the field, he added. ASEAN countries have secured almost half of the East Sea that they are patrolling, according to the minister.

Vegetable prices plunge in northern and central regionsVietNamNet Bridge – After waking up at 5am, Nguyen Thi Oanh, a farmer in Hanoi’s Ba Vi District, headed to the field to cut cabbages and carried them to the local market for sale. Due to low prices, no traders have come to buy the vegetables. Vegetable and fruit prices in the north are reported to be cheaper than ever before, local media reported after Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday. Traders of these markets said that the consumption has not surged after Tet while vegetable supply is plentiful, leading to lower prices. After Tet, the northern region of China is cold so it is impossible to import vegetables from China.”Hoang Trung, head of the ministry’s Plant Protection Department, also confirmed to Dan Viet that imported vegetables have not affected domestic vegetable prices.

Disciplinary action proposed against senior officialsVietNamNet Bridge – The Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission is proposing disciplinary action against some top leaders of southern Dong Nai Province and the Central Highlands’ Dak Lak Province for their violations which caused “serious consequences.”Tran Quoc Cuong, deputy secretary of Dak Lak Province Party Committee, one of the three high-ranking officials facing disciplinary action. The commission said apart from the violations found last year, Thanh also bore responsibility for other violations. Thanh was also found violating the Party and State’s regulations on overseas travel of public officials. The commission said Thanh’s shortcomings and violations were very serious, hurting the prestige of the Party and herself and causing public discontent. No warning or disciplinary action is being considered against them.