Vietnam advised to make policies clearer to attract Korean investment
A factory of Samsung in Vietnam (Photo: congthuong.vn)– Many investors from the Republic of Korea (RoK) hold that Vietnam is an attractive destination, but it still needs clearer policies to attract a new investment wave from the Northeast Asian country, reported Dau tu (Vietnam Investment Review).With fast digital transformation and a young population, Vietnam is currently an attractive destination for Korean businesses, Vice Chairman of the Korea & Vietnam Economic and Cultural Association (KOVECA) Kwon Seung-taek told a recent conference promoting Korean investment in Ho Chi Minh City and other southern localities.This event attracted 30 businesses and 50 enterprises of the RoK who came to explore investment chances in many areas, including infrastructure, urban development, health care, education, renewable energy, high technology and vocational training.He said Korean firms boast technology, technique, experience and large capital while Vietnam has a diverse market and a young and abundant workforce.If the two countries enhance investment cooperation, bilateral trade will grow correspondingly. Amid global trade uncertainties, if they can capitalise on opportunities, the bilateral trade targets of 100 billion USD by 2023 and 150 billion USD by 2030 are completely achievable, Kwon emphasised.Many Korean investors believe that the two countries still have much room for cooperation in multiple spheres.In the past, Korean investments mostly concentrated in big cities like Hanoi, HCM City and neighbouring provinces, but now they have expanded to many other localities. They are also shifting from labour-intensive industries to manufacturing and high technology sectors.However, they also hope Vietnam to have clearer investment policies.CEO of JP Investment Choi Jeong-pil recommended the country elaborate on the projects it is inviting investment to so that investors and investment funds can make consideration.He also suggested favourable conditions for investment funds to engage in the equitisation of State-owned enterprises, noting that their presence will help improve those firms’ capacity and participation in global supply chains.Meanwhile, a business in the environmental sector underlined the need for the Government’s assistance since waste treatment projects are long-term investments that last for 20 - 30 years.The company added it is important that the Vietnamese Government has transparent and consistent policies in order to attract Korean investment./.
Source:Viet Nam News
July 28, 2022 20:34 UTC
Alert to monkeypox, HCM City proposes health declaration for arrivals
Passengers undergo security check at an airport. (Photo: VNA)– Ho Chi Minh City has proposed the Ministry of Health permit it to impose health declaration on arrivals in local ports of entry to early detect suspected cases of monkeypox.The proposal was submitted on July 27, following the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s declaration of monkeypox as a global health emergency on July 23.The municipal People’s Committee said in the current context, it is an urgent need to proactively monitor and early detect suspected infections in order to make timely response to prevent the disease from spreading.It noted that the local health sector is stepping up monitoring at ports of entry and health establishments while intensifying communications in the community to early discover monkeypox cases, which is one of the sector’s urgent tasks at present.As of July 25, HCM City hadn’t record any monkeypox infections. Its Health Department has demanded all medical establishments to promptly take measures against this disease./.
Source:Viet Nam News
July 28, 2022 14:20 UTC
Vietnam seeks to quicken recovery of international tourism
Foreign tourists at a hotel in downtown HCM City (Photo: VNA)- Despite improvement seen in the first quarter of the year, the pace of international travel recovery remains slow since mid-March when Vietnam reopened its borders to international tourism, according to the Vietnam Tourism Association The number of international tourist arrivals reached more than 600,000 in the first half of 2022, making the target of welcoming five million foreign visitors this year more challenging, said Vu The Binh , chairman of the association.In the first six months of this year, domestic travel saw a strong performance, with tourist arrivals jumping to 60.8 million, a 1.9-fold increase compared to the same period last year, he said at a press briefing held on July 25 in Ho Chi Minh City.Domestic visitor arrivals are expected to reach pre-COVID-19 levels of 85 million in October, he said.But domestic travel accounted for only 30% of the tourism sector, which covers inbound, outbound and domestic travel.Government agencies and tourism stakeholders will identify challenges and discuss measures to quicken the recovery of international tourism and the sustainable growth of the tourism sector at a national forum held on August 8, he said.The forum with the theme “New products, new markets” and a national workshop on training tourism human resources are part of a range of activities during the two-day programme entitled “Lien Ket Suc Manh Du Lich Vietnam năm 2022” (Power of Vietnam Tourism Linkages) held August 8-9 at the Independence Palace.The programme will feature an exhibition with 120 booths showing tour packages, travel products and services, and B2B interaction.Organised by the HCM City Tourism Association, the event offers opportunities for tourism businesses to network and take advantage of opportunities for cooperation to accelerate the tourism sector’s recovery from COVID-19.Free entrance to the Independence Palace is offered for visitors during the event./.
Source:Viet Nam News
July 28, 2022 08:49 UTC
National flag carrier promotes Vietnam's tourism
Vietnam Airlines now operates three regular direct flights connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with Bangkok. As scheduled, the number of flights will increase to four flights per day from October this year, and will rise to six flights per day in the second quarter of 2023. Vietnam Airlines is considering restoring two routes, namely Da Nang - Bangkok and HCM City - Phuke, from early 2023. Since Vietnam and Thailand removed most of the travel restrictions, the number of air passengers has increased rapidly. Thailand is also one of the prioritised markets among 15 international destinations where Vietnam Airlines has resumed its regular flights./.
Source:Viet Nam News
July 27, 2022 23:26 UTC
Cambodia to increase flights from Singapore during SEA Games 2023
The logo and mascot of the SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games 2023 to be hosted by Cambodia. (Source: baotintuc.vn)- Cambodia will need to increase the number of flights between the country and Singapore during the SEA Games 2023 to meet expected demands to and from the city-state.Local media reported that the during their meeting, Cambodia ’s Acting Minister of Tourism Tith Chantha and Singaporean Minister of Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong discussed the need to increase flights between the two countries.The increased flights will attract more international tourists to Cambodia, especially to prepare to transport passengers and receive tourists when the SEA Games 2023 is held in Cambodia.Both sides mentioned the connection of Cambodia-Singapore direct flights through Singapore Airlines and other airlines, which is an important factor in promoting international tourists to Cambodia./.
Source:Viet Nam News
July 27, 2022 21:36 UTC
Vietnam Artificial Intelligence Day to kick off this September
Illustrative photo (Source: aitech.vn)The 2022 Vietnam Artificial Intelligence Day (AI4VN), with its theme spotlighting economic recovery and future shaping, is scheduled to take place in Hanoi on September 22.AI4VN is an annual programme of the Ministry of Science and Technology ( MOST ) since 2018. Its series of events pull together a wide range of stakeholders in the AI community, from policy makers and technology corporations to researchers and university students.A press conference on its 2022 edition held in Hanoi on July 27 informed that the Vietnamese online newspaper VnExpress will coordinate with the Aus4Innovation programme to implement the series. Aus4Innovation is a 10 million AUD development assistance programme being enacted under the Vietnam-Australia innovation partnership.Three discussion sessions on AI solutions in banking-finance, human resources, and production will be held before a plenary one. The sponsorship for AI4VN 2022 aims to help promote and strengthen the development of the country’s AI ecosystem, he added.Bui Thanh Van from VnExpress, who is head of the AI4VN 2022 organising board emphasised the AI Awards 2022 as a highlight of this year.Van said the awards honour outstanding AI products and solutions in business and life. It is open for submissions from July to September.The AI Tech Matching will connect and support the development of potential AI products from the awards and competitions held within the AI4VN 2022’s framework, with total investment amounting to 60,000 AUD./.
Source:Viet Nam News
July 27, 2022 21:15 UTC
☀️ Morning digest on July 27
Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai (right) and Lao Finance Minister Bounchom Ubonpaseuth (Photo: VNA)The workshop on “Empowering Small and Medium Enterprises Through Digital Transformation and Access to Finance” is co-held by the MPI and USAID in Hanoi on July 26. (Photo: MPI)The Social Impact Businesses of the COVID-19 Adaptation Programme 2022 are announced on July 26. (Photo: MPI)- The following is a list of selected news summaries last night by the Vietnam News Agency.- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a monthly Cabinet meeting on legislation in Hanoi on July 26, with four draft laws (amended) tabled for discussion. In the 2021-2022 dry season alone, the team brought home 20 sets of remains of martyrs, of whom eight have been identified. Read full story ./.
Source:Viet Nam News
July 27, 2022 13:42 UTC
Vietnam aims to be one of top ten global farm produce processors
Business Most firms see bright economic prospects Up to 85% of firms have an optimistic outlook for the business environment in Q4, whereas 15% are pessimistic about the future, according to a survey conducted by the General Statistics Office (GSO). Business Red River Delta looks to remove bottlenecks in regional development The uneven and unsustainable development of different economic sectors and localities is a bottleneck that is hindering the overall development of the Hong (Red) River Delta. Business Vietjet offers promotional tickets on routes connecting Vietnam to India Vietjet is offering passengers a "promotion party" in three golden days per week during this month on its flight network connecting Vietnam to India.
Source:Viet Nam News
July 27, 2022 09:37 UTC
Solutions sought to qualify Vietnam’s agricultural exports for Chinese market
Container trucks pass Lao Cai's Kim Thanh II International Port bordering with China. (Photo: VNA)Dak Lak (VNA) – Vietnam’s agricultural exports need to adapt to China’s strengthened COVID-19 control rules and enforcement of Decrees 248 and 249, according to a workshop held in the city of Buon Me Thuot, the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak, on July 26. The event was co-organised by the Vietnam Sanitary and Phytosanitary Notification Authority and Enquiry Point (Vietnam SPS Office) and the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. In his opening remarks, Director of Vietnam SPS Office Le Thanh Hoa said food safety, and plant and animal quarantine are the biggest barriers to Vietnam’s agricultural exports. During the event, participants were provided with the latest updates about Overseas Facilities Registration Regulation – Decree 248; warning of violations on food safety rules for products exported to China; and Administrative Measures on Import and Export Food Safety – Decree 249.
Source:Viet Nam News
July 26, 2022 19:41 UTC
More Vietnamese labourers sent to RoK under Employment Permit System
Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)– The Republic of Korea (RoK) on July 26 received 153 Vietnamese labourers under the Employment Permit System (EPS).Among these labourers, 110 will work in the manufacturing industry, while the others in the fishery sector.These labourers, aged 21-38, are among 8,000 employees expected to go to the RoK to work this year.With the new policy on COVID-19 prevention and control, these workers were welcomed and supported by representatives of the Vietnamese Labour Management Board in the RoK and the Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRD) and then taken to training centres in Yeoju and Incheon cities for COVID-19 testing, and improvement of knowledge about law, culture, occupational safety as well as instructions for signing labour contracts and medical examinations.According to information from the EPS Office in the RoK, the relevant agencies of the two countries are conducting procedures related to training, depositing and visa issuance for more than 6,000 Vietnam ese workers so that they can enter the East Asian country in the remaining months of 2022./.
Source:Viet Nam News
July 26, 2022 14:39 UTC
Campaign on environmental sanitation, personal hygiene launched
At the launch ceremony of the campaign. (Photo: VNA)Binh Duong (VNA) – A campaign on environmental sanitation and personal hygiene to prevent and control epidemics was launched in the southern province of Binh Duong on July 25. According to the health sector, as the COVID-19 pandemic was basically under control in Vietnam, many people have let their guards down. Binh Duong province alone recorded 12 deaths. The campaign will feature various activities, including meetings and field trips to localities and others aiming to raise public awareness of environmental sanitation and personal hygiene./.
Source:Viet Nam News
July 26, 2022 01:04 UTC
Vietnam’s peacekeeping engineering unit launches first humanitarian work in Abyei
Vietnamese officers welcomes local residents coming for health checkups (Photo: qdnd.vn)A Vietnamese officier presents a gift to a resident as part of the event (Photo: qdnd.vn)Vietnam’s Engineering Unit Rotation 1 at the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei ( UNISFA ) has recently coordinated with Pakistani forces to organise its first humanitarian activity, focusing on medical examination, medicine, and gift-giving to locals in the Amiet market, the 2nd most populated area in Abyei.The Vietnam ese unit was in charge of health check-up and medicine provision for women and children, while the Pakistani forces took care of men.Within about five hours, Vietnamese officers offered their medical services and presented gifts to 168 people, detecting many suffering from chronic and infectious diseases. The gifts included daily living tools and items such as toothbrushes, laundry soap, notebooks, ballpoint pens, instant noodles, and clothes.Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Quang Tuyen from the unit affirmed that this humanitarian activity has strengthened the foreign diplomacy, expanded exchanges and cooperation with other units, and promoted the image of Vietnam's blue beret force, creating favourable conditions for the team to continue to successfully carry out their tasks in the area.According to Tuyen, since its deployment at UNISFA, the unit has been organising the repair and maintenance of an arterial road with a length of more than 50km passing through the Amiet market and regularly rescuing bogged trucks. In the past month, the unit has organised the rescue of six UN vehicles and local people./.
Source:Viet Nam News
July 25, 2022 10:15 UTC
Tra fish exporters earn big thanks to high price rise
Illustrative image (Source: VNA)– The majority of tra fish exporters enjoyed high profits in the April-June period of this year thanks to a price increase cycle in the period, according to the sector’s financial report for the second quarter of 2022.On top of the list in the period was Vinh Hoan Corporation which earned a revenue of over 4.22 trillion VND (180.38 million USD), a rise of 80% year on year, and over 1 trillion VND in profit, a surge of 154%. The firm’s after-tax profit hit 788 billion VND, tripling that in the same period last year.Meanwhile, Nam Viet JSC reported a net revenue of 1.29 trillion VND, a rise of 20% year on year. Its net profit reached nearly 241 billion VND, while after-tax profit amounted 447 billion VND.At the same time, the International Development and Investment Corporation also enjoyed an after-tax profit of 390 billion VND, 18.5 times that in the same period last year.According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producer (VASEP), many other firms saw a high rise in the first six months of this year.It attributed this to a strong increase in both prices and production.In the first six months of this year, the export value of tra fish reached over 1.4 billion USD, up 83% year on year, with rises seen in all markets, especially the US and China.According to SSI Securities Corporation, the average price of tra fish in the US market was 4.5-5 USD per kilo, 60% rise year on year, while that in the Chinese market was 3.1 USD per kilo, up 20%.The SSI reported that the along with the strong recovery from the major markets, tra fish demands rose due to a high number of orders after social restriction measures in the second half of 2021 as part of efforts to prevent COVID-19 spreading.However, the firm underlined that standstill signs in tra fish demands have been seen since May due to high a inventory in export markets. VASEP also predicted that along with the inflation pressure, the growth trend of tra fish exports will slow down in the third quarter.It forecast that tra fish export revenue this year may reach 2.5-2.6 billion USD, a rise of 56-65% over 2021. So far, with 1.6 billion USD in revenue, the sector has completed 87% of its yearly target./.
Source:Viet Nam News
July 25, 2022 09:51 UTC
Vietnam counts 10,767,948 COVID-19 cases so far
Illustrative image (Source: VNA)The national caseload of COVID-19 reached 10,767,948 on July 24 with 748 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, according to the Ministry of Health A total 9,772 COVID-19 patients were given the all clear on the day, bringing the number of recoveries so far to 9,861,276. There are 29 patients in serious conditions needing breathing support No death from COVID-19 was recorded in the past 24 hours. The total fatalities stood at 43,092.On July 24, 204,370 doses of vaccines were administered, raising the total number of doses of COVID-19 vaccines injected to 242,507,397./.
Source:Viet Nam News
July 24, 2022 23:51 UTC
Vietnam wins three gold medals at 6th world vovinam championship
A competition of martial artists at the tournament’s final round. (Photo: VNA)Paris (VNA) – The Vietnamese team won three gold and one bronze medals at the 6th Vietnamese traditional martial arts (Vovinam) World Championship, which ended on July 23 in Paris, France. The event drew 500 martial artists from 15 countries in Europe, America, Africa and Vietnam. France triumphed at the 6th Vovinam World Championship, bringing home 16 golds, 10 silvers and 15 bronzes. Vovinam began to spread in 1970 and has developed in many countries with hundreds of schools in Poland, Belgium, Russia, France, and ASEAN members./.
Source:Viet Nam News
July 24, 2022 12:54 UTC