Day: July 9, 2021

Hungarian President János Áder congratulated Vietnam on impressive achievements in socio-economic development and international integration that the country has gained in recent years during a reception for Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Thi Bich Thao, who presented her credentials to the host leader on July 9.

The President affirmed that the State and Government of Hungary is willing to support Ambassador Thao to complete her missions during her working tenure, thus contributing to strengthening the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

He briefed the Vietnamese diplomat on the agenda of the Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability Expo and Summit that Hungary will host later this year, while sharing his country’s experience in combating COVID-19 pandemic, especially in conducting vaccination programme.

For her part, Thao highlighted the strong and dynamic growth of the Vietnam-Hungary ties thanks to mutual understanding and trust as well as effective cooperation in all fields as well as in both bilateral matters and regional and international issues of shared concern.

She pledged that she will work hard to complete her tasks and make contributions to the promotion of partnership between the two countries.

The same day, the Vietnamese diplomat laid flowers at Hero Square in Budapest, an iconic statue complex featuring the Seven chieftains of the Magyars and other important Hungarian national leaders, as well as the Memorial Stone of Heroes, often erroneously referred as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The strengthening of trade exchange between Vietnam and India not only by the traditional method but also in the online format has contributed to promoting the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, said Hoang Minh Chien, deputy head of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (VIETTRADE) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

He made the statement at the Vietnam – India trade exchange conference which was held virtually by VIETTRADE and the Vietnamese Embassy in India on July 9.

According to Chien, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency has promoted the organisation of a number of online trade promotion programmes with India and has always received the effective coordination and support of Indian trade promotion organisations including Indian Importers Chambers of Commerce and Industries, the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the Vietnamese Embassy in India, the partners and businesses of the two countries.

Do Thanh Hai, Counselor at the Vietnamese Embassy in India, said that textiles and garment, pharmaceuticals, supporting industries, renewable energy sector, and agricultural products are the driving force for trade relations, and many other industries have great potential.

However, to turn the potential into reality, it was necessary for relevant authorities and the business community to involve in, he said, adding that online trade exchange events are an important channel for enterprises of the two countries to seek find business opportunities.

Hiren Gandi, Chairman of the Food Committee of Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry, recommended that Vietnamese enterprises should use legal commercial contracts when exporting to India to avoid disputes and protect themselves from fraud, false commitments and overcome business risks.

The right legal contracts can help prevent businesses from up to 80 percent of commercial disputes, he said.

Gandi emphasised that Vietnamese enterprises should not use brokers or agents because they have no legal value.

He also advised them to check the financial capacity of the buyers and raised the issue of the right to handle logistics-related issues in commercial contracts.

At the conference, Atul Kumar. President of the Indian Importers Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Srinivasa Murthy, Honorary Consul of Vietnam in Karnataka, India, and Bui Trung Thuong, Counselor at the Vietnam Trade Affairs Office in India, also introduced business opportunities for Vietnamese businesses in the Indian market as well as sharing experiences for successful business cooperation with Vietnamese enterprises to Indian counterparts.

Experts said Vietnamese businesses have many opportunities to export to India. At the same time, Vietnam is also a potential market for Indian investors to do business in the fields of agricultural products, food, automobiles and energy.

Virtual exchanges were also be held during the conference to support businesses in introducing their products and learned about the partner’s demand, thereby looking for business cooperation opportunities./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The 58th meeting of the 15th National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee will open on July 12, the NA Office said in a statement on July 9.

According to the statement, the meeting will run until July 14 under the chair of NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and NA Vice Chairpersons. The NA leader will deliver an opening remark.

During the meeting, members of the committee will give their opinions on the drafts of the socio-economic plan for the 2021-2025 period; the financial plan for the period; the plan for public debt borrowing and payment; the middle-term public investment plan; investment policies for the national target programme on building new-style rural areas for 2021-2025 and for the national target programme on sustainable poverty reduction and social welfare in the next five years, among others.

They will also discuss a report on the summary of opinions that voters across the country sent to the first plenary session of the 15th NA; the organisation and the number of members of the Government in the 2021-2026 tenure; personnel work to be submitted to the NA; and the preparations for the first plenary session of the 15th NA.

Besides, members of the committee will also listen to a National Election Council’s report on the results of verifying the eligibility of elected deputies to the 15th NA./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Oversea remittances to Ho Chi Minh City were worth 3.2 billion USD in the first six months of this year, despite the COVID-19 pandemic roiling on many economies around the world.

Nguyen Hoang Minh, deputy director of the State Bank of Vietnam’s HCM City branch, said the figure represented a 22.34 percent increase year-on-year.

This was a positive growth at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has seriously affected the global economy, he said, adding that the remittances were mostly poured into production and business activities.

The money flow has not only supported the city’s economic development but also contributed to stabilising the supply of foreign currency in the city and Vietnam in general, Minh said.

It is forecast that remittances to HCM City will reach 6.5 billion USD this year, up 6.5 percent compared to last year’s figure which stood at 6.1 billion USD.

Vietnamese abroad sent home 17.2 billion USD worth of remittances in 2020, making the country the third-largest remittance recipient in East Asia and Pacific region, according to the Migration and Development Brief released earlier in May by the World Bank and the Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration and Development (KNOMAD).

This represents a rise of nearly 3 percent over 2019, a very positive result compared to the previous forecast in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vietnam came after China in remittances last year which received 59.5 billion USD, while the Philippines raked in 34.9 billion USD.

With remittances equivalent to 5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), Vietnam was among the top 10 countries in the region by the share of GDP./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Standing Vice Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Tran Thanh Man chaired the 4th meeting of the personnel sub-committee of the National Election Council (NEC) on July 9.

In his remarks, Man said the meeting is very important because the sub-committee is to review and prepare a report and a draft resolution on confirming the eligibility of deputies elected to the 15th NA to submit to the NA Standing Committee’s 58th session, and report to the 15th NA at the first session.

He cited the assessment of Party and State leaders that the elections of deputies to the 15th NA and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2021-2026 term had been conducted in a democratic manner and in accordance with the law, with remarkable success.

Accordingly, the voter turnout reached 99.6 percent, 0.25 percent higher than the previous term. It is noteworthy that the percentage of ethnic minority people among elected deputies in this tenure reaches 17.84 percent – the highest ever. The ratio of female deputies in this term, at more than 30 percent, is also the highest since the 6th tenure.

Man emphasised the role of the sub-committee in election preparation work, including preparing candidate profiles and the official lists of NA candidates and constituencies, confirming and reporting the results of the election.

The sub-committee has kept up-to-date with the situation following the elections and solved arising problems, he said, adding that it has coordinated effectively with the Law Commission, the sub-committee in charge of solving complaints and denunciations, and the Ministry of Public Security, in solving important issues.

In the context of complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, and changes in personnel in charge of election work in localities, the sub-committee cooperated with localities to promptly handle arising problems.

During the meeting, participants gave their comments on the report and the draft resolution on confirming the eligibility of deputies elected to the 15th National Assembly so as to complete these documents before submitting them to the NA Standing Committee and the NA./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnam’s shrimp export revenue in June hit nearly 402 million USD, bringing the six-month figure to 1.7 billion USD, up 13 percent year-on-year, reported the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

Specifically, the country’s shrimp exports to the US grew by 45 percent monthly; Japan up 17 percent; the Republic of Korea, 10 percent; and several European nations, 15-60 percent.

Though the US accounts for 30 percent of the world’s shrimp import turnover and 22 percent of Vietnam’s shrimp exports, Vietnamese shrimp products secured only 8.5 percent of the US market share, behind India, Indonesia and Ecuador.

Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Ca Mau province Duong Vu Nam said the locality expects to earn over 1 billion USD from shrimp exports this year, contributing 25 percent of the country’s shrimp export earnings.

Experts attributed the growth to advantages from new-generation free trade deals such as the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA).

Nam said Ca Mau is now home to 40 shrimp processors and exporters, including 32 aquatic product processing plants with an annual capacity of 250,000 tonnes. Their products have been shipped to more than 60 countries and territories around the world.

Their counterparts in the southern province of Bac Lieu are also working to fully tap the EVFTA with taxes reduced to zero percent from 12-20 percent.

In order to maintain prestige on the market, experts suggested domestic shrimp farmers and businesses enhance chain connectivity, take synchronous measures to meet demand of importers./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Ho Chi Minh City has suspended public transport for 15 days from July 9 to contain the spread of COVID-19.

All public buses, taxis, inter-provincial buses, contract taxis, and ride-hailing cars and motorbikes will go off the roads.

But vehicles used to transport goods and materials for production and food and other basic necessities, and shuttle buses that carry workers and experts are allowed to ply.

But they can only carry half their designed capacity and no more than 20 passengers at a time, and must be disinfected each time before picking up and after dropping off people.

All passengers must wear a face mask at all times and keep a minimum distance of two metres from others.

They must fill out a health declaration form and have their body temperature measures before boarding.

City authorities will work with neighbouring provinces to secure permission for vehicles carrying goods and workers to pass.

A fixed number of taxis have been arranged to carry people to hospitals and health centres.

They have been instructed to keep their windows down and not use air conditioners.

Shipping goods by motorbike is allowed but the delivery people are required to wear masks, frequently wash their hands with sanitiser and keep a safe distance from customers.

The city has also decided to shut all inland ports and ferry services along rivers for the 15 days, except the ferries between Nha Be and Can Gio districts, HCM City and Dong Nai province, Can Gio and Can Giuo in Long An province, and Can Thanh and Thanh An and Thanh An and Thieng Lieng in Can Gio.

But those in operation can only carry 50 percent of their capacity and have to be equipped with disinfectants.

Passengers must wear masks and maintain social distance.

Traffic police and other inspectors will closely monitor the ferry services.

The city made its earlier lockdown more stringent from July 9 under Directive 16 as COVID-19 showed no signs of slowing down.

Since May 31 it had social distancing under Directive No 15, which included the closure of non-essential services and businesses, but there continued to be hundreds of new infections daily./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has pointed out six tasks that Quang Ninh province needs to carry out in order to become an “all-round growth pole” in the northern region.

At a recent meeting with a delegation from the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), Secretary of the Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Xuan Ky said the province has identified industrial development as a task of leading importance that helps guarantee national energy security. It is also working to boost economic development based on science and technology so secure cleaner production.

Open-cast coal mines will be gradually shut down while stone mines and cement factories located near Ha Long Bay, a world natural heritage site, will also be closed.

Paying special attention to trade and services, Quang Ninh is moving to capitalise on the local airport, expressways, seaports, and international border gates to foster cross-border trading, Ky said.

He added that apart from the State-invested border gates, many businesses have poured money into developing bonded warehouses and temporary cross-border bridges, thus attracting a large number of enterprises to export and import activities.

Dien affirmed the MoIT’s support for the province’s viewpoint of green and sustainable development based on natural resources, humans, and culture.

Highlighting six tasks for Quang Ninh in the time ahead, he recommended that firstly, the province should build an industrial and trade development strategy which needs to base on the local potential and advantages, Vietnam’s development trend, and especially the national strategies.

During the current and following tenures, it should work hard to develop the industries that serve as the foundation for national industrialisation and modernisation.

The second task is to accelerate the making and submission of the provincial planning for approval, Dien said, noting that this planning must match the sectoral, regional, and national planning schemes.

Thirdly, Quang Ninh needs to promptly seek competent agencies’ permission to develop infrastructure in border economic zones in Mong Cai city, form a wholesale farm produce market in the vicinity of the inland container depot, build a night market in the Bac Luan 1 area, develop tourism and maritime services in Tra Co ward and Cape Sa Vi of the city. Besides, urban development must match the population, industrial, and service growth.

Fourthly, Dien recommended the province to further use capital sourced from the State budget to attract private investment to building socio-economic infrastructure. It should also continue applying the new governance methods it has experienced in such as public investment – private governance, and private investment – public governance.

The fifth task is paying attention to the domestic market, which has sometimes been neglected when it comes to agricultural products, he said, adding that when the MoIT adopted the policy of boosting domestic sale of farm produce via traditional markets and supermarkets nationwide, the sales have doubled compared to the previous years.

The minister also underlined the need to continue developing e-commerce and digital economy, facilitate cross-border trading based on importers’ demand and the signed free trade agreements, issue incentives to attract domestic investment, and create a road map for assisting Vietnamese businesses to join production and supply chains.

The last but not least task is related to market surveillance as Quang Ninh boasts long borderlines, both on land and at sea. Its administration need to create favourable conditions for market surveillance units to coordinate with other forces like public security, customs, taxation, and especially, authorities of border localities.

Sharing more than 118km of land border and 191km of sea border with China, Quang Ninh is located at the start of the countries’ “Two Corridors, One Belt” economic cooperation zone, in the Nanning – Singapore Economic Corridor, and the expanded Gulf of Tonkin inter-regional cooperation area within the ASEAN – China Free Trade Area./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency