Day: December 10, 2021

Vietnam and Australia have been officially nominated as co-chairs of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)-run Southeast Asia Regional Programme (SEARP) for 2022-2025, replacing Thailand and the Republic of Korea (RoK).

The nomination was decided at the 8th meeting of the Steering Group of the OECD Southeast Asia Regional Programme held in the form of videoconference on December 9. Assistant to the Foreign Minister and Director of the Department of Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang attended the meeting.

In her remarks, Hang thanked OECD and the Southeast Asia Regional Programme for their acknowledgement of Vietnam’s active and responsible contributions over the past time, pledging that Vietnam will closely coordinate with Australia to carry forward the achievements and propose priority areas.

Anthony Stannard, a representative from the Australian delegation, also affirmed Australia’s resolve to join hands with Vietnam and regional countries in the next three years when it holds the co-chairmanship.

Vietnam is the third nation in Southeast Asia to work as co-chair of the programme, after Indonesia and Thailand, which demonstrates efforts in implementing the directive of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat on enhancing and advancing multilateral diplomacy by 2030. The position would help Vietnam prove its international role and responsibility, while utilising OECD’s consultancy and support for the country’s development goals.

The nomination also reflects OECD’s trust in Vietnam’s capacity to connect the organisation with the Southeast Asian region in the areas of shared concern.

Inaugurated by OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe at the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting in May 2014, the OECD Southeast Asia Regional Programme aims to support the region in their domestic priorities, policy reforms and regional integration efforts. The programme held its first Ministerial Conference in March 2018, to discuss issues on Inclusive ASEAN, and the next phase of the Programme.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The forum will be chaired by Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien and attract the participation of representatives from relevant Vietnamese ministries and agencies, along with export businesses.

The forum, an annual activity of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), aims to realise the government’s measures on promoting economic growth, digital transformation, sustainable development and assist firms and cooperatives in reviving their production and business in the post-COVID-19 period, according to the Trade Promotion Agency under the MoIT.

The forum will comprise two sessions that focus on opportunities and challenges of some export markets in the post-COVID-19 period, the national strategy of the Swiss Federal Economic Commission for the 2021-2025 period and orientations for coordination with partners in the field of trade in Vietnam. Orientation and export promotion solutions to contribute to economic recovery and development are also on the agenda.

The forum is expected to identify opportunities and prospects for Vietnamese exports, the agency said, adding it will also suggest solutions for local governments and associations in providing assistance for the business community in achieving sustainable export growth.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Da Nang city, a travel hub in central Vietnam, welcomed the first 500 MICE tourists on December 10 after a long social distancing period triggered by the COVID-19 resurgence.

This is also the first group of tourists coming to Da Nang after it reopened to travellers.

Nguyen Thi Hoai An, Director of the city’s Tourism Promotion Centre, said the visitors come to attend a national surgery and endoscopy conference, noting that the resumption of MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and events) tourism will help businesses and their clients be more confident in choosing Da Nang as the destination for their events.

The successful reception of this MICE tourist group will serve as an example of the safe and flexible adaptation to and effective control of COVID-19 for travel activities and event organisation at present, she added.

Jackie Han, Deputy General Director of the Hoa Binh Group – an organiser of the conference, said to ensure pandemic safety, said all the delegates to the event and the firm’s staff were required to be fully vaccinated, have safe travel history, move in different lanes, and practice the 5K principle (khau trang – wearing facemasks, khu khuan – disinfection, khoang cach – keeping physical distance, khai bao – making health declaration, khong tu tap – no gathering).

The national surgery and endoscopy conference takes place both in person and via videoconference on December 10 – 11, with more than 1,000 delegates, including about 500 participating in the event in Da Nang.

It is considered a positive sign for Da Nang’s travel sector and also the start of the MICE tourism season in late 2021 and early 2022.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

All types of new cars in Vietnam must meet Euro 5 emission standards from January 1, 2022 under a decision issued by the Prime Minister, Vietnam Register said.

Cars and motorcycles are among major sources of emissions like carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxide, particle pollution, and toxins in fuel, such as benzene. These cause air pollution, especially urban air pollution, directly affecting people’s health.

Euro 3 exhaust emission standards have been applied on two-wheeled motorcycles since January 1, 2017, while cars using petrol and other fuels, excluding diesel, applied Euro 4 standards.

From January 1, 2018, diesel vehicles were required to follow Euro 4 standards, while newly assembled or imported cars were requested to follow Euro 5 standards from next year.

The Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (VAMA) said its members have been ready to follow the new roadmap.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnam’s shrimp export earnings will hit around 3.9 billion USD this year, up 4 percent from 2020, according to Le Hang, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP)’s Training and Trade Promotion Centre (VASEP.PRO).

Vietnam exported over 367 million USD worth of shrimp products in November, bringing the total export revenue in the first 11 months of the year to more than 3.5 billion USD, a year-on-year increase of 3.4 percent, Hang said.

Strongest growth was seen in exports to the US, EU, and Australia while some other markets experienced stagnancy or slight decreases.

Shrimp accounts for a half of Vietnam’s seafood export value. Shrimp exports have expanded strongly since the beginning of this year before the sector was hard hit by impacts of the COVID-19 restrictions between August and September.

The US remained Vietnam’s largest importer, purchasing 28 percent of total exports, during the period. It was followed by Japan with 15 percent.

Shrimp exports to the EU has swiftly bounced back since October, with Vietnam being a major supplier to Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.

However, shipments to China constantly declined largely because the neighbouring country has tightened COVID-19 preventive rules on food imports at all border gates. Revenue from exports to China has decreased over 24 percent so far this year to 375 million USD.

Hang forecast that demand from major markets like the US, EU, Australia, Canada, and the Republic of Korea will be likely on a rise and the US continues to be the main driver of growth.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

There are now many favourable conditions for shrimp export, including growing prices – an important factor for processors and exporters to swiftly recover after a long social distancing period.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien made the remark while addressing a teleconference held on December 10.

He said the free trade agreements that Vietnam has joined will create chances for improving production under value chains and origin traceability.

Productivity and quality are the key to promoting the competitiveness of shrimp products, Tien noted, adding that relevant agencies and localities needs to pay attention to the input, especially young fry and infrastructure in the production chain.

Tran Cong Khoi, Deputy Director of the Department of Aquaculture at the Directorate of Fisheries, said despite numerous difficulties and challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s farming area of brackish water shrimp still expanded by 0.5 percent from 2020 to 740,000ha, including 630,000ha of black tiger shrimp and 110,000ha of white-leg shrimp.

Pointing out certain problems and shortcomings, he held that localities need to step up inspection and examination of food safety in aquaculture to ensure product quality.

In 2022, the sector will enhance connectivity among shrimp farming localities, take measures to concurrently develop farming and cope with the pandemic, boost the application of scientific and technological advances to raise productivity and quality, and increase environmental monitoring to issue timely warnings in order to minimise damage caused by climate change.

Total output of farmed shrimp this year is estimated at 970,000 tonnes, up 4.3 percent from 2020. Shrimp export earned the country 3.2 billion USD in the first 10 months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 2 percent.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on December 10 requested increased vigilance as the COVID-19 pandemic continues developing complicatedly, with the appearance of the new and more contagious variant Omicron in many countries around the world.

Speaking at an online meeting between the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control with the steering committees of 63 provinces and cities, PM Chinh, who is head of the national steering committee, required extra efforts to reduce the numbers of new cases, severe cases, and fatalities.

He asked localities to continue implementing the Government’s Resolution 128/NQ-CP dated October 11, 2021 on safe and flexible adaptation to and effective control of the COVID-19 pandemic. No locality is allowed to issue regulations contrary to those by the upper level, he stressed.

Highlighting the need to provide sufficient vaccines and treatment drugs, the Government leader urged boosting the study and transfer of production technologies at home with safety and efficiency ensured and people’s lives put first and above all.

At the meeting, members of the national and local steering committees focused their discussion on the situation and causes of the complicated developments of the pandemic in the past time, vaccine allocation and vaccination process, as well as the demand for and ability to respond to treatment drugs.

They also exchanged views on measures to restore socio-economic activities, and maintain production and business.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Budget collection has become a bright spot of Ho Chi Minh City’s economy in 2021 when it surpasses the year’s target despite severe impacts of the COVID-19 resurgence.

The southern economic hub recorded an estimated 370.483 trillion VND (16 billion USD) in budget revenue this year, equivalent to 101.3 percent of the target, according to a resolution issued by the municipal People’s Council on December 9.

Basing on that result, HCM City targets next year’s budget revenue at 386.568 trillion VND, up 5.9 percent from the 2021 target and 4.3 percent from the figure obtained this year.

Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Hoa Binh said the fourth wave of COVID-19, with a prolonged social distancing period, has seriously affected every socio-economic aspect, particularly businesses’ operations and people’s life.

To assist enterprises, local authorities have reduced taxes and extended tax payment deadlines. As a result, the budget collection has gradually decreased since May. Notably, the revenue dropped strongly year on year in August and September.

Facing that fact, relevant agencies have worked to support businesses and people. Besides, the positive business results of real estate and financial – banking firms in the year’s first half and effect of the tax payment deadline extension have helped boost the budget collection in 2021, Binh noted.

Source: Vietnam News Agency