Day: February 26, 2022

There remains large room for Vietnam’s shrimp industry to strive for greater export growth in the next few years, said the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

According to a recent report of the VASEP, Vietnam’s shrimp export turnover is likely to expand annually by 9 percent in the 2022-2025 period, hitting 5.6 billion USD by 2025.

Regarding seafood export opportunities in 2022, VASEP General Secretary Truong Dinh Hoe said seafood exports in 2022 will continue to grow as the global demand for shrimp is rising by around 5 percent a year.

If the seafood industry can expand its market share in the global market, and at the same time continues to promote processing of value-added products, it will be able to maintain growth in the coming time, he said, adding that the shrimp industry continues to be expected to be a key contributor to the country’s seafood export turnover.

From a market perspective, Ho Quoc Luc, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Sao Ta Food Joint Stock Company said Vietnamese processed or fresh shrimp products are popular due to their more beautiful packaging and stable quality compared to other competitors. The US remains the largest importer of Vietnam’s shrimp products at present, accounting for 28 percent of Vietnam’s total exports, followed by Europe and Japan, which made up 21.8 percent and 14.9 percent of the market share, respectively.

The US would continue to be the key market for many Vietnamese seafood products such as shrimp, pangasius and others, he said.

Vietnamese exporters would have more opportunities to export to the US since India, the largest shrimp supplier to the market, was facing production difficulties due to the pandemic, he added.

Vietnam ranks fifth among shrimp exporters to the US.

Although not accounting for large proportions in Vietnam’s shrimp export, the Republic of Korea (RoK), Canada, and Australia have still maintained fairly stable growth.

Notably, Vietnamese shrimp have gained the top positions in the RoK and and Australia, Luc said.

Sharing the same view, Tran Van Linh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Thuan Phuoc Seafood and Trading Corporation, said that the COVID-19 outbreak in the past two years has disrupted the global supply chain, and competitors of Vietnam’s seafood were “stuck” and have not yet recovered yet.

Vietnam has quickly seized this opportunity to increase its seafood market share in major markets such as the US and Europe, he noted.

According to experts, Vietnam’s shrimp farming process has been improved remarkably, while supply chains have been also expanded continuously, contributing to increasing productivity.

They underlined the need to better production lines, reduce dependence on labourer, and ensure regulations on food hygiene and safety.

Luc said attention should be also paid to projects to call for investment in shrimp farming, stressing that that only large-scale farming facilities can bring practical efficiency through investment and application of new scientific-technological achievements in shrimp farming.

Localities with favourable conditions and strengths to develop shrimp farming should quickly build planning of farming areas in the direction of green and sustainable development, experts said, adding that this is a big solution to the shrimp industry’s development strategy by 2030.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Rescuers had by 5:30pm on February 26 saved 22 people and found the bodies of 13 dead victims after a passenger boat sank offshore Cua Dai Beach in Hoi An ancient town in central Quang Nam province earlier the same day.

There were 39 people onboard, including 36 tourists and three cruise members. Four are still missing.

The Cua Dai Border Guard Station received information about the accident at 2.10pm, and rescue forces were immediately mobilised to head to the scene.

Rescue forces are continuing to search for the missing.

The boat, QNa-1152, was transporting tourists from Cu Lao Cham Island to Cua Dai in Hoi An, when the accident happened.

Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh has issued a dispatch sending the Prime Minister’s condolences to the injured victims and families of the deceased. The PM also assigned an official of the National Traffic Safety Committee to arrive at the scene of the accident and coordinate with the local authorities to settle the consequences.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Saigon Telecom Technology Joint Stock Company (SAIGONTEL) of Vietnam and Aurous Capital Pte. Ltd of Singapore have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on investment cooperation in a 2.5-billion USD project to develop an industrial and urban complex in the northern province of Bac Giang.

This was the largest among a series of projects valued at a total 11 billion USD signed at the Vietnam-Singapore Business Dialogue, which took place within the framework of President Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s State-visit to Singapore from February 24-26.

Under the MoU, the two sides will conduct research and survey to build an investment project and apply for a licence to develop the complex, which would comprise of 500 ha of industrial estates and 200 ha of housing, towards attracting projects in the fields of hi-technology; clean industry; knowledge-intensive industry and those creating higher added value; logistics and support industry.

The investors hope to start the project in 2022.

In recent times, Bac Giang has become an attractive destination for foreign investors, especially in term of high technology. In the first two months of 2022, the locality attracted 303.3 million USD in investment.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on February 26 met with former Prime Minister of Singapore Goh Chok Tong, and Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean as part of his State visit to Singapore.

President Phuc said that Vietnam highly values the precious support that former PM Goh Chok Tong had given to Vietnam’s socio-economic development since the early 1990s when Vietnam started its international integration and joined the ASEAN, laying firm foundation for the growth of partnership between the two countries.

For his part, Goh Chok Tong expressed his confidence in Vietnam’s bright future, stressing that with political stability and a highly open economy, Vietnam will fulfil its goals for 2030 on the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, becoming a motivation of the regional economy. During the meeting with Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean, President Phuc spoke highly of the important contributions that the Minister has made to the bilateral friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Singapore.

Teo said he is pleased at the positive development of the defence and security partnership between the two countries, and affirmed that Singapore will continue to work closely with Vietnam in important areas such as justice assistance and cybersecurity, while sharing with Vietnam its experience in transformation, population data management and response to cyber crimes.

Phuc proposed that the two officials continue to support Vietnam and help with the promotion of the Vietnam-Singapore strategic partnership across all fields, especially in 2023 when the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and 10 years of their strategic partnership.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

A total 77,982 cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the past 24 hours from 4pm February 25 to 4pm February 26, including 12 imported cases, according to the Ministry of Health.

Hanoi continued to record the highest number of infections with 10,783 cases, followed by Nghe An with 3,985 and Vinh Phuc with 2,995.

Besides, the northern province of Thai Nguyen supplemented 20,894 cases after verifying information.

The national tally reached 3,219,177, including 205 infections of Omicron.

There are 2,979 patients in critical conditions, while an additional 88 deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours, taking the total fatalities to 40,050.

A total 20,427 patients were given the all-clear, taking the total number of recoveries to 2,376,046.

By February 25, the country had injected over 193.27 million doses of vaccines to date, with over 67.197 million people over 18 and 8.13 million children from 12-17 having received two shots, while more than 38.46 million booster shots and third shots had been administered.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh made important proposals for the international community to achieve the goal of universal COVID-19 vaccination in his pre-recorded speech sent to the High-level thematic debate entitled “Galvanizing momentum for universal vaccination” of the UN General Assembly on February 25 (US time).

The Vietnamese Deputy PM emphasised the need to promote global-scale solutions, uphold international solidarity and cooperation; increase vaccine supply and help developing countries improve capacity of grassroots and preventive medicine systems; and strengthen cooperation in vaccine production and transfer of vaccine production technology to developing countries.

He welcomed the recent announcement of the World Health Organisation (WHO), that a number of developing countries, including Vietnam, were selected to receive mRNA vaccine technology transfer, saying that Vietnam will take advantage of this cooperation opportunity to contribute to international efforts to promoting universal vaccination.

Deputy PM Minh highlighted the significance of vaccination in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that with the motto of putting the health of the people first, Vietnam has conducted the largest vaccination campaign in history.

More than 190 million doses of vaccines have been administered to 97 percent of people aged 18 and above, and nearly 90 percent of children aged over 12 years in Vietnam, he said, adding that the country has been making necessary preparations to vaccine children aged 5-11.

The large-scale vaccination roll-out has helped Vietnam minimise the impact of the pandemic, and allowed the country to re-open society and the economy in a safe, flexible, and effective manner, and promote a recovery based on green and digital transformation, he noted.

He took the occasion to thank friends and partners around the world for providing vaccines, medical equipment and supplies to support Vietnam through the COVAX Facility and bilateral channels.

The UN General Assembly’s high-level meeting was held in the context that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause negative health, economic and social impacts around the world. It aims to look into existing opportunities and challenges in producing and distributing COVID-19 vaccines on a global scale, and promote political commitments of the international community to achieve universal vaccination as soon as possible.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc had a meeting with staff members of the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives from the Vietnamese community in Singapore on February 26, as part of his State visit to the island state.

The President laid stress on the overseas Vietnamese affairs, saying it is very important to the great national solidarity bloc and the nation’s strength.

According to the State leader, his visit to Singapore has a special meaning, helping lifting the Vietnam-Singapore strategic partnership to a new height, especially when the two countries are looking forward to marking the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2023.

He informed that during the visit, leaders of the two countries have agreed to early resume commercial flights, which will facilitate travel and cooperation in all fields.

On behalf of the Vietnamese community in Singapore, Dr. Vu Minh Khuong from the National University of Singapore highlighted the great significance of President Phuc’s visit for the relations between the two countries.

He expressed his joy at, and appreciation of the outstanding and comprehensive achievements made by the Government under the direction of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in the 2016-2021 period.

On the same day, President Phuc and the Vietnamese delegation laid flowers at the President Ho Chi Minh statue at the Asian Civilisations Museum. They also visited the Tengeh floating solar farm, which has been recently launched as part of efforts of Singapore to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Later the same day, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, his spouse and the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation left Singapore, concluding the State visit to the country.

Source: Vietnam News Agency