Day: December 11, 2022

Posted on

Vietnam Electricity, European Investment Bank ink MoU on sustainable energy development

Vietnam Electricity (EVN) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have signed a memorandum of understanding to create a prerequisite for the EIB to help with the Vietnamese group’s sustainable development and energy transition.

 

EVN Chairman Duong Quang Thanh and EIB Vice President Kris Peeters signed the MoU at the bank’s headquarters in Luxembourg on December 10 in the presence of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

 

The MoU is expected to open up an opportunity for the EIB to directly fund power projects in Vietnam and enhance partnerships in electricity production, transmission, distribution and retail, as well as in energy transition.

 

Peeters described the MoU signing with the EVN as necessary for accelerating discussion and information exchange to pave the way for the bank’s participation in major energy projects in Vietnam.

 

The EIB will assist with the country’s low-carbon transition to modern energy systems in tandem with ensuring economic growth, energy security, and environmental sustainability, he said.

 

For his part, Thanh noted the State-owned group has many potential projects on offshore wind power, hydropower, and electricity transmission eligible for the EIB’s sponsorship.

 

He expressed his hope that the cooperation will help Vietnam boost low-carbon development, adapt to climate change, speed up just transition and carbon reduction in the power system, and generate new economic chances to support the country’s efforts towards net zero emissions.

 

The EIB is the world’s biggest multilateral financial institution and one of the largest providers of climate finance.

 

It signed a framework agreement on financial cooperation with Vietnam in 1997. So far, the bank and the Vietnamese Government have signed five agreements, including two on environmental credit and three on metro projects./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Posted on

Thailand to tighten visa extension rules

The Immigration Bureau of Thailand has announced that it will tighten its visa extension rules to prevent foreign criminals from establishing businesses in the country.

 

The bureau’s chief, Pol Lt Gen Pakpoompipat Sajjapan, said that his bureau has been strict about visa approvals over the past year because it is aware that foreign criminals could use loopholes in existing rules, or some immigration police might be lax in checking some foreigners’ documents.

 

Therefore, there will be a working group to revise rules on visa extension applications that cite work for foundations, the need to receive medical treatment, and for studying in both the formal and informal educational systems, he stressed.

 

Foreigners who stay in Thailand with student visas must have certificates from educational institutions, and educational institutions must do this right, he said, adding that the bureau’s regulations are already comprehensive but all other organisations related to foreigners’ visa extensions must cooperate closely./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

Posted on

Vietnam Airlines resumes Hong Kong-Hanoi route after nearly three years

 

Flight VN 593 of Vietnam Airlines departed from Hong Kong (China) to Hanoi on December 11 afternoon, marking the first regular flight between the two sides after nearly 3 years of interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Initially, the national flag carrier will re-operate the route with a frequency of three round-trip flights per week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays.

 

Vietnam Airlines is the first Vietnamese carrier to reopen regular commercial flights with Hong Kong.

 

Ngo Tri Hung, chief of the airline’s branch in Hong Kong, said that it will consider increasing the frequency of flights when Hong Kong’s pandemic prevention and control policies are loosened further.

 

Vietnam Airlines’ return flights between Hong Kong and Hanoi were suspended from February 6, 2020, due to Hong Kong’s strict COVID-19 prevention and control policy.

 

In March this year, the carrier resumed flights from Hong Kong to Ho Chi Minh City, and increased the frequency in late November./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Posted on

Thailand to boost exports to CLMV countries in 2023

Thailand has set up war rooms staffed by senior officials of the Ministry of Commerce and representatives from private organisations to spur exports, tackle obstacles to trade, and curb the negative impact of a global economic slowdown in 2023.

 

They agreed on cooperation to tap three high-potential markets, namely the Middle East, South Asia, and CLMV (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam), Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said after a recent meeting of representatives from the Thai Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Thai Industries, the Thai National Shippers’ Council, the Thai Bankers’ Association, and the Federation of Thai SMEs.

 

Thailand’s exports to the three markets are expected to reach 1.7 trillion THB (49 billion USD) this year and 2 trillion THB in 2023.

 

The minister said in the Middle East, Thailand is targeting Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, with a view to exporting food, auto parts, air conditioners and construction materials. It looks to raise shipments to these three countries in 2023 by 15.7% to 10.3 billion USD, up from an estimated 8.9 billion USD this year.

 

For South Asia, the targets are India, Bangladesh and Nepal. The goal is to increase revenue by 10% next year to 13.2 billion USD from an estimated 12 billion USD in 2022. Key exports include chemicals, plastic pellets, automobiles and auto parts.

 

Meanwhile, Thailand aims for export growth of 10-15% in the CLMV market next year, from 28 billion USD to 33.5 billion USD, with key export products including construction materials, electrical appliances, and plastics, according to the official.

 

Its Commerce Ministry also vows to stimulate border trade in 2023, particularly for food, fruit and vegetables.

 

For the first 10 months of 2022, Thai exports expanded by 9.1% to 243 billion USD, and imports 18.3% to 259 billion USD, resulting in a trade deficit of 15.5 billion USD./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

Posted on

Thailand welcomes 10 millionth foreign tourist arrival in 2022

 

Thailand held celebrations to welcome foreign visitors at seven airports and two immigration checkpoints on December 10 as it recorded 10 million foreign tourist arrivals for 2022.

 

The Thai Tourism and Sports Ministry organised the “Amazing Thailand 10 Million Celebrations” event to highlight the steady revival of the economically vital industry after a COVID-induced downturn.

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was at Suvarnabhumi airport, where two passengers from a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight were singled out for 200,000 THB (about 5,770 USD).

 

The PM said: “We would like to build confidence that Thailand is still one of the (top) tourist destinations of people around the world.”

 

Other celebrations also took place at Don Mueang, U-Tapao Rayong-Pataya, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi and Samui airports, along with the Sadao and Nong Khai border checkpoints./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Posted on

Vietnam logs 231 new COVID-19 cases on December 11

 

The national COVID-19 caseload rose to 11,520,639 with 231 new cases recorded on December 11, according to the Ministry of Health.

 

With 48 patients given the all-clear during the day, the number of recoveries rose to 10,609,621.

 

Meanwhile, there are 47 patients needing breathing support.

 

No death from COVID-19 was recorded in the past 24 hours. The total fatalities stood at 43,178.

 

With 9,015 doses administered on December 10, the total number of doses of COVID-19 vaccines injected rose to 264,913,691./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

Posted on

PM calls for Netherlands’ assistance in hi-tech park development

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited Brainport Eindhoven, considered the Silicon Valley of Europe, in Eindhoven city of the Netherlands’ North Brabant province on December 11, as part of his official visit to the European country.

 

There, he had working sessions with leaders of North Brabant province, Brainport Eindhoven, and major enterprises.

 

Talking to Vice Governor of North Brabant Martijn van Gruijthuijsen and other participants, PM Chinh said over the last nearly 50 years, Vietnam and the Netherlands have enjoyed flourishing cooperation in most aspects, including highly fruitful partnerships in climate change fight, between Binh Duong province and Eindhoven city, between the Becamex corporation and Brainport in smart city building, and between An Giang and North Brainport provinces.

 

There are three models that Vietnam wishes to learn from the Netherlands, namely the airport, seaport, and Brainport models, he said, noting that the Netherlands has turned from an agricultural country into an industrialised one based on innovation and smart services.

 

He called on the European country to help Vietnam build an innovation and startup centre in Hanoi similar to Brainport Industries Campus in Eindhoven city, from planning, making mechanisms and policies, mobilising resources for centre development, to training and attracting high-quality manpower to the centre.

 

The PM expressed his hope that after his visit to the Netherlands, relations between the two countries will be elevated to a new height, with more strides recorded in connections between their localities, ministries, and sectors, including between Brainport Industries Campus and Vietnam.

 

In Brainport Eindhoven, PM Chinh also met executives of some Dutch enterprises to discuss innovation and high-tech manufacturing./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

Posted on

PM Pham Minh Chinh visits North Brabant province of Netherlands

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited North Brabant province of the Netherlands on December 11, as part of his official visit to the European country.

 

In North Brabant, he visited Eindhoven city and the innovative technology region of Brainport Eindhoven, met Vice Governor of the province Martijn van Gruijthuisen, and had a working session with some hi-tech enterprises of the Netherlands.

 

He said he is impressed with socio-economic development achievements of North Brabant – one of the most industrially developed provinces in the Netherlands, and Eindhoven city – the biggest technology, innovation, research, and higher education centre of the country.

 

PM Chinh affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to the comprehensive partnership with the Netherlands and supports stronger connections in trade and investment between the two countries’ localities.

 

He highly valued the close cooperation between Eindhoven and Vietnam’s Binh Duong province, an industrial hub in the south of the country, particularly in science – technology, infrastructure development, and education – training, helping the Vietnamese locality obtain important results in smart city building.

 

The government leader asked North Brabant to expand cooperation with Vietnamese localities in terms of developing hi-tech parks, the Triple Helix model (cooperation among administration, enterprises, and universities/research institutes), smart cities, science – technology, and microchip manufacturing.

 

Vice Governor Gruijthuisen said North Brabant is ready to share development experience and strengthen ties with Southeast Asia, especially Vietnam – a partner of leading importance of the Netherlands.

 

Speaking highly of the close links between Eindhoven and Binh Duong, he agreed with his guest’s opinions and affirmed the willingness to continue working closely with Binh Duong and expand relations with other localities of Vietnam.

 

He also pledged to encourage enterprises of North Brabant to boost investment in Vietnam in the fields they are strong in such as digital transformation, green transition, innovation, and smart city building./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency