Month: January 2023

 

Under the sound leadership of the Party Central Committee and with the motto “Solidarity, discipline, active adaptation, safety, efficiency and economic recovery”, the Government and the entire country have overcome challenges and reaped achievements in all spheres, laying foundation for 2023 and subsequent years.

 

With COVID-19 under control, the macro-economy remained stable, inflation below 4% and major balances of the economy guaranteed. The GDP grew 8.02%, higher than the set target of 6-6.5%. The disbursement of foreign direct investment hit nearly 21 billion USD, up over 8% annually.

 

Data from the General Department of Vietnam Customs showed that the country’s total export-import turnover went up 12.18% to around 750 billion USD. The results were impressive amid weakening growth, inflation and spiraling living costs in the world.

 

Economic sectors witnessed considerable growth, including agro-forestry-fisheries. Industrial production expanded by 8.6% in 11 months of 2022 while the total retail of goods and consumption services soared by 20.5%. As many as 195,000 new businesses entered the market, up 33.2% in volume.

 

Many countries, international organisations and prestigious financial institutions continued speaking highly of Vietnam’s efforts to perform macro-economic policies and overcome external shocks.

 

In the Global Innovation Index 2022, Vietnam ranked 48th out of 132 economies, second out of 36 low middle-income countries, and 10th out of 17 Southeast Asian and Pacific nations.

 

World top organisations Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings, Moody’s, and Fitch Ratings gave positive credit rankings for Vietnam. Notably, on September 6, Moody’s Investors Service upgraded Vietnam’s long-term issuer and senior unsecured ratings to Ba2 from Ba3 and changed the outlook to stable from positive. Vietnam was the only in Asia-Pacific and one of the four countries globally to have ratings upgraded by Moody’s at that time.

 

In addition to recovery, socio-economic growth, political security, as well as social safety and order were ensured; people’s life was improved; and defence-security was well maintained. In addition, the practical and effective promotion of diplomatic activities and integration helped consolidate Vietnam’s prestige and position in the international arena.

 

With a motto of leaving no one behind, the Government spent some 87 trillion VND (3.68 billion USD) on aiding close to 56 million employees and people as well as 730,000 employers affected by COVID-19. Meanwhile, sustainable poverty reduction was prioritised, with the rate of poor households estimated to drop by approximately 1%.

 

Deciding to reopen its door in the year, Vietnam successfully hosted the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31). The Vietnamese contingent reaped myriad medals and a high ranking on the tally, contributing to promoting the image of a friendly, safe, and energetic nation that is recovering strongly after the pandemic.

 

This year, the global situation is forecast to face more complicated developments, difficulties, and challenges than advantages and opportunities. With successes obtained in 2022, the Vietnamese Government is determined to boost concerted efforts for new achievements.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended and launched a groundbreaking ceremony for 12 components of the second phase of the north-south expressway project in the central province of Quang Ngai on January 1.

 

The 12 component projects cover a total length of 723.7km, of which the Ha Tinh-Quang Tri section is 260.9km, Quang Ngai-Nha Trang 352.1km and Can Tho-Ca Mau 110.9km.

 

The total investment is initially estimated at nearly 147 trillion VND (6.23 billion USD).

 

In order to complete the expressway construction from the northern border province of Lang Son to the southernmost province of Ca Mau by 2025, PM Chinh asked the Transport Ministry to direct all stakeholders to ensure the safety and quality of works with the highest sense of responsibility.

 

Ministries, centrally-run agencies and authorities of 32 provinces must work closely with the Transport Ministry to tackle arising difficulties and complete the project on schedule.

 

On the occasion, the PM also launched the emulation month for the disbursement of public investment capital.

 

In the afternoon the same day, he visited the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) Quang Ngai based in Dung Quat Economic Zone and Binh Son Refining and Petrolchemical (BSR) factory in the province.

 

Covering a total area of 1,700ha, the VSIP Quang Ngai has so far drawn 32 investors, including 27 foreign investors from countries and territories, such as the US, Belgium, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Taiwan with a total investment of nearly 1 billion USD, generating jobs to around 30,000 workers.

 

PM Chinh agreed to allow Quang Ngai to build the VSIP 2 which must give priority to hi-tech areas, green and circularly economy, digital transformation and innovation.

 

At the BSR, Chinh said the Government will ask ministries and agencies to remove obstacles and expand the factory by late 2025 or early 2026, toward ensuring the supply of petrol across the country together with Nghi Son and Long Son petrolchemical refineries in Thanh Hoa and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces.

 

Operational since 2010, the BSR has a total investment of roughly 3 billion USD and an annual capacity of approximately 6.5 million tonnes. Last year, it churned out around 7 million tonnes of products of various kinds, earned a post-tax profit of some 13 trillion VND, added nearly 18.3 trillion VND to the State budget and employed around 1,500 workers./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Ambassadors of the US, India, Australia have expressed their optimism about relations with Vietnam this year across fields in their remarks for the New Year.

 

In an over-three-minute video clip sent to the press on the occasion, US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper said his first year as an ambassador has been hectic, but together we have achieved great things in 2022.

 

He highlighted many wonderful achievements in bilateral relations, including high-level meetings between Vietnamese and US leaders such as those within Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s trip to the US in May 2022 and the bilateral cooperation against the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Knapper mentioned the sides’ people-to-people exchanges, including US volunteers of the Peace Corp coming to Vietnam to teach English. With regard to educational cooperation, he said Vietnam currently ranked fifth among international student communities studying in the US.

 

The US will also continue its efforts to provide security assistance to Vietnam, said the ambassador, adding that last year saw the US training nearly 2,000 Vietnamese law enforcement and justice experts, and completing the construction of two training facilities, including one for fishery activities monitoring.

 

According to him, another notable point in the bilateral relationship was collaboration on climate change, typically a 36 million USD project to help accelerate Vietnam’s efforts for energy transition and net zero by 2050.

 

The amazing results of cooperation across various fields are testament to the fact that both sides are working strategically together to solve the most pressing issues, Knapper said, noting that he is looking forward to new gains that the sides will achieve together in 2023.

 

Meanwhile, Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Sandeep Arya is optimistic about cooperation between the two countries this year, especially in the economic field.

 

According to the diplomat, flourishing economic collaboration between the countries has been promoted and strengthened with efforts from both sides towards a milestone of 15 billion USD in two-way annual trade turnover.

 

With their strengths, Vietnam and India absolutely have many opportunities to open up the possibility of effective trade ties in the coming time, serving as a solid basis for lifting their comprehensive strategic partnership to new heights.

 

The ambassador also expressed his hope that next year, Vietnamese and Indian senior leaders will have high-level exchanges and interactions to further strengthen joint works, especially in the fields of infrastructure development, and digital transformation. Therefore, more businesses of the sides will cooperate, and more extensive commitments will be made in all fields, bringing mutual growth achievements to both countries.

 

Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew John Lech Goledznowski, for his part, said that Vietnam is a dynamic nation, full of optimism, and one of the fastest growing countries in the region. He expressed his wish to continue building and developing the Vietnam-Australia cooperation relationship, especially in the context that the two will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2023.

 

He said the past five decades have seen close people-to-people exchanges, and increasingly developed political, strategic, and economic collaboration between the nations, which share many similarities and mutual trust.

 

Australia wishes to work with Vietnam to maintain stability in the region, contributing to ensuring order and sovereignty of each country based on international law, he affirmed.

 

He said he wants to give boost to their mutual trust, and stressed the three promising areas for bilateral engagements, namely economy, education and innovation, and strategic cooperation and security issues./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Localities nationwide welcomed first New Year visitors on January 1.

 

At Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, the municipal Department of Tourism and national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines presented its domestic round-trip and business-class tickets to six lucky passengers chosen on Flight VN30 from Germany’s Frankfurt that landed in the city at 7:25am.

 

Budget Vietjet Air also gifted its round-trip tickets for international flights to five lucky passengers on Flight VJ841 from Taiwan (China) to the city at 8:50am the same day.

 

The TST Tourist Service & Trading Corporation also gave them vouchers of free entrance to Ao Dai Museum in the city.

 

Director of the municipal Tourism Department Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa said this year, the sector targets hosting 5 million foreigners, 35 million domestic visitors and earning 160 trillion VND from tourism.

 

In the northern province of Lao Cai, the provincial Department of Tourism and the provincial Tourism Association welcomed 400 passengers on the Hanoi – Lao Cai train SP3, including over 250 foreigners.

 

Director of the provincial Tourism Department Ha Van Thang said the activity aims to popularise the images of Lao Cai to international visitors, toward welcoming 6 million tourists and earning over 20 trillion VND in tourism revenue this year.

 

Vietnam Airlines’ first domestic flight with 165 passengers from Hanoi landed at Da Nang International Airport at 8:55am the same day. Meanwhile, Vietjet Air’s first international flight with 170 passengers on board departed from the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Incheon and arrived in Da Nang at 10am.

 

They were presented with flowers, gifts and enjoyed lion dances at the welcome ceremony.

 

Three passengers on the domestic flight received business-class tickets for domestic trips each while three others on the international flight also obtained international round-trip tickets.

 

Deputy Director of the municipal Tourism Department Nguyen Xuan Binh said in 2023, the city will develop MICE tourism and hold more international sport and cultural tourism activities to resume tourist arrivals in the city.

 

From December 30, 2022 till January 2, 2023, Da Nang plans to welcome around 395 flights with more than 58,000 passengers, including 236 domestic and 159 international flights.

 

At Cam Ranh International Airport, the Tourism Department of the south central coastal province of Khanh Hoa also greeted the first passengers on the Vietnam Airlines’ flight VN441 from the RoK with flowers, gifts, folk music and lion dance performances.

 

In the afternoon, the second flight DV5207, run by Scatt Airlines, brought 180 foreigners to the province at 1pm, mostly those from Kazakhstan, Russia and Uzbekistan.

 

Director of the provincial Tourism Department Nguyen Thi Le Thanh hoped that the event will help attract more tourists to Khanh Hoa which is known as a safe, friendly and attractive destination./.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

The Ministry of Public Security and Vietnam’s overseas representative agencies will add “place of birth” information in new passports from January 1, 2023, said the Vietnam Immigration Department.

 

Ordinary passports, issued before January 1, 2023 according to previously issued forms, are still valid until the expiry of the period stated in the passport.

 

Another change is that the “surname”, “middle name” and “first name” will be printed on two separate lines, making it easier for Vietnamese citizens while handling immigration and residence procedures abroad, said the department.

 

Each page of the new passport will feature the country’s iconic and heritage landscapes such as Ha Long Bay, Hue Imperial City, Hung Kings Temple, Hoi An Ancient Town, My Son Sanctuary, Nha Rong Wharf, Lung Cu Flag Tower, To Vo Gate – Ly Son Island, contributing to popularising Vietnam’s images to the world.

 

The move is in accordance with the Law on Entry and Exit of Vietnamese Citizens, the Civil Code and Law on Civil Status, and international practices used by most countries globally such as the US, the UK, France, Germany, Laos and Cambodia.

 

It is also meant to realise the Resolution adopted by the 15th National Assembly’s fourth session in November.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

National Tourism Year 2023 “Binh Thuan – Green convergence” was launched on December 31 evening in Phan Thiet city, the capital of the south central province of Binh Thuan.

 

More than 200 events will be organised during National Tourism Year 2023 including an international culinary festival, a rowing and canoeing competition, the national golf tournament, and the Binh Thuan golden tourism week.

 

Endowed with many natural advantages, including a coastline of more than 192 km, Binh Thuan, considered the “resort capital” of Vietnam, has become a familiar destination for tourists.

 

This land converges enough factors to develop a variety of products, resort tourism, excursions, recreational sports on the sea, sand dunes, adventure tourism, exploration of flora and fauna under the sea, cultural tourism, tours of beliefs associated with historical and cultural relics and special traditional festivals.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency

 

Despite being affected by general difficulties, the growth rate of the construction industry achieved about 8-8.5% this year, contributing to bringing the economy’s overall growth rate surpassing the 6-6.5% plan set by the Government.

 

Timely control of the real estate market is one of the recognised successes in the State management of the Ministry of Construction.

 

The Ministry of Construction has comprehensively assessed the market to point out the shortcomings and propose solutions to ensure the real estate market’s safe, healthy and sustainable development.

 

The Minister of Construction Nguyen Thanh Nghi has worked immediately with several localities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Can Tho, Hai Phong and real estate businesses to review, urge and guide to remove difficulties and obstacles in project implementation.

 

Along with regularly monitoring market developments, the Ministry of Construction proactively informs, forecasts and promptly takes measures to respond to abnormal market fluctuations, and promptly handles “hot” issues.

 

Typically, it has reported to the Prime Minister and the Standing Committee of the National Assembly’s Economic Committee on the impact of the unusually-high land use right auction winning results on the real estate market; proposed several solutions related to the amendment of policies and laws on auction and strengthen the management, inspection and handling of violations in the auction of land use rights in the localities.

 

In addition, the ministry coordinated with the State Bank of Vietnam to assess the situation and evolution of capital flows into the real estate market and propose appropriate solutions.

 

The real estate market has shown signs of recovery and development, with the total number of transactions of apartments, individual houses and land plots higher than last year.

 

The product absorption rate in most segments is high, and the rate of office vacancy and commercial space for rent gradually decreased.

 

The market has re-balanced between investment and business activities, and buying and selling for use. However, the market still faces a supply shortage in all product segments, an inappropriate structure of goods, a severe lack of affordable social and commercial housing, and high transaction prices.

 

Real estate supply is limited in all segments. Transaction prices in many segments remained at a high level at the end of the second quarter of this year, affecting the liquidity and trading volume of the market, especially the secondary market.

 

To “take the reins” of the real estate market, Minister Nghi requested to review and reduce procedures in the direction of reform to “open up” investment activities but still ensure compliance with legal regulations.

 

The minister asked to continue to study and develop mechanisms, policies and solutions to encourage and attract foreign investment into the real estate market in the coming time, overcome the supply-demand mismatch of real estate products, focus on promoting the development of real estate products to meet the significant needs of the society such as social housing, commercial housing at reasonable prices.

 

At the same time, he also noted to complete and regularly maintain information systems and databases on the housing and real estate market; regularly follows the real estate market situation to adjust and promptly remove difficulties caused by limitations and inadequacies of mechanisms, policies, laws; natural disasters; impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on real estate market; to ensure the stable and healthy development of the market.

 

These “supports” were the leverage to help the construction industry complete the year’s tasks and proactively identify the new year’s challenges to maintain a sustainable growth rate, said Nghi.

 

Source: Vietnam News Agency