Trade – Investment

On April 26th, Saigon Transportation Mechanical Corporation (Samco) coordinated with the Ho Chi Minh city People’s Committee to begin construction of the new Southern Coach Station.

Total newly-licensed and increased capital and capital contribution and share purchase of foreign investors reached USD10.95 billion in the first four months of 2017, a year-on-year rise of 40.5%, reported the Ministry of Planning and Investment’s Foreign Investment Agency.

The export value of agro-forestry-aquatic products reached USD10.8 billion in the first four months of 2017, a year-on-year surge of 9.1 percent, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

(CPV) - Viettel Global Investment JSC organized a shareholders' meeting on April 25th to approve its business plan in 2017, aiming to reach total revenue nearly USD1.4 billion with over 50 million costumers.

Vietcombank Thu Thiem and Indovina Bank have signed a credit deal with Van Phu Bac Ai Joint Stock Company to provide finance for the construction of a section from Pham Van Dong street to Go Dua - National Highway 1 intersection in Thu Duc district.

(CPV) - The International exhibition on technology, equipment and service in food, tourism and hotel industry (Food and Hotel Vietnam 2017) is being held from April 25th to 27th at Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC).

Vietnam is targeting keeping public debt, comprising central government debt, government-backed loans, and local government debt, below 65 percent of GDP between 2016 and 2018.

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has suggested Ireland prompt the European Union (EU) to soon sign and ratify the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UVFTA) and recognise Vietnam’s market economy.

The turnover of foreign-invested firms continues to dominate Vietnamese exports despite a decline seen in the first half of April, latest statistics show.

Exports will be one of the key factors to help Vietnam achieve an economic growth rate of 6.7 percent in 2017, but the sector still faces many challenges, according to the Market Intello research company.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the US Department of Agriculture has announced its official approval for imports of fresh star apples from Vietnam into the market.

A Vietnam - Iran business forum was held in Hanoi on April 20th with a view to fostering the two countries’ friendship and economic-trade partnership.

Prime Minister (PM) Nguyen Xuan Phuc has consented with the adjustment of the industrial zones (IZ) development scheme in Da Nang by 2020.

The 2017 Vietnamese high-quality goods fair, themed “Shopping Week and Festival”, will be held from April 27th to May 2nd at Phu Tho gymnasium in Ho Chi Minh city to serve the shopping demand during the national holidays on April 30th -May 1st.

The Vietbuild Da Nang International Exhibition and Vietnam Architecture Festival 2017 kicked off in the central city of Da Nang on April 19th with the participation of nearly 300 domestic and foreign enterprises.

The Ho Chi Minh city People’s Committee has sent a petition to the government leader to ask for his approval for the policy of investing and building Thu Thiem 4 bridge under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) type (Build-Transfer contract).

(CPV) – The Mekong Business Initiative (MBI) and the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) have announced that 11 innovative tourism startups from Viet Nam have qualified for the Mekong Innovative Startup Tourism (MIST) Startup Accelerator program.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has decided to conduct a pilot establishment of Bac Ninh provincial Public Administration Centre.

On April 18th, the 10th Asia-Pacific Cooperative Minister’s Conference on the vision ahead to 2030 opened in Hanoi, with the participation of more than 500 domestic and foreign participants.

(CPV) – The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has granted establishment license to the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV) - SuMi Trust Financial Leasing Company (BSL) on the basis of converting BIDV one-member limited liability Financial Leasing Company.

The Da Nang city People’s Committee has approved seven locations for planning hi-tech agricultural production in Hoa Vang district.

The Ho Chi Minh city People’s Committee has proposed the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and Ministry of Finance approve the addition of more than VND48.762 trillion of medium-term ODA capital for the 2016-2020 period, in which VND8 trillion is for 2017.

(CPV) - The World Bank (WB) approved a USSD102 million loan to Vietnam to support the effort of industrial enterprises to adopt energy-efficiency technologies and practices.

Vietnam spends more than USD230 million importing fruits and vegetable in the first three months, a 47% rise over a year earlier, according to statistics of the General Department of Customs.

The Mekong Times, under the Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia Association for Economic Cooperation Development (VILACAED), organised a conference on measures to boost Vietnam’s economy in 2017 in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on April 15th.

Vietnam earned USD6.84 billion from garment and textile exports in the first quarter of this year, a rise of 11.2 percent year on year, according to the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS).

A number of mobile stores in Hanoi began removing Apple’s “half-eaten apple” logo from their shop banners following the US tech company’s request sent to Vietnamese mobile traders recently.

The land accumulation process should not deprive farmers of their livelihoods and force them into unemployment, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung said at a conference in Vinh Phuc province on April 14th.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV) to continue taking the pioneer role in supporting businesses to expand investment abroad, especially in Laos and Cambodia, and become a leading commercial bank in the region.

Vietnam welcomes the US General Electric (GE) Group’s plan to expand its investment in energy, aviation, and medical equipment in Vietnam, which are sectors in need of foreign investment, President Tran Dai Quang said.