Trade – Investment

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam reached USD3.4 billion in the first two months of the year, up 21.5 percent, compared to the same period last year, the Foreign Investment Agency’s latest statistics has revealed.

The Japanese Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank (SMTB) will own 49% of the shares of charter capital of the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam - BIDV Financial Leasing Company (BLC).

Vietnam lured 313 new projects with a registered capital of more than USD2.028 billion from start of the year to February 20th, a year-on-year rise of 6.5%, according to the latest figures of the Ministry of Planning and Investment’s Foreign Investment Agency (FIA).

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Public-Private Dialogue on Services took place in Nha Trang city, the central province of Khanh Hoa on February 23rd.

(CPV) - On long term investment in infrastructure, APEC Finance and Central Bank Deputies share their respective experience on challenges to PPP projects, notably on the risk allocation issues between the State and private investors and tools to mitigate and share risks, the role of private sector investors in PPP projects. The deputies also discussed ways to promote cooperation on the issue among

The first e-commerce platform (KIU) was officially launched at www.kiuasia.com on February 21st, in Hanoi with the aim of offering a bridge for commerce between Vietnamese enterprises and the rest of Southeast Asia.

About 76% of European companies expressed optimism about business prospects in Vietnam in 2017, higher than its Business Climate Index (BCI) survey for the fourth quarter of 2016.

Hanoi is calling for investment in 28 parks, amusement, fitness and sport areas in districts and town.

Total cashew export turnover is expected to hit USD3 billion this year, a year-on-year increase of USD160 million, according to the Vietnam Cashew Association.

Deputy Prime Minister (PM) Vuong Dinh Hue has signed Decision 239/QD-TTg recognizing Vinh city in the central province of Nghe An for fulfilling its duties of building new-style rural areas in 2016.

Denmark’s giant container vessel Margrethe Maersk arrived at Cai Mep International Port in the southern province of Ba Ria – Vung Tau on February 20th.

(CPV) - The APEC Workshop on Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance (DRFI) was held on February 21st 2017, in Nha Trang, back to back to the 2017 APEC Finance and Central Bank Deputies' Meeting and was chaired by Viet Nam's Ministry of Finance (jointly by the National Institute for Finance, Insurance Supervisory Authority and Public Assets Management Department).

Footwear export turnover bagged USD57.5 billion over the past six years, according to the recent statistics of the General Department of Customs for shipment of the commodity in the 2011-2016 period.

(CPV) – The Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV) has been named as Best Domestic Trade Finance Provider in Vietnam for 2017 by the UK-based financial magazine Euromoney.

Vietnam ranked 86th out of 118 countries and territories globally on the Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) report 2017.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has approved investment of Lotus Cam Ranh Golf Course project in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa.

Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue on February 18th officiated at a sod turning ceremony for a shipping container factory in Nghe An.

The PetroVietnam Gas Corporation (PV Gas) and the PetroVietnam Exploration Production Corporation (PVEP) inked on February 17th an agreement in principle on cooperation in developing phase II of the Su Tu Trang (White Lion) gas field.

A delegation of 20 Japanese businesses visited several farming and processing companies in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong on February 16th-17th as part of a business connectivity programme.

Import of autos less than 9 seats from ASEAN in January 2017 increased 233.8% from the previous month, according to preliminary statistics of General Department of Customs on February 13th.

The paucity of skilled IT (information technology) workers in the country was highlighted yesterday as the FPT Corporation opened its second software village, F-Ville 2, in Hanoi.

Shrimp export value is expected to hit USD3.4 billion in 2017, a 9% rise from the previous year, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors (VASEP).

Vietnam’s commodity export and import turnover reached more than USD27.53 billion in January 2017, down 18.2%, nearly USD6.13 billion, from a month earlier, according to statistics of the General Department of Customs.

Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh has just called on the Australian Government to soon lift its ban on prawn and uncooked shelled shrimp imports, saying that it poses negative impacts on Vietnam’s shrimp breeding and processing sector.

Vice Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee Le Van Khoa asked relevant departments to improve management and take measures to tackle factors that could create the conditions for a property market bubble.

A new government circular took effect on February 10th, allowing businesses to announce their level of energy efficiency and self-label their goods.

Companies in the southern province of Dong Nai need to find more than 30,000 new employees by the end of next month to make up for the shortage caused by the post-Tet staff turnover, according to the local Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs.

The Transport Ministry has declined to approve an Uber Vietnam request to pilot an IT upgrade for its services, citing, among other things, a lack of authorisation and validation from its parent firm.

Japan is expected to make strong investment in Vietnam in 2017, according to Cong Thuong (Industry & Trade) newspaper.

Vietnam will spend VND93 billion (USD4.1 million) on 199 trade promotion projects under the national trade promotion programme in 2017, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).