The second annual meeting of the AIIB's board of governors in 2017 (Source: Yonhap/VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), a multilateral development bank, has helped many Asian countries have better infrastructure, deeper regional integration, and accelerated poverty reduction, said an official from the bank. According to Supee Teravaninthorn, Director General of AIIB's Investment Operations Department, the bank has mainly focused on promoting sustainable infrastructure, regional connectivity and private capital mobilisation over the last two years. In the first year of operation in 2016, AIIB approved an investment of 1.7 billion USD for nine infrastructure projects in seven countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Tajikistan, Indonesia, Myanmar, Azerbaijan and Oman, she said. In 2017, another 2.5-billion-USD investment was approved by the bank for Egypt, Georgia, India, the Philippines, and China, she added. She noted that for … [Read more...] about AIIB helps develop sustainable infrastructure in Asia
Cities in asia
Two Vietnamese listed among 100 top scientists in Asia
Singaporean-based Asian Scientist Magazine has named two Vietnamese – Professor Phan Thanh Son Nam and Associate Professor Nguyen Sum – in its recently published list of 100 leading scientists in Asia. Two Vietnamese listed among 100 top scientists in Asia Professor Phan Thanh Son Nam, Dean of the Faculty of Chemical Engineering at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (National University – HCM City), was one of two scientists awarded the 2017 Ta Quang Buu Awards for his work on molecular catalysts in organic transformation. Born in 1977, Nam completed his doctoral degree for Chemical and Biological Engineering at the UK-based University of Sheffield and post-doctoral degree at the US-based Georgia Institute of Technology. He obtained the professor level in 2014, at 36, becoming the youngest professor in Vietnam at the time. Associate Professor Nguyen Sum at the Quy Nhon University was the other laureate of the 2017 Ta Quang Buu Awards for his … [Read more...] about Two Vietnamese listed among 100 top scientists in Asia
Four Vietnamese startup founders listed in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in Asia
Four Vietnamese men have broken into this year's 30 Under 30 in Asia, an annual list compiled by Forbes to recognize the most influential people in Asia across various categories. They are Nguyen Van Quang Huy, Pham Anh Duc, Luu The Loi and Victor Tran. Huy, 28, from Ho Chi Minh City is named in the enterprise technology category. Nguyen Van Quang Huy in a photo posted on the Holistics Software Facebook page. He is the founder of Holistics Software which provides data infrastructure services and business intelligence for companies. The startup is now operating across Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia. Huy also cofounded the non-profit Grokking Vietnam, which develops a community of programmers and engineers in Vietnam through talks, workshops and training. Pham Anh Duc is co-founder and CEO of online healthcare discovery and listing platform ViCare.vn, and is named in the healthcare & science category. Pham Anh Duc in a photo posted on his own Facebook page. The 29-year-old … [Read more...] about Four Vietnamese startup founders listed in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in Asia
Maritime patrol aircraft seen as key in Asia, but buyers elusive
When Boeing's P-8A Poseidon first arrived at the Singapore Airshow two years ago, it caused a stir. Defense buyers around the region were intrigued by the new aircraft, which was touted as reliable, capable and absolutely necessary in a region abundant with naval tension, both above and below the water. In 2018, the need has grown. China has spent the last few years building up military installations around the East Sea, internationally known as the South China Sea, and its submarines are prowling farther afield, stoking Asian interest in planes that can sweep large swathes of ocean. The number of offerings on the market has grown too, but the cost of such specialized aircraft has kept the purchases relatively small for now. "Special-mission aircraft are a strategic asset," said Avishai Izhakian, Israel Aerospace Industry's (IAI) deputy general manager for airborne systems and radars, explaining why sales of such planes have remained elusive. "As such, the procurement process is … [Read more...] about Maritime patrol aircraft seen as key in Asia, but buyers elusive
Low-cost Jetstar Pacific aims to fly high in Asia
Low-cost Jetstar Pacific aims to fly high in AsiaBy Mong Binh - The Saigon Times DailyHCMC - Jetstar Pacific will take Thailand’s Bangkok and Cambodia’s Siem Reap as the first foreign destinations to develop its Asia network, according to the carrier’s chief executive officer.Luong Hoai Nam said in a statement yesterday that Bangkok and Siem Reap were emerging markets in Asia. “Siem Reap and Bangkok are major tourism markets, with existing and projected strong future growth in passenger volume between these destinations and Vietnam.”Nam stressed both cities represented the logical first stage in Jetstar Pacific’s international growth plans, supported by its future fleet of A320s and its shareholders including the Qantas Group.Qantas which already has an 18% stake in Vietnam’s first low-cost carrier will increase its ownership percentage to 30% by 2010 under a US$50-million agreement that the Australian group clinched with Jetstar … [Read more...] about Low-cost Jetstar Pacific aims to fly high in Asia
Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City among 10 cheapest cities in SE Asia
Sai Gon Post Office. Source: vietnamtourist.com The 2018 Cost of Living Index released by www.numbeo.com ranks Ho Chi Minh City ninth in the region and the capital eighth. The survey has taken into account several factors like the cost of restaurants, house renting, groceries and others to come up with the average index for the cost of living in 27 major cities in Southeast Asia. Source: VNA … [Read more...] about Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City among 10 cheapest cities in SE Asia
Hanoi, HCM City among 10 cheapest cities in SE Asia
International tourists in Hanoi (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam’s two main cities have made the list of top 10 cities for budget-conscious backpackers in Southeast Asia for 2018 drawn up by Numbeo, the world’s largest database of user-contributed data providing information on the cost of living world-wide. The 2018 Cost of Living Index released by www.numbeo.com ranks Ho Chi Minh City ninth in the region and the capital eighth. The survey has taken into account several factors like the cost of restaurants, house renting, groceries and others to come up with the average index for the cost of living in 27 major cities in Southeast Asia. - VNA … [Read more...] about Hanoi, HCM City among 10 cheapest cities in SE Asia
Hanoi, HCMC among cheapest cities in Southeast Asia
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Hanoi was ranked in seventh place and Ho Chi Minh City in ninth place in the Cost of Living Index 2018 conducted by Numero, a global database providing indexes on living standards in major cities around the world. Two on list from Numero on cheapest regional cities to live in. Photo: Bestie.vn The list is based on the cost of restaurants, house rentals, groceries, and local purchasing power, etc., which were compared to those in New York City, which has 100 points. It was conducted on 27 cities in the region. Hanoi has a lower cost of living than Ho Chi Minh City, with 39.89 points compared to 41.28. The cost of house rentals and groceries in Ho Chi Minh City is also higher than in Hanoi, with 18.81 and 42.17 points compared to 14.56 and 40.28 points, respectively. Purchasing power of local people in Ho Chi Minh City is 36.02 points, also much higher than in Hanoi, with 27.09 points. The only index where Hanoi was higher than in Ho Chi Minh City was restaurant costs, at 22.71 … [Read more...] about Hanoi, HCMC among cheapest cities in Southeast Asia
Two train trips among Top 10 journeys in Asia
Travelling by train to relax and enjoy the view out the window is a pleasure for many travelers, and two train routes in Vietnam with stunning views were recently selected among the ten best train journeys in Asia by the UK-based newspaper The Telegraph. Hanoi - HCMC and Hanoi - Kunming listed in Top 10 best train journeys in Asia by UK's The Telegraph newspaper. Photo: Lonely Planet Taking 36 hours, the Reunification Express connects Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and reveals the beautiful natural and rural areas Vietnam boasts. The 1,600-km (1,000-mile) journey passes through a pastoral parade of pagodas, paddies and farmers wearing conical hats, together with beaches and mountains, The Telegraph wrote. Moreover, travelers can hop off along the way to relax at beach resorts in Nha Trang and the endless swathes of sand in Da Nang, Vietnam’s third-largest city, where they can also take in the beautiful Chinese, European, Japanese and Vietnamese architecture in the World … [Read more...] about Two train trips among Top 10 journeys in Asia
Việt Nam ranks 2nd in Asia in relationship fulfilment: survey
HCM CITY — Việt Nam took second spot out of nine Asian countries and territories surveyed for the 2017 Prudential Relationship Index, which was released in HCM City on Saturday. It got a PRI score of 79/100, a four-point decrease from the previous survey in 2016, indicating that relationships fulfil 79 per cent of people’s needs and expectations. While having easygoing and supportive partners continued to be important to Vietnamese, the survey revealed that humour plays a significant role in relationships, with 66 per cent of those surveyed wanting to find a partner who makes them laugh or smile. People in Việt Nam are increasingly conscious about the effect of technology on their lives and personal relationships. Sixty two per cent believed that the time spent on smart phones has a negative impact on their dynamics with the family – the highest proportion of all the markets surveyed. According to the study, children were the leading cause of arguments … [Read more...] about Việt Nam ranks 2nd in Asia in relationship fulfilment: survey