Vietnam’s agricultural sector records progress Over the past years, Vietnam’s agricultural sector has reaped marked achievements, helping ensure national food security. Vietnamese staples such as coffee, rice, rubber, cashew nuts, pepper, fruit, seafood, wood and timber products have gained firm foothold in the global market. Statistics show that the sector’s gross domestic product (GDP) grows about 2.5 percent while its production value expands by 2.73 percent each year. During the 2013-2017 period, the sector’s total export turnover reached 153 billion USD, with 36.2 billion USD earned in 2017. Seven out of the 10 major products saw export turnover exceeding 1 billion USD. To create impressive changes in agricultural production, the Vietnam Farmers’ Union (VFU) has signed a cooperation programme with the Ministry of Science and Technology, under which the two sides join hands in implementing scientific and technological tasks … [Read more...] about BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 12/12
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BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 21/11
Price Waterhouse Cooper’s (PwC) 2018 Global Economic Crime and Fraud Survey in Vietnam finds that 52% of Vietnamese enterprises had experienced economic crime in the past two years. This is the first PwC survey in Vietnam. According to the survey, this crime rate is higher than the average in Asia-Pacific's 46% and the global rate of 49%. Even though 40% of the asked people said they hadn't encountered any criminals, it's highly likely that the crimes just haven't been exposed yet. The most common crime in Vietnam is embezzlement with 40% votes and bribes and corruption with 36%. 11% of the asked people don't know or don't want to say. About 53% of the criminals in major cases are insiders with 61% of them are low-level or middle-level managers. 32% of the surveyed said they suffered more than USD100,000 in damage not to mention damage to reputation and business relations. Marcus Paciocco from PwC Vietnam said some measurable financial losses included legal costs or actual loss … [Read more...] about BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 21/11
Tax collection from tech-based business activities faces difficulties
Tax collection from tech-based business activities faces difficultiesThe Saigon Times Daily GrabBike service is popular in HCMC. National Assembly deputies said tax collection from tech-based business operations such as ride-hailing service and online sale is tough due to the lack of regulations governing these new types of business - PHOTO: THANH HOA HCMC – National Assembly deputies at a discussion on the draft amendment of the law on tax administration said tax collection from technology-based business operations such as ride-hailing service and online sale is tough due to the lack of regulations governing these new types of business, Dan Tri news site reported. Speaking at the discussion, deputy Huynh Thanh Chung, chairman of the Young Entrepreneurs Association of Binh Duong Province, mentioned tax collection from ride-hailing firms like Grab, stressing the need for a formula for tax calculation to minimize losses for tax collection and at the same time facilitate the … [Read more...] about Tax collection from tech-based business activities faces difficulties
BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 23/10
Vietnam, EU reiterate commitment to trade, investment deals The Vietnamese Government and the European Commission (EC) have pledged to carry out the Europe-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the Investment Protection Agreement (IPA) in a timely and effective manner. The commitment is expressed in a joint statement issued by Vietnam’s Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh and European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Cecilia Malmström following their meeting on October 19 in Brussels on the sidelines of the 12th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit (ASEM 12). The statement said the Vietnamese Government is preparing plans to fulfill obligations under the free trade agreements while the EC stands ready to support the necessary reforms and adjustments through technical assistance. Both sides acknowledged the relevance of the trade and sustainable development chapter of the FTA and agreed to jointly promote initiatives in this field, including the ratification of the … [Read more...] about BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 23/10
BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 6/9
SSI upgrades stock board and order services for Web Trading SSI Web Trading, an online trading service from Saigon Securities, has upgraded its online stock board and updated two more conditional orders for derivative trading. The two new orders, namely OCO and Bull & Bear, are the two most useful orders in derivative trading. With this upgrade, all market data displayed on the board and order screen will be updated consecutively and immediately, helping investors track stock prices and follow transactions quickly and accurately. In June, SSI also upgraded its Web Trading by adding four more types of conditional orders. The continuous upgrades to the platform demonstrates SSI’s efforts in providing diversified, efficient trading tools for profit maximisation and risk prevention for clients when practicing derivative trading. With two new conditional orders, OCO and Bull & Bear, SSI has six types of conditional orders, including Up, Down, Trance Up, … [Read more...] about BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 6/9
Social News 2/8
Second Ngoc Linh ginseng festival opens in Quang Nam The second Ngoc Linh ginseng festival began in the mountainous district of Nam Tra My, the central province of Quang Nam on August 1. The festival featured a procession of Ngoc Linh ginseng symbol, a fair showcasing ginseng and signature farm produce from local mountainous districts, a photo exhibition on Ngoc Linh ginseng and music performances. Ngoc Linh ginseng is a rare medicine containing 52 sanopin compounds helpful to health. As many as 779 households in Tra Linh, Tra Nam and Tra Cang communes are growing the ginseng in forests on an area of over 932ha. In June 2017, Ngoc Linh ginseng was named in the list of national products by the Prime Minister. It has not only improved lives of local famers in Nam Tra My but also protected local primeval forests. Many people have become billionaires thanks to high economic value of the variety. The province has zoned off over 15,000 ha for Ngoc Linh ginseng … [Read more...] about Social News 2/8
BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 2/8
Can Tho invites investors to investment promotion conferenceThe Mekong Delta city of Can Tho will hold an investment promotion conference on August 10, inviting investors for 54 projects worth nearly 124 trillion VND (5.44 billion USD). At a press conference on the conference on August 1, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Vo Thanh Thong said investors have already expressed interest in 44 out of the 54 projects on offer, and some are ready to start work immediately on 22 projects. He added that some projects attracted two or more investors, so the city will set criteria to select the best among them. Among the 54 projects, 21 are in real estate, 9 in culture-sports and tourism, 9 in agricultural and industrial infrastructure, 8 in transport, 4 in logistics and power, 2 in cultural-sport and health care infrastructure and 1 in information technology. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc is expected to deliver a keynote speech and chair the conference, … [Read more...] about BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 2/8
BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 1/8
Vinh Phuc seeks investment from S Korea The northern province of Vinh Phuc promoted its potential and called for investment at a conference held in Gyeonggi Province in South Korea on Friday. Speaking before an audience of South Korean businesspeople, Chairman of Vinh Phuc provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Tri highlighted the province’s convenient location in Viet Nam’s northern key economic zone and favourable natural conditions suitable for industry, tourism and hi-tech agriculture. He informed the South Korean business circle that the province has made efforts to streamline its administrative procedures, upgrade infrastructure, especially at industrial zones, and train the local labour force. The provincial leader reported that Vinh Phuc is now home to more than 300 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects, including many run by South Korean corporations such as Partron Vina, Haesung Vina, Bangjoo and Interflex. Several more South Korean … [Read more...] about BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 1/8
Social News 30/3
Fire threat stalks Bình Dương wood workshops Many woodwork plants in Bình Dương Province face a high risk of fire since they lack proper prevention equipment. —Photo: thanhnien.vn With the year just three months old there have already been fires at many wood processing workshops in Bình Dương Province, which have caused injuries to people and damaged properties. Recently there have been several fires in Tân Uyên town that caused serious damage with thousand of square metres of workshops burnt down and several businesses going bankrupt as a result. In February a fire destroyed a 1000sq.m facility belonging to Mỹ Nghệ wood processing workshop in Thuận An town. The province has more than 600 woodwork facilities, but only 10 per cent of them have effective fire prevention equipment. Though losses caused by fire are huge, most businesses, with an eye on cost, fail to invest in fire prevention equipment. … [Read more...] about Social News 30/3
Social News 29/1
Exhibition praises victory of 1968 Tet OffensiveCommando Ba Mu (whose real name is Do Van Can) disguised himself as a rubber latex collector to fool the enemy. He used a tricycle to transport weapons to serve the South Vietnam liberation forces during the 1968 Tet Offensive.The tricycle is on display at exhibition that has opened in Hanoi.Entitled The Epic of the 1968 Tet Offensive, the exhibition celebrates the 50th anniversary of the victory of the campaign.The exhibition displays more than 300 images, documents and objects. Ba Mu’s tricycle is one among many objects showcased to the public for the first time.The exhibition is divided into three parts: devotion for the battlefield, the historical turning point and echoes of the epic. They depict the determination of Vietnamese people and soldiers in fighting for peace and liberation.“The Military History Museum of Vietnam organised the exhibition with the aim of asserting the historical magnitude and significance of the … [Read more...] about Social News 29/1