M&A makes up majority of foreign capital inflows Some US$6 billion out of US$7.63 billion in foreign investment capital pledged to HCMC last year came from capital contributions, share acquisitions and purchases of stakes from domestic businesses. HCMC vice chairman Le Thanh Liem said at a conference in Binh Duong Province on February 14 that the pledged investment capital from foreign investors for HCMC last year picked up by 15.59% against the previous year. Of these, there were 1,060 new projects, with total registered capital of US$811.68 million, and 244 projects with additional capital of over US$835 million. Last year also saw 3,283 cases in which foreign investors received approval to contribute capital, buy shares and contribute capital to domestic firms, with registered capital totalling US$5.99 billion. With these results, HCMC received around 60% of foreign capital. According to Liem, the 2014 investment law has provided a favorable legal corridor for foreign investors … [Read more...] about BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 19/2
Online intellectual property law courses
Streamlining conditions for foreign investment
Manfred Otto, senior associate at Duane Morris Vietnam LLC Vietnam’s star is continuing to shine brightly into 2019. With a GDP steadily growing at roughly 7 per cent year-on-year, and with wind in its sails from the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), besides strong fundamentals, foreign investment is on an uptrend. While challenges remain, there is a window of opportunity for the country to bolster its position as an attractive investment destination. Vietnam has tremendously improved the conditions for international investors over the past decade, not only for foreign direct investment (FDI) in businesses, but also for indirect investment in the stock market. The top improvements made to growing FDI in recent years include reduced foreign ownership limits (FOLs), an improved business environment, and membership to major international trade agreements. Since joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2007, the country has lifted … [Read more...] about Streamlining conditions for foreign investment
BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 22/12
Experts want to reduce number of export inspections Experts have suggested changing the number of and the time spent for inspections of export activities, including customs clearance, to help reduce costs for enterprises. Speaking at a seminar held in Ho Chi Minh on December 20, Tran Ngoc Liem, deputy director of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) HCM City, said that overlapping inspection procedures were causing problems for enterprises. The General Department of Vietnam Customs said that procedures accounted for up to 50 percent of customs clearance time. Many shipments have been inspected, but still have not been cleared, it said. Even after three months, State agencies are still conducting inspection checks. Phan Duc Hieu, deputy head of the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM), said the proportion of imports and exports subject to specialised inspections at customs clearance was up to 30-35 percent and would be reduced to 15 percent under a … [Read more...] about BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 22/12
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
BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 17/10
Hanoi Gift Show 2018 to draw more than 250 exhibitors Local airlines increase aircraft fleet Data from the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) show that the number of aircraft registered in Vietnam amounted to 175 as of September, up 14% year-on-year. Cat Lai customs work with 58 shipping firms over waste imports Customs officials at HCMC's Cat Lai Port have worked with representatives of 58 shipping companies that have transported over 3,000 containers of scrap to the port to determine their responsibilities and brief them of the Prime Minister’s Directive 27 on solutions to enhance control over imported waste, Thanh Nien newspaper reported, citing Pham Thi Leo, deputy head of Saigon Port Area 1 Customs Office. Leo said the customs agency was cooperating with these shipping companies in line with the 2014 Customs Law and 2005 Maritime Law. Shipping companies were asked to carry ineligible scrap imports out of Vietnam. They must assume responsibility for the waste … [Read more...] about BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 17/10
BUSINESS IN BRIEF 4/7
Vietnam Airlines adopts QR Pay Vietnam Airlines has signed a deal with Việt Nam Payment Solution Joint Stock Company (VNPAY) – the biggest QR code payment firm in Viet Nam, to apply QR code technology for online ticket bookings. With the deal, Vietnam Airlines becomes a pioneer in Việt Nam’s aviation sector by using QR codes for online ticket booking at :vietnamairlines.com Customers will have a new, safer and more convenient way to pay for their flights. Accordingly, QR Pay will be implemented both online and at Vietnam Airlines’ official ticket office system nationwide from the beginning of this month. After successfully booking their tickets, customers will be able to use the QR code to pay without entering bank account of card information. The QR Pay system ensures safety thanks to two-factor verification including mobile banking sign in and one-time pass (OTP) through SMS or fingerprint verification. Payments via smartphones have risen in the last … [Read more...] about BUSINESS IN BRIEF 4/7
BUSINESS IN BRIEF 30/3
Vietnam Airlines marks new step in Russian market The first flight using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft of national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines arrived at Domodedovo airport in Moscow, Russia, on March 27 (local time). Speaking at the welcome ceremony, Chief Representative of Vietnam Airlines in Russia Le Thanh Dung said the airline is striving to meet demand of passengers in Russia, adding that the airlines will operate new routes linking Vietnam and Russia in the future. Meanwhile, Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manh congratulated Vietnam Airlines on using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner for the Hanoi-Moscow air route, contributing to the enhancement of the partnership between Vietnam and Russia, especially in tourism and people-to-people exchanges. Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner can carry up to 311 passengers and saves 20 percent of fuel compared to previous generations of aircraft. Vietnam Airlines was recognised as a 4-star airline for two consecutive years in 2016 and 2017 by the … [Read more...] about BUSINESS IN BRIEF 30/3