Vietnam Morning News For November 1

National Private Economic Development Research Board debuts
The National Private Economic Development Research Board made its debut in Hanoi on October 30.
— VietnamPlus

Vietnam spends $9.4bn on debts this year
VND79.9 trillion ($3.5 billion) was paid in interest and a further VND133.9 trillion ($5.9 billion) on principal, a General Statistics Office (GSO) report showed.
— VietnamNet Bridge

Vietnam fruit & veg export value increases 41% reaching $2.84bn
Vietnam witnessed a trade surplus of $1.23 billion so far this year, according to a report from the General Department of Customs.
— Fresh Plaza

Firms sprouting up nationwide
Over 105,000 new enterprises were set up nationwide in the first 10 months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 14.6 per cent.
— Viet Nam News

MoNRE looks to cut business conditions
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) has proposed the Government to shift one conditional business line, eliminate 36 business investment conditions and amend 15 conditions required for individuals in enterprises, accounting for 44.78 per cent of business conditions under the management of this ministry.
— Viet Nam News

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc welcomes AB InBev CEO
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted a reception in Hanoi on October 31 for AB InBev CEO Carlos Brito, during which he said Vietnam wants Belgian businesses to invest more in the Southeast Asian country.
— Nhan Dan Online

Over 200 enterprises to participate in international jewellery fair
More than 200 domestic and foreign enterprises will take part in the 26th Vietnam International Jewellery Fair (VIJF 2017), which will take place in Ho Chi Minh City from November 8-12.
— Nhan Dan Online

Vietnamese sugar exported to 28 markets worldwide
Vietnam had exported over 43,000 tonnes of sugar, worth US$20.6 million, to 28 markets worldwideby September, according to Pham Quoc Doanh, Chairman of the Vdan ietnam Sugarcane and Sugar Association.
— Nhan Dan Online

Moody’s: Outlook for VN banking system positive
Moody’s Investors Service on Tuesday upgraded its outlook for Việt Nam’s banking system to positive for the next 12-18 months from stable, reflecting the country’s strong economic prospects and the positive outlook for most rated banks.
— Viet Nam News

Vietnamese goods shown at Hong Kong fashion fair
An increasing number of overseas buyers are sourcing products from Vietnam as the country is rapidly improving its supply chain for locally made garments and taking part in more free trade agreements.
— VietnamPlus

Dutch organisation aids agricultural cooperatives in Quang Nam
How to build development plans for agricultural cooperatives was the main topic of a workshop jointly held in the central province of Quang Nam on October 31 by the provincial People’s Committee and the Netherlands-based agricultural organisation Agriterra.
— VietnamPlus

State money wasted on empty resettlement areas
A series of resettlement houses in Hanoi remain partially empty as their intended residents have not moved in, wasting State resources.
— VietnamPlus

Vietnam should cut down FDI incentives in favor of local companies: MP
Vietnam offers many land and tax incentives to attract foreign direct investment (FDI), but the sector’s contribution to the economy is still limited, said delegates of the legislative National Assembly (NA).
— VnExpress

Vietnam Tech Startups Seek Next Phase
There’s a short but not-so-simple question facing Vietnam’s technology startup fans: Now, what?
— VOA

Law on special administrative-economic units to boost growth
The Law on Special Administrative-Economic Units must create breakthroughs in mechanisms and preferential incentives to boost economic development, experts have said.
— VietnamPlus

IPO for Vietnamese property developer Becamex IDC aims to raise $425 mln
Vietnam’s state-owned Becamex IDC Corp, one of the country’s largest real estate and infrastructure developers, will launch its initial public offering on Dec. 1, aiming to raise roughly $425 million, the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange said.
— VnExpress

Sunwah Group tempts Hong Kong buyers with Ho Chi Minh City property project
Investors from Hong Kong, the top buyers of property in Ho Chi Minh City where home prices have doubled in less than 10 years, got first preference on a new tower in the Vietnamese city.
— South China Morning Post

HCM City university announces VNĐ200 million research award
The University of Economics HCM City (UEH) has announced financial rewards to promote academic research and international publications.
— Viet Nam News

Cashew industry faces volatile weather, pests
The cashew industry has achieved impressive growth in the past years with increasing exports, but unfavourable weather due to the impact of climate change and an increase of diseases and pests threaten its continued development, delegates told a recent seminar in Ho Chi Minh City.
— VietnamPlus

Vietnam’s TH Group seeks Russia sites for $1.7 bln dairy investment
Vietnam dairy company TH Group is investigating regions of Far East Russia for farm and processing plant locations as part of its announced plans to invest some $2.7 billion in the country.
— MENAFN

Foreign real estate lags
According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Construction (MoC), as of July 2017, there were less than 800 cases reported of foreigners being granted housing ownership in Vietnam.
— Vietnamnet Bridge

Khaisilk scandal: Brand to be investigated
Khaisilk, once regarded as Viet Nam’s hi-end silk brand, is facing a series of investigations following a “Made-in-China” scandal.
— Bizhub

Lotte Accelerator to pour $1mn into Vietnamese startups
Lotte Accelerator has recently announced it will partner with Vietnam Silicon Valley Accelerator (VSVA) with the goal of making Vietnam become a technologically advanced country and a potential market for venture capital.
— Vietnam Economic Times

Local telecom market saturated
Viet Nam’s telecommunications market has reached a saturation point and will find it hard to attract new subscribers.
— Bizhub

Trade surplus of $1.23 billion in 10 months
Viet Nam witnessed a trade surplus of $1.23 billion so far this year, according to a report from the General Department of Customs.
— Bizhub

Vietjet launches Hanoi-Kaohsiung route
Vietjet Air has officially launched its Hanoi – Kaohsiung (Taiwan) route, bringing its total number of flights to Taiwan to six; the most of any carrier from Vietnam.
— Vietnam Economic Times

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