Vietnam Morning News For December 12

Vietnam’s growth rate at nearly 6.8 percent this year: WB
The World Bank (WB) expects Vietnam’s economic growth this year at nearly 6.8 percent, compared to the 6.3 percent projected for East Asia and the Pacific, in a report released on December 11.
— VNA NET

Real estate to continue growing steadily in 2019
The local real estate market is projected to continue growing steadily in 2019 following a year of robust economic growth, according to experts at the Vietnam Real Estate Summit 2018, held by property platform batdongsan.com.vn in HCMC last week.
— Viet Nam Net

Growth of Vietnamese fruit and veg export slowing down
This year, the growth of vegetable and fruit exports slowed down significantly, but the target of reaching US$10 billion in revenue in 2025 was still within reach, said the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
— Fresh Plaza

Power corporation to record over 12 percent growth in 2018
The Northern Power Corporation (EVNNPC) is projected to enjoy a 12.14 percent production growth in 2018 with 64.3 billion kWh of electricity, according to a report delivered at the firm’s customers’ meeting in Hanoi on December 11.
— Vietnam+

Binh Thuan: Over 30 percent of dragonfruit land under VietGap
Since the start of this year, more than 10,000 ha of dragonfruit in the south central coastal province of Binh Thuan has been grown under VietGap standards, an increase of over 500 ha compared to 2017 and accounting for about 30 percent of the province’s dragonfruit growing area.
— VNA NET

Streamlined procedures help Vietnam cut huge costs and time
Up to 18 million working days and VND6 trillion (US$258 million) could be cut for businesses when ministries scrap and simplify regulations and examination procedures, a report shows.
— Nhan Dan online

PetroVietnam fulfills yearly production targets ahead of schedule
The Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) reported on December 10 that it has exploited over 11.31 million tonnes of crude oil, fulfilling this year’s target.
— VNA NET

Not Toyota, here is the Most Popular car brand in Vietnam
Not only in Vietnam, World Cars Brand Ranking updated at October 2018 with the Top 50 Brands reported. Toyota leadership is undisputed with a safe gap over Volkswagen. Ford is falling down while Nissan and Honda are fighting for the fourth place. Geely is the fastest growing brand in the World
— Vietnam Insider

Google seeks to open representative office in Vietnam
Google is researching the procedures for opening a representative office in Vietnam to ensure that its compliance with local regulations is in line with its international commitments, Senior Vice President Ken Walker has said.
— VNA NET

South Africa expected to be gateway for VN exports to Africa
Viet Nam expects South Africa to be a gateway for exported Vietnamese rice to enter other markets in Africa, said Deputy Head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Import-Export Department Tran Quoc Toan, who led the Vietnamese trade promotion team during a two-day visit to South Africa that ended on Monday.
— BIZHUB

Over 26 million tourists visit Hanoi in 2018
The total number of visitors to Hanoi is estimated to hit 26.04 million this year, up 9.3 percent from 2017, as released at a regular press conference of the municipal Party Committee on December 11.
— VNA NET

Ministry asks for hygiene keeping after flooding
The Ministry of Health (MoH) has sent a letter to directors of health departments in different provinces and cities asking them to ensure personal and environmental hygiene and prevent diseases in the typhoon condition.
— Viet Nam News

More than 1.1 million new workers registered in 11 months
Firms established in the past 11 months of this year registered the employment of 1.1 million workers, which showed a drop of 4.5 percent year-on-year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).
— VNA NET

Can Tho agriculture revenues greatly outgrow yearly target
The Mekong Delta city of Can Tho’s agro-forestry-fishery output for this year is 13.5 trillion VND (578.5 million USD), 4.1 percent higher than the target, according to the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
— VNA NET

VN eyes the development of digital banking
Việt Nam was seeking co-operation in developing new payment systems to diversify financial services and meet market demand in the new era of technology, Deputy Prime Minister Vương Đình Huệ said at the meeting with Singapore-based Clermont Group on Tuesday morning.
— Viet Nam News

PM urges Hoa Binh to become tourism locality
The northern mountainous province of Hoa Binh should bring into play the full potential of its land, people and culture to become a tourism locality, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said in a working session with local officials on December 11.
— VNA NET

Vietnamese people spend much of their time online
Việt Nam placed 16th in the world among countries with highest number of internet users as the people online account for more than 60 per cent of its population, according to the Ministry of Information and Communications.
— Viet Nam News

Vietnam set to be among top ten remittance receivers
Vietnam was expected to remain one of the top ten remittance receivers in 2018, according to the latest edition of the World Bank’s Migration and Development Brief released last weekend.
— VNA NET

How are foreign brewers performing in Vietnam?
Sabeco, the biggest Vietnamese brewer, has fallen into Thai hands, while Carlsberg is stepping up the process to become a controlling stakeholder in Habeco
— Viet Nam Net

Missing-in-action US servicemen’s remains repatriated
A ceremony to repatriate remains of US servicemen who died during the war in Vietnam was held at Da Nang International Airport on December 11.
— VNA NET

HCM City, China’s Chengdu boost trade, tourism links
Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong expressed wish to acquire the Chinese city of Chengdu’s experience in urban and transportation management during a reception on December 11 for visiting Mayor Luo Qiang.
— VNA NET

More banks permitted to expand credit growth
The State Bank of Việt Nam (SBV) recently decided to allow more commercial banks to expand their credit growth limits in 2018.
— Viet Nam News

Kien Giang announces list of violating fishing vessels
The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the southern province of Kien Giang has announced the list of 25 fishing vessels and owners violating the efforts to fight illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU) as required by the European Commission.
— VNA NET

VN commits to reduce ocean plastic waste
Protecting the marine environment and restoring the ecosystem has been identified as one of the major objectives for sustainable development in Vietnam,
— Viet Nam Net

Fake website selling AFF Suzuki Cup final tickets detected
A fake website was found to sell online football tickets for the upcoming second leg of the final match between Vietnam and Malaysia in the AFF Suzuki Cup 2018, according to the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF).
— VNA NET

Heavy rains cause serious flooding in central region
The heavy flooding and landslides triggered by torrential rains in central provinces have left at least two people dead.
— Vietnam+

New Year holidays – golden chances for tourism sector
The four-day calendar New Year holiday and the nine-day lunar New Year (Tet) festival are expected to offer golden chances for the Vietnamese tourism sector, with the number of holiday-makers booking tours via travel agents forecast to rise by 30 percent year-on-year.
— VNA NET

Next-generation craft villages attract investors
The daring business plans in traditional craft villages have attracted billions of dong worth of capital.
— Viet Nam Net

AFF Cup final: Saigon mobilizes police, imposes traffic restrictions
Saigon braces for AFF Cup final football frenzy with full mobilization of police forces and stringent traffic restrictions.
— VN Express

Ho Chi Minh City ceremony marks Vietnam-France diplomatic ties
A ceremony marking the 45th anniversary of Vietnam – France diplomatic ties and five years of bilateral strategic partnership took place in Ho Chi Minh City on December 11.
— VNA NET

American vet finds peaceful home in Da Nang
Although nearly half a century has passed, the American war’s casualties and victims continue to suffer.
— Viet Nam Net

Vietnam displays int’l responsibility for ensuring human rights
Vietnam has taken specific actions to fulfill her commitments to promoting and protecting human rights at national, regional and international levels as a responsible member of the international community.
— VNA NET

Overcoming difficulties with determination
Duong Huu Phuc, a third-year student at the Ha Noi University of Business and Technology’s Department of Architecture, carefully draws his homework on a computer in a slum along Nguyen Khoai Street in Hanoi
— Viet Nam Net

Dak Nong to host first Vietnam brocade festival
The first Vietnam brocade culture festival and Dak Nong investment promotion conference will take place in the Central Highlands locality from January 5-7.
— VNA NET

Provinces take steps to control avian flu outbreak
Authorities in provinces in the southern part of the country are taking necessary measures to prevent disease in poultry and transmission to humans.
— Viet Nam Net

Vietnam, China share experience in promoting traditional stage art
Vietnamese and Chinese experts and artists in traditional stage art met at a conference in Hanoi on December 11 to share experience and seek ways to promote the art, as well as optimising the role of theatrical activities in deepening mutual understanding.
— VNA NET

Surf Culture and the Vietnam War
In the early years of the Vietnam War a cultural revolution was underway on the West Coast of the United States. It wasn’t women’s liberation or the counterculture. It was the Shortboard Revolution. As the modern sport of surfing was taking shape, many of its earliest adopters were being sent to war the jungles of Vietnam.
— Hawaii Public Radio

Clermont Group urged to help VN build fintech, digital banking ecosystem
Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue called on Singapore’s Clermont Group to share its experience with and provide consultations for Vietnam in building and developing an ecosystem for fintech and digital banking.
— VNA NET

Feature photo Front line Defenders

This week’s Vietnam morning news feature photo acknowledges Human Rights Day, December 10.

Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

Vietnam morning news by AEC News Today is your one stop source for Vietnam news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies, not politics.