Vietnam Morning News For July 18

US Lawmakers Urge Facebook, Google Not to Comply With Vietnam Cybersecurity Law
Nearly two dozen members of the U.S. Congress have written to the heads of Facebook and Google urging them not to comply with a new cybersecurity law in Vietnam, saying the legislation is in violation of international human rights standards and raises concerns under the country’s trade obligations.
— Radio Free Asia

Vietnam withdraws licence of news site, issues fine
A popular Vietnamese news website has been suspended and fined about $10,000 (332,000 baht) after it was accused of publishing false information, as the communist government quashes any perceived criticism.
— Bangkok Post

Major online newspaper suspended for three months in Vietnam
Prominent news site Tuoi Tre Online has been suspended after the Press Authority deemed it had published “untrue,” “nationally divisive” content.
— VnExpress

Vietnam presents Voluntary National Review on fulfillment of SDGs
Vietnam’s progress in implementing 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) was featured in the Voluntary National Review (VNR) delivered to the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in New York on July 16.
— Nhan Dan Online

The dying icon of Vietnam: why the conical hat is struggling for survival
As Nguyen Thi Binh looks me in the eye, her hands move swiftly and precisely.
— The National

Pushing Vietnam’s shrimp industry toward sustainability
Shrimp farmer Nguyen Manh Hung lost his entire farm to erosion in 2016 after a series of ravaging droughts and floods. He and his family had relied on their land for over 27 years, and with three children to feed, the loss came as a tremendous blow.
— Mongabay

Sumitomo looks to entice Japanese makers to Vietnam rental plants
Sumitomo Corp. hopes to boost the use of the rental plant areas at its Vietnamese industrial parks, targeting small to midsized Japanese manufacturers and taking advantage of agreements with local governments in its home country.
— Nikkei Asian Review

Vietnam’s Education Sector: New Regulations for Foreign Cooperation and Investments
Vietnamese government released Decree No. 86/2018/ND-CP (“Decree 86”) to regulate foreign investments and cooperation in the education sector in Vietnam. It will be in effect from August 1, 2018.
— Vietnam Briefing

Vietnamese food and culture on show in Thailand
A Vietnamese Food and Culture Promotion Week was launched in Bangkok, Thailand on July 16 in the presence of representatives from foreign embassies in Bangkok, international guests and the Vietnamese community in Thailand.
— Nhan Dan Online

Vietnam in danger of becoming a dump as China says no to trash
China’s ban on scrap imports has left the “developed” world scrambling for solutions and Vietnam facing the prospect of becoming a trash basket.
— VnExpress

Military Bank’s six-month profit exceeds 2017 annual result
Military Bank (MBBank) has reported consolidated profits of about VND3.8 trillion (US$165.2 million) in the first half of this year, beating its yearly profit of VND3.6 trillion registered in 2017.
— Bizhub

Foreign banks expand operations in Vietnam
Foreign banks in Vietnam have been expanding their transaction networks and increasing their charter capital in a bid to increase market share, especially in the retail banking sector.
— VietnamPlus

Vietnamese dong caught between rising dollar, falling yuan
Vietnam’s central bank has to engage in a delicate balancing act as the U.S.-China trade war exerts inflationary pressures on the dong.
— VnExpress

VND strengthens vs. USD as Vietnam c.bank sells foreign currency
The market is stabilizing while liquidity is at normal level, a central bank official told Dan Tri newspaper.
— The Hanoi Times

Power shortage may pose a development challenge for Vietnam
Industry and Trade Ministry says many hurdles stand in the way of generating the power Vietnam needs to maintain a high growth rate.
— VnExpress

Tuy Hoa Airport to get upgraded to handle 3 million passengers by 2030
The Ministry of Transport has instructed Airport Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) to review and adjust the plan for different airports to stay in line with a prime minister-approved plan.
— The Hanoi Times

Listed pharmaceutical firms told to withdraw drugs containing Valsartan
Four of the eight companies that have been asked to revoke drugs made using the China-produced component Valsartan by the Drug Administration of Viet Nam are listed on the stock exchange.
— Bizhub

E-commerce booms in Vietnam but top firms stay in the red
The Vietnamese e-commerce market is posting double digit growth and its potential has top firms ignoring their bottom lines, for now.
— VnExpress

Property market receives over 27 percent of total FDI
The growing foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnamese property has shown investors’ greater expectations of the market, insiders said.
— VietnamPlus

Việt Nam to promote seafood exports to Brazil
Brazil holds a lot of potential as an export market for Việt Nam’s seafood products now and in the future, according to the Việt Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).
— Viet Nam News

Over 254 million tonnes of cargo handled via ports in H1
Up to 254.8 million tonnes of cargo were handled via seaports during the first half of this year, up 17 percent year on year, the Vietnam Maritime Administration (VMA) has reported.
— VietnamPlus

Former firm director absconds abroad, leaving Vietnamese farmers heavily indebted
Several fish farmers in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta have been plagued by massive bank loans as a former director of an enterprise suddenly left the country after purchasing their fish without payment four years ago.
— Tuoi Tre

Vietnam-Japan Relations in the Spotlight with Defense Dialogue
A closer look at what a recent interaction meant for the broader bilateral relationship.
— The Diplomat

Vietnam, India boost cooperation in apparel industry
Boosting cooperation between Vietnam and India in the garment and textile sector will be one of the priorities in efforts to raise bilateral trade value to US$ 15 billion by 2020, said Parvathaneni Harish, Indian Ambassador to Vietnam.
— Nhan Dan Online

Tropical Storm Son-tinh to lash China, Vietnam and Laos after flooding northern Philippines
Tropical Storm Son-tinh strengthened over the South China Sea on Tuesday and has its sights set on Hainan, China, and northern parts of Vietnam and Laos in the coming days.
— AccuWeather

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