Vietnam Morning News For February 20

HCM City selective about high-rise apartment projects
The Ho Chi Minh City Real Estate Association (HoRea) has recommended that the municipal People’s Committee should be more selective about giving licences to high-rise buildings.
— VNA NET

Foreign investors pump US$6 billion into HCM City via M&A
As a popular investment channel for foreign investors in recent times, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) secured Ho Chi Minh City US$6 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in 2018.
— Nhan Dan Online

Electricity, aviation companies forecast for a great 2019
Power and aviation companies are among the industries forecast for better things this year, according to industry analysts.
— Viet Nam News

Vietnam officially starts mango exports to US
Vietnam has begun officially exporting its mangoes to the US market, after the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) gave permission for the import of fresh mangoes from the Southeast Asian nation in 2017.
— Fresh Plaza

State Bank instructs provision of loans for rice procurement
The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has requested its chapters in the Mekong Delta and commercial banks to provide loans for rice procurement in the 2019 Winter-Spring crop, which is now in the prime harvest season in the delta.
— VietnamPlus

Localization ratio in textiles & garments goes up
PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc, at a conference held in late December, said the localization ratio in the textile and garments, and footwear industries, has risen to 40-45 percent.
— VietNamNet Bridge

Deputy PM Hue urges for facilitating administrative reform
Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue chaired a working session of the National Steering Committee on National Single Window (NSW), ASEAN Single Window (ASW) and Trade Facilitation (Committee 1899) on February 19, reviewing the committee’s operation in 2018 and discussing the direction for the 2019 tasks.
— Nhan Dan Online

National one-stop shop mechanism’s operation in 2018 reviewed
Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue, who is also Chairman of the National Steering Committee on the National One-Stop Shop (OSS) Mechanism, the ASEAN One-Stop Shop Mechanism and Trade Facilitation (Committee 189), chaired a conference in Hanoi on February 19 to review the implementation of the tasks by the committee in 2018 and discuss its operation orientations for 2019.
— VietnamPlus

Tra fish industry needs intensive development
The tra fish industry needs to focus on intensive farming this year to increase efficiency and sustainable development.
— Viet Nam News

Air carriers open new international air routes as travel industry booms
As the domestic market is getting saturated, air carriers are opening international air routes as demand increases for inbound and outbound tours.
— VietNamNet Bridge

HCM City targets 75 percent of buses with clean fuel by 2020
The HCM City Department of Transport aims to have 75 percent of the new buses running on clean fuel by the end of 2020.
— VNA NET

Czech Republic exports to Vietnam rise 33% in 2018
Exports from the Czech Republic to Vietnam reached over US$140.7 million in 2018, an increase of 32.7% compared to 2017, according to the latest statistics released by the Czech Statistical Office.
— Nhan Dan Online

PM orders stepping up rice purchase
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chaired a working session with ministries and agencies in Hanoi on February 19 to discuss the acceleration of rice purchase as a way to improve income for farmers.
— VietNamNet Bridge

Top legislator praises enterprise for social contributions
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan lauded the Van Phu – Invest Investment Joint Stock Company for its contributions to the community while meeting with the company’s leaders on February 19.
— VNA NET

Vietnam barber marks second Trump-Kim summit with haircuts
A barber in Hanoi, Vietnam is marking the second summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump by offering free haircuts to anyone who wishes to copy either leader’s style.
— Global news

Ministry to help big cities achieve breakthrough growth
The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) will work harder to give a boost to the country’s economic locomotives, especially Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and four key economic regions to achieve breakthrough growth in 2019, Minister Nguyen Chi Dung has said.
— VNA NET

Vietnam’s Jan crude imports surge 31% on month, exports rise 28%
Vietnam hiked imports of crude oil in January and raised exports for the first time in more than a year, preliminary data released Monday by Vietnam Customs showed.
— Hellenic Shipping News

Efficiency improvement crucial for cement industry: experts
Production and sales of cement and clinkers of Vietnam have risen in recent years. But to maintain the growth, experts suggested that the industry should make comprehensive reforms, apply advanced technology to improve production and optimise the efficiency of natural resources.
— VNA NET

Vietnam confirms first ASF cases on three farms
Taiwan found virus in sandwich carried from Vietnam to Taiwan, but origin of the pork is unknown; meanwhile, China finds new ASF cases in Guangxi.
— Feed Stuffs

Quang Tri: Over 225 mln USD to be invested in wind power projects
The authorities of the central province of Quang Tri has approved plans to develop wind power projects in the locality with a total investment of 5.24 trillion VND (over 225.3 million USD).
— VNA NET

Vietnam’s new casino will be launched this fall
A soft launch of the first phase of a new multi-billion dollar casino resort being backed by Suncity Group Holdings in Vietnam is coming this fall, GGRAsia report.
— Vietnam Insider

US toy producers plan to move operations to Việt Nam
Several US toy makers intend to move their production facilities in China to other markets, including Việt Nam, due to concerns about negative effects of the US-China trade war.
— Viet Nam News

Most banks upbeat about 2019 performance
Most banks will not officially set their annual targets until their shareholder meetings in April, but many bank leaders are optimistic about 2019 with plans to increase profits through cutting operating costs and promoting digital services.
— VNA NET

VN-Index gains on property stocks
Việt Nam’s benchmark VN-Index advanced on Tuesday thanks to strong growth of large-cap stocks such as Vingroup (VIC) and its property arm Vinhomes (VHM).
— Vietnam Insider

Over 3 trillion VND tourism complex to be built in Thua Thien-Hue
The central province of Thua Thien-Hue is expected to house a high-end tourism complex worth over 3.06 trillion VND (131 million USD).
— VNA NET

VNĐ5.2 trillion to be invested in wind power in Quảng Trị Province
Quảng Trị Province People’s Committee recently gave its approval to two companies to develop wind power projects worth a total of VNĐ5.2 trillion (US$221.2 million) in the central province.
— Viet Nam News

Kien Giang to expand shrimp farming models
The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang will expand various sustainable shrimp farming models to meet its target of producing 76,000 tonnes this year, slightly up from last year, according to its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
— VNA NET

Development based on culture sustainable: minister
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien talks to Vietnam News Agency about the country’s 2018 performance and plans for the new year.
— VietNamNet Bridge

Vietnam-Czech Republic trade hits 1.17 billion USD in 2018
Trade turnover between Vietnam and the Czech Republic reached 1.17 billion USD in 2018, according to the Czech Statistical Office.
— VNA NET

Vietnam sets pace for 2019
HANOI, 20 February 2019: Hot on the heels of announcing 15.5 million tourist arrivals for 2018, Vietnam reports arrivals in January this year were estimated 1,501,766 up 5%.
— TTR Weekly

Vietnam, Laos boost partnership in energy development
Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung highlighted the crucial role of energy cooperation with Laos during a reception in Hanoi on February 18 for Lao Minister of Energy and Mines Khammany Inthirath.
— VNA NET

A prophecy of rice export
Last year may be considered a good year for Vietnam’s rice export sector. There remain complicated issues to address, though.
— VietNamNet Bridge

Vietnam bolsters tree planting, livelihoods for forest growers
In 2019, Vietnam’s forestry sector will foster the implementation of forest development policies and the building of a production chain, said Vu Xuan Thon, head of the Management Board of Forestry Projects under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).
— VNA NET

Resort and recreation complex Grand World Phú Quo’c makes debut
Resort and recreation complex Grand World Phú Quo’c makes its debut today, promising to not only become a destination for tourists coming to Phú Quo’c Island but also offer attractive investment opportunities.
— Viet Nam News

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