Vietnam Morning News For January 4, 2019

Vietnam to reach new heights in 2019
The country’s business environment grew tremendously at the start of the year with over 26,000 new enterprises established. In addition to that, the government there highlighted that foreign direct investment (FDI) disbursement reached over US$3.8 billion in the first three months of the year, up 7.2 percent from 2017.
— The Asean Post

Government intensifies support for non-cash payment methods
The Government has issued measures to boost non-cash payment methods in the country this year.
— Viet Nam News

Retail sales rise on strong domestic demand
Total retail sales of goods and services in Vietnam reached nearly 4.4 quadrillion VND (191 billion USD) in 2018, representing a rise of 11.7 percent against the previous year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).
— Vietnam+

Vietnamese food processing industry expects further expansion, eyes foreign investment
The Vietnamese food processing industry has experienced rapid growth over the past 5 years, and expects further expansion as it eyes additional foreign investments.
— Vietnam Insider

Vietnam: Farmers increase area under clean fruits and vegetables for Tet
Farmers in the Mekong Delta are sowing various vegetables and fruits for harvest ahead of Tet (the festival that celebrates the Lunar New Year).
— Fresh Plaza

2019: Promising year for labour export
2019 is considered a promising year for labour export with a series of potential markets with good jobs and salaries are opening door for Vietnamese workers overseas.
— VNA NET

Da Nang’s FDI projects worth $2.9 billion
The central city of Da Nang granted new licences to 126 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in 2018 with a total investment value of US$155.9 million – double the level it saw in 2017.
— Viet Nam News

Da Nang, EU begin solar power project
The central city of Da Nang, in cooperation with the European Union (EU), has launched a pilot project to develop solar energy in the city.
— Vietnam+

Thirteen fishermen rescued from sinking boats at sea
Thirteen fishermen have been rescued from two fishing vessels which sank at sea on their way to Indonesia to shelter from tropical storm Pabuk, the first storm to hit Vietnam’s East Sea this year.
— Nhan Dan online

Old is still gold in Viet Nam
Though ageism is rampant across the world, Viet Nam wants elderly people to take a more prominent role in society.
— Viet Nam News

New Year gifts ready to be sent to Truong Sa archipelago
Thousands of gifts and hundreds of tonnes of essential goods have been prepared for soldiers and people in the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago on the occasion of the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.
— VNA NET

Trump’s plan to deport Vietnamese refugees betrays a sacred American principle
The United States involvement in the Vietnam War was well-intentioned — American leaders sought to save South Vietnam from communist rule — but incompetently conducted and ultimately catastrophic.
— Washington Post

Solid waste treatment remains questionable
In 2017, up to 38,000 tonnes of municipal waste is generated a day in Vietnam and a lack of proper solutions to the waste problem is harming the urban environment.
— Viet Nam Net

Quang Tri attracts strategic investors to wind power projects
The central province of Quang Tri has been luring strategic investors who have potential in capital and technology to involve in large-scale wind power projects.
— VNA NET

Maritime sector needs better seaport planning: minister
Speaking at a conference in Hanoi on January 2, the minister highlighted the special significance of the maritime sector as most cargo from foreign countries is handled through seaports before entering the Vietnamese market.
— Nhan Dan online

Thaco pours $200m into production plant
The local Truong Hai Automobile Company (Thaco) has invested VND4.5 trillion (nearly US$200 million) in a manufacturing plant to produce cars for luxury European brands in the central province of Quang Nam.
— Viet Nam News

Agricultural sector speeds up restructuring, growth model reform
The agricultural sector is focusing on stepping up restructuring associated with growth model reform and new-style rural area building in order to effectively carry out the Government’s resolution on major tasks and measures to implement the 2019 socio-economic development plan and State budget estimates.
— VNA NET

Sunflower field lures tourists to Quang Binh
The vivid sunflower field in Bo Trach district, Dong Hoi city in the central province of Quang Binh is blooming, attracting thousands of visitors come to enjoy and capture the beautiful flowers.
— VNA NET

HCM City districts use apps for admin reform, management
District authorities in HCM City are making full use of IT applications in administrative reform and urban management, according to the city’s Department of Science and Technology.
— Viet Nam Net

Hue to commence evacuation of illegal residents in March
Around 500 families in Hue City in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue will be removed from their homes and relocated to another part of the city.
— Viet Nam Net

Southeastern provinces’ economy performs well in 2018
Provinces in the southeastern region posted impressive economic figures in 2018, proving themselves an important growth engine of the whole country.
— VNA NET

Ministries step up price control and market management for Táº¿t holiday
Minister of Finance Dinh Tien Dunh has asked for enhanced price management to prevent any sudden cost hikes before, during or after the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday in the beginning of February.
— Viet Nam News

Hanoi owns largest green spaces of all Vietnamese cities
Â Hanoi’s program to plant one million trees is part of its larger efforts to build the capital city to become ‘green – cultural – civilized – modern’ city in the coming years.
— Viet Nam Net

Binh Duong: Tet bonuses for workers rise 10 percent from last year
Lunar New Year (Tet) bonuses for workers in businesses in southern Binh Duong province will increase by some 10 percent from last year, according to a recent survey.
— VNA NET

Minister hopes for more UK support in crime prevention
Minister of Public Security Sen.Lt.Gen To Lam has proposed the UK Government continue supporting Vietnam in enhancing capacity, information exchange and technical equipment for the fight against organised and cyber crimes.
— Viet Nam Net

Wildlife trafficking still at serious levels in Vietnam
As a hotspot for wildlife trafficking and consumption since the late 80s, Vietnam is facing a risk of depletion of biodiversity.
— Viet Nam Net

Realtors reject foreign purchase claim
The HCM City Real Estate Association has rejected media reports that there has been a surge in the purchase of housing in HCM City by foreigners, with most being from mainland China and Hong Kong.
— Viet Nam News

Quang Binh aims to serve 4.3 million tourists in 2019
The central province of Quang Binh hopes to welcome 4.3 million visitors in 2019, about 250,000-300,000 of them foreigners, and earn some 5 trillion VND (more than 214 million USD) from tourism.
— VNA NET

Flower farmers prepare for Tet
As Tet approaches, authorities are working to help flower farmers avoid losses, which occurred last year during the holiday season. .
— Viet Nam News

Passengers on Hanoi-Nanning int’l train sharply increase
Passengers on an international railway connecting the capital city of Hanoi and Nanning city in China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has hit a record high of over 40,000 over the past ten years.
— VNA NET

Foreign capital attraction to see new forms: expert
Non-equity modes of investment (NEMs) would be an increasingly important form for attracting foreign capial in Viet Nam, according to Chairman of the Viet Nam Association of Foreign Invested Enterprises Nguyen Mai.
— Viet Nam News

VASCO to cancel many flights due to Storm No.1
Vietnam Air Services Company (VASCO), a subsidiary of Vietnam Airlines, plans to cancel 10 flights on routes linking HCMC and Can Tho City with Con Dao Island, due to the impacts of Storm No.1.
— Viet Nam Net

Feature photo i Tour Vietnam

This week’s morning news photo focuses on the death, pain, and loss that typically occurs at this time of year on Asean roads due to drunk driving, speeding, and a failure to wear protective helmets when travelling on motorbikes.

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.