Vietnam Morning News For June 20

Vietnam to allocate nearly US$2 billion for Mekong Delta development
The Mekong Delta region is facing bottlenecks in development, especially in transportation, while there have been greater risks in climate change that require immediate measures.
— The Hanoitimes

Agricultural sector sees production and business growth in H1
The agricultural sector has maintained growth in the first half of this year despite facing difficulties, especially the African swine fever epidemic which had a heavy impact on the domestic animal husbandry sector.
— Viet Nam News

Rooftop solar power output of central region to increase to 48 MWp in 2019
The Electricity Vietnam’s Central Power Corporation (EVNCPC) aims to raise rooftop solar power output to 48 MWp this year, said the company on June 18.
— VietnamPlus

Vietnam rubber exports plummet
Vietnam’s rubber exports fell in May due to changing Chinese policies and fears over the Sino-US trade war, a representative of the Vietnam Rubber Group (VRG) has said.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Only 32% of Vietnamese consumers trust personal data security
Only 32 per cent of consumers in Việt Nam believe their personal data will be treated in a trustworthy manner by organisations offering digital services, according to a study recently released by Microsoft and IDC Asia Pacific.
— Viet Nam News

Vietnam-Thailand Maritime Ties in the Headlines With Navy Commander Visit
The interaction highlighted one aspect of a developing defense relationship between the two countries.
— The Diplomat

Vicem Hoang Mai plans to build cement factory in Nghe An
Vicem Hoang Mai Cement Joint Stock Company plans to build a cement factory, with the first phase expected to cost more than 6.67 trillion VND (286 million USD), in the central province of Nghe An.
— VietnamPlus

Vietnam to take Presidency of Asian Payment Network
The National Payment Corporation of Vietnam (NASA) has become the President of the Asian Payment Network (APN) for 2020 at the recent 15th annual meeting of the network in Hanoi.
— NDO

Vietnam facilitates Korean investments: Deputy PM
The Vietnamese Government will work to remove bottlenecks and create the best conditions for enterprises from the Republic of Korea to operate in Vietnam, Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue stressed on June 19.
— NDO

Vietnam pledges to fulfill ILO membership obligations
Vietnam will make all-out efforts to fulfill its obligations as a member of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and further promote cooperation between the organisation and tripartite actors – the Government, employers, and employees in the country.
— VietnamPlus

Vietnam becomes ninth largest trade partner of Myanmar
Trade between Vietnam and Myanmar reached US$860 million in 2018, making Vietnam the 9th largest trade partner of Myanmar, it was reported at a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue and Myanmar Minister of Planning and Finance Soe Win on June 18.
— NDO

Vietnam Airlines gets 4-star airline rating for fourth consecutive year
The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has been certified with a 4-star airline rating by prestigious international air transport rating organisation Skytrax for the fourth consecutive year.
— VietnamPlus

At UN, Philippines thanks Vietnam for rescuing its fishermen
Philippine Foreign Secretary Locsin said “we are eternally in debt to our strategic partner, Vietnam, for this act of mercy and decency.”
— The Hanoitimes

Credit info plays important role in promoting financial market
Demand for credit information is increasing as the financial market and the digital economy continue to expand, speakers said at a workshop on Credit Information Services for Better Financial Inclusion held on June 18 in HCM City.
— Viet Nam News

Meaningful experiences collected from my Vietnam trip
For some reasons that are even unknown to me, I have this special connection to South East Asia. Within the past five years, I have been to 5 different southeast Asian countries. The first country I visited was Burma, it was so beautiful that I have to return the following summer. The next summer, I visited Thailand, Cambodia, and then Vietnam last year.
— Capital Gazette

Vietnam’s Maternity Leave – Benefits and Application
Vietnam has specific regulations on maternity leave that are unique to the country. Overall, Vietnam’s maternity laws are employee friendly and are set in place to ensure that employees are protected during and after child-bearing. A solid understanding of the law is needed for foreign invested enterprises to plan effectively within the country.
— Vietnam Briefing

75 enterprises given Vietnam Quality, Asia-Pacific International Quality Awards
The Directorate for Standards and Quality (STAMEQ) yesterday announced at a press brief that 75 enterprises would be given with Vietnam Quality Award and Asia-Pacific International Quality Award.
— Sggp News

Vietnam’s local currency bond market returns to upward trend in Q1
Vietnam’s local currency (LCY) bond market reached a size of VND1,193 trillion (US$51 billion) at the end of March, up a marginal 0.7% quarter-on-quarter, a reversal from the 5% quarter-on-quarter contraction in the last quarter of 2018, according to the ADB’s latest quarterly Asia Bond Monitor report.
— The Hanoitimes

Vietnam, Japan Conduct Naval Exercise
The Vietnamese People’s Navy and the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force held a joint naval exercise earlier this week.
— The Diplomat

Foreign capital flows through Vietnamese banks
As capital demands of Vietnamese firms are rising sharply, local banks are increasingly cooperating with foreign financial institutions to provide offshore loans, making the business become lucrative.
— The Hanoitimes

Most of consumers in Vietnam distrust personal data protection
Just 32% of Vietnamese consumers believe that, their personal data will be treated in a trustworthy manner by organizations offering digital services. While in the US, 20 percent of Americans suffer from security fatigue and don’t trust anyone to protect their personal data. As a result, some people feel they need to take matters into their own hands or at least work with organizations that give them a greater sense of control.
— Vietnam Insider

CNN’s ‘The Keepers’ explores Vietnam’s traditional heritage
This month in a special 30-minute program, ‘The Keepers’ explores the traditional heritage of music, food and art in Vietnam. CNN travels across the Southeast Asian nation to meet young Vietnamese artisans and craftsmen racing to preserve their culture in a rapidly modernizing world.
— Asia One

Why is wind energy more cost-competitive in Vietnam?
Local supporting policies together with global advanced technologies will help drive down input cost for wind power projects.
— Vietnam Insider

Three construction inspectors prosecuted over bribery allegations
The People’s Procuracy of northern Vinh Phuc province on June 18 approved a decision on the prosecution of three inspectors of the Ministry of Construction for reportedly taking bribery while performing duties in Vinh Phuc’s Vinh Tuong district.
— VietnamPlus

Fitness industry grows as Vietnam becomes body conscious
With interest in fitness activities picking up in Vietnam, gymnasium chains are earning big bucks.
— VnExpress

Quang Ngai to build $160 mln container port
Construction of a VND3.77 trillion ($158 million) port in the central province of Quang Ngai will begin this year.
— VnExpress

Việt Nam Mekong River Commission holds first plenary meeting in 2019
The Việt Nam Mekong River Commission (VMRC) held the first plenary meeting in 2019 in the Mekong Delta province of Tiền Giang on Wednesday under the chair of the commission’s chairman, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Trần Hong Hà.
— Viet Nam Net

Housing and green bonds are potential growth areas in Asia, says ADB experts
Việt Nam’s domestic bond market has rebounded in the first quarter of this year, marking an increase of 0.7 per cent in value of the domestic currency to US$51.4 billion after falling 5.3 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2018, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)’s latest issue of Asia Bond Monitor.
— Viet Nam News

Vietnam starts to grapple with child abuse epidemic
After several high profile cases, the government has launched a campaign to bring the issue into the open
— Vietnam Insider

Company fined for illegal sand mining
Residents in Hương Vân Ward, Hương Trà Town in the central province of Thừa Thiên-Huế have buried bamboo poles in the Bo River to prevent illegal sand mining.
— Viet Nam Net

Bình Dương prioritises local supporting industry
Supporting industries not only played a very important role in the industrial development process but also helped improve the added-value and competitiveness of major industrial products, the department’s director Nguyn Văn Dành told online newspaper congthuong.vn.
— Viet Nam News

European enterprises back early signing of EVFTA
Minister of Industry and Trade Trần Tuấn Anh on June 18 discussed measures to speed up the signing of the Europe-Việt Nam economic agreements with European business associations.
— Viet Nam News

Hundreds of smuggled Red lory parrots found at Nội Bài Airport
More than 300 red lory parrots – an endangered bird found only in Indonesia – were suspected to have been imported to Việt Nam illegally earlier this week.
— Viet Nam Net

Feature photo Justice for Lai Dai Han

This week’s Vietnam morning news feature photo acknowledges International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, June 19.

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.