VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES JANUARY 7  16:21                                   Vietnam’s HDI sees improvements in 2016 – 2020 Vietnam’s Human Development Index (HDI) advanced to 0.706 in 2020 from 0.682 in 2016, enabling the country to join the High Human Development group, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO). A report on HDI from 2016 – 2020 of the office said the index’s indicators saw improvements during the period, said Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai from the GSO at a press conference in Hanoi on January 6. The health indicator edged up to 0.826 in 2020 from 0.822 in 2016; education to 0.640 from 0.628; and income to 0.664 from 0.624, respectively, she cited. Generally, Vietnam’s HDI has been improving but still at a slow pace, Mai said, adding that the country ranked seventh out of the 11 countries in Southeast Asia regarding this matter. Two deputy ministers of public security promoted to Senior Lieutenant General President Nguyen Xuan Phuc presented decisions on the promotion from the rank of Lieutenant General to Senior Lieutenant General to Deputy Ministers of Public Security Tran Quoc To and Luong Tam Quang. On the occasion, he required that the Ministry of Public Security continue  to drastically fighting corruption, ensure political security and social safety and order, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He called on the ministry to continue taking the lead in the implementation of the Resolution adopted by the 13th National Party Congress, while striving to build transparent, strong, elite and modern public security forces, thus meeting requirements in the new situation. National Tourism Year 2022 to officially open in March The National Tourism Year 2022 will officially kick off on March 25 in Hoi An city of the central coastal province of Quang Nam. The provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will coordinate with the Tourism Association to organise tourism promotion campaigns via technological platforms and social networks. Two world heritage sites in Quang Nam – Hoi An ancient town and My Son Sanctuary – began to welcome foreign tourists starting November 15, 2021. The roadmap to welcome foreign visitors will be rolled out in three phases, with the first one running from mid-November to November 30 and the second one between December 1 and January 31, 2022. Hanoi has enough vaccine to inject third shots for residents Hanoi has secured enough COVID-19 vaccines to inject third shots for local residents, according to Tran Thi Nhi Ha, Director of the municipal Department of Health (DoH). The DoH has asked relevant agencies to speed up the vaccination of the booster jabs for the elderly, people with underlying diseases and high-risk groups by administering vaccine shots for them at home. Ha suggested people actively coordinate with local authorities and health centres for the full injection of booster shots to ensure the health of themselves and their families, adding that it will be effective against severe illness, especially with new variants of SARS-CoV-2. Hanoi now ranks 2nd after HCM City in terms of third doses given, which has so far administered 1.1 million additional doses and 320,000 booster doses. Vietnam supports Cambodia’s chairmanship of ADMM, ADMM Plus An official of the Ministry of National Defence (MoD) has affirmed the ministry’s support for its Cambodian counterpart’s chairmanship of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM Plus in 2022, according to the Quan doi Nhan dan (People's Army) daily. Highlighting the Vietnamese ministry’s support, Col. Vu Thanh Van, Director of the Vietnamese MoD’s Department of Foreign Affairs and head of the ADSOM WG of Vietnam, expressed his belief that the Cambodian MoD will successfully fulfill its role in 2002, thereby further contributing to the solidarity and collective strength of ASEAN to flexibly and proactively respond to security challenges to the region. He lauded efforts by the Cambodian side in drafting documents, noting that he hopes the draft joint statements of the 16th ADMM and 9th ADMM Plus will fully reflect the issues of common concern in the region as shown in previous joint statements. Van also made comments on the Cambodian MoD’s new initiatives for the ADMM and ADMM Plus in 2022. HCM City to host spring flower festival in late January The annual Spring Flower Festival will be held from January 27 to February 6, 2022, in Tao Dan Park in District 1 to celebrate Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday which falls on February 1. Festival goers will have an opportunity to see more than 3,000 ornamental plants and flowers and miniature landscapes. They will also enjoy traditional cultural activities such as lion and dragon dances, folk games and fruit tray displays. Besides the Spring Flower Festival, the city will organise Tet flower markets at six locations, including Le Van Tam Park in district 1, Gia Dinh Park in Go Vap district, Phu My Hung street in district 7, from January 25 to January 31. Public telecommunications services supply programme by 2025 approved Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has signed a decision to approve a programme on the supply of public telecommunications services by 2025. The programme offers compulsory services for society and universal services for remote, border and island areas and those with extremely difficult socio-economic conditions. It targets supporting 800,000 poor, near-poor households, social welfare beneficiaries, and others to get data terminal equipment for learning and communications. Meanwhile, 100 percent of the communes with extremely difficult socio-economic conditions as well as island communes and districts will be assisted to secure access to public broadband internet services. In particularly, the programme will equip its targeted households with 400,000 tablets, as well as partly finance the cost of 400,000 smart phones for those in need. Notably, fishermen will be subsidised to pay for their use of maritime mobile telecommunications services. Population database to be optimised for national digital transformation Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has signed a decision approving a project on developing the application of population database, e-identification and e-authentication for national digital transformation in the 2022-2025 period with a vision to 2030. Under the scheme, national population database, e-identification and e-authentication system as well as citizen ID cards with electronic chips will be used flexibly and creatively to serve administrative procedures and online public services supply, socio-economic expansion, digital citizens development, the completion of the ecosystem on connecting, exploiting and enriching population data, and the directions by leaders at all levels. In 2022, the old and new versions of citizen IDs will be integrated, enabling the e-identification of all citizens. In the 2023-2025 period, e-identification and e-authentication are expected to be applied on all people conducting administrative procedures at one-stop-shop office at all levels. Meanwhile, in 2022-2023, the e-identification and e-authentication system will be upgraded, completed and applied in e-transactions serving socio-economic development. Action programme aims to promote overseas Vietnamese-related affairs Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh has signed a resolution on the issuance of a government action programme to continue accelerating the implementation of the Politburo's directions regarding overseas Vietnamese (OV) affairs in the 2021-2026 period. Accordingly, ministries, ministry-level agencies, government agencies and People’s Committees of centrally-run cities and provinces were asked to step up the popularisation of the Politburo’s Conclusion No. 12-KL/TW on OV affairs in the new situation; enhancing their sense of responsibility in implementing the policy of national solidarity and harmony with Vietnamese communities abroad; applying measures to support Vietnamese associations and OVs abroad; completing the legal system in the field; and encouraging and creating favourable conditions for OVs to make contributions to the cause of national construction and defence. Decree stipulates rights, obligations of expellees Foreigners who commit administrative violations within Vietnam’s territory, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf will be expelled from the country under a decree recently issued by the Government. Under Decree No. 142/2021/ND-CP on expulsion, temporary custody, and escorted transfer of violators according to administrative procedures, and management of foreign violators pending the completion of expulsion procedures, law-breaking foreigners on Vietnam-flagged planes and vessels will be expelled from Vietnam in line with Article 27 of the Law on Handling of Administrative Violations. The expellees would be notified of the reasons for expulsion and receive expulsion decisions at least 48 hours before such decision are executed. The decree came into force from January 1, 2022. Vietnam attends virtual SOM to prepare for upcoming ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung attended a senior official meeting (SOM) of ASEAN via videoconference on January 5 to review preparations for the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat (AMMR) slated for January 18-19 in Siem Riep, Cambodia. At the meeting, Dung believed that Cambodia would fulfil the role of ASEAN Chair 2022, while pledging that Vietnam will closely work with the country holding the Chairmanship to contribute to the organisation’s success this year. Programme supports children affected by COVID-19 The 2022 “Mua xuan cho em” (Spring for Children) programme will target children affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, heard a press conference in Hanoi on January 15. In its 15th edition, the programme is scheduled to be held at the Hanoi Opera House on January 9 night, the National Fund for Vietnamese Children (NFVC) under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) said at the press conference. The event is expected to receive nearly 80 billion VND (3.51 million USD) from organisations, individuals, businesses and donors at home and abroad to support needy children. Health ministry plans for vaccinating children aged 5-11 With over 90 percent of the adult population having received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines and the ongoing campaign for children aged 12-17 years, the Ministry of Health is planning to buy shots for children aged 5-11. Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen said the ministry has developed a plan to inoculate young children in this age group and has submitted the plan to the Government. Once the Government gives the nod, it would immediately work with suppliers to secure a sufficient amount at the earliest time to get the vaccination process started, Tuyen said during a recent discussion hosted by the Vietnam Government Portal, without elaborating further about the types of vaccines to be used or the logistics involved. Cinemas to get major boost as movie-goers return over New Year holiday 2021 was a tough year for Vietnamese cinema due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cinemas have high hopes for a post-pandemic rebound, however, as the number of movie-goers rose significantly in the opening days of 2022. CGV, Galaxy, Lotte, and BHD Star cinemas saw a significant increase in the number of movie-goers compared to the end of 2021. This is a robust sign for the cinema industry more than two months after reopening their doors. Many local and foreign blockbusters premiered in Vietnam on the opening days of 2022 to attract audiences, including (Survive), Spider-Man, and No Time to Die. Along with cinemas in the city centre, those on the outskirts of town also saw rosy signs after being closed for a year.  Improvements in traffic safety recorded nationwide in 2021 Traffic safety was improved considerably nationwide in 2021 with sharp declines recorded in the number of accidents, deaths and injuries, reported the National Committee for Traffic Safety (NCTS). NCTS Vice Chairman Khuat Viet Hung said, as of December 14, 2021, 11,495 traffic accidents had occurred across the country, killing 5,799  people and injuring 8,018 others, down  23.32 percent, 15.55 percent, and 28.16 percent year-on-year, respectively. According to the NCTS, the top causes of the accidents were speeding, driving in the wrong lane, changing lanes or direction without signaling, and drink driving. Nearly 3 million people benefit from increases in pension, social insurance allowances More than 2.96 million people are benefiting from a rise of 7.4 percent in monthly pension, social insurance allowances and monthly subsidy as from January compared to December 2021, equivalent to 1.05 trillion VND (46.13 million USD), according to the Vietnam Social Security (VSS). The beneficiaries include retirees; incumbent cadres of communal-level administrations; and people receiving monthly allowances for loss of working capacity. Of the total, the State budget will pay over 257.3 billion VND (11.3 million USD) worth of the increased amount for about 904,900 people who are receiving pensions and allowances from the State budget, while the social security fund will shoulder 794.9 billion VND (34.92 million USD) in added payment. Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Short-term Program 2022-2023 announced The US Embassy in Hanoi has announced the 2022-2023 Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Short-term Program. The program provides Vietnamese host institutions the opportunity to request an US teacher for a one-time visit of two to six weeks. Details of the program can be found at https://bit.ly/3olu4st To request a Fulbright Distinguished Short-term teacher, potential host institutions should submit a request form to the Fulbright Program via email vnfulbright@state.gov by February 28, 2022. Tough punishment on those forcing children to go begging Parents or other adults who force children to go out on the streets to beg for money shall be subject to a fine of VND 10-15 million (US$439-659), according to Decree 130/2021/ND-CP on punishment of administrative violations in sponsorship, social assistance and children.   Decree 130 which took place from January 1, 2022 stipulates different levels of financial punishment on child abuse in a bid to protect children. Specifically, the Decree stipulates a fine of between VND 3-5 million for act of forcing children to do too many home chores that affect their studies, playing time and entertainment, thus adversely affecting their development, and organizing and forcing children into child marriage.   Plan adopted to implement ILO Convention 105 on Abolition of Forced Labor Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has signed Decision No. 2234/QD-TTg approving a plan on implementation of the International Labor Organization’s Convention 105 on Abolition of Forced Labor.  On June 8, 2020, the National Assembly voted for the ratification of ILO Convention 105 on Abolition of Forced Labor. Forced labor can be understood as work that is performed involuntarily and under the menace of any penalty. It refers to situations in which persons are coerced to work through the use of violence or intimidation, or by more subtle means such as manipulated debt, retention of identity papers or threats of denunciation to immigration authorities. Gov’t proposes US$2.81 billion tax reduction-exemption package for 2022 The Government has proposed a package on reduction and exemption of tax and land use fees worth VND 64 trillion (US$2.81 billion) for 2022. This is part of the Government’s fiscal and monetary measures submitted by Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung to the National Assembly on Tuesday, with an aim to facilitate post-pandemic recovery and socio-economic development in 2022 and 2023. If approved by the legislative body, the Government will cut 50 percent of environmental protection tax and slash value-added tax by 2 percent to 8 percent from the current 10 percent. In addition, the Government planned to reduce land-use fees by 30 percent as having been applicable in 2021, and registration fee for domestically-assembled cars by 50 percent. Contemporary dance play set for Hanoi's stage Hanoi audiences will have an opportunity to enjoy a play, which uses contemporary dance and multi-media, named "A Woman" - part of Antigone project, funded by the Goethe Institute. Co-directed by Hoang Ha, Pham Huong, Tran Minh Hai, the performance will take place at the Vietnam National Opera & Ballet, No.11 Nui Truc Str., Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Hanoi, at 8pm on January 8. The project's participating artists are Hoang Ha, Tran Minh Hai, Tran Minh, Quay Tran, Ha Kieu Anh, and Ze Ly. Vietnam steps up preparations for 31st SEA Games Vietnam is stepping up preparations for the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), which is set to take place in Hanoi and 11 neighbouring localities, from May 12 to 23 this year. Since January 2022, the organising board has focused on realising important tasks related to health requirements and infrastructure. Approximately 1.7 trillion VND has been allocated from the State budget, for the preparations of the tournament, with 600 billion being spent to improve infrastructure. Under a recent decision signed by Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai, an additional 301 billion VND (13.17 million USD) sourced from the 2021 State budget for sport and training, has been approved for regular expenditure tasks needed for the preparation of the tournament. Vietnam women’s football team prepare for the 2022 Asian Cup The Vietnam women’s football team have departed to Spain for a training course in preparation for the final round of the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, scheduled to be take place in India from January 20 to February 6. Though many young faces have been called up to the national squad, coach Mai Duc Chung is still confident in the experience of the players. Before the training trip in Spain, coach Mai Duc Chung have called up several young players who have shown their ability in the national championship in 2021. He finalised the list of 23 official players and had to leave behind five players, namely Hoang Thi Loan, Dao Thi Kieu Oanh, Nguyen Thi Lieu, Tran Thi Hai Linh and Nguyen Thi Truc Huong. Calling up young players to the national team will help them have more conditions to practice, get acquainted with the team towards the 31st SEA Games as well as also prepare for a longer plan, thus creating the next generation for the future, he noted. Culture-tourism village offers cheerful spring celebrations to visitors The Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism in Hanoi is hosting a programme entitled ‘Scent of spring in mountainous region’ from January 1 to 31, introducing visitors to the traditional spring festivals and customs of Vietnamese ethnic groups. The programme gathers the participation of 100 ethnic people from 13 groups from across the country, including Nung, Tay, H’mong, Ta Oi, Bahnar, Xo Dang, and Khmer. PM requires survey on COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged from five Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has assigned the Ministry of Health to coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training in organising a survey on COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged from five. He requested learning from international experience and lessons of localities in the country, and preparing a plan to inoculate children. The Government leader also required the Ministry of Health to urgently implement his instructions on further accelerating the vaccination drive and on the need for imported vaccines to ensure the set target. Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son receives reprimand over wrongdoings Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son has been given a reprimand  over his mistakes while performing his duty, under Decision 2271/QD-TTg signed by Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh. The deputy minister was earlier given a reprimand as a disciplinary measure by the Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission after its eighth session from November 2-4, 2021. The commission decided to issue a warning to the standing board of the Party Committee of the Health Ministry in the 2015-2020 term, and a reprimand to Son, a member of the Party delegation at the Health Ministry. Government works to ensure medical oxygen supply The Government Office has issued a document regarding Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam’s guideline on the supply of medical oxygen for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Per request of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) on the issue, the Deputy PM assigned the MoIT and the Ministry of Health to continue carrying out guidelines stipulated by the Prime Minister in previous documents on the work. In case measures are needed to ensure the supply, the MoIT may halt or limit oxygen exports. The Ministry of Finance is instructed to join hands with the Health Ministry, the MoIT and relevant ministries to promptly decide on a suitable price support mechanism for medical oxygen manufacturing and transport facilities in emergencies, in accordance with the law. WB funds Vinh Long’s climate change adaptation The Vietnamese Government and the World Bank (WB) have signed a 126.9 million USD financing agreement to improve access to infrastructure, connectivity and reduce flood risk in the urban core of Vinh Long city in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long, the WB said on January 6. The 126.9 million USD credit is provided through the WB’s International Development Association (IDA). The project is being co-financed by a 19.5 million USD grant from the Development Related Infrastructure Investment Vehicle (DRIVE), a facility provided by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The balance of the project cost is to be funded by the Vietnamese Government. The Vinh Long City Urban Development and Enhanced Climate Resilience Project, at a total cost of 202.2 million USD, will help remove physical constraints to development in the urban core area through the development of flood control systems, drainage, wastewater collection and treatment, and investment in key urban roads. RoK presents vaccine syringes to Vietnam The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) on January 6 presented 6.3 million syringes to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology to serve the COVID-19 vaccination in Vietnam. The batch is part of the 42.5 million units valued at 2.5 million USD donated by the Government of the Republic of Korea (RoK) through the KOICA. Last year, the Korean Government aided Vietnam with 1.39 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines. The KOICA also provided the Southeast Asian nation with 300,000 antigen test kits in December. In May, the RoK donated 40 thermal imaging scanners to Vietnam, which have been installed at 10 airports nationwide. Five imported Omicron cases detected in HCM City Ho Chi Minh City confirmed five more cases of infection with the Omicron variant on January 6, raising the total number of such infections in the city to 11, according to the HCM City Centre for Disease Control (HCDC). All the five patients entered Vietnam from abroad last December and have stayed in quarantine since arrival. From January 1, 2022, the city's health sector is coordinating with the immigration agency at Tan Son Nhat International Airport to conduct quick tests for all arrivals entering the country from abroad. Passengers testing positive for COVID-19 will be quarantined immediately. Tet gifts to be delivered to staff of DK1 platforms, Con Dao island Brigade 171 from the High Command of Naval Zone 2 will visit and deliver New Year (Tet) gifts to officers and soldiers on the DK1 platforms, on-duty ships and officials on Con Dao island district. According to the High Command, two delegations from the High Command will set out on January 8, carrying over 400 gifts donated by individuals, organisations and businesses and nearly 35 tonnes of goods of various types such as necessities and food, along with materials to make traditional Tet dishes and flowers. DK1 is a group of economic, scientific and technical service stations set up in 1989 on Vietnam's southern continental shelf.   Vietnam reports 16,472 COVID-19 cases on January 6 Vietnam recorded 16,472 cases of COVID-19, including 55 imported ones, during 24 hours from 4pm January 5 to 4pm January 6, according to the Ministry of Health. Hanoi recorded the highest number of infections with 2,716, followed by Hai Phong with 923 and Tay Ninh with 853. Also on the day, the southern province of Vinh Long added 9,370 cases to the national COVID-19 case log after confirming relevant information. The national tally reached 1,843,563, including 25 infections of Omicron. Vietnamese field hospital, MSF save lives in South Sudan Staff members of Vietnam's third level-two field hospital at the United Nations Mission in South Sudan have recently assisted doctors at a hospital run by the Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders in conducting a successful caesarean section for a mother with severe kyphosis. Vietnamese doctors in South Sudan started 2022 with a special mission. They helped a pregnant woman with Pott’s disease have a healthy baby. She had been pregnant for 35 weeks and suffered fetus distress. The team fulfiled the mission despite a lack of proper medical equipment. A healthy four kg baby boy was born thanks to cooperation by doctors. The UNMISS Chief Medical Officer sent a letter to acknowledge the contribution of Vietnam's level-two field hospital No. 3, asking the facility to continue assisting the MSF hospital in other surgeries. Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia boost cooperation in crime combat Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos have committed to enhancing cooperation in fighting transnational crimes in all forms, especially drug crime, human trafficking, smuggling, terrorism and high-tech crime. Vietnamese Minister of Public Security General To Lam, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Samdech Krolahom Sar Kheng and Lao Minister of Public Security General Vilay Lakhamphong met virtually on January 5. The ministers agreed to step up the exchange of information and coordination in combating the COVID-19 pandemic and other infectious diseases and natural disasters in border provinces. The three countries will also strengthen cooperation at regional and international forums, and tighten collaboration in ensuring security to serve major national and international events to be organised in each country. Source: VNA/VNS/VOV/ND/VNN/SGGP/SGT

 

VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES JANUARY 6  16:14                                  Lao Prime Minister to pay official visit to Vietnam Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh will lead a high-ranking delegation of the Lao Government to pay an official visit to Vietnam from January 8 to 10 at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh. The Lao PM will co-chair the 44th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee and launch the Vietnam - Laos, Laos - Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022. HCM City sees improvements in COVID fight HCM City has seen positive signs in the fight against the COVID-19, according to its Steering Committee for Pandemic Prevention and Control. The number of weekly cases decreased from 8,686 in the first week of December to 4,087 in the last week. The number of deaths in the first three days of 2022 was 30, 31, and 26 respectively, while serious cases requiring hospitalisation were around 300 a day. The city now has 7,500 does of antivirus drugs, and will soon receive 25,000 doses from the Ministry of Health. The local Department of Health has called for 2,295 private pharmacies to be more involved in the city’s fight against COVID-19. The rate of students in grades 7, 8 and 10 returning to schools on January 4 was more than 85 per cent. For students in grade 11 it was 92 per cent. Students have been reviewing lessons, and will take first term examinations between January 10 and 22.  Hanoi plans to treat 100,000 COVID-19 cases The capital of Hanoi is working out a plan to treat 100,000 COVID-19 infections as the number of new infections is increasing these days, according to Mayor Chu Ngoc Anh. To implement the plan, Anh said the city will request support of centrally and sectoral run hospitals, as well as private hospitals to engage in COVID-19 treatment. It has established more than 3,200 community support groups to monitor people infected with COVID-19 at home now standing at more than 17,000. The city will also mobilize human resources, including young doctors and students of medical schools, and deploy medical oxygen ATMs and medical response readiness coordination activities for home treatment cases. Hanoi is accelerating its largest ever vaccination campaign to better protect its residents from virus infection. More than 98% of adults have so far received two doses of vaccines. The city is deploying home vaccination for people aged 50 and above with underling health conditions. Over 46.8 percent workers in HCM City affected by COVID-19 pandemic: survey More than 180,800 labourers have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, accounting for 46.88 percent of the total number of employees in Ho Chi Minh City, according to the Centre of Forecasting Manpower Needs and Labour Market Information Ho Chi Minh City (FALMI). This is the result of a survey on the labour demand conducted on about 15,600 enterprises with over 385,700 workers in the locality. The survey found that more than 110,500 employees have been put on furlough since the outbreak of the pandemic, accounting 61.15 percent of the total number of affected persons while 42,300 people have lost jobs or 23.4 percent. The number of labourers who have taken unpaid leave and have their labour contracts temporarily terminated was 11,000 and 10,800 which is equal to 6.06 and 5.97 percent, respectively. National Super Cup 2021 cancelled Football fans will have no chance to watch a much-awaited match between V - League and National Cup winners this year as the Vietnam Professional Football Joint Stock Company (VPF) recently announced the cancellation of the National Super Cup 2021. The 2020-2021 football season saw no V-League and National Cup winners named as it was cancelled due to the complicated nature of the COVID-19 outbreak, meaning there will be no National Super Cup match, the VPF said in its announcement. The VPF also unveiled that the first round of Division 1 fixtures in the V-League 2022 season will start on February 19, and Division 2 fixtures next week. Division 1 will see 13 teams play each other both home and away. RoK, Japan localities donate medical supplies to Can Tho in COVID-19 fight Jeollanamdo province of the Republic of Korea (RoK) and Japan’s Okayama city on January 4 presented medical supplies to Can Tho to aid the Mekong Delta city in the COVID-19 combat. The gifts, comprising 60,000 face shields and masks worth about 470 million VND (20,655 USD), will be transported to the municipal health department and the Vietnam Fatherland Front in Can Tho to serve the work. According to Can Tho’s Department of Foreign Affairs, since the fourth wave of COVID-19 broke out last April, the city has received medical supplies from many countries and territories with a total value of around 1.7 billion VND. Ho Chi Minh City: trade unions to spend over 700 billion VND to help labourers celebrate Tet The Labour Federation of Ho Chi Minh City will spend over 700 billion VND (30.76 million USD) to organise activities and present gifts to labourers in the city on the occasion of the upcoming lunar New Year (Tet), the federation said at a press conference on January 4. A prominent event is the “Tet sum vay” (Tet reunion) programme, expected to gather 10,000 worker families to welcome the Year of the Tiger. Another programme will organise trips to the Dam Sen entertainment park for 10,000 families of trade union members during the Tet holiday. Trade unions will also continue to implement a programme to help poor workers to return to their home villages for Tet, with 35,000 coach, train and air tickets to be presented. National Park launches program to preserve endangered animals Cuc Phuong National Park in Ninh Binh province has launched the “Revival Journey” program with the aim of preserving endangered animals such as the grey langur, the brown-shanked douc langur, and the Ha Tinh langur. In phase 1 of the program, organisers will pilot operations to rescue endangered primates. In phase 2, they have added conservation activities for the Cuc Phuong Turtle and Pangolin. According to the Organising Committee, there are four packages for visitors to take part in, which are “Companion”, “Heart connection”, “Going home”, and “Special”. The “Going home” package, which was kicked off recently, has proven popular, with the active participation of visitors who have become more aware of the risk of extinction facing rare species.  Vietnam adopts implementation plan for ILO convention on forced labour abolition Vietnam has sketched out specific tasks and roadmaps to implement the Abolition of Forced Labour Convention (C105) of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), under a plan approved recently. The MoLISA will issue guidelines on the implementation of the document from 2021 to 2023, and build a database in support of the work, along with mechanisms of inspection and supervision, and the handling of violations during the implementation from 2021 to 2025. It will also boost cooperation with countries, international and non-governmental organisations during the implementation, which will be reviewed in 2025. Mu Cang Chai terraces receive special national heritage certificate Mu Cang Chai district is home to 500 hectares of rice terraces in La Pan Tan, Che Cu Nha and De Xu Phinh communes, cultivated by the H’mong people for centuries. Yen Bai province said it will continue to conduct conservation activities and promote the value of relics and heritage in the area. Besides, the province will also promote tourism development. From now until 2025, Mu Cang Chai District will become a tourist district and Nghia Lo town will become a cultural – tourist town. HCM City's schools welcome back over 680,000 students More than 680,000 students in Ho Chi Minh City came back to school on January 4 after almost seven months of studying online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They are students of the 7th, 8th, 10th and 11th grades. Previously, nearly 160,000 9th and 12th graders in the southern largest hub returned to school on December 13, 2021. Each school has devised online and in-person classes in accordance with their conditions. Other educational facilities, such as foreign language, informatics and life skills centres, will be allowed to resume in-person classes if their COVID-19 prevention and control plans have been approved by district-level authorities. Vietnamese expats in Europe long for resumption of international flights Vietnamese expats living in Europe hope authorities from both sides to work together so as to soon resume international flights, allowing them to visit family back home, according to Hoang Dinh Thang, Chairman of the Union of Vietnamese People Associations in Europe. The resumption will also help boost trade, tourism and investment between Vietnam and European countries, revive the economy and bring life back to normal, Thang said in an interview to the Vietnam News Agency following a recent pilot plan to this effect. It is very important to do so after two years of closure because of COVID-19, he said, adding that overseas Vietnamese communities long to fly home on the occasion of the traditional New Year, the most important festival in Vietnam, for family reunion. Numerous activities to celebrate Vietnam – India diplomatic ties A chain of diplomatic, economic, cultural and people-to-people exchange events will be jointly held by the Indian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, the municipal authorities and other southern localities in 2022 to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam – India diplomatic ties (1972-2022). The Indian Consulate General planned to host 125 trade and investment promotion programmes, and exchange events among students and doctors of the two nations. Film screening programmes, exhibitions, workshops on Vietnam – India relationship, seminars, and other cultural events will be also included. Tourism promotion activities will also be arranged to attract Indian tourists to Vietnam’s Nha Trang, Vung Tau and Phu Quoc. National squad to gather on January 13 for World Cup qualifiers The Vietnamese men’s national football team will reunite on January 13 to prepare for two upcoming matches against Australia and China in the third Asian qualifying round for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The team, led by head coach Park Hang-seo, will gather on January 13 to take part in a one-week training camp in Hanoi. After taking on Australia in an away trip on January 27, the national team will then return to the country for a fixture against China which will be played at the My Dinh National Stadium on February 1. Eight international air routes now in operation Vietnam Airlines kick-started the plan by flying from Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) to Phnom Penh (Cambodia) on January 1. It is scheduled to operate the second international flight between Vietnam and Japan on January 5. The national flag carrier has offered ticket sales to passengers on the Hanoi - Seoul route from January 6, Hanoi / Ho Chi Minh City - Singapore from January 12, Ho Chi Minh City - Bangkok (Thailand) from January 8, Hanoi - Vientiane (Laos) from January 9, Hanoi - Taipei (Taiwan - China) from January 11, and Vietnam - USA from January 9. Meanwhile, Vietjet Air is scheduled to operate a number of routes such as Hanoi - Tokyo on January 6, Taipei - Hanoi on January 8, and Taipei - Ho Chi Minh City on January 12. Another domestic airline, Bamboo Airways, is due to operate the Hanoi - Taipei route on January 5. The budget airline has announced it will conduct one flight per week, with the next departures on January 12, January 19 and January 26. Music producer Đức Trí to host concert in HCM City Famed Vietnamese composer and music producer Đức Trí will host a music show in HCM City on January 15. The event 'Nỗi Yêu Bé Dại' (Innocent Love) will feature songs for Trí’s vinyl record of the same name. The album, released in December, includes nine songs, including Hoa Nắng Tôi (My Sunshine) and Lặng Lẽ Yêu (Silent Love), featuring singer Thùy Chi who will perform at the concert. The show will feature singers Hoàng Yến Chibi;  Lê Hiếu, known as the 'Vietnamese Prince of Love Songs'; and Uyên Linh, winner of Vietnam Idol 2010. They will perform famous hits written by Trí such as Anh Biết (I Know), Khi Giấc Mơ Về (When The Dream Comes Back), and Nụ Hôn Đánh Rơi (Missing Kiss), and the soundtrack from Tháng Năm Rực Rỡ (Go-Go Sister), a remake of South Korean hit Sunny. Festival held to promote spring among ethnic groups The spring atmosphere will overwhelm the Việt Nam Ethnic Village of Culture and Tourism throughout January with various festivals of ethnic minority groups throughout the nation. Around 100 people from 13 ethnic minorities including Nùng, Tày, Mông, Dao, Mường, Thái, Khơ Mú, Tà Ôi, and Ba Na will join the funfairs. Folk games, handicraft performances, and traditional cuisine will be featured during weekdays and weekends. Groups from Thái Nguyên, Hà Nội, Gia Lai, Đăk Lắk and Sóc Trăng will show off daily routines together with around 20 people from the Thái team from the northern province of Sơn La between January 22 and 23. The village locates in Đồng Mô District, some 45km to the west of Hà Nội’s centre.  HCM City to earmark $24.9 billion for housing development by 2025 HCM City will allocate nearly VNĐ567 trillion (US$24.9 billion) and 974 hectares of land for housing in the next four years to increase the per capita housing space to at least 23.5 square metres. It has approved a programme to develop commercial housing, especially low-priced, social housing and renovate or rebuild degraded apartment buildings until 2025. It seeks to increase housing space per person to at least 23.5sq.m from the current 20.65sq.m, and 25.6sq.m in the city centre. The city will allocate nearly 800.9ha of land for commercial housing development and 173.5ha for social housing, and spend VNĐ239.7 trillion on commercial housing, VNĐ37.7 trillion on social housing and VNĐ289.5 trillion on private housing. At least 610,000 Hanoi residents have received third COVID-19 vaccine doses Hanoi has administered over 610,000 third COVID-19 vaccine doses to residents aged 18 years and above so far, according to the city's health department. Trần Thị Nhị Hà, head of the department, said 172,000 are additional doses (defined by WHO as the third dose for target population where immune response rate following standard series is deemed insufficient, especially in immunocompromised people and older adults) and 441,000 booster shots. 100,000 people above 50 years old in the city have received the third vaccine doses. Hà Nội's administration has ordered the completion of additional doses before January 31, 2022, and wanted all concerned authorities to "persistently raise awareness and encourage people to get vaccinations" to obtain 100 per cent vaccine coverage in the population 50 years old and above. Former vice secretary of HCMC Party Committee facing 12-14 years in prison Tất Thành Cang, former vice secretary of HCM City’s Party Committee, is facing a potential jail term of 12 to 14 years for "violating regulations on the management and use of State assets, causing losses and wastefulness”, should he be found guilty. The procuracy also submitted to sentence Tề Trí Dũng, former general director of IPC, to 20-22 years in prison for “embezzlement of property” and “violations of regulations on the management and use of State assets, causing losses and wastefulness” under the 2015 Penal Code. It was also suggested that Hồ Thị Thanh Phúc, former general director of SADECO, is given 19-21 years in prison for “embezzlement of property” and “violations of regulations on the management and use of State assets, causing losses and wastefulness” under the 2015 Penal Code. Phạm Văn Thông, former deputy chief of the Office of the HCMC City’s Party Committee, is facing 6-7 years in prison for “violations of regulations on the management and use of State assets, causing losses and wastefulness” under the 2015 Penal Code. The trial, which begins on December 27, is set to be wrapped up on January 10.  Vietnam donates US$100,000 to US to overcome tornado consequences Vietnam on January 5 handed over US$100,000 from the Vietnamese Government and people to support bereaved families of tornadoes that struck the US State of Kentucky last December. Addressing the handover ceremony, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung shared deep sympathy over the great loss American people suffered and believed that the US government and people would soon overcome the consequences of the disaster in Kentucky. He emphasized the spirit of friendship, cooperation and mutual support to surmount difficulties between the Governments and people of the two countries, especially in the context of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19: Daily caseload surpasses 17,000 mark again in Vietnam After having gradually fallen to more than 14,000 cases over the past few days, the daily number of new infections surprisingly hit the 17,000 mark again on January 5, rising to 17,017, the Ministry of Health said in its coronavirus update. Of the new infections, more than two thirds (12,299) were detected in the community and 20 cases tested positive upon returning to Vietnam from overseas. The remaining cases were diagnosed in quarantine and lockdown areas. The capital city of Hanoi registered most cases compared to other localities, at 2,505. The city is deploying a plan to treat 100,000 cases at healthcare facilities and at home by mobilizing State and private hospitals to engage in COVID-19 treatment. Besides Hanoi, other northern provinces also recorded high numbers of new infections during the day, including Hai Phong (792), Bac Ninh (365), Hung Yen (345), Quang Ninh (337), Thai Nguyen (239), Hai Duong (229) and Ha Giang (227). Vietnam, Laos break ground on friendship school in Khammouane A ground-breaking ceremony for the Vietnam – Laos Friendship Vocational School was held in Nong Bok district of Khammouane province on January 5. The school will be built on an area of 3.7 hectares with a total cost of US$5 million as a special gift from the Party, State and people of Vietnam to their Lao counterparts. The project was unveiled during the August 2021 visit to Laos by Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc. The project is expected to be completed and handed over to Laos in December 2022. It will initially provide vocational training for high school students, those who do not have a job, those who need to change jobs, and overseas workers who lost their jobs and returned home due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Vietnam attends SOM to gear up for ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat  A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung attended a virtual senior official meeting (SOM) on January 5 to scrutinize preparations for the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat (AMMR) set to take place from January 18-19 in Siem Riep, Cambodia. During the event, the head of the Cambodia ASEAN SOM reviewed the major outcomes recoded by ASEAN in 2021, especially in the implementation of action lines of the master plan on building the ASEAN Community, and promoting external relations and ASEAN’s central role, among others. With the theme given to the ASEAN Chair 2022 ‘Addressing Challenges Together’, Cambodia introduced orientations and key focus in cooperation of ASEAN this year, underlining the combined efforts of member countries in dealing with emerging challenges, thereby contributing to peace, security, stability and sustainable development in the region. Can Tho, US university foster cooperation in high-quality human resource training Officials of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on January 5 had a working session with representatives of the northern branch of the American University in Vietnam (AUV). The university presented 41 scholarships to high school students of the city during the event. They include a full-time scholarship worth US$60,000, 10 half scholarships and 30 others of US$18,000 each. The scholarships offered by the northern branch of the AUV will help the city successfully carry out a resolution on its development to 2030 with a vision to 2045, focusing on health care and education, he added. Contest launched to promote Vietnam’s traditional Lunar New Year The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) has launched a contest themed “Yeu tet que nha – Yeu ban sac Viet” to popularise inspirational stories as the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival is approaching. The contest offers a chance for Vietnamese people to share memorable moments, cultural identities and traditional customs of localities across the country during the Tet festival. It is expected to contribute to introducing and disseminating Vietnam’s traditional Lunar New Year to the domestic and international communities.  The contest is open to all Vietnamese citizens aged 18 and above. The organising board will present three first prizes worth VND10 million (US$439) each, five second prizes worth VND5 million each, 10 third prizes worth VND2 million each and 15 consolation prizes worth VND1 million each. HCMC set to inspect trade of Covid test kits  The HCMC government has told the HCMC Inspectorate to set up inter-disciplinary inspection teams to look into the trade, production and import of Covid-19 test kits citywide. The decision came after the country was stunned by a test kit price gouging and kickback scandal involving Viet A Technology Corporation and a number of provincial centers for disease control. The HCMC move is aimed at detecting any violations in the process of trading and importing tests, according to a dispatch signed by HCMC Vice Chairman Duong Anh Duc today, January 5. The inspection teams will inspect entities that have participated in the trading and import of rapid test and RT-PCR test kits. Web drama on traditional Vietnamese family values released The first episode of a web drama series about family life, starring People’s Artist and comic actress Hồng Vân, was released on YouTube on New Year’s Eve, attracting more than 138,000 views. The show Tết Nữa U Là Trời (Tết Comes Home) focuses on traditional family values in Việt Nam, and has 12 episodes. The series features a poor mother trying to make things rights with her only daughter. The show looks at the trials and tribulations between mother and daughter. The work also highlights cultural activities and family traditions celebrated during Tết (Lunar New Year) Festival. This year, Tết begins on Feburary 1. First baby born with help of Vietnamese peacekeeping doctors in South Sudan Doctors of Việt Nam’s Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 3 in Bentiu, South Sudan, and their counterparts in the host country, have successfully conducted surgery on a pregnant woman suffering from Pott’s disease.  With the help of the doctors, a baby boy weighing 4 kg was born safely on January 3. His mother is a 22-year-old woman from South Sudan who had spinal deformity due to the disease. She had been pregnant for 35 weeks and had signs of fetal distress. On January 3, the field hospital received a call from the Director of Mision Support, UNMISS Chief Medical Officer, and Head Field of Office for helping Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders-MSF) with the special case. This is the first time Việt Nam's hospital has been asked to send a team to support another medical unit. Railway opens ticket sales for Tet holiday The Vietnam Railways Corporation, on January 5, informed that the railway industry started selling train tickets from Hanoi and Saigon train stations to serve people during the 2022 Lunar New Year. Accordingly, on the Hanoi - Vinh route, the pair of NA1/2 trains will run from January 27 to February 6. On the Ho Chi Minh City - Phan Thiet route, the pair of SPT1/SPT2 trains will run from January 28 to February 6. On the HCMC - Nha Trang route, the pair of SNT1/SNT2 trains will run from January 20 to February 13. On the HCMC - Quy Nhon route, the pair of SQN1/SQN2 trains will run from January 24 to February 6. On the HCMC - Quang Ngai route, the pair of SE25/SE26 trains will run from January 26 to February 6. German medical professor honoured German medical professor Horst Klinkmann has been decorated with an Order of Friendship in recognition of his remarkable contributions to Vietnam’s healthcare sector and the bilateral relations. On behalf of the President of Vietnam, Ambassador Nguyen Minh Vu presented the country’s highest award for foreigners to the 87-year-old in a ceremony held in Berlin on January 5. A student and then a lecturer at the University of Rostock, one of the oldest universities in Germany, Prof. Dr. Horst Klinkmann provided active support for the first Vietnamese medical students in the university after the restoration of peace in Vietnam in 1954. Klinkmann has helped promote the Vietnam-Germany links in education and medicine, reflected by the establishment of the Viet-Duc Friendship Hospital and Nghe An’s Vinh General Hospital, and deliver much-needed medical supplies to Vietnam when the country was in difficulty because of blockade in the past. Free oxygen ATM programme launched in Hanoi A free oxygen ATM programme along with oxygen coordination activities to support COVID-19 patient treatment at home was kicked off on January 5 by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCMCYU)’s chapter in Hanoi, the Hanoi Youth Union (HYU) in collaboration with the Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs' Association (VYEA) and the Hanoi Young Business Association. Accordingly, the transportation of oxygen cylinders and medical equipment will be undertaken by a rapid response team from the HYU’s Pickup Vietnam Club. Lam Dong tackles 250kg wartime bomb The Military High Command in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong’s Da Huoai district is working with competent agencies to transport a wartime bomb recently unearthed by residents for safe detonation. The explosive device was detected on January 5 when an excavator was used at its location. Left over by the US during the war, the bomb, whose detonator remains intact, is over 1.6m long, has a diameter of 30cm, and weights more than 250kg. Vietnam’s women team beat Spanish club in friendly match Vietnam’s national women football squad scored a 3-0 win over Cordoba Club in a friendly match on January 4, as part of a training tour in Spain in preparation for the Asian cup. Vietnam got off to a good start and Nguyen Thi Van scored the opener in the 27th minute, with the second goal made by Thanh Nha in the 44th minute. Vietnamese players continued to dominate the second half of the match and increased the goal difference to three in the 60th minute when Pham Hai Yen defeated the goalkeeper of Cordoba with an assist from Huynh Nhu. The team are scheduled to have another friendly and final match against Huelva Club on January 5. Source: VNA/VOV/VNN/VNS/SGT/SGGP/ND

 

VIETNAM BUSINESS NEWS JANUARY 6  16:09                                  Vietnam issues plan on RCEP implementation Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh has signed a decision approving a plan on the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which became effective from January 1. The plan aims to assign tasks and responsibilities to relevant agencies and organisations, decide on measures related to direction and administration, and other measures to implement this agreement fully and effectively. Signed in November 2020, RCEP brings together 10 ASEAN member states, along with China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand, covering 30 percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP) worth 26.2 trillion USD. It forms a market with 2.2 billion consumers, and becomes the largest free trade area in the world in terms of population. It will eliminate tariffs on as much as 92 percent of goods traded between its signatories eventually, expand market access for investment, harmonise rules and regulations, and strengthen the supply chains within the massive free trade zone. Lang Son calls on exporters to suspend goods transport to border gates Lang Son Province has asked exporters to temporarily stop transporting goods to the northern border gates for export from now until the Lunar New Year to cope with the huge backlog there. The provincial government on December 4 sent a dispatch to other provinces and cities proposing the suspension as over 2,400 container trucks are still stranded at the border gates in the province. Several border gates in Lang Son Province, such as Tan Thanh and Coc Nam, have yet to reopen their doors, leading to the province’s declining customs clearance capacity. Some 80-100 container trucks can now pass through the border gates daily. Lang Son Province also advised exporters to keep a close watch over the customs clearance and backlog at border gates to suitably transport goods to the border, the local media reported. As of January 4, the province still saw some 2,460 container trucks stranded at the border, with 60% of them transporting fresh fruits, according to the Lang Son Department of Industry and Trade. Industrial production up 4.82 percent in 2021 Vietnam’s industrial production recorded an increase of 4.82 percent in added value compared to 2020, according to figures from the General Statistics Office (GSO). Notably, the processing and manufacturing field saw a rise of 6.37 percent in added value, contributing 1.61 percent to the overall growth of the economy. The production index in 2021 of several key industries also surged against 2020, such as metal production up 22.1 percent; motor vehicle production 10.2 percent; electronic, computer, and optical products 9.6 percent; and hard and ion coal mining 9 percent. Regarding FDI attraction in the year, the processing and manufacturing sector continued to lead with registered FDI capital totaling 7.25 billion USD, accounting for 47.6 percent of the total newly-registered capital. Central Highlands provinces adopt sustainable coffee production practices Up to 49,083ha of coffee in the Central Highlands, the coffee cultivation hub of Vietnam, have been cultivated following all the sustainable production criteria thanks to Vietnam Sustainable Agriculture Transformation (VnSAT) project. The VnSAT project, implemented from 2015 to June 30, 2022, consists of four components, namely enhancement of institutional capacity to serve agricultural restructuring, sustainable rice development, sustainable coffee development, and project management. It covers the five Central Highlands provinces of Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Gia Lai, Kon Tum, and Lam Dong, along with An Giang, Can Tho, Dong Thap, Hau Giang, Kien Giang, Long An, Soc Trang, and Tien Giang in the Mekong Delta. Since 2015, 52,461 farming households in the Central Highlands have been trained in coffee production process. As a result, all the sustainable coffee production criteria have been applied to 49,083ha, heard a meeting held in Buon Ma Thuot city of Dak Lak province on January 4. 3.74 billion USD of FDI poured into HCM City The inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) into Ho Chi Minh City hit 3.74 billion USD in 2021, down 14.2 per cent year-on-year, according to the municipal Department of Planning and Investment. However, the investment capital poured into new and adjusted projects in 2021 still remained high compared to the previous year. The average registered capital of a project was 1.08 million USD, primarily in the fields of real estate business, information and communications, and commerce. Countries and territories posting high adjusted investments included Japan, Singapore, and the US./. Over 1,600 more businesses enter agricultural sector in 2021 A total of 1,600 agri-businesses were newly established and resumed operation in 2021, raising the number of firms in the sector to over 14,400, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The ministry said agribusinesses are growing strongly in Vietnam, becoming the core of the agricultural value chain. There are a number of major corporations expanding into hi-tech agriculture, such as Nafoods, TH, Dabaco Vietnam, Masan, Lavifood, Doveco, and Bien Dong Trading and Investment JSC. This year, 1,250 new agricultural cooperatives were established. Vietnam now has 19,000 cooperatives, including 20,00 hi-tech agricultural cooperatives. VinFast announces opening of pre-orders for electric vehicles in Vietnam, US Automaker VinFast on January 4 announced it will receive pre-orders for its electric SUV models VF e35 and VF e36 in Vietnam and the US during the VinFast Global EV Day within the framework of the technology exhibition CES 2022 in Las Vegas, the US. Accordingly, pre-orders for the vehicles will open at 5pm on January 5 (Las Vegas time), or 8am of January 6 (Hanoi time). Special offers from VinFirst programme will be given to those who book the two models within the first three months. In Vietnam, customers who will have to pay 15 million VND (659 USD) in advance for VF e35 and 20 million VND for VF e36 will receive gift vouchers worth 150 million VND and 250 million VND, respectively. Meanwhile, customers in the US who pay 200 USD in advance will get an e-voucher worth 3,000 USD for VF e35 and 5,000 USD for VF e36. In both markets, the pre-orders are refundable. Container fleet needs to be upgraded to keep growth momentum Despite the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, the volume of goods through seaports keeps growth momentum, especially container cargo. The connection between the two modes of maritime and inland waterway transport has had positive changes, thus reducing pressure on road transport. According to statistics of the Vietnam Maritime Administration (VMA), currently the fleet of Vietnam-flagged cargo ships has nearly 1,050 units, but of which only 38, accounting for 4 percent, are container ships and the number almost kept unchanged in the 2016- 2021 period. At present, Vietnam's import and export transport market is mainly dominated by foreign shipping lines, and the proportion of the domestic fleet is only 6 percent. Inflation rate in 2022 forecast to stand at 2% to 3% The inflation rate for 2022 will be within reach of around 2% to 3%, lower than the 4% target set by the National Assembly (NA), according to forecast made by various experts and managers. Dr Nguyen Duc Do, deputy head of the Institute of Economics and Finance from the Academy of Finance, predicted that inflation in 2022 will most likely be maintained at a low level. The reason behind this is that although the economy is in the process of recovering, output in 2022 will remain far below its full potential. In the event that GDP this year only grows by 6.5% as the set target, or even 8% to 9% as some forecasts, the average economic growth rate of the 2020 to 2022 period will only be at 4% to 5%, lower than the 6% for the 2011 to 2020 period. According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Minh, head of the Institute of Economics – Finance under the Ministry of Finance, the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to dominate the Vietnamese economy. This will mean that the average CPI in 2022 may fluctuate and increase from 2% to 3%, below the target set by the NA. State budget collection estimated at almost US$62 billion for 2022 The State budget collection in 2022 is expected to reach over VND1.41 quadrillion (US$61.7 billion), according to a report on State budget estimates for 2022 made public by the Ministry of Finance. Meanwhile, expenditure is estimated at about VND1.78 quadrillion, up 4.5 per cent compared to 2021. The “Budget Report for Citizens-State Budget Estimates for 2022” provides the public with essential information on macro-economic indices in 2022. Accordingly, revenues of the central budget are estimated to account for 52.36 per cent of the total budget collection, equivalent to VND739.13 trillion, while 47.64 per cent, or VND627.57 trillion, will be collected for local budget. The State budget deficit for the year is estimated at VND372.9 trillion ($16.31 billion), equivalent to 4 per cent of the GDP. HCM City seeks more Govt funds for public projects HCM City wants the Government to increase the financial allocation for its public works this year, hoping it can help speed up economic recovery. It has asked for over VND5.14 trillion (US$225.7 million) as against the VND2.48 trillion it has been allotted. It has also been promised VND142 trillion worth of medium-term credit by the Government but needs nearly VND180 trillion to complete around 4,200 ongoing projects. If it is allotted the extra funds, the city will be able to carry out many key traffic projects to increase regional connectivity and reduce traffic jams, such as the widening of the congested National Highway 50 in Binh Chanh District. The city had also sought over VND17.23 trillion for three urgent projects: upgrading the Hy Vong and Xuyen Tam canals and building the HCM City – Moc Bai Highway. Work will also begin on many key infrastructure projects this year including a new road connecting Tran Quoc Hoan and Cong Hoa streets in Tan Binh District to ease congestion around Tan Son Nhat Airport, and the An Phu Intersection in Thu Duc City at the junction of three of the city’s main roads. Demand for cash at the end of the year will not be high: SBV As the upcoming Lunar New Year is coming near, the need to withdraw cash at ATMs is predicted to not be as high as in previous years, said Le Anh Dung, deputy director of the Payment Department under the State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV). Dung made the statement at a recent press conference to deploy the banking industry's tasks for next year. Dung attributed the reduced cash withdrawal to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has significantly affected people's income. Along with that, there is a growing trend in shifting from cash payments to electronic payments; from ATM systems to other payment systems such as 24/7 payment, payment points accepting cards, and payment by mobile. VietinBank, Vietcombank, BIDV, and Agribank offer free transaction services This means that as of 2022, the four major state-owned banks have ceased to collect online money transfer fees for their clients. The addition to the four, the competition might make it more interesting. Other banks will likely follow suit but will be unable to retain their former policies in the face of such robust efforts by state-owned corporations. Previously, other privately-run banks, such as Techcombank, TPBank, MB, VPBank, have applied zero-fee transaction services for their customers across the nation. Free transactions are also part of the banking industry's digital reform agenda, which aims to promote cashless payments as a key option to entice users to create payment accounts, making digital banking more accessible and intuitive for customers. As a result, more customers will alleviate the bank's pressure on a variety of operational costs, including cash reserves and those associated with running circulation, such as staff, transportation, logistics, and investment expenses, among others. MARD calls for boosting local fruit consumption amid export uncertainties The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has urged relevant stakeholders to join forces in boosting local fruit consumption now that China as the biggest buyer of Vietnamese fruit has erected new technical barriers. Deputy Minister of Agriculture Tran Thanh Nam said the local commercial fruit output in the first quarter this year may reach nearly one million tons, while China has tightened its import policy to pursue the “Zero-Covid scheme”. Nam said MARD would organize a forum on January 6 to rev up the local consumption of fruit, and called on enterprises and traders to join the scheme to this effect. The deputy minister, citing statistics from fruit-growing localities, said the commercial fruit output in this quarter would almost reach one million tons, including 300,000 tons of dragon fruit, 250,000 tons of mango, 160,000 tons of jackfruit, 140,000 tons of pomelo, and 130,000 tons of orange. These fruits used to be shipped to China en mass, especially in the period ahead of the Tet holiday, but the neighboring country has now turned its back to certain types. Vietnam sees employment uptick after six months of decline The Vietnamese manufacturing sector continued to grow at a solid pace in December 2021 and saw job creation resume following a six-month period of falling employment, according to the latest report of IHS Markit. Cost inflationary pressures remained marked, but eased since November, reflecting signs that supply-chain delays were becoming less pronounced. The Vietnam Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) posted 52.5 in December 2021, up from 52.2 in November and signaling a third successive monthly improvement in business conditions. Moreover, the solid strengthening in the health of the sector was the most marked since May. There was positive news on the employment front at the end of 2021 as job creation resumed following six months of declining staffing levels. Higher output requirements and efforts to rebuild workforces following the recent wave of the Covid-19 pandemic were behind the increase. The rise in employment was only marginal, however, with some firms continuing to report that workers had returned to their hometowns and therefore weren’t available. Vietnam’s exports to UK rise 15.6% y-o-y, buoyed by UKVFTA Vietnam’s total exports to the United Kingdom last year increased 15.6% year-on-year to reach US$5.24 billion as the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) was enforced over the past year. Despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Vietnamese businesses took full advantage of the opportunities the UKVFTA presented, one year after the deal temporarily came into effect from January 1, 2021, and seven months after it officially took effect from May 1, 2021. The trade pact is expected to continue to be a driving force behind trade and investment ties between the countries in the future. The provisions of the deal will boost the export of Vietnamese staple products, reported Lao Dong newspaper. Many export items registered strong growth, with iron and steel taking the lead at 1,183%, followed by rubber at over 82%, farm produce at over 70%, and rattan, bamboo, sedge, and carpet products at around 60%. Vietnamese rice export prices fall lower than Thai equivalent Vietnamese rice export prices, after peaking for several months, have fallen to levels lower than Thailand’s in all 5%, 25%, and 100% broken rice categories. Since mid-December, the average Vietnamese rice export price has declined to below US$400 per tonne following a long period of sustaining a higher-than-US$400/tonne level. According to Vietnam Food Association (VFA), the price of 5% broken rice stood at US$393 per tonne on January 4, a drop of US$28 per tonne compared to the previous month. Meanwhile, Thailand offered its 5% broken rice at US$398 per tonne, and India and Pakistan traded their rice at US$333 and US$348 per tonne, respectively. Similarly, the prices of 25% and 100% broken rice of Vietnam were US$373 and US$328 per tonne respectively, which were US$7 and US$33 lower than Thailand’s. Dong Nai ships first batch of processed fruits overseas in 2022 The southern province of Dong Nai on January 5 hosted a ceremony to export the first batch of processed fruits in the New Year to Europe, the Republic of Korea (RoK), Japan, Russia, and the Middle East. The New Year shipment, made by Luong Gia Food Technology Joint Stock Company, opens up bright export prospects ahead for local farm produce, said Vo Van Phi, vice chairman of the Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee, at the ceremony. Luong Gia represents a pioneering enterprise in the locality as it has injected a huge amount of capital into advanced technologies for production, strengthened origin traceability, and ensured food safety for processed products in order to launch high-quality products that meet strict requirements set by importers. The company has taken advantage of opportunities from various free trade agreements (FTAs) that Vietnam has signed with its partners to boost exports. Construction on projects linked to Tan Son Nhat airport to start this year Ho Chi Minh City plans to start work on several important transport projects in areas surrounding its Tan Son Nhat International Airport in 2022 so as to ensure synchronisation with the airport’s Terminal T3 project. Specifically, this year, the city’s management board for investment and construction of transport projects will build a road connecting Tran Quoc Hoan and Cong Hoa streets, upgrade Cong Hoa street from alley 2 of Tran Quoc Hoan street to Thang Long street, expand Hoang Hoa Tham street from the military base near the airport to Cong Hoa street, and expand Tan Ky Tan Quy street. Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City is currently one of the two largest and most important airports of Vietnam. However, before the COVID-19 broke out over the globe, it was usually overloaded. Hanoi-Hai Phong Expressway to pilot electronic toll collection from May In a pilot scheme from May 5, vehicles will not be able to pay by cash, but instead must use the automatic electronic toll collection (ETC). The move aims to reduce congestion on the busy 105-kilometre route, which sees up to 32,000 vehicles per day. If successful, the model will be rolled out to other highways in the country, especially the country's North-South Expressway.  As the plan prepares for implementation, designated spots have been set up to allow motorists to pull over and have transponders installed. This will allow easier traffic flow, and money for the tolls will be automatically deducted from the drivers' ETC accounts. Selling force weighs on sentiment, VN-Index reverses course On the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), the VN-Index finished lower but still hovered above the 1,500 point-level. Accordingly, the market benchmark declined 3.08 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 1,522.5 points after gaining nearly 20 points in the opening session of 2022. The market's breadth was negative with 221 stocks rising, while 240 stocks dropped. Liquidity increased compared to yesterday as nearly VND33 trillion (US$1.45 billion) was poured into HoSE, equivalent to a trading volume of more than 1 billion shares. The index's reversal was due to strong selling pressure that weighed on many large-cap stocks. Of which the 30 biggest stocks tracker VN30-Index fell 12.86 points, or 0.82 per cent, to 1,546.01 points. Nineteen stocks in the VN30 basket inched down, while ten stocks climbed with one stock hitting the biggest daily gain. And one stock ended flat. The HNX-Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange (HNX), meanwhile, still edged up 6.26 points, or 1.32 per cent, to 480.36 points. During the session, over 137.6 million shares were traded on the northern bourse, worth nearly VND4.1 trillion. On the other hand, foreign investors fled from the market after net selling a value of VND220.77 billion on both main exchanges. Of which, they net sold a value of VND256.48 billion on HoSE, while net bought a value of VND35.71 billion on HNX.  Reference exchange rate down 9 VND The State Bank of Vietnam set the daily reference exchange rate for the US dollar at 23,128 VND/USD on January 6, down 9 VND from the previous day. With the current trading band of +/- 3 percent, the ceiling rate applicable to commercial banks during the day is 23,821 VND/USD and the floor rate 22,434 VND/USD. Viettel’s technological inventions earn exclusive patents in US The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has recently recognised the exclusive patents in the US for two applications of the Viettel High Technology Industries Corporation (VHT) – a member of the Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group. One of the two inventions is the “dual-polarized wide-bandwidth antenna”, which relates to a low profile antenna, operating over a wide range of frequencies. The second is the “high magnification MWIR continuous zoom system”, which allows its users to be able to receive high quality thermal images in all FOV (field of view) configurations. By the end of 2021, USPTO had granted the VHT eight exclusive patents, making it the Vietnamese high-tech enterprise with the most patents protected in the US, covering the military, civil and telecommunications fields. Source: VNA/VIR/VNS/VNN/VOV/SGT/SGGP/ND