Vietnam Morning News For January 9

Financial sector told to stay updated with Industry 4.0 to expand tax base
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked the financial sector to stay updated with the development of Industry 4.0 so as to expand the tax base.
— VietnamPlus

Government approves restructuring of Vinachem
Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Ðình Hu? has signed Decision No.16 approving the restructuring plan of the Vietnam National Chemical Group (Vinachem).
— Viet Nam News

Vietnam starts high-profile trial over oil firm losses
Vietnam put 22 executives on trial over losses at the state oil firm on Monday, including a businessman Germany accuses Hanoi of kidnapping from a Berlin park and the communist state’s first politburo member to face trial in decades.
— Business Insider

Middle East emerges as new destination for Vietnam’s exports
Vietnamese businesses’ expansion to the Middle East market is considered an important and long-term strategic direction amidst saturated traditional markets and decreased consumption.
— Nhan Dan Online

Vietnam sets up command center for cyberspace defense
Vietnam announced on Monday the creation of a cyberspace operations command to protect its sovereignty on the Internet, with prime minister citing risks related to the disputed South China Sea and complex regional and global situations.
— Business Insider

Business community voices suggestions to improve business climate
The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) reported that it had passed 1,152 petitions from the business community to relevant State agencies as of the end of November 2017.
— Bizhub

Vietnamese rice earns high export in 2017
Vietnam’s rice export recorded a good year in 2017 as export volume reached 6 million tonnes, thanks to an increased demand on the world market.
— Nhan Dan Online

Vietnamese open wallets to buy some peace of mind
Nguyen Thu Hang, a 37-year-old Hanoi office worker, recently set up a security camera in her Hanoi apartment to keep an eye on her housekeeper and small child that she monitors by smartphone.
— Nikkei Asian Review

Vietnam’s public debt stands at 61.3% in 2017: Finance Ministry
Vietnam’s ratio of public debt to GDP stood at 61.3% at the end of 2017, lower than an earlier estimate of 62.6%, according to the Ministry of Finance.
— Nhan Dan Online

2017 insurance revenue at $4.6bn
Total revenue in Vietnam’s insurance sector was estimated at VND105.6 trillion ($4.6 billion) in 2017, an increase of 21.2 per cent against 2016, according to the Insurance Supervisory Authority (ISA) at the Ministry of Finance (MoF).
— VietnamNet Bridge

An Giang targets 840 mln USD in export turnover
The Mekong Delta province of An Giang has set to earn 840 million USD from goods export in 2018, a year-on-year increase of 2.44 percent.
— VietnamPlus

More than 700 businesses trade on UPCoM
The Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX) said that its Unlisted Public Company Market (UPCoM) welcomed 11 newly registered stock codes, increasing the total number of businesses trading on the bourse to 701 as of January 5.
— VietnamNet Bridge

Clean energy remains a distant dream in Vietnam
Investors who once rushed to invest in Vietnam’s fledging clean energy industry are now backing off due to unprofitability, further hindering the country’s dream of getting greener.
— Tuoi Tre

HCM City pilots two safe food markets
The HCM City People’s Committee has approved a pilot programme to sell safe food at two traditional markets — Ben Thanh Market and the Hoc Mon Wholesale Market in the district of the same name.
— VietnamPlus

Feature photo Simone D. McCourtie / World Bank

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