Vietnam Morning News For October 19

Export turnover to top $239 billion this year
Agricultural and seafood exports were expected to reach 27.5 billion USD, representing a 5.4 percent year-on-year increase; material and minerals 5.1 billion USD, up 6 percent; and processing 196.1 billion USD, up 12.5 percent.
— VietnamNet Bridge

Tax incentives are not enterprises’ priority: Oxfam
Vietnam should focus on restructuring of state budget expenditures, increasing transparency and efficiency in state budget spending with people`s oversight, and avoiding tax evasion and unnecessary tax incentives.
— The Hanoi Times

National standards for chilled meat issued
The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) has issued national standards on chilled meat and technical requirements to meet expectations of markets at home and abroad.
— VietNamNet Bridge

Vietnam Airlines launches in-town check-in service
To help passengers ensure their journey gets off to a great start, national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has announced the official launch of its new In-town Check-in service, the first of its kind in the Southeast Asian country.
— Vietnam Insider

Vietnam’s exporters advised to expand tuna exports to Middle East
The Middle East is currently the best selection for Vietnamese exporters of canned tuna to expand market in the context that the consumption demand in such traditional markets as the US and the EU are experiencing a slowdown, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) said.
— VietnamPlus

Vietnam’s Food Safety Regulations
Vietnam updated its food safety law in February, replacing Decree 38/2012-ND-CP with Decree 15/2018/ND-CP, to reduce regulatory burdens and enhance international trade of goods.
— Vietnam Briefing

Grab introduces new cashless payment method
GrabPay by Moca to bring customers new and secure cashless payment solution.
— Vietnam Insider

Vietnam prepares to greet 15 millionth visitor of the year
The country is set to welcome the 15 millionth visitor of the year late next month or early December.
— VnExpress

Vietnam’s SOE equitisation needs to move into high gear
The equitisation of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) has been alarmingly slow this year with only nine enterprises having their equitisation plans approved, compared with a total of 85 being required to complete their equitisation in 2018.
— Nhan Dan Online

Vietnam to ratify Pacific trade pact next month
Vietnam said Thursday it will ratify a sprawling Pacific trade pact that US President Donald Trump pulled out of last year, calling the deal a “disgrace” for American jobs.
— France24

Vietnam’s retail market cutthroat, big player falls
Parkson recently shut down its shopping center at Cantavil An Phu in district 2, HCM City. To date, the big retailer from Malaysia has closed five malls in Vietnam.
— VietNamNet Bridge

Vietnam FPT sees net profit up 18% in 9 months
Revenue from technology and telecom sectors contributed 94% to the corporation`s total revenue.
— The Hanoi Times

VPBank fixes foreign holding to prepare for private placement
Vietnam Prosperity Joint Stock Commercial Bank (VPBank) has announced a temporary foreign ownership limit at 22.532 per cent of charter capital to prepare for a private placement.
— Viet Nam News

Foreign investors bet big on Vietnamese firms
The number of foreign investors, who contribute capital or acquire shares in Vietnamese firms, is surging rapidly, given by the firms’ high growth prospects and the government’s effective actions in improving the country’s business and investment environment.
— The Hanoi Times

Central Vietnam expressway traversed a rough path, remains rough
Construction of the expressway that runs 139 kilometers (86 miles) between Da Nang City and Quang Ngai Province started in May 2013.
— VnExpress

Livestock, feed expo opens in HCM City
More than 368 exhibitors from 46 countries and territories are taking part in the annual Vietstock Expo and Forum which opened on Wednesday in HCM City.
— Bizhub

Flights to Vietnam and Morocco soar for MICE group charter with Air Partner
Long-haul destinations take off in popularity, while Milan, Paris and Rome remain the top global cities for MICE bookings.
— Incentive Travel

Vietnam facilitates investment from EU, Belgium: Prime Minister
The Vietnamese Government is making concerted efforts to improve business climate for both domestic and foreign enterprises, including those from the Europe, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said on October 17.
— Sggp News

Stop building condotels, says real estate association
No more condotels should be built in Vietnam and the focus should instead be on developing existing ones, says Vietnam Realtor.
— VnExpress

Vietnam Int’l Industry Fair to open in Hanoi
The Vietnam International Industry Fair 2018 (VIIF 2018) is scheduled to take place during October 23-26 at the Hanoi International Exhibition Centre, according to organisers.
— VietnamPlus

Japan urges Vietnam to speed up ODA disbursement
Japan is concerned about ‘serious’ delays in disbursement of funds for major official development assistance (ODA) projects in Vietnam.
— VnExpress

Mobikor provides webtoon service for Vietnamese workers in Korea
Mobikor (www.vinatoon.co.kr co-CEOs Kim Joong-hwan and Lee Jin-woo), Vietnam’s first webtoon service provider, announced that it would join hands with Payone (www.epayone.co.kr CEO Lee Dae-hyeong), digital financial transaction solution development and service company, to provide webtoon service for Vietnamese workers living in Korea.
— AEC News Today/ PR Newswire (media release)

Mental Healthcare Industry in Vietnam
The mental healthcare industry in Vietnam is still developing. The government has established the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP); however, industry observers have noted that the NMHP only covers approximately 30 percent of the country, and uses a very narrow list of mental illness.
— Vietnam Briefing

Coffee festival to be held in Dak Lak
The seventh annual Buon Ma Thuot coffee festival will be held on March 9 – 16, 2019 in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak with a wide range of activities featuring the local specialty.
— Sggp News

Workshop spotlights sustainable, inclusive growth in Vietnam
A workshop took place in Hanoi on October 18 to discuss ways to foster sustainable and inclusive growth in Vietnam.
— VietnamPlus

Landslide changes in phone segment
As Vietnamese smartphone producers are launching new products and Chinese giants are stepping up their game, Samsung and Apple’s hold on the market seems more fragile than ever before.
— Vietnam Insider

Feature photo World Bank Photo Collection

This week’s Vietnam morning news feature photo acknowledges International Day for Rural Women, October 15.

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.