Vietnam Morning News For September 26

Petrolimex asked to accelerate divestment
The Vietnam National Petroleum Group (Petrolimex) was requested to strictly follow the Prime Minister’s instructions on its divestment and address the infringement of the Potrolimex brand.
— Nhan Dan Online

PM Phuc endorses immediate need for $1.4 bln Da Nang deep-sea port
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told Da Nang leaders the construction of Lien Chieu Port is an urgent requirement at a meeting Monday.
— VnExpress

VIETNAM JAILS ACTIVIST FOR ANTI-GOVERNMENT FACEBOOK POSTS
A court in southern Vietnam has sentenced an activist to 27 months in prison for Facebook posts that judges say insulted the ruling Communist Party and government.
— Khaosod English

Fruit and vegetable exports expected to hit US$4 billion
Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports are on course to exceed US$4 billion in 2018, with a strong annual growth rate of more than 14%.
— Nhan Dan Online

Vietnam prioritizes high quality FDI projects: Investment minister
Vietnam will no longer grant investment certificate for projects using outdated technologies, which potentially pose negative impacts on the environment.
— The Hanoi Times

Tho Xuan airport to be upgraded to international status
The Ministry of Transport has agreed upon the upgrading of Tho Xuan airport in the central province of Thanh Hoa to an international airport.
— VietnamPlus

HCMC authorities to handle long-stalled projects
The HCMC government has asked the relevant departments and agencies to present solutions for restarting projects that have been suspended for a long time, reported Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper.
— VietnamNet Bridge

New rules stymie foreign investors from divestment deals
Some regulations on privatization of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are causing difficulties for the businesses to find strategic investors in their state divestment, industry insiders said.
— The Hanoi Times

Vietnam’s GDP predicted to grow by 6.7% in 2018
The Vietnamese economy is expected to expand by 6.7% in 2018, according to an estimate by the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI).
— Nhan Dan Online

Vietnam credit-driven economy leads to internal risks
Consumer financing is expected to grow at a double-digit rate for the next three years as households increase their spending.
— The Hanoi Times

FDI flow into Vietnam’s real estate sustains stable growth
Despite several ups and downs over the last decade, the flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) into Vietnam’s property market has managed to sustain stable growth.
— VietnamPlus

Vietnam condemns terror attacks in any form
Vietnam strongly condemns terror attacks in any form, and such acts must be strictly punished in accordance with the law, stated Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang on September 25.
— Nhan Dan Online

Vietnam updates draft national chemical list
Vietnam’s department of chemicals has released an updated draft of the national chemical list, previously known as the national chemical inventory.
— Chemical Watch

Vietnam newspapers report ‘considerable impact’ from data center’s failure
Some online newspapers in Vietnam said power disconnection at a data center on Sunday caused big losses in their readership.
— VnExpress

Vietnam disrupts yet another illegal online betting ring
An online gambling ring that handled nearly $26m in bets has been brought to heel by authorities in Vietnam.
— Calvinayre.com

Deloitte Vietnam named among best companies to work for in Asia
Deloitte Vietnam was recognized as one of 27 “Best Companies to Work for in Asia 2018” by HR Asia magazine, one of the region’s leading publications for human resources (HR) professionals, at a ceremony on September 14 in Ho Chi Minh City.
— Vietnam Insider

Vietnam – promising market for hospitality firms
Vietnam has emerged as a promising market in the hospitality sector among ASEAN-member countries, especially for luxury hotels and resorts, speakers said at a hotel and resort conference held on September 24 in Ho Chi Minh City.
— VietnamPlus

HCM City: multi-million dollar port in danger of closure
Since June 2017, the Saigon Premier Container Terminal (SCPT) in Nha Be district has not received any large-tonnage container vessel. The thirst for goods is causing the multi-million dollar port to incur big losses.
— Vietnam Insider

Saigon Securities’ trading site crashes during market hours
Saigon Securities Inc.’s trading site crashed Tuesday morning, leaving clients unhappy.
— VnExpress

Kien Luong 1 thermal power plant demands compensation
After Kien Luong 1 thermal power plant was removed from the Revised National Power Development Master Plan VII, Tan Tao Energy JSC (TEC) requested the government to either pay compensation or add the project to the National Power Development Plan.
— VietnamNet Bridge

Experts fear foreign rivals too strong for Vietnam ride-hailing firms
Vietnamese ride-hailing services are struggling to compete with foreign firms Grab and Go-Viet due to a lack of resources.
— VnExpress

Opportunities open for local exports to UAE, Kuwait
Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are two potential markets in the Middle East which Vietnamese enterprises could begin intensifying their exports to, heard a workshop held in Ho Chi Minh City on September 25.
— VietnamPlus

Energy labels may be required for motorcycles
A draft circular on energy labeling requires motorbike manufacturers, assemblers and importers to place an energy label on brand-new motorcycles. The action will be voluntary throughout 2019 but will be mandatory by January 1, 2020, Thanh Nien newspaper reported.
— VietnamNet Bridge

WeWork targets Vietnam office market: JLL
WeWork is scheduled to launch its first co-working space center with area of over 5,000 square meters in Ho Chi Minh City in December, making it the largest in Vietnam to date.
— The Hanoi Times

FDI might divert from Vietnam to Myanmar, Indonesia: ministry
The leader of the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) voiced concerns at a teleconference on September 24 that FDI inflows to Vietnam would not rise in the coming period with the recent emergence of Myanmar and Indonesia as competitors, news website VnEconomy reported.
— VietnamNet Bridge

Paying for forest protection: A boon for forests, but not so much for their protectors
Vietnamese have a saying: “Forest is gold; sea is silver.” It may be true in the past. But now the gold and silver have lost their sheen because of overexploitation.
— Mekong Commons

World Rice Conference to be held in Hanoi next month
The event will be jointly held by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) and The Rice Trade Magazine. It will be joined by the Vietnam Food Association, and a number of rice companies and international experts.
— VietnamPlus

All socioeconomic targets for 2018 likely to be met: official
All 12 socioeconomic targets for the year assigned by the National Assembly are expected to be achieved, said an official from the Ministry of Planning and Investment at a teleconference today, September 24.
— VietnamNet Bridge

Late President “loved and respected by many”
President Tran Dai Quang signed a letter to Vietnamese children on the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival. He did not know that it would be his last signature.
— Vietnam Insider

Sojitz becomes major shareholder of Vietnam’s agribusiness Pan Group
With the offering price of VND61,000 (US$2.61) per share, PAN Group booked proceeds of VND820 billion (US$35.13 million) from the deal.
— The Hanoi Times

Feature photo GodImage

This week’s Vietnam morning news feature photo acknowledges the Mid-Autumn Festival on September 24.

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.