Vietnam Morning News For February 11

Vinalines Logistics’ profit growth projected at least 10 percent
Vinalines Logistics Vietnam Joint Stock Company (Vinalines Logistics) will improve logistics services and expand operational network in a bid to realise its target of attaining at least 10 percent in profit growth.
— VietnamPlus

How Vietnam’s high speed railway will get on track
The proposed north-south high speed railway project is expected to be completed by 2045.
— VnExpress

Property market to see new development trends in 2019
Several new development trends are emerging in the real estate market, which is expected to remain strong in 2019 since the economy continues to grow robustly and there is a lot of investment flowing into infrastructure.
— VietnamPlus

Five sectors struggle to fill job vacancies in Vietnam
Real estate, retail and information technology are among key sectors struggling to attract talent despite offering attractive salaries.
— VnExpress

Vietnam’s textile-garment industry hopes for breakthroughs in 2019
Vietnam’s textile and garment sector is hoped to make breakthroughs in 2019 based on successes and momentum last year.
— VNA NET

Tra fish exports target 2.4 billion USD
Vietnam is targeting 2.4 billion USD from tra fish exports in this year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
— VietnamPlus

Hold-ups in green energy investment
The growing demand for electricity and investment in Vietnam is catching the attention of renewable energy investors. However, existing procedures to resolve disputes seem to be giving investors trouble.
— VietNamNet Bridge

Banks expected to maintain good performance in 2019
A majority of credit institutions in the country expect an upward trend in their business in 2019 after gaining good results last year, according to a State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) survey released recently.
— VNA NET

Da Nang – Nagoya direct flight set to launch in 2019
Da Nang’s international airport administration, in cooperation with Chubu Centrair airport, Japan, plans to launch daily direct flights connecting the central city and Nagoya later this year.
— VietnamPlus

Work on major roads to start in 2019, 2020
Work on three and eight sections of the North-South expressway will start this year and the next respectively.
— VnExpress

Will more FDI create another real estate bubble?
The strong inflow of FDI into the real estate sector could be a problem rather than good news, analysts say.
— VietNamNet Bridge

Hanoi, HCM City among most dynamic growing cities
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City remained among the global Top 10 most dynamic growing cities in JLL’s Short-Term City Momentum Index (CMI) 2019, which tracks socio-economic and commercial real estate growth in 131 cities over a three-year period.
— VNA NET

Maintaining stable petroleum market
2018 closed after 24 gasoline price adjustments. Currently, E5 Ron 92 and diesel 0.05S prices are kept at VND16,270/litre and VND 14,900/litre, respectively, in line with the world oil and gas price movements.
— Nhan Dan Online

State-owned enterprise equitization process lags behind schedule
The deferred equitization of State-owned enterprises was partly the result of legal obstacles to define the value of firms.
— VietNamNet Bridge

Sapphire Princess cruise ship docks in southern Vietnam
One of the world’s largest international cruise ships, carrying about 2,800 international visitors and 1,080 crew members from Hong Kong, docked at the SP-SSA International Terminal (SSIT) in the southern Vietnamese province of Ba Ria – Vung Tau on Friday morning.
— Tuoi Tre

Mekong Delta looks to high-quality agriculture
Provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta have set to develop high-quality agriculture combined with eco-tourism, services and industry as their ambitious targets this year.
— VNA NET

Circular on certificates of origin in CPTPP issued
The Ministry of Industry and Trade has issued Circular No. 03/2019/TT-BCT on the certificates of origin (C/O) rules in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which will take effect from March 8.
— Nhan Dan Online

Foreign agriculture investors eager to grow
The rising number of Japanese enterprises in particular and those from elsewhere in general coming to Vietnam to conduct market research, investment, and technology transfer in the agriculture sector over recent years has come from efforts to attract more FDI, assisted by the country’s desire for innovation and commitments to streamlining procedures.
— VietNamNet Bridge

Mitsui may commit $100m in private placement issue of Vietnam’s Minh Phu
Japanese conglomerate Mitsui has committed $100 million in Vietnam-based seafood processor Minh Phu’s upcoming private placement.
— DealStreetAsia

Popularity of organics catching attention
Jan’s organic processed food products, the only such Vietnamese brand, were again on display at the annual Organic Lifestyle Expo 2018 held in Japan last October and are familiar among Japanese consumers, having been exported to the country for a number of years.
— VietNamNet Bridge

Pilgrims’ progress: a new mountain hotel in Vietnam
Devout locals have trekked to the holy peak of Yen Tu for years but a new ‘village’ at its foot is drawing other visitors to its pagodas, pools and forests
— The Guardian

Hue ancient capital – favourite destination for tourists during Tet
The Hue ancient capital city in the central province of ThuaThien-Hue served more than 67,870 tourists, including 48,180 foreigners during Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday from February 2-8, up 177 percent year on year.
— VNA NET

More funding needed for Southern Key Economic Region
The Southern Key Economic Zone needs special policies to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and improve linkages between localities to ensure sustainable development, experts have said.
— Bizhub

Banking credit growth expected to cool in 2019
Analysts believe banking credit growth will ease off next year, but since lending activities will mainly be focused on the economy, growth will not be affected.
— VNA NET

Australian detained in Vietnam, Chau Van Kham, investigated for crime that carries death penalty
When Chau Van Kham abruptly stopped responding to messages on a trip to Vietnam in January, his prolonged silence led to a seeping dread.
— ABC

Accidents claim 183 lives during Tet holiday
As many as 22 people were killed and 19 others injured in 22 traffic accidents that occurred nationwide on February 10 (the sixth day of the Lunar New Year).
— VNA NET

Vietnam’s top 10 fine art-photography events in 2018
The Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced Vietnam’s top 10 fine art and photography events in 2018 as follow
— VNA NET

Painting contest held for buffaloes joining ploughing festival in Ha Nam
A buffalo painting contest for the Doi Son Tich Dien (ploughing) Festivalwas held on February 10, or the sixth day of the Lunar New Year in Doi Son commune, Duy Tien district, the northern province of Ha Nam.
— VNA NET

AC Energy to focus on existing expansion projects in Vietnam, Australia
AC Energy Inc., the energy platform of the Ayala conglomerate, is focusing on its over 700-megawatts (MW) renewable energy developments in Vietnam and Australia before finding its fifth market for its regional expansion.
— PhilStar

Party, State leader launches Tet tree planting festival in Yen Bai
Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong launched the New Year Tree Planting Festival in Viet Cuong commune, Tran Yen district, the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai on February 10 (the sixth day of Lunar New Year 2019).
— VNA NET

Feature photo Asian Development Bank

This week’s Malaysia morning news feature photo acknowledges International Day of Women and Girls in Science, February 11.

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).

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