Vietnam Morning News For January 3, 2020

Investors see great opportunities in Vietnam’s solar power
Vietnam’s solar power sector holds much potential thanks to rising demand and a supportive regulatory framework.
— The Hanoitimes

Downside risks abound for Vietnam’s 2020 economy
Vietnam’s Communist Party leaders could be excused if their 2020 outlook is overly politicized.
— Asia Times

Vietnam and regional neighbors push for low-grade coal
Demand for low-grade coal with lower combustion efficiency is growing amid economic growth in Vietnam and other emerging Asian countries, placing another hurdle in the global race to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)

First Landing Tank Ship Puts Vietnam’s Naval Capabilities Into Focus
The reported first highlighted an aspect of Hanoi’s broader ongoing effort to develop its military.
— The Diplomat

Vietnam targets $10bn in seafood export revenues in 2020
Tran Dinh Luan, director of Vietnam’s Directorate of Fisheries, says the country will aim to gross close to $10 billion from exporting seafood and aquatic products in 2020, an increase of 6.3% compared with 2019.
— Undercurrent News

Vietnam manufacturing signals improvement in December
New orders expanded for the forty-ninth month running at the end of 2019, linked by respondents to stronger customer demand.
— The Hanoitimes

Masan holds 83.74% stake in Vingroup’s retail arm after merger
Vingroup and Masan have agreed to merge some of their businesses to create “the country’s largest retail group”.
— The Hanoitimes

Exploring Spectacular Caves in a Quiet Corner of Vietnam
Phong Nha has become one of Vietnam’s premier adventure tourism destinations. Can it continue to succeed by staying small?
— New York times

Trump-Trọng Summit Remains in Limbo
With repeated Chinese intrusions into oil-rich Vanguard Bank and anticipated departure of ExxonMobil from the Blue Whale project, the South China Sea dispute has reached a turning point.
— YaleGlobal Online

Vietnam fisheries exports set to grow 6.3% in 2020
The country faced various challenges in the year 2019.
— Intrafish

Vietnam Authorities List Catholic Convent as ‘Heritage Site,’ Ban Construction
Authorities in southern Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh Metropolis have listed a higher than hundred-year-old Catholic convent and church as a “heritage web site,” elevating the issues of parishioners who concern they might not be allowed to assemble on the land, sources say.
— Scoopzone 24

Vietnam sees thin trade as farmers hold coffee beans
Vietnamese farmers held back from selling coffee beans this week due to low prices, traders said on Thursday, as trade remained sluggish in Asia’s top coffee markets due to the holiday season.
— Brecorder

VA expansion of Agent Orange excludes some exposed veterans, advocates say
On Jan. 1, 2020, the Department of Veterans Affairs said it began processing disability claims for veterans exposed to Agent Orange while serving aboard ships in the territorial seas of Vietnam.
— Connectingvets

Singapore’s GP Batteries increases stake-holding at Hanoi-based battery firm to 49%
After concluding the deal, GP Batteries becomes Hanoi Battery’s largest shareholder with over 3.55 million shares, or 49% stake at.
— The Hanoitimes

Vietnam exports likely to keep overperforming: Report
VIETNAM’s exports should out-perform the rest of South-east Asia in 2020, Maybank Kim Eng economists expect, even as the downturn in regional shipments is likely to bottom out.
— Business times

Upcycle your homestay while traversing central Vietnam
A ‘go green’ homestay in ancient town Hue offers nature enthusiast a unique space decked out with recycled materials at a reasonable price.
— VnExpress

Vietnam invests over 500 million USD abroad in 2019
Vietnam’s total investment abroad was estimated at 508.14 million USD in 2019, according to the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
— VietnamPlus

HCMC greets first new citizens of 2020
Some of Vietnam’s newest parents rang in the new year by welcoming the first babies born in 2020 moments after the stroke of midnight.
— Sggp News

Why 2020 is the year for tech startups in Vietnam
Vietnam’s burgeoning IT sector is showing no signs of slowing down and continues to generate strong revenue for local and foreign players alike.
— e27

Credit growth exceeds 13 percent in 2019
Credit grew over 13 percent in 2019, slightly below the yearly targetof 14 percent, a senior official from the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) told a recent press conference.
— VietnamPlus

Agro-forestry-fishery exports still have room to grow: minister
Although challenges lie ahead, there remains room for agro-forestry-fishery exports to increase in 2020, according to Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong.
— VietnamPlus

Bamboo, newest Vietnamese airline takes off
Bamboo Airways, the newest commercial carrier of Vietnam, first took off Wednesday marking its official entrance in Southeast Asia’s crowded aviation sector.
— Menafn

Shophouse rentals skyrocket in downtown HCMC
Rents for shophouses in downtown Ho Chi Minh City have increased by 35 percent in 2019, according to real estate portal batdongsan.com.vn.
— VnExpress

Fisheries sector to focus on standardising production next year for higher value
The fisheries sector in 2020 will focus on granting certification to brackish shrimp farms (tiger shrimp and white-leg shrimp), tra fish farms and aquaculture in cages, Director of the Directorate of Fisheries Trần Đình Luân said.
— Viet Nam News

2020 to be challenging for Vietnam real estate market, warn experts
Frauds, low liquidity and tightening credit will be some of the major challenges facing the Vietnamese property sector in 2020.
— VnExpress

Ha Tinh expected to receive 4 million cargoes via seaport in 2020
The Lao – Viet International Port Joint Stock Company said that two foreign and Vietnamese container ships carrying 20,000 tons of coal and more than 3,000 tons of equipment transiting through Laos have just docked in Vung Ang Port, Ha Tinh Province.
— Sggp News

Vietnam’s forex reserves reach record high
The foreign exchange reserves of Vietnam have reached a record high of nearly USD80bn, according to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in a forum.
— Asia first

Top 10 economic events of Việt Nam in 2019
The year 2019 closed with remarkable achievements for Việt Nam’s economy, building a steady foundation for sustainable development. The Vietnam News Agency has selected the top 10 outstanding economic events of the year.
— Viet Nam News

Vietnam remains promising destination for foreign investors
Foreign investors are heading to Vietnam to take advantage of both domestic and export markets thanks to the country’s signed free trade agreements.
— The Hanoitimes

Retail sales hit four-year high
Retail sales of goods and services reached VNĐ4.94 quadrillion (US$214.8 billion) in 2019, representing a rise of 11.8 per cent over the previous year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).
— Viet Nam News

Trans people struggle for social acceptance
During high school years, Tu Anh had no close friends. Tu Anh’s lifestyle is also considered as misleading in the neighborhood.
— VnExpress

How public money is used should be public knowledge
Vietnamese leaders, from deputy ministers up, fly business class, regardless of the flight duration.
— VnExpress

City, provinces work together to ensure supply of goods at stable prices
HCM City will continue to work with southwestern cities and provinces to ensure an adequate supply of goods at stable prices, according to the city Department of Industry and Trade.
— Viet Nam News

Why 2020 is the year for tech startups in Vietnam
Vietnam’s burgeoning IT sector is showing no signs of slowing down and continues to generate strong revenue for local and foreign players alike.
— e27

Two local billionaires lose out on first day of 2020
Two of the five richest people in Việt Nam had a poor start to the new year as they saw their net asset worth decrease.
— Viet Nam News

Work begins on Lạc Hòa wind power plant in Sóc Trăng
Construction of a wind power plant began on Tuesday in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Sóc Trăng.
— Viet Nam News

Brighter outlook for VN stock market but risks abound
Market analysts and experts have forecast a brighter outlook for the stock market in 2020, but challenges remain arising from internal and external influences.
— Viet Nam News

First int’l visitors of 2020 arrive in HCM City
The first 13 holiday-makers arrived in HCM City on Wednesday on two flights landing at Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport.
— Viet Nam News

Feature photo Magalie L’Abbé

This week’s Vietnam morning news feature photo focus on environmental concerns throughout Asean — toxic traffic jams.

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).

—

About Vietnam morning news.

Vietnam morning news roundup is the most comprehensive hand-curated selection of Vietnam English language news headlines published. Each weekday we scour hundreds of local and international news sites and websites to find the most recent Vietnam English language news today.

We filter our the dull, the boring, the repetitive, and the click-bait and package all of the Vietnam daily news that you need to know to start your day into an easy to read, time saving format of Vietnam news headlines and first paragraphs before 7.30am Ha Noi time.

We clearly identify the source of all the Vietnam news headlines, whether it is behind a paywall, a media release, or whether the news site uses annoying pop-up advertising or auto-play video, in case those things annoy you too. If a website uses particularly invasive pop-up adverts, we’ll tell you.

This enables you to make an informed choice of whether you want to learn more by clicking directly through to the original Vietnam news article, or keep on reading the remaining Vietnam daily news headlines.

Click here to get your Vietnam English language news today by email before 8am Ha Noi time daily. Remember to watch out for the confirmation email from us to confirm your subscription. Check your trash folder if you do not see it.

For more immediate updates download the AEC News Today Mobile App from the Apple or Google stores, or follow us on Twitter.

#Independentmedia

Governance, not government; policies not politics.