Press digest – October 1

Party chief starts RoK tour

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong arrived in Seoul on October 1 afternoon, beginning his four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) at the invitation of President Park Geun-hye.

The Vietnamese Party leader was welcomed at Seongnam airport by RoK FM Yun Byung-se and and Vietnamese Ambassador to the RoK Pham Huu Chi.

He received a delegation of the Korea-Viet Nam Friendship Association (KOVIFA) led by President Choi Young-joo.

The same day, Mr. Trong also met with representatives of the two Ly families in the RoK called the Ly Tinh Thien (Changcheon Lee) family and the Ly Hoa Son (Hwasan Lee) family and visited the Vietnamese Embassy in the RoK. 

VN welcomes RoK investors: Party leader

 General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Nguyen Phu Trong affirmed that Viet Nam will continue to create favourable conditions for foreign investors, including those from the Republic of Korea (RoK), to run their operations in Viet Nam smoothly.

The Party chief made this remark in Seoul on October 1 during a ceremony to grant the Samsung Group its investment licence to build a US$ 1.4 billion electronics production factory in Ho Chi Minh City’s Saigon Hi-Tech Park, which is scheduled to become operational by 2016.

On the same day, the Party leader and Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai attended a ceremony to launch VietJet Air’s flight routes between Viet Nam and the RoK.

Gov’t cracks down on illicit tobacco trade

The PM has issued an instruction asking ministries, agencies and localities to strengthen the fight against illicit trafficking of cigarettes.

The illegal trading, transportation and storage of imported tobacco have occurred seriously across the country especially in provinces and cities like Quang Tri, Tay Ninh, Long An, Dong Thap, An Giang, HCMC, Ha Noi, Da Nang, Hai Phong and Quang Ninh.

Ly Son on path to economic strength by 2020

Scientists, State officials and investors met in the central province of Quang Ngai on October 1 to discuss development policy for Ly Son island district, considered a national symbol of territorial sovereignty.

The discussion was part of a scheme to make Ly Son an economically strong district protected by a solid defence-security system by 2020.

In his keynote speech, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc suggested Quang Ngai province consider filling in parts of the sea and constructing dams in response to rising sea levels.

The locality should come up with a master plan for urban development on the island, granting all households access to power and water supplies, he said.

VN welcomes 6 mln foreign guests

Over 6 million foreign visitors arrived in Viet Nam in the first nine months of 2014, representing a year-on-year increase of 10.4%, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

in September, the number of foreign arrivals to Viet Nam was estimated at 590,881, posting a month-on-month decline of 4.48% and a year-on-year decrease of 3.89%.

Vietbuild 2014 takes place in Mekong delta Can Tho city

Vietbuild International Exhibition 2014, themed “Construction- Building materials- Real estate and interior decors” was kicked off on October 1 at the International Exhibition and Fair Center of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho.

Over 200 domestic and foreign businesses from the construction industry are showcasing their latest achievements arranging from construction materials to interior decors on a total of 450 booths, said Le Thi Kim Thu, Director of the Can Tho International Exhibition and Fair Centre.

The five-day long exhibition will see a number of conferences and seminars introducing new technology, environmentally friendly products, potential opportunities for property investment and new construction policies.

VASEP files claim against US’ anti-dumping duties on shrimp

The Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors (VASEP) has decided to launch a case against the US Department of Commerce (DOC) via the US International Trade Commission (ITC) over its imposition of duties on VietNam’s warm-water shrimp.

According to the DOC’s decision reached during its eighth period of review from February 1, 2012 to January 31, 2013, the high level of tariffs is to be applied to 32 Vietnamese shrimp exporters. The duties will be 4.98% for Minh Phu Seafood Co. Ltd; 9.75% for Soc Trang Seafood JSC and 6.37% for 30 other companies.

VASEP Vice President Nguyen Huu Dung said the tariff levels that DOC is planning to apply to Vietnamese shrimp exporters are irrational. According to Dung, the tariff calculation was based on outdated data, adding that this went against the US ’ Anti-Dumping Duty Law.

EU helps VN build annual tourism report

The Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism has been preparing an annual report on the country’s tourism in 2013 with the assistance from the EU-funded Environmentally and Socially Responsible Tourism Capacity Development (ESRT) Project.

The report, the first of its kind built following international practice, will provide valuable information about both domestic and international tourism activities for the Government, potential investors, State management offices and travel agencies across the country.

The report will serve as a basis for relevant sides to define tourist trends in the future and contribute positively to the sector’s development.

VN’s labour productivity: lowest in the region

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) recently announced that labour productivity in Viet Nam is among the lowest in the Asia – Pacific region.

A survey conducted last year showed that it was 15 times lower than Singapore, 11 times lower than Japan, and 10 times lower than the Republic of Korea (RoK). It was just one-fifth of Malaysia and two-fifth of Thailand.

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Doan Mau Diep said four countries – Viet Nam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar – are less developed than other regional countries so it is not surprised that their labour productivity is low.

HN leads green FDI charm offensive: paper

Ha Noi is making great strides to attract environmentally-friendly foreign direct investment projects, the Viet Nam Investment Review (VIR) reported.

In early August 2014, Ha Noi issued a new post-investment interest support programme. Throughout this year, the city plans to offer a 0.2% per month loan interest to medium and long-term loans of at least one year for businesses based in HaNoi who take loans for new investment projects, expand project scope or invest in equipment and technology innovations.

52 people from Ebola-hit areas under strict monitoring

Around 52 people from Ebola-hit areas are being tracked their health in the community as they has not passed 21 days from the day they left the affected areas, reported at a seminar in Ho Chi Minh City on October 1.

Since August 11, Viet Nam has strictly monitored 242 arrivals, including 40 Vietnamese, from affected areas in Africa including Liberia, Nigeria and Senegal. 190 of them have completed monitoring time.

All people who are being isolated at hospitals and monitored their health in the community entered Viet Nam via Tan Son Nhat and Noi Bai International Airports.

Stamp set issued to mark 100th anniversary of birthday of General Le Trong Tan

A set of stamps commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birthday of General Le Trong Tan was officially released at a ceremony in Hanoi on October 1.

The ceremony was jointly held by the Ministry of Information and Communications, Ministry of National Defence, Vietnam Post and the General Department of Politics.

The one-sample set is designed by painter Vo Luong Nhi, featuring a portrait of General Le Trong Tan in the military uniform of the Vietnam's People Army with a flying flag in the background.

The stamp measures 43x32mm and is printed in a VND 3,000 denomination which will be available in the postal network, with a total number of one million stamps.

(Source: VGP/VOV/VNA/Nhandan)