Press digest – December 13

December 14, 2016 10:20 AM GMT+7

Party leader lauds army’s performance in 2016

The Central Military Commission and the Defence Ministry held a Political-Military Conference for the whole army in Ha Noi to review the military performance and role model movement in 2016 and launch tasks for 2017.

Addressing the event, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam and Secretary of the Central Military Commission Nguyen Phu Trong lauded the Central Military Commission and Defence Ministry’s operation and completion of all assigned tasks over the past year.

He clarified that 2017 will be the second year of conducting the resolutions of the 12th Party Congress’ and the 10th Military Party Organisation Congress, urging the whole army to focus on making good performance in five key areas, including better forecast and strategic consultations of possible circumstances to avoid unexpected situation.

President Quang hosts UAE’s DP World leader

President Tran Dai Quang reiterated Viet Nam’s commitment to creating optimal conditions for foreign enterprises to do business in the country while receiving Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem – Group Chairman and CEO of the UAE’s DP World, on December 13 in Ha Noi.

The Vietnamese State leader applauded the efforts by DP World in marine terminal and services and infrastructure investment, to promote its projects in Viet Nam, including major ones on transport and real estate.

The country will continue fine-tuning legal framework and relevant mechanisms to provide the mostfavourable environment for investors to contribute to its development, Quang said.

Restructuring for more competitive VN

The PM has approved adjustments to the investment plan for the “Restructuring for a more competitive Viet Nam” (RCV) project, which uses the non-refundable official development assistance (ODA) capital from the Australian government.

The objectives of adjusted activities go in accordance with the common goals of the project, focusing on studying the impacts of economic reform on gender equity; reviewing competition policies and revising the Law on Competition; watching and assessing the implementation of the Laws on Enterprises and Investment; and realizing commitments with the European Union and the ASEAN Economic Community.

WB pledges to support SOEs reforms

The World Bank has pledged to support the Vietnamese Government’s efforts in reforming institutions and State-owned enterprises (SOES).

The commitment was affirmed by World Bank country director Ousmane Dione and the international institution’s senior economists during their roundtable talk with Deputy PM Vuong Dinh Hue on Tuesday.

The Government of Viet Nam is mulling over the establishment of an agency responsible for managing State capital invested in SOEs.

The agency needs to act independently from SOEs and other State agencies, suggested the World Bank economists.

New UK, Australia visa application centre opens in Da Nang

The Embassies of the UK and Australia in Viet Nam have launched a new visa application centre in the central city of Da Nang on December 13.

With the new office, Vietnamese citizens in the central region will no longer have to travel to Ha Noi or Ho Chi Minh City to submit their visa applications to the UK and Australia.

Golden Tourism Week to be held in Hue relic site

A “Golden Tourism Week”, the third of its kind this year, will take place in the Hue ancient imperial relic site, a UNESCO-recognised World Heritage, in central Thua Thien-Hue province, from December 25-31.

The centre will also hold a number of special tourism and cultural events and launch new services to attract tourists, including art performances and exhibitions.

Malaysia's CIMB set up its first branch in VN

Group Holdings Bhd of Malaysia has made itself more visible in Viet Nam through the official launch of its first branch in Ha Noi, which will be followed by another in Ho Chi Minh City next year.

Currently, CIMB’s presence in Viet Nam is limited to its strategic partnership with VNDIRECT, a Vietnamese brokerage firm.

The group collaborates with VNDIRECT in the provision of equity research, sales and trading, corporate advisory and capital markets services in Viet Nam, according to CIMB’s website.

By Ngoc Van