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Containers at a port in Vietnam (Illustrative photo: VNA) Sydney (VNA) – Richard Maude, Senior Fellow at Australia’s Asia Society Policy Institute, has spoken highly of trade prospects of Southeast Asian nations against the backdrop of COVID-19. In an article, he said that global trends in trade, foreign investment and production offer a mix of peril and opportunity for the Southeast Asian governments as they try to steer their damaged economies towards recovery. “Beset by lockdowns, disrupted supply chains and travel restrictions, world trade volumes fell by historically steep levels in the first half of 2020. Southeast Asia was no exception – the region’s economies rely heavily on external demand and many play increasingly significant roles in East Asian supply chains,” he continued. In the second quarter of 2020, for example, the value of goods exported from the ten members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) fell by 15 percent on a year-on-year basis and imports fell by 27 percent. Foreign direct investment flows to Southeast Asia also declined sharply early in 2020. The vertiginous plunge in world goods trade, at least, may now be bottoming out, but the International Monetary Fund (IMF) remains decidedly gloomy about prospects for a trade-led recovery in Asia. Even so, amid all the uncertainty and downside risk, Southeast Asia may yet find itself better placed than other regions to trade itself out of trouble, the expert said, citing that East Asian economic regionalism will strengthen as one of the reasons. Most major East Asian economies – China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Taiwan – have managed to re-open their economies. China’s giant economy in particular is once again growing and helping keep Southeast Asian trade afloat. Domestic consumption in Southeast Asia could double to 4 trillion USD over the next ten years. Within the region, there are also signs the deep …

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HCM City targets domestic market for tourism recovery The Ho Chi Minh City tourism sector this year plans to focus on digitalisation of the industry and promotion of domestic tourism amid a downturn in tourism because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The sector will continue its efforts to boost domestic tourism as the main factor driving the recovery of the tourism industry. The tourism communication and stimulus campaign, ‘Hello Ho Chi Minh City,’ has been implemented to promote the city as a safe, vibrant and friendly destination. Tourism cooperation and linkages between HCM City and the Northeast, Northwest and the Central regions will also serve to boost domestic travel. The city aims to receive 33.5 million domestic visitors this year if COVID-19 remains under control in the country./. Tet sales increase sharply on low prices With a week to go for Tet (the Lunar New Year) sales of goods bought to celebrate the Lunar New Year have increased by 30-40 percent from normal times, according to market observers. They attribute it to prices remaining steady and people’s increasing income at the end of the year. Saigon Co.op’s supermarket chains have managed to meet market demand thanks to early preparation of goods, accurate forecast of demand and discounts, Nguyen Anh Duc, its permanent deputy general director, said. In January sales increased by 37 percent compared to the same period in the previous month, with growth of fresh and processed foods, cosmetics, kitchen appliances, and garments being high, he said. There have been no shortages of goods, especially pork, and no price hikes, he said. Dinh Quang Khoi, head of marketing and customer care at MM Mega Market Vietnam, said customers have bought Tet goods earlier than usual, and retail sales increased by more than 10 percent compare with same periods of last year, while the increase is 5 -6 percent if the wholesale segment is included. Shopping malls in Ho Chi Minh City like Vincom Central …

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PhD Javad Mottaghi provides a revealing insight into ABU’s role and its development strategy in an interview granted to Voice of Vietnam Radio (VOV). Following is the full text of the interview. A focus on commonalties and shared values VOV: ABU was established in 1964, up to now it has become a powerful professional organization reaching out beyond the Asia-Pacific region. What is the secret of its longevity? PhD Mottaghi: 1964 was the year of the Tokyo Olympic Games, the first ever held in Asia. It was also the first big international sporting event broadcast live around the globe. That was the year when ABU was born with a mandate to support the broadcasters in the region to serve the people of Asia – Pacific. The region was reeling from the horrors of the WWII, the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and in a full swing of decolonisation. The ABU forefathers wanted to show a positive example of building a culture of tolerance between nations through their national broadcasters. We have to also remember that in 1964 there were a very few broadcasters in the region and the media landscape was dominated by print media – newspapers and magazines. The radio and TV were a novelty and in many newly born nations just making their first steps. I am glad to recognise here that VOV was among the first wave of enthusiastic young stations that sprung after WWII. Fast forward fifty-six years and another Tokyo Olympiad is on the horizon but now the world is a very different place. From a broadcaster’s perspective it can be characterised as a digital world. Due to the development of new technologies, countries and continents are closely connected as never before. News, images and ideas can reach in seconds any corner of the globe. For individual broadcasters it is not easy to stay afloat in the raging sea of digital transformation. Many other things have changes in half a century but what stays the same is the need for peaceful cooperation, for mutual …

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