January’s CPI increases 0.52% due to high Tet demand (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam ’s consumer price index ( CPI ) in January edged up by 0.52 % month-on-month, fueled by high consumer demand for the Lunar New Year or Tet which fell in the same month, the General Statistics Office said on January 29. In addition, the prices of goods, food and foodstuffs went up during the final lunar month to prepare for the longest annual holiday and domestic fuel prices rose to global levels, contributing to the rise of the index. This month’s CPI increased by 4.89 % year-on-year, while the core inflation in January inched up 5.21%. Among the 11 main commodity groups, nine marked a month-on-month increase in prices, and the rest registered a decline. Transport services reported the highest rise of 1.39 %, followed by beverage and cigarette with 1.12%. The prices of catering, other goods and services, apparel, footwear and hat, gold prices, restaurant services, … [Read more...] about January’s CPI increases 0.52% due to high Tet demand
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Parents fall for child modeling scams on social media
Nguyen Thanh Tam from the northern city of Hai Phong was browsing Facebook last month when she came across a post seeking child models to promote a "major fashion brand’s" spring 2023 collection. Her daughter, who is almost 4 four years old, loves having her photo taken. She often strikes poses when her mother brings out her camera phone. Meanwhile, the single mom is too busy with work and has little time to spend with her child. So, she’s been wanting to find an extracurricular activity for her child. After signing her daughter up for the modeling gig, Tam was added to a private chat group on the messaging app Telegram where a fake talent scout asked for the baby's age, height and weight. This person later instructed her to contact a male coworker in a different chat group who would help her complete her daughter's application. The admin of the second chat group said the models could make VND7-15 million ($298-640) a month if the outfits used by the child commercial photo … [Read more...] about Parents fall for child modeling scams on social media
Retail sales of goods, services up 20% in January
Vietnam ’s total retail sales of goods and services in January is estimated at 544.8 trillion VND (23.22 billion USD), up 5.2% from the previous month and 20% as compared with the same period last year. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s total retail sales of goods and services in January was estimated at 544.8 trillion VND (23.22 billion USD), up 5.2% from the previous month and 20% as compared with the same period last year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO). The office explained that the hike was attributed to the growing consumption demand as Tet ( Lunar New Year ), the biggest and longest festival in the Southeast Asian nation, fell in the month. Of the total, the retail sales of goods were 435.4 trillion VND, a year-on-year rise of 18.1%, with the biggest increase seen in garments (27%). The revenue from lodging and catering services reached 56 trillion VND, representing a year-on-year rise 37.3%. Notably, tourism raked in 2.2 trillion VND, a … [Read more...] about Retail sales of goods, services up 20% in January
Art exchange held in celebration of the Party’s 93th anniversary
The event was attended by President of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics Nguyen Xuan Thang, Head of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education Nguyen Trong Nghia, and Deputy Chief of the General Department of Political Affairs (GDP) Lieutenant General Trinh Van Quyet. The program had three parts, recalling the construction and development of the Communist Party of Vietnam. It has passed 93 springs, promoting its pioneering role and deserving the trust of the country and people. The event showed the determination of the whole Party, people and military in the cause of Party’s construction and reinforcement, contributing to promoting the Party’s leadership capability, among others. Translated by Minh Anh … [Read more...] about Art exchange held in celebration of the Party’s 93th anniversary
Cultural diplomacy raises Vietnam’s position worldwide
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - After a year implementing the strategy on cultural diplomacy to 2030, issued by the Prime Minister in November 2021, Vietnam has achieved marked results in the field, helping promote its relations with other countries across all channels of the Party, Government, National Assembly, and people, affirmed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc. In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, the official noted that Vietnam has focused on including the cultural content into the activities of high-ranking leaders during their overseas trips and the country’s reception of foreign leaders; and on promoting deep and wide integration in the fields of culture, science and education at international forums. According to him, Vietnam hosted significant regional and international conferences and events last year, including the 31st SEA Games and the Vietnam day programme in the Republic of Korea, … [Read more...] about Cultural diplomacy raises Vietnam’s position worldwide
Vietnam attends fifth International Conference For World Balance
Themed “With all and for the good of all,” the event was one of the activities honoring Cuban national hero José Martí on the occasion of his 170th birth anniversary (January 28), with over 1,100 delegates from 87 countries globally taking part. This world forum of plural and multidisciplinary thought is convened by the José Martí Project for World Solidarity every three years, enabling hundreds of professors, social activists and intellectuals in general, from all latitudes of the planet, to reflect on the main contemporary problems. As the first guest to address the opening ceremony, Tuan underlined that together with the people across the globe, the Vietnamese people always aspire to live in a world of peace, democracy with the long-term goal of wealthy people, strong country and a democratic, fair and civilized society. In order to build a better world, the Vietnamese delegation suggested further strengthening the role of the legislature and lawmakers in fine-tuning laws; … [Read more...] about Vietnam attends fifth International Conference For World Balance
Apartment market to continue slumping this year
Decreasing demand for apartments in the region is also forecast to continue through at least the middle of the year. But it may begin to gradually rise by the last quarter of 2023 as legal bottlenecks and obstacles to credit are slated to be at least partially removed by the government, according to DKRA real estate consultants. DKRA Vietnam deputy R&D director Vo Hong Thang said apartment market liquidity, this year, would concentrate in affordable housing projects with prices of below VND50 million ($2,118) per square meter in HCMC and less than VND35 million per square meter in Binh Duong. Such social housing projects promise to be a ray of light in the otherwise gloomy 2023 market, he said, while adding the caveat that supply would still be limited. According to Thang, businesses are gradually supplying fewer high-priced homes and more affordable apartments and social housing units this year. He said this trend may last until 2025, with new supply focusing on the city’s … [Read more...] about Apartment market to continue slumping this year
RoK tops list of countries with most foreign visitors to Vietnam
The Republic of Korea (RoK) topped the list of countries and territories with most foreign visitors to Vietnam in January 2023, the General Statistics Office of Vietnam (GSO) announced on January 29. Located in central Vietnam, UNESCO-recognised Hoi An is one of the major tourist attractions for Korean visitors. (Photo: travelelog.com) According to data released the GSO, Vietnam welcomed 258,000 Korean arrivals in January, representing a 13-fold increase month on month and a 72fold increase year on year. The RoK was followed by the United States (nearly 78,000 arrivals), Thailand (55,000), Australia (44,225) and Malaysia (37,267). Besides, Japan, Cambodia, Singapore, Taiwan (China) and the United Kingdom were all countries and territories with large numbers of tourists to Vietnam in the first month of 2023. The GSO reported Vietnam attracted 871,200 foreign arrivals in January 2023, an increase of 23.2% over the previous month and 44.2 times higher than the … [Read more...] about RoK tops list of countries with most foreign visitors to Vietnam
Vietnam’s tourism in 2022: measures for recovery, acceleration
Dawn breaks over Da River lake.(Photo: VietnamPlus) Hanoi (VNA) - As vaccination coverage is expanding, the severity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is showing signs of dying out. As a result, Vietnam’s tourism needs to quickly work out harmonious measures for the coming period of recovery. A sad economic year for the tourism sector has come to an end after many tremors caused by successive outbreaks of COVID-19 . Vietnam’s green economy in 2021 failed to recover as seen through the statistics of the yearly review, yet many experts still believe that in 2022, accelerations will be created with attention and assistance from the government. Although the pandemic is still spreading with new variants, there are grounds for us to hope the constantly expanding vaccination coverage has helped weaken the severity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The clock is ticking towards the day when the world can contain and roll back the pandemic, opening up chances for socio-economic recovery. That is … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s tourism in 2022: measures for recovery, acceleration
Vietnam’s tourism, trade, FDI rosy amid China’s reopening: HSBC
According to its latest report on Southeast Asia, HSBC said Thailand will benefit the most from China’s reopening. It said further that tourism in Vietnam was also expected to perform well as Chinese tourists account for some 30% of international arrivals to the country. This month Khanh Hoa Province is expected to have nine charter flights which will bring Chinese visitors to Vietnam after a 3-year suspension due to the pandemic. Hotels in Hoi An, in the central province of Quang Nam, have also received bookings from Chinese tourists. Regarding trade, since 2020 ASEAN has surpassed the E.U. to become China’s largest trading partner. Last year Vietnam was one of three Southeast Asian countries, along with Indonesia and Malaysia, reporting increases in exports to China. Vietnam is also benefiting from more favorable trade ties with China because exports no longer have to undergo strict Covid testing. Concerning FDI, Japan and South Korea are the leading countries in terms of … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s tourism, trade, FDI rosy amid China’s reopening: HSBC