Low carbon innovation

On June 4, as part of the official visit to Vietnam by the Australian Prime Minister, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese witnessed an exchange of cooperation documents and the opening of two direct flights between the two countries. The documents include an MoUs between the MoST, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam and Australia's DFAT on cooperation in science, technology and innovation and the establishment of a Ministerial Dialogue on Trade between Vietnam and Australia. Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bui The Duy signed the MoU on behalf of the leaders of the MoST. The MoU will facilitate the exchange of information about typical activities in science, technology and innovation, and identify ideas and mutual interests to strengthen innovation partnerships including activities under the Vietnam - Australia Innovation Partnership Programme (Aus4Innovation). The Australian government attaches great importance to … [Read more...] about Vietnam and Australia strengthen sci-tech innovation ties

PM Pham Minh Chinh (R) and UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi at the meeting in Hanoi on June 5. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Hanoi on June 5, calling on the UAE to work closely with the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade to soon finalise talks on the bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The host leader hailed the two sides’ efforts to promote negotiations on the CEPA, especially when the two countries are celebrating the 30th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations in 2023. He affirmed Vietnam’s consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of external relations, and being a good friend, trustworthy partner, and responsible member of the international community. The country is also working to develop an … [Read more...] about PM calls for early finalisation of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with UAE

Asia’s increased borrowing in recent decades has augmented the region’s exposure to rising interest rates and heightened market volatility, said the International Monetary Fund (IMF). According to the IMF’s latest report on May 25, over 18 per cent of Vietnamese enterprises were found to have an interest coverage ratio (ICR) below one, indicating a high risk of default as of June 2022. Additionally, 18.32 per cent of companies had an ICR between 1-4, making them vulnerable to increased borrowing costs, while 63.36 per cent had an ICR of four, signalling a good debt repayment capacity. The report attributes the heightened risks to the rising cost of borrowing, as central banks tighten monetary policies and increase interest rates to combat inflation. Despite maintaining growth rates, companies face significant pressure due to higher borrowing costs, reducing their ability to repay debts. As of mid-2022, 17 per cent of Asia’s corporate debt was held by firms with interest … [Read more...] about IMF highlights rising debt risks for Asian companies

The fifth plenary session of the 15th National Assembly has discussed and approved a number of important draft bills, including three new amendments to regulations that have significant impacts on the tourism industry in Vietnam. These policies are expected to boost the recovery and development of the tourism sector. Martin Koerner - Chairman EuroCham Vietnam’s Tourism and Hospitality Sector Committee The first law is to extend the visa exemption duration from the current 15 days to 45 days for citizens of countries that currently can travel to Vietnam visa exempt, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, Japan, South Korea, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Sweden. This law aims to attract more tourists from these key markets and encourage them to stay longer and spend more here. The second law is to expand the list of countries eligible for e-visa from 46 to 80, including markets such as India, Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina. The e-visa allows visitors to apply … [Read more...] about The future of tourism in Vietnam new visa policies and beyond

The northern region of Vietnam is in the midst of a scorching heatwave. A representative from EVN stated that electricity consumption, both nationally and in Hanoi in particular, has steadily increased recently as a result of widespread and prolonged hot weather. According to EVN's statistics, the average daily electricity consumption in the city was 58,336 million kWh in March, 61,542 million kWh in April, and 75,406 million kWh in May. Consequently, average electricity consumption in May increased by more than 22.5 per cent compared to April. Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade (MoIT) Do Thang Hai, speaking on June 3, said, "Some areas currently lack sufficient electricity for production and daily, but the situation will soon be rectified." The power disruption in Hanoi and other areas will only last for a limited duration. According to Hai, hydropower, one of the primary sources of electricity in the north, is being mobilised at a low level due to the lack of sufficient … [Read more...] about Northern Vietnam lacking sufficient electrical power

Transformative travel experiences at Banyan Tree Lang Co This year, celebrating its 10-year milestone, Banyan Tree Lang Co unveils new travel experiences, from finding new perspectives of travel through the innovative biodiversity programme, and discovering the finest Thai cuisine at the award-winning Saffron restaurant, to offering a brand new villa: the three-bedroom Seaview Pool Villa. Perched on the Truong Son mountain range, the newly launched villa brings unparalleled luxury to Central Vietnam, offering a spacious heated infinity pool, three bedrooms with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass, and an exquisite private living space featuring an artful interior design inspired by Vietnamese traditions. As a part of the “Stay For Good” initiative of Banyan Tree Group, the new on-site biodiversity initiative inspires and motivates guests to immerse themselves in the natural beauty at Banyan Tree Lang Co, featuring a transformative bird watching experience and the innovative Bird … [Read more...] about Transformative travel experiences at Banyan Tree Lang Co

Difficulties on way out for Vietnam’s Visa policy The short duration of stay, along with complicated factors related to the visa application procedure, have been causing headaches for foreign tourists. However, the Minister of Public Security has submitted to the National Assembly a draft amendment and supplement to a number of articles of the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit, and Residence of Foreigners in Vietnam at the end of May. The new draft has proposed to increase the duration of e-visas from no more than 30 days to a maximum of three months, valid for one time or multiple times. At the same time, the scope of e-visa issuance would be expanded to more than 80 countries and temporary residence would rise from 15 to 45 days. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also proposed to consider supplementing the pilot regulation of issuing visas at border gates for international tourists. This proposal also requires a clearer regulation of the extension of visa-free entry for … [Read more...] about Difficulties on way out for Vietnam’s Visa policy

Viettel won 37/261 awards at the 2023 IT World Awards .(Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) – The Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group (Viettel) has announced that it has become the enterprise with the most awards at the 2023 IT World Awards. Viettel won 37/261 awards with 23 Gold prizes, four Silver prizes and 10 Bronze prizes. The percentage of the Gold prizes achieved increased by 10% compared to the previous year and increased 23 times compared to the first time it participated in 2016 thanks to its "Made by Viettel" innovative solutions which were highly-appreciated from the council of more than 600 information technology experts in the world. In particular, many Viettel products and services won the "hat-trick" of the Gold award in categories this year such as Viettel Post's NOC technical indicator monitoring system in three categories of information technology solutions, the most innovative information technology service and vehicle management system. The IT … [Read more...] about Viettel wins most awards at IT World Awards 2023

Operating for 14 years in the country, British University Vietnam (BUV) has asserted its position, quality, and outstanding reputation in the education sector by continuously improving the quality of its training, demonstrating the international standard and value of British higher education. BUV pledges investment in quality education in Vietnam BUV, located in Ecopark 14km from the centre of Hanoi, is the first and only university in Vietnam and ASEAN to have been awarded accreditation from the Higher Education Quality Assurance Agency. To earn the recognition of quality, BUV has completed the International Quality Review, a rigorous procedure which benchmarks global higher education institutions against the United Kingdom’s international quality assurance standards, with the university achieving the highest level of performance in all 10 categories and outstanding accomplishments in all academic aspects. BUV is also the first and only university in Vietnam to be … [Read more...] about BUV pledges investment in quality education in Vietnam