Market continues to fall

Many of Hanoi’s traditional markets have attracted fewer customers after the Covid-19 pandemic. At around 9 am on March 22, Nga Tu So Market in Dong Da District was quiet, with more traders than customers. A man who works for the market’s parking lot said that over the past few years, just 20-30 motorbikes have been kept there every day compared to the hundreds a decade ago. Dang Viet Bang, deputy head of Dong Da District’s Market Management Board, said amid the fierce competition from online shopping, the number of traders at Nga Tu So Market has fallen to 200 compared to the previous 754. Some areas in the market have seriously deteriorated. Kim Yen, a 59-year-old trader, often turns on music to exercise as she has so much free time. Kim Giang Market in Thanh Xuan District is in the same situation. Ha The Hoach, owner of an electronic shop, said more people flock to supermarkets and shopping malls to buy electronic products, causing … [Read more...] about Hanoi traditional markets suffer fall in sales

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point, but indicated it was on the verge of pausing further increases in borrowing costs after the recent collapse of two U.S. banks. Fed Chair Jerome Powell sought to reassure investors about the soundness of the banking system, saying that the management of Silicon Valley Bank "failed badly," but that the bank's collapse did not indicate wider weaknesses in the banking system. "These are not weaknesses that are running broadly through the banking system," he said, adding that the takeover of Credit Suisse seemed to have been a positive outcome. The Federal Open Market Committee policy statement also said the U.S. banking system is "sound and resilient." Even so, Wall Street ended sharply lower after Powell told a news conference that officials were still intent on fighting inflation while also eying the extent to which recent bank failures had cooled demand and slowed lending. The … [Read more...] about U.S. Fed delivers small rate hike amid global banking turmoil

Christanto Suryadarma, sales vice president for Southeast Asia at Zebra Technologies, told VIR at a press briefing on March 21, “There are many industries that we can participate with in Vietnam to modernise and automate. Transportation logistics is a key, and we are already gaining customers in this field. We are also starting to see some good use cases in healthcare, and we want to continue growing that." "Recently, we also saw interest from the Vietnamese government in terms of safety and security, looking at how they can equip security and police officers with our technology to improve safety and productivity,” he added. Christanto Suryadarma, sales vice president for Southeast Asia, Zebra Technologies Retail and manufacturing are now the two best performing industries for Zebra Technologies in Vietnam. For example, in retail, the company sees many retailers automating and digitalising using its solutions. Moreover, the nation is now a strategic location for … [Read more...] about Zebra Technologies eyes potential of logistics, healthcare, and public sectors in Vietnam

The sons of Hanoi held their heads high and persevered in the cause of national liberation in the face of brutality and harassment. The lethal and brutal treatment and torture in Phu Quoc jail could not weaken the determination of the sons of Hanoi to survive and fight for the freedom and independence of their homeland. Former Hanoi imprisoned veterans attend a ceremony on March 22 that honors their sacrifices for national unity and liberation. Photo: Thanh Hai/The Hanoi Times Phu Quoc Prison was built in 1949-1950 under French colonial rule to detain political dissidents and national patriots. From 1963 to 1973, more than 40,000 Vietnamese patriots, soldiers, and communist activists who fought for the liberation of their country were incarcerated in the prison, which was run by the South Vietnamese regime. Located some 90 kilometers from the Vietnamese mainland, Phu Quoc prison was the site of the deaths of some 4,000 people who gave their lives in the … [Read more...] about Hanoi patriots recount memories of captivity

According to the city’s businesses, more Chinese tourist groups will arrive in the city this month and April will be the peak time marking the return of Chinese tourists to Vietnam. On the contrary, the number of Vietnamese tourists booking tours to China will also increase, helping to stimulate demand in the tourism markets of the two countries in the coming time. The forecast is based on the huge tourism demand of Chinese tourists after about three years of disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Vietnam being one of the Chinese tourists’ favorite destinations. In addition, Vietnamese businesses have developed high-quality and oriented products and services for specific tourist segments. Accompanying the business community, the city’s Department of Tourism has just coordinated with the Zhangjiajie city People's Committee in China’s Hunan province and the Vietnam Global International Travel Group Joint Stock Company to organize a tourism promotion conference in Zhangjiajie … [Read more...] about Ho Chi Minh City’s tourism shows positive signs with return of Chinese visitors

Foreign tourists visit Ho Chi Minh City's Post Office. (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – Travel firms in Ho Chi Minh City have launched tours between Vietnam and China as soon as China decided to include Vietnam in the list of countries to which Chinese group tours can be conducted from March 15. According to the city’s businesses, more Chinese tourist groups will arrive in the city this month and April will be the peak time marking the return of Chinese tourists to Vietnam. On the contrary, the number of Vietnamese tourists booking tours to China will also increase, helping to stimulate demand in the tourism markets of the two countries in the coming time. The forecast is based on the huge tourism demand of Chinese tourists after about three years of disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Vietnam being one of the Chinese tourists’ favourite destinations. In addition, Vietnamese businesses have developed high-quality and oriented products and services for specific tourist … [Read more...] about HCM City’s tourism shows positive signs with return of Chinese visitors

At the 2019 Muslim Fashion Festival (Photo: xinhuanet.com) Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia , the second largest Muslim fashion producers in the world after the United Arab Emirates, is targeting to emerge as the world’s leading Muslim fashion mecca by 2020. Indonesian Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto said at the opening of the 2019 Muslim Fashion Festival that the market for Muslim wear is big, both outside and inside the country, and it needs to be dominated by the Indonesian Muslim fashion industry. He said that the increasing number of Muslims in the world has become one of the main triggers that have driven the growth of the Muslim fashion industry. Last year, the total population of Muslims reached 24 percent of the total global population. The sale of Muslim clothing in Indonesia is at 20 billion USD with a growth rate of 18.2 percent per year. Meanwhile, the State of Global Islamic Economy Report 2018/2019 shows that the fashion consumption among Muslims … [Read more...] about Indonesia targets to become world’s Muslim fashion centre by 2020