Russia ready to re route energy flows if hit by new sanctions

The domestic garment and textile sector has been hardest hit in the on-going wave of layoffs due to the economic downturn, according to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLisa) report. The Molisa report showed that in the first half of this year, a total of 510,000 people had their job affected. Among those, 280,000 stopped working or were fired, mostly in industrial parks and economic zones in Binh Duong, Dong Nai, HCM City, Bac Ninh, Hai Duong and Hanoi. Roughly 195,039 workers had their working hours cut during the first half of the year. Up to 8,644 companies had to cut their workforce due to the order shortage. The garment and textile industry were hardest hit as up to 68,782 workers stopped their job or were fired. Meanwhile, 66,600 others in this sector had their working hours reduced. It was followed by the electronic component and product sector with 45,075 people and the footwear industry with 31,653 people quitting their work or … [Read more...] about Garment and textile sector hardest hit in layoff wave

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

Many drivers and commuters have complained about the absence of gas stations and rest stops along different expressway sections in central, south-central, and southern Vietnam. The reported sections include the Da Nang-Quang Ngai Expressway in the central region, the Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet and Phan Thiet-Dau Giay Expressways in south-central, and the Ho Chi Minh City-Trung Luong Expressway and the Trung Luong-My Thuan Expressway in the south. All of them are subprojects of the mammoth North-to-South expressway project in Vietnam that is projected to feature a total of 39 rest stops, according to the Vietnam Expressway Administration under the Ministry of Transport. Among them, five rest stops are already operational, two others are currently under investment, and the remaining 32 stations are undergoing evaluation. No rest stops Nguyen Van Phuoc, who is residing in Lien Chieu District, Da Nang City and works as a driver, said he often drives passengers on the Da Nang-Quang … [Read more...] about Hundred-kilometer-long expy sections in Vietnam have no gas stations, rest stops

Rhonda Nichols from Far North Queensland said he loved Vietnam and had been to the country six times before. Nichols, who usually stays for about two to six weeks, said the government should improve its e-visa system, and remove the $25 fee to apply for a visa on arrival. "Thailand and Indonesia do not charge visa-on-arrival fees and that clearly creates a good impression for tourists," Nichols added. He said that Vietnam should consider extending the duration of stays for tourists because a 30-day e-visa is too short. Vietnam currently offers 30-day e-visa for tourists from 80 countries and territories, including Australia. Grant Wilson, an Australian tourist who has lived in Vietnam for six years, said Australia was in the grips of the worst cost of living crisis on record and were looking to travel to affordable countries in Southeast Asia. He said affordable could be understood as the price of a hotel room of under $100 per night, meals costing $10 and round-trip … [Read more...] about Australian tourists await loosened Vietnam’s visa policies

At a press conference held Monday to discuss the upcoming June training period for the Vietnam national and U23 teams, Troussier said that coaching alone will not be enough to level up Vietnamese football. According to Troussier, the core power of a national team comes from club football. Therefore, it’s necessary to establish a league system with 40 to 50 games a season. He also said Vietnamese football could improve by having more overseas Vietnamese players who are trained abroad come here to play. "Scouts have sent me a list of about 20 players of Vietnamese origin," Troussier said. "They live in countries like South Korea, Japan, Bulgaria, Russia, Czech Republic and France." Troussier believes that Vietnam are behind other countries in the region like Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia on this matter. As another example, he pointed out how strong the national teams in Africa are, just by using overseas players. "Their players were born in Europe and trained in the best … [Read more...] about Coach Troussier wants more overseas Vietnamese on national team

"The pandemic years are behind us and borders are open as normal," Willie Walsh, head of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), told IATA's annual summit of some 300 carriers. IATA boosted its industry profit forecast to $9.8 billion from $4.7 billion cheered by strong travel demand and an easing in oil prices. Revenue is expected to grow by 9.7% to $803 billion, inching closer to 2019's pre-pandemic level of $838 billion. But slender profit margins of 1.2% mean repairing damaged balance sheets and offering sustainable returns on investments will continue to be a headache for some airlines, Walsh said. He said airlines on average make $2.25 per passenger, "which is less than the price of a cup of coffee, a subway ticket". The profit forecast, raised from one given in December, reflected a boost in Europe, despite a wave of strikes. Airlines have in recent months reported strong results as they prepare for a busy summer season, with travel demand … [Read more...] about Global airlines more than double 2023 profit outlook

In early April, the Board of Directors at Nam Viet JSC, a seafood producer in the southern region, gave the nod to the decision on dissolving Nam Viet Real Estate Co., Ltd. This company, based in Long Xuyen city in the Mekong delta province of An Giang, was founded in March 2022 to operate in real estate. Real estate might not always prove a fertile venture At the inception, the company had $3.5 million in chartered capital, which was scaled down to around $391,300 in mid-June 2022 before terminating operation in the recent past. At the company’s 2022 general annual shareholders meeting in June, CEO Doan Toi told shareholders that the company owned land, and that they would unveil two real estate projects later in the year, and another two in 2023. Last year, Nam Viet set an ambitious pre-tax profit target of VND1 trillion ($43.4 million) compared to a mere $6.5 million pre-tax profit posted in 2021, and committed to maintaining its profit in the range of a … [Read more...] about Core business key as companies pull out of real estate

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

Da Nang Smart City App helps connect residents and local administration. (Photo: VNA) Da Nang (VNS/VNA) - With 43% of the population aged 18 and more owning electronic accounts on the public service portals , the central city of Da Nang is among the leading localities in Vietnam in digital transformation. Digital transformation is being promoted with the participation of all agencies, enterprises and residents. Digital economy accounts for 17% of the city’s Gross Regional Domestic Product in 2022. This has contributed to the city’s digital socio-economic recovery and development and created digital skills and habits for local people. Nguyen Quang Thanh, Director of the municipal Department of Information and Communications, said the e-government and smart urban area building inspire the city’s digital transformation . “Data plays a key role in creating new values,” he told Vietnam News Agency. Since 2020, the city has built a database based on various sources. … [Read more...] about Da Nang applies digital transformation to urban management

The vision is for Hanoi to become a vibrant, green, and serene metropolis with the Red River landscape axis. "For a long time, people often say that Hanoi has turned its back on the Red River," Nguyen Van Loc, a 60-year-old resident of Phuc Tan Ward, Hoan Kiem District, told The Hanoi Times as he gazed out at the vast expanse of lush green land ahead, with thriving banana plantations growing on the fertile alluvial plains known as the Red River Alluvial Island (or Bai giua song Hong in Vietnamese). The Middle Island of the Red River. Photo: Chien Cong/The Hanoi Times Spanning around 18 hectares and stretching 3.8 kilometers in length, the area is under the jurisdiction of Chuong Duong and Phuc Tan wards, Hoan Kiem District. For many years, a significant portion of the alluvial island has been tilled by over 30 households for vegetable production. However, there is still a portion of the land that remains vacant and covered with overgrown reeds. "It is … [Read more...] about Red River – a centerpiece in Hanoi’s green development