Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will pay an official visit to Vietnam on Saturday at the invitation of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This will be his first visit to Vietnam since he took office in 2022. The Australian prime minister’s visit will be made two months after Australian Governor-General David Hurley’s state visit to Vietnam. His two-day visit is aimed at marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Australia. Australian Prime Minister Albanese will meet several top Vietnamese officials during his trip, said the Australian Embassy in Vietnam. “The leaders will come to the table about measures to deepen the partnership in trade, investment, education, energy, and environmental protection," the embassy said. “Vietnam is one of Australia’s key strategic economic partners in Southeast Asia, which is a focus of Australian Prime Minister Albanese." “My first official visit to … [Read more...] about Australian prime minister to visit Vietnam this weekend
Vietnam life vietnams political security makes the country more attractive to australian investors
Vietnam projected to become 20th largest global economy
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Vietnam's GDP based on purchasing power parity (PPP) stood in 25 th position globally in 2022, ranking just below countries such as Australia, and Poland. Specifically, Australia's reached approximately $1.63 trillion, securing 20 th position worldwide, while Poland's stood at around $1.64 trillion, placing it 19 th . The IMF also estimates that by 2023, Vietnam is expected to secure fourth position in Southeast Asia with a forecast GDP PPP of approximately $1.45 trillion. Looking further ahead, by 2026, Vietnam is estimated to have surpassed Thailand, propelling it to the second spot in the region with a figure of around $1.87 trillion. By 2028, Vietnam's economy is anticipated to have reached approximately $2.21 trillion, placing it among the top 20 economies globally. The top 20 economies in 2028, according to the IMF, are predicted to include China, the United States, India, Japan, Germany, Indonesia, Russia, … [Read more...] about Vietnam projected to become 20th largest global economy
Int’l Yoga Day to take place in 22 localities across Vietnam in late June
The Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City will team up with the Vietnam Yoga Federation to roll out the 2023 International Yoga Day in 22 provinces and cities in Vietnam’s southern region at the end of June. This edition will be the biggest ever since the yoga fest was first launched in the Southeast Asian nation in 2015, Consul General of India in Ho Chi Minh City Madan Mohan Sethi told a press briefing on Tuesday. The yoga event is part of a wide range of cultural exchange, tourism, trade, and investment promotion events to mark 50 years of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and India, said the consul general. Speaking at the press conference, Sethi affirmed that Vietnam plays an important role in India’s Act East Policy, an effort by the Indian government to cultivate extensive economic and strategic relations with Southeast Asia. India strongly believes in Vietnam’s support, he added. “Both India and Vietnam see mutual respect and trust as the pivot of long-lasting … [Read more...] about Int’l Yoga Day to take place in 22 localities across Vietnam in late June
Vietnam’s participation in 42nd ASEAN Summit to contribute to association’s success
The summit is one of the large-scale official multilateral foreign affairs activities that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends in 2023. The participation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the Vietnamese delegation in the 42nd ASEAN Summit not only demonstrates the country's support for Indonesia in its role as ASEAN Chair 2023, but also actively actualizes foreign policies and guidelines on "continuing to promote and enhance the effectiveness of foreign affairs and international integration" set by the 13th National Party Congress. The 42nd ASEAN Summit is the first official meeting since Indonesia undertook the role as ASEAN Chair 2023. It takes place in the context that the regional and international situations are developing complicatedly with many potential risks. Strategic competition among major countries tends to increase. Although the world economy has shown signs of recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall growth rate is still low and precarious. Over the … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s participation in 42nd ASEAN Summit to contribute to association’s success
New cooperation spaces for Vietnam, RoK localities: seminar
This will open new cooperation spaces and deepen collaboration in all spheres, from economy to tourism, employment, education and culture, as well as people-to-people exchange, Vietnamese Ambassador to the RoK Nguyen Vu Tung told the seminar. The event on connectivity between Korean localities and enterprises, and Vietnamese localities saw the participation of more than 100 delegates, including those from Vietnam’s Bac Lieu, Kon Tum and Thua Thien Hue provinces and Can Tho city, along with representatives from localities and more than 50 businesses of the RoK. Yoo Ming-bong, Secretary General of the Governors Association of the RoK (GAROK), noted that after 30 years of the establishment of the Vietnam - RoK diplomatic ties, the bilateral relationship has been seen as a model with political trust, dynamic, flexible, close economic cooperation, and close-knit ties between people of the two countries. GAROK will work together with Vietnamese localities in conducting activities to … [Read more...] about New cooperation spaces for Vietnam, RoK localities: seminar
Ho Chi Minh City to boost online exports
The Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City has said it will join hands with cross-border e-commerce platforms to support local exporters in shipping products to the world on a larger scale and in a more professional way. This is among the solutions that the city will adopt this year to help Vietnamese enterprises overcome difficulties and foster industrial production, trade, and green export. Enhancing business via online and digital channels will help exporting enterprises reduce costs and access customers faster, said Nguyen Nguyen Phuong, deputy director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade. The department has worked with many e-commerce platforms and service providers to come up with support solutions, Phuong noted. Enterprises also need to take the initiative in cooperating with partners to better meet the requirements in importing markets. Huynh Kim Tuoc, co-chairman of the Digital Economy and Technology Committee under the American … [Read more...] about Ho Chi Minh City to boost online exports
Power overhaul plan picks up steam
Vietnam’s long-awaited Power Development Plan VIII (PDP8), confirmed in mid-May, is a milestone in the country’s journey towards energy transition. The main objective of the legislation is to achieve energy security for Vietnam, progressing on its climate change commitments towards the middle of this century, and more specifically to export 5,000-10,000MW of power by 2030. Towards these goals, the PDP8 proposes a new energy mix with a substantial reliance on renewables and the development of smart transmission grids to support the renewables industry, including connecting the power grids with neighbouring countries. “We appreciate the government for the approval of the PDP8, as it provides a clear path to the completion of the grid interconnection, which is critical for us and Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) to complete agreement on the tariff and schedule of the power purchase agreement (PPA). We target completion of the PPA in Q4 of 2023 in order to break ground in 2024,” said Ian … [Read more...] about Power overhaul plan picks up steam
Apple retailers set for price competition shake-up
Apple on May 17 announced the expansion of the Apple Store online into Vietnam. Customers throughout the country can now shop direct with Apple and receive a service delivered by dedicated team members ready to share their expertise in Vietnamese. Meanwhile, in mid-May, eDiGi, Vietnam’s foremost premium Apple retailer, announced the closure of its store after five years. The store entered the market when official Apple products were struggling to compete against smuggled counterparts. Backed by one of Vietnam’s top retail companies, IPP Group, eDiGi aimed to carve a niche for itself in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. The accolades poured in as eDiGi secured the coveted Apple Premium Reseller and Apple Service Provider certifications, becoming the country’s pioneering haven for Apple aficionados seeking unrivalled services. However, eDiGi found itself grappling with a market where affordable prices outweighed immersive shopping experiences, and it struggled to … [Read more...] about Apple retailers set for price competition shake-up
Investors wanted for social housing efforts
Speaking at a May 19 conference on plans to develop one million social houses for lower-income people and workers by 2030, Minister of Construction Le Thanh Nghi said that the ministry would coordinate with authorities to ensure it achieved its social housing targets. The ministry (MoC) has completed the draft amended Law on Housing, which has been approved by the government and submitted to the National Assembly for approval. It is hoped that the amended law will draw policies for social housing development and take effect from 2024, including planning and reserving land for social housing development, selection of project investors, and procedures for implementation. As of Q1 2023, Vietnam has completed just over 300 social housing projects in urban areas and worker housing projects in industrial zones (IZs), with nearly 156,000 units in total. About 400 projects are still planned to be built, with a total scale of 454,000 apartments. However, demand has not been fully met. … [Read more...] about Investors wanted for social housing efforts
Second home real estate on the slow path to recovery
Hotel supply in Vietnam has tripled over the past decade, photo Le Toan According to a report by DKRA Vietnam, the supply of villas and town houses across the country continued to decrease from the end of the second quarter of 2022. Specifically, in April only two projects were opened for sale, providing 12 apartments to the market, down 69 per cent from the previous month and down 98 per cent compared to the same period last year. Particularly, the Central region recorded the fourth consecutive month that no new projects were introduced to the market. “It is expected that in the next few months, supply and demand may increase slightly. However, the market will not have obvious fluctuations with key transactions, except from expected transactions on Phu Quoc island,” according to DKRA’s report. The primary selling price did not alter greatly compared to the previous month. Instead, investors have aggressively launched discounts up to 30-40 per cent to stimulate market … [Read more...] about Second home real estate on the slow path to recovery