Over the past 35 years of development, the Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, better known as Agribank, always proves its position and role as a leading commercial bank in Vietnam. It has pioneered monetary policies, contributing to stabilizing the macro-economy, curbing inflation and supporting the country’s economic growth. The bank has cemented its key role in developing the agriculture sector and rural areas and offering credit and services to serve the country’s socio-economic development. Agribank was proud to receive the Vietnam National Brand award for the third consecutive year in 2022 and was among the top 10 Vietnamese strong banking and financial brands the same year. The lender has obtained impressive achievements in digital and green transformation and made substantial contributions to community development. Despite the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Agribank, with its initiative and flexibility, has employed multiple … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s Agribank wins many local prestigious prizes
Vietnam poor people
Foreign experts urge Vietnam to relax visa policies, improve tourism services
Martin Koerner, chairman of EuroCham Vietnam's Tourism and Hospitality Sector Committee, told at a tourism conference Wednesday that Vietnam's visa policy remains complicated and restrictive compared to regional neighbors such as Thailand and Singapore. Thailand already extended its tourist visas to a maximum stay of 45 days for over 50 countries while Vietnam currently exempts only citizens of 25 countries from requiring visas with maximum stays of 15 days. EuroCham has proposed the government expand visa exemptions for more countries, including all European countries, the United States, Australia and New Zealand and prolong the duration of visa-free stays to 30 days. "However, we have seen slow progress in achieving this," Koerner said. "The country needs to implement a tourism development strategy quickly to compete with its regional competitors." Nuno F. Ribeiro, a Portuguese lecturer in hospitality and tourism at RMIT University, also proposed Vietnam waive visas for more … [Read more...] about Foreign experts urge Vietnam to relax visa policies, improve tourism services
Vietnam a major destination for Cambodian tourists
The number of Cambodian travelers entering Vietnam is on the high rise, with the primary purpose of these visits quickly shifting from medical tourism to vacation tourism. Vietnam currently welcomes over one million Cambodian tourists each year – a figure which has surged since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, many local travel firms claim the number of Vietnamese companies offering tourism geared toward Cambodian tourists remains limited. Extended stays According to Pham Ngoc Ha, deputy general director of Saco Travel Company, her firm has been facilitating travel for scores of weekend travelers from the Cambodian provinces which border Tay Ninh Province in southern Vietnam. Popular tourism attractions for these visitors were local pagodas and Ba Den Mountain in Tay Ninh. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of these tours lasted just one day. Now more and more Cambodian tourists are opting for four-day, three-night tours to Ho Chi Minh City and other major … [Read more...] about Vietnam a major destination for Cambodian tourists
Vietnam can enhance its role further within ASEAN
We are facing a challenging business environment on a global scale. How do you evaluate the support the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) has and the wider Vietnamese business community? Arsjad Rasjid, chairman of ASEAN BAC 2023 In our country we have something called Indonesia Incorporated, where the government and the private sector work together. This is very important and, at the ASEAN level, we should have an ASEAN Incorporated, where the governments and the business community work together. This is because there are multiple challenges. For instance, we have 280 million people in ASEAN. If we didn’t have the public and the private sectors working together, we would not have been able to solve issues like carrying out mass vaccinations during the pandemic. If we work together on ASEAN connectivity, on energy for example, we can maintain our security with this synergy. We are a $3.2 trillion economy. However, with more efforts towards ASEAN … [Read more...] about Vietnam can enhance its role further within ASEAN
US human rights report gives one-sided evaluations of Vietnam: MOFA
Vietnam has always considered the people as the driving force of the country's development process and is committed to improving the lives and ensuring the rights of all its citizens, leaving no one behind. During a press conference today [March 23], a journalist raised questions about the 2022 U.S. Human Rights Watch report, which accuses several Asian countries, including Vietnam, of grave and systematic human rights violations. Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang. Source: MoFA Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang shared Vietnam's perspective on the issue, saying that protecting and promoting human rights is a consistent policy of Vietnam. "Vietnam has always considered the people as the driving force of the country's development process and is committed to improving the lives and ensuring the rights of all citizens, leaving no one behind," Hang said. Hang added that basic human rights were enshrined in Vietnam's … [Read more...] about US human rights report gives one-sided evaluations of Vietnam: MOFA
Friendship sub-associations practically help with Italy – Vietnam ties: insider
Renato Darsie (R), Chairman of the Italy - Vietnam Friendship Sub-Association in Veneto , presents the right to use the Vietnamese cultural centre to a representative of Vietnamese students in May 2022. (Photo: VNA) Rome (VNA) – With multiple-year experiences, the Italy - Vietnam friendship sub-associations in regions of the European country can make practical contributions to the friendship and cooperation between the two countries by providing information on Vietnam to Italian people and businesses. So said Renato Darsie, Chairman of the Italy - Vietnam Friendship Sub-Association in the Veneto region, in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency. He described the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship (March 23, 1973 - 2023) as an important milestone marking the growing friendship and political, economic, and cultural ties between the two countries. Bilateral relations over the last 50 years are those of solidarity and friendship across the board as … [Read more...] about Friendship sub-associations practically help with Italy – Vietnam ties: insider
Vietnam game festival to take place in April
Vietnam GameVerse hosts a chain of events for the gaming community including exhibitions, seminars, cosplay competitions, and game awards. Phu Tho Indoor Sport Stadium is home to many domestic and international eSport tournaments. Vietnam GameVerse is co-organized by the Department of Radio, Television and Electronic Information, under the Ministry of Information and Communications, VnExpress and the Vietnam Game Union. Le Quang Tu Do, Director of the Department of Radio, Television and Electronic Information at the Ministry of Information and Communications, speaks at the launch event. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy The event will start with Game Expo, an area for displaying game products and services. Game Expo will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. throughout the two days of the event. More than 20 partner booths will showcase at Game Expo, along with a series of sideline activities and hundreds of gifts for visitors. From 9:30 a.m. on April 1, the Game Forum … [Read more...] about Vietnam game festival to take place in April
Vietnam to strive for sustainable use of water resources in Mekong River
Nations along the Mekong River, including Vietnam, have agreed to join hands for the fair and sustainable use of water resources in the waterway. Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc participated in the Mekong River Commission (MRC) Summit in Siem Reap on Thursday. The summit also saw the attendance of the premiers of the four members of the MRC, namely Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, along with high-ranking officials from China and Myanmar, the two dialogue countries of the MRC. Speaking at the event, PM Phuc stressed the challenges along the Mekong River, which can eventually result in the depletion of water resources, sediment and nutrients, and the degradation of the environment and ecosystem. The problem is even more serious in regions located along the downstream, namely Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, where prolonged droughts, saltwater intrusion, and subsidence are threatening the lives of over 20 million people. The premier asked the MRC to take measures … [Read more...] about Vietnam to strive for sustainable use of water resources in Mekong River
Vietnam calls US human rights report subjective
"Vietnam regrets to see that the annual human rights report of the U.S. State Department for 2022 has made comments that lack objectivity, and are based on inaccurate information, about Vietnam’s situation," said deputy spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang in response to the document. The 2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, released by the U.S. State Department on Monday, mentioned Vietnam. Hang said Vietnam’s consistent stance is to protect and bolster human rights. "Fundamental human rights are recognized in Vietnam’s Constitution, and they are protected and promoted by both legal documents and actual practices," she said. Hang added that humans are the central driver of the country’s innovation and development, which only strives to better people’s lives. "Vietnam is always willing to exchange ideas directly and openly, in the spirit of cooperation, with the U.S. on issues [where the two countries] have differences, in order to promote … [Read more...] about Vietnam calls US human rights report subjective
Vietnam consistent with protecting, promoting human rights
Deputy spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry Pham Thu Hang has said protecting and promoting human rights is Vietnam’s consistent policy. Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) She made the statement during the ministry’s regular press conference in Hanoi on March 23 in response to the US Department of State’s March 20 announcement of the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2022, which mentioned that some Asian countries, including Vietnam, had "seriously and systematically violated human rights". Hang said Vietnam always considers human beings the centre and driving force of national renovation and development, always strives for the goal of improving people's lives, ensuring their right to enjoyment and leaving no one behind. The fundamental rights and freedom of human beings are enshrined in the Constitution of Vietnam, protected and promoted by specific legal documents, and enforced in practice. Vietnam regrets that the US Department … [Read more...] about Vietnam consistent with protecting, promoting human rights