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Foreign visitors to Ho Chi Minh City up 10.1% in first half of 2019

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Ho Chi Minh City welcomed around 4.2 million foreign visitors in the first half of this year, up 10.1% year-on-year, according to the city’s Tourism Department.

The city received 17 million travellers in the January-June period, including 12.8 million domestic tourists, reaching 40% of its set target for 2019.

In the same period, the city’s hospitality sector earned approximately VND73 trillion (US$3.15 billion) in tourism revenue, an increase of 16.6% against the same period last year.

The city’s Tourism Department will foster and encourage marketing and promotion campaigns and develop more tourist products and services to make the city a magnet for holiday makers.

Accordingly, the department will develop agricultural tourism products in Cu Chi district too, and the ecotourism model in Thanh An commune, Can Gio district.

Ho Chi Minh City is targeted to receive 8.5 million international visitors and 32.77 million domestic visitors in 2019, up 14% and 13% year on year, respectively.

Tourism revenue this year is expected to rise by 14.5% year-on-year to reach VND150 trillion (US$6.46 billion).

According to a report on Nhan Dan

Da Nang considers bike rental service

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The Transport Department of Danang City has considered a pilot bike rental service at the city centre.

According to the department, rapid urbanisation and sharp rise in tourists have pressured the municipal traffic and environment.

The city has seen an average annual growth of 12% in cars and 10.5% in motorbikes. Traffic congestion has been forecasted as a more common problem in Danang after 2020 if the city does not adopt proper solutions to deal with the situation.

To restrict private vehicles, the department plans a pilot bike rental service as in many developed countries. This is intended to ease traffic congestion and environmental pollution as well as help connect people to bus stops.

The department will select Hai Chau, Son Tra and Ngu Hanh Son districts for the project. Initially, around 30-40 areas will be selected for the service with 5-10 bikes to be used each, prioritising main streets and spots near bus stops.

People would use QR Codes to open bikes.

The fees would depend on the rental time and the payment would be paid online or directly at the service stations at hotels or restaurants.

Users can return bikes at the service stations or any permitted places.

According to a report on Danviet

Vietnam sees another South Korean investment wave

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In the midst of the US-China trade war and the unexpected minus growth rate of the economy in Q1 2019, South Korean chaebols are looking for growth by penetrating emerging markets.

SK Group

South Korean investors were the earliest birds in Vietnam. Soon after the economy opening in 1990s, a series of footwear, garment and electronics assembling factories opened in Vietnam, namely Chang Shin, Taekwang Vina, Hyosung, Dongwon and LG.

In 2009, Vietnam witnessed a big South Korean investment wave following the establishment of Samsung’s electronics assembling complexes in Bac Ninh and Thai Nguyen. Following the footprints of the giant, thousands of satellite suppliers flocked to Vietnam, helping Vietnam emerge on the world’s hi-tech map.

But South Korean investors’ tastes have changed. Instead of making direct investment, South Korean chaebols are acquiring assets and valuable brands. SK Group, the third largest conglomerate, announced $1 billion investment in Vingroup to acquire 6.1 percent of shares.

In 2018, SK Group invested $500 million into Masan Group, the Vietnamese leading consumer goods manufacturer. Prior to that, the giant set up SK South East Asia Investment, an arm in charge of seeking investment opportunities in Vietnam.

Analysts commented that SK Group made a wise move when cooperating with Vingroup. With the deal, SK can provide batteries to automobile, motorbike and bus production lines of VinFast, a subsidiary of Vingroup, and to the Vsmart smartphone production line as well.

The VinFast factory is designed to produce 250,000 cars for the first phase and 500,000 cars when it operates at full swing.

Meanwhile, its electric motorbike production line is expected to churn out 500,000 products, and the smartphone factory has the capacity of 5 million per annum.

South Korea’s footprints in all business fields

Nhip Cau Dau Tu commented that from footwear, and textile and garments to electronics, South Korean companies have expanded their operation into other core business fields of Vietnam’s economy, with strength equal to leading Vietnamese corporations, and Japanese and Chinese rivals.

After 10 years of operation, Samsung’s total turnover in Vietnam reached $65.73 billion in 2018, far exceeding Vietnam’s state-owned groups which are described as the ‘iron fists’ of the economy.

Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), for example, reported revenue of $14.6 billion for 2018, the national oil and gas group PetroVietnam $27 billion and Viettel $10 billion.

In the real estate sector, the ‘South Korean hallmark’ can be seen in Eco Smart City Thu Thiem from the Lotte Group, and GS Metro City from GS E&C, in Nha Be district in HCMC.

According to a report on Vietnamnet

Deep tech startups have lower risks, less need for big money

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Tuan Cao, CEO of Genetica, said starting a business in deep tech only needs simple conditions and a question good enough to solve.

Tuan once worked for Google, calling it a wonderful company. He was highly appreciated by Google and he was able to buy a house in the US. However, he decided to return to Vietnam to start a business to contribute something to the country rather than being just a small part of a big system.

“That is the reason I found Genetica to test genes. If you know your genetic map, you can prevent cancer, prevent diseases, follow better diets and lead happier lives,” he said at the Vietnam Venture Summit 2019, a forum for innovative startups.

“This means that the things I am doing with my startups will have bigger impact on the society and community, not just small impact like my contributions previously,” he said.

Tuan and his co-founder are working in deep tech, building genetic maps of Vietnamese people in particular and Asian in general with the combination of artificial intelligence and professional analysis.

Deep tech refers to pioneering technologies such as AI (artificial intelligence), IoT (internet of things), AR/VR (Augmented reality/Virtual reality) and Blockchain.

Some people think that startups are always associated with risks. And it is even riskier in a developing country like Vietnam. However, Tuan is optimistic about the issue.

“For me, with deep tech, you’ll will face lowest risks when starting up. You just need pizza, computer and a cup of coffee everyday to begin,” he said.

A startup with research on electric motorbikes and cars, for example, will need big money, he explained.

Tuan believes that Vietnam is a promising land for everyone to start a business.

He said two weeks ago, investors and American professors came to Vietnam to meet Genetica staff. At first, they doubted the possibility of producing technology unicorns in Vietnam, but later, after realizing the strong support of the government of Vietnam and the aspiration of youth, they changed their mind.

The investors and professors later told Tuan that he has great opportunities in Southeast Asia and Vietnam as well, because in the region, Vietnam has a market even bigger than Singapore’s, and the Vietnamese government is more open than the Chinese.

“They said we have great opportunities to create unicorns in Vietnam,” Tuan said.

According to a report on Vietnamnet

Vietnam Silicon Valley Accelerator invests $40,000 in startups

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Vietnam Silicon Valley Accelerator (VSVA) – the first Vietnamese Government project to directly support startups – continues to invest in startups this year, with capital of $40,000, double that in 2018, through the “VSV Bootcamp Program Batch 7”.

The VSV Bootcamp Program Batch will be held in July and give startups the opportunity to develop their ideas and models with initial investment and training programs over four months, working directly with expert advisors in the field. vneconomictimes reports.

VSVA is committed to working with startups throughout their development and will support the resolution of the operational or strategic problems startups often encounter. Startups to already receive support in their development include Lozi, Schoolbus, Ship60, Hachi, True Juice, Minet, and others.

Startups participating in the program not only utilize VSVA’s available resources such as advisors and co-working space but also receive other support from VSVA’s partner and expert network.

This network includes more than 75 invested startups, more than 60 organizations, and large multidisciplinary corporations ranging from agriculture, finance, education, and communications to artificial intelligence and blockchain, such as Vietnam International Bank (VIB), Lotte Group, Samsung, Microsoft, VTC Mobile, Baker McKenzie, and CocCoc.

VSVA will support startups by building a network of suitable strategic partners, creating a platform to accelerate the growth process.

Programs and activities to connect investors such as FeedBack Day and Demo Day in countries with a growing venture capital industry, such as South Korea and Singapore, have become regular activities to create opportunities for startups to reach out directly to investors and investment funds.

In Vietnam, Demo Day 2018 attracted ten startups and about 100 investors, including professional investors. Startups included Canets, Fresh Deli, Hue Packaging, True Juice, 689Cloud, Turline by Cores, Roborzoid, Handfree, Winme, and Peko Peko. The goal is to provide an opportunity for startups to present their business results and growth potential to investors, thereby establishing a relationship with potential investors and beginning to raise funds. It is also an opportunity for startups to receive feedback from investors and experts to improve their business models.

According to VNeconomictimes, VSVA is the first business promotion organization established in Vietnam based on valuable research from the Vietnam Silicon Valley Scheme.

Cashless payment remains low in Việt Nam

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The ratio of cashless payments in Việt Nam remains low at only 11.49 per cent of total means of payment, according to a recent report from the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM).

Up to 99 per cent of transactions for goods and services valued below VNĐ100,000 (US$4.3) are paid in cash.

According to a Government plan on cashless payment in the 2016-20 period approved by the Prime Minister, the ratio of cash transactions will be reduced from 90 per cent in 2016 to below 10 per cent by the end of 2020.

The Government has been trying to promote cashless payments in recent years, but a majority of Vietnamese people still prefer cash. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, 60 per cent of Vietnamese adults have a bank account, but 80 per cent of them prefer to use cash in daily transactions.

Although e-commerce has been rising rapidly at an annual growth rate of 25-30 per cent in recent years, 80 per cent of customers still use cash-on-delivery payments for products they order online, the ministry reported.

To boost cashless payments, banks are proposing tax incentives for businesses adopting e-payments, saying that cashless payment remains unpopular in Việt Nam because people prefer to see and touch products before paying for them. Thus, if local banks can guarantee to compensate customers for fraud and fake products, they will trust cashless payments and use them more regularly.

Đào Minh Tuấn, deputy general director of Vietcombank, said that most businesses were reluctant to purchase point-of-sale (POS) devices or establish e-payment services with the banks because there were currently no incentives to attract them.

Incentives, especially in taxes, would attract more businesses to cashless payments, which will increase payment transparency and reduce tax evasion, Tuấn said.

As of September 30, 2018, Việt Nam had a total of 18,170 ATMs, up 4 per cent against the end of 2016, and 294,500 POS across the country, up 11.8 per cent compared to the end of 2016.

Source: VNS

Four missing after heavy rain and floods hit northern mountainous provinces

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Four people are missing after being swept away by flash floods that hit the northern province of Lai Châu early Monday morning.

The floods occurred at around 6am on Monday along Hua Bum Stream in Nậm Nhùn District and Nậm Sì Lường Stream in Mường Tè District.

Mai Văn Thạch, chairman of Mường Tè District People’s Committee, said authorities were evacuating the area and searching for the missing people.

The floods were accompanied by landslides which damaged major roads in the province including National Highway 4H and provincial highway 133.

In the northern mountainous province of Lào Cai, a suspended bridge collapsed and 20 houses were flooded in Bản Hồ Commune, Sa Pa District when a flash flood hit the area early Monday morning.

Three cars were swept away by the strong current.

Lê Tân Phong, chairman of the district People’s Committee, said that heavy rain from Sunday to early Monday morning had caused the floods.

He said flood-hit areas and flood-prone areas had been evacuated.

With the suspended bridge down in Bản Hồ Commune, the people of Bản Dền and La Ve hamlets had been left isolated.

Local authorities had instructed people including locals and tourists to avoid flooded or landslide-hit routes, he said.

The Central Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control asked northern provinces to follow the developments of the bad weather which is expected to continue until Tuesday.

Flood-prone areas such as those along streams/rivers or lower parts of rivers as well as erosion-prone areas should be monitored closely so that people will be informed timely to move to safer areas if necessary.

The National High School Graduation Examination is scheduled of Wednesday, so the steering committee has asked exam councils to prepare staff, equipment and emergency locations if needed.

On Sunday and Monday, heavy rain was seen in Sìn Hồ and Than Uyên (Lai Châu Province), Sapa (Lào Cai Province), Lục Yên (Yên Bái Province), Bắc Quang (Hà Giang Province), Uông Bí (Quảng Ninh Province) and Bắc Giang and Bắc Ninh provinces with rainfall ranging from 92-154mm.

Source: VNS

Two Vietnamese get nine-month flight bans for smoking

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Vietnam’s aviation authorities have imposed nine-month bans on two Vietnamese men after they failed to pay fines for smoking on domestic flights.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam said Monday that a 36-year-old man from the northern Hai Phong City has been banned from domestic and international flights for nine months.

Despite several reminders and warnings, he had refused to pay fine of VND4 million ($172) after being caught smoking in the toilet on a VietJet flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, which took around two hours.

Another male passenger also received a nine-month flight ban starting June 20 after he failed to pay a penalty for smoking on a shorter flight with Bamboo Airways from Dak Lak in the Central Highlands to Hanoi.

Passengers are always reminded that smoking is not allowed on flights, but some still try to sneak a puff in toilets, where clear no-smoking signs are posted.

Last year, aviation authorities fined a teenage girl VND2 million ($88) for smoking on a domestic flight despite repeated warnings from the crew.

Vietnam has a high number of smokers at 15.6 million; and smoking is one of many violations that have been reported recently in the country’s aviation industry. The country introduced a record 40 flight bans in 2017 for passengers who smoke, fight or steal on flights.

Source: fVnexpress

A solar power plant generates electricity

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The Vinh Tan 2 solar power plant in Tuy Phong district in the south central province of Binh Thuan officially began generating electricity for commercial purposes on June 22.

The 986-billion-VND (42.6 million USD) plant has a designed capacity of 42.65 MWp and is expected to contribute 68.4 million kWh of electricity to the national grid each year.

Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) Chairman Duong Quang Thanh said that putting the Vinh Tan 2 solar power plant into operation is of significance in providing electricity for the southern region, especially in the context that the domestic coal reserve is not enough for power production, while hydro-power source is getting exhausted.

He added that if there were only four solar power plants with a total capacity of nearly 150 MW as of mid-April, the figure climbed to 79 at present, with a combined capacity of 4,312 MW.

According to a report on VNA

Bamboo Airways will open an aviation academy in Binh Dinh this year

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Bamboo Airways will start building an aviation academy this year to improve its human resource management.

Dang Tat Thang, vice chairman of Bamboo Airways said the construction would start this July. Binh Dinh People’s Committee officially approved the project on June 19. The project was also added to the planning of education provider network in Binh Dinh by 2020.

The academy will cover 10 hectares with an investment of nearly VND700bn (USD30m). It is expected to operate by the first quarter of 2022, training nearly 3,500 students per year for various roles including pilots, flight attendants, technicians and ground employees.

In March, real estate developer FLC Group proposed to build an international university of technology tourism aviation in Ha Long. Bamboo Airways will co-operate with FLC Group to submit a plan for prime ministerial approval about more training courses in transport management, international aviation operation, airport management and flight operations.

Bamboo Airways will also work with the New Zealand Aviation Academy to train pilots to meet international standards. It is hoped that the project will ensure local aviation development and improve competitiveness.

Bamboo Airways plans to exploit from 37 to 40 flight routes this year. In April, it had opened three new routes to South Korea, Taiwan and Japan. It has opened a general agency in South Korea this may and will open another general agency in Japan in July. It has set the goal to operate 100 flights daily and serve five million passengers in 2019.

It is expecting to have over 30 planes in 2023. They will receive new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners in the fourth quarter of 2020. “This plane is suitable for medium and long trips with new technology, stable operation and optimal performance,” Thang said.

As of now, Bamboo Airways has completed 10,000 flights with a 90% occupancy rate and punctuality rate of about 95%. According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, it is one of the most punctual airlines in Vietnam.

According to a report on Hanoimoi

Podiums at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic podiums will be made from recycled plastic

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Podiums at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be made from plastic waste donated by local residents or collected from the sea, organisers said Tuesday, as part of a sustainability push.

It will be the first time podiums have been made from recycled materials and organisers say they will need about 45 tonnes of plastic to fashion around 100 podiums for the Games.

Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto said the plan would help push a message of sustainability, which organisers want to be a key theme of the Games next year.

“By sending that message to both Japan and the rest of the world, we think this project will have great significance,” he told reporters.

Plastic for the project will be gathered at more than 2,000 outlets of a local supermarket chain, where boxes will be set out for Tokyo residents to drop off their recyclable plastic waste.

The project will also use plastic waste that has been collected from the ocean during marine clean-ups.

The 2020 organisers have been keen to promote an eco-friendly message with the Games, including making all the medals from recycled electronic waste.

They solicited waste from the public as well as local Japanese industry and business, collecting 2,700 kgs (about 5,950 pounds) of bronze, 30.3 kgs (67 pounds) of gold and 4,100 kg (about 9,040 pounds) of silver.

And Japanese athletes competing at the Games will also wear an official kit made in part from recycled clothes collected from across the country.

According to a report on AFP

Vietnamese-American sentenced to twelve years in prison for plotting to overthrow government

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Michael Phuong Minh Nguyen, 55, pleaded guilty to the charges on Monday and was sentenced to 12 years in prison. His lawyer said he had asked for a reduced sentence in order to be reunited with his family.

Mr Nguyen’s family denied charges against him and alleged that Mr Nguyen was visiting elderly relatives in Da Nang when he was detained.

Mr Nguyen was born in Vietnam, but has lived in the US since he was a child and has American citizenship. His wife and children live in Orange County, California.

According to official charges, while living in the US, Mr Nguyen became engaged with controversial social issues in Vietnam such as protests against pollution by the company Farmosa and Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. In August 2017, through these connections, Mr Nguyen arrived in Vietnam and was introduced to a secret group, SAU, whose goal was to remove the Vietnam Communist Party from power through popular protests, armed struggle, and occupation of government buildings in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. According to the indictment, Mr Nguyen became a member of SAU and contributed $2,000 to its operations, including to acquire weapons.

In July 2018, the group was apprehended in Ho Chi Minh City. Two other members of SAU were arrested along with Mr Nguyen. Another was charged with aiding and abetting.

Mr Nguyen has been detained by the Vietnamese authorities for 11 months. His wife, Helen Nguyen, said he has been able to talk to the US Embassy in Hanoi once a month, and appears to be in good health.

Mr Nguyen’s family is concerned that he has not received due process and adequate legal representation, according to his brother-in-law Mark Roberts. Activists have been calling for his release; a petition on Change.org has received nearly 95,000 signatures as of June 24, 2019. His wife Helen attended President Trump’s State of the Union address in January as a guest of Representative Katie Porter to call attention to his plight.

The US State Department has not indicated whether it would intervene diplomatically on Mr Nguyen’s behalf. A spokesperson declined a request for comments from NBC News, citing privacy concerns.

Google Home Mini & Home Hub sales spike after Vietnamese language included

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The shops selling Google Home Mini and Home Hub confirm that the demand for the products has increased by 3-4 times after it began supporting Vietnamese language.

“The sales of Google Home Mini, compact and cheap, have unexpectedly increased by three times over the last two weeks,” Hoang Minh, the owner of an online smart appliance shop said.

Le Thai, the manager of a shop specializing in distributing hi-tech products from the US, also noted the sales increase recently.

“I can sell up to 40 products some day,” he said. “Buyers all asked about the support for Vietnamese language and decided to buy the speakers right after getting advice and trying,” he said.

Even Google Home Hub, the smart speaker associated with screen, with the high price of VND3 million, is also selling well.

Le Viet, 28, in district 7, HCMC, said he bought the product after his friends said the conversations in Vietnamese language with the smart speakers are ‘very interesting’.

The shops selling Google Home Mini and Home Hub confirm that the demand for the products has increased by 3-4 times after it began supporting Vietnamese language.

Thai noted that the support of Vietnamese language is attracting sales. Previously, only those who had knowledge about technology and showed interest in smarthomes were interested in smart speakers. But now, as the speakers support Vietnamese language, it can attracts other users as well.

For other users, Google’s smart speakers can support music listening, information inquiries, and appointment and alarm setting, through voice.

For those who use smart speakers for smartphones, the product can turn on/off and regulate home smart appliances through vocal commands.

However, some users said the ‘assistant’ is not perfect and is not good at recognizing Vietnamese language as well as English.

There are many Google smartphone products available in the domestic market, of which Google Home Mini is the most common.

The more expensive models include Google Home Max priced at VND10 million which has good sound, and Google Home Hub which has a screen for information display.

The availability of support for Vietnamese language has helped Google win over its rival – Amazon Echo used for Alexa.

Echo Dot 3, the previously favored model, sold at the same price as Google Home Mini, has seen the price decrease by VND100,000-200,000.

Selling well in the US, Amazon’s Echo Dot 3 (black) is losing ground to Google Home Mini in Vietnam.

Minh said as the demand has increased, the supply of Google Home Mini has become short, thus pushing the prices up.

On two biggest online sale websites, Google Home Mini has the quoted price of VND900,000-1 million, while the price once dropped to VND800,000 two months ago.

Google does not sell hardware in Vietnam. Its smart speakers are imported to Vietnam through unofficial channels.

According to a report on Vietnamnet

Quang Ninh aims to develop smart tourism features to better serve visitors

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The northern province of Quang Ninh is to promote the use of information technologies throughout a variety of projects to better serve tourists and develop into becoming a smart city in the future.

Quang ninh aims to develop smart tourism features to better serve visitors. In order to find information about the locality, visitors can now log on to the information portal about Quang Ninh tourism at halongtourism.com.vn and discoverhalong.gov.vn or additionally pose queries through the information portal’s fan page.

The websites will provide visitors with information regarding tourist attractions, entertainment activities, festivals, local delicacies, maps, online bookings, and other support activities.

Uong Bi city in Quang Ninh is seeking to boost tourist numbers through the use of technology. The city boasts a number of popular tourist attractions such as Yen Tu mountain and Yen Trung lake.

In April, the city launched Dulichuongbi app for smartphones which updates visitors with schedules, estimated costs, and the best times to explore the province’s destinations.

quang ninh aims to develop smart tourism features to better serve visitors hinh 1 In addition, Quang Ninh province has also upgraded their tourism infrastructure, services, and information technology. Visitors can easily gain access to the internet through more than 100 free Wifi hot spots located in residential areas, Bai Chay tourism site, Tuan Chau, and other destinations in Ha Long Bay such as Thien Cung cave and Ti Top island.

A local resident said free Wifi access has eased the checking information relating to tourism, entertainment sites, restaurants, and streets.

Now visitors can use digital maps to gain information about streets, tourist attractions, and create their own tour schedule. Support utilities will help in guiding tourists through the region’s tourism activities.

Pham Ngoc Thuy, director of the provincial Department of Tourism, said the use of information technologies to support visitors is an inevitable trend, noting that Quang Ninh has deployed a pilot model with the aim of turning Ha Long into a smart city in the future.

According to a report on VOV

Could foreign e-wallets lead to a foreign currency drain?

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Nepal on May 21 imposed a ban on transactions with Chinese e-wallets Alipay and WeChat Pay in the country. What about Vietnam?

The ban aims to stop the foreign currency drain caused by Chinese travelers who buy goods in the country and make payments with Alipay and WeChat Pay.

In 2018, Nepal received 150,000 Chinese travelers, and a high number used e-wallets to pay for hotel rooms, restaurant services and goods in Nepal owned by Chinese.

With such a payment method, the cash flow from buyers’ e-wallets went directly to sellers’ e-wallets or bank accounts in China.

The situation in Vietnam is similar to Nepal’s as agencies have discovered that Chinese travelers in Vietnam have made payments with Chinese e-wallets illicitly.

Many shops in Vietnam have been found illegally using POS connected with Alipay and WeChat Pay or other Chinese and payment institutions. As a result, though transactions are made in Vietnam, the money cannot be retained in Vietnam.

This occurs despite the existence of regulations which prevent the activities.

As the enforcement remains weak, the Deputy PM Vuong Dinh Hue last September requested the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) and local authorities to inspect and stop the illegal behavior of transferring money via POS. However, it is still unclear how far the process has gone.

SBV has issued a draft circular on the management over intermediary payment services, setting stricter requirements on service providers.

However, the draft has faced criticism from experts, who pointed out that it would only cover anthentic businesses, i.e ones which register their business with agencies and cooperate closely with domestic partners.

Alipay and WeChat Pay are the two most popular e-wallets in China, while China is the biggest tourism market for Vietnam. According to the General Statistics Office (GSO), about 5 million Chinese travelers came to Vietnam in 2018.

More than one year ago, both Alipay and WeChat Pay began cooperating with Vietnamese e-wallet service provider Vi Mo (vimo.vn) in providing payment service to Chinese travelers who buy goods in Vietnam. Under current laws, only e-wallets licensed by SBV have the right to provide intermediary payment service in Vietnam.

With the cooperation, Chinese travelers in Vietnam can make payment with Alipay and WeChat Pay at 4,000 POS via Vimo throughout the country.

In late 2017, soon after Jack Ma, the owner of Alibaba, came to Vietnam to attend a forum on e-payments, the Chinese business signed a cooperation agreement with NAPAS on bringing Alipay e-wallet to Vietnam.

Under the cooperation, sellers in Vietnam accept payment with Alipay made by Chinese travelers who buy goods and services in Vietnam.

According to a report on Vietnamnet