Vietnam Insider

The draft Law on Special Consumption Tax proposes two options to keep the current tax rate on cigarettes at 75% but add an absolute tax that will gradually increase over the years to VND10,000 per pack by 2030.

At the seminar on Increasing special consumption tax and combating cigarette smuggling – issues raised, on the afternoon of November 19, Mr. Le Dai Hai, Deputy Director of the Department of Civil and Economic Law (Ministry of Justice), said that the Draft Law on Special Consumption Tax (amended) drafted by the Ministry of Finance is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly at the end of this month. If approved, it will take effect in 2026. Accordingly, the Ministry of Finance proposed two options for increasing cigarette taxes.

Option 1 : In 2026, the tax rate remains at 75% and an additional 2,000 VND/bag is added. From 2027 to 2030, the tax will increase by 2,000 VND/bag each year. By 2030, the absolute tax rate will be 10,000 VND/bag.

Option 2 : In 2026, when the revised Law on Special Consumption Tax officially takes effect, along with maintaining the current tax rate of 75% on the selling price, the absolute tax on cigarettes is 5,000 VND/pack. Each year after that, it will increase by 1,000 VND/pack. By 2030, the tax will increase to 10,000 VND/pack.

“The Government will submit the above two options to the National Assembly at the next session,” said Mr. Hai, adding that after submitting, it will absorb opinions to edit and complete the draft.

Excise tax (SCT) is an economic tool designed to tax luxury goods, products that are harmful to health, the environment, or have properties that require limited consumption. Tobacco is harmful to people’s health, so most countries in the world apply special consumption tax on this item. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), out of 178 countries surveyed, 13 countries (accounting for 7%) do not impose special consumption tax on tobacco.

In Vietnam, tobacco is one of the items subject to special consumption tax, with the current tax rate being 75% of the factory price. After nearly 34 years, the special consumption tax rate on tobacco was adjusted from 50% to 75%. Of which, the tax rate was reduced twice in 1988 by 5% (from 70% to 65%) and in 2006 by 10% (from 65% to 55%), from 2008 to present, it has increased according to the roadmap.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Cuc, President of the Vietnam Tax Consulting Association, said that continuing to increase the special consumption tax on cigarettes is necessary. The smoking rate among men decreased from 45% in 2015 to nearly 39% in 2023. However, Vietnam is still among the countries with the highest smoking rate in the world, with more than 15 million people using cigarettes. Therefore, increasing the special consumption tax on cigarettes will make the selling price more expensive, thereby contributing to regulating and reducing consumption, while minimizing serious diseases, especially respiratory diseases and lung cancer.

However, Ms. Cuc said that tax increases need to be harmonious, with a suitable tax adjustment roadmap to achieve the same goals of regulating the state budget, stabilizing production and business, aiming at public health, and combating smuggling. “The increase in special consumption tax will directly impact legal cigarettes while illegal cigarettes are not affected, leading to a decrease in legal production and creating favorable conditions for illegal cigarettes to enter,” she said, citing Malaysia as an example, where consecutive tax increases caused smokers to switch from consuming legal products to illegal cigarettes at extremely low prices. At that time, this country ranked first in the world in illegal cigarettes, accounting for about 65% of the total market in 2020.

In Vietnam, data released by the General Department of Market Management, Ministry of Industry and Trade shows that the situation of cigarette smuggling is worrying. In the first 10 months of this year, the whole industry discovered 1,067 violations related to smuggled cigarettes, of which 800 cases were handled, 3 cases were transferred to the Police Investigation Agency.

On the business side, Mr. Ho Le Nghia, Chairman of the Vietnam Tobacco Association, said that he agreed with the need to increase taxes, but the absolute excise tax with such a sudden increase caused difficulties for tobacco businesses. The tobacco industry contributed about 26,000 billion VND to the state budget in 2023, creating about 1.1 million direct and indirect jobs. Therefore, he recommended that there should be a roadmap and appropriate tax increase intervals for businesses to adapt, transform and stabilize production, create jobs for workers and social security issues. Accordingly, he proposed applying a mixed method with a gradual increase roadmap: 2,000 VND in 2026, 2,000 VND in 2028 and an additional 2,000 VND in 2030, to minimize negative impacts on the industry and the market.

Source: vnexpress.net (Le Nga)

Nearly 200 domestic and foreign units and enterprises from 27 countries such as the US, Russia, UK, France… registered to exhibit at the Vietnam International Defense Exhibition 2024.

On the morning of November 19, the Ministry of National Defense informed about the Vietnam International Defense Exhibition 2024. The event takes place from December 19-22 at Gia Lam Airport, Hanoi. People can visit the exhibition for free from 1:00 p.m. on December 21 to the end of December 22. The exhibition area has a total area of ​​over 100,000 m2, with 15,000 m2 indoors and 20,000 m2 outdoors.

At the exhibition, defense enterprises displayed and introduced combat vehicles, technological solutions, weapons, and equipment used for the Navy, Army, Air Defense – Air Force, cyber warfare, and logistics and technical equipment.

Major General Le Quang Tuyen, Deputy Director of the General Department of Defense Industry, said that nearly 200 domestic and foreign units and enterprises from 27 countries such as the US, Russia, UK, France, Spain, Serbia, Czech Republic, Sweden, Finland, Belarus, Bulgaria, Italy, Germany, Turkey, India, Iran, Japan, South Korea, China, Israel, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Cambodia, and UAE registered to exhibit at the exhibition.

Vietnam’s products will be researched and manufactured by units of the General Department of Defense Industry, the Air Defense – Air Force, Navy, Military Technical Academy, Vietnam – Russia Tropical Center, Armored Corps, Chemical Corps, Military Science and Technology Institute, Military Industry – Telecommunications Group and companies of the Ministry of National Defense.

42 official delegations have registered to visit Vietnam and attend the exhibition. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will attend the opening ceremony, deliver a speech and tour the exhibition. The Vietnam Air Force will fly a welcome flight. Vietnam Border Guard commandos and military dogs will perform a welcome performance.

According to Major General Le Quang Tuyen, this exhibition is an opportunity for the Ministry of National Defense to expand international cooperation, defense diplomacy, and build trust between Vietnam and countries around the world. This is also a forum to share defense foreign policies and guidelines; policies on building the army and developing the defense industry. Countries, companies, and domestic and international enterprises will have a good opportunity to introduce and display products and seek cooperation opportunities.

The General Department’s leaders also believe that this is an opportunity to diversify cooperation channels for purchasing, receiving, and transferring technology to produce technical equipment and logistics equipment. Units in the General Department can learn about the development trends of weapons and technical equipment in the world to propose, select, purchase, produce, and improve equipment for the army.

“People will witness the capacity, technological potential, and weapons and equipment produced by the Vietnamese defense industry and other countries,” said Mr. Tuyen.

In 2022, the first Vietnam International Defense Exhibition has a total exhibition area of ​​25,000 m2 with 175 participating companies from 31 countries. During more than two days of opening, 25,000 professional visitors; 300 domestic delegations; 52 international delegations attended.

Source: vnexpress.net (Son Ha)

Meteorological experts have given their comments on the weather patterns in the coming time in the Northern region.

Every year, this place attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists to visit and experience. The beautiful scenery of the “undersea forest” makes anyone admire.

Disregarding danger, three young Swiss men climbed to the nearly 100-meter-high spire of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris to raise the flag of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam in protest against the war.

On January 19, 1969, the two-colored flag—blue and red with a yellow star in the center—flew atop the highest spire of Notre Dame, sparking widespread public attention. News agencies around the world reported on the appearance of the National Liberation Front’s flag at this iconic French landmark on the day of the preliminary session of the Paris Peace Talks. This conference involved four parties: the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the United States, the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam, and the Republic of Vietnam, with the goal of ending the war and restoring peace in Vietnam.

Despite the risks, three young men from Switzerland returned to their hometown of Lucerne, more than 600 km from Paris, relieved after a harrowing 30-hour journey to raise a flag in support of a nation nearly 10,000 km away. They were Bernard Bachelard, 26, a physical education teacher; Noé Graff, 24, a law student; and Olivier Parriaux, 25, a physics student.

“We wanted to support the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam ahead of the Paris Peace Talks, discredit the Nguyễn Văn Thiệu government, and condemn war crimes,” recalled Olivier Parriaux, now 80 years old, as he shared the story on November 18 during his first visit to Ho Chi Minh City with Bernard from November 15-19.

Olivier explained that since the 1960s, strikes, protests, and calls to end the war in Vietnam had taken place globally, involving millions of participants. He and his friends were among those who felt compelled to take more decisive action. The opportunity arose in early 1969, with significant global events approaching, including the Paris Peace Talks (scheduled for January 25) and U.S. President Nixon’s inauguration (on January 20).

The three decided to raise the flag of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris to make a statement. This 700-year-old landmark was a symbol of France, recognized worldwide. They planned to place the flag on the cathedral’s 94-meter-high spire.

Having never been to Notre Dame Cathedral before, the group studied its structure through books. Fortunately, they found an atlas with detailed diagrams of the cathedral, helping them identify a way to access the spire. Meanwhile, Bernard Bachelard’s wife sewed a 17.5-square-meter flag using silk fabric. Olivier noted that the flag’s size and material were carefully chosen to ensure it was thin, durable, light, and capable of fluttering well in the wind. They also devised a method for securing the flag during the climb while allowing it to unfurl with a single pull of a rope.

At 6 a.m. on January 18, the three left home in a car bound for Paris. By 6 p.m., when tourists had mostly left the area, they approached Notre Dame Cathedral.

All three were slim and experienced climbers from the Alps, Europe’s highest mountain range. Among them, Bernard, the smallest but most agile as a physical education teacher, was tasked with raising the flag, assisted by Olivier. Noé Graff remained below to keep watch.

Bernard led the climb, followed by Olivier. Starting from the base of a tree, they scaled the cathedral’s roof, passed one bell tower, and reached the central roof leading to the spire. To get to the top, they had to navigate four statues of apostles and continue climbing inside the tower.

Despite their research, differences between the atlas and reality posed unexpected dangers. The distance from the first bell tower to the roof edge was described as one meter but turned out to be 2.5-3 meters. The gap required a running start to jump, which was impossible on the cathedral roof.

Bernard jumped first, crossing smoothly. Olivier followed but slipped, grabbing onto the roof edge just in time. Bernard quickly helped him up. “We were 36 meters above the ground—a height that could have been fatal if we fell,” Olivier recalled.

Another unexpected challenge was the size of the statues. The atlas described them as two meters tall, but they were twice that size. Additionally, the steep roofs offered little to hold onto. It took nearly an hour to pass the statues.

“We moved very slowly because the structure, built centuries ago, was no longer stable,” Bernard recounted. The higher they climbed, the narrower the spire became, until only a tight embrace could encircle it near the cross. At this point, Olivier stopped while Bernard continued inching upward to secure the flag.

“Winter winds were strong, and being nearly 100 meters above ground without safety gear made the cold even harsher,” Bernard recalled. “Our hands ached from gripping the rings, and our faces were blackened by years of accumulated rust.” However, the moment the flag unfurled atop the spire, all hardships were forgotten. “All we felt was pure happiness,” he said.

On their way down, Olivier used a saw to cut away the metal bars they had climbed to reach the spire. “I cut about 10 meters of bars, enough to prevent anyone from climbing up to remove the flag quickly,” he explained.

The flag-raising mission was completed by 2 a.m. on January 19. The group then took their horse-drawn cart straight to the offices of Le Monde newspaper to deliver a press release announcing that the flag of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam was flying atop Notre Dame Cathedral.

However, their challenges were far from over. As they drove through a large square, they encountered a police patrol. “I thought all three of us would be arrested,” Olivier recalled. The situation in France was tense at the time, with local authorities actively cracking down on protesters.

“I was most worried for Bernard, as he worked for the government and was married, while Noé and I were just young bachelors,” Olivier said. Fortunately, when the police noticed their Swiss license plate, they smiled and waved them on, allowing the group to escape.

By 4 a.m., police near Notre Dame spotted the flag fluttering atop the spire and sounded the alarm. However, they were unable to climb the spire because Olivier had cut the access bars. It wasn’t until 3 p.m. that authorities brought in a helicopter to send personnel up to remove the flag.

Prof. Dr. Trinh Quang Phu, Director of the Oriental Development Research Institute, who was in Paris at the time as a journalist, recalled being deeply moved upon seeing the flag of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam flying high.

“My colleagues and I, along with journalists from many countries, raised our cameras to capture the moment. It was truly special and filled with emotion. I wondered who the heroes behind this act were and where they came from,” Prof. Phu reminisced. The flag, fluttering in the wind, served as a rallying call for peace-loving people around the world to oppose the war.

While public opinion and the media were abuzz, the three Swiss men who raised the flag remained silent. According to Olivier, they initially kept their actions secret for safety reasons. Even after the U.S. withdrew its troops and peace was restored in Vietnam, the group refrained from speaking out, believing, “What we did was insignificant; what mattered was the impact of the event at the time.”

However, five years ago, when Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was devastated by a fire, the group was deeply moved as they watched the iconic spire burn and collapse into the flames. They felt compelled to share their story as part of the cathedral’s history. The group authored a book, Le Viet Cong au sommet de Notre-Dame (The Viet Cong Flag on the Spire of Notre Dame), detailing the event.

Fifty-five years later, at the invitation of Nguyễn Văn Nên, Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City’s Party Committee, two of the three men visited Vietnam—the country they had quietly supported and fought for in their own way.

“During our days here, visiting many places, we’ve realized how deeply the war’s aftermath still lingers,” Olivier said. He pointed out the continuing dangers of unexploded ordnance, which still claims lives, and the enduring impact of Agent Orange on people and Vietnam’s natural environment.

As a result, the group has committed to a new fight: advocating for justice for Agent Orange victims. They plan to support this cause by raising funds and seeking legal assistance for those affected.

Source: vnexpress.net (By Lê Tuyết)