Rises in stock markets around the world overnight and early this morning put Vietnam’s stock market in a positive mood in the morning session on September 19, with green spread throughout.
According to a report by My Van on VNEconomictimes, the VN-Index increased to nearly 1,000 points but then eased as support from large stocks was not forthcoming.
The HNX-Index also rose at the beginning of the session but also lacked momentum and stalled at around 114 points.
At 9.55am, the VN-Index had increased 4.29 points (0.43 per cent) to 997.72 points, the HNX-Index 0.49 points (0.44 per cent) to 114.09 points, and the UPCoM-Index 0.25 points (0.49 per cent) to 52.23 points
Oil and gas stocks such as PVS, PVD, PVB, BSR, OIL and PLX attracted cash flows as oil prices recover.
The textile industry has received mixed reviews since trade tensions between the US and China escalated but may benefit from an accelerated movement of exports from the latter to the former Stocks have recently begun to rebound well on improved liquidity.
Textile stocks such as TCM, TNG, VGT and GIL increased sharply, with TNG and VGT hitting their ceiling.
Securities and real estate and construction also increased, brining life into the market.
SRA and SRB, after two sessions of recovery, returned to their downward trend, with SRA hitting its floor.
Vietnam becomes more attractive to Bulgarian businesses as the country improving competitiveness to Bulgarian companies who want to invest and seek business opportunities in Vietnam, Bulgarian Minister of Economy Emil Karanikolov has said.
According to a report on VNS, Karanikolov made the statement while attending the Vietnam-Bulgaria Business Forum which opened in Hanoi on September 18.
The forum, jointly held by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Bulgarian Embassy in Vietnam, drew the participation of more than 20 Bulgarian firms operating in industrial parks, engine greases, animal feed, agricultural products, urban lighting, import-export insurance, defense industry, beverage, gas engine assembly and maintenance, among others.
Karanikolov spoke highly of the Vietnamese Government’s efforts in socio-economic reform, citing Vietnam’s 55th place in the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s global competitiveness list in 2017, up 22 moves from 2006, and its 68th position in the World Bank Group’s annual “Ease of Doing Business” report.
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Cao Quoc Hung said that this is a good opportunity for businesses from both nations to exchange and set up partnerships, thus further bolstering economic relations between the two nations.
After 30 years of reform and global economic integration, Vietnam’s trade has played an important role in the country and world’s economies, Hung said.
In the first eight months of the year, Vietnam’s export growth picked up 14.5 percent from the same time last year to 155.4 billion USD, he said, adding that its imports rose 11.6 percent to 152.7 billion USD.
The European Union (EU) has been a significant partner of Vietnam, Hung stressed, adding that the bloc is currently the third biggest trade partner, and one of the two largest export markets of the Southeast Asian country.
Two-way increased 12 times to 50 billion USD in 2017 from 4.1 billion USD in 2000. Vietnam’s key export products are garment and textile, coffee, furniture and seafood. Meanwhile, the EU countries had by the end of 2017 registered more than 21.5 billion USD in some 2,000 valid projects in Vietnam.
As Bulgaria is among traditional trade partners of Vietnam in the EU, Hung expressed his hope that cooperation between the two countries will be expanded and further accelerated, especially when Vietnam is integrating into the world’s economy with breakthrough reforms.
Meanwhile, VCCI Vice President Doan Duy Khuong said that the forum is also designed to assist Vietnamese businesses in accessing Bulgarian firms to unlock a developing market in Eastern Europe, and a gateway for Vietnamese products to penetrate Western European markets.
For many Vietnamese people, it is a ritual as circadian as the sunrise: On the way to work, they pull over their motorbikes to grab an iced coffee from a street vendor, complete with a plastic cup, plastic lid, plastic straw, and plastic case to hang from the bikes as they drive.
The coffee, with four separate pieces of plastic for a single drink, exemplifies how this packaging has became such a common and wasteful scourge on Vietnam’s environment. But some citizens have become alarmed by the trend and begun fighting back against the pollution. Ha Nguyen reports on VOA.
More Vietnamese than ever are looking for alternatives to plastic, from metal bottles to cloth tote bags, just as many communities around the world are starting to believe they have relied for too long on cheap and versatile — but ecologically disastrous — plastic. Rwanda was remarkably efficient at banning plastic bags, while Durham, North Carolina has a volunteer program to distribute reusable takeout containers, and an Amsterdam grocer introduced an aisle of products with no plastic.
FILE – A woman removes plastic waste stuck in tree branches near the beach in Thanh Hoa province, Vietnam June 4, 2018.
What makes Vietnam special, to the chagrin of environmentalists, is that it ranks among the top five countries in the world that send plastic trash into the ocean, according to the Ocean Conservancy. To have become a top polluter is staggering for the Southeast Asian nation, especially when there are dozens of countries with much larger economies but far less plastic waste.
“Everyone, every country should be responsible, it doesn’t matter the size,” said Tran An, a volunteer at Precious Plastic Saigon. “In Vietnam we should do what we can to solve the plastic problem.”
Her green advocacy group has taught Vietnamese how to make their own straws out of bamboo, as well as how to distinguish between different kinds of plastic to facilitate recycling.
Locals are getting creative with the ways they are cutting plastic out of their daily diets. It seems each week another restaurant in Vietnam is switching to paper straws, while supermarkets have started giving shoppers cardboard boxes in which to take home their groceries, similar to Costco in the United States.
Plastic water bottles are a popular target. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has swapped them out in favor of metal bottles at meetings. One business chamber is encouraging members to replace them at the office, providing water coolers for employees instead. A coalition of foreign consulates in Ho Chi Minh City signed a pledge this year to do the same. And at conferences, one hotel puts out glasses that guests can refill from dispensers.
“One of my favorite examples is that, you know, the youngsters in Vietnam, we are so gaga over bubble tea. And all that is plastic,” An said. “But now if you go to those shops you will see that they started getting the carriers made by canvas, or something else instead of a plastic carrier.”
The carriers are similar to those used by motorbike drivers to transport their iced coffee. Straws and carriers are small change, though, compared to the macroeconomic change needed to cut down on plastic, which will take up more space in the ocean than do fish, if nothing is done, by 2050, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
The “industries responsible for the major plastic wastes must be targeted with specific industry agreements and producer liability arrangements, with requirements for handling, collection and reuse of waste and broken plastic equipment,” Nina Jensen, CEO of the environmental group REV Ocean, wrote in a blog post.
An environmentalist checks the quality of the water near dead fishes along the Ngoc Khanh lake in Hanoi April 25, 2011.
Vu Thinh, who works at a trading company in Ho Chi Minh City, thinks the growing interest in eco-friendly consumption could be good for business.
“One of my special products is to make a plastic bag, so I think this is interesting, this topic, because in the next year we will produce this product,” he said.
His bags would be made of potato starch and other natural ingredients that can decompose within two years, unlike plastic, one of the least biodegradable materials.
But this would cost more than single-use plastic bags, demonstrating the difficulty of finding a new business model for companies that depend on plastic.
“Of course we want to export to Europe or America because this is more expensive,” Thinh said. “You know in Vietnam now [we] have some companies produce that product but it is not good, the market is not good, the price is high. We will research the market more.”
With the waste already blanketing the streets and seas, and with the cost of alternatives still pricey, plastic can seem like a mountain of a problem. But An said she has reason to be optimistic because the next generation is more idealistic.
Older Vietnamese think, “why go an extra step for something if it won’t make a difference?” she said. “But for the youngsters I think they feel that one action counts anyway.”
The driver wrote the wrong information about his car’s licence plate and the departure destination on the receipt
A Japanese man was charged 10 times more than his trip should have cost in a taxi in Hanoi, Dtinews reported.
The case happened last week when the Japanese man called a taxi to travel for just around two kilometres from Le Van Huu Street to Dinh Tien Hoang Street.
The passenger, 48, whose name has not been disclosed said that it took him only 10 minutes for the trip, but he was asked to pay VND267,000 (USD12.13).
The Japanese man said he became aware the meter was running far too fast. He still agreed to pay the fees and asked the driver for a receipt and then took a photo of the taxi.
The driver wrote the wrong information about his car’s licence plate and the departure destination on the receipt to suit the charge of VND267,000.
According to the receipt, the passenger took the taxi from Noi Bai International Airport to Hoan Kiem Lake area.
The Japanese had visited Vietnam many times over the past three years and was aware of the scams associated with taxis.
He will now lodge a complaint with the authorities.
Vietnam Industrial Water and Waste Water Treatment Market segmentation by region (North, South and Central), Market Segmentation by Industry (Power, Food Processing, Textile, Chemical, Paper and Pulp, Oil and Gas, Pharma and Others) and Company profile of major companies (Van Lang, SEEN Technologies Corporation, Ecoba ENT, GREE)
Strict implementation of regulations, rising number of CETPs in Industrial complexes/craft villages and Industrial clusters will drive the future market as many clusters are still without any water treatment facility or are in poor working conditions.
Many new industries are expected to be constructed in next few years under investment drive by Vietnamese government creating additional demand for water treatment.
Analysts at Ken Research in their latest publication “Vietnam Industrial Water and Waste Water Treatment Market Outlook to 2022 – By Region (North, South and Central) and By Industry (Food Processing, Textile, Chemical, Power, Oil and Gas, Fertilizers and Others)” believe that promoting better regulations, providing more grants for research, involving participation of private sector will help in promoting the water treatment industry. New and upcoming industries with focus on efficiency will promote the use of high end technologies. Water conservation will remain the key theme for promotion of Industrial water and waste water treatment industry. Vietnam Industrial water and water treatment market is expected to register positive CAGR of around 3% during the period 2017-2022. Commitment conserve the environment and rising awareness about benefits of water treatment for society as whole are expected to have positive impact on the demand.
Vietnam Industrial Water and waste water Treatment Market Infographic | Photo credit: Ken Research
The market for Industrial water and waste treatment is expected to register growth as it has gained fresh momentum due to enhanced focus of the government. Demand for industrial water and waste water treatment industry in Vietnam will be largely driven by increased concern for environment and lack of good quality water for industrial uses. The rivers are polluted and water must be treated before putting it to any use. Similarly discharging effluent in the open creates a lot of problem in the surrounding areas which has long term health impact prompting local to protest against setting up industries. The government also has shown its concern and has announced multiple investment projects in wastewater treatment to ensure treatment of water before being discharged. Plans of the government to make Vietnam a manufacturing hub will further boost the demand for water treatment plants in new and upcoming industries. Expansion of current capacity and upgradation of existing facilities with better, improved and efficient system will further boost the market.
Southern part of the country is fast emerging as the major destination for industrial water and waste water treatment industry. Upcoming manufacturing unit and increased participation of the private sector in developing manufacturing capacity in provinces adjoining Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh cities have contributed to the growth in water treatment sector. Power and Textile sector along with agro based food processing is expected to drive the market in the region.
For more information on the research report, refer to below links:
The report will help the readers to identify the ongoing trends in the industry and anticipated growth in future depending upon changing industry dynamics in coming years.
The report is useful for equipment manufacturers, water treatment consumable manufacturers and suppliers, environmental associations, EPC companies and potential entrants and other stakeholders to align their market centric strategies.
The report is useful for equipment manufacturers, water treatment consumable manufacturers and suppliers, environmental associations, EPC companies and potential entrants and other stakeholders to align their market centric strategies.
Contact: Ken Research
Ankur Gupta, Head Marketing & Communication
sales@kenresearch.com | +91-9015378249
Nguyen Huu Tin, former vice chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee, has been prosecuted for his involvement in some lawsuits against Danang-based business tycoon Phan Van Anh Vu.
The Investigative Police Agency at the Ministry of Public Security, while looking into other violations committed by Vu Nhom and some relevant groups and individuals in the central coastal city of Danang and HCMC, announced its latest move to press charges against Tin and other current anf former officials in the two cities, the ministry said in a statement today, September 18. Thanh Thom reports on SaigonTimes.
Police decided to take legal proceedings against a criminal case called “Violations of the regulations on the management and use of State assets, causing losses and wastefulness in HCMC,” based on Article 219 of the 2015 Penal Code. Accordingly, the ministry issued decisions to prosecute the accused, put them under house arrest and search their houses and workplaces in an attempt to collect additional evidence.
The accused included Nguyen Huu Tin, 61, former vice chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee; Dao Anh Kiet, 61, former director of the HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment; Le Van Thanh, 56, incumbent deputy chief of the Office at the municipal committee; and Nguyen Thanh Chuong, 44, current head of the Urban Division at the Office.
On the same day, the agency also issued decisions to prosecute and arrest some officials in Danang City and raided their homes and workplaces for similar charges.
Dao Tan Bang, 43, former deputy head of the Office at the Danang People’s Committee, and current Party Secretary in charge of industrial parks in the coastal city; and Nguyen Viet Vinh, 40, former head of the Urban Management Division at the committee, currently serving as director of the Danang Inland Waterway Port Authority, are now being kept them in police custody.
Former head and deputy head of the Office at the committee – Nguyen Van Can and Phan Xuan It – both aged 64, are also under house arrest.
Vietnam Rice Paddy output in 16/17 season was estimated at xxx.x million tons, up 10.2 million tons over last year, equivalent to 2.08%-the record volume in history, in which the consumption was at xxx.xxx million tons, up 1.68% over the same period.
The main reason for the 16/17 rice season record increase was the expansion of rice cultivation area after the El Nino incident in the 15/16 season ended. The total area of global rice cultivation in 16/17 season reached 161.1 million hectares, an increase of 2.3 million hectares compared with the 15/16 season. The average rice consumption per capita in the world in 2016 reached 54.57 kg per person, lower than 2006 with 56.5 kg per capita.
Asia is the largest rice producer and consumer in the world. The rice output volume of the 16/17 season reached the record of xxx million tons. The cultivation area of the region increased by 0.5 million hectares to 145.3 million hectares while rice consumption accounted for nearly 90% of global rice consumption. Global rice exports in the 2016/17 season are up 2% over the 2015/16 season, reached xx.x million tons (export volume ranked second in history, after the 2013/14 season with 44.1 million tons).
Vietnam Rice Paddy Market | Photo credit: Ken Research
Rice is the main food crops and also the main source of income for millions of rural households in Vietnam. The area of rice cultivation in March 2018 was estimated at x.xx million hectares of winter-spring rice, down 18.4 thousand hectares and equal to 99.4% over the same period last year, in which 1.09 million hectares was in the north, equal to 97.9%; Southern provinces reached 1.97 million hectares, equivalent to 100.2%. According to the preliminary report of localities, the rice output of the 2017-2018 season in the whole Mekong Delta reached xxx,x thousand hectares, an increase of 9.3 thousand hectares compared to the last season; The productivity was estimated at 46.1 quintals per hectare, increasing 7.4 quintals/hectare; The output reached xxx,x thousand tons, up 182.8 thousand tons.
In recent years, Vietnamese rice has penetrated and increased its export volume to some high-end markets such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and Japan. However, Vietnam’s main export markets are Asia (accounting for 70%) and Africa (accounting for 14%). The rice exports of 2017 rice reached x,xxx thousand tons increased by 20.4%, the rice export turnover x,xxx thousand USD, up 21.2%. In 2017, China is the largest rice importer of Vietnam, accounting for 40% of Vietnam’s total export volume of x,xxx thousand tons, up 35.2% over the previous year.
#RethinkPlastic! arms to call for concrete policy action on reducing, redesigning and better managing plastics, and challenge the community to think broader and bolder, including trying to live plastic free in Vietnam.
More than half of the plastic waste dumped into the ocean comes from just five countries: China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The increasing middle class of these countries had led to the excessive consumption of plastic and plastic-intensive goods, which grows at the same rate as the economy of these countries. Most of these countries import waste from western countries and since China decision on banning import waste in 2017, the situation will drastically aggravate. Finally the insufficient waste management infrastructure of these countries is not able to deal with the increasing excess of waste. As a result 75% of ocean plastic comes from uncollected waste and 25% from leakage of collected waste (McKinsey Report, 2015).
As an immediate priority, punctual actions targeting the reduction of plastic-waste leakage through innovative solutions might result in a 45% reduction globally. These solutions might include the improvement and diversification of collection systems, the increase of waste-collection rates, the introduction and adoption of new technologies to treat waste and sorting out high value plastic waste.
A business seminar named “ReThink Plastic Vietnam 2018” will take place on 27 September at Deutsches Haus, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The event is hosted by the Consulate General of the Netherlands, Dutch Business Association in Vietnam and Dutch Social Club – Nederlandse Vereniging Vietnam.
The Seminar “ Rethink Plastic” has the ambition to shed light on how to make a more sustainable use of plastic products and to brainstorm on possible innovative solutions to deal with waste management and reuse of plastic products into more sustainable products.
Key note speaker of the seminar is Craig Leeson, the director of the award winning Netflix documentary ‘A Plastic Ocean’ and ambassador for the Plastic Oceans Foundation.
There will be working groups sessions to discuss about educational program and children sensitization; Sustainable tourism; Inside company and office campaigns to reduce/re-use/recycle plastics; Reduce, reuse and recycle the plastic used in your production process.
About Rethink Plastic: It is an inspiring initiative formed by members of the Dutch business society. The team members are committed to use their skills, knowledge and networks to take action to solve the global issue of plastic pollution. It is their goal to inspire Vietnam that anyone can be part of the solution by taking action, in your homes, at your jobs and in your companies. The team received full support from the Dutch Consulate in HCMC, the Dutch Business Association Vietnam and their main sponsors Louis Dreyfus Company, Philips and Heineken.
The turnover of top 50 IT companies in Vietnam topped $16 billion last year and employment reached roughly 93,000 people, according to the Vietnam Software Association (VINASA).
They released the figures on September 17, 2018 along with the ranking of top this year’s top 50 IT firms and top ten companies with 4.0 technology capabilities.
There are 53 honorees in these two groups and their total turnover reached more than $16 billion, accounting for 35.5 per cent of the country’s total software, digital content and IT services revenues last year.
The top ten outstanding enterprises in digital transformation for industry 4.0 era include Deha Vietnam, FPT, Misa, Sao Bac Dau, Viettel, V-Next Software, Novaon, VNG, VNPay and Nash Tech.
This year, the association is looking to boost members’ technology capacity to incorporate new developments in artificial intelligence, Big Data and blockchain to “solve current problems in society.”
However, VINASA said that training and equipping human resources with knowledge and skills needed was “a big challenge” for the local technology sector.
According to a study by Cisco and Oxford Economics released at the World Economic Forum on ASEAN in Hanoi last week, Vietnam is among top three ASEAN countries that will face IT-related employment problems. Singapore would be the worst hit with 21 per cent, followed by Vietnam (13.8 per cent) and the Philippines (ten per cent).
Four Vietnamese nationals appeared in court on Tuesday accused of stealing SG$26,000 (US$19,000) worth of women’s clothes – the biggest haul by a shoplifting syndicate in Singapore to date.
According to The Straits Times, the two men and two women allegedly stole almost 900 items – more than half of which were bras – and packed their loot inside tin foil-lined paper bags to avoid detection from anti-theft sensors.
Duong Tuan Dat, 27, and Van Tu Nguyen, 30, and their female alleged accomplices Tran Thi Phuong Thao, 29, and Nguyen Thi Thu Huong, 31, were each charged with one count of shoplifting.
According to court documents, they went to a Uniqlo outlet in Downtown East at around 1.30pm on Saturday and allegedly stole 50 items of winter wear worth almost SG$5,000 ($3,600).
The group were arrested after the manager of a shop in Pasir Ris Close alerted police, who studied closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage and suspected that it was more than a simple case of shop theft when they noticed the group were carrying suitcases.
Officers from Bedok Police Division arrested the four in Chin Swee Road on Sunday.
Police said there were 529 bras among the 868 items stolen. Officers also seized several suitcases, pairs of pliers and hangers.
The commander of Bedok Police Division, Assistant Commissioner Tan Tin Wee, said that the case “illustrates the close partnership between the police and retailers in fighting crime”.
He added: “The police will not tolerate foreign crime syndicates looking to operate here. Those found doing so will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
From January to June this year, there were 1,718 cases of shop theft reported. The crime has been on a downward trend in recent years. Last year, there were 3,800 cases of shop theft, a decrease from 3,919 cases in 2016 and 3,940 in 2015.
Police have urged retailers to remain vigilant against shoplifters and adopt measures, including CCTV cameras.
No bail was offered to the four who are now remanded at Bedok Police Division. They will be back in court on September 25.
Offenders convicted of shoplifting can be jailed for up to seven years and fined.
Ho Chi Minh City is a thriving food hub with new culinary experiences around every corner. Enormous variety exists between the city’s individual districts, so go explore unique flavours and discover your ultimate dining destination.
Ho Chi Minh City is a foodie’s paradise. It contains a whole world of remarkable dishes and distinctive flavours just waiting to be explored. From street food to fine dining, there’s something here to suit every craving — as long as you know where to look. The city is divided into 19 urban districts and 5 suburban districts, each with its own character and food scene. Here are the best districts in Ho Chi Minh City for food lovers.
District 1
Saigon’s central district has a wonderful international food scene. From phở to Korean barbecue to chilli cheese fries, District 1 is teeming with a huge variety of restaurants. Fancy Japanese-Italian fusion? Bubble waffles? District 1 has it all. The globalisation of food in this district has not only made it an excellent place to enjoy both Western and Asian cuisine, but it has also inspired innovative fusion restaurants that foodies will adore, such as Baozi, Nonla Guys and Pizza 4P’s.
This popular expat enclave is, unsurprisingly, home to some of the best Western food in the city. District 2 (also known as Thao Dien) is a great place to eat for foodies seeking a more upmarket experience. Restaurants such as The Deck and MAD House offer a classy vibe, along with lush garden areas to enjoy. Several branches of popular District 1 restaurants have also opened in the Thao Dien neighbourhood to satisfy hungry visitors. However, street food is still alive and well here, particularly along Song Hành Street, which hosts several popular restaurants.
District 3 is an up-and-coming area of Ho Chi Minh City that has oodles to offer when it comes to food. Many of Saigon’s best-known food alleys can be found in this bustling district, such as 51 Cao Thang, where visitors can sample offal congee and a variety of Vietnamese soups. This lively street food culture is agreeably juxtaposed by the presence of some of the city’s chicest restaurants, including Social Club Saigon and Hum Vegetarian bistro. Whatever you’re hungry for, District 3 probably has it.
If it’s street food you’re after, look no further than District 4. Brimming with authentic local cuisine, District 4 is the home of Vĩnh Khánh Street, a prime location for food in Saigon. This street boasts a spectacular array of casual seafood restaurants, as well as the highly rated Sushi Ko. District 4 is a great place to sample distinctly Vietnamese dishes while soaking up the atmosphere of an especially animated part of the city.
Also known as Cho Lon, District 5 is Ho Chi Minh City’s Chinatown. It should come as no surprise that it is home to some of the best Chinese food in the city and should not be overlooked by foodies. The unique blend of Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine is something to be savoured. Be sure to try hủ tiếu sa tế bò, a deliciously spiced beef satay noodle soup, at one of the district’s many restaurants.
Much like District 2, District 7 is a well-known “expat area” in Saigon. There are many beautiful, high-end restaurants to explore in the Phu My Hung neighbourhood and the wide range of available cuisines leaves foodies spoilt for choice. It’s not the cheapest district to eat in, but if you’re seeking artisan bistros and sophisticated dining, District 7 is the way to go.
Binh Thanh District is one of Ho Chi Minh City’s most creative neighbourhoods, and one that foodies will find inspiring. Binh Thanh strikes a delicate balance between tradition and modernisation in a way that few other districts manage, and this is reflected wonderfully by its vibrant food scene. As well as excellent street-eats, this district boasts an abundance of top-notch vegan and vegetarian restaurants, including Vegan Kitchen and Dharma Garden. The emergence of a Japan Town within the area is further enriching Binh Thanh’s food culture, introducing new cuisines and dining experiences.
More foreign invested real estate projects have been registered recently, while more M&A deals in the sector have also been reported.
In late July, the 100 percent foreign owned real estate developer Alpha King introduced three real estate projects in district 1, HCMC, including the high-end serviced apartments at No 2 Ton Duc Thang, the A-class office building Alpha Town at No 289 Tran Hung Dao and Alpha City complex at No 87 Cong Quynh.
Alpha King’s CEO Jimmy Chan said it will takes two to three years to build the projects.
Japanese Hinokiya Group has decided to cooperate with Vietnam’s TWG for its first investment project in Vietnam. According to Le Cao Minh, CEO of TWG, the two sides would set up a 50/50 joint venture to develop a Japanese style housing project, covering an area of 9.7 hectares.
FIA reported that the FDI into the real estate sector (housing, industrial production, retail, office and tourism real estate) in the first six months of 2018 reached $5.5 billion, accounting for 27.3 percent of total registered FDI.
The figure was even higher than the total committed FDI in both 2017 ($2 billion) and 2016 ($1.7 billion) thanks to several huge projects.
These include the Japanese invested smart city project in Dong Anh district in Hanoi, capitalized at $4.138 billion. The Lotte Mall Hanoi project capitalized at $600 million also has investment license.
Savills Vietnam’s deputy CEO Troy Griffiths commented that macroeconomic stability has boosted the growth of the domestic market and helped attract FDI capital flow.
Meanwhile, some analysts attribute the huge FDI to improvement in policies on attracting investment into the real estate sector. Investors are encouraged that the real estate market is among the business fields with the highest revenue.
Foreign investors have also jumped into the Vietnamese market through M&A. Nomura Real Estate has acquired 24 percent stake of Sunwah Tower in the center of district 1, HCMC.
In March 2018, CapitaLand bought a 0.9 hectare land plot in Tay Ho district in Hanoi for an apartment–office–retail complex project. The deal has expanded CapitaLand’s investment portfolio to 12 residential quarters, 1 complex and 21 serviced housing quarters in six cities in Vietnam.
Most recently, the well known Singaporean developer Keppel Land acquired 10 percent of shares in Saigon Sports City in a deal worth $11.4 million. There will be 4,300 high-end houses and infrastructure items to serve demands for sports, entertainment, shopping and dining.
The State Bank of Vietnam has tightened lending to the real estate sector in an effort to control bad debt. This has prompted Vietnamese real estate developers to seek foreign capital sources.
Nearly 5,000 deals involving foreigners buying into Vietnamese businesses have been reported so far this year, an increase of 50 percent compared with 2017.
The Foreign Investment Agency’s (FIA) report shows increasingly high interest of foreign investors in Vietnamese businesses with $5.28 billion worth poured into businesses through 4,551 deals since the beginning of the year.
In August alone, foreign investors bought into 1,200 projects worth $490 million. Meanwhile, from January to July, foreign investors poured capital into 476 projects each month under this mode. The capital contributors are mostly from Asia, including Thailand, Singapore, Japan and South Korea.
Analysts commented that buying into Vietnamese businesses is the quickest way for foreign investors to penetrate the market.
Decree 60 raised the ceiling foreign ownership ratio in listed and public companies from 49 percent to 100 percent, which has helped promote M&As.
Meanwhile, Nguyen Tri Hieu, an economist, commented that foreign investors’ move of buying Vietnamese shares showed that they were cautious about the development of Vietnam’s economy. Instead of developing new projects and following complicated registration procedures, investors have bought shares of profitable businesses.
The report also pointed out that the M&A deals made recently were mostly in the real estate sector.
The most outstanding deals included CVH Nereus Pte, a subsidiary of CapitaLand, which bought 16.9 million shares, or 99.5 percent of capital of Hien Duc Tay Ho JSC. The deal worth VND685 billion, or $29.8 million, wrapped up in March 2018.
Public attention was also drawn to the deal of Keppel Land from Singapore acquiring 10 percent of Jencity Ltd shares and the plan to build Saigon Sports City capitalized at $11.4 million.
Expected to cover an area of 64 hectares, the small city would have 4,300 high-end houses and become the “leading ideal living environment” in Vietnam.
Meanwhile, Warburg Pincus, an investment fund from the US joined forces with Becamex IDC to set up a $200 million joint venture to develop a logistics chain and industrial real estate projects.
Commenting about Vietnam’s M&A market, Warrick Cleine from KPMG Vietnam said the market has been growing rapidly with average growth rate of 17 percent per annum.
A report released at the Vietnam M&A Forum showed that real estate projects account for 66.75 percent of M&A deals in 2018. Foreign investors eye projects with a large area and advantageous positions, especially near beautiful beaches.
According to JLL, M&A activities in Vietnam have increased thanks to higher incomes, rapid urbanization and a population structure in which 70 percent are aged between 15 and 64.
Vietnam has become the favorite travel destination for Australians, pushing Indonesia’s Bali off that perch, says booking site Webjet.
Booking data from Webjet, the largest online travel booking site in Australia, shows that Vietnam has overtaken Bali to become the most favorite travel destinations for Australian tourists.
Volcano eruptions and earthquakes have deterred Australian tourists from returning to Bali, and the number of tours to the beautiful island has reduced significantly over the past year, Australian news website news.com.au quoted Webjet’s managing director John Guscic as saying.
Instead, more Australian visitors are showing greater interest in Vietnam, a country known for beautiful beaches, mountains, rice terraces, world heritage sites, plus low cost of living. Vietnam has also achieved renown as a dream destination for expats.
The online booking site has reported a 63 percent growth in full-year profit thanks to a bookings surge to Asian countries, mainly Vietnam.
Australian travel blogger Phoebe Lee, who has taken global viewers through Hanoi in two CNN commercials, told VnExpress that she had visited Ha Long Bay and the central ancient town of Hoi An, two the most popular places in Vietnam, with her husband Matt, a videographer.
“We loved them so much we can’t wait to go back,” Lee said.
“The locals are inclusive, they really want you to experience Vietnam and they’re so happy to share it with you and talk to you. I’ll never forget the warm smiles and kindness I’ve experienced in Vietnam.”
Hanoi on air: CNN videos introduce the best of Vietnam capital to global viewers
Vietnam takes Bali’s place as top Aussie travel choice
Australia has always been Vietnam’s top 10 feeder markets, and the number of Australians to Vietnam grew by 10.8 percent year-on-year in the first eight months of this year, accounting for 3 percent of all foreign arrivals.
Last year, the country welcomed 370,000 Australian tourists, a 11.5 percent increase from a year before.
Vietnam has tried to relax its entrance procedures with an e-visa policy which is now available to people from 46 countries, with Indians and Australians added late last year.
Visitors with e-visas can touch down at any of Vietnam’s eight international airports, including Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City, Noi Bai in Hanoi and Da Nang in the central region.
They can also arrive via land at 13 international border gates, and via sea at seven ports across the country.
Vietnamese representative Duong Nguyen Kha Trang triumphed over 29 other contestants to become the winner of Miss Super Model International 2018, which concluded on September 14 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Trang, who is 1.79 metres tall, began her career as a fashion model in 2015 after winning the Golden Prize at Viet Nam Super Fashion Models, an annual national beauty contest for women and men.
The Vietnamese super fashion model from the northern province of Ha Giang, who is fluent in English and Chinese, was honoured as the Sexiest Woman Alive in Asia by Global Beauties in 2016-17. She competed in Miss Grand International 2015 and was a Top 25 quarter-finalist in Miss Supranational 2016.
The 10-day Super Model International 2018 contest attracted 40 contestants from various countries and territories. The contestants were judged on knowledge and appearance. Judgments of appearance were based on physique and contestants’ outfits, both modern and traditional.
The first runner-up was Switzerland, N’mah Camara, the second runner-up was South Korea, Jihyun Yoo, the third runner-up was Poland, Natalia Kowalczyk. Rounding out the top five, as fourth runner-up, was the representative of Netherlands, Janice Babel.
The recently-crowned Miss Super Model International 2018 stayed in Thailand for three days to take over her new duties before returning to HCM City, where she has been working for Leading, a new entertainment agency owned by Manhunt International 2017 winner Ngoc Tinh.
