Saigon Times Podcasts

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has said that Vietnam and China should step up cooperation in cross-border infrastructure projects.

Fresh foreign-investment approvals in Vietnam in the year to February 20 had reached more than US$4.29 billion, up by 38.6% year-on-year, according to the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

Germany’s Siemens has shown interest in contributing to Vietnam’s transportation infrastructure, particularly in the high-speed railway sector.

Vietnam’s shrimp exports are forecast to rebound and rise by 10-15% year-on-year, with revenue reaching US$4 billion, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

The Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR) has started work on Metro Line No. 2, which will connect Ben Thanh Market in District 1 and Tham Luong Depot in District 12.

Four factories in Vietnam of the South Korean conglomerate Samsung contributed around one-third to its global profits last year, the local media reported.

The demand for loans in HCMC has remained woefully low, with total outstanding loans declining in the year to date.

Brazil has announced the suspension of tilapia imports from Vietnam, effective from February 14, due to concerns over the TiLV virus.

The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) is inviting tenders for some key contract packages of the Long Thanh International Airport project.

The Ministry of Transport is seeking the Government’s approval to upgrade three national highways in the Mekong Delta region.

Vietnam is weighing extending a unilateral visa waiver to more countries, especially those having upgraded ties with the nation.

Vietnam’s exports reached nearly US$33.6 billion in January this year, up 42% over the same period in 2023, the highest monthly level since April 2022.

Following the Tet holiday, businesses in Binh Duong Province have great demand for hiring, with around 60,000 jobs available across various sectors, according to the Binh Duong Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs.

Work on the Long Thanh-Ben Luc Expressway, connecting Dong Nai and Long An provinces, is set to be completed by late 2025 after a restart in 2023 following a four-year suspension.

The Ministry of Transport has announced the caps on domestic air ticket prices will increase by VND50,000 to VND250,000 per ticket compared to the current levels.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has called for intensified efforts to expedite the construction of Terminal T3 at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCMC so that it can be inaugurated in time for the 50th anniversary of the liberation of southern Vietnam in late April 2025.

FiinGroup has forecast that around VND120 trillion worth of real estate bonds will fall due this year, the highest level in five years, exerting significant pressure on property firms.

Vietnam-China trade through the Kim Thanh II international border gate in the northern province of Lao Cai has remained steady despite the Lunar New Year holiday, with 801 tons of goods crossing on February 10.

The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has made clear that its recently issued Circular 22 imposes no restrictions on lending to those buying homes that will be constructed in the future.

A new air route connecting Danang, a central coastal city in Vietnam, and Cheongju in South Korea has been launched, providing greater connectivity between the two regions and promoting tourism development for both countries.

The National Payment Corporation of Vietnam (NAPAS) recorded a surge of over 50% in digital money transfer transactions in January compared to the same period last year, signaling a significant shift in consumer behavior towards non-cash payment methods.

Construction of two sections of Beltway No. 2 is scheduled to begin in December this year when Thu Duc City completes compensation, resettlement support, and the handover of over 70% of cleared land.

Foreign investors pledged more than US$2.36 billion in their projects in Vietnam in the first month of 2024, a 40.2% increase compared to the same period last year.

The government of HCMC has set an ambitious target to achieve a gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth rate of at least 6.5% in the first quarter of 2024, the highest level since 2020.

Vietnam has the high possibility of securing a major rice export contract after an Indonesian auction.