HCM City benefits from nation’s WTO membership

HCM City benefits from nation’s WTO membership

14/01/2008 -- 11:24 AM
HCM City (VNA)- One year of WTO membership was marked with an all-time increase in foreign direct investment (FDI) and exports for Ho Chi Minh, making the southern economic hub to lead the nation in these fields.

FDI into the city rebounded to 3 billion USD with over 400 projects in 2007, representing an annual surge of 28.6 percent after years of sharp decrease. FDI from overseas Vietnamese also increased eight fold over 2006.

Figures have shown that the once “Far Eastern Pearl” remained to be the most attractive destination for foreign investors.

Investment quality has also improved as investors have shifted their focus to investment scale and hi-tech from labour intensive projects.

Exports revenues in 2007 recorded 18.3 billion USD while foreign arrivals into the city hit a 3 million mark, representing an increase of 14.6 percent and accounting for 70 percent of the national total.

Cargo handling through Ho Chi Minh City ’s ports reached 50.5 million tonnes, brightening the city’s future as a regional and continental port metropolis by 2020.

Total social investments increased 24.2 percent to 84.5 trillion VND (5.20 billion USD), partially thanks to the establishment of more than 18,500 new enterprises with a combined charter capital of 160 trillion VND.

As a result, the city registered a gross domestic product growth rate of 12.6 percent, an all-time high and an increase of 12 percent over the five year (2006-10) average target.

The municipal economy expanded by 2.5 times from 2001, making a plan for a three-fold increase by 2010 well grounded.

Its annual per-capita income reached 2,100 USD in 2007 and is expected to hit 3,000 USD in 2010. The city’s five-year poverty alleviation programme fulfilled its goal two years ahead of schedule by bringing the number of families living under the poverty line of six million VND per family member a year down to 1.9 percent.

Deputy Chairperson of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Hong attributed all these achievements to the city’s great efforts to cash in on opportunities and overcome difficulties of the first year of the country’s WTO membership.

“The city named after Great President Ho Chi Minh has not only established itself but also rising above itself,” she added.

However, difficulties and challenges remain ahead especially from January 1, 2009, when the country will fully open its market on trade and goods under its WTO commitments, expert warned.

Many said the city should concentrate on speeding up the construction tempo of traffic projects along with faster disbursement of licensed projects.

To meet that end, the city should make a breakthrough in reforms of administrative procedures, which now costs several years for a project to kick off its construction, experts emphasised.--Enditem

(VNAgency)

Glassmakers prefer to keep it local

Glassmakers prefer to keep it local

14/01/2008 -- 11:32 AM


Ha Noi (VNA) – Most construction glassmakers are paying attention to meeting local demand rather than promoting exports, said local leaders in the industry.

Viglacera Float Glass Co. deputy director Luyen Cong Minh said that the company posted a modest export value of only about 5 million USD last year despite having several orders at far higher value. He pointed to the high prices fetched on the domestic market compared to export prices as a major reason for his poor export turnover.

Viglacera Dap Cau Sheet Glass Joint Stock Co general director Nguyen Thanh Tri said the company allocated only 5-10 percent of its output for exports with the remainder destined for domestic partners.

Construction glass exports were considered a tool to regulate the market because enterprises only turned their thought to exports when local demand was low, Minh said.

Viet Nam Glass Association general secretary Le Minh Tuan also pointed out that the increasing price of raw materials and high transportation costs were major challenges that have made enterprises hesitant to boost exports.

Glassmakers have given top priority to the domestic market as local demand was increasing, but with the current growth rate it was a suitable time for glassmakers to step up export, said Tuan.

To this end, they should take steps to further improve product quality, increase output and seek new markets for their products, he suggested.

Few glassmakers were able to produce high-quality float glass products sought after in international markets, leaving Cambodia and Thailand as the leading export markets.

Stepped-up operations at two plants producing high-grade construction glass in Chu Lai Open Economic Zone in Quang Ngai, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, with a combined capacity of 1,200 tonnes per day, would help raise the ratio of quality glass to 73 percent, the association said. The glass sector would then be able to move more boldly on strict markets like Japan , Singapore and the US, it said.

The country is presently home to seven construction glassmakers with a combined capacity of over 1,600 tonnes per day, meeting 80 percent of demand on the domestic market, according to the Viet Nam Glass Association.

Domestic construction glass has been exported to several markets, including Cambodia , Thailand , India , the Philippines , Malaysia and South Africa. -Enditem
(VNAgency)

Ba Ria-Vung Tau to improve industrial parks

Ba Ria-Vung Tau to improve industrial parks

14/01/2008 -- 11:32 AM


Ba Ria-Vung Tau (VNA) – The provincial authority of Ba Ria-Vung Tau has approved a plan to invest over 1 trillion VND (63.5 million USD) for further infrastructure development of the province’s industrial parks in 2008.

According to the Ba Ria-Vung Tau IPs Authority, the investment includes 180 billion VND for infrastructure development of Cai Mep IP, 150 billion VND for site clearance at My Xuan B1 IP, 125 billion VND for site clearance and infrastructure development for the expansion area of My Xuan A2 IP, 107 billion VND for upgrading the axis road and a waste water treatment plant at Phu My IP, and 23 billion VND for a waste water treatment plant for Dong Xuyen IP.

The IPs authority said in 2007 the southern coastal province spent 2.2 trillion VND (137 million USD) for infrastructure development and upgrade for the nine existing industrial parks in the province.

In December 2007, the provincial authority granted a licence for the new Phu My IP No3 that covers 952 ha. This is the tenth industrial park licensed in Ba Ria-Vung Tau.-Enditem
(VNAgency)

Largest medical equipment factory to be built in Ha Tay

Largest medical equipment factory to be built in Ha Tay

14/01/2008 -- 11:24 AM
Ha Tay (VNA) – The wholly foreign invested B. BRAUN Viet Nam will kick off construction of a 35 million USD medical equipment factory in the northern province of Ha Tay on January 15.

Located at the Thanh Oai Industrial Complex, the factory is expected to be the largest of its kind in Viet Nam with an annual output of 15 million products, earning an estimated 17 million USD in revenues.

In the first phase, the factory will cover an area of 15,400 sq.m but its area and capacity will increase to 22,000 sq.m and 150 million products respectively after the second phase is completed.

Around 80 percent of its products will be exported to Asia-Pacific countries.-Enditem
(VNAgency)

Tet festival overloads tourist companies

Tet festival overloads tourist companies

14/01/2008 -- 11:16 AM
HCM City (VNA) – The upcoming Lunar New Year festival has generated so much business for tourist companies operating in Ho Chi Minh City that many have already stopped offering further services for the month-long festivities.

The number of tourists registering for travel during Tet has already exceeded 8,000 in some big companies.

Most tourists going out of the country are heading to Hong Kong , Thailand , Malaysia and Singapore . Popular domestic tourist spots include Nha Trang, Da Lat and Phu Quoc. This year, the number of overseas Vietnamese coming back is up 30 percent.-Enditem

Mekong fruit growers join hands for high-quality produce

Mekong fruit growers join hands for high-quality produce

14/01/2008 -- 10:58 AM
HCM City (VNA) – As many as 95 percent of farmer members of five cooperatives in the Mekong Delta have been applying the Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) in the cultivation of fruit trees since early 2007.

They are members of the Tien River GAP Alliance management board, which said it has established a group responsible for selling fruits for those farmers, who grow mainly dragon fruits, mangro, grape fruits, mangosteen and orange in Long An, Tien Giang, Ben Tre and Vinh Long provinces.

The board will expand the GAP project to pineapple and mandarin orange growers in Dong Thap province this year.

The Tien River GAP Alliance is a non-governmental organisation whose main objective is to coordinate the efforts of scientists, farmers and enterprises to produce high-quality fruits and vegetables that are competitive in domestic and world markets.-Enditem
(VNAgency)

Vietravel to welcome 2,200 foreigners in January

Vietravel to welcome 2,200 foreigners in January

13/01/2008 -- 9:02 PM

Ha Noi (VNA) – Vietravel, on of the country’s biggest travel company, is preparing to welcome at least 22,000 foreign visitors, who will arrive later this month, before Viet Nam’s traditional New Year holiday.

More than 1,500 tourists from Japanese and 700 from Thailand , Malaysia , France , German and the Netherlands have registered for tours through the company.

Over 2,000 domestic visitors have booked tours in January through Vietravel, a 15 percent year-on-year increase.

More than 2,000 other people have registered for tours during Tet, which falls on February 7, and the figure is expected to increase to 3,000, a company representative said.

According to Vietravel, most attractive destinations are Nha Trang, Da Lat, Phan Thiet, Ha Noi and Ha Long. Meanwhile, favourate outbound markets for Vietnamese tourists include China , Hong Kong , Thailand and Singapore as well as the US and Australia.-Enditem

(VNAgency)