Vietnam inaugurates Embassy in Switzerland




Nov. 30 (VNA) -- Viet Nam officially inaugurated its embassy in Berne, Switzerland, on Nov. 29 in the presence of the visiting Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Dinh Bin and Swiss Secretary of State F.V. Daniken.

Vietnamese and European businesses meet to search of partnerships




Ha Noi, Nov. 30 (VNA) -- Representatives of more than 100 construction companies from the European Union and Viet Nam are meeting to explore possible partnerships at Ha Noi's first ever Asia-Interprise from Nov.29-Dec.1.

Asia-Interprise, run by the French Versailles Chamber of Commerce and the Viet Nam-based French Chamber of Commerce and Industry, offers Vietnamese construction companies the opportunity to develop cooperative potential with partners from Europe, particularly France, Italy and Belgium.

Decision on rural trades development



Ha Noi, Nov. 28 (VNA) -- The Prime Minister on Nov. 24 issued a decision on incentive policies to develop rural trades.

Automatic paging extends services to low-income subsribers



Ha Noi, Nov. 28 (VNA) -- Newly-launched, low-charge automatic paging services known as 1570 network have been snapped up by students, taxi drivers and other low-income people, according to the Viet Nam Telecom Company (VTC).

The new network, which was introduced into Viet Nam last October, provides for dial-up and voice-mail services which enable a person to contact another by either sending a message his/her pager screen or leaving a message on his/her answering machine.

Factory on liquefied petroleum gas is under construction



Ha Noi, Nov. 28 (VNA) -- Work started on construction of a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) loading factory in Ho Chi Minh City on Nov. 27 by BP Petco, a joint venture between British Petroleum (BP) and the Viet Nam Petroleum Corporation.

The factory, capable of loading 50,000 tonnes of LPG a year, has total investment capital of USD 10 million and will be built in three phases. Phase one is scheduled for completion in late 2001, when the factory will have a yearly capacity of 15,000 tonnes.

Industrial production increase in 11 months



Ha Noi, Nov. 28 (VNA) -- Viet Nam's industrial production value reached VND 178,966 billion (USD 12,428 million) in the past 11 months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 15.7 percent, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

The State-run sector posted an increase of 12.5 percent, the foreign-invested sector, 18.1 percent, and the non-State sector, saw a the highest increase, 18.2 percent.

Vietnam exports growth in 11 months




Ha Noi, Nov. 28 (VNA) -- Viet Nam earned nearly USD 13 billion from exports in the past 11 months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 25.2 percent, according to the General Statistics Office.

Export earnings saw remarkable increases in recent months, reaching a monthly average of USD 1.2 billion. In November alone, the country turned over more than USD 1.3 billion.

Gov't meeting focuses on higher education development




Ha Noi, Nov. 27 (VNA) -- Prime Minister Phan Van Khai chaired a cabinet meeting in Ha Noi today, Nov. 27, to discuss a scheme on university and college development up to 2010 and hear the report on socio-economic development in November and the last 11 months.

Addressing the meeting, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of education and training in a knowledge-led economy, which, he said, would be matter of fact in the 21st century.

Vietnamese software company plans for future in USA




Ha Noi, Nov. 26 (VNA) -- The Financing and Promoting Technology Corporation (FPT) of Viet Nam plans to reap USD 5 million from exporting its software to the US in 2002, and USD 100 million in 2005.

In the meantime, FPT also plans to export its software to Europe and Japan, hopefully earning USD 50 million from each market.

ASEAN informal Summit aims to build a dynamic economic region



Ha Noi, Nov. 26 (VNA) -- Leaders of member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at the fourth ASEAN informal summit have agreed to build Southeast Asia into a dynamic economic region, said Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien.

FM Nien granted an interview to a Viet Nam News Agency correspondent about the results of the summit held in Singapore on Nov. 24 and 25 right after his return to Ha Noi on Nov. 26.

Pages