Vietnam is considered the safest place in Asia-Pacific

Ha Noi, Oct. 18 (VNA) -- Viet Nam is now considered a safer place than anywhere else in the region, according to a survey by the Political & Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC).

The Hong Kong-based PERC said on Oct. 17 that the sense of security that was evident before the terrorists struck the United States in relatively prosperous ecomonies in the Asia-Pacific region has vaporised.

The survey found that confidence in Australia and Japan had fallen sharply since the Sept. 11 air attacks on the U.S.

Australia, which had been ranked the safest location in PERC's previous survey, fell to third place while Japan slipped from second to fifth spot. The U.S. fell from third to eighth. Viet Nam, which was previously ranked eighth, now occupies first place.

The same day, World Bank representative in Viet Nam, Andrew Steer, said that stable countries like Viet Nam might become more attractive than others as the foreign investment prospect in the world is worsening.--VNA