Vietnam’s competitiveness not declining; finance minister

Wed, 10/27/2004 - 11:41

It was “not accurate” to say Vietnam’s competitiveness is declining as in a recent report by the World Economic Forum, said Vietnam’s Finance Minister during the 6th National Assembly session Oct. 25 in Hanoi.

The competitiveness of Vietnam’s economy is improving although it is not really excellent, Finance Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung told the press on the sidelines of the NA session.

Vietnamese ministries, sectors and domestic businesses have the same opinion, Mr. Hung said.

Vietnam ideal place for Taiwanese, Korean investors

Wed, 10/27/2004 - 11:32

As the country’s top foreign investors, the Taiwanese and Koreans said they continued to choose Vietnam as their favorite destination for investment because of its low labor costs and links to other countries.

In the first nine months of this year, Taiwan was the largest foreign investor in Vietnam, followed by Korea, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment.

Korean investors said they were attracted to a U.S.-Vietnam bilateral trade pact, which provided a channel for Korean-backed exports to the U.S., as well as Vietnam's entrepreneurial spirit.

Int’l experts make suggestions for Vietnam’s tourism law

Wed, 10/27/2004 - 11:00

Vietnam’s tourism law should encourage private investments, facilitate the establishment of national tourism strategies and policies, and be enforced by a tourism police force, experts suggested Oct 25.

The international tourism experts from the International Tourism Organization (ITO) and the Dutch Development Organization (DDO) gave their opinions in a seminar hosted by the Vietnamese National Tourism Administration (VNTA) in Hanoi to discuss elements of Vietnam’s tourism law.

Vietnam's economy keeps growing high

Tue, 10/26/2004 - 17:58

The Government, in its report to the on-going sixth session of the 11th Legislature, pointed out that the country maintained a high gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 7.6% in the first ten months of the year despite facing various difficulties and challenges.

Diversifying investment into science and technology

Tue, 10/26/2004 - 17:55

Chairman of the National Assembly Commission for Science, Technology and Environment Ho Duc Viet stressed at the opening day of the eleventh National Assembly's sixth session on Monday that investment should be diversified to further develop scientific and technological potential in order to enable a number of high-tech industries to reach a regional state-of-the-art level by 2010.

Voters expect gov’t to toughen fight against corruption

Tue, 10/26/2004 - 17:46

Vietnamese voters expect the government, in its 6th National Assembly session starting Oct. 25, to focus its efforts on fighting corruption at all levels, according to a report by the Vietnam Fatherland Front.

When the month-long National Assembly (NA) session convenes on Monday, the representative of the people, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF), will present a report based on voters’ suggestions of issues which needed immediate government attention.

NA deputies discuss anti-corruption body and financial resources

Tue, 10/26/2004 - 17:45

National Assembly (NA) deputies Oct. 26 made suggestions on setting up an anti-corruption agency and expanding financial sources for development during the second day of the sixth NA session in Hanoi.

The establishment of a new anti-corruption government agency under NA is essential, according to Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan.

“An anti-corruption body is needed, as although there are government agencies responsible for fighting corruption, the results are not as efficient as expected,” Mr. Khoan said.

When customs kill, who defies them?

Mon, 10/25/2004 - 11:38

Deep in Viet Nam’s Central Highlands, a horrific ritual of burying living babies together with their dead mothers was once practised. Do Tien Thuy reports on how this custom was stopped.

Lives of Tay Nguyen minorities improve

Mon, 10/25/2004 - 11:21

DAC LAC — Many ethnic minorities in the Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) Region are sleeping better, seeing better and just generally living better thanks to a multi-pronged effort by the government to raise living standards in the area.

This is largely because of Programme 168, which was launched in 2001 to provide health care, housing and arable land to ethnic minorities living in the region.

Government targets 8-8.5% GDP growth in 2005

Mon, 10/25/2004 - 10:33

 The Government, in its report to the on-going sixth session of the 11th Legislature, set the target to achieve a GDP growth rate of 8-8.5% in 2005. The report pointed to other specific objectives for 2005 as follows:

On the economy:

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