Vietnam will become attractive investment market



Ha Noi, June 18 (VNA)-- With the current progress in policy reform, Viet Nam should become an appealing Southeast Asian market to foreign investors, said World Bank Country Director Andrew Steer.

Steer will chair a midterm review conference of Viet Nam's donors scheduled for June 18-19 in Hoi An town, central Quang Nam province.

The World Bank executive expressed his strong belief on the success of Viet Nam's determination to remove obstacles standing in the way of sustainable economic development and a favourable investment environments

PM Phan Van Khai addresses National Assembly


Ha Noi, June 18 (VNA) -- PM Phan Van Khai delivered a speech at the National Assembly this afternoon, June 18, on a number of socio-economic issues of concern to NA deputies and voters.

Economic development of Ho Chi Minh city


Ha Noi, June 17 (VNA) -- Ho Chi Minh City has turned in solid economic growth so far this year, with the southern powerhouse's performance fuelled by strong exports.

Exports hit USD 2.7 billion in the first five months, registering year-on-year growth of 18.9 percent, Viet Nam News reports.

State-owned enterprises sent USD 2.2 billion worth of goods offshore, up 21.9 percent on last year's tally. This figure made up 80.9 percent of the city's total haul.

Two more nature reserves given national park status



Ha Noi, June 16 (VNA) -- Prime Minister Phan Van Khai has declared that the Phu Quoc and Ba Mun nature reserves in Kien Giang and Quang Ninh provinces, respectively, would be upgraded to national parks.

An officer of the Phu Quoc Forest Protection Branch said that the 31,442 ha Phu Quoc National Park will preserve the island's tropical forest as an ecosystem typical of the Mekong Delta.

Vietnamese boy represented East Asian Pacific countries at UN



June 15 (VNA) -- Nguyen Manh Dzung, a poor but excellent pupil in Song Thao district of midland Phu Tho province, represented for more than 300 million children in East Asia and the Pacific at the session of the Precom Meeting for UN General Assembly Special Session on Children which is being held in New York from June 11-15.

Dzung attended meetings and seminars including a round table meeting with UN officials and a seminar on improving the quality of education, health and nutrition for children.

50% cut of agricultural land use taxes




Ha Noi, June 14 (VNA) -- Farmer households in communes with special difficulties in mountainous and remote areas and poor farmer households nationwide will be exempted from tax on land use this year.

The government will also cut 50 percent of the tax rate on agricultural land use for all farmer households, cooperatives, businesses, and socio-economic establishments growing rice and coffee in 2001.

PM encourages poverty reduction efforts



Ha Noi, June 7 (VNA) -- Prime Minister Phan Van Khai has called for further efforts to accelerate the implementation of the Government's on-going socio-economic development programme for poor communes in mountainous and remote areas referred to as Programme 135.

The programme, which has been underway in 2,325 communes nationwide since July 1998, had to turn out sustainable outcomes, the PM noted.

PM visits Japan to boost bilateral cooperation



June 4 (VNA) -- The current working visit to Japan by Prime Minister Phan Van Khai for the "Asia's Future" seminar from June 4-8 is expected to boost the multi-faceted cooperation between Viet Nam and Japan.

Bank Executives pledge reforms


Ha Noi, June 2 (VNA) -- The State Bank Governor and his aides who run the country's four major banks all have pledged to restructure the banking system so as to ensure investment capital to serve the national yearly economic growth target of at least 7.2 percent in the first decade of the 21st century.

State Bank Governor, Le Duc Thuy, told Ha Noi Moi (New Ha Noi) daily that the national banking system, including credit institutions, would concentrate on restructuring its apparatus and upgrading infrastructure facilities.

Party Gen. Secretary highlights deployment of Party Resolution



Ha Noi, June 1 (VNA) -- Communist Party leader Nong Duc Manh again emphasized that economic development is the central task and Party building is the key task, and that should be firmly grasped while the Ninth Party Congress's Resolution is translated into social life.

The Resolution must be implemented in accordance with characteristics of each locality, ministry, and agency through their short-term and plans of long-term action, Manh said in an interview with Viet Nam News Agency (VNA) correspondent this week.

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