VN sets sights on WTO entry by 2005

Wed, 08/06/2003 - 10:22



HA NOI — Viet Nam is accelerating its negotiations to join the World Trade Organisation by 2005 to ensure greater access to overseas markets, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the opening of a two-day seminar about Viet Nam’s bid to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Khoan said the membership move would benefit enterprises and consumers, as well as restructure the whole economy.

Local shrimp exporters urged to reduce heavy reliance on America

Wed, 08/06/2003 - 10:21

The Sai Gon Times Daily
August 6, 2003


America's Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA) a coalition of eight southern and eastern seaboard states may file legal action against foreign shrimp exporters, including of Vietnam, said Deputy Fisheries Minister Nguyen Thi Hong Minh.

Speaking at a conference of shrimp exporters in HCMC on Saturday, she said the best way to deal with the situation was to "cut shrimp shipments to the U. S. market."

Agent Orange fund needs more to succour sufferers

Mon, 08/04/2003 - 17:18



HA NOI — The Fund for Agent Orange Victims has spent up to VND23 billion (US$1.5 million) to help people across the country, since it was established five years ago, its director Le The Son said last Friday.

"The money has helped improve living conditions for 220,429 agent orange victims. Among them, 91,000 were given free treatment, and 1,350 received plastic surgery and rehabilitation."

Foreign volunteers go green in Viet Nam

Mon, 08/04/2003 - 17:17


TAY NINH — Foreign volunteers from Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain have joined Vietnamese students on the former battleground of Tay Ninh Province to share a "green summer" doing voluntary work and learning about Viet Nam.

On the fourth day of their visit, a bus took them and their Vietnamese friends to the remote commune of Thach Duc in Tay Ninh Province.

After passing through a rubber plantation, the bus reached a concrete bridge.

President commends retiree for helping find soldiers' remains

Fri, 07/25/2003 - 17:10


(07/25/2003 -- 23:08GMT+7)

Ha Noi, July 25 (VNA) - State President Tran Duc Luong has sent a letter of commendation and a gift to Doan Van Liu for helping more than 600 families of soldiers find the remains of their relatives.

Nguyen Quoc Trieu, Vice Chairman of the Ha Noi People's Committee, on Friday presented the letter and gift to Liu at his home on Kham Thien street, Ha Noi.

Viet Nam actively contributes to ASEM activities, says FM

Fri, 07/25/2003 - 17:00


(07/25/2003 -- 22:42GMT+7)

Jakarta, July 25 (VNA)- Viet Nam, in its capacity as a coordinator and the host country of the ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) Summit in 2004 "has been making active contributions to ASEM's activities," Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien told the press in Bali, Indonesia, where he attended the fifth ASEM foreign ministers' meeting on July 23-24.

Vietnam eases foreign ownership rules

Thu, 07/24/2003 - 17:51


By Amy Kazmin
Financial Times; Jul 22, 2003


Vietnam has eased restrictions on foreign ownership of listed companies as part as an effort to stimulate interest in the country's three-year-old equity market.

Prime Minister Phan Van Khai approved an increase in the foreign ownership of listed companies to 30 per cent, addressing a Vietnamese legal anomaly that allowed foreign investors to hold up to 30 per cent of unlisted enterprises, but capped their holdings in listed firms at 20 per cent.

Foreign lawyers permitted to operate in Viet Nam

Thu, 07/24/2003 - 17:41


(07/24/2003 -- 12:34GMT+7)

Ha Noi, July 24 (VNA) - Foreign lawyers' organisations and foreign lawyers are now allowed to operate in Viet Nam under a decree signed on Tuesday by Prime Minister Phan Van Khai.

This decree stipulates that the Vietnamese Government will ensure non-discrimination among foreign lawyers' organisations and foreign lawyers practising in Viet Nam and will protect their ownership of their investment capital and other legal interests.

Viet Nam's film Vua Bai Rac to be shown in the U.S. and Canada

Tue, 07/22/2003 - 17:58

(07/22/2003 -- 12:05GMT+7)

Ha Noi, July 22 (VNA) - The Canada-based BM Films International Firm has bought the copyright to the film, Vua Bai Rac (King of Debris), planning to show it at cinemas, on TV and to publish on VCDs in the U.S. and Canada in the next ten years.

Under a contract with the Vietnamese Feature Film Company- the manufacturer, the BM Films International Firm will facilitate the film's participation in festivals, design posters and make English and French captions.

Vietnam to tap around 30m tonnes of crude

Tue, 07/22/2003 - 17:51

Nhandan.org.vn, July 22, 2003

Vietnam's oil and gas industry plans to extract between 30-32 million tonnes of crude equivalent and between 12-19 billion cubic metres of gas by 2010, meeting 60-70% of domestic demand for oil and gas products.

Officials forecast the demand for oil and gas products to jump from 12 million tonnes in 2005 to 17 million tonnes in 2010 and 26 million tonnes by 2020.

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