"Sticky rice, miss! Have some sticky rice and park your motorbike over there," a young man with a fancy hairstyle and in a pair of shorts, a fake branded T-shirt and honeycomb sandals calls out as he attempts to block a motorbike on the street. The woman on the motorbike quickly steers away to avoid him and the smoke of grilled meat coming from a nearby charcoal stove. It is past midnight, but the lights are still shining bright on the ‘Fried sticky rice, mung bean sticky rice, banh mi pate, stewed chicken’ sign at the De La Thanh-Giang Vo intersection in Hanoi. In front of the eatery, another young man is still fanning and flipping fat-dripping meat skewers while four young women are preparing sausages, sticky rice, eggs, and pickles. Most eateries in the area close at midnight without needing to be told by the police. This little street corner is however an exception. Two sticky rice outlets, a pho eatery and a perch and rice paper stall are still filled with customers … [Read more...] about Night-time economy: Vietnam yet to see the light
Economy vietnam
Vietnam plans to develop new industrial relations
Workers at a garment factory (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - It is time for Vietnam to develop a new industrial relations framework to boost economic growth and enterprise productivity and ensure workers receive a fair share of the gains produced through their labour. The new framework will help the country address its industrial relations challenges – shown through wildcat strikes starting in the mid 1990s – and comply with its labour commitments in the new generation of free trade agreements (FTAs) including the EU-Vietnam FTA and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). As it moves towards a market economy, Vietnam needs modern labour laws, stronger industrial relations institutions and representative organisations and better enforcement capacity to reap the rewards of international trade and investment. “Vietnam is on a pathway to reform through both international integration and the increasing application of modern … [Read more...] about Vietnam plans to develop new industrial relations
Netherlands to help Vietnam recycle waste for production
(VEN) - Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman recently pledged her country’s help for Vietnam in building a circular economy. ‘Nothing is waste’ Speaking at a conference on bilateral economic cooperation, Ambassador Akkerman explained that circular economy refers to a production process in which waste is recycled for use as manufacturing materials to minimize adverse impacts on the environment, protect the ecosystem and human health. Therus Gieling, a representative of GC International, said that with its motto “Nothing is waste”, the organization has carried out various projects to collect and recycle solid and liquid waste for use in the Netherlands and many other countries. GC International also conducts research and assesses possibilities to reuse waste, proposes ideas, studies the feasibility of projects and organizes their implementation, while at the same time lobbying for funds from governmental, political and social … [Read more...] about Netherlands to help Vietnam recycle waste for production
ADB forecasts Vietnam’s 2018 growth at 6.9 percent
(VEN) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has revised down its economic growth forecast for Vietnam in 2018 to 6.9 percent from a previous estimate of 7.1 percent. Economic growth forecast of 6.9 percent According to the Asian Development Outlook 2018 Update, the Vietnamese economy continued to perform strongly in the first half of 2018. “The economic performance was broad-based, driven by vigorous manufacturing expansion, bumper agriculture production, robust performance of services sector, resilient domestic consumption, and strong investment fueled by foreign direct investment (FDI) and domestic enterprises,” said Eric Sidgwick, ADB Country Director for Vietnam. He added that Vietnam’s economic growth is likely to grow well in the short term due to resilient domestic demand, improved business conditions, and a stable macroeconomic environment. An increase in public capital expenditure in the second half of the year is expected to boost growth in investment. … [Read more...] about ADB forecasts Vietnam’s 2018 growth at 6.9 percent
Tapping the Vietnam Bulgaria trade potential
(VEN) - Despite positive results achieved in recent years, trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and Bulgaria remain unstable and incommensurate with the potential and desires of the two countries. Lack of market information Addressing a recent Vietnam-Bulgaria business forum in Hanoi, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Cao Quoc Hung said bilateral trade remains modest because businesses still lack information about each other’s markets, products and advantages. General Department of Vietnam Customs data show that in 2017, trade between the two countries reached US$109.16 million, including US$38.36 million worth of Vietnamese exports to Bulgaria. In the first eight months of 2018, bilateral trade exceeded US$55 million, including US$21.6 million worth of Vietnamese exports to this market. Bulgaria currently ranks 65th among 129 countries and territories directly investing in Vietnam, with nine ongoing projects with total registered capital of US$30.99 … [Read more...] about Tapping the Vietnam Bulgaria trade potential