Thứ Sáu, 11 tháng 9, 2015

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 11/9


Tuna export value drops nearly 7% in 2015
Vietnam's tuna industry saw a 6.7% dip in export value for the first eight months of this year due to decreasing demands, according to the General Department of Customs.
The reduction resulted in total earnings of US$327 million compared with the same period last year.
Vietnamese tuna products were exported to 100 countries and territories, including the US, Japan, Israel and Canada, as well as the EU and the ASEAN region.
From the first day to August 15, the tuna export value to the EU and Japan, two key export markets of local tuna products, fell by 23 % to $65.4 million and by 23.8 % to $12.8 million, respectively, against the same period last year.
Meanwhile, the nation gained year-on-year growth of 13.8 % in tuna export value to reach $120 million for exports to the US and 8.8 % to reach $21.6 million for exports to the ASEAN region.
According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), tuna exports by this year-end have not shown signs of recovery, while the global demand for tuna has dropped and the supply of tuna has increased.
Therefore, this year could be the third consecutive year of reductions in tuna exports, the association said.
Truong Dinh Hoe, VASEP general secretary, said the local tuna industry could face difficulty in achieving its export value target of $510 million for this year because at the year-end, it was difficult for the industry to forecast the development of the global tuna market.
The industry must wait until the end of the third quarter for a precise forecast before it could determine whether it would achieve its export target, he said.
The Directorate of Fisheries said that in the first eight months of this year, three key provinces involved in fishing for tuna, Khanh Hoa, Binh Dinh and Phu Yen, caught 13,970 tonnes of tuna in total. Of which, the supply of tuna dropped by 5 % in Khanh Hoa Province against the same period last year, while supply surged 13 % and 10 % in Phu Yen Province and Binh Dinh Province, respectively.
Central SOEs make using each others' products a high priority
As part of the Government initiative Vietnamese Give Priority to Using Vietnamese Goods, members of a group of State-owned corporations yesterday signed an agreement at the central level to accord priority to using products made by the group's members.
The pact will cover the period 2015-20.
Speaking at a conference on September 8, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, Nguyen Thien Nhan, urged enterprises to enhance product quality and competitiveness as they create new products to affirm and consolidate Vietnamese brands.
Nhan said it was vital that businesses renovate technology and enhance application of advanced technologies to improve productivity and production capacity.
In addition, great attention should be paid to establish the distribution systems in order to ensure Vietnamese products and services to reach more consumers, Nhan said, adding that co-ordination in distribution or using each others' products was also important to efficiently achieve positive results of the ‘Vietnamese give priority to use Vietnamese goods' campaign.
The campaign must aim at promoting Vietnamese manufacturers, inspiring them to produce high-quality products, distributors to sell and consumers to choose such products, he said.
The priority that State-owned enterprises at the central level must accord to using products made by each other helps encourage production and use of domestic products and creates momentum for renovations while increasing local procurement rate.
Many members in the group of State-owned enterprises at the central level now have local procurement rates upwards of 70 per cent, thanks to co-ordination among members.
The group has 33 members covering key sectors of the economy, such as fuel, minerals, railway transport, marine transport, air transport, telecommunications and garment and textile, with a combined contribution of one third of the government's budget annually, and together providing 1.3 million jobs.
Iranian city eyes tourism cooperation with Vietnam
Vietnamese Ambassador to Iran Nguyen Hong Thach visited Esfahan city, Iran where he met with the city’s mayor Mehdi Jamalinejad to discuss potential tourism cooperation between the two countries.
At the meeting, Mayor Jamalinejad briefed the ambassador on the city’s strengths, particularly in tourism, and expressed his hope to enhance partnerships with Vietnamese localities.
Despite their 40-year relationship, cooperation in trade and culture between Vietnam and Iran has remained limited, the mayor said, adding that tourism should be a main focus to boost bilateral ties.
He proposed the two countries organise cultural weeks to foster mutual understanding between their peoples while suggesting establishing a sister-city relationship with a province or city in Vietnam. Thach agreed on his initiatives.
According to Thach, the Vietnamese Embassy in Iran attended a tourism expo in Esfahan in April and brought Verano, a quartet from Hanoi, to more than 300 audience members in the city on September 4.
The first Vietnamese students will arrive in Esfahan this September to study the Farsi language at Azad University, Khorasgan campus.
Esfahan is a large city, located almost in the centre of Iran and 414 kilometres south of Teheran.
This thousands-of-years-old city is a crossroad of international trade and diplomacy and renowned for its diverse resident languages, religions and customs alongside beautiful historic Islamic architecture.
Bac Giang sets up Japan desk to assist Japanese investors
The northern province of Bac Giang has set up a Japan Desk to support Japanese investors in their operation in the locality, heard an investment promotion conference held in the province on September 9.
According to director of the provincial Department of Planning and Investment Trinh Huu Thang, Japanese businesses are running 20 projects with total registered capital of 150.7 million USD in Bac Giang, ranking third among foreign investors in the province.
Japanese investments in Bac Giang are mainly in processing technology, manufacturing and services and trade, with rapid capital disbursement. Among the projects, 18 have become operational and the remaining two are in the process of building workshops.
Dang Xuan Quang, deputy head of the Foreign Investment Agency under Ministry of Planning and Investment spoke highly of Japanese enterprises’ contributions to the socio-economic development in Vietnam in general and in Bac Giang in particular, stressing that Vietnam is calling for additional Japanese investment in infrastructure, support industry and agriculture and rural development.
Toma Massaki, Second Secretary in charge of investment, trade and industry at the Japanese Embassy in Hanoi, said that in order to attract new investors, provincial authorities need to improve investment climate through ensuring electricity and water supply, building transport facilities and simplifying administrative procedures.
Bac Giang is calling for investment in industry, trade-service, tourism and agriculture, especially projects in applying high-tech in animal breeding, meat processing, vegetable and medicinal plant cultivation, among others.
The province is currently home to 199 foreign direct investment projects worth nearly 2.4 billion USD.
To date, 105 countries and territories have landed their investment in Vietnam, with nearly 19,000 projects valued at 165 billion USD. Japan becomes the second largest investor in the country with total registered capital of 37 billion USD.
Doosan Vina sends core power plant component to US
Doosan Heavy Industries Vietnam (Doosan Vina) shipped a Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG), one of the core components of a combined thermal power plant weighing 2,100 tonnes, to the United States on September 9, said Deputy General Director Kim Yong Soo.
The 300-megawatt HRSG was provided to the Salem Harbour Combined-Cycle Gas Turbine Power Plant in Massachusetts to increase the plant’s power capacity by up to 30 percent.
The HRSG is designated to generate power from high-temperature exhaust gas streams from the plant’s gas turbine. It is considered an eco-friendly system that helps reduce harmful gas emissions.
Doosan Vina inked a contract to provide two HRSGs for the Salem Harbour Power Plant in December 2013 with the last shipment to be sent at the end of this September.
It is the first made-in-Vietnam HRSG exported to the US, marking a significant milestone for the firm, Nguyen Tan Hong, Head of the HRSG manufacturing division in Doosan Vina, said.
Doosan Vina’s products have made their way to 27 countries worldwide, he added, hoping that they will be available in more countries soon.
Located at Dung Quat Industrial Complex in central Quang Ngai province, Doosan Vina is one of the largest overseas manufacturing factories established through joint investment from the Republic of Korea-based Doosan Heavy Industry and Doosan Engineering and Construction.
Vietnam Airlines extends “Golden moment” programme
The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines announced on September 9 that it will continue its “Golden Moment” promotion programme on some of its domestic routes.
Accordingly, from September 11 to October 31, 2015, the airline is offering one-way tickets for flights between HCM City and Quy Nhon for 599,000 VND (27.2 USD); and HCM City-Phu Quoc, Da Nang - Hai Phong, and Hanoi - Vinh/Dong Hoi/Dien Bien for 699,000 VND (31.7 USD).
Passengers will pay only 799,000 VND (36.32 USD) for flights from Hanoi to Quy Nhon, Tuy Hoa and Hue and from HCM City to Dong Hoi; and 899,000 VND (40.86 USD) on HCM City - Thanh Hoa/Vinh/Hai Phong routes.
One-way tickets for flights from Hanoi to Can Tho, Pleiku, Buon Me Thuat and Da Lat will cost 999,000 VND (45.41 USD) while those from Hanoi to HCM City and Phu Quoc will be sold at 1,099,000 VND (49.95 USD).
The promotional offers apply to flights between September 11 and November 30, 2015 (depending on each route). The prices exclude taxes and other additional fees and are based on terms and conditions.
Logistics centre inaugurated in Da Nang
The Transimex-Sai Gon Joint Stock Company held a ceremony on September 9 to inaugurate its logistics centre in the Hoa Cam Industrial Zone (IZ) in the central city of Da Nang
Built with a total investment of 50 billion VND (2.4 million USD), the Da Nang Transimex Logistics Centre covers an area of 16,000 square metres.
It includes 9,300 square metres of general warehouses with an automatic cargo forklift and loading system.
The project is expected to contribute to connecting the East-West Economic Corridor, which links Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, said Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee.
Da Nang leader holds dialogue with Japanese enterprises
Chairman of the central city of Da Nang’s People’s Committee Huynh Ngoc Tho held a dialogue with Japanese companies on September 9 to address any arising problems.
At the dialogue, Japanese enterprises raised difficulties in investing in Da Nang, mainly in infrastructure, land, the environment, administrative procedures, enterprise assistance, worker policies and training human resources training.
They also suggested building a competitive business environment in the city.
Tho answered questions raised by Japanese investors and promised to create the most favourable conditions for them and resolve problems quickly.
He said Da Nang defines Japan as one of its important partners, noting that the dialogue will help the city improve its investment and business environment in a bid to lure more investments from Japan.
As of August 2015, Japan was the fourth biggest investor in Da Nang with 89 registered projects worth 378 million USD, accounting for 11 percent of the total investment capital of the entire city.
Japanese companies mainly invested in processing-manufacturing and information-communication technology sectors, creating jobs for 30,000 labourers in the city and neighbouring provinces.
On the occasion, the city established a team focusing on addressing problems facing the Japanese business community.
Animal breeding groups push for industry edge
Experts discussed measures to enhance the competitiveness of the domestic animal breeding industry at a seminar in HCM City on September 8.
According to the Southern Centre for Agriculture Policy and Strategy, the animal husbandry industry has played an increasingly important role in the country's agricultural sector.
With the country's economy deeply integrating into the world economy, the industry will no doubt face many challenges, it said.
Nguyen Thanh Son, head of the National Institute of Animal Husbandry under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said there were four bottlenecks in the industry: animal strains and productivity, animal feed, production system and State management.
Therefore, to improve the competiveness of the industry, these four issues must be resolved, he said.
Regarding animal feed, Son said relevant management agencies did not receive the exact numbers for animal feed output since animal feed production companies had not reported their production figures.
"We also do not know their production costs and sale prices," he said.
Nguyen Van Giap from the Southern Centre for Agriculture Policy and Strategy said animal feed producers declared that they earned a profit of 1-3 percent for every kilo of animal feed.
"But according to insiders, this ratio must be higher, around 10-15 percent. However, this information has not been verified by any management agency or research institute because they cannot access information related to production costs from businesses," he said.
In addition, State agencies had been unable to control animal feed quality, delegates said.
There was a situation of "price anchoring" in the animal feed market that helped producers in making profit, Son said.
Doan Xuan Truc, Deputy Chairman of the Animal Husbandry Association of Vietnam, said: "Since animal feed accounts for 70-75 percent of animal production costs, if we don't pull down the feed price, animal breeding cost cannot be reduced, and we can't improve the competitiveness of the animal husbandry industry."
He suggested that the Government should enhance inspection of animal feed quality and price.
Delegates also suggested to the Government to reduce the bank loan interest rate to a level equal to that in other countries in an effort to help local firms cut back input costs.
Le Ba Lich, Chairman of the Vietnam Animal Feed Association, petitioned the Government to enhance trade barriers for imported meat products and allow non-government organisations and business associations to take part in mapping out these trade barriers.
In addition, administrative procedures should be further reformed to facilitate enterprises' operations, he said.
Measures to control unhealthy competition among large animal feed producers were needed, Giap said.
Besides, the Government should set the maximum profit rate for animal feed products and asked businesses to declare their selling prices, he said, adding that the Government also needed to keep a close eye on mergers and acquisitions among domestic and foreign companies involved in the animal feed production.
Ministry proposes increase to special consumption tax
The Ministry of Finance has proposed to increase special consumption tax on imported goods to ensure fair competition between locally manufactured products and imported ones.
Under the current regulations, the special consumption tax on imported goods is calculated keeping in mind their cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) value plus current import tariff.
However, the ministry said the import tax on automobiles and air-conditioners would be lowered to zero under the country's commitment to international integration. The current special consumption tax on imported goods would not ensure fairness between local and imported items. It could become vulnerable for importers to take advantage of the tax cut for transfer pricing, causing losses to the State budget and making domestic producers less competitive.
Therefore, it proposed to revise the regulations by adding domestic sale fee on importers. The domestic sale fee should be calculated on the basis of fees paid for services such as packing, managing, advertising, displaying, transporting, and the warranty plus interest of tax payers.
However, the new calculation faced strong opposition from several businesses as the special consumption tax on the imported goods could be increased by 15 per cent from current levels.
The Viet Nam Beer, Alcohol and Beverage Association said this upwardly revision in tax was not suitable for imported beer and alcohol sector.
Nguyen Van Viet, the association's chairman, told online newspaper vneconomy that imported goods would face double taxation: tax on import as well as sale tax.
According to alcohol importers' calculation, this could increase the special consumption tax to 60-65 per cent instead of the current 55 per cent.
In addition, Viet said such a high tax would lead to cases of tax evasion, smuggling and counterfeit goods. Moreover, it would not serve the purpose to ensure fairness between local and imported alcohol, particularly since the amount of imported beer and alcohol was not high.
Under the Decree No 94/2012/ND-CP on alcohol production and trading, importers would sell their products to distributors, wholesalers or retail shops.
Tax payers and agencies would face difficulties in tax declaration and payment with too much paperwork and too many procedures due to the additional tax, he added.
The association last month sent a document to the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry opposing the plan.
Agreement signed to sustain fisheries
In the first such initiative, the Directorate of Fisheries and six other members signed an agreement yesterday on Public Private Partnership (PPP) in the fisheries and aquaculture sector with the aim to support sustainable development in this sphere.
The six members were: the World Wildlife Fund Viet Nam, GIZ, the Sustainable Trade Initiative, the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), the Viet Nam Institute for Fisheries Economics and Planning and the Viet Nam Fisheries Society.
The agreement is expected to optimise Vietnamese fisheries production, trade and consumption as well as to help improve environment management in the long term.
All the parties committed themselves to promoting responsible and sustainable fishery practices in the country by providing financial and technical support and implementing promotional activities for certified seafood products at home and in international markets.
Pham Anh Tuan, Deputy Director of the Directorate of Fisheries, said the PPP would create a platform for the public and private sectors to work together, stressing the importance of the private sector to sustainable fisheries development. o
Le Thanh Luu, chairman of the Viet Nam Fisheries Society, said the partnership would strengthen the voice of fishermen and enterprises involved in the development of the fisheries sector.
The partnership agreement was signed at a time when seafood exports have been plunging. Statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development showed that Viet Nam exported US$4.13 billion worth of seafood products in the first eight months of this year, down by more than 17 per cent year-on-year.
Exports of major products such as shrimp, tra fish and tuna registered drops.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam expected that the partnership would help make Vietnamese seafood products more competitive.
In another move, the VASEP has proposed that loan interest rates for fisheries companies will be lowered in order to support them in coping with the recent currency turbulence that has been weighing down their profits.
Food, beverage markets thrive
The food and beverage sectors have enormous potential for development with a stable annual growth rate of 7-8 per cent, according to the Viet Nam Beer, Alcohol and Beverage Association (VBA).
With the population of more than 90 million, the food and beverage sectors are key industries and make significant contributions to the country's economy, said Nguyen Van Viet, chairman of the association.
Many domestic and foreign enterprises are seeking opportunities to invest in food and beverage sectors with potential market, Viet said at the opening ceremony of the 19th International Exhibition on Food & Beverage and Food Processing & Packaging Technology & Equipment that opened yesterday in HCM City.
Last year, the beverage industry contributed more than VND25.78 trillion (US$1.14 billion) to the State budget and created jobs for more than 400,000 labourers.
The biggest challenge for domestic enterprises in the food and beverage sector is that they have yet to be well-prepared for regional integration, he said.
Domestic enterprises need to better access international markets as well as increase investment in technologies and equipment, he added.
The Vietfood & Beverage- ProPack Viet Nam 2015 has attracted 350 domestic and foreign manufacturers and companies that produce additives and dietary supplements from 20 countries and territories, including Egypt, India, Poland, Belgium, Taiwan, Denmark, Germany, South Korea, Indonesia, Italy, Lithuania, Malaysia, South Africa, Japan, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, China, and Australia.
Alcoholic drinks, beverages, canned food, coffee, dairy products, diet foods, food additives, frozen foods, instant products, organic foods, tea, vitamins and nutritional supplements are among products on display.
The four-day event at Tan Binh Exhibition & Convention Centre was organised by the Vietnam National Trade Fair and Advertising Company under the Ministry of Trade & Industry in coordination with the HCM City Food and Foodstuff Association, the Viet Nam Beer, Alcohol & Beverage Association and the Viet Nam Tea Association. —VNS
Local firms suggest delaying hike to natural resources tax
The National Assembly plans to increase the tax imposed on enterprises exploiting natural resources but local enterprises have suggested to the state to consider the timing for applying new rates.
The domestic enterprises expressed their opinion during a meeting convened on Tuesday by the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry to elicit the opinion of local firms regarding enhancing the natural resource tax as per a draft decree, amending and adding to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly's Decree 712/2013/UBTVQH13.
Pham Dinh Thi, the head of the Ministry of Finance's Tax Policy Department, said after one year of implementing the decree, regulations on tax rates for natural resources have proven to have certain limitations in protecting, saving and ensuring efficient use of natural resources, especially as Viet Nam integrates into the regional and global economy.
Therefore, the Ministry of Finance has proposed to increase these tax rates by at least 2 per cent for most of the natural resources, including metallic and non-metallic mineral products, he said.
The tax rates will be hiked from 12 per cent to 14 per cent for iron, from 16 per cent to 18 per cent for titanium, from 15 per cent to 17 per cent for gold, from 7-9 per cent depending on each kind of coal to 10-12 per cent, from 11 per cent to 15 per cent for sand and from 10 per cent to 15 per cent for granite.
The increase in tax rates is expected to add VND3.17 trillion (US$140 million) to the state budget. Last year, taxes on natural resources exploitation contributed VND38 trillion ($1.68 billion) to the State budget, according to the Ministry of Finance.
However, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment proposes to clearly spell out reasons for increasing the natural resources tax rates and assess the application of existing tax rates in order to protect the interests of the state as well as of the enterprises.
Nguyen Canh Nam from the Viet Nam Mining Science and Technology Association said tax and fee for mineral products have increased in both volume and rates. The increase in tax and fee, together with difficulties faced in exploitation, have resulted in increased production cost, leaving enterprises with lesser revenue and, consequently, lower tax collection value.
Vu Hong, the deputy general director of the Nui Phao Mineral Exploitation and Processing Ltd Company said the tax increase could add to the State budget in the short term but in the long term, the move would actually result in lesser tax collection since a higher tax rate would make enterprises cut down the mineral products' output and thus bring down the tax collection.
Since 1998, tax policies regarding mineral products have undergone many changes, Hong said. This, he added, was not good and creates instability in business environment of Viet Nam.
Any change in tax policy should only make business environment more attractive so that investors flock to Viet Nam, especially to difficult areas, Hong said.
Vu Huong, the head of the tax sub-group at Viet Nam Business Forum, said the increase in the natural resource exploitation tax rate has been suggested at a time when Viet Nam must cut down its import and export tax rates under integration commitments and this will lead to reduces revenues of state budget.
However, the fact is that the local economy, especially the mineral exploitation and processing industry, has been facing many difficulties in production and business, she said. The increase in mineral exploitation tax at this moment is not good. Any increase should be effected over a reasonable period and over a long term after carefully considering the impact of such a move, she said.
Nguyen Van Bien, deputy general director of the Viet Nam National Coal and Mineral Industries Holding Corporation Limited, said in the present situation, the state should continue with the existing rate of mineral exploitation tax. If the state increases this now, revenue of enterprises as well as the income of labour would be affected, leading to lack of investment in production at a time when the market will recover.
Thi said the ministry has collected all the feedback from enterprises on the natural resource tax increase and will also consult the experts to ensure that the interests of the state as also of the enterprises are protected.
Rise in deposit interest rates a cause for concern
There is an upward trend in bank deposit interest rates, and analysts have urged the Government to act to keep the rates low, warning there could otherwise be adverse consequences.
Interest rates for three-month deposits have climbed by 0.3-0.4 percentage points to 5.5 per cent at many banks.
For 13-month terms the rate averages 7.3 per cent, a 0.3 percentage point rise.
Le Xuan Nghia, former vice chairman of the National Financial Supervision Committee, said, "This trend would likely be clearer in October when it would be possible for the deposit interest rates to be raised to a new level."
Some analysts said the banks had persuasive reasons to increase deposit interest rates.
Inflation, interest rates and exchange rates are a trio of economic factors that cannot be separated and always influence each other.
So far this year the State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) has devalued the dong three times by 1 per cent each and tripled the trading band from 1 to 3 per cent, sending the currency down to VND22,547 per US dollar. It had been trading at VND21,440 in early January.
The higher interest rates will attract investment from abroad, which will put upward pressure on the dong.
Some banks said they needed to increase deposit interest rates to improve their liquidity.
By early August loans outstanding at HCM City banks were up 6 per cent, and are predicted to rise strongly in the remaining months of the year.
Deposit mobilisation has slowed down, especially after the central bank's devaluation of the currency in August.
Some analysts also blamed government bonds for draining banks' liquidity and creating pressure on interest rates. The government has issued so many bonds at 5 per cent coupon rate, and their complete lack of risk means banks are ready to invest large sums in them, they explained.
The coupon rates have now risen and range from 6.25 per cent to 8 per cent depending on the maturity period.
Yet another reason given is that banks have to been left to carry the ball in Government credit programmes like the VND30 trillion housing stimulus and loans to fishermen for building powerful steel-hull boats for deep sea fishing.
While agreeing with banks about the need for hiking the interest rates, analysts however wanted them to increase the rates slightly to ensure lending interest rates do not also have to be raised.
Can Van Luc, director of the BIDV Staff Training School, was among those who opposed the rate hike. He told Dau Tu newspaper: "It is not necessary for the banks to increase their deposit interest rates at this time since public savings remain rather stable."
To ease the upward pressure on deposit interest rates, he said the Government use monetary and fiscal policies and reduce the issue of bonds. "With the current interest rates on government bonds and the volumes [they purchase], banks have no way to lower their long- and medium-term deposit interest rates."
Japanese group plans Delta cattle farms
Representatives of a Japanese enterprise met authorities from the Mekong Delta City of Can Tho on Tuesday to discuss the development of a cattle-rearing project in Song Hau plantation.
The Japanese Beef Import-Export Association (J-BIX) is expected to decide the final investment amount upon the completion of their survey in December this year.
Director of Overseas Markets of J-BIX Nakashima said the project aimed to develop both beef and dairy farms.
It will ensure high-quality and high-yield breeding cows in tandem with clean and healthy feed for the herds.
Technology will be utilised in farming and processing to meet international food safety standards.
The company will also devise environment-friendly and advanced approaches to farm waste treatment, while enhancing farming efficiency.
During the meeting, Vice-Chairman of the Can Tho People's Committee Dao Anh Dung said the Song Hau plantation should work closely with the Japanese firm to implement the project effectively.
The project was expected to create jobs for local residents and contribute to local socio-economic development, Dung said.
In 2014, the city had only about 3,500 cows being raised by individuals.  
US smartphone brand enters Vietnam
Obi Worldphone, a US smartphone brand, enters Vietnamese market through cooperation with exclusive local partner Digiworld Corporation.
Obi Worldphone was co-founded by John Sculley, the former head of Apple & Pepsi-Cola and an international investor in consumer technology companies.
With the cooperation of Robert Brunner, the founder of Ammunition Group, a renowned design company based in San Francisco, Obi launched its new range Obi Worldphone, priced at US$129-249 to attract discerning young people in fast-growth markets, including Vietnam.
Obi integrates an elegant design with high-end technology from Qualcomm, Dolby, Sony, Corning Incorporated, Google, MediaTek, Japan Display, Inc and Samsung to deliver a performance for first smartphones SF1 and SJ1.5 in Vietnam.
PPP targets improving fish and seafood farming
Under an initiative led by the Directorate of Fisheries (D-Fish) a public-private partnership (PPP) will be implemented over the next decade aimed at supporting sustainable development of the aquatic industry.
Under the agreement signed on September 9, the stakeholders have committed to developing and supporting national strategies, programs, plans and polices on the industry in a sustainable manner.
“The agreement aims to support the industry develop in a manner that promotes exports in the global marketplace,” lauded General Secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) Nguyen Hoai Nam at the signing ceremony.
The stakeholders have agreed to cooperate to conserve fish and seafood ecosystems, promote information exchanges, provide technical assistance and raise funds for improved technologies.
“Most importantly, the agreement will result in businesses and individuals in the fish and seafood farming industry raising their competitiveness.” said Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam.
In addition to D-Fish, the members of the PPP are the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH), Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietnam Institute of Fisheries Economics and Planning (VIFEP), Vietnam Fisheries Society (VINAFIS), and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF Vietnam).
European meat to conquer domestic market
European pork, beef and other meat imported into Vietnam skyrocketed more than 70 fold from 2012 to 2014, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs.
Vietnam imported 971 tonnes of pork from the EU in the first half of this year, up 24.7% in volume and 63.5% in value against the corresponding period last year.
Meanwhile, 8,405 tonnes of European beef was shipped to Vietnam, equal to 40.8% of the figure in the same period last year.
Anna Olewnik – Mikolajewska, member of the Union of Producers and Employers of Meat Industry (UPEMI) and CEO of Zakaldy Miwsne Olewink – Bis Company revealed that around 100 European, including 45 Polish businesses, have been permitted to export meat to Vietnam.
Poland is the fourth largest meat exporter in the EU thanks to its advanced frozen preservation technologies.
Meanwhile, Michal Barzykowski from Danish Noridane Foods Company said Vietnam mainly imports chicken wings, thigh, tibia, pork ribs and beef tenderloin. However, high imported taxes have raised prices of European meat in Vietnam.
After the EU and Vietnam complete FTA procedures, imported taxes on meat products will be cut down to zero and then European meat will become very competitive in the Vietnamese market, said Michal Barzykowski.
 Indonesia conducts AD investigation into Vietnamese steel
The Indonesian Anti-Dumping Committee (Komite Anti Dumping Indonesia (KADI) has announced that it will continue conducting anti-dumping (AD) investigations into cold rolled steel sheets imported from Vietnam, Taiwan, China, the Republic of Korea and Japan.
The Vietnam Competition Authority (VCA) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade on September 8 reported that current AD tax rates have levied on Vietnamese products after the mid-term review are 12.3% - 27.8%.
KADI said it will send questions to relevant sides before organising a hearing.
VAC advised relevant Vietnamese exporters to actively coordinate with the KADI in answering its questions to avoid risks and losses during the last review.
Vietnamese businesses will have 14 days as from September 4 to answer KADI questions.
The lawsuit was lodged in June 2011 by the plaintiff - PT Krakatau Steel.
According to statistics from the Indonesian Ministry of Trade, Vietnamese cold rolled steel sheets exported to Indonesia increased by 57.19% from 2009 to 2010 to nearly 930,000 tonnes.
Visa waiver policy fails to give tourism a strong boost
It has been two months since Vietnam started waiving visa for tourists from Germany, France, the UK, Italy and Spain.
But Ung Phuong Dung, director of Indochina Services Travel Group, told Saigon Times Online that around half of her clients from these five European countries still need a visa.
They want to stay in Vietnam for at least three weeks, but the exemption period is only 15 days, she said.
Dung is one of many tour operators who pointed out that the new visa policy, while helpful, has failed to give Vietnam's tourism industry a really strong boost, the news website reported.
Tran Trong Kien, CEO of travel and hospitality group Thien Minh, was quoted as saying it often takes more than 15 days to explore all major Vietnam's destinations, meaning that many tourists still have to apply for a visa anyway.
Some tourists who enter Vietnam and then visit neighboring countries also have to apply for a visa if they want to return to Vietnam within 30 days from their exit, he said.
The government wants to simplify procedures to welcome tourists, but the waiver's duration is "too short," thus making them feel that "Vietnam does not really open its door to international visitors," Kien said.
Many other travel companies said tourists from distant markets such as Europe often make travel plans half or one year in advance, meaning that the visa waiver rule will not really show its effects until next year.
They also said that nobody can be sure about the future of the one-year policy, which means they can not really plan far ahead.
More than 5 million foreigners visited Vietnam in the January-August period, down 7.5% year-on-year, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).
Of all the five European countries newly added to Vietnam's visa waiver list, Spain was the biggest success, with a 8.5% increase in the number of visitors.
Arrivals from Germany and Italy slightly increased by 1% and 4.4%, respectively, while those from France and the UK declined 4.6% and 2.8%, respectively.
Tour operators also complained that tourism authorities have yet to fulfill their promise about big promotion campaigns and national sales programs in order to help increase the visa waiver policy's effects.
Without making tourists in the target markets aware of the visa waiver rule, Vietnam will not be able to attract more tourists as it hopes, an unnamed representative of a travel company in Ho Chi Minh City said.
Kien of Thien Minh Group also stressed that practical marketing programs are especially necessary, considering the policy's limited time.
He advised the authorities to bring promotion campaigns to Vietnam's neighboring countries such as Singapore and Thailand, where many Europeans are living.
With short distances thus easy and cheap trips, these European immigrants will likely benefit from the visa waiver policy the most, according to Kien.
Banks face tough balancing act
Credit this year has grown robustly and might surpass the 15-17 per cent annual target, however, commercial banks will find it difficult to balance lending and deposit sources, according to experts.
Statistics from the State Bank of Viet Nam showed that credit as of August 20 rose 9.31 per cent against December last year, doubling the 4.07 per cent rising rate in the same period last year.
In the period, credit to priority sectors rose sharply, of which lending to high-tech application sectors was up 29.12 per cent, agriculture and rural development up 9 per cent, the export sector up 4.99 per cent, supporting industry sectors up 3.2 per cent, and small- and medium-sized enterprises rose 4.07 per cent.
Further, deposits in the period rose nearly 7.26 per cent against December last year, lower than the 7.92 per cent increase during the same period last year.
Experts forecast that with the current rising pace, credit this year would surpass 17 per cent, explaining that lending often rose due to higher rates in the last months of the year.
Also, because of unbalanced credit and deposit sources, experts from the Viet Capital Securities Company (VCSC) forecast that banks would face challenges in luring deposits.
Additionally, VCSC's experts suggested that the central bank should closely watch the market to prevent an interest rate rise due to the dong devaluation this year.
After the central bank's decision to devalue the dong by 1 per cent and increase the trading band to 3 per cent last month, industry insiders were concerned about an interest rate increase in the last months of the year, as demands on maintaining the dong would fall.
However, the central bank, late last month, affirmed that it would not change the dong interest rate this year.
According to the latest report from the central bank, in the week ending August 21 the dong mobilising rates continued to be stable, with 0.8-1 per cent per year applied for demand and below 1 month terms; 4.5-5.4 per cent for 1 to below 6 month terms; 5.4-6.5 per cent for 6 month to below 12 month terms; and 6.4-7.2 per cent for 12 month plus terms.
The average lending rates also remained steady, with 6-7 per cent and 9-10 per cent year applied for short-term, and medium-and-long-term loans for priority fields, respectively.
The rates were commonly 6.8-9 per cent for short-term and 9.3-11 per cent for medium and long-term ordinary loans.
T&T Group becomes strategic investor in Transport Hospital
T&T Group has become a strategic shareholder in Ha Noi's Transport Hospital, the first medical facility to be equitised in Viet Nam.
The hospital, owned by the Ministry of Transport, plans to launch an IPO this month.
Dau Tu (Investment) newspaper reported last Friday saying that the reason as other outstanding candidates of two real estate developers of Vingroup and FLC and the Singapore Brookline Medical did not register to become the hospital strategic partner although the registration deadline was extended from August 14 to August 20.
Before, Vingroup, FLC and Brookline Medical and a Malaysian partner used to ask for being the strategic partner of the hospital. However, the hospital said they had received two applications from T&T Group and Bao Son Investment, Construction and Tourism Company. Others failed to show up.
According to Decision No. 2783 / QD – BGTVT released in April, the selected partner should have the capital of not less than VND200 billion (US$8.8 million) if they already worked in the healthcare industry or has the capital of VND1 trillion ($4.4 billion) if they are not working in the industry.
However, in late May, the Ministry of Finance said the strategic investors do not need to have such large equity in the healthcare industry.
The requirement of such a large equity is seen as the main reason causing the racing between potential investors to be less competitive.
In addition, the investor will have to commit to not transfer their shares within five years and accept the state divestment plan which would reduce the State proportion to 30 per cent in the hospital.
The selection of investors is also based on the investor's plan for hospital development.
Though there is no official result for the selection, the T&T Group was an absolutely strategic partner of the hospital now. Strategic partner can purchase 30 per cent of share before its initial public offering (IPO), said the newspaper.
As planned, the State will hold 30 per cent of the hospital's charter capital, while the hospital's staff will have 8.7 per cent. Some 30 per cent will be for strategic investors and the remainder 31.3 per cent will be auctioned in the IPO.
The source said T&T meets all the demands of capital and they also committed to support the operation of the hospital after equitisation and maintain the maximum of the existing workforce there.
While the other competitor of Bao Son did not satisfy any of the criteria, said the newspaper.
Transport hospital was estimated at a value of VND158 billion ($7.4 million), which includes 86 per cent State capital. After its equitisation, it is expected to have a charter capital of VND168 billion ($7.8 million), equivalent to 16.8 million shares.
The hospital, which is a 21,200sq.m general hospital located at Chua Lang Street, Dong Da District, recently opened a health-care building on a total investment of $15 million.
The seven-storey building, built on nearly 17,000sq.m, has been equipped with advanced health-care facilities and 200 beds. It was built on the capital from the OPEC Fund for International Development's official development assistance.
Earlier, the transport ministry said it would finalise the hospital's equitisation plan to submit it to the Prime Minister for approval and carry out its IPO in the third quarter of this year as scheduled.
VEF/VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/Dantri/VET/VIR

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