New Year welcomed nationwide

Fri, 01/02/2004 - 09:44


Many cultural activities were held in localities across the country to welcome the New Year 2004 and celebrate the socio-economic achievements in 2003.

Thousands of Hanoians took to the streets bedecked with coloured lights and flowers in the evening and flocked to major cultural and sports centres such as the Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square, Lenin Park, I Ghandi public garden, Ba Kieu Temple and Van Dien town.

Garment exporters should pay more attention to non-quota markets

Tue, 12/16/2003 - 17:39


(12/16/2003 -- 22:21GMT+7)

Ha Noi, Dec. 16 (VNA) - "Garment businesses should not stick to the US market only but many non-quota markets such as Japan, Canada and the Middle East," said Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan.

He was speaking at a conference entitled "Challenges and Solutions to the Garment Sector Beyond 2004" held by the Ministry of Trade (MOT) in Ha Noi on Tuesday.

Viet Nam sets itself to double agricultural output over next five

Tue, 12/16/2003 - 17:37


(12/16/2003 -- 16:51GMT+7)

Ha Noi, Dec. 16 (VNA)- Viet Nam plans to launch an initiative to increase the agricultural output value to 31 million VND per ha in the next five years. The current yield is only 17 million VND.

Each ha of agricultural land, therefore, will yield almost 20 million VND on average.

The drive will thus improve rural farmers' incomes, said the Agricultural Economics Institute.

Car makers cheer 2003, brace for 2004

Tue, 12/16/2003 - 17:13



by Phi Hung

Viet Nam’s 11 foreign-backed auto makers achieved a record 66 per cent sales growth in the first 11 months of the year, as customers rushed to snap up cars ahead of next year’s tax hikes.

The companies, also known as the Viet Nam Auto Makers Association (VAMA), reported nearly 35,000 sales in the January-November period.

But many dealers said they are now out of stock, creating a fever in one of the smallest car markets in the region.

Swiss firms eye catfish market

Tue, 12/16/2003 - 17:12


AN GIANG — Several large Swiss businesses that visited Viet Nam recently said they wanted to set up deals to buy Vietnamese catfish.

Six Swiss firms - Eurogroup, Co-op, Sippo, Binca, Seafood and Marioult - expressed interest in establishing trade ties and praised the farmers for their technological methods.

The An Giang Fisheries Import and Export Joint Stock Company (Agifish) in the Cuu Long River Delta provided the Swiss group with information on tra and ba sa fish and other aquatic products raised in the province.

Viet Nam signs UN convention against corruption

Fri, 12/12/2003 - 17:07


(12/12/2003 -- 19:57GMT+7)

Ha Noi, Dec. 12 (VNA) - Viet Nam has joined the United Nations (UN) convention against corruption.

Chief State Inspector Quach Le Thanh, head of a Vietnamese government delegation, signed the pact at a ceremony held from Dec. 9-11 in Merida, Mexico. The signing showed the Vietnamese Party and State's determination to fight corruption and their readiness to establish international cooperation.

Viet Nam was among 95 nations to sign the treaty.

Viet Nam to take trade restriction measures to defend itself

Thu, 12/11/2003 - 17:55

(12/11/2003 -- 17:49GMT+7)

Ha Noi, Dec. 11 (VNA)- Viet Nam reserves the right to increase import taxes, impose quotas, duties and other trade restriction measures "in order to defend itself", according to a recent Government decree.

Under the decree that provides guide lines to a state ordinance, seven measures will be taken for trade protection.

Unilever has a taste of success in Vietnam

Tue, 12/02/2003 - 11:02


By Amy Kazmin
FT.com site; Dec 02, 2003



As a young girl, Dang Thi Hoa, a 60-year-old native of the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc, heard stories of how her grandmother used to sail to nearby Cambodia to sell a popular sauce that islanders, including her family, made from fermented anchovies.

Garment exports earn 3.37 billion USD

Mon, 12/01/2003 - 17:36

(12/01/2003 -- 22:44GMT+7)

Ha Noi, Nov. 1 (VNA) - So far this year, Viet Nam has exported 3.37 billion USD worth of textiles and garments, a 38.3 percent increase over the same period last year.


According to the Ministry of Trade, the export value would have been higher if there had been no problems with exports to the US. The mismatch between the number of US-bound exports that were granted export licenses by the Vietnamese side and those registered by the US customs led to a temporarly halt in the granting of visas to some Vietnamese products.

Number of foreign tourists increases 11.5 percent in November

Mon, 12/01/2003 - 17:34


(12/01/2003 -- 22:39GMT+7)

Ha Noi, Dec. 1 (VNA) - Viet Nam welcomed 248, 700 foreign visitors in November, a year-on-year increase of 11.5 percent.

In total, the country received more than 2.1 million foreigners in the past 11 months. It is expected to welcome more than 2.3 million foreigners, mainly from China, the US, Taiwan, the UK and the Republic of Korea.

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