Ha Noi's economic zones attract nearly 10,000 workers



Ha Noi, Mar. 4 (VNA) - Industrial and Export Processing Zones in Ha Noi have to-date recruited nearly 10,000 workers, accounting for 7 percent of the municipal industrial production sector;s workforce.

Working regulations for 16 enterprises have been approved and those for eight others are to be passed.

Ha Noi will strive to reduce its unemployment rate to 5.5 percent by 2005 from the current rate of 7.39 percent, according to Ms. Do Xuan Phuong, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs.

Viet Nam airlines to stop flights on Da Nang-Bangkok air route




Ha Noi, Feb. 26 (VNA) - Vietnam Airlines will cease flights on the air route between central Da Nang city and Bangkok from March 30.

This was announced at a decision signed by Luong Hoai Nam, Director of the Planning and Marketing Department of the Airline following an agreement on the halt reached by Vietnam Airline and Thai Airways.

The Da Nang-Bangkok route was inaugurated on October 30, 1999 with three flights per week. However, there have been few passengers travelling on this air link since it was made operational.

Enterprises commit to buying clean shrimp for processing

Ha Noi, Feb. 27 (VNA) - Forty enterprises, being members of the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), have committed to buying clean aquatic produce including shrimp for processing. It is one of the moves to maintain a strong foothold of Vietnamese seafood in the market.

Viet Nam exported 2.4 million tonnes of seafood last year, earning more than 2 billion USD.

One hundred Vietnamese enterprises are qualified for exporting seafood into the European Union market.

MPI calls for looser foreign investment rules

(20/Feb/2003)


The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) has called for sweeping changes that would allow 100% foreign investment in several sectors for the first time.

ADB gives $45m for govt reforms

(Viet Nam News, February 19, 2003)

HA NOI — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has pledged to lend Viet Nam US$45 million in the first phase of its support for the country’s 2001-10 public administrative reform programme.

The governor of the State Bank of Viet Nam, Le Duc Thuy and the ADB’s country director, John Samy signed off on the loan in Ha Noi on Wednesday.

The loan will fund two of the programme’s seven action plans: the training of public officials and applications of information technology, including e-governance.

PM calls on banks to take up world’s best practices

(Viet Nam News, February 19, 2003)

HA NOI — The banking sector needs to embrace international safety systems within the next five years to ensure steady development of Viet Nam’s financial system, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai has said.

Speaking at a conference of the State-owned Vietcombank on Monday, he said that commercial banks should offer more services, save on social costs, reduce the use of cash and enable the Government to manage funds more efficiently.

PM urges move to greater local powers

(Viet Nam Ne­ws, February 19, 2003)

HA NOI — Prime Minister Phan Van Khai has described a further devolution of power to the local administration as a cornerstone of the current process of reorganising the administrative system.

Speaking at an Interior Affairs Ministry conference on Monday in Ha Noi, he told officials that decentralisation of power to the provincial level down to the grassroots was an urgent and important task at the moment.

Viet Nam resolved to observe child convention


HA NOI— Viet Nam has renewed its firm commitment to implementing the United Nations’ International Convention on the Right of the Child, said the Committee for Population, Family Planning and Child Care at a press briefing here on Wednesday.

"The country has made strenuous endeavours to reconcile the convention and the national law, including amendments and supplements to children’s rights codes," the conference was told.

Gov't permits private sector to produce films



Ha Noi, Feb. 19 (VNA) - Viet Nam's government has allowed private organisations and individuals to establish film studios in line with the Enterprise Law that took effect in the beginning of 2001.

Under a decision freshly issued by the Ministry of Culture and Information, the establishment of film studios must be qualified for the following conditions:

The owners or directors of film studios are Vietnamese citizens, who have their own office buildings and behaviourial capability according to law.

Central city lengthens priority list of foreign invested projects


Da Nang city, Feb. 19 (VNA) - The central coastal city of Da Nang is offering foreign investors incentives in 54 projects mostly in industries and tourism in an effort to woo an estimated 432 million USD for 2003-2010.

The list is to be announced at a conference scheduled for March 6-7 of which the agenda will focus the local preferencial taxes on land use rights and other favourable policies and administrative reforms.

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