Vietnam prepares for 8th round of WTO talks

Wed, 03/31/2004 - 11:58

Radio Voice of Vietnam

Vietnamese law-makers met with international experts on Monday for the first time to discuss Vietnam’s accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The discussions aimed to facilitate a National Assembly plan to amend and approve laws in accordance with WTO rules. The participants also joined in a live hook-up discussion with Swiss and Vietnamese representatives to the WTO on opportunities and challenges facing Vietnam should it become an official WTO member.

Vietnam committed to boosting foreign bank branches' operation

Wed, 03/31/2004 - 11:55


Vietnam New Agency - March 31, 2004

Ha Noi, Mar. 31 (VNA) - The State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) recent decision to allow foreign bank branches and joint venture banks to freely open accounts at overseas banks aims to boost their operation in Viet Nam, said an SBV official.

Kieu Huu Dung, Acting Director of the SBV's Department for Banks and Non-bank Credit Organisations, said the move was part of the bank's on-going efforts to create a level playing field for all financial institutions in Viet Nam.

Improve foreign investment policies: deputy PM

Tue, 03/30/2004 - 12:15



HA NOI — Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan told ministries and regions to improve the country’s foreign investment environment or risk falling behind the rest of Asia.

Addressing a conference on Monday, Khoan said to reach Viet Nam’s target of 8 per cent GDP this year, the country needed more foreign direct investment (FDI).

"At present, Viet Nam’s investment environment and policies are much better than they were in the 1990s," said Khoan.

Bird flu is over across Viet Nam

Tue, 03/30/2004 - 10:30


(03/30/2004 -- 21:11GMT+7)

Ha Noi, March 30 (VNA)- From March 30, bird flu was over across Viet Nam, thus bringing to normal all operations regarding to poultry raising, transportation, processing and circulation, announced Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) Le Huy Ngo on Tuesday.

The Minister told reporters that it was a big success for Viet Nam and that the country, however, will not neglect the preventive work in the future, considering it a big task to protect the country from the relapse of the epidemic.

Foreign investments in Viet Nam reach $714 million in 1st quarter

Tue, 03/30/2004 - 09:23


(03/30/2004 -- 19:14GMT+7)

Ha Noi, March 30 (VNA)- Viet Nam granted licenses to 120 foreign-invested projects with a combined registered investment of 420 million USD in the first three months of the year, said the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

The number of projects decreased 37 percent year on year, but the amount of investments rose by 11 percent, the MPI added.

Politburo resolution reaffirms overseas Vietnamese’s role

Mon, 03/29/2004 - 13:23



The Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee has released a resolution, saying the overseas Vietnamese communities abroad are inseparable from the Vietnamese nation, and that Vietnam will do its utmost to develop the great national unity.

Vietnam to remove stock market's 30% foreign investor limit

Mon, 03/29/2004 - 13:14



The Associated Press

Vietnam will lift a cap on the amount of stock foreigners can own in listed companies in an attempt to attract more investment from abroad, a government official said Monday.

Last July, Vietnam allowed foreign investors to own a maximum of 30 percent of companies listed on the market, up from the 20 percent limit that had been in place since the country's stock exchange was launched in July 2000.

MPI proposes measures to attract foreign investment

Mon, 03/29/2004 - 13:09

Radio Voice of Vietnam

The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) has proposed a score of measures to further attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and improve the investment environment at a conference in Hanoi on Monday.

According to a report delivered by Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Bich Dat, by 2003, Vietnam had licensed more than 5,400 FDI projects, of which 4,376 are currently operational, totalling US$41 billion. Industrial parks and export processing zones attracted about 1,400 FDI projects, capitalised at US$11.15 billion.

A project to popularise IT in Viet Nam

Mon, 03/29/2004 - 13:06


(03/29/2004 -- 16:58GMT+7)

Ha Noi, Mar. 29 (VNA) - Viet Nam's government has okayed a project worth one billion USD to purchase computers and train their users across the country.

The project aims to popularise information technology (IT) for about 20 million of citizens, mostly young people for the current process of national modernisation and industrialsation.

In a meeting held last week, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai said he agreed in principle to assign Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union to carry out the project.

Govt to revise intellectual property laws

Mon, 03/29/2004 - 12:50

March 26, 2004

HA NOI — A new law that would streamline earlier intellectual property legislation is in the works, said Tran Viet Hung, deputy head of the National Office of Intellectual Property.

Viet Nam’s intellectual property regulations are adequate and nearly meet the requirements of the World Trade Organisation.

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