The Ministry of Finance has proposed PVN focus on expediting the divestment of domestic enterprises operating in sensitive business fields such as real estate, investment funds, securities and insurance, VietnamPlus news site reported.

 The Ministry of Transport on March 21 asked the Government for approval to use VND4.2 trillion (US$181 million) to upgrade runways at Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat Airports.

 The Ministry of Health on March 21 requested the Bac Ninh government to direct the provincial Department of Health and local medical centers to stop conducting porcine tapeworm tests on children, the local media reported.

 Vietnam’s local currency (LCY) bonds outstanding stood at VND1,180.5 trillion (US$51 billion) at the end of December, down 5.3% quarter-on-quarter, but up 9.3% year-on-year, according to ADB’s latest report of the quarterly Asia Bond Monitor. 

The trimming off of 34 administrative procedures in Hanoi`s industry and trade has translated into the reduction of 116 working days, saving about VND2.4 billion (US$103,200).

 Given rapid urbanization, Vietnam is facing a series of problems that require large efforts to address, and “Cities for People” by award-winning Danish architect Jan Gehl would finally serve citizens in such cityscapes.

 Director of the Hanoi Department of Information and Communications Nguyen Ngoc Ky stressed that Hanoi’s 5G network testing is considered a basis to promote the capital’s e-government infrastructure.

 The gap between productivity level of Vietnam and regional peers has widened, placing growing pressure for Vietnam to catch up with those in the region, according to Vu Tien Loc, VCCI chairman.

Competent agencies must be aware of the qualifications of state personnel before the 13th National Congress, which is slated for 2021, Secretary General of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Nguyen Phu Trong has said. 

Global private equity firm Warburg Pincus is said to be looking at acquiring Vietnam-based resort The Grand Ho Tram, DealstreetAsia reported.

 South Korea’s conglomerate SK Group, through its investment arm SK South East Asia Investment, has decided to invest US$1 billion acquiring shares of Vietnam’s leading privately run conglomerate Vingroup, according to Bloomberg. 

 Hanoi's Department of Tourism on March 22 organized a ceremony at the Temple of Literature to launch the volunteer team to support Thang Long – Hanoi tourism in 2019.

 Minister of Information and Communication (MIC) Nguyen Manh Hung highlighted the role of 5G – the next generation of wireless technology – as the pillar of the digital economy at the ASEAN Conference on 5G in Hanoi on March 21.

 A school in the remote area of Thanh Hoa Province is still seeing a high number of drop-outs and teenage mothers among students from low-income families.

 A group of Canadian visitors have called on people to gather litter on a beach in Binh Dinh Province’s Quy Nhon City.

 The annual Danang International Fireworks Festival will be cut in half from two months to one this year according to local authorities.

 Another cold snap is forecasted to hit the northern region from March 23.

 Vietnamese start-up Momo was recently ranked as the 10th most well-funded tech start-up in the Asia-Pacific region by global information services firm CBInsights.

 Vietnamese businesses have been urged to embrace digital transformation to remain competitive and enhance their value.

 A Vietnamese start-up has built a multi-connection blockchain system which allows information sharing and exchange between ministries and businesses worldwide.

 Governor of the State Bank of Viet Nam Le Minh Hung issued a document early this week to ask co-operation from local authorities in expanding credit, part of efforts to prevent loan sharking.

 Liquidity in the interbank market has been abundant, helping the State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) resume the issuance of treasury bills after five months to withdraw Vietnamese dong from the banking system.

 Total assets of credit institutions and foreign banks in Vietnam by the end of last year surged by 10.62 per cent against the beginning of the year to more than VND11 quadrillion (US$472.1 billion).

 Japanese companies want Viet Nam to further streamline inspection procedures for imports, especially of foods.

VietNamNet Bridge - The buyers in recent big M&A deals in the real estate markets in Hanoi and HCMC were Vietnamese, not foreign investors, as seen previously.