Vietnam, Sweden to promote parliamentary ties to new level

 Vietnam’s National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Speaker of the Swedish parliament Urban Ahlin agreed to enhance their countries’ parliamentary relations during talks in Stockholm on April 6.

Solutions discussed to have 500,000 enterprises by 2020

 In order for HCM City to have 500,000 enterprises by 2020, departments, agencies and districts must have specific solutions to support and encourage business households to transform themselves into enterprises.

Coach carrying one tonne of explosives, precursors stopped

 Police in northern Lao Cai Province on Wednesday evening discovered a coach carrying more than one tonne of explosive material and precursors on National Highway 279 in Van Ban District.

VN President applauds girl for donating mother’s organs

 A 19-year-old girl in the central province of Ha Tinh has received a letter of compliment from President Tran Dai Quang applauding her decision to donate her brain-dead mother’s organs.

Central region recovers after mass fish deaths

A year after the environmental catastrophe of mass fish deaths caused by the Hung Nghiep Formosa Steel Corporation, residents along the central coast are trying to return to a normal life.

One still missing after Bac Lieu boat capsize

Search for the last missing victim in the Bac Lieu boat capsize is continuing on Friday, Bui Minh Tuy, chairman of Dong Hai District People’s Committee, said.

HSC seeks to scrap cap on foreign ownership

 HCM Securities Corporation (sticker HCM) is seeking its shareholders’ approval to scrap the foreign ownership cap of 49 per cent to pave way for the company to be wholly foreign invested.

Vietnam among top investors in Cambodia

 Viet Nam continued to be among the top five investors in Cambodia as of December 2016, with US$2.85 billion registered capital invested in 183 projects.

Affluent Vietnamese buy American lobsters, foreign fruits

Eating American lobsters is now in vogue in Vietnam. They cannot be found at traditional markets and must be bought from online shops and shops specializing in distributing luxury imports. 

Soaking in the slowness of northern mountain life

 Travellers looking to experience a slow pace of life should visit Hoàng Thu Phố Commune in the northern province of Lao Cai’s Bac Ha District.

Trans-Vietnam train journey named among Asia’s best vistas

 UK-based travel publisher Rough Guides has described Viet Nam’s north-south rail link as one of the most scenic routes in Asia.

Vietnam's Q2 GDP growth forecast: 5.6%

 Viet Nam’s GDP in the second quarter of this year is forecast to expand 5.6 per cent or 6.27 per cent, depending on two scenarios, expert said.

Investor group to strengthen Sacombank

The former chairman of Sacombank, Dang Van Thanh, and prestigious international partners will strengthen the financial capacity of Sacombank by increasing its charter capital by VNĐ20,600 billion (US$907 million).

VN eyes stricter sand exploitation penalties

Stricter punishment, particularly criminal charges, should be imposed on illegal sand exploitation activities, said Politburo member and president of the Viet Nam Father Land Front Central Committe, Nguyen Thien Nhan.

Vietnamese bakery, confectionery sector attracted to foreign partners

 The Vietnamese market is witnessing an increasing number of large bakery and confectionery companies, highlighting the sector’s potential for foreign investors, Dieter Dohr, general director-cum-chairman of GHM Company, said.

Domestic price hike hurts VN rice exporters

 The abnormal surge in domestic rice prices in this year’s winter-spring crop has caused some rice exporters, who had signed export contracts before the harvest season, to suffer losses during the first quarter.

Ascott partners with BIM Group to develop condotel

 The Ascott Limited, among the world’s largest international serviced residence owner-operators, has partnered with BIM Group to develop the first world-class condotel project in Quang Ninh Province under the brand Citadines.

Vietnam still seeks Chinese tourists despite ongoing problems

VietNamNet Bridge - Though some Chinese travelers have caused problems, Vietnam has said that it will roll out the red carpet to travelers of all nationalities.

When more is less: VN growth deficient in quality

 The number of new enterprises established in the country has gone up and the inflow of foreign direct investment into the country has increased, but the quality of national growth remains unaffected or diminished.

VN Civil Aviation Authority considers applying floor price for domestic airfares

 The transport ministry has instructed the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) to study the proposal for applying a floor price for domestic air tickets.

Mekong Delta struggles with urban waste treatment

Treatment of urban waste is proving to be a challenge for Mekong Delta provinces because the operation of many garbage treatment plants has been delayed due to disputes over pricing and investors are shying away since it is not a lucrative business.

Vietnamese athletes to vie for Asian table tennis glory

 The 23rd ITTF-Asian Table Tennis Championships will be held in Jiangsu Province’s Wuxi City, China this weekend.

Vietnamese lifters win gold, bronze at world champs

Luu Thi Chuc My of Vietnam on Thursday came third in the women’s 48kg snatch event at the ongoing IWF Youth World Weightlifting Championships in Bangkok, Thailand.

Biscom Golf Tournament 2017 scheduled for May

 The Biscom Golf Tournament 2017 is scheduled for May 6-7 at the FLC Quy Nhon Golf Links in the southern province of Binh Dinh.

Da Nang Airport transformed into tropical garden

 The first decorative mural painting, part of an art project to turn Da Nang Airport into a tropical garden, by artists from Tan Hanoi Art Company was recently completed.