Xiamen Port Holding Group has had a working session with the Ha Tinh People’s Committee, expressing its willingness to open the Vung Ang – Xiamen container route and develop a port in Vung Ang.

The largest steelmaker in Vietnam is considering a hold on its third blast furnace facility due to concerns with China’s steel presence in the country.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) on Monday launched an anti-dumping investigation on Biaxial Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) film originating from China, Thailand and Malaysia.

The Thai Nguyen Department of Natural Resources and the Environment has proposed stopping the recycling of Formosa’s slag to make steel, saying that slag cannot meet the requirements for recycling.

While some economists warned of the possibility of Vietnam lagging further behind regional countries, others believe that Vietnam will still perform well.

Local steel industry is projected to enjoy a growth rate of some 10 per cent during 2019 which would be primarily driven by two key projects in the central region, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has said.

VietNamNet Bridge - The great achievements in attracting large amounts of FDI have been overshadowed by concerns about pollution risks.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Fly ash from Formosa steel company (FHS) has passed quality assessments and can be used to produce cement, the environment ministry has said.

VietNamNet Bridge - This annual selection was compiled by Tin Moi Truong, a member of the Vietnam Association for Nature and Environmental Protection, and journalists.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Two companies involved in an illegal case of hazardous waste landfill in central Ha Tinh Province have been fined a total VND1 billion or US $45,000.

Under the national standards QCVN 51:2013/BTNMT, the reference oxygen content is 7 percent, but MONRE is allowing Formosa to apply the reference oxygen content of 15 percent.

While government officials and some economists are optimistic about economic performance this year, other analysts say growth is unsustainable because it relies too much on the foreign-invested economic sector.

National Assembly deputies have agreed that Vietnam needs to increase expenses on environmental protection after the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MONRE) reported that spending in 2017 can satisfy only 55 percent of the demand.

If Vietnam does not change its way of developing its economy, it could be listed among the world’s top 10 countries with high pollution by 2035 and surpass China in pollution levels, economists have warned.

Industrial waste dumped at landfills is causing significant environmental problems in the country. As Vietnam's economy grows, industrial waste disposal has become more of a challenge. 

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam is determined not to sacrifice the environment in exchange for foreign direct investment (FDI). 

JA Solar Vietnam is building a big $280 million solar panel plant in Bac Giang province, though it has still not submitted a report on the possible impact on the environment as stipulated by law.

VietNamNet Bridge - The role of Vietnamese scientists in the country’s development and people’s livelihoods was especially apparent in 2016.

VietNamNet Bridge – The People’s Committee of the north central province of Quang Tri has made a decision to allocate Vinh Linh district an extra of VND61.6 billion (US$2.7 million) in compensation for the sea environment disaster