There is great anticipation that automobile prices in Vietnam will decrease by 10-15 percent in the case of older models and 5-10 percent in the case of new models as automobile import tariffs are cut to zero under the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement.

 Shares declined on the two national stock exchanges on December 19, dragged by the slump of brewer Sabeco, but cash flow remained strong which opened an opportunity for a recovery in the next session.

 Vietnamese martial artists returned home on December 18 with four golds won at the first Wushu Sanda Asian Cup held in China. 

 More than 300 domestic and foreign businesses will take part in the 14th Saigon Autotech & Accessories International Exhibition scheduled in Ho Chi Minh City on May 24-27 next year.

 Vietnam will contribute more to the United Nations peacekeeping operations, said Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh.

 The 11th meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee on Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam (CLV) Development Triangle Area was declared a success in Vietnam’s southern Binh Phuoc on December 19. 

 Total import-export revenue this year reached 400 billion USD in mid December, representing a fourfold increase in ten years.

General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith on December 19 paid calls on former General Secretaries of the Communist Party of Vietnam Le Kha Phieu and Nong Duc Manh.

NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan hailed the on-going official friendly visit to Vietnam of General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith as an important political event in bilateral ties. 

 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc discussed potential fields for bilateral cooperation with President of the Moroccan House of Representatives Habib El Malki during a meeting in Hanoi on December 19.

 A delegation of Vietnam’s National Assembly led by Vice Chairman Do Ba Ty is paying an official visit to China from December 18-22, as a step to carry out cooperation agreements between the legislative bodies of the two countries. 

VietNamNet Bridge - The smartphone-based payment service market in Vietnam has become busy in the last six months, but Vietnam is still far from its ‘non-cash payment’ target.

VietNamNet Bridge - The number of radioactive sources which are temporarily stored in Vietnam is nearly 3,000 out of more than 5,000 sources. 

VietNamNet Bridge - Large amounts of hazardous waste are still transported illegally across borders from developed to developing countries, including Vietnam.

Students in other training majors who have finished their first, second or third year are allowed to shift to an IT major. 

 The Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Legislation Department has clarified that all commercial processing activities of foreign firms in Vietnam are subject to Decree No.23/2007/ND-CP issued in February 2007.

 As expected by foreign automobile manufacturers, Vietnam is considering delaying the effective date of Decree No.116/2017/ND-CP for possible revisions to ease import rules.

 The special relations between Vietnamese and Lao Parties and States hold the strategic meaning to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the respective countries as well as in the region and around the world.

There is still one week left before Christmas but the festive atmosphere is hard to avoid with many streets colourfully decorated in the capital city of Hanoi.

Fansipan mountain in Sapa district in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai has been covered with snow and frost on December 19.