The General Department of State Reserves has said contractors would be selected for 196 rice storage bidding packages for the national reserves this year.

The General Department has tasked 22 regional state reserve departments in the country to invite tenders for a total of 220,000 tons of rice for the country’s rice reserves.

Bidding is set to begin this month, with a submission deadline scheduled at 9:00 a.m. on May 2. The bid opening session must wrap up within two hours from the submission deadline.

Under a domestic and online bidding format, the contractor selection will use the one-phase and one-envelope method.

The bidding packages include a 5% value-added tax (VAT) and cover both packaging and delivery to the designated warehouses of the regional state reserve departments, as per Directive No. 164/QD-TCDT issued by the General Department of State Reserves.

Should market fluctuations influence rice prices, the regional state reserve departments must promptly notify the General Department of State Reserves, ensuring rice prices match current market levels and comply with the price cap imposed by the Ministry of Finance.

The reserved rice is required to meet quality standards, including being long-grain, 15% broken, and domestically sourced from the 2024 winter-spring crop in southern Vietnam.

Beautycare Expo 2024 opens in Hanoi

The Beautycare Expo 2024 kicked off Hanoi on April 18, featuring over 250 booths from more than 15 countries and territories.

The three-day gathering serves as a pivotal event in the beauty sector, showcasing cutting-edge solutions and technologies from countries and territories such as Germany, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, mainland China, Taiwan (China), Morocco and more. It presents an auspicious platform for businesses to extend their networks, forge new partnerships and seek international collaborative ventures.

A wide array of products is on display and introduced at the event, ranging from cosmetics, spa products, massage essentials and cosmetology items to skincare solutions, haircare products, nail accessories, oral hygiene products, OEM/ODM services, packaging options, private labels, beauty supplements, contact lenses and fashion glasses.

Beyond B2B engagements, the expo encompasses diverse activities, including a forum addressing the 2024 beauty industry market and a livestream session featuring renowned beauty influencers.

At the opening ceremony, Ha Thi Phuong Lam, Chairwoman of Adpex JSC and Global Exhibition and Conference JSC – the event organiser, emphasised the escalating demand for quality beauty solutions amid socio-economic advancement. She expressed hopes that this expo would catalyse bilateral cooperation between nations and bolstering business ties in Vietnam and across Southeast Asia.

Park Su Keun, President of the Busan Cosmetics Business Association, expressed his motivation for joining the Beautycare Expo 2024 in Hanoi, citing the apparent convergence and interconnection of beauty trends between the RoK and Vietnam./.

Vietnam Airlines, Sun Group promote Vietnam’s tourism in RoK

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and Sun Group on April 17 held a tourism promotion event themed “The Magnificent Vietnam” in Seoul, aiming to promote Vietnam’s tourism potential, flights, and trade opportunities for Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK).

The event, the third of its kind, saw the participation of the Vietnamese Ambassador to the RoK Vu Ho, representatives from Vietnam Airlines and its branches in the RoK, as well as partners of Vietnam Airlines and Sun Group.

Nguyen Huy Duc, head of the Vietnam Airlines branch in the RoK, said the number of Korean visitors to Vietnam is growing strongly. In the first quarter of 2024, the number rose about 52% to about 1.2 million from the same period last year. In particular, the national flag carrier has seen a strong increase in the number of its business class passengers, showing a trend that more Koreans wish to experience good service quality in tourism and aviation, and are willing to pay a high cost to enjoy a comfortable trip.

Duc said that seeing the trend, Vietnam Airlines introduces high-quality products to Korean customers and partners to jointly develop the market and increase in the number of tourists from the RoK to Vietnam.

At the event, Vietnam Airlines and Sun Group introduced to partners special services focusing on Korean customers. They are also seeking partners to develop cooperation to promote ticket sales, create more unique and creative tourism and resort products to promote competitive advantages and attract more Korean tourists. 

Meanwhile, in the first quarter of 2024, nearly 120,000 Vietnamese tourists travelled to the RoK, a year-on-year increase of 38.9% and a 8.5% rise from the same period in 2019 before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the RoK attracted more than 420,000 Vietnamese tourists, making Vietnam the largest tourist source of the RoK in Southeast Asia and the 5th largest source of tourists to the RoK worldwide. In contrast, the RoK remained the largest source market of Vietnam tourism as it welcomed about 3.6 million Korean visitors last year.

Vietnam Airlines resumed all its flights to the RoK in late 2022. It currently operates 112 flights between the two countries weekly./.

Rapid law implementation may propel market fortunes

With quicker implementation of Vietnam’s new land law, the real estate market can resume normal operations and enter a more robust development cycle from the second half of this year.

Last week, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh issued urgent instructions on speeding up implementation of the upcoming Land Law.

The prime minister requested relevant authorities to quickly complete documents so that the law could move into effect on July 1 this year instead of the beginning of 2025.

According to Dr. Tran Xuan Luong, deputy director of the Market Data Research Institute, speedier implementation of the law will bring positive effects to the real estate market, especially housing supply.

“When supply increases, it will help reduce house prices, thereby increasing people’s opportunities to access housing,” Luong said.

“Investors and developers are looking forward to the implementation of the new law, which will remove obstacles for a range of projects that are struggling due to stalled procedures and lack of legality. For them, the earlier the better,” he said.

Le Hoang Chau, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Real Estate Association, said that the new law being applied from July 1 would help to remove bottlenecks for the market. “One of the most important points of the new Land Law is to remove the old land pricing system. Local authorities will now base the pricing on the purpose, land use term, and input information of a property to determine the land price according to the market. Parties have been waiting for that for a long time,” Chau said.

Besides this, the new law also allows for the expansion of limits on transfer of agricultural land use rights by individuals, and regulations on agricultural land concentration and accumulation. “This will promote large-scale agricultural development and draw in more business participation,” Chau added.

In addition, the law also provides a legal framework for tourism real estate, deemed a black spot of the current law, causing commercial housing projects to not be approved for long periods. The new law will help localities have a basis for approving such schemes.

Believing that large cash flows from the stock market or from savings could soon land in the real estate market, many investors have launched products in recent months with a series of incentives.

Last month Gamuda Land announced an attractive sales policy for Eaton Park in Thu Duc of Ho Chi Minh City. Accordingly, customers will only need to spend 5 per cent of the apartment value to sign a contract.

With a favourable payment schedule of up to five years, in the first three years buyers only need to pay 30 per cent, in six instalments, until receiving notice of handover of the apartment.

When receiving a home, the buyers then must pay an additional 35 per cent, and the remaining cost is divided into two instalments of 15 per cent each for the next year. In addition, the developer also offers a preferential discount rate, usually no less than 5 per cent, for early applications.

The Standard villa project in the southern province of Binh Duong, through An Gia Group, applies a payment policy of 10 per cent and buyers can move in immediately, with a sum of 20 per cent paid in the following 12 months. The buyers after that can pause payments for up to two years from the date of signing the sales contract before they have to pay another 65 per cent.

In addition, An Gia also issued a commitment policy to rent town houses and shophouse products with rental incentives of VND25-40 million ($1,000-1,600) per month, lasting up to 18 months.

“Buying a house that has been handed over, but dividing payments into smaller portions, will help customers get a home right away without needing a bank loan, and give people more time to balance and prepare cash flow,” an An Gia representative said.

Other groups such as Nam Long, Hung Thinh, and Vinhomes are all offering attractive discounts and payment policies.

“Observing the stock market recently with liquidity sometimes reaching up to VND35 trillion ($1.4 million) per day or savings interest rates falling sharply to less than 5 per cent per a year, investors believe that there will be cash flow in the near future. This is an opportunity to dominate the market and draw in customers for a new growth cycle,” said investor Nguyen Manh Cuong.

According to Dr. Nguyen Huu Huan from Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics, the market can now thrive thanks to the government’s issuance of policies to remove obstacles for real estate businesses.

“One of the bright signs is that looser monetary policy has encouraged money to flow into investment channels instead of just savings. When the stock market gets better and real estate liquidity increases again, in a short time, cash flow will begin to move from stocks to real estate. Such a movement of cash will bring expectations for the property market to gradually recover by the end of 2024,” Huan said.

Economic expert Dr. Nguyen Tri Hieu said that when savings interest rates decrease, investors are no longer that interested in saving. Instead, they will aim for channels that bring higher profits, including putting money into real estate or in manufacturing and business.

“From Q3/2024, the market will welcome a large amount of cash flow into real estate with the expectation that this will be an investment channel that brings good, stable profits. Investors need to take advantage of this time to put down money with many incentives from developers,” Hieu said.

He added that the high increase demand of end-users, and not speculators, will be one of the decisive factors in forming products for real estate businesses in 2024 and beyond. In provinces and cities with diverse economic development, there is a need for more supply to meet demand.

In its residential industry report published in March, Mirae Asset Securities Company said that the most difficult period of the real estate market had passed and the recovery process was gradually taking place, with the main catalysts being rapid urbanisation, accelerated public investment, increasing demand for accommodation, and government determination.

Mirae Asset cited that the total number of new apartments launched in Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding areas this year are expected to have about 12,000-15,000 units.

“Although new supply is relatively limited in the first months of the year, there will be stronger growth in the second half of the year, thanks to legal policies starting to take effect,” the report said.

According to Savills Vietnam, the number of new apartments opened for sale in Ho Chi Minh City in 2024 will quadruple compared to the previous year. It is expected that by 2026, the market will receive about over 115 new projects, providing an additional 40,000 apartments to the current supply.

Coffee growers in Dak Lak worry about poor crop

Coffee growers in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak have enjoyed sharply increasing prices but are also worried about the poor crop due to droughts and diseases.

H Loan Nie from Cu M’gar District said the family harvested 1.50 tonnes of coffee from one hectare before the Lunar New Year 2024. With a price of VND80,000  per kilo, they earned VND120 million (USD4,800). To date, the coffee price has risen to VND105,000 per kilo.

However, according to Loan, the dry season has come earlier and lasted longer than usual this year, affecting coffee trees. “My coffee garden is quite far from the reservoirs. We mainly use wells for irrigation, but the groundwater is drying up. Our family’s coffee productivity would be severely hit this year,” Loan concerned.

Coffee farmers in Dak Lak have also fretted over attacks from the mealybugs which can spread quickly.

Y Toan Bya from Ea Ning Commune in Cu Kuin District reported that mealybugs have appeared densely in his family's 1.5-hectare coffee farm over the past few days.

In the previous season, mealybugs also appeared but not as much as this year. He used pesticides but the pests were not removed.

Dak Lak is known as the country’s coffee hub with a total area of 212,000 hectares. Every year, Dak Lak’s coffee output is estimated at around 520,000 tonnes, accounting for more than 30 percent of the national output. Coffee from Dak Lak is exported to over 100 countries.

Businesses advised to meet Halal standards to boost exports to Malaysia

Vietnamese enterprises should strive to meet the relevant standards in terms of product quality, food safety, and hygiene, especially Halal certification, in order to make inroads into the Malaysian market, suggested industry insiders.

According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and Malaysia in the opening two months of the year surged by 17.3% year on year to US$2.3 billion.

Vietnamese exports to the Malaysian market enjoyed impressive growth, including iron and steel which rose by 66.9%and phones and accessories which went up by 71.2%.

Among other export items, chemicals witnessed a sharp rise of 269%, while agricultural products such as rice and coffee also experienced impressive growth of 145.3% and 86.3%, respectively.

Le Phu Cuong, Vietnamese Trade Counselor in Malaysia, emphasised that there remains plenty of room for Vietnamese goods to enjoy robust growth in the Malaysian market moving forward thanks to its huge purchasing power, diverse needs, and similarities to Vietnamese goods.

Malaysia boasts large market openness, low technical barriers for Vietnamese exports, while both countries are involved in several agreements within the ASEAN and ASEAN Plus frameworks, especially the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Moreover, Malaysia is currently lacking domestic supplies of many essential foods such as rice and seafood.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese exports to this market face a number of challenges as Malaysia is home to a large native Muslim population, accounting for more than 65% of its citizens. The country is promoting the application of Halal standards for imported food, according to the Vietnamese Trade Office.

Cuong revealed that the application of Halal standards has created non-tariff barriers whilst increasing costs for food export products, but said obtaining this certificate will help Vietnamese products to reach out to a larger number of Muslim consumers.

Aside from non-tariff barriers, Vietnamese exports to this market must face fierce competition from regional peers, including China, Thailand, and Indonesia.

In addition, local businesses also tend to encounter foreign language barriers and cultural differences, as well as risks of trade fraud when gaining entry to the market.

Experts have therefore advised local firms to proactively update information on the trade potential that exists between Vietnam and Malaysia, as well as other Muslim countries, thereby devising proper plans to expand markets and seek investment partners in this market.

Digital transformation means more than increasing revenue

The goals of digital transformation are not simply to increase revenue or improve management efficiency, but how to obtain the best added value and optimise resources, Lê Nguyễn Trường Giang, Director of the Digital Transformation Strategy Institute, said.

Giang said at the conference on accelerating digital transformation in Quảng Ninh on Sunday that enterprises should clearly understand digital transformation in order to develop their plans.

He said digital transformation is not a movement, trend, or fad. He added that if enterprises only care about increasing sales, improving customer service, and improving management efficiency, the answer should not be digital transformation but increasing information technology application.

He stressed that digital transformation helps provide enterprises with solutions to increase sales, achieve the best added value, and optimise resources.

Digital transformation is the process in which the unmeasurable becomes measurable and the uncountable becomes countable, he said.

For example, enterprises often complain that they find it difficult to access credit, but if they have a good data system, digital transformation will simplify everything because their capacity can now be measured. In addition, measuring enterprises’ resources will help them develop effective solutions for optimisation, he said.

Giang said that the first important step in digital transformation is providing training about knowledge and skills, especially for decision – making positions.

Phạm Thanh Hà, director of VTI Solutions, said there is increasing attention among enterprises to digital transformation. Some planned to spend from 5 to 10 per cent of their revenue on digital transformation.

However, the road remains challenging.

Hà pointed out that few enterprises have raised master plans for digital transformation, but they tend to implement transformation in small parts first and then integrate later, which often causes more difficulties and increases costs.

In addition, Việt Nam’s manufacturing industry is heavily dependent on cheap labour, which raises difficulties in using modern technologies.

According to an annual report about digital transformation by the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the US Agency for International Development, 48.8 per cent of surveyed enterprises applied at least a digital transformation solution but stopped because of inappropriateness.

Only 7.6 per cent developed digital transformation plans for short and long terms.

Another problem is that digital transformation is carried out sporadically without synchronous connection, he said.

According to Trịnh Văn Biển, digital transformation manager of Misa Joint Stock Company, although the awareness of digital transformation is increasing, the implementation is not adequate.

Most enterprises only implement digital transformation in small parts of their operation. For example, trading and services enterprises only focus on financial management and sales, while manufacturing focuses on improving production capacity.

Biên said that enterprises will need support to develop more comprehensive digital transformation plans. 

Resolute measures must be deployed to ensure electricity supply during peaks

Resolute implementation of measures must be deployed to ensure electricity supply during peak periods in this year and the following years.

This was the order of Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính following the Official Dispatch 38/CĐ-TTg that he signed on Monday, regarding the resolute, comprehensive and effective implementation of measures to ensure electricity supply during peak periods this year and the following years.

The dispatch was issued in the context of the potential risk of electricity shortage this year. Electricity consumption during the dry season (from May to July) is forecast to increase significantly (up to 13 per cent, much higher than the estimation of 9.6 per cent). Particularly, the northern region is expected to see a record increase of 17 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Therefore, PM Chính told the Minister of Industry and Trade to implement the approved plans for electricity supply and operation of the national power system this year to timely meet the upcoming electricity demand and ensure no power shortages under any circumstances.

The ministry was also assigned to monitor the management and operation of the power system to ensure safety, efficiency and minimisation of incidents.

The ministry was required to submit a mechanism of Direct Power Purchase Agreement (DPPA) for issuance before April 30; a mechanism to encourage rooftop solar power development; and policies for the development of gas power, offshore wind power and coastal wind power projects.

For electricity transmission projects, Chính tasked relevant units to expedite the progress of the 500kV transmission line circuit 3 from Quảng Trạch to Phố Nối to be operational before June 30, 2024; as well as electricity transmission projects from Laos to supply power to the northern region.

He also urged localities to implement electricity-saving measures, prioritise maximum reserve water sources for power generation during peak periods, and promote efficient use of resources.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development was ordered to guide localities to expedite procedures related to forest land-use conversion and temporary forest use, to accelerate the implementation of power generation and grid projects.

Vietnam Electricity (EVN), Việt Nam Oil and Gas Group (PVN), and Việt Nam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group - Vinacomin (TKV) were urged to effectively implement electricity purchase contracts, coal supply and gas supply for the national interests, combatting negativity and waste; and promptly addressing power source incidents.

PM Chính also assigned EVN to speed up electricity project schedules. Specifically, the 500kV transmission line circuit 3 from Quảng Trạch to Phố Nối was told to complete steel pole installation by April 30, begin pole installation by May 31, string wires and be put into operation by June 30, 2024.

The EVN must make efforts to complete transmission projects to serve electricity imports from Laos in May 2024, such as Đắk Oóc Station and Nậm Sum - Nông Cống 200kV transmission line.

Localities are urgently required to implement plans for the National Power Development Plan 8, and large-scale projects in the northern region such as the Nghi Sơn LNG Plant in Thanh Hóa Province and Quỳnh Lập LNG in Nghệ An Province.

Commencement was targeted in the second quarter of 2025, with electricity generation completion of the Quảng Ninh LNG and Thái Bình LNG plants by 2027.

Heads of the People's Committees in localities must instruct relevant agencies to implement electricity-saving measures, especially applying optimal solutions, using automation technology, solar energy, replacing energy-saving lights in public lighting, advertising and outdoor decoration.

They were also tasked to direct local agencies to closely coordinate with ministries, sectors, EVN, and investors of hydropower plants to use water resources optimally, ensuring agricultural production and daily life, while maximising backup water sources for power generation during peak periods.

The Minister of Information and Communications was assigned to coordinate with Vietnam News Agency, Việt Nam Television, Voice of Việt Nam and EVN to enhance information dissemination about policies, electricity pricing calculations, continue transparency, and publicise data and information related to the electricity industry to create social consensus.

Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà was directly responsible for inspecting, urging and handling relevant issues within his authority and to report to the Prime Minister if the issues were beyond his authority.

The Government Office was ordered to monitor and urge the implementation of the dispatch, and report to the Prime Minister on the implementation results. 

Hanoi to build 14 urban railway lines

Hanoi intends to build 14 urban railway lines totaling 550 kilometers as part of its recently updated transportation planning.

“This urban railway system will serve as the "backbone" of the city's urban transport.

Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Duong Duc Tuan shared the view during a meeting between the city’s leaders and an inspection delegation from the Standing Committee of the National Assembly to discuss  Hanoi’s transportation situation during the 2009-2023 period on April 15.

According to Tuan, Hanoi will focus resources on completing seven-ring road projects and radial and regional roads. Additionally, the city aims to transition to green and clean transportation methods and increase the share of public passenger transport to approximately 30% by 2025-2026, Tuan continued.

Hanoi passed Resolution 04 in 2017 to restrict motorcycles in urban districts by 2030. However, seven years later, implementing the resolution has proven challenging due to the low usage of public transportation. Studies have shown that restricting motorcycles would only be feasible when public transport usage reaches 30-50%, which is currently just 19.5% in Hanoi.

"When Hanoi completes its plan to build 400 kilometers of railway by 2035, only then will it be feasible to restrict motorcycles," said Tuan.

Tuan also noted that the city will replace the existing Kim Ma – Yen Nghia Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line with an urban railway.

“The BRT system is a precursor to the development of urban railways,” said Tuan.

The 2011 master plan for the capital and the city's 2016 transportation plan envisaged eight BRT lines, but only one has been completed so far. However, this BRT line has significant limitations as it occupies one-third of the width of the Giang Vo - Lang Ha - Le Van Luong radial axis as a priority lane.

"The rapid bus system has turned into a regular, slow bus system. With adjustments to the general plan for transport, the city will replace the Kim Ma - Yen Nghia BRT line with Urban Railway Line 11," said Tuan.

The 01 Kim Ma - Yen Nghia  BRT Line was inaugurated in December 2016 with a total investment of over $55 million. The line stretches over 14 km and operates 55 buses with an 80-seat capacity, each costing over VND5 billion ($200,000).

The project was funded by a loan from the World Bank to reduce congestion and pollution and lay the foundation for the development of public transportation infrastructure.

Vietnam facing serious water shortage for daily operation, farming

The extreme heat in various regions of Vietnam is expected to last until May 2024, leading a severe shortage of water for daily and farming activities.

For many weeks, the water supply to Da Huoai Water Plant has been disrupted as the water level of Da M’re Stream was dangerously low. The water plant decided to stop distributing water from April 16, affecting about 700 households in the area.

Therefore, yesterday afternoon, the People’s Committee of Da Huoai District in Lam Dong Province urgently directed Da M’ri Town to assign sufficient human resources and equipment to help this water plant to dredge and clear Da M’re Stream to maintain the water flow into the plant. This will ensure local residents are provided with essential water volume for their daily operation.

From April 13-16, the Military Command of Kien Giang Province cooperated with Kien Giang Water Supply and Drainage One-member Co. Ltd. to deliver over 200,000 liters of domestic water for dwellers in Giang Thanh District and Ha Tien City, which are experiencing serious water shortage. The activity shows a strong bond between the community and the military in coping with difficulties.

On April 16, Director Tran Van Phuc of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Binh Dinh Province informed that due to low precipitation last year and the extreme heat from the beginning of this year, 28 out of 164 reservoirs for domestic use and agricultural activities in the province are out of water.

The province is planning to stop growing rice on 2,000ha of paddy field and to switch to other drought-resistant crops. Farmers are encouraged to adopt water-saving irrigation methods while helping to reinforce local irrigation systems in order to make the most of available water and avoid waste.

Despite those efforts, if there is still no rain by this May, about 6,000 households in the province will have faced a severe shortage of domestic water, especially those living in the districts of Van Canh, and Tay Son.

On the same day, the People’s Committee of Di Linh District in Lam Dong Province reported a lack of irrigation water for over 10,000ha of crops, mainly in the communes of Tam Bo, Gia Hiep, Dinh Lac, Gia Bac, and Son Dien. This means about 600ha of coffee trees are experiencing leaf burning and falling due to lack of water.

The water levels in 53 reservoirs of the province are extremely low or even empty. For instance, Lang Juh Lake in Gung Re Commune is only available for irrigation use for 2 days, and Kon Rum Lake in Hoa Bac Commune has only 10 percent of its usual water volume.

The National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting forecasts that El Nino will continue until this July, but with a weakening intensity before turning to the balanced state with a probability of 75-80 percent.

Deputy Director of this center Hoang Phuc Lam added that there might be typhoons or tropical depressions on the East Sea from now until July, but the quantity is lower than the average of many years. Meanwhile, hot weather is expected in the Northern and Central regions of Vietnam from May to July, whereas this extreme weather in the Central Highlands and Southern regions is predicted to last until the first half of May.

NA deputies propose sale of OTC drugs on e-commerce platforms

The majority of members in the NA Standing Committee of Social Affairs proposed that e-commerce businesses can only sell over-the-counter (OTC) medicines.

Members of the NA Standing Committee of Social Affairs voiced their opinions on the amended Law project supplementing several articles of the Pharmacy Law, which was submitted to the committee for comments yesterday afternoon.

Through preliminary examination of the project, the Standing Committee of Social Affairs noted that the draft law amending drug and medicinal raw material business activities includes trading of drugs and medicinal raw materials in e-commerce platforms.

Accordingly, the project amends the prohibited behavior of doing pharmaceutical business at places other than registered pharmaceutical business locations. The project supplements regulations on trading, buying and selling activities in e-commerce platforms, rights and responsibilities of pharmaceutical business establishments on e-commerce platforms.

The Standing Committee of Social Affairs commented that legislating regulations on trading drugs and medicinal ingredients by e-commerce method is necessary to adjust problems that have arisen in practice and legal gaps. However, because this is a new issue, the draft law needs to provide more specific provisions on this content; for instance, it is necessary to determine in the law project which drugs can be traded and the forms of business to be carried out in e-commerce platforms and those who can participate in buying and selling to create transparency of regulations.

Regarding drugs sold via e-commerce, there are still two different opinions. The first type of opinion suggests that e-commerce business regulations only apply to non-prescription drugs; however, other people proposed to regulate the application of e-commerce business for both non-prescription and prescription drugs to ensure people's access to diverse sources of drugs.

Regarding this issue, the majority of members in the Standing Committee of Social Affairs agree on the first type of opinion, because according to them, medicine is a specific product that directly affects the lives and health of people, while trading in e-commerce platforms is a new business method that it takes a long time to test and thoroughly evaluate policy effectiveness.

At the same time, the government necessarily study effective control tools to ensure that the purchase and sale of drugs on e-commerce platforms is safe for users at a reasonable price. Moreover, responsible agencies need to apply measures to link their data with other agencies to effectively monitor the sale of drugs and prescription drugs.

Regarding regulations restricting the types of e-commerce used in pharmaceutical businesses, the draft law stipulates that e-commerce transactions on medicines can only be carried out on e-commerce trading floors and applications for e-commerce sales.

The agency which is responsible for drafting the law project was assigned to continue reviewing to ensure the completeness and coverage of all electronic means and electronic environments in accordance with the law on electronic commercial transactions as well as the feasibility for all forms of pharmaceutical business.

In addition, some people suggested that the government must add establishments' responsibilities that own electronic trading floors and websites where businesses trading in drugs and medicinal ingredients register to deploy their business activities.

HCMC needs US$2 bln to ensure water security amid emergencies

The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee has just issued a decision on approving the plan of the irrigation development to support agricultural production in the city until 2030, with a vision for 2045.

The city’s irrigation sector has been building about 45 irrigation systems with approximately 2,000 kilometers of embankments and dykes along various rivers and canals together with over 900 auxiliary structures like culverts, dams, and pumping stations.

Additionally, about 600 embankment works are serving for flooding control due to high tides combined with rural traffic.

The irrigation systems and works have been constructed in Ho Chi Minh City to meet the needs for saltwater salinity control and flooding prevention for about 55,000 hectares of agricultural land; flooding prevention for about 70,000 hectares during tidal waves in the suburban districts of Cu Chi, Hoc Mon, Binh Chanh, Can Gio, Binh Tan, Thu Duc City and District 12.

The People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City said that the city is currently suffering from various types of natural disasters and risks, hence the operation and regulation of the irrigation systems have faced many challenges.

Particularly, during the dry season, apart from regulating water for agricultural irrigation and preventing salinization, the systems also had to prevent pollution sources.

Under the irrigation development plan until 2030, with a vision to 2045, there will be three sub-regions in Ho Chi Minh City.

The first sub-region in Cu Chi District comprised 185 works with an investment of nearly VND14,000 billion (US$552 million) in charge of the Dong canal system, the irrigation system along the Saigon River and the drainage system.

The Dong Canal system will need to be upgraded to ensure water supply for Ho Chi Minh City's domestic water from the Dau Tieng Reservoir; meanwhile, the irrigation system along the Saigon River shall ensure water supply and drainage capabilities, flooding prevention and tidal control.

District 12 and the districts of Binh Chanh, Hoc Mon and Nha Be are located in the second sub-region that utilizes water sources for agricultural production, mostly supplied from the internal canal and stream systems originating from the Vam Co River, Saigon River and Tra Canal.

This sub-region needs to upgrade the Hoc Mon - Northern Binh Chanh irrigation system by dredging method to clear flow, the embankments on both sides combined with rural traffic development and add culverts and protective embankments to protect the agricultural and residential areas.

The sub-region needs 266 irrigation projects with an investment of more than VND9,560 billion (US$378 million).

The third sub-region 3 is identified as Can Gio District being in need of upgraded embankments and dykes for erosion and flooding prevention from high tides as well as dredged channels and streams to improve water drainage capabilities.

As for the raw salt production area, it is necessary to construct protective embankments to protect the production zone during high tides and storms.

The sub-region needs nearly VND2,990 billion (US$1.18 million) to invest into 101 projects.

In addition to these sub-regions, Ho Chi Minh City needs investment into 105 small-scale irrigation works and intra-field irrigation systems, with nearly VND450 billion (US$17.8 million). Following this irrigation development plan, one of the city's significant tasks is to ensure clean water for domestic and industrial, business needs.

Thus, the water supply planning for the city until 2040, with a vision to 2060, will need the construction of regulatory reservoirs, raw water storage reservoirs and clean water tanks at water treatment plants.

Simultaneously, the city has to plan emergency preparedness amid the impacts of climate change, ensuring water security.

Domestic retailers eye export-quality products

Domestic retailers are increasing the distribution of export-quality products to cash in on the consumption trend towards green, environmentally friendly and safe products.

Recently, the Bach Hoa Xanh mini-mart chain of the Mobile World Investment Corporation signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Minh Phu Seafood Corporation - one of the leading fisheries producers in Vietnam to put export-quality shrimp products on shelves of Bach Hoa Xanh.

Pham Van Trong, General Director of Bach Hoa Xanh, said domestic retailers are making an effort to find and sell high-quality products to Vietnamese consumers.

Previously, people often thought that good-quality products were all for export, but Bach Hoa Xanh is doing the opposite to enable domestic consumers to enjoy products of a quality to compete in highly demanding markets, Trong said.

Le Van Quang, General Director of the Minh Phu Seafood Corporation, said that cooperation with the retail system will help the corporation to bring export-quality products to domestic consumers.

Many businesses in other industries in Ho Chi Minh City also promote high-quality products to meet consumer tastes, particularly domestic consumers’ green lifestyle. Businesses producing and trading essential consumer goods are constantly making efforts to promote environmentally friendly products.

Nguyen Thanh Hai, General Director of the Qui Phuc Trading – Service – Production Co. Ltd., said international integration is one of the important strategies in the development process, his compny has been promoting its exports to markets, aiming to expand its presence across Asia by 2025.

To meet the target, the company has determined to become a leading enterprise in manufacturing and trading furniture products in Vietnam, he added.

According to experts, a sustainable domestic supply chain will create leverage to maintain the trade growth of Vietnamese goods at home and abroad, helping businesses to compete with quality and gain consumer trust.

The domestic consumer goods market is growing and Vietnamese consumers paying more attention to globally standardised products rather than personal feelings or prices.

For example, Ho Chi Minh City’s steering committee of the campaign “Vietnamese people prioritise Vietnamese goods” launched a cooperation programme to control the quality of goods in the city. Reputable retail brands such as Saigon Co.op, Satra, Bach Hoa Xanh, MM Mega Market, and AEON have joined the programme which focuses on selecting products with good quality control process.

The programme is considered a practical solution to promote Vietnamese products and reliable responsible businesses. Moreover, building a supply chain of Vietnamese goods will create a foundation for production orientation and improve product quality, which will help Vietnamese products better compete with imported products as well as enter the international market./.

Japanese investors join big real estate project in Binh Duong

Japanese and Vietnamese investors of The One World urban area project in the southern province of Binh Duong received in-principal approval at a ceremony in the locality on April 17.

The over-1-billion-USD project is one of the real estate sector having a clean land fund of nearly 50 ha in Thuan An city, adjacent to Ho Chi Minh City.

Three Japanese companies namely Sumitomo Forestry Group, Kumagai Gumi Co., Ltd, and NTT Urban Development Corporation make up a total of 49% of the shares in the project, while the rest come from their Vietnamese partner - the Kim Oanh Real Estate Group.

The project is divided into six sub-projects. Key facilities including a conference and exhibition centre, an AEON shopping centre, five-star hotels, and an international school will be constructed in advance.

Japanese Consul General in HCM City Ono Masuo said the development of large-scale urban areas contributes to building a sustainable city and supporting carbon neutrality efforts.

The common goal and also the top priority of these investors is to contribute to realising a prosperous society by providing safe and high-quality housing and jointly developing a large-scale mixed-use shopping centre in Binh Duong, he said.

The project will bring about a sustainable and environmentally friendly business model, creating a prosperous and sustainable future through applying information technology, communication, or advanced environmental technologies, contributing to the locality’s economic development.

Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Vo Van Minh expressed his belief that the project will help change the urban landscape of Thuan An city and the southern urban area of the province in general./.

Forum discusses support for women-owned firms ​to join supply chains

A forum on supporting women-owned businesses to join supply chains through sustainable development tools took place in Hanoi on April 17.

The event, jointly organised by the Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs Council (VWEC) under the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), attracted more than 100 delegates and representatives of ministries, embassies, international organisations, financial institutions, and enterprises.

It formed part of the "WE RISE Together" programme, which creates equal market opportunities for women by advancing supplier diversity through gender-responsive procurement in Vietnam, supported by the Australian Government through the Mekong - Australia Partnership.

Speaking at the event, VCCI Vice Chairman Nguyen Quang Vinh acknowledged that although women make up almost half of the world's population, they contribute to only 37% of the global GDP. If women can participate in the economy on an equal footing with men, as much as 28 trillion USD could be added to the global GDP by 2025.

He said currently in Vietnam, more than 20% of owners of small- and medium-sized enterprises are women while 51% of Vietnamese enterprises have women in their ownership, higher than in other countries. However, most women-owned firms operate at the lowest levels of supply chains in many industries and face difficulties in meeting procurement requirements of large companies.

Caroline T. Nyamayemombe, Country Representative of UN Women in Vietnam, reckoned that the application of sustainable development tools such as gender-responsive procurement policies and women's empowerment principles (WEPs) is one of the smart choices to help businesses make a difference and grow sustainably.

The forum provided latest updates on the roadmap for enterprises to implement Vietnam's sustainable development goals, solutions to support businesses to meet national and international sustainable development standards, along with policies and programmes to enhance market access and financial and non-financial support for women-owned and -led enterprises.

Delegates at the event pointed out bottlenecks to women's access to capital and market such as a lack of business support networks for women, the shortage of training programmes and mentoring opportunities to hone skills for women entrepreneurs, the burden of domestic care work and stereotypes about women's entrepreneurial abilities.

On the occasion, 22 Vietnamese enterprises signed a commitment to supporting the WEPs. Organisers also launched the WEPs Awards 2024, an initiative of UN Women introduced in 2020./.

Int’l Green Industry Expo 2024 attracts nearly 200 businesses

Nearly 200 Vietnamese and foreign businesses are showing their products and technologies at the International Green Industry Expo 2024 which is getting underway in northern Lang Son province from April 18 to 24.

Lang Son Int’l Green Industry Expo 2024, with the participation of nearly 200 domestic and foreign businesses, is getting underway from April 18-24
 
On display are photovoltaic panels, solar batteries, wind turbines, power generators, power generation and storage systems, solar/wind energy equipment, plastic injection molding machines, large vehicles, household appliances, lighting and smart home appliances, and agricultural products, among others.

The expo gives participating businesses to meet, connect and find opportunities for cooperation, thus helping to unlock the potential for border economic development, and make Lang Son a goods transit point in ASEAN, according to organisers.

Over recent years, Lang Son has invested in building essential urban infrastructure, completing many large projects, and synchronously developing trade and tourism. The 20-ha Mailand Hoang Dong urban area where the expo is taking place is expected to become an important link in Vietnam – ASEAN – China cooperation, including cross-border trade and tourism development.

This is the first time Lang Son has held the exhibition displaying international green industrial products and introducing the investment potential in this new field in the province.

The event is expected to create opportunities for businesses to find cooperation opportunities, contributing to elevating the prestige and position of Lang Son, and promoting local cross-border cooperation.

The expo is being held by the Lang Son Department of Industry and Trade in collaboration with several leading businesses in the province.

Source: VNA/SGT/VNS/VOV/Dtinews/SGGP/VGP/Hanoitimes