Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has decided to established a working group led by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha to speed up the Long Thanh international airport construction project (first phase).
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha will be assisted by two deputy heads of the working group, namely Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang and Chairman of the Commission for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises Nguyen Hoang Anh.
Members of the working group include Vice Chairman of the Office of the Government Nguyen Cao Luc, Deputy Minister of Transport Le Anh Tuan, Vice Chairman of the Commission for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises Nguyen Ngoc Canh, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Pham Truong Son, Deputy Minister of Public Security Senior Lieutenant General Luong Tam Quang, Deputy Ministry of Public Security Cao Anh Tuan, Minister of Finance Do Thanh Trung, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Van Tuong, Deputy Minister of Construction Vo Tan Duc, Vice Chairman of Dong Nai provincial People’s Committee Vo Tan Duc and Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City municipal People’s Committee Bui Xuan Cuong.
The working group is in charge of assisting the Prime Minister in timely resolving obstacles and ensuring the scheduled progress of the project.
The airport, covering an area of more than 5,580 hectares, has total investment capital of VND 336.63 trillion (US$14.2 billion), with construction divided into three phases.
In the first phase, a runway and one passenger terminal along with other support facilities will be built at a cost of VND109.1 trillion to serve 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tons of cargo each year.
The phase was earlier expected to be completed by 2025. However, the Airports Corporation of Viet Nam (ACV), the investor of Long Thanh International Airport has recently proposed delaying the planned completion time of the essential facility component of the project until 2026 instead of 2025 as initially planned, as it needs an additional six months to complete the passenger terminal.
Once fully completed, the airport, about 40km east of Ho Chi Minh City, will be able to handle 100 million passengers and five million tons of cargo annually.
Vietnam National Brand Week 2023 kicks off
Vietnam National Brand Week 2023 and the Vietnam National Brand Forum 2023 officially opened with the theme of "Positioning Vietnam's Green National Brand" on April 20 in Hanoi.
The event aims to celebrate Vietnam Brand Day on April 20 whilst raising awareness about the Vietnamese national brand and introducing local outstanding products which have gained ground both domestically and internationally.
In his opening speech, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh emphasized that the country’s national brand programme is designed to elevate the image of the nation as a place of high-quality goods and services, whilst also contributing to accelerating foreign trade development and improving national competitiveness.
In fact, the country has been highlighted in terms of developing national brand which has recorded the fastest growth worldwide in the 2020 to 2022 period.
According to a report from Brand Finance, the value of the Vietnamese national brand in 2020, 2021, and 2022 increased by 29.1%, 21.6%, and 11.1% to US$319 billion, US$388 billion, and US$431 billion, respectively.
Most notably, among the top 50 most valuable brands in the country last year, there were many businesses whose products have achieved the status of a national brand.
Deputy Minister Tran Quoc Khanh stressed that the Vietnam National Brand Forum 2023 has contributed to accelerating economic recovery after two years of disruption caused by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the participation of a large number of local and foreign experts, the event is expected to bring in-depth dialogues and multi-dimensional perspectives relating to developing and protecting brands moving forward, Deputy Minister Khanh noted.
Noi Bai Airport expected to handle 580 flights during the five-day holiday
![Noi Bai Airport expected to handle 580 flights during the five-day holiday hình ảnh 1 Noi Bai Airport expected to handle 580 flights during the five-day holiday hinh anh 1](https://static-images.vnncdn.net/files/publish/2023/4/20/vietnam-business-news-april-202023-573.jpg)
Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi is anticipated to serve 96,000 passengers and 580 flights during the upcoming five-day break from April 29-May 3.
This estimated number of passengers will be 20% more than the same period last year but it is yet to break the record set during last summer’s peak season, said a representative of the management of the airport.
To properly serve the travel needs of the people, the airport has strengthened coordination with airlines and ground service units and developed a plan for preparation.
Airport authorities have asked passengers to make use of public transport in a bid to avoid heavy traffic.
Passengers are also advised to strengthen COVID-19 prevention measures, including wearing masks and taking disinfection as suggested by the Ministry of Health.
Hai Phong works to draw investment from Taiwan’s electrical, electronic firms
The Hai Phong Economic Zone Authority (HEZA) on April 19 held a working session with the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (TEEMA).
TEEMA gathers companies and investors operating in the production of electronic, network, and semiconductor components. The production value of the electrical and electronic industry within the association accounts for up to half of Taiwan's total industrial production value.
At the session, Chairman of Wieson Technologies Co. Ltd. and head of the delegation Hung-Chin Chen said Taiwanese firms highly evaluated the northern port city of Hai Phong’s business environment, especially its convenient transport infrastructure such as seaports, deep-water ports and international airport.
He added that the delegation expected to learn about eco-industrial parks, renewable energy, and the supply of electricity and water in the city. They are also interested in incentives in industrial parks, economic zones, workforce, and labour retention policies.
Le Trung Kien, head of the authority, said Dinh Vu - Cat Hai Economic Zone is now the place where the Vietnamese Government offers the best incentives to investors. It is equipped with a synchronous infrastructure system to serve business activities, such as Lach Huyen deep-water port, a non-tariff zone, and a warehouse area.
There are already two deep-water ports in operation and four others under construction which will soon be put into operation. Currently, Deep C and Nam Cau Kien industrial parks (IPs) are piloting the construction of eco-industrial parks, he said.
According to the official, the city has signed a cooperation agreement with the Hanoi University of Science and Technology to establish a branch in Hai Phong and has a separate training programme to meet requirements of enterprises. Hai Phong also has workforce in the city and in neighboring localities.
The city is building social housing and allocating land for firms to build dormitories for employees, he said, adding that the board will always stand side by side with firms and provide them with all possible support to do business effectively.
Since September 2022, four delegations from Taiwanese firms have come to Hai Phong to explore the local business environment. It is the second time the TEEMA delegation has visited the city.
At present, Taiwan (China) is investing in 60 projects in Hai Phong with total capital of 1.8 billion USD, of which 27 projects worth 1.6 billion USD are in IPs and economic zones, mostly in the production of electronic components for TVs, computers, industrial gas, machinery, equipment, and packaging.
Last year, their revenue hit 2.5 billion USD and the average income of workers reached over 11 million VND (478 USD) each per month.
Vietnam sends nearly 38,000 labourers abroad in first quarter
Vietnam sent 37,923 labourers abroad in the first three months of 2023, accounting for 34.48% of the whole year plan, and more than 15 times higher than the same period in 2022.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for labour in many markets increased sharply, many domestic companies promoted training and sending workers abroad.
Nguyen Xuan Lanh, deputy general director of ESUHAI, a unit specialising in training and supplying human resources for Japan, said that the demand for workers in Japan has increased significantly. In the beginning of 2023, the company received orders from Japanese companies for 2,400 workers in different industries.
The recruitment demand is the highest in the food and food processing groups, followed by mechanical engineering, manufacturing, and automobile-related industries, he said, adding that recently, there were more recruitment orders in the healthcare sector.
According to the Department of Overseas under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs , Vietnam currently has nearly 500 enterprises licensed to send workers to work abroad. In March, Vietnam sent a total of 9,494 workers abroad, 8.66 times higher than the same period in 2022.
Nguyen Gia Liem, Deputy Director of the department, said that the number of workers sent abroad increased as the COVID-19 pandemic is controlled, the demand for human resources increases.
Moreover, Vietnamese workers have worked in countries such as Japan, Taiwan (China), and the Republic of Korea for a long time and are positively evaluated by employers for their skills. Meanwhile, businesses that send people to work abroad have prepared their resources through training plans and are ready to send workers abroad at the request of their partners.
In 2023, the ministry will also coordinate with agencies to negotiate labour cooperation agreements with European countries. It is expected that about 110,000 workers will be sent abroad this year.
Viet Nam Airlines to launch direct flights to Mumbai from May 20
National flag carrier Viet Nam Airlines announced it will launch direct flights from Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City to India's Mumbai from May 20.
The carrier will operate four flights per week on the Ha Noi-Mumbai route on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and three flights on the Ho Chi Minh City-Mumbai route on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Mumbai, capital city of the state of Maharashtra, is the second populous city in India, after New Delhi.
In June 2022, Viet Nam Airlines launched its first direct route between Viet Nam and India's capital city of New Delhi.
In recent years, India has become one of the leading trading partners with close and extensive relations with Viet Nam, especially in tourism. It is one of the 10 countries with the biggest search volume for tourism in Viet Nam.
According to the figures shared by the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism, more than 109,000 Indians visited Viet Nam in the first 11 months of 2022, marking an average monthly growth rate of 49 percent, and making India one of Viet Nam's top five source markets.
Northern Thai Binh province seeks investment from RoK
A conference was held in Seoul on April 19 to call for investment from the Republic of Korea (RoK) to the northern province of Thai Binh.
The event, co-organised by the Thai Binh provincial People's Committee, the Embassy of Vietnam in the RoK, and The Korea Herald, attracted about 170 delegates, including Korean officials and businesses.
In recent years, the province's economic growth rate has been among the top in Vietnam. In 2022, despite many difficulties, its Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) growth reached 9.52%. It attracted 660 million USD in foreign direct investment (FDI), ranking 16th out of 63 provinces and cities in Vietnam, according to the official.
The province has advantages such as land areas for industrial development, with eight industrial parks covering nearly 3,000 ha with available surface and infrastructure, Than said, adding that it also has abundant human resources with a population of about 2 million people, over 1 million people in the working age, and about 643,000 trained workers.
The Korea Herald CEO Choi Jin-young said that Thai Binh is an outstanding province in many aspects including a favourable business environment, rich resources, strategic location, skilled workforce, and developed infrastructure.
This will be an attractive destination for Korean companies to expand and do business in Vietnam, he said, adding that with the RoK's capital and technology combined with Thai Binh’s favourable conditions, the two sides can create new opportunities and build a mutually beneficial partnership for prosperity in the future.
Up to now, Thai Binh has attracted 27 projects from Korean investors with total registered investment capital of 148.72 million USD.
During this business trip to the RoK, the Thai Binh delegation worked with the authorities of Gangwon and Gyeonggi provinces, and met with representatives from groups, including Daewoo E&C, Samsung, LG, and Hyosung.
Vinh Long exports first batch of sweet potatoes to China
The first batch of 84 tonnes of sweet potatoes from Vinh Long bound for China was announced at a ceremony held in the Mekong Delta province on April 19.
According to Le Van Thiet, Vice Director of the Plant Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the MARD and GACC signed a protocol on quarantine requirements for sweet potato exports to China in November 2022.
The GACC recently sent a diplomatic note to the department to inform the results of the inspection on Vietnamese enterprises that export sweet potatoes to China. Accordingly, Vietnam’s 70 sweet potato cultivation areas and 13 packaging facilities have been licenced to export to China. Of these, Vinh Long has 27 planting areas and three packing facilities that have been granted codes for exporting to the Chinese market.
Vinh Long province’s Binh Tan district has more than 10,000 ha under the crop with an average output of 300 tonnes a year.
Vietravel to increase air routes to 13 this year
Vietravel Airlines plans to increase its total routes to 13 to serve more than 1.3 million passengers this year, according to a representative from the airline.
In the first three months of this year, it operated nearly 1,600 flights with 91.2% of the seats filled.
The airline, which made its debut in late 2020, is currently operating six domestic routes connecting Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and major tourist destinations of Da Nang, Phu Quoc and Quy Nhon, along with two international ones connecting Hanoi, HCM City and Bangkok.
It is also partnering with a company from the Republic of Korea to provide 11 charter flights on the Daegu-Cam Ranh route in the period from March 28 to May 7 with one flight every five days.
It will organise charter flights on different routes connecting Vietnam and China.
Ample room for Vietnam to boost exports to Japan, RoK
A workshop discussing measures to promote trade links between Vietnam and Japan and the Republic of Korea (RoK) was held by the Centre of International Integration Support and the Investment & Trade Promotion Centre of Ho Chi Minh City (ITPC) on April 19 in the city.
Addressing the event, Deputy Director of the HCM City Institute for Development Studies Pham Binh An said Japan and the RoK are the important trading partners of Vietnam, but the proportion of Vietnamese goods in the total import turnover of these markets is still modest, accounting for only 2.7% and 3.3%, respectively.
Vietnam signed many free trade agreements with the two countries, including the Vietnam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (VJEPA), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and the Vietnam – Korea Free Trade Agreement.
According to An, Vietnam has strengths in exports with many key items such as textiles and garments, footwear, and agricultural products. For the first time, Vietnam's import-export turnover exceed 700 billion USD in 2022, putting the country in the group of leading economies in international trade.
However, he said that Vietnam's exports face many challenges this year due to the decrease in global consumer demand, particularly in important export markets of Vietnam. Therefore, exploring potential markets such as Japan and the RoK will be important to increasing Vietnam’s export growth.
From statistics on Vietnam's export turnover to Japan and the RoK, as well as the market scale of the countries, it can be seen that there still remains great potential and opportunities for Vietnam to promote the export of textile and garment products, leather and footwear products, and agro-aquatic products, to these markets, said Do Quoc Hung, deputy head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade's Department of Asia-Africa Markets.
Choi Kyu Chul, Vice President of the Korean Chamber of Business in Vietnam (KOCHAM) stressed the need to have short-term, medium-term and long-term strategies to further promote trade ties between the two countries.
Korean businesses hope that the Vietnamese Government will have new policies to further support the development of industries and businesses in the near future, especially supporting environmentally-friendly industries, he went on.
Mindset, awareness changes needed to obtain true green growth: minister
True green growth must be a process of changing the mindset and awareness in production, consumption, and the way of life, as well as the policymaking mindset, according to Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung.
In particular, it needs to be realised by taking green transition solutions based on science, technology, and innovation, he told a recent conference.
The official noted that Vietnam views green growth as a long-term choice to ensure the harmony between greenhouse gas emission reduction and economic growth.
To the country, green growth towards economic prosperity, environmental sustainability, and social equality is not only an inevitable choice but also a chance to become a pioneer in the region, catch up with the world’s development trend, and realise its commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, Dung added.
The national green growth strategy for 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050, targets Vietnam’s green economy reaching 300 billion USD by 2050, from 6.7 billion USD in 2020.
It identifies green growth as an important solution to promote economic restructuring and growth model reform, enhance the economy’s competitiveness and resilience to external shocks, and directly help reduce greenhouse gas emissions towards a carbon-neutral economy in the long run.
Besides, green growth must centre on people; be based on modern regulations and governance, science and advanced technology, and high-quality human resources; while creating momentum for private investors to play an increasingly crucial role in the green economy, the official added.
Green growth has been creating numerous opportunities for the economy. The wind power and solar power sector alone is capable of contributing 70 - 80 billion USD to the gross domestic product (GDP) and generating 90,000 - 105,000 direct jobs.
When meeting domestic demand, a clean hydrogen ecosystem based on renewable energy can contribute 40 - 45 billion USD to GDP annually and provide some 40,000 - 50,000 jobs. Clean hydrogen also holds potential to become an export to developed counties.
Vietnam urged to prioritise developing environmentally friendly industries
The Vietnamese Government should introduce new policies to encourage the development of environmentally friendly technologies to support industries and businesses, suggested Choi Kyu Chul, vice chairman of Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) in Ho Chi Minh City, at a seminar held on April 19.
The seminar discussed ways to promote trade relations between Vietnam and Japan, as well as the Republic of Korea (RoK).
Choi said the new policies would assist enterprises in improving their export capacity and boosting trade with other Asian markets.
He also suggested that the country seek to improve high-quality human resources and invest more in infrastructure development, with a specific focus on expanding investment in supporting industries.
Do Quoc Hung, deputy director general of the Asia-Africa Market Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, noted that both Japan and the RoK are important trading partners of Vietnam in general, and Ho Chi Minh City in particular.
Japan is Vietnam’s fourth largest trading partner after China, the RoK, and the United States., while the RoK is Vietnam’s comprehensive strategic partner and the third largest trading partner behind China and the US.
Vietnamese textiles, footwear, agricultural, and aquatic products have plenty of opportunities to export to the Japanese and Korean markets.
However, the proportion of Vietnamese goods in the total import turnover of the Japanese and Korean markets remains modest, accounting for 2.7% and 3.3%, respectively, although Vietnam has signed free trade agreements with Japan and the RoK.
Delegates stressed the need to have new support policies in the context that businesses are facing difficulties due to global inflationary pressure, market shrinking, capital inaccessibility, and price fluctuations that impact business production and import-export strategies.
Bright prospects for fruit, vegetable exports in Q2
Despite declines in the export of some agricultural products, overseas shipments of fruits and vegetables remain positive, promising bright prospects in the second quarter of 2023.
Viet Nam exported nearly US$1 billion worth of fruits and vegetables in Q1, rising 7 per cent from a year earlier, reported the Centre for Digital Transformation and Statistics under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Dang Phuc Nguyen, Secretary General of the Viet Nam Fruit Association (Vinafruit), said thanks to high demand in China, which reopened in Q1 after the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses have promoted exports to this neighbouring market. Prices of fruits such as durian and dragon fruit have also soared.
Due to China’s strong fruit import, many border gates of Viet Nam have extended their working time to 10pm every day.
Good demand for fruit imports in China can help raise total fruit and vegetable exports in Q2 by 10 per cent or higher, Nguyen noted, predicting that the revenue can reach about $2 billion in the first half of 2023.
Giving further details, he said that since Vietnamese durian was licensed to be exported via the official channel to China last year, this market has continually placed durian import orders. However, the first three months of the year were not the peak harvest time so the export volume of this fruit remained low. When the harvest season begins in April, supplies will become abundant and businesses can better meet importers’ demand.
Aside from durian, jackfruit, banana, and dragon fruit are also among staple exports to China, which will help increase fruit and vegetable shipments to this 1.4-billion-people market to at least $2.5 billion this year, according to Nguyen.
The fruit and vegetable sector now has bright prospects in this market, he added.
In addition, processed products made up a considerable part, one-third, of fruit and vegetable exports in 2022. This proportion was maintained in Q1 this year, showing foreign consumers’ gradual acceptance of those products from Viet Nam, according to the Foreign Trade Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Airfares to Phu Quoc start falling
Airfares to Phu Quoc for the coming Reunification Day (April 30) and International Labour Day (May 1) have started falling.
A Hanoi to Phu Quoc return ticket on April 29 and May 3 now costs around VND5-6 million (USD212.76-255.31) compared to VND8-10 million earlier. Tickets on Hanoi-Phu Quoc flights have declined for dates after the holiday. For instance, a return ticket on the route on May 4 and 7 is just VND2.2 million.
A Bamboo Airways’ HCM City to Phu Quoc tickets scheduled to depart at 6 pm on April 24 cost only VND2 million each.
Airfares from Danang to Phu Quoc on this occasion are VND1.6-2.9 million each.
Meanwhile, tickets from Hanoi to tourist destinations such as Nha Trang, Quy Nhon and Danang have remained high.
A return ticket from Hanoi to Nha Trang is roughly VND6-7 million. The figure is VND3-3.2 million on Hanoi-Tuy Hoa flights.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), around 41,000 tickets have been added for domestic flights for the coming Reunification Day (April 30) and International Labour Day (May 1). Tickets on many air routes have been mostly sold out, particularly flights from Hanoi to Hue, Tuy Hoa, Dong Hoi and Quy Nhon.
CAAV have asked airlines to consider increasing the number of flights between Hanoi and HCM City during the holiday period.
HCMC govt helps five realty projects out
The HCMC People’s Committee has allowed five property businesses to raise funds for 50% of their off-plan properties, equal to 5,432 apartments following many meetings to help the sector tackle its woes.
The HCMC Real Estate Association (HoREA) said on April 18 that the five projects entitled to mobilize capital for off-plan condos had achieved preliminary positive results.
The HCMC authorities allowed the investors of the five property projects, including one foreign company, to raise funds for 50% of the total number of to-be-built homes.
According to HoREA, if radical solutions are applied, around 5,000 apartments will be made available for the market, improving business cash flows.
HCMC now has 156 property projects facing regulatory bottlenecks, which have been delayed for years due to its complexities, said HoREA.
Most of the projects’ outstanding issues are related to the land use fee calculations, revised planning and responsibilities of commercial housing project investors.
Earlier, the chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee set a target to resolve regulatory issues for 50 real estate projects by the end of this year.
Vietnam to host global conference on sustainable food system
As determined by the United Nations, Vietnam will be the host country for a global ministerial conference on the sustainable food system from April 24-27 in Hanoi.
The event, which will be attended by 300 high-level officials from around the world, will discuss strategies for transitioning the food system into a healthy and sustainable system resilient to difficulties on multiple fronts, especially in climate change and new crises.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Hoang Hiep said at a press conference on April 18 that Vietnam has been chosen to host the event as it ranks second among the world’s major exporters of agricultural products with time-tested performance.
The program will focus on three key pillars related to eco-agriculture, modern rural areas and farmers.
It is also a chance for Vietnam to resonate the achievements of its agriculture with the world, along with the image of a transparent, responsible and sustainable food supplier.
At the same time, four main concerns against the food system transition process will be discussed, including the global architectural model of the food system, national and local policies and governance, consumption and production patterns and implementation practices.
The event will introduce new farming patterns and initiatives in the world for mutual insight and discussion.
Previously, the international event was hosted in South Africa in 2017, Costa Rica in 2019 and once online during the pandemic in 2020.
Aqua-product exports plunge in Q1
The number of orders for and the export value of several major aqua-products plunged dramatically in the first quarter of the year.
Data from the General Department of Vietnam Customs showed that revenue from aqua-product exports dropped 28% over the same period in 2022 to US$1.8 billion.
Major aqua-products such as tra fish, shrimp and tuna tumbled around 30%-37% year-on-year, while crabs and other products dipped 2% to 42%.
Revenue from fishery exports to the U.S. market in the quarter slipped by half compared to the same period in 2022, at US$284 million.
Seafood exports to the Australian market slumped 30% year-on-year to US$65 million.
The value of aqua-products shipped to Asian markets such as China, Japan, Korea and Thailand also declined steeply, ranging from 7% to 23%.
According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, the sector is grappling with difficulties, which results from a steep fall of 20-50% in new orders amid escalating global inflationary pressures.
This has led to an interruption in the domestic production of raw seafood materials and shortages of capital for aquafarming among businesses.
The association expects unfavorable conditions to continue through the second quarter and the sector to see some light at the end of the tunnel in the third quarter, given that there are incentives in tax and debt payment extension and interest cuts.
Last week, the Government decided to extend the payment deadline for enterprises to pay value-added tax, corporate income tax, personal income tax, and land rent for the fifth time and decrease the VAT from 10% to 8% for certain goods and services.
It has tasked the Ministry of Finance with preparing documents before the National Assembly at the upcoming government meeting.
Cam Ranh airport's apron renovation project put into exploitation
The Cam Ranh International Airport officially put the third phase of Cam Ranh International Airport's apron renovation and upgrade project into operation on April 18.
Besides, the project is among factors to boost the province of Khanh Hoa to become a hub of services and international coastal and maritime tourism; a center of the South-Central and Central Highlands regions following the Resolution No.09-NQ-TW of the Politburo on building, developing Khanh Hoa Province by 2030, vision to 2045.
Vietnam finding ways to effectively exploit waste incinerators
Many waste incineration projects are encountering obstacles related to administrative procedures, and thus cannot be completed on time to operate.
Deputy Director Le Van Tam of the Vietnam Institute of Tropical Technology and Environmental Protection informed that in Vietnam now there are 20 waste incineration projects, four of which are in operation while the rest have not finished yet mostly due to a lack of appropriate legal corridor.
For instance, the ‘Electricity Planning No. VIII’ has not been approved, nor does it obtain clear regulations on power buying price. Besides complicated procedures for the investment in waste incineration in Vietnam, policy barriers have severely reduced the efficiency for such large amounts of money, not to mention too long payback periods of around 10-20 years.
Deputy Director Tam stressed that the tardiness in building waste incineration plant might lead to unwanted results like garbage still being treated by landfill method, which wastes resources and increases greenhouse gas emission; slowness in developing recycling energy, making it harder for Vietnam to fulfill the national goal of green growth.
General Director Ngo Nhu Hung Viet of Vietstar Co. (sited in HCMC) shared that after the project launching ceremony of a waste incineration plant in the Solid Waste Treatment Site of Cu Chi District in 2019 (with an estimated capacity of 2,000 tonnes per day), his company had to wait for the construction permit. Despite much effort of the municipal authorities in working with related ministries and state agencies, necessary documents for the projects (construction permit, environment impact evaluation) are still nowhere to be seen.
Many other investors in HCMC such as Tam Sinh Nghia Co. Tasco Co. are encountering similar trouble to Vietstar Co.
Experts in the field commented that to address the above issue and attract more investors in waste incineration projects, obstacles in administrative procedures must be cleared.
Deputy Director Tam proposed that state agencies need to specify mechanisms, policies in developing power from waste (planning, power buying price, technical assessment criteria, economic – technical quota for solid waste collection, transportation, and treatment). ‘Electricity Planning VIII’ should be approved as soon as possible, along with the completion of legal documents, adjustment for troublesome procedures.
Also, it is advisable to establish supporting loan amounts for businesses investing in waste incineration technologies. Many other businesses mentioned the need for comprehensive planning for urban waste management with a vision for 30 – 50 years.
More importantly, only when major cities like Hanoi, HCMC can classify household waste at source and introduce suitable policies for waste treatment prices and power selling prices will Vietnam be able to attract more investors.
Besides the proposal above, International Finance Corp (IFC – member of World Bank) suggested that the Government should review and amend legal documents and administrative procedures regarding waste incineration projects so that investors are more confident participating in this field, effectively contributing to the development of an environment industry in Vietnam. Moreover, investors themselves have to improve their capacity to satisfy the standards of international organizations if the former wants to attract money from the latter.
Director Nguyen Toan Thang of the HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment informed that his organization has just sent a formal dispatch to HCMC People’s Committee and the municipal Department of Planning and Investment for a proposal to invest VND763 billion (US$32.5 million) to build roads into a solid waste treatment factory to retrieve power, sited in the Northwest Complex for Solid Waste Treatment of Cu Chi District.
Accordingly, the land clearance and compensation task as well as resident resettlement task for the project have not been completed, plus there is no route to link between the project site to the current infrastructure in the area. It is, therefore, necessary to finish these tasks quickly so that the land lot of 16.4ha (including 10.4ha for the factory) can be constructed and put into operation.
HCMC’s hotel revenue in Q1/2023 reaches VND2, 281 billion
HCMC’s revenue from accommodation in the first quarter of 2023 (Q1/2023) reached VND2, 281 billion (US$97 million) while the average room price was VND1.9 million per room/night, presenting a quarter-on-quarter rate of growth of 5 percent.
According to a new report by Savills Vietnam, the occupancy of hotels in HCMC in Q1/2023 was 68 percent, showing a quarter-on-quarter rate of growth of 6 percent. The city maintained a supply of approximately 15,500 rooms provided by 109 hotels in the city.
The average price for a room at five-star hotels was VND2.8 million per room/night, presenting a year-on-year increase of 54 percent.
Binh Thanh District had the highest average room rate, reaching 99 percent, followed by District 1 up 87 percent.
Although the operation situation has not yet reached the 2019 output levels before the Covid-19 outbreak, the market is looking forward to positive prospects.
Source: VNA/SGT/VNS/VOV/Dtinews/SGGP/VGP/Hanoitimes