Economy and industry
Vietnam battles to hit 6.7pct growth goal
Economic slow-down is threatening to scupper the government’s annual target. Vietnam may struggle to achieve its target of 6.7 percent economic growth this year after the economy showed signs of losing momentum in the first six months, according to a report. Agricultural production was hit hard by ...
Farmers choose solar farm over endangered bird
When given a choice between renewable energy and wildlife conservation, people in Samut Sakhon have opted for a solar farm for financial reasons. Tractors and trucks loaded with soil were seen busily working in a field yesterday to fill a salt pan in Ban Khok ...
Taiwanese firms rush Vietnamese footwear sector
Taiwanese firms are increasing capital investment in the Vietnamese footwear sector to benefit from Vietnam’s new free trade agreements, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the EU-Vietnam FTA, and the Vietnam-Korea FTA. On July 25, Taiwanese-owned Chinli My Phuoc One Member Co., Ltd. held the ground-breaking ceremony of ...
Sihanoukville port operator still on course for IPO
The state operator of Cambodia’s only deep-water port remains on course to float shares on the stock exchange and is seeking ways to speed up the listing. Officials at Sihanoukville Autonomous Port met with representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Finance yesterday to discuss the ...
Cambodia, Vietnam to build market on border
The Vietnamese government on 27 July agreed in principle to provide a grant of $2 million to Cambodia to build a model market aimed at boosting cross-border trade between the two countries, officials at Cambodia’s Ministry of Commerce said. The market will be constructed on 1.5 ...
SEZs lure 39 projects worth B7bn
Investment is starting to flow into the government’s planned special economic zones with 39 projects worth 7.2 billion baht applying for promotional privileges from the Board of Investment. The Special Economic Zone Policy Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, on 27 July acknowledged the investment ...
As garment minimum wage talks begin, other sectors want in
Meeting at the capital’s Sunway Hotel, union organisers from sectors as varied as construction, food services, tourism and manufacturing discussed a variety of approaches – from a flat minimum wage that would span all industries to a more measured sector-by-sector approach – to push on ...
Việt Nam records $1.8b trade surplus YTD
The country posted a trade surplus of nearly US$1.8 billion in the first seven months of this year, according to the General Statistics Office. GSO experts attributed the surplus to a rise in export values, while import revenues declined. The nation’s export turnover during the period ...
Laos, Singapore vow to enhance cooperation
Laos and Singapore are pledging to work together to promote trade and investment between the two countries after their trade volume climbed to US$72.5 million in 2015. As of 2016, investment from Singapore stood at US$187 million, ranking the country in eleventh place among all foreign ...
River of change: hydropower dams and the Mekong River’s uncertain future
From the snowy plateaus of Tibet to the mountain gorges of China’s Yunnan province and beyond to the jungled borders of Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and down to the plains of Cambodia and paddy fields of Vietnam – the Mekong River is of crucial importance to ...
