Manufacturing & Industry
This category focuses on industrial production, from electronics and textiles to automotive and heavy industry. It covers FDI trends, supply chain developments, factory expansions, and government regulations shaping the industrial landscape. As a key driver of economic growth, manufacturing plays a crucial role in global supply chains, technological advancements, and industrial competitiveness.
English-certificate providers run afoul of Vietnam’s education regulators
Vietnam’s Ministry of Education has found that 146,600 English language learners in Vietnam have International English Language Testing System–known more commonly as IELTS–certificates that were ‘inappropriately issued’. In short, a change in regulations meant that foreign language certificate issuers would need to get approval from the Ministry of Education to
Vietnam Airlines doesn’t want to use HCMC’s new airport
Vietnam’s national carrier, Vietnam Airlines, has said that it would prefer to stay at what is currently Ho Chi Minh City’s only international airport, Tan Son Nhat, when a second airport at Long Thanh is completed. It is essentially arguing that airport transfers will be more challenging–currently, it’s possible to
Vietnam airfares investigation finds no price gouging
A review of airline ticket prices by the Vietnam Aviation Administration has found that domestic airlines have not breached pricing regulations. The airfare regulator put out the call last week for consumers who felt they had overpaid for airfares. After a brief investigation, however, they have found that airfares prices
HSBC doesn’t think there will be a rate rise this year in Vietnam
HSBC has reportedly said that a rate rise in Vietnam this year is unlikely on the back of broader challenges facing the local economy, according to local media. Fitch Solutions, on the other hand, said last week it is expecting a cut to interest rates in Vietnam this year. It
Vietnam’s Provincial Competitiveness Index for 2023 released
The index–known more commonly as the PCI–assesses the competitiveness of Vietnam’s 63 provinces and self-managed cities. Northern Vietnam’s Quang Ninh province came out on top with a total score of 71.59 followed by Dong Thap and Long An with 71.14 and 70.78, respectively. PCI 2023, highest to lowest Province Score
Vietnam Airlines record profit result of lessor writing off bad debt
Vietnam Airlines recorded a ‘new record’ profit in the first quarter of this year of VND 4.53 trillion or US$178 million. This was, however, only after the company leasing planes to Vietnam Airlines subsidiary, Pacific Airlines, agreed to write-off US$220 million worth of debt in exchange for the return of
Vietnam gold price hits new high, 20 percent over world price
Vietnam’s gold price topped VND 91.5 million a tael or 2,958.50 per troy ounce yesterday, a new peak for the yellow metal. At the same time, gold was trading on the world market for US$2,353 per troy ounce, a difference of US$605.50 or about 20.47 percent. To try to close
Vietnam’s power consumption rises along with power outage concerns
Vietnam’s state power provider, Electricity Vietnam or EVN, is estimating a 12.24 percent rise in electricity consumption this month compared to May of last year, Tuoi Tre is reporting. The publication goes on to outline how EVN is preparing for a surge in demand over the summer, however, it lacks
Site clearance issues delay Vietnam’s first LNG power plant, adding to electricity woes
Site clearance delays are hampering an LNG power project in southern Vientam, reportedly at a cost of VND 13 billion or US$510,645 per day, Tuoi Tre has reported. Of note, site clearance is a common problem on most projects in Vietnam. This in large part stems from land pricing regulations
Video game distributor possibly banned in Vietnam at request of local game developers
Video game distribution platform Steam is reportedly no longer available in Vietnam possibly at the request of local game developers, Game Developer is reporting. The article references an April 24 article published by Vietnam Net in which game developers lament that Steam does not need to conform to the same
Vietnam News Roundup: May 3 to May 9
Aviation news Vietnam aviation regulator investigating high airfares The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has reached out to consumers who believe they have been overcharged for airfares, VN Economy has reported. Airfares are regulated in Vietnam with price caps over which ticket prices cannot go. It’s not clear if there
Vietnam adds US$3.14 billion in foreign direct investment commitments in April
Vietnam pulled in an additional US$3.14 billion dollars worth of foreign direct investment commitments bringing its total for the year to US$9.27 billion. The manufacturing and processing sector was the stand out performer pulling in a whopping US$2.23 billion. In terms of the countries making the biggest investments in April,
Vietnam C.bank still struggling to make gold auctions work
Vietnam has held its second successful gold auction this year, however, the State Bank of Vietnam–theSBV–only managed to sell 3,400 SJC gold bars, Tuoi Tre is reporting. Of note, multiple gold auctions have been announced in the last few weeks but have been cancelled due to a lack of interest.
Vietnam’s non-market economy status has US hearing
The US Department of Commerce has held a hearing into Vietnam’s application to have its non-market economy status revoked, Reuters is reporting. Reuters notes that opponents of the change cited the volume of investment and input goods from China that are powering Vietnam’s growing export-orientated economy, suggesting Vietnam was being
This estimate of Vietnam’s forex reserves spent on propping up dong
The State Bank of Vietnam has spent an estimated US$500 to 700 million of its foreign exchange reserves over the last few weeks in an attempt to prop up the dong, The Investor is reporting. This estimate came from WiResearch which also estimated Vietnam’s forex reserves to be at around
No new contagion risk in Vietnam from SBV support of distressed bank: Fitch Ratings
Reuters reported earlier this year that the State Bank of Vietnam–the SBV–had been injecting cash into Saigon Commercial Bank which was at the centre of Vietnam’s biggest bank fraud ever. This was to the tune of about US$24 billion. Fitch Ratings, however, has said that it is maintaining its current
Vietnam aviation regulator considering an investigation into airfare prices
The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has reached out to consumers who believe they have been overcharged for airfares, VN Economy is reporting. Airfares are regulated in Vietnam with price caps over which ticket prices cannot go. It’s not clear if there has been a breach of these regulations but
Vietnam ranks 176th on World Press Freedom Index
Vietnam has come in eighth to last on the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index beating out Eritrea, Syria, Afghanistan, North Korea, Iran, and Turkmenistan. The report notes that Vietnam is the fourth biggest jailer of journalists in the world. In terms of economic development, the correlation between greater
This Bloomberg opinion column that asserts Vietnam is becoming another province of China
Worth a read simply for the title, this Bloomberg opinion column essentially discusses the integration of the economies of southern China and northern Vietnam as Chinese firms look to circumvent US trade barriers. Specifically, she cites the infrastructure connection between the border, key manufacturing hubs in the north, and the
Vietnam’s collective decision-making weighs on offshore wind power development
The Ministry of Industry and Trade–the MoIT–has said it is unlikely that Vietnam will meet its offshore wind power target of six gigawatts by 2030, The Leader is reporting. Essentially, the MoIT is acknowledging that with all of the various departments and ministries that need to coordinate to make offshore
Vietjet’s parent company calls for stronger aircraft leasing protections just weeks after a UK court authorised the seizure of the airline’s overseas assets. Meanwhile,
In today’s news brief: HP and Asus shift production back to China, Tesla begins hiring in Vietnam, Saigon Commercial Bank closes all but three
In today’s briefing: LPBank’s construction lending has surged 127 percent following revelations that Vingroup’s chairman and his wife became major shareholders. Meanwhile, Vietnam faces
This is an interview with Chris Walker, a Vietnam Sourcing Expert with Vietnam Factory Tours how rising oil prices and the Middle East crisis are
This is an interview with John Gardner, CEO and Founding Partner, at Optimum Hospitality in Ho Chi Minh City. It covers fuel price impacts on:
This is an interview with Dr Nuno F. Ribeiro, Associate Professor, International Tourism & Hospitality Management at Copenhagen Business College, formerly of RMIT Vietnam. It