Press digest – October 14

State President greets Japanese entrepreneurs

State President Truong Tan Sang hosted a reception in Ha Noi on October 14 for a Japanese business delegation who are in Viet Nam to attend the Viet Nam-Japan economic forum held the same day.

The President also took note of the close relations between many Japanese and Vietnamese localities and their cooperation in workforce training and agriculture.

Yuri Sato, Vice President of the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), informed her host of the contents of discussions at the Viet Nam – Japan economic forums, including the impacts of Trans-Pacific Partnership deal on business operations.

PM attends Congress of Party Organization of Central Business Bloc

PM Nguyen Tan Dung asked businesses in the Central Business Bloc to take advantage of opportunities and turn difficulties and challenges into advantages for their future development at the second Congress of the Party Organization of the Central Business Bloc on October 14.

He asked the bloc to coordinate with other relevant ministries and agencies to propose policies and mechanisms to tackle difficulties, improve the businesses’ effectiveness and competitiveness as well as focus on directing the implementation of restructuring the State-owned enterprises and realizing policies on social welfare and security.

The Government leader proposed the bloc pay attention to training work, improve the business management, financial management and establish a human resources, especially high-quality human resource, to serve the development of the business community.

Resolution on e-Government issued

The Government has issued a Resolution on e-Government with the aim of accelerating the e-Government development, improving the quality and effectiveness of State agencies and providing better services for people and businesses as well as increasing the status of Viet Nam’s e-Government on the United Nations’ rankings.

From 2015-2017, administrative reform will be boosted in accordance with enhancing information technology application in monitoring and supplying online public services to shorten time and expenditures in administrative procedures.

VN continues to promote cooperation with Japanese Government, businesses

Viet Nam continues to cooperate with the Japanese Government and businesses in improving the nation’s business environment and competitiveness to become an attractive investment destination, asserted Deputy PM Hoang Trung Hai at the Viet Nam-Japan Business Forum on October 14.

In the future, the Vietnamese Government hopes that the Japanese business community will expand investment in Viet Nam, especially in terms of six sectors in the cooperation action plan till 2020 and other sectors including agriculture, education, infrastructure, environment, health, processing industry, manufacturing, auxiliary industry and Public Private Partnership investment.

NA Standing Committee discusses draft laws

The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee gave opinions on the drafts of the revised Law on Administrative Procedures and the revised Criminal Procedure Code at ​its 42nd session in Hanoi on October 14.

Lawmakers proposed adding strict regulations on the procedures for and the preservation and utilization of the recordings to serve the investigation, prosecution, and judgment.

Defense Minister to attend China-ASEAN defense ministers' meeting

A Vietnamese high-ranking delegation, led by Minister of Defense Phung Quang Thanh, left HaNoi on October 14 for an informal meeting between Chinese and ASEAN defense ministers and theXiangshan Forum from October 14-18 in Beijing, China.

Moody's upgrades two Vietnamese banks

Moody's has upgraded the ratings of two Vietnamese banks, citing their improvements in the standalone credit profile.

The long-term deposit and issuer ratings of both the Vietnam Technological and Commercial Joint Stock Bank or (Techcombank) and Asia Commercial Bank (ACB) were upgraded to B2 from B3 last week.

At the same time, the United States-based credit rating agency also lifted the two banks' baseline credit assessment (BCA) to B3 from CAA1.

Lenders hopeful of local economic outlook

Lenders are optimistic about banking and economic prospects, the latest quarterly survey by the central bank has revealed, announced the State Bank of Viet Nam recently.

The central bank cited its poll of local credit institutions and branches of foreign banks that 71.6% of the lenders found the inner conditions were stable and improved this year as compared to last year.

About 34% said the business environment was more positive, while nearly 60% said the environment was relatively stable.

Nearly 78% of the lenders said their business situation was better, with some 46% expecting significant advancement. About 14% affirmed business stability.

(Source: VGP/VNA)

By Thuy Dung