Some foreign investors come to Vietnam not because they want to expand their business, but because they find the country a good place to commit trade fraud.

The Government Inspectorate reclaimed VND1.5 trillion (US$71.3 million) and 226ha of land for the State as it carried out nearly 1,600 administrative inspections and 30,700 non-administrative inspections during the second quarter of 2015, the Government's official portal reported on June 30.

The purchasing power of Vietnam posted a four-year high in the first half of this year due to low inflation.

Vietnam has become the largest footwear exporter to Brazil, accounting for 52.8% of that country's market share.

The Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long drew a total social investment capital of VND5.335 trillion (US$244 million) in the first six months of 2015, up 8.8% from the same period last year.

Vietnam Fatherland Front President Nguyen Thien Nhan overviewed his country’s economic development potential to an audience of German politicians, businesspersons and bankers on June 29 as part of his working visit to the European nation.

(VOV) - Vincom Ngo Quyen commercial centre officially opened in central Danang city on June 30.

The State Securities Commission (SCC) will hold an investment promotion conference themed “My Vietnam - your investment destination” in New York City, the US from July 1- 5.

Vietnam is among the emerging market having high transactional growth in merger and acquisition (M&A) activities, according to a latest report released by the Baker McKenzie law firm. 

(VOV) - A conference on investment promotion in green tourism was held in Can Tho on June 30 under the framework of the Green Tourism Week in the Mekong Delta region.

(VOV) - A Vietnamese Lychee Day was held in Thien Loan supermarket in Melbourne, Australia on June 29. There, 300kg of lychees were sold out in one hour.

A festival featuring agriculture and craft villages in central Quang Ngai province will take place from July 6-12 themed “Agriculture – Farmers – Agricultural development towards sustainability”. 

Business representatives met with customs and taxation officials in Ho Chi Minh City on June 29 to resolve longstanding concerns about tax refunds and customs regulations.

The governmental decision to develop the Phu Quoc casino-integrated recreational complex in Bai Dai ecotourism area instead of the Dang Chong area is expected to create a boom in casino investment in Vietnam.

Take-away fast food is booming at the moment as Vietnamese companies team-up with foreign fast food giants to expand their businesses.

Vietnam's leading property firm Vingroup said on June 29 its retail unit, Vincom Retail, has received additional funding of around US$100 million from a consortium led by an affiliate of US private equity firm Warburg Pincus.

Farmers should focus on market-oriented agricultural production to boost the sector’s growth, said Minister of Agricultural and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat at the monthly cabinet meeting on June 29 in Hanoi. 

Vietnam’s seafood farming and fishing industry is expecting to produce 6.4 million tonnes in 2015, according to the Directorate of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. 

The Vietnamese-Russian oil and gas joint venture Vietsovpetro on June 29 organised a launching ceremony for Platform BK Thien Ung at the company’s port area. 

(VOV) -The Ministry of Planning and Investment’s Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) has launched an portal on foreign investment procedures with the purpose of increasing the attractiveness of the country’s business-investment climate.

(VOV) - The Southern Binh Duong provincial People’s Committee on June 29 approved the issuance of an investment certificate to Polytex Far Easterm Company, based out of Taiwan.

(VOV) - Mining industry professionals from Vietnam and Australia gathered at a seminar on June 29 in Hanoi to get updated on the latest trends and technology advances in the industry.

Vietnam exported US$77.7 billion worth of commodities during the first half of 2015, a year-on-year increase of 9.3%, the General Statistics Office estimated. 

The implementation of Government Resolution 19/NQ-CP on improving business environment and national competitiveness between 2015 and 2016 has shown encouraging outcomes in the first half of this year, said Minister of Planning and Investment Bui Quang Vinh at the regular cabinet meeting held in Hanoi on June 29. 

Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) Nguyen Van Binh and representatives from other founder countries of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) signed an agreement on the framework and management structure of the bank on June 29 in Beijing, China. 

Vietnam has a skilled labor force and favorable natural conditions to grow vegetables and fruits but it still needs foreign technologies to clean farm produce for export.

It is crucial to enhance business understanding of free trade agreements (FTAs) and bilateral investment trades (BITs), experts said. 

(VOV) - Over the past few years, there has been an ever widening disparity between the import-export statistics released by Vietnamese and Chinese trade officials, specifically as it relates to cross border trade.

Vietnam’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the second quarter of this year reached a five year record, hitting 6.44%, reported Minister of Planning and Investment Bui Quang Vinh at the Government’s monthly meeting on June 29. 

Ho Chi Minh City continually works to create favourable conditions for Australian enterprises to invest in the city, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem was quoted as saying by the Sai Gon Giai Phong newspaper.