Vietnam hopes to receive more assistance and close cooperation from donors to fulfil socio-economic development programmes, particularly in poverty reduction, in remote and mountainous regions, said Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong.

The European Commission (EC) Delegation to Vietnam has released an optimistic analysis of the Vietnamese economy.

The Consultative Group (CG) for Vietnam, including Vietnamese Cabinet members and representatives from bilateral and multilateral donors to Vietnam, held its annual mid-term meeting in northern Sa Pa city on June 6.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) is planning to build a national rice reserve of 100,000 tonnes to stabilize the distribution of this product and meet demands when market prices fluctuate.

Vietnam is doing its utmost to implement its commitments to the national community and improve institutions to create more favourable conditions for foreign investors, said Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai.

Financial experts gathered in HCM City on June 4 to share their cash management knowledge with local businesses.

Marker prices have decreased steadily in Ho Chi Minh City after a series of strong measures were introduced by the municipal People’s Committee and craft associations to reign in the spiralling prices of essential commodities such as rice, meat, cement and steel.

Several domestic drug companies have begun to export their products, eyeing markets in Asia, Africa, Russia, the US and the EU.

The FPT Software Europe, a member of the FPT Software Joint Stock Company under the FPT Corporation, will start its business on June 13, said the Corp.’s Vice President of Management Board and Vice General Director, Bui Quang Ngoc, at a press conference on June 4 in Hanoi.

A senior government official of the UK said his country’s investors still consider Vietnam an attractive investment destination despite the difficulties the Southeast Asian economy is facing.

An overseas Vietnamese company has been praised by the Lao government for its contribution to Laos and its economic development.

Vietnam has emerged as the most attractive emerging market destination for retail investment, said A.T. Kearney, the world leading management consulting firm.

Central Vietnam has great potential for developing tourism. However, a wide range of problems regarding its workforce has emerged.

The prices of many essential commodities will remain rather high but stable during June as a result of continued efforts to keep supply and demand in balance, and to implement a number of measures to curb inflation following the Prime Minister’s directions.

The affirmation was made by James Adam, the World Bank Vice Director for the East Asia-Pacific region at a press briefing prior to the Consultative Group Meeting.

Since the beginning of this year, the southern province of Binh Duong has attracted more than US$1 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI), fulfilling its yearly target.

Around 92.6 percent of Japan’s production companies operating in Vietnam plan to increase their investment capital and diversify products in Vietnam in the next two years, according to a recent survey conducted by the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO).

Vietnam has so far this year earned US$1.75 billion from footwear exports, a year-on-year increase of 13.4 percent, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Manufacturing Hanoi 2008, a fifth annual industrial exposition, will open at the International Exhibition Centre in Hanoi on June 5, organizers announced at a press conference on June 2.

Curbing inflation is Vietnam’s primary goal to ensure a favourable business climate for investors in Vietnam, said Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc at a business forum in Hanoi on June 2.

Jetstar Pacific Airlines Joint Stock Aviation Company on June 1 opened direct air routes from Hanoi to Nha Trang resort in the central Khanh Hoa province and to central Da Nang city with one daily flight on each route.

Each province can recommend enterprises capable of doing good business to the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) so that the SBV can help them iron out their snags in accessing bank loans, said Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai.

Vietnam’s business and investment opportunities have been introduced at a workshop held in Toronto, Canada, with the participation of 50 big Canadian businesses.

The Asia Trade and Investors Convention 2008 (ATIC@2008) opened at the Ho Chi Minh City International Exhibition and Convention Centre on May 31 by NextView and the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HOSE).

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has endorsed the master plan for the development of the electronics industry, targeting revenues of US$4-6 billion by 2010, with US$3-5 billion of that coming from exports.

Vietnam has so far this year earned US$1.74 billion from footwear exports, a year-on-year increase of 12.9 percent, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade MoIT).

The European Commission (EC) delegation in Hanoi on May 30 released latest analysis of the European Union on Vietnam’s economic performance, its business and investment environment.

The success of the shopping channel is a tell-tale sign that with its retail distribution network put in place, Vietnam still ranks high among budding export markets in the world.

Northern Ha Tay province has attracted over US$1 billion in foreign investment in the first five months of this year, exceeding the year’s target and showing a 15.6- fold increase over last year’s figure, according to the Ha Tay provincial People’s Committee.

Seafood exports to Russia in the first quarter is estimated at US$60 million, an increase of 30 percent year on year, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors (VASEP).