JICA to support 11 local infrastructure projects: Vice President

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is willing to discuss the implementation of 11 local infrastructure projects with Vietnam, Executive Senior Vice President Yamada Junichi said at a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha on March 26.

JICA's vice president said the 11 projects could involve domestic contractors instead of opening bids to international companies to speed up the process. Japan is Vietnam's largest concessional lender, providing a total of nearly three trillion yen (US$19.8 billion) since 1992.

Vietnam attracts $9 billion in green growth sector: VAFIE report

A foreign-invested electronics factory in Hanoi. Photo: Hai Linh/The Hanoi Times

Some $9 billion worth of foreign capital has been invested in Vietnam’s green growth sector, said the Vietnam Association of Foreign Invested Enterprises (VAFIE) in the annual FDI Report 2023 on March 26. According to the report, key green growth activities in Vietnam include renewable energy and the management of solid waste, emissions, and wastewater. The green growth sector is now growing by an average of 10-13% per year.

In developing economies, FDI capital flowing into the green growth sector increased 3% on-year in 2023 to $1.37 trillion after declining by 12% in 2022.

Vietnamese food products showcased at London international expo

Vietnamese fruits, frozen seafood, instant noodles, coffee and tea, soft drinks and coconut products are now on display at the International Food & Drink Event in London from March 25-27.

The annual international fair is the largest of its kind in the UK, bringing together nearly 1,000 businesses from 102 countries and attracting some 27,000 guests and delegates. As the demand for organic and healthy food grows, the 40-year-old expo is an opportunity for Vietnamese food producers to explore the UK market and seek partnerships with local companies.

Local firms eye whitelisting as right way for branding strategy

On March 26, local companies vowed to work with the Ministry of Information and Communications to further develop the Whitelist, a record of media agencies capable of producing clean commercial content. According to business executives, the Whitelist is a proper solution that will guarantee their branding activities, and it will be a mandatory term in their future contracts.

The whitelist was first introduced by the ministry in March 2023 and consists of more than 3,000 media outlets, including official newspapers and social network pages.

Vietnamese airliners reduced to 170 by end of March: aviation authority

Vietnamese airlines have scaled down their fleets by 40-45 aircraft each to a total of 170 as of March 26 compared to the same period last year, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam reported. The agency said that some companies, such as Bamboo Airways and Pacific Airlines, have trimmed their payrolls for overall business restructuring.

Their overhauls have led to a shortage of aircraft in Vietnam, putting the aviation sector in a tight spot, especially as the national holidays on April 30 and May 1 approach.

Ho Chi Minh City Software Park hosts 141 technology experts

The Quang Trung Software Park in Ho Chi Minh City has attracted 141 scientists and software developers for R&D activities over the past seven years, a meeting on sustainable production and green growth heard on March 26. According to Phan Phuong Tung, director of the park's Center for Digital Transformation Support, many experts are PhDs who bring back new technological solutions and test them in Vietnam.

Since 2017, Quang Trung Software Park has been implementing the policy to gather a team of specialists capable of creating make-in-Vietnam technologies.