Asian cup

The list of 34 players was announced Wednesday morning. Among these, 27 are playing in the top-flight V. League and seven in V. League 2.

A surprise on the list is Y Eli NiE, one of four keepers. The 20-year-old custodian was suspended for two games and fined VND5 million ($216.53) for suspicious behavior in a U19 national tournament game last year. In the last minute of the match, he passed the ball to the opponent’s striker to let him score. After review, Vietnam Football Federation discovered further suspicious incidents and omitted the result.

The U22 team will stay at the Promotion Fund of Vietnamese Football Talent (PVF) Academy from May 11 to June 6 and train at Viettel Sports Center. Due to conflict in the training schedule with the national team, which is preparing for World Cup Asian qualifiers, U22 team training will be overseen by Park’s assistant coaches.

In 2021, the Vietnam U22 team will have two important goals, which are winning another gold medal in SEA Games 31 after the first in 2019, and perform well at the U23 Asian Cup (formerly AFC U23 Championship) qualifiers from October 23 to 31 to claim a spot at the main tournament next year.

Andrew Jeffries, country director for Vietnam of the Asian Development Bank

“You are so lucky to be working in Vietnam,” my colleague from abroad told me. “Vietnamese people are fortunate to be able to lead normal lives, visit restaurants, travel domestically, and their children can attend school in person at a time when COVID-19 is still active and preventing many of these activities in many other countries.” Certainly, more than anyone, as a foreigner working in Vietnam since August last year, I understand this very well. The evidence is very clear that now as the COVID-19 pandemic is still complicated in many parts of the world, Vietnam remains resilient and successfully contained the new waves of outbreaks.

In 2020, although Vietnam only recorded 2.91 per cent growth, the country’s lowest growth rate in the past decade, this remained a remarkable achievement because it is one of the highest growth rates in the world amid the pandemic with enormous loss of life and severe economic damage. With effective policies and measures from the government, Vietnam should be proud of achieving its dual targets – both maintaining positive economic growth and controlling the pandemic to ensure people’s health.

The government’s support packages, especially fiscal support policies such as tax relaxation, are very timely and helpful. Under the government’s instructions, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) also provided credit support through debt restructuring, exemption or reduction of interest rates on existing loans, and preferential interest rates for new loans to priority sectors. However, it needs stronger coordination among ministries, sectors, and localities in enhancing information dissemination on supportive policies to facilitate enterprises with easier access to these support packages. Detailed and complete guidance is needed on the implementation and simplification of the process for businesses to follow, particularly for small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Maintaining momentum

Indeed, 2020 was a very difficult year, but also the year to recognise the efforts of the business community in overcoming the challenges caused by the pandemic. Businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic with adverse consequences such as imbalance of cash flow and disruptions in supply chains. Many enterprises had to reduce their number of employees, stop operations and withdraw from the market, or even go bankrupt.

However, in difficult circumstances, many businesses actively changed their strategies, took the chance to restructure, retrain staff, and focus more on the domestic market and diversifying their consumer markets, and ensuring the supply within the country. Many businesses have also taken the opportunity to step up technology transformation to improve productivity and catch up with the trend of digital transformation.

Thanks to effective policies from the government and strong efforts of the business community, Vietnam was able to maintain good growth momentum, taking opportunities from the shift of supply chains in the region, and to further strengthen the already strong foundation for macroeconomic stability and continue to be one of the fastest-growing economies in the region in 2021.

In the newly-released Asian Development Outlook 2021, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) raised its forecast for Vietnam’s economic growth to 6.7 per cent in 2021 and 7 per cent in 2022 — strong and steady growth made possible by Vietnam’s success in containing the pandemic. However, in my view, the growth quality is more important than specific numbers.

In the 2021 outlook, the ADB recommends Vietnam to continue maintaining prudent macroeconomic policies this year to ensure a sustainable and inclusive recovery process and accelerating economic reforms towards a more enabling and innovation-friendly environment, while enhancing risk management under ‘new normal’ conditions.

Reality has proven that the domestic economy cannot be separated from outside markets. With such a large, open economy, Vietnam will continue to face many challenges in the context of the unpredictable pandemic as well as possible increased trade protection and financial risks. Now is the right time for Vietnam to have a deeper look into production issues, and imports and exports, because exports are growing, while the contribution of domestic enterprises to the export value remains low, mainly from foreign-invested enterprises with about 70 per cent.

Vietnam will need to maximise the opportunities and benefits from the free trade agreements that the country participates in, so that the Vietnamese businesses can participate more deeply in global supply chains, including becoming direct suppliers for foreign investment-led manufacturing and increase the value addition as well as national competitiveness. Besides that, Vietnam needs to find ways to strengthen its domestic market and improve product quality so that Vietnamese consumers have a chance to enjoy the best products produced in the country.

Connecting communities

When it comes to enhancing competitiveness and efficiency to participate more deeply in the global value chain, there is an emphasis on the role and power of digital transformation. Digital transformation is not just a global trend but also a new economic growth driver. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is still in its early stages in Vietnam. Taking this opportunity to make a breakthrough, Vietnam can become a digital economy in the future.

At the upstream level, the Party and government of Vietnam determined that digital transformation is key to proactively catching up with Industry 4.0. We observed that agencies and units have been established to handle digital transformation in conjunction with recognising modern work arrangements and especially employer’s responsibilities to reskill employees. International experiences have shown that digital transformation can face many difficulties at the beginning but will bring high efficiency in the long run.

At the corporate level, digital transformation can start with creating forums connecting the business community and entrepreneurs with digital applications and solutions to increase competitiveness in providing quality products and services meeting the increasing demands of the domestic and international markets.

Experts also pointed out challenges hindering digital transformation in Vietnamese enterprises, including lack of information on new digital technology, shortage of qualified human resources to apply and utilise digital technology, lack of financial resources to invest in digital infrastructure in addition to affordability issues given the high cost of digital technology applications, and risks of data security and safety of digital transactions.

Vietnamese businesses have an advantage, when digital technologies such as cloud computing, the Internet of Things, AI, and more have been developed by domestic tech companies and deployed in corporate governance solutions. With this advantage, domestic businesses can cooperate with partners in digital technology to get the most effective solutions, while saving costs and time.

The pandemic has also created an opportunity to demonstrate the significant role of digital technology in state management, in production, business activities and for social welfare. Digital technology could be considered as a factor to help ensure a sustainable and inclusive recovery. COVID-19 created a push to promote digital transformation to meet the immediate needs of people to access basic social services as well as new forms of services without direct contact, such as online shopping or making payments via mobile banking or e-wallets.

We are so delighted to witness the ADB’s partnership with the SBV in enabling a fintech ecosystem in Vietnam as well as supporting the application of fintech solutions to promote financial inclusion. In cooperation with Vietnamese project counterparts, the ADB also introduced digital solutions in some sectors, such as introducing disaster early warning systems in disaster mitigation projects in the central region provinces. We continue discussions with relevant ministries, agencies, and localities on development of smart, digital solutions for urban areas.

With solid foundations, and the new government’s continued commitment to further strengthen institutional reforms, there is no doubt that Vietnam will overcome the pandemic and recover strongly in the coming years.

By Andrew Jeffries

Sông Lam Nghệ An star Phan Văn Đức (right) vies for the ball against Thanh Hóa midfielder Trịnh Văn Lợi during their V.League 1 match on Sunday. SLNA lost 1-0 and face the risk of relegation. Photo courtesy of VPF

Football

HÀ NỘI   Of the 14 teams in the V.League 1, Sông Lam Nghệ An (SLNA) are the only never to have played below the top tier.

That unblemished record is in danger though, as they sit bottom of the table with only 10 points from 12 matches.

After their 1-0 loss to Thanh Hóa on Sunday, acting skipper Phan Văn Đức emotionally posted on his Facebook page: “It seems that SLNA have not been at the bottom for years. All the coaches and players look sad. The band on my arm is so heavy. I have told myself to try hard all the time and asked teammates to do their best every single match. We do not dream of ranking high, trying to stay (in the league) is our actual task. We hope the supporters will encourage us better. Let’s fight brothers! It is a long journey to go.”

The result led to the resignation of president Nguyễn Hồng Thanh and coach Ngô Quang Trường last week, a seismic change for the club.

SLNA’s previous nightmare was in 2018 when they also languished in last place, but eventually came back with eight wins in a row and finished fourth.

The team’s worst-ever finish was last year when they placed No 10.

Brilliant past, tough present

SLNA are among the most well-known clubs in Việt Nam.

The club have produced many of the nation’s biggest talents, including Phạm Văn Quyến, Việt Nam’s greatest ever striker Lê Công Vinh, and current national team members Quế Ngọc Hải, midfielder Nguyễn Trọng Hoàng and forward Đức.

They have won three V.League 1 titles, three National Cup trophies and four National Super Cups.

The club are also renowned for success at lower age levels, with five U21 championship triumphs, five for the U19s, eight for the U17s and one for the U15s.

However, recent years have been tough for the team, with their latest title the 2017 National Cup and their last V.League 1 trophy in 2011.

The biggest problem they have faced in the last decade is a lack of finances.

Executive director Hồ Văn Chiêm said his players received humble salaries which are enough to support their daily life, but not enough to give them a comfortable living like players at other clubs.

The lack of cash has stopped the club from extending the contracts of key local and foreign players, as well as hampered efforts to make outside signings.

Many of their homegrown players such as Hải, Hoàng, Ngô Hoàng Thịnh and Phạm Khắc Ngọc have left the team in recent years.

This year, SLNA have three foreigners on their books but they have contributed only two goals to the team, forcing the team to rely almost entirely on the talented Đức.

The Vietnamese international has scored five goals this season, making up 71 per cent of the team’s total goals, a percentage far higher than any other player in the V.League 1.

Former coach Trường admitted that SLNA totally depend on the 25-year-old and other teams have been able to shut them down by marking them out of the game.

SLNA are also suffering an injury crisis that is keeping their key players off the pitch.

Apart from midfielder Đặng Văn Lắm who is out with a severe thigh injury, captain Hoàng Văn Khánh, defender Nguyễn Sỹ Nam and striker Hồ Phúc Tịnh have also been out of action for several weeks.

Great escape

As they are only three points away from Sài Gòn FC in the relegation playoff spot, SLNA still have a chance to stay in the division and their first task will be to grab three points against Hà Nội FC on Friday at home.

Hà Nội are also in trouble this season. They are seventh with 17 points and face the previously unthinkable possibility of finishing outside of the top six.

The capital city side have struggled defensively this season with 14 goals conceded, though they have been potent in front of goal, netting 17 times.

In their 25 meetings, SLNA only have five wins to go with 10 draws and 10 defeats.

Coach Nguyễn Huy Hoàng of SLNA said: “We must accept challenges. We are working hard and united to get through difficulties.”

Meanwhile, captain Khánh aimed to inspire his teammates on social media by posting: “Although everything is against us, we are still together. Hold hands, Sông Lam Nghệ An will never give up!” VNS

The decision to suspend them was made by the Vietnam Professional Football JSC and the Vietnam Football Federation.

The VPF said the pandemic situation is growing complicated in some localities, affecting the organization of games.

But the last round of the first leg of the top-flight V. League will be played this week, with seven matches kicking off at the same time at seven venues on May 7. The top six teams from the first leg will compete for the title while the bottom eight will battle to avoid relegation.

Then all football leagues will take a break so that the national team can prepare for the 2022 World Cup Asian qualifiers in June.

Since the new Covid outbreak began on April 27, Vietnam has had 56 cases in 10 localities led by Hanoi with 27 and the northern provinces of Ha Nam and Vinh Phuc with 14 each.

Over 675,000 people have been vaccinated in the country so far, including athletes who will compete overseas.

In April and May the national football and futsal team players were given Covid vaccine.

More and more US-based businesses find Vietnam a good replacement for China

Hong Kong-based QIMA specialised in providing supply chain compliance solutions has just released a survey of over 700 companies across the globe. Of this, the number of US-based respondents selecting the Southeast Asian country as the leading sourcing location has doubled against four years ago, to 43 per cent in early 2021.

Similarly, 25 per cent of EU companies also listed Vietnam as one of the three leading sourcing markets in this year’s first quarter, down 15 per cent on-year but up 11 per cent against the same period of 2019.

Of all establishments switching to suppliers in new geographic regions last year to avoid COVID-19 impacts, nearly one-third revealed that the 100-million population country is one of their best options. For US-based business, the rate was even higher, at 40 per cent.

QIMA also forecast the trend to continue this year. Of the companies asked for finding new suppliers over the next 12 months, 38 per cent of US-based establishments and 28 per cent of those from the EU stated that they are planning to relocate some sourcing to Vietnam or buy more from current suppliers there. On the other hand, only 6 per cent of US-based brands and 11 per cent of those from the EU were looking for suppliers in China.

Also, US-based respondents showed some signs of dissatisfaction with Chinese sourcing. While one-third of them are planning to purchase more from Chinese suppliers in 2021, almost as many reported plans to completely stop buying from the market.

Nevertheless, words and actions often differ. Pointedly, in the survey, 73 per cent of companies said they had plans to look for new suppliers in 2020 but only 38 per cent were able to follow through on those schemes. For brands headquartered in the US, 93 per cent declared to diversify supply chains in early 2020 but only 49 per cent carried out these plans.

By Huong Anh

On May 3, billionaires Bill and Melinda Gates, co-founders of one of the world’s largest private charitable foundations, filed for divorce after 27 years, but pledged to continue their philanthropic work together.

In a joint petition for dissolution of marriage, the couple asserted their legal union was “irretrievably broken,” but said they had reached an agreement on how to divide their marital assets.

While the socioeconomic ramifications of the divorce have become talk of the town in many places, many Vietnamese tongues are wagging about something else that is closer to home.

They are debating the merits and demerits of a man doing the dishes.

The debate has been sparked by Gates’s professed love for dish washing, with several Vietnamese male netizens “taking the cue” and quipping that sharing housework does not seem to save a marriage.

“I do the dishes every night – other people volunteer but I like the way I do it,” Bill Gates had said during a Reddit AMA in 2014.

Nguyen Thanh Dat, a white collar worker in Hanoi, commented on his Facebook page, said: “A man enjoying washing dishes for his wife and still ends up divorcing… it seems doing dishes does not help a marriage last.”

Many other men agreed, joking they would not do the dishes hereafter because “even a rich man like Bill Gates cannot save his marriage by washing dishes.”

Microsoft technology advisor Bill Gates and his wife Melinda leave on the second day of the Allen and Co. media conference in Sun Valley, Idaho July 10, 2014. Photo by Reuters/Rick Wilking.

Many netizens would not be diverted by the humor.

“People should stop making jokes that men who do chores at home will not have a happy marriage. Such ridiculous assumptions make it harder to fight gender stereotypes,” said An Nguyen, a teacher in Hanoi.

Some people commented that man doing housework was nothing to talk about, but sociologist Trinh Hoa Binh said that Bill Gates washing dishes had caught public attention because it is uncommon for a man to do house chores in Vietnam.

While there has been heightened awareness of gender equality in Vietnam for several years, the majority of women still get no housework help from men.

It is still the norm that Vietnamese husbands refuse to assist their wives with household chores.

In 2018, a survey by the Institute of Labor Science and Social Affairs and the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research revealed just three percent of respondent husbands washed dishes at home, and only 0.5 percent offered to do it regularly.

Notably, 20 percent said they’d never washed dishes, which, they consider a woman’s job.

A report by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs and ActionAid in 2016 showed Vietnamese women spend an average five hours a day on unpaid work like household chores and childcare, compared to three hours for men.

The report said that in some disadvantaged areas, women spend over eight hours a day on unpaid employment.

Even amid the Covid-19 pandemic, 20 percent of Vietnamese men have not done any housework even as the women carry the double burden of work and family responsibilities, according to a March report by the International Labor Organization (ILO).

“My husband is like a kid and cannot cook a proper meal for himself. I keep telling him that we must share these responsibilities equally,” said Nguyen Huong Quynh, a banker in Hanoi.

It is still a widely prevalent practice that Vietnamese women do most of the housework, while fixing and maintaining equipment in the house are tasks reserved for men, according to a study done by the Institute for Social Development Studies.

“Traditional gender norms are clearly reflected in the way many people think – that a man like Bill Gates can easily free himself from doing house chores,” said sociologist Binh.

A tired woman cleans her kitchen. Photo by Shutterstock/Makistock.

Traditional gender norms

The notion of “men building the house and women making it a home,” is deeply rooted in many Asian cultures including Vietnam.

In this patriarchal paradigm that is reinforced by Confucian traditions in Vietnam, cooking, washing clothes, doing the dishes, and taking care of children are a woman’s job.

It is commonly said that if women fail to manage their family affairs and housework, they are nothing, regardless of how successful they may be in their careers and society.

“Many people think women must strike a balance between her job and house chores, but the truth is they go to work and earn money just like their male counterparts,” sociologist Binh said.

Though younger, educated men in urban areas are more open-minded, most Vietnamese men still hold on stereotypical beliefs that associate them with strength and external and more important affairs, and women with gentleness and the “inferior” yet strenuous jobs, several international studies have pointed out.

The ILO has noted that while the country is taking steps to tackle gender inequality, the situation remains dire in Vietnam as the majority of women stay trapped by the “invisible” area informal, unpaid employment.

Binh said: “If a man doing housework becomes a common thing here, people would not talk about Bill Gates’s liking for dish washing, but that will not happen in the near future.”