Central transport node in large metropolitan areas

Illustrative image (Photo: SGGP) Under the proposal, the Ministry of Transport proposed a reduction of road use fee of 30 percent for passenger transport business vehicles and road toll charges of ten percent for commercial vehicles transporting goods; 20 percent for domestic transportation in the marine sector, including tonnage fees, marine guarantee fees, and entrance and departure fees. In addition, the Ministry of Transport has suggested a reduction of 20 percent of airline service fees, consisting of fees for the grant of certificates and licenses related to civil aviation activities, permission to access airport restricted areas, fees for aircraft guarantee transactions The railway sector is expected to enjoy a fee reduction of 50 percent in using railway infrastructure while the inland water transportation area will get a 50 percent cut of fees for departure and entrance of ports; inland waterway reporting fees. By Bich Quyen – Translated by Kim Khanh … [Read more...] about Transport Ministry proposes fee reduction for different modes of transportation

Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce Vietnam Kenneth Atkinson. The trade and investment relationship between Viet Nam and the UK has grown significantly a year after the UK-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) came into effect. Viet Nam News spoke to Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce Vietnam Kenneth Atkinson about the effectiveness of the trade deal as well as opportunities for further cooperation between the two countries. How do you assess improvements in trade and investment between Viet Nam and the UK a year after implementing the UKVFTA? The UK-Viet Nam FTA came into effect on May 1, 2021 but with retroactive benefits starting January 1, 2021. This was one of the speediest negotiations of any FTA, in large part due to the strong strategic partnership established by the Governments of Viet Nam and UK. The Strategic Partnership has been in place for 10 years and is stated as being at its strongest ever. The UK is the European country that has maintained … [Read more...] about Trade, investment between Viet Nam and UK expand steadily in all sectors

Patrick Lenain - Former assistant director Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Schools and universities will need to adopt new technologies. Public transportation networks will need to be upgraded. Large-scale logistical hubs will be required to remain integrated in global supply chains. Old-age citizens will need welfare support. Electricity generation will need to decarbonise. Coastal cities will need to adapt to rising sea levels. Military spending will need to protect the country. And it is obvious that health spending remains a priority. Unfortunately, tax revenue is at present too limited to finance these large investments. Vietnam’s government collected tax revenue equivalent to 16 per cent of GDP last year, according to the International Monetary Fund. This is less than Malaysia (18.3 per cent), Singapore (18.5 per cent), India (19.7 per cent), Thailand (20.3 per cent), and China (27 per cent). This is also less than before the pandemic, reflecting … [Read more...] about Tax for development: Does Vietnam need tax reform?

Speaking at the Vietnam Circular Economy Forum 2022 last week in Hanoi, Caitlin Wiesen, resident representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam, suggested that the country needs to further promote renewable energy production. “We know that the cost of renewable energy has dropped dramatically, by 89 per cent over the past 10 years, and solar is currently the cheapest source of electricity,” she explained. In just five years, Vietnam has scaled up its solar capacity from virtually zero to over 16,000MW by 2022, far exceeding national targets, Wiesen added. “Vietnam also has rich wind power potential, especially offshore wind, with more than 3,200km of coastline,” she said. Meanwhile, over the past decades, the energy sector has been a fundamental enabler of inclusive economic development in Vietnam. The sector is well-positioned to lead the green growth ambitions of the country, Wiesen said, and can catalyse new investments, create new jobs, and … [Read more...] about Grand energy aims require direction

My Son Sanctuary (Photo: VNA) Quang Nam (VNA) – The management board for My Son world cultural heritage site is coordinating with relevant parties in planting markers to delineate the boundary between the landscape conservation area and local residents' cultivation land to prevent encroachment and preserve the habitats of animals and plants in the conservation area. The landscape protection zone for the My Son Sanctuary , a world cultural heritage site in the central province of Quang Nam, covers more than 1,160ha of land, including over 1,100ha of natural forests, in Duy Phu and Duy Hoa communes of Duy Xuyen district. Forests in this zone are currently home to 37 mammal species, including some listed in the Vietnam Red Data Book like Sunda slow loris, Sunda pangolin, wildcat, and small Indian civet. They also harbour 238 plant species, including critically endangered ones such as “cho den” (Parashorea stellata), “gien trang” (Xylopia pierrei), “thanh nganh nam” … [Read more...] about Efforts made to protect My Son Sanctuary ecosystem

Border guards of the Central Highland province of Gia Lai said on July 6 that they had started legal proceedings against a man for allegedly trafficking seven Jrai ethnic teenagers from Gia Lai to Cambodia. Border guards from La O commune arrest Tran Quang Quyet for trafficking seven ethnic teenagers into Cambodia. Furthermore, they also completed the procedures to hand over the case to the Ministry of Public Security’s Investigative Police Agency for further investigation. A preliminary investigation revealed that at the start of the year Tran Quang Quyet, 21, residing in neighbouring Kon Tum province, was initially tricked into entering Cambodia to work for a company, and by June he owed the firm over VND100 million. He received a proposal by two Vietnamese women in Cambodia that he would be paid US$700 for each person he could bring into Cambodia. On June 19 - 20, Quyet persuaded seven teenagers from La O commune (Gia Lai) to work in Tay Ninh province … [Read more...] about Man prosecuted for trafficking ethnic teenagers to Cambodia