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The Hanoitimes – The conference would also lay a strong foundation for Hanoi to continue growing robustly in the coming years, said Hanoi’s top leader.

The upcoming “Hanoi 2020 – Investment and Development Cooperation” conference, which is scheduled to take place on June 27, would send a message that Vietnam, and Hanoi in particular, is a safe and attractive destination for doing business, according to Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Vuong Dinh Hue.

Hanoi’s upcoming investment promotion conference showcases the city’s determination to become a safe and attractive destination for investors. Photo: Thanh Hai.

This is the first of a series of events to be hosted by Hanoi in response to the patriotic emulation movement, as well as in celebration of the city’s 17th Party Congress, 1010th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi, the 13rd Party National Congress, Hue said at a meeting late on June 22.

The conference would also lay a strong foundation for Hanoi to continue growing robustly in the coming years, Hue stressed.

While the preparation process for the conference is all but completed, it is expected that it would attract up to 1,500 delegates, including international experts, investors and senior officials, revealed a report of the Hanoi Promotion Agency.

At the conference, the city will issue investment licenses for over 115 projects. Among them, domestic investors are expected to invest nearly VND340.6 trillion (US$14.63 billion), including funding for 26 social housing projects worth VND72 trillion (US$3.11 billion) for low-income buyers.

Additionally, foreign-invested projects being licensed by Hanoi this time are estimated to worth a total US$3.5 billion.

The city is calling for investment in 282 projects with estimated cost of a combined VND483.1 trillion (US$20.93 billion).

The organization of the conference after Hanoi’s initial containment of the Covid-19 pandemic sends a strong message on efforts of the capital city and Vietnam to lure investment from domestic and overseas businesses, said the municipal Party chief.

More than ever, Hanoi remains a safe and stable investment destination for investors as the capital city is determined to be the pioneer among Vietnam’s localities in rebooting the economy in the post-pandemic period, he added.

In 2020, Hanoi targets an economic expansion rate 1.3 times higher than the national average, and a state budget revenue of VND285 trillion (US$12.34 billion).

FDI commitments to Hanoi in the year to May 19 increased 6.1% against the previous month to US$1.04 billion. From the start of this year, the capital city has approved 255 new projects worth US$327 million and allowed other 63 to pump an additional US$378 million in the five-month period. Foreign investors also contributed US$340 million in capital to other 468 projects.

The Hanoitimes – With the Covid-19 impacts still looming on local economy, domestic car prices have gone down but remained nearly double the prices of vehicles sold in Thailand and Indonesia, mainly due to high fees and taxes for locally made cars.

Rising domestic production capacity and existing government’s support policies to cut fees and taxes for locally made cars are expected to be major factors dragging down car prices in Vietnam in the coming time.

Car production at Hyundai Thanh Cong manufacturing plant. Photo: Hoang Giang

A representative from the Truong Hai Auto Corporation (Thaco), one of Vietnam’s leading car manufacturers, expected the country’s participation in free trade agreements (FTAs) with major partners, including the EU, Japan, UK and South Korea, would help further abate costs for importing car parts with import duty at 0%.

With the Covid-19 impacts still looming on local economy, domestic car prices have gone down but remain nearly double the prices of vehicles sold in Thailand and Indonesia, mainly due to high fees and taxes for locally made cars.

“High product quality and low base cost are essential for Vietnam cars to compete with their foreign peers,” said auto expert Nguyen Minh Dong, adding only a bigger market size could attract more investors to come in to produce cars in the country and enhance localization rate.

Director of Hien Toyota noted while car manufacturers can streamline operation to drive down the production cost, taxes and fees are dependent on state policies.

“Lowering taxes and fees for cars will no doubt reduce prices and bring more benefits for customers,” she said.

Booming market demand

A recent report from the SSI Securities Corporation suggested Vietnam’s income per capita is on the rise and set to grow at an average of 8-10% in the next decade.

“Compared to regional countries, the current income per capita is fast approaching to a point of bursting demand for cars,” asserted the SSI, adding cars would soon move from the luxury category with a passenger vehicle density of 34 per 1,000 to a more ordinary one with a density level comparable to countries in the region.

The SSI also pointed to a key factor that the domestic car market is big enough for car manufacturers to shift from importing cars to assembling/manufacturing domestically.

At present, six major car manufacturers of Thaco, Huyndai, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Ford and Honda account for 90% of the market share in Vietnam with a combined production capacity of 30,000-60,000 units per year, exceeding the break-even point for domestically-produced cars of 30,000-40,000 cars per year for an assembling plant, or 10,000-20,000 units for each car model.

According to the SSI, domestic car production capacity  is increasing rapidly to meet customers demand, a key step to lower car prices.

With more cars manufacturing and assembling plants scheduled to complete in the 2022-23 period, the SSI expects a heating up car markets with steep discount policies would drive up domestic car demands.

Along with existing Vietnam’s support policies for the automobile industry, the National Assembly is currently discussing a possibility of reducing the excise tax rate for locally made cars, in which the specific reduced rate would be in line with the localization rate, aiming to boost sales of affordable car models.

Pham Hong Quat, director general, NATEC and Leon Cai, regional director (Ho Chi Minh City), Enterprise Singapore

The Vietnamese agency (NATEC) and Enterprise Singapore (ESG) have renewed their cooperation for another two years. What will be the focuses in the next stage? How will it benefit the innovation landscape for Singapore and Vietnam?

Pham Hong Quat: Singapore is considered to be the hub of innovation as well as a “paradise” for startups, with startup-friendly policies including subsidies and a range of incubation schemes. With its advanced IT infrastructure, strong government support, intellectual property laws, and deep tech talent pools, Singapore has become a world-leading technology innovation centre.

Thus, the cooperation between NATEC and ESG will provide an open space for best practices and know-how sharing, particularly on the crafting and execution of startup and innovation supporting policies, as well as building and operating startup hubs.

Through market access programmes and joint events, Vietnamese startups will have a chance to experience and benefit from peer-to-peer learning with their counterparts. Operating in the world’s leading and most vibrant ecosystem, Singaporean startup founders and teams have admirable skills and qualities, for example, creative thinking; entrepreneurship and management skills; fundraising and management; as well as research and development (R&D). Moreover, there will be a high chance that our startups can find great partners or clients in a new market.

One of the biggest concerns for Vietnamese startups might be how to get funding from venture capital funds or angel investors and how to manage them wisely, especially during the crisis. Thus, what they need to focus on is acquiring valuable know-how and skills from their counterparts and taking any opportunity to interact and learn from experienced investors and mentors.

Leon Cai: The renewed MoU will build on existing partnerships between Vietnam and Singapore to facilitate collaborations for startups, ecosystem builders, and the tertiary institutions of both countries, especially in strengthening the global innovation communities’ access to Vietnam’s startup landscape, connecting startups from Vietnam to major technology hubs, and facilitating venture capital activities. In addition, the renewal will have an additional focus on leveraging existing open innovation initiatives such as the Singapore Open Innovation Network to crowd-source solutions for corporates in Vietnam. ESG will also share best practices with NATEC to develop similar open innovation platforms for Vietnam, among other initiatives.

Trade and business links between Vietnam and Singapore have been robust ever since the countries established bilateral diplomatic relations back in 1973. In recent years, we have observed growing interest from Singaporean companies in Vietnam’s technology and innovation sector. With this renewed memorandum, we hope to build a vibrant ecosystem, leveraging the strengths of different innovation players from both countries to create an environment that enables startup and corporate partnerships, and catalyses business transformation and economic growth.

How important s Vietnam’s startup and innovation scene to the rest of ASEAN, the world, and to Singapore? Has there been any changes over the past five years in this regard?

Pham Hong Quat: The Vietnamese government started to pay attention and set up initiatives to build and support the startup ecosystem since 2016 with the National Programme to Support Innovative Startup Ecosystem in Vietnam until 2025, also known as National Programme 844. Since 2017, Vietnam has emerged as a hub for startups, closely competing with Indonesia and Singapore. In the first half of 2019 for instance, Vietnamese startups raised $246 million with startups such as Tiki, VNPay, and VNG capturing 63 per cent of these deals. The first half of 2020 witnessed a 22 per cent reduction in deals compared to the same period in 2019, owing mainly to the economic impact of COVID-19. However, fundraising by Vietnamese startups has shown signs of recovery in the second half of 2020.

To encourage entrepreneurship, the Vietnamese government has established a number of funds at state and provincial/city level to support startups.

Our ecosystem is booming and emerging and in only two years Vietnam jumped from the second-least-active startup ecosystem among the six largest ASEAN countries (Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines) into the third rank, trailing behind only Indonesia and Singapore, according to Southeast Asia-focused venture capital firm Cento Ventures.

Vietnam, driven by its growing internet penetration, smartphone adoption, and young demographics, offers huge potential for startups, especially ones focusing on fintech, e-commerce, and enterprise solutions. These sectors have attracted significant portions of funding in the last year. Other emerging sectors include education technology, agri-tech, and logistics.

Leon Cai: In the past five years, from 2015 to 2020, there has been an exponential increase in deal counts and investments into Vietnam, compared to the five years before then. Regulatory changes, too, have been passed in Vietnam to make it easier for startups to access tech from aboard. National agencies such as NATEC and innovation centres across Vietnam have been established to champion innovation. These are indicators that venture capitalists welcome and boost confidence among investors. Vietnam has risen significantly in 2019’s Global Innovation Index rankings.

Within ASEAN, Vietnam is one of the top three innovative nations, together with Indonesia and Singapore. As a whole, Southeast Asia has built a strong reputation in the innovation scene, with 13 unicorns groomed here. The region has also been attracting a significant number of global investors. According to DealStreetAsia , one of the biggest funds that closed this year in the region is global venture capital firm B Capital Group with more than $700 million that focuses on Southeast Asia.

What lessons should Vietnam learn from Singapore to develop its startup and innovation ecosystem? Which best practices will ESG share with NATEC to develop similar open innovation platforms for Vietnam?

Leon Cai: ESG has been working with public and private partners in Singapore to grow our open innovation ecosystem. As open innovation involves a “win-win” partnership between larger corporates and innovative startups and SMEs, these efforts include setting up the Singapore Open Innovation Network , which is a national gateway to aggregate all open innovation challenges out of Singapore, and the Startup SG Network featuring local startups and ecosystem partners. Most of the innovation calls are open to global solution providers and startups to apply. ESG also collaborates with foreign partners on international co-innovation programmes such as the EUREKA GlobalStars-Singapore call and the recently-launched inaugural Southeast Asia Open Innovation Challenge.

Under the renewed MoU, we look forward to more opportunities to work with NATEC to facilitate exchanges between startups, corporates, investors, and other ecosystem players from Vietnam and Singapore, leveraging on existing initiatives such as the Singapore Open Innovation Network or through new collaborations like the Southeast Asia Open Innovation Challenge.

Pham Hong Quat: Business-incubating infrastructure, tax incentives, cash grants, or financing schemes are outstanding government support initiatives from Singapore that push the ecosystem to the next level and those best practices are what we desire to learn.

Most importantly, we are impressed by the way they form public and private partnerships in open innovation – a global phenomenon and our focus in the past few years. We believe that this is an appropriate approach to build up sustainable ecosystem as government funding and supports are limited while there are a lot of opportunities from the private sector. By creating an open innovation platform where the government plays a role as facilitator, we can draw private resources into startup support activities on a sustainable win-win basis.

We are positive that the renewed MoU will bring more impacts and benefits to the startup ecosystem of the two countries via a number of detailed activities such as market access and exchange, joint pitching sessions, capacity building, and open innovation platform.

What successful tie-ups have there been between startups and corporations under the MoU? What are your future expectations?

Leon Cai: ESG and NATEC signed the MOU at the sidelines of TechFest 2018 in Danang, Vietnam on November 30, 2018 to facilitate collaborations for startups, ecosystem builders and tertiary institutions between both countries.

Over the past two years, the MoU has supported a number of initiatives:

1. Strengthening the global innovation communities’ access to Vietnam’s startup landscape. NUS Enterprise, the entrepreneurial arm of the National University of Singapore (NUS), partnered Becamex IDC Corporation to launch ecosystem builder BLOCK71 Saigon in October 2020. As an entrepreneur enclave of startups, venture capitalists, and incubators, BLOCK71 Saigon connects Vietnam’s innovation players with a network of mentors, global tech talents, and resources from corporates and government agencies;

1. Connecting startups to major technology hubs. BLOCK 71 augments the efforts of Enterprise Singapore’s Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) in Ho Chi Minh City, a partnership with Saigon Innovation Hub (SIHUB) and Singapore-based venture fund Quest Ventures that was launched in 2019. GIA is a network of global innovation hubs which Vietnam’s ecosystem players can tap on to access the latest R&D efforts, whilst familiarising the global startup community with market demands unique to Vietnam. More than 10 Singapore-based startups from various sectors participated in the first run of the GIA HCMC market immersion programme, which concluded recently with a number of participating startups in discussion for partnerships or pilot projects with Vietnamese partners; and

1. Facilitating Venture capital activities. We have observed more fund raising activities from Singapore-based venture capital firms looking to invest in Vietnam’s fund and startups. Sea Group and Vertex Holdings invested in the recently launched Do Ventures fund, targeting Vietnamese startups. Other noteworthy fund-raising activities include Singapore companies, Insignia Ventures Partners, and TRIVE investments into Vietnamese technology companies Logivan and CoderSchool, respectively. Singaporean edtech startup Kalpha also raised seed funding from Vietnam-based VC Nest Tech VN.

Moving forward, we hope to facilitate more co-innovation partnerships between startups and corporates. One example is the ongoing Southeast Asia Open Innovation Challenge that was launched at the Singapore Week of Innovation and TeCHnology in December last year. VNG Cloud launched its call to source for partners to co-innovate complementary technologies to support its eKnow Your Customer (eKYC) solution which enables digital banking for banks and financial institutions. The Open Innovation Challenge also saw participation from a number of other regional corporates including Central Group (Thailand), Hong Leong Holdings (Malaysia), Emtek (Indonesia), and Sunway (Malaysia), aiming to leverage Singapore’s business friendly environment, strong infrastructure and proximity to Southeast Asia to co-develop and scale new innovative solutions.

The Vietnamese government has a number of supporting policies for startups. Do you think they are enough to facilitate startup development and lure Singaporean startup and venture funds?

Leon Cai: Policies to support innovation has been remarkable in the last 10 years. At the enterprise level, MoUs such as those between ESG and NATEC further strengthen the role of the business sector in Vietnam’s innovation landscape. Our MoU encourages private and public partnerships, enterprise investments in science and technology initiatives, and expands public support for R&D at firm level by linking Vietnamese enterprises with research institutions.

Efforts to strengthen training and knowledge transfers between research centres, academia, and foreign companies and national science and technology networks will also assure more domestic firms can access the latest technologies and build capabilities to improve on productivity and quality benchmarks.

These efforts make Vietnam an attractive investment for Singaporean companies.

Vietnam’s festive staycation the grandest offers of the year (photo: freepik.com)

Park Hyatt Saigon’s festive staycation package

Nothing ordinary ever happens during Christmas and New Year. From now to December 31 (excluding the peak nights of December 24, 25, 31, and January 1), you can experience a special staycation from only VND7 million ($305) per night for two guests, including a VND4 million ($173) credit per night redeemable for all of hotel services, 30 per cent off for spa, a premium bottle of Prosecco upon arrival, daily breakfast for two, and much more.

On Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, the hotel celebrates the season with promotions running round the clock and all-day festivities at all outlets. Among them, Le Petit Chef Festive Edition is priced at VND 4,000,000 per guest, excluding beverages. Its Magic At The Park – Holiday Edition organised in the Ballroom on December 13, 20 and 27, pricing from VND650,000 ($28) for 6-12 year olds, VND950,000 ($41) for people over 12, and VND1.2 million ($52) per guest for the premium two front rows. Furthermore, all you need for a cosy and wonderful Christmas season is just one call away. The Pastry Boutique introduces a wide range of artisanal Christmas cakes, sweets, and pastries.

Joyful stay at An Lam Retreats Saigon River

This year, An Lam Retreats Saigon River offers a great combination for Christmas and New Year’s Eve at a special rate from VND8 million ($347) per night for two, including a complimentary roundtrip pickup service, Christmas dinner, New Year’s Eve dinner, music performances, lucky draws, and fireworks by the river. The offer is applicable for a minimum of 2-night stays.

The city resort celebrates Christmas and New Year with special rates on December 24 from VND1.75 million ($76) for adults and VND1 million ($43) per child, including buffet by the river, complimentary round trip transfer, free flow of soft drinks, water, tea and coffee, music, and a special visit from Santa Claus.

Christmas Day lunch by the river is offered for VND710,000 ($30) per adult and VND350,000 ($15) per child, for which you can choose either Western or Vietnamese cuisine. Welcome the new year with a special dinner on December 31, starting at VND2.15 million ($90) per adult and VND1 million ($43) per child, with all the aforementioned perks included, plus a countdown party and stunning fireworks by the river.

Sense of Celebration at Banyan Tree and Angsana Lang Co

Banyan Tree and Angsana Lang Co welcome guests to reconnect with their family and friends and celebrate this favourite time of year with the Sense of Celebration package. When booking a king- or twin-bed Garden Balcony or Sea View Junior Pool Suite in Angsana Lang Co, or the Lagoon Pool Villa or Beach Pool Villa in Banyan Tree Lang Co, guests can enjoy a delightful Christmas and New Year dinner for two valued at $172 in total for a minimum of two nights stay.

The resorts’ Christmas Eve Buffet Dinner on costs from VND2.5 million ($109) per person and will pamper your taste buds with a choice of mouth-watering Western dishes, festive goodies, chocolate yule log, and panettone, along with Asian delights.

A Christmas Day Market at Angsana Central Lawn will be organised where you can enjoy a fun time with your family. Besides a full array of fun-filled games, activities, and snacks, you can shop for traditional products, gifts, regional crafts, as well as explore Vietnam’s lively streetfood delicacies. The market costs VND1 million ($43) per adult and VND500,000 ($22) for children ages 4 to 12.

Exclusivity at An Lam Retreats Ninh Van Bay

An Lam Retreats Ninh Van Bay invites you to a special celebration surrounded by the soothing sound of the ocean. Starting at VND7.5 million ($326) two adults for either Christmas or New Year’s Eve dinner, including breakfast, lunch, a pool party with live DJ, countdown party, and lucky draws, as well as complimentary selected minibar items, roundtrip pick-up service, and many more resort activities. The offer is applicable for a minimum stay of two nights.

Suiten’ Sweet at Sheraton Nha Trang

Sheraton Nha Trang offers a special Suite n’ Sweet promotion, starting from VND2.8 million ($122) a night only, including the benefits that come with a luxury suite with modern amenities and privileges for premium guests, plus a choice of the following benefits: early check-in at 10am or late check-out at 4pm, free welcome amenities in the room, daily breakfast, and club lounge access for two adults and two children under 12 years old, 50 per cent discount on the second room, as well as 20 per cent discount on food and beverages and spa services. Book now until December 31 and stay before January 31 and explore one of five suite types, rating from VND2.8 million ($122) to VND8.3 million ($360).

Fabulous Festivities at Mövenpick Resort Cam Ranh

Spectacular festive activities await you at Mövenpick Resort Cam Ranh. Relax with your family and friends during the night in which all the magic happens. Indulge in a selection of seasonal favourites, like fresh seafood from Cam Ranh Bay. The resort offers Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinner buffets from just VND780,000 ($34) and VND650,000 ($28) per person respectively. The special Christmas 4-course set menu at the Tropicana Beach Club starts from VND880,000 ($38) per and offers great flavours of fresh seafood from Cam Ranh Bay, including a soup, a starter, a choice for the main course, and mouth-watering dessert. In addition, the resort is planning a wonderful New Year’s Eve at Panorama with its executive chef Andrea and the dedicated culinary team preparing gorgeous festive favourites with 14 different types of dishes. The feast costs VND2.25 million ($98) per person.

Savouring with InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach

InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach will organise many culinary and entertainment events under the theme “Carnival.” These events include the gingerbread house-building contest hosted by Santa Claus, where children can also enjoy activities such as reading books with him, while the adults indulge in delightful afternoon teas. The resort’s restaurants Sora & Umi, LAVA, and INK 360 will offer the most memorable cuisine, including a 6-course menu with chosen wines, local specialities, cocktails, and much more. In addition, a carnival will be organised on New Year’s Eve, where tourists can enjoy the appearance of clown stilt walkers, street magicians, bubble wizards, and fire dance shows. Events will officially start on December 19 and last until early 2021.

Home away from home at Mövenpick Resort Waverly Phu Quoc

Mövenpick Resort Waverly Phu Quoc’s mission is to present its guests with opportunities to make moments they can treasure for years to come. Thus, the resort offers the perfect harmony between peaceful secluded space and enjoyable socialising with energetic and cosy activities such as the Chocolate Hour, Aqua Zumba, beach parties, and BBQ pool parties. Families can stay in one of 79 villas with delicate amenities, tailored to each of visitors and including butler service, private villa BBQ dinner, and sunset foot massage. The resort made its mark with the astonishing achievement of becoming the first international 5-star resort on Ong Lang beach earning the “Best Luxury Family Resort in Asia” at the 2020 World Luxury Hotel Awards.

Xmas A-la-mood at Pullman Phu Quoc Beach Resort

This festive season, get ready to revel in a tantalising feast of Pullman’s Xmas A-la-mood, featuring a comprehensive menu of premium dishes. The resort’s experience has been enhanced with an extension of traditional festive treats, ranging from roasted turkey with chestnut stuffing to a beloved honey mustard glazed ham. Other menu highlights include local and international favourites, and homemade dessert buffet. From December 24, the warmest and most magical Christmas on the island is happening at Pullman, and you should explore a playful Christmas meal and a gourmet 5-course menu at only VND1.5 million ($65) per person.

Festive Season at Meliá Hanoi

Meliá Hanoi welcomes all who are looking for splendid accommodation, first-class facilities, and warm service. Celebrate the arrival of this holiday season with Meliá Hanoi Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and a feast at El Restaurant full of delicious goodies on December 24-31. Christmas Eve Dinner on December 24; Christmas Day Lunch on December 25, and New Year’s Eve Dinner on December 31 are all priced from VND1.28 million ($55) per adult and VND680,000 ($29.50) per child from 4 to 10 years, including a choice of beer or soft drink. Groups from 10 persons are allowed an extra invite for free when booking at least five days in advance.

Great holidays at Pandanus resort

Immerse yourself in Pandanus’ lush tropical gardens adjacent to a white sandy beach. The resort’s holiday package includes a 1-night stay in a spacious Superior Standard room with full amenities, a wide selection of international cuisines, a relaxing luncheon, and a sumptuous barbecue dinner all in the Café Blue Lagoon Restaurant. Guests will be given room upgrades at no additional charge, when available. This promotion will be in effect until the end of February for the unbelievably low price of VND2.44 million ($106) per night for two. If you decide to stay on either December 26 or 31, there will be a small surcharge for your stay.

Christmas and New Year at JW Marriott Phu Quoc

With many elements such as fabulous feasts, royal parties, extraordinary service, and deals that are simply cannot be refused, JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay shines as the destination for festive season of Christmas and New year. From VND8.5 million ($370), “Festive Delight by JW” prepare for you and your family unforgettable experiences with luxury accommodation, breakfast for 2 adults and 2 children ages 4-12, Christmas or New Year’s Eve dinner at Tempus Fugit Restaurant, airport transfer, and 20 per cent off on spa treatments.

The Christmas Eve “Christmas Feast for All” at Tempus Fugit restaurant is a luxurious buffet party with rates from VND2.5 million ($109) per person. If guests desire to experience their culinary journey in splendid and impressive atmosphere, then Madam Pearl’s Exclusive Party at the grand Pink Pearl mansion, is the choice to make.

Kick off Christmas at Grand Mercure Danang With the jingle bells ringing and sweet-voiced carols in the air, the best time of the year is coming to town! Streamers of tinsel and glass satin balls are hanging up on Christmas trees where the reunited family shares colourful gifts. Let us get into the holiday spirit with a fabulous staycation right here at Grand Mercure Danang. With its splendid Christmas tree set up for guests and their beloved families, the hotel lights up your holiday with awesome deals right at your fingertips. A delicious welcome drink and a hearty Christmas meal will wait for you, right before the party night to ring in New Year and welcome 2021. Grand Mercure’s Christmas & New Year Treats has got it all wrapped up for you to ensure you experience memories of a lifetime. The festive season starts with the Christmas Wonder Land Buffet Dinner at La Rive Gauche Restaurant on December 24 with the Carol Choir. Starting at just VND1 million ($43), you can enjoy a wonderful Christmas Eve experience at La River Gauche, with complimentary mulled wine, and unlimited servings of draught beer, soft drinks, and water. The hotel also offers an early-bird discount of 10 per cent for all bookings by December 15. Furthermore, the New Year Eve Buffet Dinner at La Rive Gauche Restaurant on December 31 invites you to live music at only VND1.1 million ($47) and features a wide range of gourmet dishes. The buffet also includes unlimited servings of draught beer, soft drinks, and water. Moreover, seafood lovers will enjoy the seafood live cooking station while the hotel’s New Year Cookies and Macaroon Tower will satisfy your dessert cravings. Early-bird discounts at 10 per cent are available for all bookings by December 20. Last but not least, you can enjoy New Year at Nirvana Bar with the Sunshine band, starting at VND400,000 ($17.50), including free-flow sparkling, red, and white wine; selected cocktails; draught beer; soft drinks; and water from 9pm to midnight. A special discount of 50 per cent applies for guests enjoying the New Year Eve Buffet. On the first day of the new year, the hotel’s all-you-can-eat Dim Sum Brunch, priced at only VND490,000 ($21) is offered at Golden Dragon. Aesthetically designed by talented chefs from the Sofitel Macau, the menu showcases over 50 dim sum treats, meticulously hand-crafted dumplings, shumai, fried spring rolls, steamed rice rolls, and much more. Year-End Party by the river at Mia Saigon With the festive season on its way, why not experience something new and riverside at Mia Saigon, and hold your year-end, festive event at the luxury boutique riverfront resort. Less than 15 minutes by speedboat from the city centre, Mia Saigon is an ideal place for any event with an intimate ambiance coupled with sweeping views of the Saigon river. The opulent indoor venue at L’ÂME and the open space of the yard and river deck, as well as the stunning rooftop view under the clear skies at Gin on 8, all ensure an unforgettable experience that will impress every guest. Event menus can be tailored for every occasion. Whether it is a cozy dinner for 10, evening canapés or a lavish year-end party for 300 persons, our year-end menus offer something to suit every taste and promise to leave you satisfied and ready for an evening’s joyful entertainment. With its stunning location, a year-end party at Mia Saigon creates an amazing ambiance with a glorious sunset on the river and beautiful view of the city. You can enjoy the open space, the fresh air, and the clear blue sky at crisp evenings thanks to the cool breeze from the river during these coolest months of the year. Moreover, mouth-watering event menus with daily fresh ingredients, local produce, and premium imported meats can be tailor-made upon request and are executed by our dedicated team who cares about every detail to perfect your feast. Last but not least, Mia’s exclusive accommodation packages will bring you resort-style comfort after an enjoyable party night. The hotel offers complimentary welcome canapés for a group from 30 guests; 10 per cent discount for event guests to enjoy the rooftop bar Gin on 8; complimentary pick-up service by speedboat from Bach Dang Wharf; and attractive pricing options starting from VND900,000 ($39) per person.

HCM City (VNA) – The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has urged localities to adopt drastic measures to fight irregular, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

All Vietnamese fishermen, businesses, and local authorities must consider this an important and urgent task to affirm the prestige of Vietnam’s fisheries sector in the world and among countries it shares territorial waters with, and be resolved to meet the standards set by the European Commission (EC).

Since the EC gave a “yellow card” warning to Vietnam’s fisheries and seafood in the European market in October 2017, the entire sector has suffered marked losses.

Tran Dinh Luan, head of the ministry’s Directorate of Fisheries, said it is necessary to prevent, deter, and eliminate IUU fishing in order to remove the “yellow card” warning, develop fisheries responsibly, and integrate into the world.

This is also the guideline of the Party and State, as reflected through the Law on Fisheries.

Since the imposition of the EC warning, Vietnam’s fishery export value to Europe has fallen by between 6 and 10 percent annually.

From being the second-largest importer of Vietnam’s seafood, with value representing 17-20 percent of Vietnam’s total export revenue, the EU now ranks fifth, after Japan, the US, the Republic of Korea (RoK), and ASEAN.

The Government and the National Steering Committee on IUU Fishing Prevention have issued a range of documents instructing ministries, agencies, and People’s Committees in 28 coastal cities and provinces to drastically take preventive measures. The MARD has conducted regular inspections in localities.

The EC has highly valued Vietnam’s political determination to implement its recommendations in this regard.

Vietnam has openly and transparently announced the results of inspections of seafood exports to the EU and has completed a legal framework that serves as a foundation to materialise relevant tasks, including the enforcement of the Law on Fisheries, two decrees adopted by the Government, a decision by the Prime Minister, and a circular from the MARD.

The country has joined and realised the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)’s Agreement on Port State Measures, whose main objective is to prevent, deter, and eliminate IUU fishing, and also the UN Fish Stocks Agreement.

The EC has lauded Vietnam’s efforts in installing fishing vessel monitoring equipment and enhancing the management of seafood exploitation.

One of 28 coastal localities in Vietnam, the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang has posted significant achievements in fighting IUU fishing.

With 366 fishing vessels of 15 metres in length or more operating at sea, the province has stepped up communications work so that captains, sailors, and ship-owners seriously observe relevant regulations.

According to Duong Tan Truong, head of the provincial Department of Fisheries, Soc Trang has developed a plan to conduct tasks in fighting IUU fishing and established a working group to lead the fight.

It carried out 10 patrols at sea last year and inspected 146 fishing vessels inside and outside of the province.

Soc Trang also granted 381 seafood certificates to 11 processing and export firms in the locality during 2020, with more than 6,000 tonnes of seafood, according to Truong.

Southernmost Ca Mau province, meanwhile, has also made substantial efforts in disseminating relevant legal documents to raise public awareness about IUU fishing, and enhancing coordination between relevant agencies.

The province will work harder in the time ahead to prevent fishing vessels that deliberately operate in foreign waters./.

VNA