Sustainable development goals

Insiders make suggestions to maintain sustainable export growth

March 5, 2021 by en.vietnamplus.vn

Tra fish processed for export (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese enterprises should take advantage of online marketing channels, re-arrange production and business orientations and strategies, and bring into full play advantages brought by free trade agreements if they want to achieve sustainable export growth , according to insiders.

Statistics of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) shows that Vietnam’s import-export value reached 95.8 billion USD in the first two months of 2021, up 24.5 percent year-on-year. Of the total, exports were valued at 48.55 billion USD, up 23.2 percent, and imports 47.26 billion USD, up 25.9 percent.

During January-February, Vietnam enjoyed a trade surplus of 1.29 billion USD, down from the 1.8 billion USD seen in the same period last year. The domestic sector posted a trade deficit of 4.14 billion USD, while the FDI sector, including crude oil, saw a trade surplus of 5.43 billion USD.

At the Government’s February regular meeting, MoIT Minister Tran Tuan Anh set a target of 4-5 percent in export growth in 2021.

To that end, MoIT Deputy Minister Cao Quoc Hung said that the ministry is considering a new strategy on import-export activities in the coming time to be submitted to the Prime Minister for issuance.

In addition, the ministry will continue engaging in negotiations and perfecting relevant institutions on free trade agreements (FTAs), including issues related to the rule of origins so as to help business better optimize advantages of the agreements.

It will also consolidate and expand export markets, bring into full play opportunities brought about by existing FTAs, diversify import and export markets, diversify exported products, increase the competitiveness of exported products, and develop brands so as to achieve sustainable export development, Hung added./.

VNA

Bright prospects ahead for wood and handicraft exports to US

March 5, 2021 by vov.vn

Addressing the event, Nguyen Hoai Bao, member of the HAWA executive board, emphasised that despite export activities facing numerous difficulties caused by the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic, the Vietnamese wood industry raked in over US$13 billion last year.

Most notably, exports to the US market enjoyed a surge of 34% to over US$7 billion compared to 2019, meaning the US has become the leading export market of the domestic wood and handicraft sector.

Despite these positives, Bao explained that the US is one of the markets that has set the strictest standards in terms of origin traceability and legality of wood products, thereby forcing local businesses to regularly update the legal system and related regulations as a means of avoiding trade risks and to fully tap into the fastidious market.

Julie Hundersmarck, a specialist at the US Forest Service International Programs, emphasised that despite facing fierce competition from a variety of regions, US importers have a preference to do business with suppliers from Asia, including Vietnam. Indeed, moving forward the US Forest Service has initiated plans to assist the country in controlling the origin and legality of wood products which are exported to the US in order to ensure sustainable development.

Last year saw the sales of furniture products in the US reach US$115 billion, with this figure forecast to hit US$143 billion over the next five years.

Experts have also pointed out that the level of consumer spending on furniture products is projected to increase moving forward, despite the outbreak of COVID-19, noting that local manufacturing firms must be sensitive when selecting investments. As such, they should regularly be introducing fresh products and developing additional trade channels in order to attract customers in an effective manner.

Diageo Vietnam helps Vietnamese get free vaccination

March 5, 2021 by ven.vn

Diageo Vietnam is one of the first businesses in the country joining hands with Tuoi Tre (Youth Newspaper) to help up to ten thousand of frontline workers who work at medical centers, hospitals and centrally quarantine centers in Vietnam, to get vaccinated for free this year.

Having launched at the end of February, following the success of the 1-year long campaign “Preventing Covid-19 with Tuoi Tre”, the campaign aims to raise funds from individuals, organizations, and businesses for such a meaningful and highly practical activity. Through this tangible contribution, Diageo Vietnam demonstrates its commitment to joining hands with Vietnamese people to combat Covid-19, while facilitating safety for local communities in the new normal.

Throughout 2020, Vietnam has marked its name in the global map as a success story of keeping Covid-19 transmission under control and mitigating the pandemic’s adverse effect on all socioeconomic aspects. Strict quarantine and contact tracing measures alongside medical prevention and treatment efforts, empowered by the strong consensus between the Government and people across the country, have proven their values and helped Vietnam make the miracle.

The success of disease prevention and control activities in Vietnam lies in the ability to mobilize extensive resources and connect individuals and organizations under the same cause, which is to prevent Covid outbreak and protect the community. Those noble qualities have inspired companies like Diageo Vietnam to take bold moves and contribute their part.

Mr. Jos Duursema, Chief Operating Officer of Diageo Vietnam said: “ As a British business operating in Vietnam, we are proud to accompany and support the local communities in every possible way to protect their well-being and promote sustainable development for the country. Diageo Vietnam hopes to secure more opportunities to access effective prevention and treatment of Covid-19, hence empowers Vietnamese people with the freedom to live a healthy and successful life.”

The sense of values and purposes guides Diageo’s business operations and social activities on a global scale. Last June in Vietnam, Diageo Vietnam partnered with the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front to present the Ministry of Health with 18,600 hand sanitizer bottles worth VND670 million, alongside its campaign “Clean Serve by Diageo” which provided sanitizing kits and guidelines for more than 315 bars and clubs across the country. Under the campaign’s framework, Diageo hosted a much-anticipated livestreaming session, where the brand’s ambassador shared advice and tips to more than 2,000 participants on how to maintain hygiene and secure experience as they serve customers.

Conference for Young Scientists inspires innovation for cohesive ASEAN

November 26, 2020 by vov.vn

Opening with the theme of “Inspiring creativeness and innovation for a cohesive and responsive ASEAN”, the event witnessed the participation of young experts and scientists from both at home and abroad.

Participants used the occasion to discuss a range of measures aimed at dealing with difficulties faced by the region and methods in which to build the ASEAN community in a sustainable manner.

During the course of the event, there was a plenary session featuring aspects of creativeness and innovation through the initiatives and activities of young ASEAN scientists.

In addition, seminars were held to discuss the new normal in ASEAN, ways to inspire creativeness and innovation to overcome the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the building of smart cities, and developing infrastructure, medicine and health within the ASEAN Community by 2030.

Voluntary blood donation event held in Dien Bien province

March 5, 2021 by en.vietnamplus.vn

A man donates his blood at the Red Spring Festival in Dien Bien province on March 5 (Photo: VNA)

Dien Bien (VNA) – The Red Spring Festival, a voluntary blood donation event, is taking place in the northern mountainous province of Dien Bien on March 5, with more than 300 people coming to register.

This activity aims to encourage people in good health from all social strata to donate blood, helping to address the blood shortage in medical treatment after the Lunar New Year holiday, especially after a hiatus in donation activities due to the COVID-19 resurgence.

Disease prevention measures were carried out to ensure safety for participants, organisers said.

The event is expected to collect more than 210 blood units.

According to the Dien Bien steering committee for voluntary blood donation , this movement has been developing extensively and intensively in the province over the past years, with an increasing number of donors. Donation are now not limited to youngsters or State employees but have been expanded to people from all social strata.

Apart from the Red Spring Festival, other annual events to encourage blood donation have also been maintained, it noted, adding that clubs of blood donors have actively worked to serve emergency needs at the province’s general hospital.

The National Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation has set a goal to collect over 1.5 million blood units in 2021, with 99 percent of which donated by volunteers. The rate of blood donors in the population is hoped to reach 1.6 percent this year.

Director of the committee’s standing office Le Gia Tien said at a recent conference that last year, thanks to many initiatives and great efforts to overcome difficulties caused by COVID-19, the committee received approximately 1.4 million units of blood, helping millions of patients.

The majority of blood units were donated by volunteers, equivalent to nearly 1.5 percent of the population. Half of the givers donated their blood more than once./.

VNA