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As much as 5.46 billion USD worth of foreign direct investment (FDI) is injected into Vietnam as of February 20. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – As much as 5.46 billion USD worth of foreign direct investment (FDI) was injected into Vietnam as of February 20, equivalent to 84.4 percent of the figure recorded in the same time last year, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment .

As many as 126 foreign projects were granted investment licences with total registered capital of 3.31 billion USD, a year-on-year fall of 33.9 percent.

Meanwhile, 115 existing projects adjusted their investment capital with a total additional sum of 1.61 billion USD, or 2.5 times higher than the same time last year.

Capital contributions and shares purchases by foreign investors stood at 543.1 million USD, down 34.4 percent.

Foreign investors pumped capital in 17 sectors, with processing and manufacturing holding the lead with over 3 billion USD or 55.7 percent, followed by power production and distribution with 1.44 billion USD (26.5 percent), real estate 485 million USD, and science-technology nearly 153 million USD.

Japan topped the list of 46 countries and territories landing investment in Vietnam , with 1.64 billion USD, equivalent to nearly 30 percent of the total. Singapore came second with 1.07 billion USD (19.6 percent), and the Republic of Korea third with 1.05 billion USD (19.3 percent).

The ministry said the southern province of Can Tho lured the lion’s share of FDI with 1.31 billion USD, accounting for 24.2 percent of the total. Hai Phong city was the runner-up since it attracted nearly 918 million USD, or 16.8 percent. Bac Giang came third with nearly 573 million USD (10.5 percent).

So far this year, the foreign-invested sector has earned 38.07 billion USD from exports, up 34 percent year-on-year, and making up 76.1 percent of the nation’s total export turnover. At the same time, it spent 31.6 billion USD on imports, up 31.2 percent year-on-year, and accounting for 66.6 percent of the country’s total import value. That resulted in a trade surplus of nearly 6.5 billion USD./.

The Hanoitimes – Lawmakers largely attributed severe floods in the central region recently to poor planning of small-scale hydropower plants.

Vietnam’s lawmakers have urged the government to thoroughly review hydropower planning nationwide for sustainable management following severe flooding and fatal landslides in the central region late last month that are largely believed to stem from poor planning of small-scale hydropower stations.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade needs to make all-encompassing assessment of the investment of small- and medium-size hydroelectric plants in the north, the central region, and Central Highlands, lawmakers said at the National Assembly (NA)’s ongoing month-long plenum.

They demanded the removal of ineffective projects out of the National Power Plan by 2030.

Voices from lawmakers

Lawmaker Nguyen Thi Xuan. Photo: Quochoi

Lawmaker Nguyen Thi Xuan from Dak Lak province pointed out some consequences resulted from the development of these projects, including drought and flooding when the dams store and discharge water, legalized exploitation of timber under the guise of hydropower, transfer of hydroelectric projects to other investors after exploiting mineral resources.

She said the parliament needs to establish task forces to supervise the afforestation while the government has to increase funding the afforestation and add it to the socio-economic development of the mountainous areas and ethnic minorities in 2021-2030.

Lawmaker Phan Thai Binh from Quang Nam province demanded environmental impact assessment (EIA) by the government to ensure the safety of both hydroelectric dams and irrigation dams.

Lawmaker Hoang Duc Thang. Photo: Quochoi

Lawmaker Hoang Duc Thang from Quang Tri province attributed severe floods in the central region largely to the development of hydropower. He said hydropower-related deforestation has caused bare land, soil erosion, flash flood, landslide, and severe disaster.

The disappearance of natural and primeval forests has weakened soil water retention capacity, causing floods, Mr. Thang emphasized.

Meanwhile, lawmaker Leo Thi Lich from Bac Giang province talked about the safety of both hydroelectric and irrigation dams and the need of systematic operations among them.

Lawmaker Tran Thi Dung blamed the government for having no specific policies to remove ineffective projects that cause the disappearance of forests and disrupt the livelihood.

Lawmaker Vu Thi Luu Mai attributed tragic natural disasters to anthropogenic impact on the environment that includes changes to biophysical environments and ecosystems, biodiversity, and natural resources.

Well-known lawmaker Duong Trung Quoc pointed out the lack of long-term impact that small-scale hydro might cause for next generations in decades.

Pledge from government agencies

Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh. Photo: Quochoi

Speaking at the NA’s discussion session on Wednesday [November 4], Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh said the ministry will closely work with localities to tighten control over existing hydroelectric dams and the development of the new ones.

He affirmed that the ministry has added to the national power plan no hydropower projects whose development implies the deforestation of natural forests while removing from the plan 480 hydroelectricity projects and 213 potential locations planned for this kind of projects.

At the parliament, Mr. Anh also highlighted the important role of hydropower in the country’s development, saying that hydropower capacity of 20,000 megawatt (MW) from 429 dams accounts for 37% of the country’s total power capacity.

The Hanoitimes – Any citizen in need of help should call diplomatic missions via the contact posted on their websites or citizen protection hotlines.

Vietnam brought 800 Vietnamese nationals to the country safely between March 21 and March 25 as part of efforts that the Vietnamese government has made in the context that other nations impose travel restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang of Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo: MOFA

Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed the information at a press conference on March 26 that diplomatic missions are working with related parties to bring 40 more Vietnamese citizens who are stranded at foreign airports.

Any citizen in need of help should call diplomatic missions via the contact posted on their websites or citizen protection hotlines, Hang said.

Vietnam’s diplomatic missions overseas have been actively helping Vietnamese nationals find flights to go home and no Vietnamese diplomat has been found positive with the coronavirus so far, Hang informed.

As the global pandemic has become complex and unpredictable, Vietnam has suspended the entry of all foreigners from March 22. Meanwhile, many countries have closed borders to limit the spread of the virus.

The moves have somewhat resulted in the difficulties in traveling, leaving many people stuck en route home.

Two airports in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have been required to stop receiving international flights that carry Vietnamese passengers from March 26 to March 31 due to overload of mass quarantine establishments.

National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has suspended all international routes in a phased manner until April 30 while VietJet has halted flights to and from ASEAN and Northeast Asian countries from March 20, except for the Hanoi-Tokyo route that will be operated until April 4.

When the epidemic broke out in Chinese city of Wuhan, Vietnam Airlines took a flight to repatriate 30 citizens on February 10 on a flight served by 15 crewmembers and three doctors.