Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh will attend the 14th Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) slated for December 15-16 in Madrid, Spain. Vietnam joined in ASEM as a founding member in 1996, marking an important step in the country’s foreign policy on multilaterisation and diversification of relations and international integration. Among Vietnam’s 28 strategic and comprehensive partners, 22 are ASEM members, and all ASEM members are the country’s leading economic and trading partners. In combination, they account for 70 percent of the country’s total foreign direct investment (FDI) and international trade value, and 80 percent of international tourists. A total 14 out of 16 free trade agreements (FTA) Vietnam has signed or is negotiating are with ASEM partners. Over the years, Vietnam has proven itself as a dynamic and … [Read more...] about Deputy PM-FM Pham Binh Minh to attend 14th ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
Tackle trading
Plan aims to raise Vietnam’s position in global logistics rankings
Containers are loaded at Da Nang Port in Da Nang city (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) is aiming to raise Vietnam’s ranking in the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index (LPI) by five to 10 places by 2025. In 2018, Vietnam stood at 39th position in the global LPI rankings. The target was set in the MoIT’s recently-issued plan for improving Vietnam’s logistics performance, part of efforts to realise the Government’s Resolution No.02/NQ-CP on the continued implementation of solutions to improve the business climate and national competitiveness in 2019. [Video: VN among the world’s top ten emerging markets by logistics] The plan set up 49 tasks associated with sub-indexes of the LPI for ministries, sectors, and localities. Task groups include those on upgrading infrastructure, improving the distribution capacity, promoting the competence and quality of logistics services, maximising the ability to track … [Read more...] about Plan aims to raise Vietnam’s position in global logistics rankings
Fed’s signal of no rate hike boosts shares
Passengers disembark a Vietjet aircraft. Vietjet (VJC) rose 0.9 per cent on Thursday. —Photo vietjet.com HÀ NỘI — Markets rallied for the second consecutive session on Thursday, partly thanks to the Fed’s Wednesday announcement that it would keep interest rates unchanged and forecast no cuts or hikes in 2020. The central bank’s move helped boost market sentiment, Saigon-Hanoi Securities Co said in its daily report. The VN-Index on the Hồ Chí Minh Stock Exchange (HOSE) rose 0.66 per cent to end Thursday at 968.17 points. Nearly 219 million shares worth almost VNĐ4.2 trillion (US$182 million) were traded on the southern market. The benchmark index increased 0.15 per cent to end Wednesday at 961.78 points. Market breadth was positive with 202 shares gaining and 127 declining. The large-cap VN30-Index soared by 0.74 per cent to stand at 884.80 points. Bank stocks expanded at the end of the trading session, supporting … [Read more...] about Fed’s signal of no rate hike boosts shares