Vietnam signs deal for construction of first oil refinery


An international consortium led by French group Technip signed a 1.5 billion USD deal May 17 to build Vietnam's first oil refinery, the biggest ever investment in the country, AFP reported.
Officials from Technip, Japanese engineering giant JGC Corporation and Spain's Tecnicas Reunidas signed the deal with state-owned giant PetroVietnam in Hanoi.

The long-awaited deal is seen as crucial to giving Vietnam energy autonomy as, despite being a major crude producer, the nation has to import its refined products.

The whole project, which requires the building of a vast infrastructure including a port, is expected to cost a record 2.5 billion USD, according to several industry estimates.

The price tag of 2.5 billion USD is more than double its original cost of 1.2 billion USD estimated around eight years ago due to design changes and the US dollar slide against the Euro in recent years, Reuters quoted PetroVietnam officials as saying.

Tran Ngoc Canh, president and chief executive officer of PetroVietnam, said the deal was a "critical milestone in the construction of the Dung Quat refinery," as quoted by AFP.

The complex will have an annual capacity of 6.5 million tons and the deal will take effect from June 15 with construction expected to take 44 months, according to Vietnamese officials.

PetroVietnam said in a statement that the 130,000-barrel-a-day Dung Quat refinery would be put on trial operations in June 2008, according to Reuters.

Vietnam produced 20.1 million tons of crude in 2004, some 13.3 per cent more than in the previous year.

But its lack of oil refineries meant it had to continue importing all refined products, losing hundreds of millions of dollars in precious foreign exchange.

(Source: AFP, Reuters – Compiled by The Vinh)

Taiwanese firm to build $700m steel plant in Vietnam


A Taiwanese company is planning to invest 700 million USD to build a large stainless steel plant in Vietnam’s southern region, the first state-of-the-art plant of its kind in Southeast Asia.
Qianding Samoa Company, a subsidiary of Taiwan’s stainless steel giant Chien Shing, has recently rented 50 hectares of land at an industrial zone in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau province to prepare for construction.

The company has also asked for a license from Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment to start work on the project.

Qianding Samao says the 700 million-USD facility will be capable of manufacturing 720,000 tons of stainless steel per year.

This is a very large project, said a high-ranking official from the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and hopefully Qianding Samoa will get permission soon.

Source: Tuoi Tre newspaper – Compiled by Hieu Trung.

wow. that is a good news for vietnamese people.

It has never been in recent times that the country’s electricity industry has faced such clumsiness in ensuring sufficient power for production and the people’s livelihood. For a fortnight now, local media has on and on front-paged the devastating water shortage that is threatening the operations of hydropower stations nationwide.

Hoa Binh hydropower station of course takes center stage as it is the biggest one in the country, accounting for one-fifth of the national power generation. It however is facing this year’s doomsday, as the water flow into its reservoir is trivial compared to the demand, at a mere 165 cubic meters per second on Tuesday compared to at least 950 cubic meters needed for current generation, according to Lao Dong.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the water level of Hoa Binh’s dam fell to a record low of 78 meters, two meters below the critical level to ensure normal operations and just three meters above the mark where the entire complex will come to a dead halt.

The situation at Hoa Binh station is now very critical, according to media reports.

Thanh Nien said on Wednesday that only three turbines out of eight at the station were generating power, while two others were merely ticking over in preparation for emergency cases when power supply on the national grid fluctuated. Such a method of operations is very damaging to equipment at the station, says Tuoi Tre.

The inevitable consequence has come, as Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) has had to apply rotating power cuts in the entire northern region, despite power supply of four million kWh a day from southern power stations.

Two questions arise from the current situation: Did the operator really anticipate the possible water shortage during the dry season, and why should the country rely so heavily on hydropower rather than diversifying generation sources?

Months ago, the local media reported that Hoa Binh reservoir discharged a large volume of water to save crops downstream in the Red River Delta as the scorching heat threatened crop failures. It is likely that such a measure was not prudently thought out.

In an interview with Tuoi Tre, head of the Vietnam Irrigation Association Tran Nhon blamed the current critical situation on the lack of prudent consideration and inconsistent management. “The reservoir is meant to serve different purposes, including agricultural watering, power generation, and flood regulation. However, there is not consistent management,” he said.

From June 15 to September 15 each year, the reservoir is monitored by the national flood prevention bureau, and in the remaining time, it is managed by EVN. The utility EVN tends to maximize the use of water to save on costs for other thermo-power stations, and therefore, scarcity of water at the end of the dry season is understandable, according to Nhon.

He suggested that all reservoirs in the country should be managed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, which should know how to dictate the use of water in the most economical and efficient way.

Diversification of generation sources is another matter of concern. Hydropower generation is of course the most cost-effective way, but heavy reliance on such a source will cripple the country’s production when the time comes, as it is now.

At a meeting with EVN on Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung reiterated the need to diversify sources, including schemes to buy power from China. In fact, the operator of the Nam Con Son Gas Project last week decided to increase gas output by 30% to supply the Phu My gas-fired power complex to help EVN address the harsh conditions.

The natural cause aside, smooth power generation requires careful planning, otherwise the industry will falter and tumble into a mess. The situation these days, therefore, is a practical lesson to be learned, if future hazards are to be minimized.

In the three decades since its liberation in 1975, Ho Chi Minh City has experienced remarkable socio-economic development. VIR takes a look at two projects that are emblematic of the city's transformation into an economic powerhouse.

>>>>>Saigon South<<<<<
As thousands of cars zip at high speed on Nguyen Van Linh Boulevard - the transportation backbone of the thriving Saigon South urban area - it's difficult to believe that this busy expressway was once a vast rice field criss-crossed with canals and rivulets.

Nguyen Van Linh is not the only formerly sleepy, pastoral area on the outskirts of the old Saigon that has experienced drastic change. As HCM City has transformed itself into an economic boomtown, developers have gobbled up available space at a dizzying rate.

Modern skyscrapers and complexes such as the Southern Cross high-rise, the Japanese School and the International School are all built on land that used to be low-yield rice fields.

Alpha Chen, international marketing director of Phu My Hung Corporation (PMH), said four conditions lured his company to set up shop in Vietnam, when many of those rice fields still existed.

"Vietnam has a stable political environment, which is a prerequisite for stable investments. The Vietnamese Government has adopted open-door policies aimed at luring more foreign investment. What's more, the local labour pool is quick to learn, hard working and skilful," he said.

"Finally, HCM City was pinpointed by parent company Central Trading & Development (CT&D) for its first investment in Vietnam as the city is endowed with a prime location, not only on a national scale but also on a regional scale," he said.

PMH, the partnership formed by CT&D and Tan Thuan Industrial Promotion Company, has worked to develop the new Phu My Hung residential area south of HCM City and build an 18-kilometre long, 120-metre wide, 10-lane expressway.

Prior to 1997 PMH was a start-up and thus had no source of income. It spent huge sums on land clearance, building infrastructure and design costs. The joint venture generated its first income only after putting newly built residential blocks such as My Canh and My Hung up for sale.

"But don't jump to the conclusion that things have gone smoothly for PMH," Chen said. "The sale of apartments on these blocks has given us valuable lessons."

As initially planned, the less luxurious My Canh apartments were intended for Vietnamese customers and the PMH detached houses were to be leased to foreign tenants - a strategy that ultimately failed.

"What happened later proved that we had miscalculated demand," he said. "In reality, there is a considerable number of Vietnamese who are in favour and financially capable of buying detached houses instead of apartments."

According to Chen, PMH customers are not only HCM City residents but also people from Hanoi and the Mekong Delta provinces. Quite unexpectedly for PMH management, all houses in the My Hung block were claimed six weeks after the joint venture put them up for sale. Meanwhile, it took PMH more than two years to sell all of the My Canh apartments.

In its role as developer of infrastructure expected to attract foreign investors to the newly zoned Saigon South, PMH has played a vital hand in creating the new, vibrant HCM City.

After more than a decade of construction, the details of the blueprint for the Saigon South New City - a satellite of HCM City - are being developed. The total population of this city may eventually reach 500,000, including non-residents such as students, workers and tourists.

Chen said he and his executives had sound reasoning behind their ambitions to turn Saigon South into one of the best urban centres in the Asia Pacific.

"The Saigon South area has a geographical advantage," he said. "That is its proximity to the HCM City's centre, District 1 on one side, and District 5 on another side. Saigon South has another characteristic - our excellent master plan," he said.

The master plan was designed by American firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, and has to date been awarded prizes by various U.S. architectural organizations.

In the future, PMH will focus on luring investors, both domestic and foreign, to the area, Chen said. A host of projects are awaiting investors such as shopping centres, a centre to accommodate the stock exchange, international exhibition venues, cinema complexes and high-rise hotels.

The Saigon South project, which is huge in terms of investment capital and area, has been a great contributor to the city's socio-economic development, said city authorities.

"Foreign-invested corporations getting involved in the Saigon South new urban town is completely in line with the policies of the party and state," said HCM City Party Secretary Nguyen Minh Triet.

"The project has helped turn a sleepy area, which had been deserted for a long time, into a modern urban town, and has also created jobs for local workers and encouraged other foreign investors to boost the city's development," Triet said.

>>>>>Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe canal<<<<<

The Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe canal in HCM City, the major waterway that runs through the vast city, has undergone such an amazing metamorphosis that these days people can hardly imagine that 10 years ago its water was black with pollution and its banks were crowded with slums.

On both sides of the canal now are two neat-looking roads lined with green trees and lush bushes. Parks and tidy houses compliment each other with shops and restaurants enjoying brisk business both day and night. Nearby, condominiums and high-rises have also mushroomed, embellishing the streetscape along the canal.

>>>>>The story of the area's transformation began 20 years ago<<<<<

In early 1985, HCM City leaders decided that the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe waterway had a tendency to get blocked because of the increasing number of illegal slums encroaching on the canal's banks.

The chairman of the city's People's Committee at the time, Phan Van Khai (now Prime Minister), told vice chairman Nguyen Van Nam in charge of land and housing to assign the Land and Housing Department, then headed by Le Thanh Hai (alias Muoi Hai, the current chairman of the HCM City People's Committee), to develop a project to clear the canal of obstacles.

At the time, the Land and Housing Department managed to clear a 100-metre section at an end of Nguyen Van Troi street, but had to stop because of difficulties persuading inhabitants to move. The challenges facing city officials started to mount.

In the years following 1985, deputy city party secretary and chairman of the People's Committee Truong Tan Sang (now Politburo member and head of the Party Central Committee's Economic Commission) became very upset that so many people had to live in the canal's heavily polluted environment.

At a session of the City Council, Sang expressed his determination to carry out the programme to clean up the entire Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe canal and a resolution on the implementation of the programme was passed.

A steering committee for the project was established headed by Truong Tan Sang. Nguyen Minh Dung from Cu Chi District (now director of the HCM City Department of Construction) was appointed deputy head of the committee to direct the programme.

"We made a field trip by boat along the canal and smelled a terrible stench emanating from the canal," Dung recalled. "Some of the officials fell sick during such trips. In spite of the pollution, many households had been living in the area for three to four generations in houses of just five to seven square metres, eating, sleeping and even defecating in their homes. Only people with no choice could accept to live such a precarious life. The situation prompted us to implement the slum clearance scheme."

The programme kicked off at the beginning of the 1990s. In 1991, the money reserved for investment in capital construction suffered a severe strain and authorities were faced with the question of how to get enough capital for the programme to continue. The city decided to sell state-owned houses in order to both stabilize housing for people who were renting the properties and get money to construct homes for those who were to be displaced from the slum area.

However, due to the authorities' haste in trying to accomplish the task, the city did not prepare sufficient legal conditions and the central government refused to allow the sale of the houses.

The then chairman of the city's People's Committee, Nguyen Vinh Nghiep (now president of the Association for the Protection of Poor Patients), asked the government for permission to sell state-owned houses in order to reassure the tenants and generate a source of funds to implement the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe canal programme.

At the end of 1994, frustrated at the lack of funds, the city continued to petition the Government, which told the Ministry of Construction to make a draft document permitting the sale of state-owned houses and submit it to the Prime Minister. He then promulgated Decree 61, which is still in effect, allowing the sales to go ahead.

From 1995 onwards, the city collected more than VND500 billion (more than US$40 million) from house sales. To ensure sufficient starting capital for the programme, the HCM City People's Committee petitioned the government to lend the city VND100 billion from the house sales fund to advance money to construction contractors, which were in financial difficulties, and establish an initial resettlement housing fund for capital turnover. With the fund, enterprises participating in the construction of resettlement housing enjoyed special policies. People in the resettlement scheme were also able to buy houses under a 10-year hire-purchase agreement.

Since the amount of money for building resettlement houses was still not large enough to meet the pace of the land clearance process, a number of enterprises were eager to use their own funds to construct houses under a turn-key contract. In just under two years, such enterprises built 1,300 resettlement apartments out of the 2,500 apartments that were registered for construction.

However, a no less difficult challenge facing the programme was the land clearance compensation issue.

The site of the current 18-storey Rach Mieu condominium in Binh Thanh district was formerly a network of crowded houses. Narrow and zigzagging alleys were encroached upon by a multitude of untidy houses woven together like a cobweb. At various parts of the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe canal, a person could simply take a step and be on the other bank because the houses were built so close to each other on both sides of the canal.

The canal, which was some 20-30 metres wide in the past, had developed into a narrow ditch at many of its sections.

Deputy director Phan Chau Thuan of the City Environment Sanitation Project (the name of the second phase of the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe programme) has been supervising the programme for 10 years now and recalled the first days of surveying the canal.

"The clearance work started in 1993," he explained. "Three years later, the number of households that agreed to move was still small. Some households wanted to move immediately for fear of losing opportunities to buy apartments, while many wanted to stay where they were because they did not want to live in homes 'in the air' [high-rises]."

At present, a regulation states that construction work cannot begin if 80% of the households listed for relocation have not been removed. But due to the situation at the time, it was not possible to proceed under such restrictions. The city's opinion at the time was that this was a project of a high social value and needed to be accomplished quickly. Therefore, in places sufficiently cleared for heavy vehicles to enter, construction work began immediately.

In reality, some cleared sections were only 50-metres long, but construction units moved their trucks in and started work while waiting for another section to be cleared.

The nature of the project made it necessary that it was divided into sections to show the people concerned that the programme had already commenced and should receive their support.

The main work started in 1996 and construction began on a 500-metre strip from Thi Nghe bridge to Dien Bien Phu bridge in District 1. By the end of 1996, more than 1,000 houses had been removed and construction on the 500-metre segment was completed two years later. Many involved in the project were pleased as it represented a firm foundation for the remaining parts of the project to proceed.

Looking at the newly built section of road along the canal, people could already imagine how the entire road through five districts would look like. At night, the lighting system illuminating the water in the canal encouraged locals, who began to imagine how other changes would improve the area.

After the success of the first section, many visitors from Hanoi, Hai Phong, Da Nang and Nha Trang came to look at the project. Provincial leaders asked the city how it could achieve the difficult task of moving thousands of households.

Foreign visitors from Japan and Europe also came to view the area and ask about the programme, providing further encouragement to those responsible for the project. More work was done over the next four years and in 2000, phase one of the project was completed at a total cost of VND200 billion (about US$13.3 million in 2000), not including compensation money.

While the programme has resulted in a much cleaner and tidier appearance for the canal, the bigger benefit is that the slum clearance scheme was successful, according to director of the Department of Communications and Public Works Tran Minh Dung. Water transport is better and the new road along the canal facilitates transport and links the two sides of the canal. The canal itself also helps drain water from the city's catchment area.

People say that while the development of the open and clear canal and clean roads along its sides 30 years after the south was liberated, especially after nearly 20 years of renovation, is a small change in the metropolis that is HCM City, it represent a valuable vehicle and success story for the city to continue its path to industrialisation and modernization.

>>>>>Today's Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal<<<<<

Lam Van Long, an inhabitant in District 1 who has lived near the canal since the 1950s, said that when he moved to the area, houses were still sparse and the water in the canal was so clean that people could bathe in it. However, people gradually began to pour into the city from everywhere and construct houses on the canal. The canal water gradually became black, and crowded houses caused the canal to become narrower and narrower and increasingly polluted.

"At first, when I heard people talk about a slum clearance scheme, I was somewhat worried about how the city could clear such a large number of households and how it could get enough money to implement the scheme," Long said. "But the work has been properly done."

He has been living in condominium 1A-1B in Nguyen Dinh Chieu street, District 1 for almost 10 years now and still remembers when his patch of land was near Dien Bien Phu bridge. Now half of it is on Hoang Sa street and the other half is lush greenery.

These days, Long goes to the canal and exercises every morning. He says the canal water is still not clean and many sections of roads along the canal are not completely linked, but the place is still very beautiful.

"What a great change!" he said.

Many other people share Long's feelings and a recent survey found that improvements brought about by the project on people's lives are very obvious.

The research project, conducted by head of the Department of Science and Cooperation Management of the HCM City Institute for Economic Research Du Phuoc Tan, showed that most of the households (87 per cent of households surveyed) believed that their living environment was far better now than when they lived in their previous residences.

Besides, as many as 90.5% out of the 157 households surveyed said they were pleased with the way the local government organized the clearance and resettlement schemes.

"We have a new better life," they said.

In November 2004, when Tan presented his research project in the U.S. state of Hawaii, he received many favourable comments from urbanisation experts. They said the method used by HCM City was very good, and praised the sacrifice of the relocated residents which enabled the emergence of today's beautiful canal.

>>>>>The future<<<<<

After the success of the first phase, the World Bank agreed to lend US$166 million to supplement Vietnam's capital of US$34 million to implement the second phase of the project, which aimed to continue to improve the canal, reduce pollution and stop floods in the city.

According to the project, which started in 2000, a system of sewers 8.5-km long and three metres in diameter will be placed 8-18 metres under the canal to collect waste water and transport it to the Saigon River. A pumping station will be set up at a place near Nguyen Huu Canh street to filter out rubbish before discharging the water into the river.

The facility will feature 12 pumping machines with a capacity of 6,400 cubic metres/hour and by the time pumping into the Saigon River begins, the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe canal will contain only rain water and river water.

Apart from the main sewerage network, the project will also repair the grade-2 and grade-3 sewerage systems in the districts surrounding the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe canal catchment area. As for grade-4 sewerage in alleys, residents will contribute 20% of the capital to repair the sewers and drain the water away more effectively. All these parts of the project will be completed in 2009.

Thus, five years from now, a biological waste treatment plant will treat water from the canal and the Saigon River will suffer less from the waste water and pollution.

People say that sometimes they dream of yachts sailing along the 10-km-long Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe canal. In fact, those in charge of the canal project thought of such a image at the beginning of the project, but priority must be given to resolving the traffic congestion problem. Almost 10 bridges will be built across the canal to share the burden of traffic entering and leaving the city.

People have also suggested that perhaps some day the waterway and tourism sectors should provide tourist services on the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe canal.

The Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe programme is significant to HCM City not only in terms of socio-economic development, but also as a bridge for the world to learn about the city as it continues its global integration process. All three successive presidents in charge of the Asia-Pacific region of the World Bank examined the Nhieu Loc Thi Nghe project's achievements and the organization has continued to grant loans for the city to invest in urban upgrade projects.

Thanks to the efficiency of the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe programme, many following projects, such as the East-West Highway project and the tunnel project under the Saigon River, will obtain loans from credit organizations and banks like the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.
According to preliminary calculations, the total capital to be used for compensation, clearing the 11,423 houses along the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe canal and for building apartments for 8,000 households will reach VND805 billion (US$51.11 million).

The canal is about nine kilometres long and runs through the five districts of Tan Binh, Phu Nhuan, Binh Thanh and Districts 1 and 3. It is a grade-1 canal in the city's canal system with its main functions are to drain water, condition the air and embellish the landscape in a catchment area of 3,300 hectares with a population of 900,000.

VIR

I remember when I visited VN in early 1998, Nhieu Loc- Thi Nge was still a slum along its banks. I now have an opportunity to look at it through pictures and video that I have to say Ho Chi Minh City's government had done an exellence job in transforming this area into a friendly enviroment. Like many oversea Vietnameses, I am very happy to see the Vietnamese government finally step up and do something for the people.

another Asian Tiger emerging.....

Vụ tàu Cần Giờ bị bắt giữ tại Tanzania:
Tàu Cần Giờ đang bị bỏ rơi?

* Bộ GTVT cho rằng, Chính phủ VN không chấp nhận yêu cầu của Cty Mohammed Enterprises về tranh chấp tổn thất năm 1999.

Tại văn bản số 10 - ngày 13.1.2005, thông báo ý kiến của Phó Thủ tướng Vũ Khoan về việc giải quyết vụ tàu Cần Giờ bị bắt giữ tại Tanzania, nêu: "... Giao Bộ Thương mại chủ trì, phối hợp Bộ Tư pháp, Bộ Công an, Phòng Thương mại và Công nghiệp VN xem xét các cơ sở pháp lý, những sai sót của phía VN trong hợp đồng mua bán gạo giữa Cty TNHH Thanh Hoà (Tiền Giang) với Cty Mohamed Enterprises của Tanzania, và đề xuất các giải pháp trong việc giải phóng tàu Cần Giờ ...".

Tại văn bản 2823 ngày 13.5 của Bộ GTVT đề: "Được sự uỷ quyền của Thủ tướng Chính phủ, Bộ GTVT thay mặt Thủ tướng Chính phủ trả lời những đề xuất của SSS về việc tàu Cần Giờ bị bắt giữ tại Tanzania". Theo Bộ GTVT, vụ việc liên quan đến hợp đồng mua bán 6.000 tấn gạo giữa Cty TNHH Thanh Hoà (Tiền Giang) và Cty Mohammed Enterprises (ME) - Tanzania (năm 1999) là giao dịch thương mại giữa 2 doanh nghiệp. Chính phủ VN không phải bị đơn trong vụ kiện mất 6.000 tấn gạo và cũng không phải bị đơn trong vụ tàu Cần Giờ bị bắt giữ. Việc ME kiện Chính phủ VN, đồng thời coi tàu Cần Giờ thuộc tài sản của Chính phủ VN là hoàn toàn phi lý, vì tàu Cần Giờ thuộc sở hữu của SSS.

Theo quy định của pháp luật VN, SSS là một pháp nhân độc lập, tự chịu trách nhiệm đối với tài sản của mình. Chính phủ VN không chấp nhận yêu cầu của ME về tranh chấp tổn thất năm 1999, bởi vì đây là tranh chấp trong hợp đồng giữa 2 doanh nghiệp, Chính phủ VN không có trách nhiệm đối với tổn thất đó. Việc SSS đưa ra yêu sách đề nghị Chính phủ VN phải bồi thường thiệt hại cho ME thì tàu Cần Giờ mới được thả, và đề nghị Chính phủ bồi thường thiệt hại cho SSS là một yêu cầu phi lý. "Bộ GTVT yêu cầu SSS không tái diễn việc đưa ra những đòi hỏi trái pháp luật".

Chiều 31.5, Cty liên doanh vận tải thuỷ Sea Sài Gòn (SSS) cho một số PV báo chí biết, trong khi số phận của tàu Cần Giờ đang đứng trước nguy cơ bị phát mại (ngày 10.6, Toà án Tối cao Tanzania đưa ra phán quyết cuối cùng), mới đây Bộ GTVT đã có văn bản (số 2823) gửi SSS, không chấp nhận những đề xuất giải quyết của SSS.
Tuy nhiên, trao đổi với PV Báo Lao Động chiều 31.5, phía SSS vẫn khẳng định: Trong lệnh bắt giữ tàu Cần Giờ ngày 27.7.2004, Toà án Tối cao Tanzania đưa ra lý do tàu Cần Giờ của bị đơn thứ 12 (Chính phủ VN). Mặt khác, ngày 10.6 tới, Toà án Tối cao sẽ đưa ra phán quyết cuối cùng. Nếu các bị đơn phía VN không xuất hiện tại toà và Chính phủ VN không có động thái tích cực, chắc chắn nguy cơ tàu Cần Giờ bị phát mại trở thành hiện thực.

Một cán bộ trong ban giám đốc của SSS cho biết, nếu chiếu theo nội dung văn bản 2823 của Bộ GTVT, thì SSS cùng với tàu Cần Giờ đang bị bỏ rơi, và SSS không biết kêu cứu ở đâu. Bởi lẽ, nỗ lực trước đây của SSS như kiện Cty ME đều thất bại. Hơn nữa, ý kiến chỉ đạo của Phó Thủ tướng Vũ Khoan đối với một số bộ, ngành về việc tìm giải pháp để giải phóng tàu Cần Giờ vẫn chưa được thực hiện (!?). Trong khi, SSS cũng như tàu Cần Giờ không hề liên quan gì đến vụ tranh chấp năm 1999, và việc tàu bị bắt giữ là "tai bay vạ gió". Và tính đến nay, số tiền SSS bị thiệt hại lên đến trên 1 triệu USD (chưa tính giá trị con tàu). Được biết, cùng với tàu Cần Giờ, hiện còn 5 thuyền viên tại Tanzania.

http://www.laodong.com.vn

FDI floods into Vietnam
HANOI - Vietnam has continued to witness a strong rebound in foreign direct investment (FDI) as foreign capital inflows marked a five-year high to reach US$2.45 billion in the first five months of this year.

Director of the Foreign Investment Department under the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), Phan Huu Thang, reported that the FDI rose by 90% in the period, a record growth since 2000. The total FDI included $1.7 billion poured into 259 newly licensed projects, and the rest into expanded projects. The figures showed an increase of 37% in the number of newly licensed projects and 2.7-fold in legal investments.

In May alone, the MPI granted licenses to 82 projects with a combined investment of $236 million. Giant investors were drawn to the services sector, which attracted 52.9% of additional investments in existing projects, although their new projects made up just 21.2% of the total. Industry and construction made up a majority of the new projects at 71%, but ranked second in investments with 44.9%.

Agriculture, forestry and fisheries remained the least interesting sector for foreign investors as just 7.7% of newcomers invested in this area, making up only 2.2% of investment. European nations, led by Luxembourg, ranked first, followed by Asian countries, accounting for most of the investments.

Investments from the US remained rare in Vietnam for years after the two countries signed a bilateral trade agreement. US investors and other non-Asian, non-European investors collectively made up just 7.6% of foreign investments.

In addition to newly licensed projects, the past five months saw 167 existing projects expand their investments by $767 million. The figures represented a year-on-year increase of 15% in the number of projects licensed for expansion and 108% in additional investments. Disbursed funding for foreign-invested projects reached $1.1 billion in the first five months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 7.9%.

Exports of the foreign-invested sector are estimated at $4.2 billion and imports at about $5.4 billion in the past five months, a year-on-year increase of 31.3% and 33.4% respectively. The enterprises in the sector earned a combined revenue of $8.9 billion, a rise of 18.5% year-on-year, and their remittances to the state budget increased 14.8% to about $380 million.

Phan Huu Thang predicted that the capital inflow would increase in the remaining months as many big projects await MPI license. He said these projects comprise a $700 million Taiwanese-invested project to produce stainless steel and a $800 million project to build a seaside resort in central coastal Quang Nam province, among others. Assistance Worldwide Association has applied for license for a $500 million project to build a maintenance center in Chu Lai for large airplanes. The center will be able to repair and overhaul Airbus and Boeing planes with capacities of over 500 passengers for the Southeast Asian region. Once operational, the center will employ about 1,000 workers, including foreign experts and technicians. Analysts say the country's accession to the World Trade Organization will trigger a new wave of foreign investment in the years to come and bring in more such projects.

(Asia Pulse/VNA)

Very positive signs for the Vietnamese economy growth.

A series of economic deals and agreements are expected to be reached between Vietnamese and American businesses during the Vietnamese Prime Minister’s six-day visit to the US, which begins June 19.

http://www.thanhniennews.com/images/newsimages/viet-my-148.jpg

Among Vietnamese companies which are to strike contracts with US partners are military-run telecoms firm Viettel, the country’s largest rubber producer Geruco, according to the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, or VCCI.

Companies also include the country’s second-biggest bank BIDV, construction giant Vinaconex, the largest coal manufacturer VCC, and Vietnam Railway, which holds a monopoly in the country’s rail service market, VCCI said.

Geruco is expected to sign a US$12m deal to sell rubber to two American importers, BIDV is to work with 20 large US banks and apply for a license to set up a rep office in the US, according to VCCI.

Meanwhile, Vinaconex is to open talks with US Innovative Stone to sell $1 million worth of ashlars each month, and Vietnam Railway is to work with US engineering firm Caterpillar over purchase of rail equipment.

The two governments will also sign a number of important agreements over economic, maritime and farming cooperation, VCCI says.

Mr. Khai’s visit will be the first trip to the US by a Vietnamese leader since the end of the Vietnam War 30 years ago.

UK life insurance giant Prudential on June 10 officially opened its first fund management company in Vietnam in the country’s southern economic hub Ho Chi Minh City.

http://thanhniennews.com/images/newsimages/Prudential.jpg

It is the first time in Vietnam a life insurer has been allowed to establish and run a fund management firm.

The Prudential Vietnam Fund Management Company registered to manage up to VND10 trillion, or nearly US$633 million, said company chief executive Tran The Huy.

Currently, the firm is managing VND6.5 trillion, or over $411 million worth of premiums revenues of Prudential Vietnam, a subsidiary of Prudential in the country, and VND20 billion, or over $1.2 million of Prudential’s global charity funds.

Some multinational groups in Vietnam have also registered to authorize the company to manage their investments for charity work, it says.

The company is spending 80% of its capital to invest in government bonds, 2.5% into unlisted joint-stock firms, and the remaining into listed companies, equitized enterprises, real estate and banks.

(24/05/2005)
Lenovo, one of the world's biggest computer makers, opened a representative office in HCM City to add to the one in Hanoi, which started up in April.

The new office at 17 Nguyen Trai street in District 5 doubles as a warranty centre for Lenovo's southern distributor, DKD High-Tech.

"Our goal in the initial years is to promote the Lenovo name," DKD High-Tech director Duong Quang Trung said at the inauguration.

"Lenovo is looking to take the fourth position in Vietnam after two years; revenue is not important to us at the moment," Trung added.

He views the southern market as the key. To this end, DKD High-Tech will open 30 or so shops in HCM City in the next two months, and will start selling 10 Lenovo cell phone models between now and August. By year-end, 20 of the latest 30 models will be available here.

DKD High-Tech is negotiating with the mobile network operators Vinaphone, Mobifone and Viettel to make sure that the WAP functions on Lenovo cell phones actually work here.

Lenovo began life in China in 1984 but didn't establish a mobile phone division until 2002. It then acquired IBM's PC division.

At the opening of the HCM City office on Monday, DKD High-Tech took the opportunity to plug five Lenovo cell phone models.

Lenovo to Penetrate Vietnam's Fast-growing Mobile Market

Lenovo Mobile, which is headquartered in China, has announced that it will participate in Vietnam's fast-growing mobile market from the second quarter of this year, via its sole distributor - the Hanoi-based DKD Hitek Co., Ltd.

"Although only 5 per cent of Vietnam's population are using mobile phones, the number of mobile phone subscribers in Vietnam is increasing rapidly, offering a good chance for a cellphone maker like Lenovo Mobile," said a corporate official.

Lenovo will roll out pocket PCs, smart phones, camera phones and MP3 phones onto the Vietnamese market.

"We pledge to introduce products integrated with modern functions and reasonable prices to bring about added values to Vietnamese users," said the official.

Vietnam-US relations enter new stage; Deputy PM

Relations between Vietnam and the US have begun a new era, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan remarked on the groundbreaking US visit by PM Phan Van Khai.

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PM Khai’s trip, which kicked off yesterday June 20 in Seattle, marked the first ever visit by a Vietnamese leader to United States since the end of the Vietnam war

Speaking on CNN's live interview on June 20, the Deputy PM reaffirmed Vietnam’s policy to shelve the past and look towards the future.

It is time for Vietnam and the US to build a partnership, Khoan stressed.

Deputy PM Khoan said he expected that the meetings between PM Khai and President George W. Bush would involve straightforward and friendly talks about the general relations between the two countries.

He hopes the talks will establish stable and cooperative relations that benefit not only Vietnam and the US, but also Asia and the Pacific.

Open door to WTO

The Deputy PM also stressed the importance of joining the WTO for Vietnam’s development as Vietnam's economy depends greatly on the nation's relationships with other countries.

Vietnam has completed bilateral talks with 10 countries, including the EU and Japan, he said, adding that bilateral negotiations with the US a week ago had also achieved substantial progress.

The door to the WTO is now wide open to Vietnam, said Deputy PM Khoan.

(Reported by Xuan Danh – Translated by The Vinh)

PM Phan Van Khai's interview on Washington post:http://thanhniennews.com/features/?catid=10&newsid=7335

Vietnam’s scientists look to clean alternative energy sources

Vietnam does not make full use of environmentally-friendly and permanent energy sources such as the wind, tidal, solar, and notably, geothermic power, according to top scientists in Vietnam.

http://thanhniennews.com/images/newsimages/geothermal-powers.jpg

This clean and eternal source of energy is said not to emit any gas, water, or solid that may contribute to the greenhouse effect, and therefore does contribute to the formation of acid rain.

Harnessing the big machine

The earth can be regarded as an enormous thermo-genetic machine, the abundant energy of which is demonstrated by the eruption of the volcanoes, hot spring water, and hot natural air. Man is presently harnessing only a small fraction of that energy.

Apart from the wind energy plant Phuong Mai being constructed in Binh Dinh with the capacity expected to be up to 250MW, another small one in Quan Lan (Van Don, Quang Ninh), and the same kind of plant activated in Bach Long Vi island, Vietnam does not have any viable alternative environmentally-friendly energy sources.

The start-up capital for such energy is around US$1.5 million per MW, which is 1.5 times more expensive than that of hydroelectricity, experts said.

Geothermic electricity, however, is more feasible than hydroelectricity with a shorter period of construction (estimated from 2 to 3 years), and a smaller construction site; a heat-storing tub located at several km underground, according to experts.

Developed countries like the US, Japan, Russia, and developing ones such as China, the Philippines, Malaysia, among others are making hectic preparations to construct geothermic power stations. The energy from these stations is said to be the world’s energy in the 21st century, according to energy experts.

Potential alternative capacity

Vietnam finds itself located on the world geothermic map, with its capacity expected to be up to 400MW. The capacity of the US, for example, is 3170MW, Japan 458MW, Indonesia 379MW, and New Zealand 300MW.

A geothermic electric plant project in Cat Hiep village, Phu Cat town, with the capacity up to 20-25MW has been listed in the Investment Promotion List of Binh Dinh province.

Strikingly, the Philippines owns a resource capacity predicted to be as much as 2764MW, and it expects to catch up with the US in this field.

Vietnam’s potential regions are in the North West, North East, the North, and especially in South central Vietnam, in areas such as Le Thuy (Quang Binh), Mo Duc, Nghia Thang (Quang Ngai), Hoi Van (Binh Dinh), Tu Bong, and Danh Thanh (Khanh Hoa). Geothermic electricity projects seem to be very feasible, with completed plants forecast to have capacity ranging from 20MW to 50MW.

Geothermic electricity’s output capacity is less than that of hydroelectricity, however, the preeminent and stability of the clean, environmentally-friendly, and permanent source of energy would play an important role in diversifying Vietnam’s energy sources.

Opportunity missed

In the 1990s, the US’s Ormat Corporation spent a lot of money and effort researching and planning to establish a geothermic electric plant in Vietnam with the capacity up to 20MW. It also agreed to sell the electricity to Vietnam Power Corporation at a competitive price, but Vietnam has no policy to favor such plan, and Ormat had to part with its project.

Among the hot sunny days with widespread lack of electricity in May, the Mechanics Institution, reporting to the Vietnam Science and Technology Institution, held a conference entitled ‘Developing and Using Geothermic Energy in Vietnam. The top outcome from the conference was that scientists expected the government to start developing geothermic energy soon.

Reported by Pham Ngoc – Translated by The An

Vietnam’s rubber exports to China bounce higher

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Vietnam has exported 4,000 tons of rubber to China in the first half of June, posting month-on-month rises in volume and value, reported Xinhua news agency.

Vietnam’s rubber prices to China now stand at around US$1,334 per ton, up from nearly $1,311 dollars late last month, due to thinning international supplies and higher demand of the neighbor country this year, Vietnam's Trade Ministry said Thursday.

Vietnam is expected to gain $480 million from exporting rubber to China, its biggest rubber importer, this year, up from $357 million last year.

Vietnam supplied 154,000 tons of rubber worth $184 million to the world market, mainly China, Republic of Korea and Germany, in the first five months of this year, recording year-on-year respective rises of 9 percent and 13.2 percent.

The country plans to increase its rubber tree acreage to 700, 000 hectares from the current 500,000 to enable a dried latex output of some 520,000 tons by 2010.

Vietnam is also planning to build more rubber processing plants in the coming years, said the Vietnam Rubber Association.


Telecoms giant ups competition, slashes phone charges
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Vietnam’s state-run telecoms giant VNPT is taking steps to reduce its mobile phone charges in an apparent attempt to slow down the explosive growth of its biggest competitor, say experts.
VNPT, which runs the country’s two largest mobile phone networks Vinaphone and MobiFone, has requested permission from the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications to apply a new and cheaper way to bill phone calls.

According to VNPT’s request, its network operators will charge mobile phone calls in six-second blocks after a set charge for the initial 30-second block.

Currently, Vinaphone and MobiFone bill cell phone calls in 30-second blocks.

The operators are also planning to introduce lower line rental charges.

“In fact, we are not reducing charges much, but instead are resorting to a new way of billing to benefit our customers,” says a VNPT official.

The new plans are due to be applied at the beginning of July, according to VNPT.

Viettel concerns

VNPT’s plan is aimed to restrain the fast growth of the country’s third largest mobile operator, the military-run Viettel, according to telecoms experts.

The number of Viettel subscribers hit 500,000 in mid-May, after just several months of operation, and is expected to reach 1.5 million by the end of this year. Each day, the operator attracts about 5,000 new users.

It took years for both Vinaphone and MobiFone to get such numbers, telecoms experts say.

In response to VNPT’s move, a Viettel official says new companies will not be able to compete in the telecoms market when VNPT slashes its charges.

“We do not want to run in a charge race with VNPT, as right now, our top priority is to give quality service,” the official says.

However, he adds that if VNPT cuts its charges drastically, Viettel will have to follow in order to compete.

Currently, Viettel’s charges are about 25 per cent lower than that of VNPT. But if VNPT applies a new billing method and reduces line rental costs, then the charges will be equal, say telecoms experts.

Reported by Tran Hung & Hoang Ly – Translated by Hieu Trung.


Deals worth $35m signed on PM’s first day of U.S. visit

On the first day of Vietnamese Prime Minister’s landmark visit to the U.S. June 20, two large contracts worth 35 million USD were signed between Vietnamese and American companies.

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Mr. Khai arrived in the west coast city of Seattle to witness the signing of two economic contracts between Vietnamese businesses and local group Pegasus Global Capital.

The first deal worth 25 million USD between Pegasus and the authorities of Vietnam’s central Quang Nam province is to build a five-star hotel in Quang Nam.

Investing into Quang Nam in particular and central Vietnam in general will bring huge benefits to American companies, PM Khai said at the signing ceremony.

Quang Nam and central Vietnam have beautiful beaches and a large number of cultural and historical sites - huge opportunities to develop tourism and hotels, he said.

Pegasus also reached an agreement with Vietnam’s construction giant Cienco 5 to build a 10 million-USD office building covering 50 hectares in an industrial zone in north Vietnam.

Since the two countries restored diplomatic links, bilateral trade has rocketed from 451 million USD in 1995 to 6.4 billion USD in 2004.

Following a historic bilateral trade pact in 2001, the U.S. has emerged as Vietnam's most crucial commercial partner.

Vietnam's Trade Ministry says it expects to export 6.2 billion USD of goods to the U.S. in 2005, most of it clothing, fish, shrimp, furniture and coffee.

Seattle is the first stop of PM Khai’s four-city tour that culminates June 21 with a meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington D.C.



Vietnam’s retail sector open’s its doors to foreign investors

Following in the footsteps of major European retailers, Asian retail groups are eagerly anticipating the green light to enter Vietnam’s high-potential market, now opening its doors to foreign investors.

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Parkson, a Malaysian retail group will debut in the Vietnamese market this month by leasing Saigontourist Trading Center in downtown HCMC to open its first outlet, with plans for nine others in its first five years of operation in Vietnam.

Meanwhile two other Asian companies, Dairy Farm from Hong Kong, and South Asia Investments from Singapore are seeking licenses to open store chains in the country.

“The major attraction towards foreign retail groups is that Vietnam is a potential market with a young population and increasing incomes,” said Tham Tuck Choy, CEO of Parkson Vietnam.

Success stories

Also, foreign investors are encouraged by the success chains such as France’s Big C Bourbon and Germany’s Metro Cash & Carry, as well as two foreign-managed trading centers in HCMC.

Zen Plaza, managed by a Japanese company and Diamond Plaza by a Korean company have both seen high growth in annual turnover.

Opening in 2003, Zen Plaza has gained a 30% increase in annual revenue and attracted up to 240 famous fashion brands locally and abroad.

Duck Ho Kim, general manager of Diamond Plaza, attributed its success to efforts in giving a facelift to the plaza and “sharing” business which benefits both the manager and traders.

Specifically, some 70% of stalls at the Diamond Plaza have shared their revenue with the plaza manager, and in return benefited from the manager’s promotion events, customer taste research and infrastructure upgrade.

“This is an efficient way, different from most Vietnamese supermarkets and trading centers who simply forget about the trader once they sign a deal to lease a space in their building,” said one businessman.

Room for local brands

Vietnamese brands still have very modest appearance on the shelves of prominent foreign store chains and trading centers in HCMC.

A local garment maker said that foreign-managed trading centers had refused local brands as they were not up to international standards.

There is growing concern among the local business community over the issue as Parkson, who after leasing the Saigontourist trading center, decided to leave out a number of local brands in favor of foreign brands new to Vietnam.

Mr. Choy of Parkson Vietnam explained his company’s choice in brands by saying that his store targets at middle and upper-class customers.

According to the general manager of Diamond Plaza, his center has never set up rates of foreign and Vietnamese brands available there. “Our principle is to be always new. Even as for foreign brands which do not sell well, we will replace them,” said Mr. Kim

Statistics show that there are 170 supermarkets and trading centers across Vietnam.



Vietnam’s most-advanced steel plant to open in August(not Skyscrapercity :))

One of Vietnam’s largest steel manufacturers has recently announced it will open a state-of-the-art steel factory in the country by the end of August in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau province.

The Phu My Steel Plant, built by the Southern Steel Corporation (SSC), will be capable of producing 500,000 tons of steel ingots a year, SSC Chief Executive Nguyen Ngoc Vinh said in a news conference June 20. The plant is the most advanced in the country.

When the plant starts operation, SSC will be able to supply to the market more than one million tons of steel a year, or 13 per cent of the country’s total demand, he said.

In the first six months of this year, SSC manufactured 160,960 tons of steel bars, up 4 per cent over last year’s same period, and 321,364 tons of rolled steel, up 16 per cent.

The company also exported around 21,000 tons of steel to regional countries like Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Taiwan.

http://thanhniennews.com/images/newsimages/thep-can-323.jpg

Reported by Hung Son – Translated by Hieu Trung.

welcome to the Vietnam Economy Thread
Please Discuss economic issues here. Hello everyone

no

friend,,,,, i know u're strange but everytime I come back you just raise your height to a new climax :)
Gee thanks :)

from a friend.


Thursday, April 6, 2006

Dear Subscriber,

Next month I go to Vietnam.
Thirty years ago, it was a ruined country, devastated by one of the most grueling wars in modern history. Today, it’s a bustling economy of prosperous cities, terraced rice fields, tropical forests, and rolling hills.
Hanoi, the capital, was virtually wiped out by Nixon’s Christmas bombing of 1972 — a massive, round-the-clock air campaign that exceeded any urban bombing ever in the history of that war.

Now, Hanoi is a burgeoning metropolis with more people than Chicago, more scooters than Beijing, and more new factories under construction than virtually any capital in Southeast Asia. Five-star hotels have replaced war-era bunkers. Skyscrapers have replaced shanties.
This is not just another Taiwan or Singapore in the making. No, Vietnam is poised to be an Asian Tiger in a class all by itself — so much so that bankers the world over are scrambling to get into Vietnam.
GE’s Asian Consumer Finance Division is making Vietnam its number one effort in Southeast Asia.

Singapore’s Overseas-China Banking Corp. is negotiating to purchase 10% of one of Vietnam’s largest banks.
HSBC ... the Australian and New Zealand Banking Group ... and Standard Chartered have each bought interests in three state-owned Vietnamese banks.

When Bankers Move into a Country Like
This, It Means Something Big Is Happening

What do they see, and what can you do about it?
They see a country growing at a stunning 8% per year for 10 years running.
They see an economic engine driven by one of the youngest and most vibrant populations in Asia — 83 million people, with over half under the age of 30, with 94% literate and well educated, ready to go to work, eager for opportunity.
Perhaps most important, they see the lowest cost educated labor pool in the world, working at a minimum wage of a meager $38 per month!
Now, in addition to all of this, let me tell you what Sean and I see:

A Country on China’s Southern
Border Loaded With Vast and
Undervalued Natural Resources

Most people don’t know this. But a key factor behind Vietnam’s persistently explosive growth is that it’s among the richest in natural resources in the region.

So with neighboring China now gobbling up natural resources like a giant blob, and with natural resource prices flying, billions of dollars of investment capital are begging to pour into Vietnam.

Vietnam is loaded with phosphates, coal, manganese, diamonds, bauxite, chromate, on- and offshore oil and gas deposits, lush forests, and abundant rivers for hydropower.
The country boasts ...
600 million barrels of proven oil reserves ...
6.8 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves, and ...
20 billion tons of coal.
Vietnam’s coal industry is especially promising.
Right now, a lot of the coal is still transported on decades-old barges, and even carried for miles on the backs of peasants.

But new technology and capital is being introduced, and the industry’s growth surpasses anything I’ve seen elsewhere.

Vietnam is already the third largest oil producer in the region, turning out nearly 390,000 barrels a day, earning the country $7.4 billion in 2005.
Plus, its own oil domestic consumption, a sign of its rapidly developing economy, is also growing like crazy — at the rate of 17% per year.
The government plans to spend $109 billion building 74 power plants by 2020, including 48 hydro-electric, 17 coal-fired, five gas-fired, two nuclear and two renewable-energy.

Already, there are 25 foreign oil companies from 13 countries with 27 projects in Vietnam. Already, they’ve invested $7 billion. And over the next several years, they should invest many times more. In fact,

Vietnam Now Has the Same
Foreign Direct Investment as
India, a Country 13 Times Larger

Alongside the staggering economic explosion, a mind-boggling $5.4 billion in new foreign direct investment (FDI) will hit Vietnam this year alone.
That’s roughly the same amount of FDI that India, a country 13 times larger than Vietnam, expects to see in 2006.

My view: If you can attract the same amount of foreign investment as a country 13 times larger, the outlook is bright indeed.
The most advanced countries in the region agree: Norio Hattori, the Japanese ambassador to Vietnam says “the feeling of Japan’s corporate sector is that Vietnam will be their next FDI target.” Taiwan’s industrialists, known for their cost-conscious, export-led manufacturing, are flocking to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi in droves. Big money is pouring in from China and South Korea. Each is endorsing Vietnam’s growth like never before.
As a result ...

Vietnam’s Stock Market
Is Exploding Higher

From a low of 136.21 in October 2003, the Vietnam Stock Exchange Index is now trading at 523.32 — up a whopping 284% in less than three years.
That’s like the Dow moving from its 2003 low of about 7,200 to 34,848. Amazing.

Right now, there are only 36 companies listed on the exchange, 35 of them worth over $1 billion. But there will soon be many, many more.
If I were younger, back in my mid-twenties, I’d buy a seat on their exchange, move to Vietnam, and start investing in Vietnam’s market like crazy.

But I’m not in my mid-twenties. Odds are, neither are you. But opportunities to invest in Vietnam from the comfort of your living room are opening up, and Sean and I are digging them up, and we’ll alert you when we’re ready to roll.

no

no

Totally agrees with Bang. The current growth is good but it is by no mean impressive. Without this corrupted government, who knows, Vietnam might be growing 12% instead of a mere 8%. Imagine how many schools will be built, dirt roads will be paved and people be alleviated from poverty had the fat cats in the government not stealing all those money?

just think of a beautiful girl being put into prostitution where she's surrounded by drugs and alchohol , the violence and....you know what I mean.
and an average or an ugly girl living in a healthy environment, with proper family.

the beautiful one will soon being drainned out everything till the core of her beings......and someday she has nothing, family, a life, and herself
so VN is the leading oil exporter in southeast asia......that's not a smart thing
and vn is the leading wood producer ......also not good......because we are killing our forest......things are very simple U know

good comparison :)

Vn has enough potential to grow more than 8% a year.Those greedy bureaucrats hav stolen way 1-2% of our GDP growth each year,and it seem not gonna stop in the near future.The real no. of USD millionaires in VN can be more than any of the countries in SEA. Some bureau guys in the gov can be a USD millionair in potential although their salary is very low.They hide their real income of course,coz virtually all of those bastards' income come from illegal activities.

Let's become realistic:

Vietnamese banks wary of unsecured loans

Vietnamese banks and public agencies lack the expertise to manage credit risk and as a result the former are reluctant to offer unsecured or personal loans.

A director of a joint-stock bank, who wished to remain unnamed, said banks still hesitated to provide unsecured loans as authorized public offices did not support them when it came to collecting debts when disputes arose with a borrower.

Besides, the banks did not want to grant unsecured loans to individuals who were not employed by the state. Public employees had a steady income and their employers were willing to provide guaranty, he said.

Thus, while there is a rising demand for unsecured loans, the banks are choosy about how much and to whom they lend.

Vo Ngoc Thuy, an Asia Commercial Bank (ACB) official, said the domestic banking system was still inexperienced in evaluating and managing loan risks.

Foreign banks applied a system of credit points for each criterion the borrower fulfills while assessing credit risk, she said.

After a year of piloting an unsecured loan program, ACB has loaned VND200 billion (US$12.5 million) to 11,000 clients.

With the repayment being timely, it planned to increase the unsecured loan limit for a customer to VND200 million ($12,500) from the current VND100 million, Thuy said.

Phi Trong Hoang of Vietnam International Bank (VIB) said his bank could lend VND150 million without security to state employees earning at least VND6 million a month.

Ghislain Nguyen, director of personal finance service at the UK-owned HSBC, forecast a growing demand for unsecured loans in the near future.

His bank was willing to lend VND40-200 million for 1-3 years, he said.

Bất bình đẳng về thông tin

Khi nói về sự tụt hậu của Việt Nam so với các nền kinh tế có điều kiện tương đương, một chuyên gia đã thốt lên rằng, đó là khoảng cách của thông tin, chứ không phải khoảng cách giàu nghèo hay tiền bạc.

Tại một hội nghị toàn ngành ngân hàng ở Hà Nội, rất đông phóng viên đến dự mà không được phát tài liệu nên phải chầu chực ngoài cửa cả buổi sáng. Thấy các phóng viên nằn nì quá, nhân viên phát tài liệu phải đi xin ý kiến lãnh đạo. Một trong những vị lãnh đạo cao nhất của cơ quan này đã ra lệnh phải xé bài phát biểu của đại diện một tổ chức quốc tế trong tập tài liệu trước khi đưa cho các phóng viên. Những thông tin còn lại trong tập tài liệu, thực chất đã được các quan chức của Ngân hàng Trung ương nói ở nhiều hội thảo khác. Cẩn thận hơn, cơ quan này đã đóng dấu “mật” vào tài liệu tổng kết cuối năm và cả những tài liệu cần công khai khác.

Phóng viên đề nghị đại diện Bộ Tài chính trả lời phỏng vấn về chính sách thuế sắp tới và được bộ này yêu cầu làm đơn xin phỏng vấn. Sau nửa tháng chu du hết văn phòng bộ, đến thứ trưởng, đến bộ trưởng, lá đơn mới đến lãnh đạo tổng cục thuế... cùng với mấy chục cuộc điện thoại của phóng viên mà câu trả lời vẫn là “để lãnh đạo xem xét”. Trong khi đó, chiến lược đến năm 2010 của ngành thuế đang được gấp rút in thành cuốn sách nặng trịch để phát miễn phí.

Trên đây chỉ là các ví dụ thường gặp. Sự kém minh bạch đã thành một thói quen trong bộ máy hành chính từ nhiều năm qua.

“Chúng ta có luật về bảo vệ bí mật nhưng không có luật về quyền được biết và tự do thông tin, được tiếp cận với thông tin của dân chúng. Nhiều cán bộ tự nhận là đầy tớ của dân nhưng chủ không bao giờ biết đầy tớ làm gì”, Tiến sĩ Lê Đăng Doanh, chuyên gia cao cấp của Bộ Kế hoạch và Đầu tư đã than thở về chuyện kém minh bạch trong môi trường kinh tế - xã hội.

Nhà thơ Trần Đăng Khoa một lần đã bức xúc kể lại chuyện mẹ anh ở quê vừa bán mấy sào ruộng với giá 100.000 đồng/m2. Bán xong, có tin mở đường, người ta hô giá 6 triệu đồng/m2. Vậy là bà ốm hàng tháng trời. Chuyện thông tin quy hoạch đất đai được bán trước cho ai đó không còn lạ.

Nhiều cơ quan thường đóng dấu mật vào tất cả những văn bản ảnh hưởng đến lợi ích của họ (có cả lợi ích cá nhân hoặc nhóm người). Thông tin không được công khai, kinh tế xã hội phát triển không bền vững và thiếu sự giám sát của xã hội dân sự.

Nghị quyết Đại hội đồng Liên hiệp quốc đánh giá cao sự đối thoại giữa các thành viên trong cộng đồng bởi sự đối thoại được hình thành dựa trên mong ước học hỏi, không che giấu. Nhưng các hình thức đối thoại ở Việt Nam quá yếu và thiếu. Nhiều cuộc đối thoại, chất vấn hay góp ý đang cố gắng tạo ra dường như còn mang nặng tính hình thức. Nhiều ý kiến đóng góp cho các dự thảo luật không thấy tiếp thu, không thấy hồi âm.

Đối với doanh nhân và những nhà đầu tư, sự minh bạch có ý nghĩa quan trọng để họ quyết định đầu tư vào Việt Nam. Nếu doanh nghiệp có điều kiện tiếp cận thông tin về thị trường, chính sách, cũng như có đủ nguồn tin để tiên liệu về tình hình sắp tới, không bị các thủ tục hành chính gây phiền hà thì sẽ có những quyết định đầu tư dài hạn.

Nhiều nhà đầu tư nước ngoài còn nhớ khi Hiệp định Thương mại Việt - Mỹ (BTA) được thông qua tháng 12/2001, các doanh nghiệp đã không thể tìm được văn bản này bởi tất cả đều được đóng dấu “mật”, trong khi các phiên bản cả tiếng Anh và tiếng Việt đã tràn lan trên Internet.

Sự kiện PMU18 một lần nữa cho thấy còn không ít doanh nghiệp nhà nước làm ăn không hiệu quả, chất lượng công trình, sản phẩm hay dịch vụ thấp nhưng cán bộ lại rất giàu. Chính môi trường kinh doanh thiếu minh bạch khiến nhiều quan chức trong bộ máy hành chính đang ra sức lợi dụng khuyết tật của bộ máy để thu lợi cho cá nhân mình.

Giá vàng rơi tự do (sau khi ta(ng vu`n vut, toi nghiep may nguoi nghe`o)

Thị trường kim loại quý thế giới đêm qua đã nổ tung khi giá chạm 645,75 USD/ounce, đỉnh điểm kể từ tháng 11/1980. Tuy nhiên, từ đỉnh cao này, các nhà đầu cơ bắt đầu bán tống bán tháo để kiếm lời, giá cứ thế theo đà tuột dốc, giảm tới gần 40 USD. Tại VN, giá cũng giảm hơn 200.000 đồng/chỉ.

12h đêm qua (theo giờ Hà Nội) là lúc vàng chạm đáy, chỉ khoảng hơn 605 USD/ounce. Sau đó, giá tăng lại đôi chút, thử phá ngưỡng 620 USD/ounce vài lần rồi lại rớt xuống dưới 615. Vào lúc này, giá giao dịch trên bảng điện tử chỉ vào khoảng 611 USD/ounce.

Tại Hà Nội sáng nay, các công ty liên tục niêm yết giá bán cho kịp đà thế giới. Trong vòng chưa đầy nửa tiếng, vàng miếng của Công ty Vàng bạc đá quý Ngân hàng Nông nghiệp đã hai lần được điều chỉnh giá. Lúc 8h40 là 1,275 triệu đồng/chỉ, đến 8h56 chỉ còn 1,258 triệu đồng/chỉ, giảm mạnh so với mức hơn 1,4 triệu đồng hôm qua. Vàng SJC của Công ty Vàng bạc đá quý Sài Gòn sáng nay cũng chỉ còn 1,25 triệu đồng/chỉ. Vàng PNJ còn 1,23 triệu đồng/chỉ.

Tại các cửa hàng tư nhân, giá chỉ còn 1,2 triệu đồng/chỉ. Với mức biến động này chỉ trong một ngày nhiều người lỗ tới vài chục triệu đồng. Chủ một cửa hàng tư nhân phố Khương Trung cho hay giá vàng tăng mạnh bao nhiêu vào hôm qua thì sáng nay lại giảm bấy nhiêu. Lúc 8h giá bán ra 1,25 triệu đồng/chỉ, lúc 8h30 xuống còn 1,2 triệu đồng. Một số người lo vàng còn tiếp tục xuống lại đi bán, trái ngược hẳn với hiện tượng đổ xô mua vàng từ mấy hôm trước.

Phân tích đợt giảm giá đêm qua và sáng nay, nhiều chuyên gia đang nghiêng về ý kiến đây chỉ là động thái điều chỉnh sau thời gian tăng quá nóng. Động thái ồ ạt bán ra của các quỹ đầu cơ chủ yếu là nhằm kiếm lời trước khi đẩy giá lên cao nữa.

Nhiều ý kiến cho rằng dầu vẫn ở mức cao và đang tiến tới ngưỡng đỉnh 74 USD, trong khi căng thẳng quanh vấn đề hạt nhân ở Iran chưa qua, giá vàng khó có thể giảm mạnh mà vẫn là kênh đầu tư an toàn nhất. Những kỳ vọng vào việc đồng đôla giảm giá khi Mỹ dừng đợt tăng lãi suất cơ bản cũng là tác nhân hỗ trợ cho vàng.

Các chuyên gia dự báo, trong ngắn hạn, thị trường sẽ tiếp tục ở trạng thái "ngưng tụ", giá không lên nhiều và cũng không xuống nhiều. Có ý kiến cho rằng, giá vàng có thể xuống 580-590 USD. Tuy nhiên, nhiều ý kiến khác cho rằng từ nay đến cuối tháng, mức cản dưới thấp nhất cũng chỉ là 600 USD. Còn mức cản trên sẽ là 630, nếu phá được thì giá vàng sẽ sớm leo tới 650 USD/ounce, nhất là khi dầu vẫn duy trì trên 70 USD/thùng.

Trước đó, động thái mua vào của các quỹ khi đôla xuống giá còn dầu lại đắt đỏ là tác nhân chỉnh khiến giá vàng tăng 8,5% trong suốt tuần và bạc tăng trên 14%. Tính chung trong vòng một năm qua, những ai đầu tư vào vàng đã được lãi gấp rưỡi, còn những người mua bạc thì giá trị tài sản được tăng gấp đôi, trong khi platinum tăng hơn 30%.

As my dad says, any exaggerated compliment is not trustworthy, at all, and self-criticism (tu phe^ bi`nh) is something that we, Vietnamese are totally lack of....

As my dad says, any exaggerated compliment is not trustworthy, at all, and self-criticism (tu phe^ bi`nh) is something that we, Vietnamese are totally lack of....
A trait which the communists excels in, whether it be a Russian, Chinese, Korean or Vietnamese communist.

Nhận thức về lịch sử oanh liệt, hào hùng của dân tộc qua hai cuộc kháng chiến chống Pháp, chống Mỹ cứu nước, giành lại độc lập dân tộc, thống nhất đất nước luôn là đối tượng để tác động của các thế lực thù địch Việt Nam, hận thù dân tộc, nhằm xuyên tạc lịch sử, phê phán đường lối lãnh đạo của Đảng Cộng sản Việt Nam (VN) đã được tuyệt đại đa số nhân dân khắp 3 Miền ủng hộ dẫn đến kết quả thắng lợi trọn vẹn ngày 30/04/1975, từ đó làm tổn hại hình ảnh của Đảng Cộng sản VN, làm lung lay, tiến tới xóa bỏ vai trò lãnh đạo của Đảng Cộng sản VN, tạo ra hỗn loạn chính trị ở VN để chúng can thiệp, tiếm quyền.

Chúng rêu rao rằng lẽ ra Việt Nam nên thương thuyết (hay van xin) nền độc lập từ thực dân Pháp, và rằng cuộc kháng chiến chống Mỹ cứu nước là một cuộc nội chiến Nam - Bắc.

Chúng định lừa bịp ai, khi mà với chiến thắng Điện Biên Phủ chấn động thế giới cũng chưa đủ để Việt Nam giành được độc lập hoàn toàn và thống nhất đất nước. Hiệp định Gionevo (Geneva) đã lấy vĩ tuyến 17 chia cắt VN thành 2 Miền, thỏa ước hiệp thương thống nhất 2 Miền sau 2 năm chỉ là việc kéo dài thời gian để Mỹ tìm cách thay vị trí của Pháp tại VN.

Tôi nhớ đã đọc đâu đó một bài viết hay phỏng vấn gì đó, Lê Kiên Thành, con trai cố Tổng Bí thư Lê Duẩn, nói rằng đã nghe cha kể lại chuyện ông đã khóc khi chứng kiến hình ảnh các cán bộ miền Nam khi tập kết ra Bắc theo Hiệp định Geneva thường giơ hai ngón tay (ước hẹn 2 năm) hẹn ngày sum họp, bởi ông cũng như các nhà lãnh đạo Đảng đã tiên đoán việc Hiệp định Geneva sẽ bị phá vỡ để Mỹ can thiệp VN.

Chúng định lừa bịp ai với luận điệu nội chiến Nam - Bắc, khi mà Mỹ dựng ra sự kiện Vịnh Bắc Bộ, mà tài liệu được công bố từ phía Mỹ đã ngày càng làm sáng tỏ hơn sự lừa dối này, để rồi dần dà lúc cao nhất đã có 500.000 lính Mỹ ở VN. Họ sang VN để dạo mát ư, để xem nội chiến Nam - Bắc ở VN ư?

Thế mà vẫn có người tự bịt mắt mình say sưa với hình ảnh "miền Bắc kẻ chinh phục bằng xe tăng". Một bộ phận thanh niên ngày nay có còn biết rằng để có được ngày thống nhất đất nước 30/04/1975 cách mạng VN đã phải "Nếm mật nằm gai, há phải một hai sớm tối". Họ có biết hầm chông, súng ngựa trời là cái gì, của ai. Họ có biết M-48, M41, M79, AR-15, vua chiến trường 175 ly, là cái gì, của ai. Họ có biết Ấp chiến lược là gì, của ai. Họ có biết Luật 10-59 (10/59) với máy chém là gì, của ai. Họ có biết Trực thăng vận, Thiết xa vận là gì, của ai. Họ có biết Việt Nam hóa chiến tranh là gì, của ai.

Liệu chúng ta có thể chấp nhận tình trạng "một bộ phận thanh niên ta không biết sử ta" và hài lòng với việc nhắn nhủ họ rằng "Mình hiểu biết vừa phải thì đừng nên phán xét lịch sử"? Như vậy đã đủ chăng. Lịch sử cần được nhìn nhận càng rõ ràng, sâu sắc càng tốt, nó không cần sự mập mờ, cho qua.

Trường An.

hanoi2006,

Tại sao anh lại đăng lên bài này? Một cái bài chỉ nói xấu những người đối lập với Đảng Cộng Sản (dùng từ của đảng là "phản động") mà không hề phân tích một cách chính xác gì cả! Anh chỉ muốn nghe những gì Đảng cộng sản nói thôi hả? Tại sao anh không tự học thêm về chiến tranh Việt Nam và Đảng Cộng sản mà chỉ tin cái gì Đảng nói? Anh có bao giờ nghe lịch sử kể theo người miền Nam theo Việt Nam Công Hòa bao giở chưa hay chỉ coi họ là đồ "phản bội" (Tại sao hồi đó Đảng gác người vượt biên là đồ phản động mà bây giờ lại kêu họ hãy đoàn kết?)?? Em sinh ra trong một nhà ở Miền Nam ở lại sau khi 30/4, và gia đình em từ một nhà khá giả lại phải bán vé số trong một khoản thời gian! Nói chung là anh nên đọc và tìm ra các khía cạnh của lịch sử, không chỉ tin theo một cách nhìn duy nhất!

Hanoi2006 is the communists' propaganda mouthpiece in SSC, you should've realised that by now.

^^ For sure. No pun intended. What is the article saying? Too many words for me to read.

Hanoi2006 is the communists' propaganda mouthpiece in SSC, you should've realised that by now.
Tội ác của chế độ ViệtNam Cộng Hòa là không thể chối cãi , bằng những chính sách dã man,tàn bạo, thú vật đã giết hại hàng triệu đồng bào,chiến sĩ nhân dân miền Nam nói riêng và miền Bắc nói chung , làm chó...vâng chó đấy thưa các bạn ở nước ngoài (sorry for my english) cho bọn Mỹ (US) lịch sử thế giới ghi nhận , nhân dân yêu chuộm Hòa bình trên thế giới ủng hộ Viêtnam trong suốt quá trình đấu tranh giành độc lập qua các thời kỳ Kháng chiến chống thực dân Pháp,Nhật,chó Hoa Kỳ (Dog US) đó là bằng chứng ko thể chối cãi,xuyên tạc được !

then the Communists r innocent after all? how many innocent ppl had been killed by them after they drove away the France and until after 75? Co`n nho' cuoc tham sat o Hue chu? (sorry my school PC dun hav vietkey) Even Mr. Trinh Cong Son had to go to re-education camp.They also expeled the late Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan (the first VNmese Cardinal) after put him >10 years in prison; refused the Pope (Juan Pablo II) to go to VN in 1998 (then he changed his destination to Cuba),.........it'd take me a whole week to write out all the 'vi nuoc vi dan' things that they done!

"Vietnam - one country - unified people, looking to a bright future ending debate btw communists and overseas Vnese" Noted from the communist party Xth

Đại hội đảng vừa rồi cho thấy khá rõ ràng là ngay cả trong quần chúng cũng tồn tại ít nhất hai quan điểm chính đối lập nhau về tình hình hiện tại của đất nước. Một nhóm chiếm đa số cho rằng đất nước chúng ta đang đi quá chậm so với thế giới và vị thế Việt Nam về mọi mặt cần phải được trau dồi và cải thiện càng nhanh càng tốt. Nhóm khác lại cho rằng chúng ta đang đi quá nhanh, hoặc đi thế này là vừa đủ. Cuộc thảo luận khá dân chủ cho thấy cả hai quan điểm có thể dung hòa với nhau về nhiều mặt và hai bên đều có thể học được từ nhau nhiều điều.

Hai dòng quan điểm này cùng đồng ý với nhau rằng hệ thống chính trị, phương thức quản lý của nhà nước, và nội dung quản lý về chính trị trực tiếp quyết định định hướng và xu thế phát triển kinh tế của Việt Nam. Chính vì thế nên thảo luận đã chú tâm theo dõi sâu sát và thảo luận tích cực về những diễn biến trước và trong đại hội võ lâm lần 10 ở Việt Nam do đó chính là nơi quyết định mọi định hướng chính trị và quản lý xã hội trong thời gian mấy năm sắp tới. Nhiều người ủng hộ quan điểm cần đi nhanh hơn nữa có lẽ thất vọng khi kết quả về nhân sự chỉ ra là sẽ không có nhiều thay đổi theo hướng đột phá mà chúng ta mong được nhìn thấy. Tuy nhiên, với vai trò công dân tôn trọng kỷ cương và pháp luật trong một xã hội hiện đại, chúng ta đều có thể dễ dàng bỏ qua những gì là thích thú của riêng cá nhân mà ủng hộ những gì chúng ta tin là thể hiện nguyện vọng của đa số quần chúng nhân dân. Là người Việt Nam, mỗi chúng ta đều cần phải đặt lợi ích dân tộc lên trước những sở thích và xu hướng chính trị của riêng mình.

Ngay từ đầu và xuyên suốt thảo luận, gần như tất cả chúng ta đều đồng nhất ý kiến là không phủ nhận tính hợp thức và chính danh của CB trong việc lãnh đạo đất nước và dân tộc. Chúng ta chỉ muốn nhìn thấy những thay đổi phù hợp với những xu hướng chung của thời đại. Chúng ta muốn nhìn thấy thêm tính minh bạch trong quản lý, tinh thần trách nhiệm vì lợi ích chung của các cá nhân quản lý và được thấy những thực hành dân chủ mà Hồ Chủ Tịch đề cao được thực thi một cách thực chất hơn trong toàn xã hội. Bây giờ đã là thế kỷ 21, loài người đã đạt được đến những đỉnh cao chói lọi về khoa học, công nghệ, kinh tế, tư tưởng, quản trị - không có lý do gì chúng ta không được thảo luận về vị trí của chúng ta trong một thế giới mới với vô số điều có thể áp dụng vào thực tế Việt Nam.

Lối quản lý người trên nghĩ hết hộ người dưới giờ đã không còn phù hợp nữa ở bất kỳ đâu, trong một gia đình, ở nhà trường, hay trong một đất nước. Mỗi người phải có tiếng nói trong việc thảo luận về những gì có ý nghĩa thiết thân với người ta. Nếu như người ta tin tưởng trao gửi quyền định đoạt hướng đi của đời sống người ta vào tay một cá nhân hay một nhóm người nhất định, người ta phải được thông báo về kết quả, hiệu quả, hiệu ứng, tác dụng, xu hướng, tình hình một cách thường xuyên. Trao gửi thân phận thế này còn quan trọng hơn là trao gửi tiền nhờ đầu tư - và cũng giống như nhà tư vấn đầu tư có trách nhiệm báo cáo cho chủ đầu tư về tính lời lãi của khoản đầu tư, nhà quản lý xã hội cần phải thường xuyên thông báo cho người trao gửi niềm tin là người ta đang ở đâu và sẽ đi đâu một cách thực tế và trung thực. Người trao gửi niềm tin có quyền kiểm tra giám sát và kỷ luật người quản lý niềm tin nếu như niềm tin của người ta bị sử dụng sai mục đích hay bị đầu tư mà không sinh lời.

Các nhà quản lý niềm tin của chúng ta, không phải chỉ bây giờ mà có lẽ trong cả mấy ngàn năm vừa rồi, thường không quan tâm lắm đến việc báo cáo hay chịu trách nhiệm trước chủ đầu tư niềm tin và vì thế rất lắm khi đầu tư niềm tin sai cũng không bị phạt - chẳng bị làm sao hết. Chính thế nên càng ngày dân ta càng ít muốn đầu tư niềm tin vào thị trường nội địa. Đã đến lúc các nhà quản lý đầu tư nội địa xem xét sửa chữa lại các cơ chế đang tồn tại để giúp cho nhà đầu tư niềm tin có thể đầu tư một cách tin tưởng vào thị trường nội địa là thị trường có nhiều gắn bó với mỗi chúng ta.

Nếu có ai đó vẫn còn thất vọng về những gì mới xảy ra thì xin lắng nghe điều này. Ngày nào mà người Việt ta còn làm quản lý đầu tư cho chính người Việt ta, tình thế có lẽ sẽ không sai khác nhiều đâu. Cứ cho là cả ban quản lý hiện tại nhường chỗ cho ban quản lý việt kiều - mọi sự về cơ bản vẫn sẽ y như cũ. Những thứ nhức nhối trong quản lý đầu tư theo cung cách Việt tồn tại ở trong các cộng đồng Việt ở khắp mọi nơi - tính áp đặt, tính bất chấp, tính thiếu minh bạch, tính lạm quyền, tính ném đá, tính thiếu hợp tác, tính cá nhân, tính tham quyền cố vị và những thứ hời hợt của quyền lực tồn tại trong MỌI cộng đồng đầu tư Việt ở khắp mọi nơi: ở Bắc Mỹ, ở Đông Âu, ở Úc châu, ở miền Nam khi xưa, kể cả ở trong tù, trong trại cải tạo, trong các cơ sở tôn giáo, trong nhà trường, trong bệnh viện - nói chung là ở bất kỳ đâu giữa những người Việt với nhau. Các cộng đồng Việt Kiều kêu gọi nhà đầu tư niềm tin trong nước tin tưởng vào họ nhưng em đã gặp đủ mặt quan trọng trong số họ và thấy rằng họ không đủ mạnh để mà vượt qua những nhược điểm của chính bản thân họ - cái tính Việt của họ quá mạnh mẽ nên dù họ có tưởng tượng hay đến đâu thì khi quản trị niềm tin họ cũng sẽ làm loạn lên như nhau. Ý thức hệ lý tưởng vv chỉ là cái áo khoác, cái thân xác việt nói chung không có làm được cái gì cho tử tế trong cái việc quản lý tập thể.

Nếu mọi outcome đều có vẻ giống nhau thì chúng ta hãy cùng vừa ý với một giải pháp mang tính ổn định và không xung đột. Đồng thời chúng ta cùng kiên nhẫn hy vọng rằng những điều kiện khách quan ngày một thay đổi sẽ dẫn đến những thay đổi chủ quan tốt đẹp hơn. Cá nhân em thì nghi ngờ rằng hội nhập và phát triển sẽ tạo ra những thay đổi gì lớn mạnh lắm sau khi đã quan sát các cộng đồng Việt hải ngoại hội nhập gần 50 năm với những điều kiện khách quan khác hoàn toàn mà vẫn giữ lại những thứ gọi là "bản sắc" của Việt. Đây là sức ỳ của văn hóa và lịch sử gần như không có giải pháp nào ép buộc cho nó thay đổi được nên tốt nhất có lẽ phải để kệ cho nó thay đổi tự nhiên. Mình hy vọng lắm thì cũng lại mệt nhiều thôi các bác em ạ. ( gaup)

"Không có việc gì khó
Chỉ sợ lòng không bền
Đào núi và lấp biển
Quyết chí ắt thành công”.
(Chủ tịch Hồ Chí Minh)

Tội ác của chế độ ViệtNam Cộng Hòa là không thể chối cãi , bằng những chính sách dã man,tàn bạo, thú vật đã giết hại hàng triệu đồng bào,chiến sĩ nhân dân miền Nam nói riêng và miền Bắc nói chung , làm chó...vâng chó đấy thưa các bạn ở nước ngoài (sorry for my english) cho bọn Mỹ (US) lịch sử thế giới ghi nhận , nhân dân yêu chuộm Hòa bình trên thế giới ủng hộ Viêtnam trong suốt quá trình đấu tranh giành độc lập qua các thời kỳ Kháng chiến chống thực dân Pháp,Nhật,chó Hoa Kỳ (Dog US) đó là bằng chứng ko thể chối cãi,xuyên tạc được !
The Vietnamese communists' crimes against the Vietnamese people and humanity is incalculable. The land reforms, the killing of innocent civilians during the Vietnam War (Hue Massacre was 10 times worse than My Lai Massacre), the looting of Saigon and the new economic policy, and the tens of thousands who were incarcerated and killed in labour camps. So do you say your communist regime is saint and just?

Tell me why my people back in Vietnam are being denied the rights to religious worship, the rights to speak their minds, the rights to live in a Democratic society, and the rights for a Vietnam free from corruption?

This is the exact government that ceded the Ai Nam Quoc, Thac Ban Gioc, Vinh Bac Bo maritime territory among others that our ancestors and forefathers fought with their blood and bones to pass on to us.

The US might be a dog, but the communist regime has just realised the fraily of communism and now is licking the dogs' ball, hoping that the dog will be pissing in its face so that it could feed on the urine of capitalism. Communists have no shame.

"Đẹp vô cùng Tổ quốc ta ơi
Rừng cọ đồi chè đồng xanh ngào ngạt
Nắng chói sông Lô hò ô tiếng hát
Đêm phà dào dạt bến nước bình ca"
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f368/Colorof-mylove/DSC00083.jpg

http://www2.ttvnol.com/uploaded2/mailinh84/bb.jpg
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e89/chotroi01/normal_noiay18__16_.jpg
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i225/vampirinoxxx/31.jpg
http://www2.ttvnol.com/uploaded2/chandat_mattoet/hangnquynh.jpg
http://www.zidean.com/zv4_8/100_7559_7143.jpg
http://www.zidean.com/zv4_8/100_5781_1022.jpg

http://www.nguyengallery.com/Photography/Showcase/showcase22.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/hang_baby/IMG_007555010001000x1333.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a182/hoanganh274/B2%20-%20School/H.jpg
http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/6441/11359314242945qz.jpg http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/cafeteria_online/IMG_3944.jpg

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/dataimages/original/images736432_b12.jpg
Người đi tìm hình của nước

Đất nước đẹp vô cùng. Nhưng Bác phải ra đi
Cho tôi làm sóng dưới con tàu đưa tiễn Bác!
Khi bờ bãi dần lui, làng xóm khuất,
Bốn phía nhìn không một bóng hàng tre.

Đêm xa nước đầu tiên, ai nỡ ngủ?
Sóng vỗ dưới thân tàu đâu phải sóng quê hương!
Trời từ đây chẳng xanh màu xứ sở,
Xa nước rồi, càng hiểu nước đau thương!

Lũ chúng ta ngủ trong giường chiếu hẹp
Giấc mơ con đè nát cuộc đời con!
Hạnh phúc đựng trong một tà áo đẹp!
Một mái nhà yêu rủ bóng xuống tâm hồn.

Tra(m cơn mơ không chống nổi một đêm dày
Ta lại mặc cho mưa tuôn và gió thổi
Lòng ta thành con rối
Cho cuộc đời giật dây!

Quanh hồ Gươm không ai bàn chuyện vua Lê
Lòng ta đã thành rêu phong chuyện cũ
Hiểu sao hết những tấm lòng lãnh tụ
Tìm đường đi cho dân tộc theo đi.

Hiểu sao hết Người đi tìm hình của Nước
Không phải hình một bài thơ đá tạc nên người
Một góc quê hương, nửa đời quen thuộc,
Hay một đấng vô hình sương khói xa xôi...

Mà hình đất nước hoặc còn hoặc mất
Sắc vàng nghìn xưa, sắc đỏ tương lai
Thế đi đứng của toàn dân tộc
Một cách vinh hoa cho hai mươi lǎm triệu con người.

Có nhớ chǎng, hỡi gió rét thành Ba Lê?
Một viên gạch hồng, Bác chống lại cả một mùa bǎng giá
Và sương mù thành Luân Đôn, ngươi có nhớ
Giọt mồ hôi Người nhỏ giữa đêm khuya?

Đời bồi tàu lênh đênh theo sóng bể
Người đi hỏi khắp bóng cờ châu Mỹ, châu Phi,
Những đất tự do, những trời nô lệ,
Những con đường cách mạng đang tìm đi.

Đêm mơ nước, ngày thấy hình của nước
Cây cỏ trong chiêm bao xanh sắc biếc quê nhà
ấn một miếng ngon cũng đắng lòng vì Tổ quốc
Chẳng yên lòng khi ngắm một nhành hoa.

Ngày mai dân ta sẽ sống sao đây?
Sông Hồng chảy về đâu? Và lịch sử?
Bao giờ dải Trường Sơn bừng tỉnh giấc ngủ
Cánh tay thần Phù Đổng sẽ vươn mây?

Rồi cờ sẽ ra sao? Tiếng hát sẽ ra sao?
Nụ cười sẽ ra sao?...

Ơi, độc lập!

Xanh biếc mấy là trời xanh Tổ quốc
Khi tự do về chói ở trên đầu.

Kìa mặt trời Nga bừng chói ở phương Đông
Cây cay đắng đã ra mùa quả ngọt
Người cay đắng đã chia phần hạnh phúc
Sao vàng bay theo liềm búa công nông.

Luận cương đến với Bác Hồ. Và Người đã khóc
Lệ Bác Hồ rơi trên chữ Lênin.
Bốn bức tường im nghe Bác lật từng trang sách gấp
Tưởng bên ngoài, đất nước đợi mong tin.

Bác reo lên một mình như nói cùng dân tộc:
"Cơm áo là đây! Hạnh phúc đây rồi!"
Hình của Đảng lồng trong hình của Nước.
Phút khóc đầu tiên là phút Bác Hồ cười,

Bác thấy:

Dân ta bưng bát cơm mồ hôi nước mắt

Ruộng theo trâu về lại với người cày
Mỏ thiếc, hầm than, rừng vàng, biển bạc...
Không còn người bỏ xác bên đường ray.

Giặc đuổi xong rồi. Trời xanh thành tiếng hát
Điện theo trǎng vào phòng ngủ công nhân
Những keó quê mùa đã thành trí thức
Tǎm tối cần lao nay hóa những anh hùng.

Nước Việt Nam nghìn nǎm Đinh, Lý, Trần, Lê
Thành nước Việt nhân dân trong mát suối
Mái rạ nghìn nǎm hồng thay sắc ngói
Những đời thường cũng có bóng hoa che.

Ôi! Đường đến với Lênin là đường về Tổ quốc
Tuyết Matxcơva sáng ấy lạh trǎm lần
Trong tuyết trắng như đọng nhiều nước mắt
Lênin mất rồi! Nhưng Bác chẳng dừng chân.

Luận cương của Lênin theo Người về quê Việt
Biên giới còn xa. Nhưng Bác thấy đã đến rồi
Kìa! Bóng Bác đang hôn lên hòn đất
Lắng nghe trong màu hồng, hình đất nước phôi thai.

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/dataimages/original/images736420_th.jpg

hey i think we hav gone a little far...though the comm's crimes r obvious & undeniable,we shouldnt heat up on those matters anymore...those bastards had & will come to join Mr.Ho & Lenin soon enough.The teenagers nowaday usually dont care about those things at all.
and hanoi 2006,To Quoc chung ta dep hay la girls cua to quoc chung ta dep?

*E^-dut*

*E^-du't-ti.t*

Saigon wind, cc:others :)
Youre not fish, so how do you know what she's thinking.

One point, I visit the SCC by chance, not for arguing with guys, who come from different background, some may benefit from best system of education, such as U of Chicago. Anyway doesnt mean I am not competent, just think we are equally here, so what the point of raising profile high or discusing abt the adhocs...social dilemmas?

Just wanna to devote to the beauty of VN, everywhere in this world existing unfairness and brutals. But the fact is the fact, rules make by the strong, and the winner always takes it all.

We, probably come here to make funs which sometimes out of stupidiy, relax and take it easy.

Have a good time guys, lets the time heals all the scars, we by the way running the same blood, VN.

Just call to stop this stupid troll

What fish, you too know bebong?

And what is adhocs social dilemna?

Saigon wind, cc:others :)
Youre not fish, so how do you know what she's thinking.

One point, I visit the SCC by chance, not for arguing with guys, who come from different background, some may benefit from best system of education, such as U of Chicago. Anyway doesnt mean I am not competent, just think we are equally here, so what the point of raising profile high or discusing abt the adhocs...social dilemmas?

Just wanna to devote to the beauty of VN, everywhere in this world existing unfairness and brutals. But the fact is the fact, rules make by the strong, and the winner always takes it all.

We, probably come here to make funs which sometimes out of stupidiy, relax and take it easy.

Have a good time guys, lets the time heals all the scars, we by the way running the same blood, VN.
I don't necessarily know what people are thinking, but I've been there, done that. I grew up in Vietnam :bash:

Those girls aren't even cute except the Chinese girl with hands full of shrimp skewers. Vietnamese girls are beautiful, but I'm skeptic of your taste in women when you posted them pics. No hard feeling.

I hate to say this: you started first!!. I understand it's hard to accept new ideas and the truth, and your formed believes being challanged. Mr. Ho maybe a good leader but not a hero nor the 40 year-old virgin. Communism is idealistic but not realistic. And yes VN communist did many horrific things to the people on a par with pol pot. umm sorry guy. Give your self more time to accept them and stop reading your history tome.

Those girls aren't even cute except the Chinese girl with hands full of shrimp skewers. Vietnamese girls are beautiful, but I'm skeptic of your taste in women when you posted them pics. No hard feeling.
So why dont you give us a chance to broaden our minds by posting your girlfriend here? hope you have one :)

Good Job :okay:

oooooooooooooooookay... im too lazy to read all that vietnamese, but the past is the past. . .

SO NOW LETS TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND OTHER ADVANCEMENTS OF VIETNAMESE SOCIETY!

I'm just talkin' smack. Um No. I don't have any pic nor a Viet gf. haha. I bet you have one. Please share yours.

I'll post my two unrelated beautiful Viet ladies that i've only collected when i have a chance. That's a barter for your gf's pic(s).

This thread has to be sticky. I will PM a mod soon

#edited# for the sake of my peaceful life!

unbelievable!!! people are incredibly stubborn...!!! this thread *right here* was CREATED for the purpose of discussing about VN's economy!! what's the matter with some of you people?? every single time, you kept screwing up everyone else's enjoyments!! screw that!! it's IMMATURE!! not even funny!! IT'S TIME TO GROW UP!! it's 2.0.0.6!! not 1996 OR 1986 OR 1976 !! yeah beat it!!so after all of these ludicrous catfights, now honestly tell us, WHAT HAVE YOU GAINED?? yeah NOTHING!! plus , 99.99% of people who come to this thread, PROBABLY DID NOT * R.E.A.D * all of those posts!! STOP WASTING YOUR TIME!! cuz once it's gone, it'll never come back, trust me, now go find something productive to do!!! PAH......LZZZZZ!! yet, almost E.V.E.R.Y.O.N.E in VIETNAM don't even bother the subject of war anymore!! get EDUCATED! so ridiculous!! some of you people currently DO NOT live in Vietnam so don't even try to make up your imaginable stories! that's just purely sickening! that the history makes up a country! that's what makes Vietnam, Vietnam.I believe!

ProX's back :)

no

no

no

Hey bang và đồng bọn,

Báo cáo bang và đồng bọn, những kẻ xưa kia nhốt hàng triệu đồng bào ta vào các ấp chiến lược, đang rao giảng cái gọi là tự do. Trời không mưa, cứ bắt mặc áo mưa! Chả biết mình là ai!

Em đề nghị bang và đồng bọn ở bển trả lại tự do (buông tha) cho hơn 80 triệu đồng bào ta.

so vn ppl now hav freedom,right? if so,why ppl dont dare to speak out wat they really think about our Com. Party? why must the ones who dared to protest against the govs' crimes be put to prison or exepelled? why children must worship Mr Ho more than their parents while they dont even know wat's he look like? why 1/4 of the population living under 1USD/day while mr.Nong, Old guy Do 10,... hav their own helicopter,few mansions?.....

this thread should be deleted!

no

cho tui ba'i ong lam su phu. nhe bang! :master: may cai dao ly cua ong chi' ly' lam! :cucumber:

lol i like bang's analogy

"two heads are better than one"

well lets multiply that by a couple of thousand and u hav a force to reckon with

but dong bao vietnam need a strong cause. half of them dont noe wuts going on in the government

dont worry guys lets not talk about this becuz it is a sensitive topic. Besides their time is runnig out

oppssss..for me... i dun care much bout dat..whoever bóp vú...juz yield abit.. they take 1 gallon . i juz ask for half... wanna be one...haahaha... :booze: :dj:

hahah that's one funny analogy

Please people! Who cares about the political sky of Vietnam at this time, we can't overthrow its communist ruler of course! so let's have so cool posts in here.

Bọn quái vật ViệtNam cộng hòa đã giết hại hàng triệu đồng bào miền Nam ,chúng ! những con chó dưới sự chỉ đạo của Hoa Kỳ đã giết hại chính những đồng bào,nhân dân mình ! Ko có lời lẽ nào biện hộ,xuyên tạc được ! Lũ súc vật đến ngày nay vẫn còn nuôi trong lòng sự hận thù,cay cú...thành bệnh hoạn ,chúng '' du ngủ '' cho những thế hệ con cháu chúng bằng lòng hận thù,cay cú...bệnh hoạn của mình ! Với bàn tay nhuốm máu ,tội ác sẽ mãi đi theo chúng đến khi chết vẫn ko hết nổi ! Chúng mày có giỏi thì về nước mà biểu tình,rao giảng cái gọi là tự do ngôn luân,nhân quyền,tôn giáo...bọn súc vật !

A city with skyscrapers is nothing compared to a t72 tank

thôi đi mấy ku! chấm dứt được rồi đó! cãi nhau đến khi nào đây? mấy cụ VNCS hay VNCH cũng gần đi bán muối hết rồi,bây giờ là thời đại của tuổi trẻ! đại ca khicantoiseyeu, nhà của đại ca chắc được nhiều huân chương yêu nước với đảng viên ưu tú lắm rồi ha? Nguyễn Việt Tiến có quan hệ gì với đại ca vậy?

Bọn quái vật ViệtNam cộng hòa đã giết hại hàng triệu đồng bào miền Nam ,chúng ! những con chó dưới sự chỉ đạo của Hoa Kỳ đã giết hại chính những đồng bào,nhân dân mình ! Ko có lời lẽ nào biện hộ,xuyên tạc được ! Lũ súc vật đến ngày nay vẫn còn nuôi trong lòng sự hận thù,cay cú...thành bệnh hoạn ,chúng '' du ngủ '' cho những thế hệ con cháu chúng bằng lòng hận thù,cay cú...bệnh hoạn của mình ! Với bàn tay nhuốm máu ,tội ác sẽ mãi đi theo chúng đến khi chết vẫn ko hết nổi ! Chúng mày có giỏi thì về nước mà biểu tình,rao giảng cái gọi là tự do ngôn luân,nhân quyền,tôn giáo...bọn súc vật !
Kêu người ta là súc vật, mà bảo người ta đầu tư vô Việt Nam, rồi nói người ta không cần gởi tiền về Việt Nam, mà không gởi thì bảo là bọn súc vật. Chán quá đi. :bash: Nhưng mà thôi, nếu bạn không thích tìm hiểu thêm về Nam Việt nam trước thời 75 mà chỉ nghe gì nói vậy thì cũng chả gì hết. :)

thôi đi mấy ku! chấm dứt được rồi đó! cãi nhau đến khi nào đây? mấy cụ VNCS hay VNCH cũng gần đi bán muối hết rồi,bây giờ là thời đại của tuổi trẻ! đại ca khicantoiseyeu, nhà của đại ca chắc được nhiều huân chương yêu nước với đảng viên ưu tú lắm rồi ha? Nguyễn Việt Tiến có quan hệ gì với đại ca vậy?

Nó chỉ yêu đảng cộng sản của nó thôi chứ có yêu nước gì? Một người Việt yêu nước thật sự thì sẻ không ủng hộ một đảng độc tài độc trị đang ăn dần ăn mòn nước Việt Nam bằng cách hút máu dân đen và ăn trên đầu trên cổ nước nhà.

Chắc nó được thằng Bùi Tiến Dũng cho bú vú mấy con hầu bàn trần truồng mỗi khi đánh bài bằng tiền tham nhũng nên đầu óc nó bị lú lẫn rồi.

Bọn cộng sản chó đẻ tư tưởng thối nát này chỉ biết tham nhũng là trên hết chứ đâu còn biết gì đến sứ mệnh cao cả của những người Việt Nam đã xã thân hy sinh vì muốn nước nhà được độc lập và tự chủ. Đãng cộng sản có còn gì là mục đích ngoài hút máu dân và bán nước cho bọn chó bên tàu?

no

Bọn quái vật ViệtNam cộng hòa đã giết hại hàng triệu đồng bào miền Nam ,chúng ! những con chó dưới sự chỉ đạo của Hoa Kỳ đã giết hại chính những đồng bào,nhân dân mình ! Ko có lời lẽ nào biện hộ,xuyên tạc được ! Lũ súc vật đến ngày nay vẫn còn nuôi trong lòng sự hận thù,cay cú...thành bệnh hoạn ,chúng '' du ngủ '' cho những thế hệ con cháu chúng bằng lòng hận thù,cay cú...bệnh hoạn của mình ! Với bàn tay nhuốm máu ,tội ác sẽ mãi đi theo chúng đến khi chết vẫn ko hết nổi ! Chúng mày có giỏi thì về nước mà biểu tình,rao giảng cái gọi là tự do ngôn luân,nhân quyền,tôn giáo...bọn súc vật !

Bạn KhiCanToiSeYeu dễ thương ghê. Cách nói chuyện của bạn chẳng khác gì cái con bạn đề cập tới đó :D. Hay hay, vỗ tay cái coi :applause: Chúc mừng bạn hen. Bạn sắp tiến hoá thành "nó" rồi đó.

Bạn nói người ta là chó, sao bạn ko thử coi lại cái bọn cầm quyền bây giờ đi. Có cây cầu, con đường nào bây giờ mà nhà nước làm ra hồn ko? Hết hư rồi phát hiện rút ruột. Căm thù nhất là thằng Bộ Trường Đào Đình Bình từ lúc vụ cầu vượt Văn Thánh rồi. Lúc đó cầu đã bị lún khá nặng, cha này xuống xem tình hình rồi phán một câu: "cây cầu đạt chất lượng". Ừ, thì đạt chất lượng đó, nên giờ nó sụm bà chè rồi đó. Bạn KhiCanToiSeYeu cứ ca tụng chúng lên đi.

Bạn như con ếch ngồi đáy giếng, bíêt cứt gì. Ừ, chắc là chỉ biết cứt với đái. Đáng lẽ ko muốn nói chuyện chợ trời với bạn đâu, nhưng nghe bạn nói, mắc ỉa wá bạn ơi :D. Nên cũng muốn cho bạn biết là chẳng ai nhịn nhục với mấy thằng ngu như bạn, chỉ biết nghe những lời tự khen mị dân của Đảng hiện nay thôi.

Mà nói bạn nghe, trong một cuộc chiến, chẳng có ai đúng ai sai cả. Nếu bạn chửi, thì bạn cũng nên chửi luôn bên bạn đi hen. Vậy mới là ngừoi sáng suốt, quân tử chứ :D. Chứ ko đầu bạn cũng như "đống cứt" thôi.

Cộng sản cứ chửi Tư Bản này nọ, coi người ta ko bằng cái con gì gì đó. Nói Tư Bản nào là bóc lột, nào là đàn áp giai cấp công nhân.
Vậy mà khi Bill Gates wa, cả đám ra bu, bu như "ruồi bu ... ngựa", rồi to hót, ca tụng, rằng thì là "Bill Gates là thần tượng của tôi".
Rồi Intel qua đặt nhà máy để bóc lột dân VN, ai cũng hân hoan, sẵn sàng dâng hiến để bị bóc lột. Khó hiểu wá, kêu người ta bóc lột mà. Nếu ghét người ta thì ghét ra mặt đi, đuổi người ta đi, đừng cho người ta vào, chứ đừng có nói xấu người sau lưng. Tiểu nhân lắm :D.

Cựu thủ tướng Võ Văn Kiệt có nói đến sự hoà hợp dân tộc. Ông đã có nói "người bên đây" nên có cái nhìn công bằng hơn đối với cuộc chiến ngày xưa, rằng nên xoá bỏ cái thái độ thù ghét người ta đi. Nhưng mình nghĩ là nếu còn những loại như bạn, thì VN này sẽ mãi mãi là cái VN tệ hại, quan liêu, tham nhũng, lúc nào cũng thù địch với Mỹ thôi. Lúc đó thì VN ta cũng sẽ mãi đi sau hốt cứt cho Mỹ thôi, hen bạn :D

Had been deleted!!!

welcome back lovesaigon! :) how was ur exam? i also stressful here...only 10 days more for the final exam! damn!!wish i could throw my laptop away... >( maybe next week i'll cut my cable line... :)

Bọn quái vật ViệtNam cộng hòa đã giết hại hàng triệu đồng bào miền Nam ,chúng ! những con chó dưới sự chỉ đạo của Hoa Kỳ đã giết hại chính những đồng bào,nhân dân mình ! Ko có lời lẽ nào biện hộ,xuyên tạc được ! Lũ súc vật đến ngày nay vẫn còn nuôi trong lòng sự hận thù,cay cú...thành bệnh hoạn ,chúng '' du ngủ '' cho những thế hệ con cháu chúng bằng lòng hận thù,cay cú...bệnh hoạn của mình ! Với bàn tay nhuốm máu ,tội ác sẽ mãi đi theo chúng đến khi chết vẫn ko hết nổi ! Chúng mày có giỏi thì về nước mà biểu tình,rao giảng cái gọi là tự do ngôn luân,nhân quyền,tôn giáo...bọn súc vật !

thằng này đúng là xứng danh cháu ngoan bác hồ :) tương lai sẽ được làm quan lớn đây!

welcome back lovesaigon! :) how was ur exam? i also stressful here...only 10 days more for the final exam! damn!!wish i could throw my laptop away... >( maybe next week i'll cut my cable line... :)

Oh, so u're a IT student, aren't u?
Try ur best on the exam.
Best wishes for u!

So at last, I had completed my exams. Phew. What a pleasure feelings. But now, I already have stressed again, right after when I read KhiCanToiSeYeu post. What the h....!

Haha funniest debate we got this month. You guys alwayz amaze me :)

thằng này đúng là xứng danh cháu ngoan bác hồ tương lai sẽ được làm quan lớn đây!

Quan lo'n kho^ng "ngoan" va^y dau, "ngoan" vay chi lam quan vua vua` tho^i, ko^ lam quan lo'n duoc dau :)

Bởi vậy, mày đừng có xạo l** wá đi. Thằng ch*. M*, càng coi càng bực mình cái thằng ch* mất dạy này. Mày chỉ biết có cái l* đ** thôi. Đáng lẽ mày cần phải chui vào cái l* đ** đó, lên tới tận cái miệng rồi hãy nói. Hen thằng mất day.

Mind your language LS hmmmmmm

:nocrook: :pepper: make a fight ..everybody. kill each other . :bash:

:nocrook: :pepper: make a fight ..everybody. kill each other . :bash:
If you can overthrow the mods, I follow you :jk:
Back to the topic! :)

hey Bis,u r the one who started this hot thread! :)

no

no

It is with amazement that I would say that if Viet Nam would have not been with VC, the economy would have resembled South Korea by now, probably over $1 trillion GDP, at least Viet Nam is following the example of China and not North Korea, It will be impossible in the future to follow communist governmental practices when the population becomes more wealthy. Just hopefully a gradual diminishment of communist policies, don't do it like Russia immediately abandon communism and then get a mess. However Russia is coming around now!!! Just look at Complex Federation etc.

Bất mãn vậy thì up-date những thông tin liên quan tới ViệtNam làm gì ?? ViệtNam 4rum ở đây là cờ đỏ được liên hiệp quốc và các quốc gia trên thế giới công nhận chứ ko phải cái cờ '' 3 que '' chọc c** của bọn chính quyền cũ (VNCH).


Ngày ''tử'' của chế độ Ngụy quyền - Sài Gòn:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/715000/images/_716609_climb150.jpg
The scramble at the US embassy


http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/715000/images/_716609_tanks150.jpg
Tanks enter the palace grounds
A triumphant soldier at the liberation of Saigon

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/715000/images/_716609_tankcrowd150.jpg
Celebrating after the fall of Saigon


http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/715000/images/_716609_boots150.jpg
Army uniforms were discarded on the spot

"Vietnam Economic Development" soon turned to "Vietnam Political Argument", right?

I'm neutral. I don't think that the communist party is really reliable. PMU 18 is the most obvious example.

trên đời này có ai có 2 cái dú mà khi bóp cái này, cái kia nó phồng lên không hả U?

But I don't use that language to tell about my country either. We should simply do our best to improve Vietnam.

mấy cụ VNCS hay VNCH cũng gần đi bán muối hết rồi,bây giờ là thời đại của tuổi trẻ!

Bất mãn vậy thì up-date những thông tin liên quan tới ViệtNam làm gì ?? ViệtNam 4rum ở đây là cờ đỏ được liên hiệp quốc và các quốc gia trên thế giới công nhận chứ ko phải cái cờ '' 3 que '' chọc c** của bọn chính quyền cũ (VNCH).


Ngày ''tử'' của chế độ Ngụy quyền - Sài Gòn:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/715000/images/_716609_climb150.jpg
The scramble at the US embassy


http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/715000/images/_716609_tanks150.jpg
Tanks enter the palace grounds
A triumphant soldier at the liberation of Saigon

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/715000/images/_716609_tankcrowd150.jpg
Celebrating after the fall of Saigon


http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/715000/images/_716609_boots150.jpg
Army uniforms were discarded on the spot


Guess who are all these people are waiting :runaway:
http://layered.typepad.com/./photos/uncategorized/img_3645.jpg
:runaway:

Bất mãn vậy thì up-date những thông tin liên quan tới ViệtNam làm gì ??

Anh xem lai xem ai la nguoi bat man o day, chinh anh, Hanoi2006 va ten "Cho^ng Co^ng" khoi goi nen nhung vu bu xu bu`nay`bang nhung phat bieu het suc lac hau va khong dung cho. Dung quen Vn phat trien la do nguon gio tu ba?n thoi vao nhung nam 95 chuyen nay aicung biet. VN bay gio la nuoc tu ban, co du cac dac diem cua mot nuoc tu ban thoi ky dau`. Chi co chinh quyen la CS de facto thoi.

Xin phep nhac lai lan thu 3458 la`ne^n quay lai voi nhung thong tin kinh te thoi.

yeah,i LOVE my country,but it doesnt mean i also MUST LOVE the comm.So I need not to use words that show respect to them! Dont they always say "vi mot dat nuoc cua dan,do dan va vi dan" ? that means we,84M of VNmeses ppl, are the right owners of our country,not in the dirty hands of some corruption guys!
khicantoiseyeu,we only express our hatred to the dirty gov,not the ppl,but it seems like the racist one is u! u insulted ur own ppl! u talk as if u r a patriot,but it work out the way 'round...If 1 guy who see his gov's bad sides/crimes clearly,but still want to defend them,and insult ppl who r trying to correct them,then can this guy be defined as a patriot??
PS: u should play Metal Gear Solid series (especially 3).

I erm.... wish that somedaythere will b no more countries, hence no more patriotism bullshit.

Dung lam cang thang giua cac thanh vien voi nhau, ai cung co ykien rieng va co quyen noi. Nhung xet thay y kien cua minh se lam noi gian so do^ng, gay ratranh cai khong can thiet ma van cu neu ra thi that ky`qua'. Kie^?u nhu "ong cu noi' de^? chung may` chui?da^'y, roi` ha? he^..." tha^t la` rat khong nen.

yeah...this thread should be closed/deleted ASAP.
ko nen de may dua nuoc khac thay chung ta mat doan ket de roi che^' gie~u VN.

^^ there are bound to have frictions in every vietnamese forum i go to.

yeah...this thread should be closed/deleted ASAP.
ko nen de may dua nuoc khac thay chung ta mat doan ket de roi che^' gie~u VN.

We would be only weaker when we hide the truth.

Ngày ''tử'' của chế độ Ngụy quyền - Sài Gòn:

Bọn mặt xấu (nghĩa đen) đã chiến thắng.

Anh bạn không nói tiếng Anh, không biết ngoại ngữ, không nói tiếng Việt chuẩn (tiếng Hà nội), không bao giờ đi ra nước ngoài, và không kiếm quá $70 per month.
Với cái hành lý tòng teo của kẻ ăn mày như thế anh bạn định chứng minh điều gì ở đây, một khi Việt Nam suốt thế kỷ XX, nhờ những kẻ mặt xấu (nghĩa đen) như anh bạn, luôn dẫn đầu những danh sách lộn ngược?

The Socialistic Republic of Vietnam: the Superior Way of Life

Họ ''giải phóng" đất nước để tự do ngủ bất kể đầu đường xó chợ
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j52/tranviethao/56074302.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j52/tranviethao/64241151_713aa060e3.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j52/tranviethao/d3ae5115cb46013cb73e2a08200d7796d9a.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j52/tranviethao/55396785.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j52/tranviethao/52921701.jpg
Người phụ nữ này có được khuôn mặt ""khả ái" như thế, sau cuộc gặp gỡ với cái gọi là nhà cầm quyền của các tay mặt xấu (nghĩa đen), tức để trông giống tụi mặt xấu chí ít về mặt hình thức!
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j52/tranviethao/49938.jpg

Well that is 30 years of socialism and "liberation" for you. Vietnam is an "equal" country, but it seems the communist cadres are more equal than the common people.

Have anyone ever seen the film " Viet Nam the 10000 days war" ???
If there were the big disaster in Hue like that , the foreigner directors mustn't ignore but throughout the film I'm only see the sight of killing the common people of American
army
Specially, by chance, I saw the sight of torturing a common people right on Saigon street after the insurrection Mau Than 1968, one of American soldiers used his gun suddenly fire to the head of that common people and that always reminds me the ruthless of VNCH regime.That's terrible

You guys really have a lot of free time don't y'all? kept argue about this shit everyday! i'll pay ya a thousand bucks if ya got the gut to protest in Hanoi! otherwise just shut ur mouth and get back to out topic alright!

Từ ngày 1/5, giá gas bán lẻ đồng loạt tăng 9.000 đồng/bình 12 kg, thay vì dự đoán chỉ tăng 6.000 đồng trước đó. Các nhà nhập khẩu nhận định, nhiều khả năng, tháng 6, người dân sẽ tiếp tục phải mua gas với giá cao hơn do tình hình chính trị bất ổn ở khu vực Trung Đông.

Tại TP HCM, giá bán đến tay người tiêu dùng mà Gia Đình gas, Saigon gas... công bố cho tháng 5 là 159.000-160.000 đồng, tăng 9.000 đồng/bình 12 kg. Vinagas tăng cao nhất với 9.500 đồng, giá bán mới 158.500 đồng/bình. Riêng Petrovietnam gas chỉ tăng 8.400 đồng/bình.

Tại thị trường Hà Nội, Petrolimex gas tăng giá cao nhất, 10.000 đồng/bình và quy định giá bán lẻ đến tay người tiêu dùng là 182.000 đồng/bình 12 kg và 196.000 đồng/bình 13 kg. Các hãng còn lại đồng loạt tăng 9.000 đồng/bình, giá bán lẻ mới của Shell là 189.000 đồng/bình, của Total là 184.000 đồng/bình, Thăng Long gas... khoảng 165.000 đồng/bình.

Giám đốc Công ty Gas Petrolimex khu vực phía Nam Hoàng Anh cho biết, theo quy luật hằng năm từ tháng 1 đến hết tháng 6, giá gas liên tục trong xu thế giảm và ở giữ ở mức thấp nhất trong năm. Tuy nhiên, hiện nay, giá dầu thô đang giữ ở mức kỷ lục với trên 75 USD/thùng và gas cũng tăng kỷ lục với trên 40 USD/thùng, tương đương với khoảng 467 USD/tấn.

Tình hình chính trị bất ổn, nguồn cung khan hiếm khi nhu cầu được dự báo vẫn tiếp tục tăng cao là tác nhân đốt cháy thị trường nhiên liệu thế giới. Trong khi đó VN, Nhà máy Dinh Cố chạy hết công suất cũng chỉ đáp ứng được khoảng 40% nhu cầu, 60% còn lại trông chờ vào nguồn nhập khẩu. Tất cả những yếu tố này là nguyên chính đẩy giá gas bán lẻ trong nước được dự báo sẽ tiếp tục xu hướng tăng trong tháng 6.

it is so O.K.A.Y to bring up and discuss hidden things about the current corrupted gov't but is it necessary to turn every economy-ralted thread into a political thread - between people from VN and the overseas! i guess N.OT.! it's kinda getting annoying after a while! and i'm not the O.N.L.Y one who against this whole repetative mess! like I said in my previous post, it doesn't matter if you stir shit up in here, cuz what happened is already happened! all we need to focus on right now is the future of VN ahead of us all! the forum just got messier by thread like this! it looks neater to discuss politics healthily, but not when everyone turn bitching at each other and even bringing up the whole war crap between VC's and VM's! war *not equal* politic *not equal* economy! they're different from one another! and I don't see any relevance! we should make one seperate thread for politic, one for the economy like that they don't get mixed together , like in the local sky bazzar.




P/S: @ bang: don't bitch at me cuz i'm different than you! stare at yourself and think harder! u'r not even worth talking to! just wasting my time typing shit back at you! with that amount of time i can do myself something nice! so disgusting! seriously *puke*! not negotiable!

http://vnexpress.net/Vietnam/Kinh-doanh/2006/05/3B9E95BB/oto.gif

Đến 17h ngày 3/5, mới có 6 chiếc ôtô cũ loại dưới 16 chỗ về đến cảng TP HCM để chờ thông quan. Tình hình hoàn toàn yên ắng tại ba khu vực còn lại là Đà Nẵng, Hải Phòng và Quảng Ninh, không có doanh nghiệp nào mở tờ khai hải quan và cũng chưa có chiếc xe cũ nào về đến cảng.

Ông Nguyễn Hữu Nghiệp, Chi cục trưởng Hải quan cảng Sài Gòn khu vực 1 (thuộc Cục hải quan TP HCM), cho biết, hiện doanh nghiệp chủ hàng vẫn chưa đến mở tờ khai làm thủ tục hải quan. Tuy nhiên, theo khai báo hành lý ban đầu của chủ tàu lô 6 chiếc ôtô cũ có xuất xứ từ Trung Quốc đã cập cảng Cát Lái.

Theo ông Nghiệp, để chuẩn bị đón nhận hồ sơ hải quan của doanh nghiệp nhập khẩu ôtô cũ, Chi cục hải quan cảng Sài Gòn khu vực 1 đã bố trí một tổ công tác 3 người do Phó trưởng chi cục Huỳnh Hải Việt trực tiếp quản lý. Tổ công tác này sẽ chuyên trách giải quyết thủ tục nhập khẩu ôtô cũ.

Ngoài Cát Lái, cảng Sài Gòn khu vực 2 và 3 trong ngày đầu tiên thông quan hôm nay vẫn khá yên vắng. Lãnh đạo các chi cục hải quan khu vực này cho biết, chưa nhận được tín hiệu nào về sự có mặt của xe ôtô cũ nhập khẩu trong địa bàn quản lý của mình.

Trao đổi với VnExpress, Cục phó Hải quan Đà Nẵng Phạm Ngọc Thuần cũng khẳng định, đến 16h30 hôm nay, ông vẫn chưa nhận được thông tin về bất kỳ chiếc ôtô cũ dưới 16 chỗ nào cập cảng.

Ở phía Bắc, các cảng biển chỉ đón nhận những lô xe cũ trên 16 chỗ. Các loại xe được nhập theo diện Nghị định 12 hoàn toàn vắng bóng. Ông Trần Văn Hội, Phó cục trưởng Cục Hải quan Hải Phòng, cũng cho biết chưa một doanh nghiệp nào đăng ký nhập khẩu qua Cục và cũng chưa có chiếc xe nào về đến cảng. Tình hình tương tự cũng diễn ra tại cảng Cái Lân (Quảng Ninh).
Theo quy định, xe ôtô đã qua sử dụng chỉ được nhập khẩu vào VN qua 4 cảng biển lớn gồm cảng Hải Phòng, Cái Lân (Quảng Ninh), TP HCM và Đà Nẵng.

Lý giải về điều này, ông Phạm Vũ Đức, Giám đốc Công ty TNHH Đức Hòa, cho rằng, hầu hết các doanh nghiệp vẫn còn đang nghe ngóng thị trường và phản ứng của người tiêu dùng vì theo tính toán của họ, so với xe mới sản xuất trong nước, xe cũ chỉ thấp hơn khoảng 10-15%. Trong khi đó, các liên doanh trong nước vừa tuyên bố đồng loạt giảm giá các loại xe và với mức giảm này, giá xe mới lắp ráp trong nước rẻ chẳng kém xe cũ cập cảng. "Rất nhiều người nhờ tôi tư vấn nên mua loại xe gì, mới hay đã qua sử dụng, tư vấn cho người tiêu dùng lúc này là việc rất khó", ông Đức nói.

Một lý do khác khiến tình hình nhập xe cũ trầm lắng trong ngày đầu tiên triển khai Nghị định 12, theo ông Đức, là do trong số 51 doanh nghiệp nhập khẩu ôtô, phần lớn đã bị liệt vào danh sách trốn thuế của hải quan. Hạn chót doanh nghiệp phải nộp thuế sắp tới, hải quan vẫn chưa có thông tin gì và doanh nghiệp không biết có được gia hạn tiếp hay không, chính vì thế, hầu hết đều không dám nhập về.

it is so O.K.A.Y to bring up and discuss hidden things about the current corrupted gov't but is it necessary to turn every economy-ralted thread into a political thread - between people from VN and the overseas! i guess N.OT.! it's kinda getting annoying after a while! and i'm not the O.N.L.Y one who against this whole repetative mess! like I said in my previous post, it doesn't matter if you stir shit up in here, cuz what happened is already happened! all we need to focus on right now is the future of VN ahead of us all! the forum just got messier by thread like this! it looks neater to discuss politics healthily, but not when everyone turn bitching at each other and even bringing up the whole war crap between VC's and VM's! war *not equal* politic *not equal* economy! they're different from one another! and I don't see any relevance! we should make one seperate thread for politic, one for the economy like that they don't get mixed together , like in the local sky bazzar.

Agree!!! Let's move on.

Ngân hàng Nhà nước sáng nay tuyên bố, sẽ phát hành và lưu thông loại tiền mới này kể từ ngày 17/5 nhằm đáp ứng tốt hơn nhu cầu thanh toán của nền kinh tế. Loại tiền cotton 20.000 đồng hiện nay vẫn có giá trị lưu hành.

http://vnexpress.net/Vietnam/Kinh-doanh/2006/05/3B9E9558/tienmt-n.jpg
Mặt trước của tờ tiền polymer 20.000 đồng. (Ảnh do Ngân hàng Nhà nước cung cấp)

Loại tiền mệnh giá 20.000 đồng mới có kích thước 136 mm x 65 mm, in trên chất liệu polymer, nhìn tổng thể mặt trước và mặt sau có màu xanh lơ đậm. Mặt trước có dòng chữ “CỘNG HOÀ XÃ HỘI CHỦ NGHĨA VIỆT NAM”, Quốc huy, chân dung Chủ tịch Hồ Chí Minh, mệnh giá 20.000 đồng bằng chữ và số. Mặt sau có dòng chữ “NGÂN HÀNG NHÀ NƯỚC VIỆT NAM”, phong cảnh Chùa Cầu, Hội An (Quảng Nam), chữ và số mệnh giá; và hình trang trí hoa văn dân tộc, hoa văn lưới hiện đại.

http://vnexpress.net/Vietnam/Kinh-doanh/2006/05/3B9E9558/tienms-n.jpg
Mặt sau của tờ tiền polymer 20.000 đồng. (Ảnh do Ngân hàng Nhà nước cung cấp)

Đây là mệnh giá thứ 4 được in trên chất liệu polymer, sau loại 50.000, 100.000 và 500.000 đồng.

Theo Ngân hàng Nhà nước, việc phát hành tiền polymer mệnh giá 20.000 đồng lần này nhằm mục tiêu nâng cao khả năng chống giả và độ bền, độ sạch của đồng tiền trong lưu thông, đáp ứng tốt hơn nhu cầu thanh toán của nền kinh tế, đồng thời góp phần tiết kiệm chi phí phát hành tiền trong dài hạn. Đồng tiền cotton 20.000 đồng hiện nay vẫn tiếp tục có giá trị lưu hành.

Hiện các loại tiền mệnh giá nhỏ lẻ, kể cả xu cũng như cotton, đều rất khan hiếm trên thị trường, gây bất tiện trong thanh toán của người dân. Các ngân hàng cũng gặp khó khi muốn đa dạng hoá các mệnh giá tiền đưa vào ATM, vì vậy đã đề nghị Ngân hàng Nhà nước phát hành hai loại tiền polymer mệnh giá 10.000 và 20.000 đồng. Tuy nhiên, Ngân hàng Nhà nước chưa có ý kiến gì về đợt phát hành loại tiền polymer 10.000 đồng.

heh speaking of currency...does anyway like the design?
and no im not talking about HCM on the currentcy so dont even start


from the design point of view...i think it could be better..to have more cultural images on it....rather than like factories in the 2000 note

i think they should be redesign..it looks soo....cheesy

Gia vang bay gio tang qua cac bac oi, bac nao mua nha theo gia vang thi lo to,hen chi thi truong bat dong san dang dong bang con thi truong chung khoan Viet Nam chi so VN-Index tang vun vut, o day co bac nao choi chung khoan ko vay???

Chưa thấy cái thằng nào ngu như cái thằng LTM này. Đem những hình ảnh xấu xa của VN lên đây trưng bày ở diễn đàn của không biết bao nhiêu người ngoại quốc như thế này thì người ta chỉ cười dân tộc VN thôi chứ họ không có cười thằng CS đâu

Ỏ diền đàn này chả thấy có ai đem chuyện xấu xa của nước họ ra nói cả ngoại trừ mấy thằng ngu Việt chống cộng này

Chưa thấy cái thằng nào ngu như cái thằng LTM này. Đem những hình ảnh xấu xa của VN lên đây trưng bày ở diễn đàn của không biết bao nhiêu người ngoại quốc như thế này thì người ta chỉ cười dân tộc VN thôi chứ họ không có cười thằng CS đâu

Ỏ diền đàn này chả thấy có ai đem chuyện xấu xa của nước họ ra nói cả ngoại trừ mấy thằng ngu Việt chống cộng này

A nation is truly powerful when it can look the truth in the eye, handle it, instead of turning its back to the severe reality, or ignoring it at all.

I'm only reporting to the worldwide public opinion on the things actually taking place in the Socialictic Republic of Vietnam, without lying, libel.

When you love your country, and your love does not help your country to become better, IT IS NOT LOVE!

Việt Nam không phát triển được do tư duy cấp người hang hố như cậu.

LTM lam on bo? ma^y cai hinh do' xuong di de forum duoc nho`, nhin thay ghe^ qua'. La` nguoi Viet Nam ma` suot ngay buoi moc nhung cai xau cua minh ra cho nguoi ta coi khong thay xau ho sao? Nhung cai xau phai de cho nguoi trong nuoc coi de sua chua, con nguoi ngoai nhin vao chi nen khoe cai dep cua dat nuoc THOI.

Nguoi Viet minh doi khi ky`, nguoi nuoc ngoai hoi ve tinh hinh trong nuoc thi noi "ui nuoc tao te^ lam, te^ hai zay do'.....con` noi chuyen voi nhau thi` lai "may thang Ta^y do? hoi"....what a DISGRACE! shameful.....

CK tang vun vut boi vi nguoi dan moi nhan ra day la hinh thuc kiem tien moi la, nhieu tiem nang :) Con bay gio gia ca? cai gi cung tang, minh nghi giu vang la`tot nhat.

Nhung dau tu chung khoan rui ro phai chap nhan neu nhieu nguoi do tien vo do qua, ke ca muon tien ma dau tu Ck, nguy hiem, thi coi chung luc nao do se thanh bong bong vo~ thi` nguy to.

LTM lam on bo? ma^y cai hinh do' xuong di de forum duoc nho`, nhin thay ghe^ qua'. La` nguoi Viet Nam ma` suot ngay buoi moc nhung cai xau cua minh ra cho nguoi ta coi khong thay xau ho sao? Nhung cai xau phai de cho nguoi trong nuoc coi de sua chua, con nguoi ngoai nhin vao chi nen khoe cai dep cua dat nuoc THOI.

Nguoi Viet minh doi khi ky`, nguoi nuoc ngoai hoi ve tinh hinh trong nuoc thi noi "ui nuoc tao te^ lam, te^ hai zay do'.....con` noi chuyen voi nhau thi` lai "may thang Ta^y do? hoi"....what a DISGRACE! shameful.....
It's not my fault, sorry.

It's not my fault, sorry.
As much as I don't like Communist Party, you went over the board

no

no

no

I neither want VNCH nor CSVN, I just want a Vietnam that is Democratic and the people enjoys human rights, freedom and no corruption.

I neither want VNCH nor CSVN, I just want a Vietnam that is Democratic and the people enjoys human rights, freedom and no corruption.
Anh có ý định chờ tương lai đó ban nhiêu năm? 200 - 300 năm?
Còn hiện tại, tức đầu thế kỷ XXI, công dân CHXHCNVN vẫn không hiểu được những quy tắc cư xử tối đơn giản của người văn minh:
1. không được đi dép lê, mặc quần lót khi đi ra khỏi nhà, không được ngồi vạ vật trên mặt đất như mắc dịch tả.
2. phụ nữ CHXHCNVN xuất hiện ngoài phố, của hàng, đến thăm ai đó, công sở...trong các bộ đồ ngủ các màu sặc sỡ rẻ tiền là chuẩn mực.
3. công dân CHXHCNVN làm những việc vệ sinh cá nhân, như nhổ tóc bạc, bất cứ nơi công cộng nào không khác loài khỉ vượn.
4. công dân CHXHCNVN không có thói quen nói thật, không đến viện bảo tàng, thư viện, nhà hát; trong nhà riêng không có thư viện, nói chung không kết bạn với sách vở.
5. đại đa số công dân CHXHCNVN không đạt được mức phát triển trí tuệ tinh tế, và khiếu thẩm mỹ, và tư duy lôgíc kém phát triển đến mức, họ xa lạ với phương thức biểu cảm tượng hình ( bằng động tác, chẳng hạn), họ không biết vẽ, và không có năng nực học tiếng nước ngoài, thậm chí còn nói ngọng L/N trong tiếng Việt.
6. công dân CHXHCNVN không hề có khái niệm về nhân phẩm của chính mình, bởi bị nhồi sọ tư tưởng ''đúng luồng'' đã quá nhiều thế hệ. Họ thực chất là sản phẩm của xã hội nguyên thuỷ bầy đàn, của đám đông, chứ không phải xã hội những cá nhân mạnh mẽ tràn đầy ý thức về nhân phẩm của chính mình.
7. công dân CHXHCNVN có một lối sống thực tiễn, họ nhìn bạn và và bộ não ấu trĩ của họ được huy động theo đủ mọi cách ngây ngô nhất để lừa bạn. Trên phố Hàng Đào khi tôi ghé qua trong lần cuói cùng về thăm Hà Nội, trên nhãn chiếc áo sơ my đề rõ Made in Hong Kong, song cô gái quê nói ngọng L/N cứ khăng khăng đó là hàng Mỹ chính hiệu, và nhà cô nhận hai tuần một container. Còn thường dân đa số rất ít học thức, bệ rạc, chắp vá, hạ tiện, bản năng chủ nghĩa. Họ đặt đit ở bất cứ đâu: sau chuồng xí, cạnh đường cống, đống rác công cộng, và bình thản lùa thức ăn vào miệng.
8. công dân CHXHCNVN đẻ đái vô tội vạ và tự do xây dựng theo ý chủ quan của mình. Bởi họ không được nhà cầm quyền giải thích rằng người ta chỉ sinh đẻ con cái khi có đủ năng lực đảm bảo một tương lai tốt đẹp hơn cho thế hệ sau, rằng sinh đẻ là trách nhiệm trước xã hội, chứ không phải đơn thuần sex.
v.v. và v.v...
Song điều đáng sợ nhất là nhà cầm quyền, quá bận tham nhũng và biển thủ, hoàn toàn không hề có khái niệm phải giáo dục công dân của họ như thế nào.

hey LTM, what are u talking about? Can't believe that you are a member of Vietnam forum. Can't you understand the word "minority and majority" ? Anyway, really don't want to read such a post in Vietnamese. What a shame!

Anh có ý định chờ tương lai đó ban nhiêu năm? 200 - 300 năm?
Còn hiện tại, tức đầu thế kỷ XXI, công dân CHXHCNVN vẫn không hiểu được những quy tắc cư xử tối đơn giản của người văn minh:
1. không được đi dép lê, mặc quần lót khi đi ra khỏi nhà, không được ngồi vạ vật trên mặt đất như mắc dịch tả.
2. phụ nữ CHXHCNVN xuất hiện ngoài phố, của hàng, đến thăm ai đó, công sở...trong các bộ đồ ngủ các màu sặc sỡ rẻ tiền là chuẩn mực.
3. công dân CHXHCNVN làm những việc vệ sinh cá nhân, như nhổ tóc bạc, bất cứ nơi công cộng nào không khác loài khỉ vượn.
4. công dân CHXHCNVN không có thói quen nói thật, không đến viện bảo tàng, thư viện, nhà hát; trong nhà riêng không có thư viện, nói chung không kết bạn với sách vở.
5. đại đa số công dân CHXHCNVN không đạt được mức phát triển trí tuệ tinh tế, và khiếu thẩm mỹ, và tư duy lôgíc kém phát triển đến mức, họ xa lạ với phương thức biểu cảm tượng hình ( bằng động tác, chẳng hạn), họ không biết vẽ, và không có năng nực học tiếng nước ngoài, thậm chí còn nói ngọng L/N trong tiếng Việt.
6. công dân CHXHCNVN không hề có khái niệm về nhân phẩm của chính mình, bởi bị nhồi sọ tư tưởng ''đúng luồng'' đã quá nhiều thế hệ. Họ thực chất là sản phẩm của xã hội nguyên thuỷ bầy đàn, của đám đông, chứ không phải xã hội những cá nhân mạnh mẽ tràn đầy ý thức về nhân phẩm của chính mình.
7. công dân CHXHCNVN có một lối sống thực tiễn, họ nhìn bạn và và bộ não ấu trĩ của họ được huy động theo đủ mọi cách ngây ngô nhất để lừa bạn. Trên phố Hàng Đào khi tôi ghé qua trong lần cuói cùng về thăm Hà Nội, trên nhãn chiếc áo sơ my đề rõ Made in Hong Kong, song cô gái quê nói ngọng L/N cứ khăng khăng đó là hàng Mỹ chính hiệu, và nhà cô nhận hai tuần một container. Còn thường dân đa số rất ít học thức, bệ rạc, chắp vá, hạ tiện, bản năng chủ nghĩa. Họ đặt đit ở bất cứ đâu: sau chuồng xí, cạnh đường cống, đống rác công cộng, và bình thản lùa thức ăn vào miệng.
8. công dân CHXHCNVN đẻ đái vô tội vạ và tự do xây dựng theo ý chủ quan của mình. Bởi họ không được nhà cầm quyền giải thích rằng người ta chỉ sinh đẻ con cái khi có đủ năng lực đảm bảo một tương lai tố đẹp hơn cho thế hệ sau, rằng sinh sinh đẻ là trách nhiệm trước xã hội, chứ không phải đơn thuần sex.
v.v. và v.v...
Song điều đáng sợ nhất là nhà cầm quyền, quá bận tham nhũng và biển thủ, hoàn toàn không hề có khái niệm phải giáo dục công dân của họ như thế nào.

Some of those things are way exaggerated.

Cái diễn đàn này đang bình thường như thế này tự nhiên có một thằng vô duyên vào đây phá đám gây sự

it is true about 1 thing when i bought my "under...." in Tan Binh market
my aunt asked her where is it made from, she said USA....but I looked at the label it said Korea.

other than than that LTM control eh.....persuasion not provoking

bang bang u shot him down..bang bang he hit the ground...bang bang u like to shot him down....

LTM sorry to say but you are more than just disgusting

Good job everyone! :)

Mấy bác muốn chống cộng sản đề nghị ra chỗ khác chơi nha , đây không phải là nơi bêu xấu VN đâu,tuy VN đang phải đối đầu với nhiềi khó khăn nhưng tui tin tình hình sẽ được cải thiện nhất là vấn đề tham nhũng các bác nhỉ

Now come back to the tittle Viet Nam Economic, there have been a fast development on stock exchange in Viet Nam recently because many shareholder invest to this field , both old and young man , so there have phenomenon like this.But people afraid this not to extend, is this right???

Mấy bác muốn chống cộng sản đề nghị ra chỗ khác chơi nha , đây không phải là nơi bêu xấu VN đâu,tuy VN đang phải đối đầu với nhiềi khó khăn nhưng tui tin tình hình sẽ được cải thiện nhất là vấn đề tham nhũng các bác nhỉ

Chống cộng hay ko, tui ko biết. Chỉ biết có 1 thằng nào đó đầu tiên vào làm cho cái thread này bốc mùi lên. Nói chuyện nghe không thể nhịn được, chứ chẳng có ai mà ngồi rảnh rang vào gây hấn gì ở đây cả.
Còn u thì cứ ngồi đó mà tin tình hình được cải thiện đi. Biết đâu đựơc. Giống như Newton ấy. Đến lúc nào đó sung nó rụng trúng đầu. Còn xui thì vẫn vậy à. Chúc u may mắn.

LTM sorry to say but you are more than just disgusting
Dont offend anyone please

^^
the villian who started it all has appeared!!

The things LTM said, some are true haha....but,trong nha rieng ko co thu vien...lol...i feel that it's fairly open here LTM, u know, if u posted this other forums, China for example, and criticizing chinese, u're probably dead meat now.....

SSST (Saigon Street Sandwich Stall)

http://static.flickr.com/53/141828404_9332de4e55.jpg


I miss thoses.....:(

I like sort of sour soup (canh chua) best, besides " lẩu cá diêu hồng " , " chả cá"( fried fish) "canh rau muống ăn với tôm" all have delicious flavor , haven't they??

^^ U mean canh rau muong nau tom? delicious yet soo refreshing for summer afternoons ^-^

US.-based Lockheed Martin Corp. has won a bid to build Vietnam's first satellite, an official said Friday.

State-owned Vietnam Post and Telecommunication, or VNPT, is scheduled to sign a contract worth US$168 million (euro132 million) with Lockheed later Friday in Hanoi, said VNPT spokesman Bui Quoc Viet.

VNPT's tender in February attracted three bidders: Lockheed Martin, France's Astrium/Alcatel Alenia Space and Japan's Sumitomo Corp.

The Vinasat satellite will be launched by 2008 and will provide the entire country with television and telecommunication services, Viet said.

Last year, the government said the project will cost a total US$230 million(euro181 million), including ground facilities.

Vietnam expects the satellite will help it save tens of millions of dollars (euros) each year, paid by state-owned firms to foreign satellite operators.

no

no

Vietnam has moved closer to joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) after talks with US trade officials ended with a trade deal paving the way ahead.

VietnamNet website quoted a source as saying "Vietnam and the US reached an agreement on Vietnam joining the WTO."

The US has called the agreement, which will mean lower tariffs on its industrial and farm products being sold in Vietnam, as "very good".

The US will also help Vietnam complete WTO membership "in the near future".

Other barriers that block US service providers from working in Vietnam are to be abolished, said US Trade Representative Rob Portman.

"It opens a new and growing market for American agricultural goods, services, such as financial services, and manufactured products," he said.

Mr Portman said Vietnam was aware that reform and economic liberalisation were needed to ensure its integration into the global economy.

Communist Vietnam, which has been pressing for WTO membership for a number of years, wants to join the trade body before hosting the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit in November.

US President George W Bush is expected to attend the event, and state-run VietnamNet said the two countries had reached agreement after "finding a common voice" on outstanding trade issues.

Following a trade deal Vietnam signed with Mexico last month, it then had to complete a bilateral deal with the US in order to join the WTO club.

However one potential obstacle to a smooth accession surrounds the issue of the US Congress' attitude to Vietnam's human rights record.

Before securing entry into the WTO Vietnam must be granted permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) by Congress.

But on a visit to Hanoi in April, US House of Representatives Speaker Dennis Hastert, an Illinois Republican, called on Congress to pass a deal because the "greater good" outweighed human rights concerns.

Vietnam signed a previous bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the US in July 2000, five years after the two former enemies renewed diplomatic relations.

Since then Vietnamese exports to the US have grown to more than $6.5bn in 2005.

Bác nào biết danh sách 10 tỉnh thành dẫn đầu cả nước về xuất khẩu,tổng thu nhập GDP va GDP trên đầu người post lên cho thằng em này cái

http://www.saigontimes.com.vn/daily/detail.asp?muc=1&Sobao=2699&SoTT=19

By NGOC MAI

"(SGT-HANOI) ConocoPhillips has said it will inject US$115 million into various oil and gas projects in Vietnam in 2006 and is planning another huge investment over the next 10 years."

_________________________________


CononoPhillips ($83 Billion Market Cap) is the third largest oil company in the United States, after ExxonMobil ($362 Billion Market Cap) and Chevron ($126 Billion Market Cap).

WTO: Có thể ký với Mỹ trong tuần này :cheers: :cheers: :cheers1:

Ông Trương Đình Tuyển dẫn đầu đoàn đàm phán Việt Nam ở Washington
Truyền thông trong nước hôm nay nói Việt Nam và Mỹ sẽ ký chính thức thỏa thuận kết thúc đàm phán song phương về WTO trong tuần này.

Báo Tiền Phong loan tin lễ ký sẽ diễn ra hồi 17 giờ ngày 31-5 tại Dinh Thống Nhất, TP. HCM.

Nếu không có gì thay đổi, Bộ trưởng Thương mại Trương Đình Tuyển và bà Đại diện Thương mại Hoa Kỳ, Susan C. Schwab, sẽ ký kết bản thỏa thuận nói trên với sự chứng kiến của Phó Thủ tướng Vũ Khoan.

Bà Susan Schwab, người chờ phê chuẩn chức trưởng Đại diện thương mại Mỹ, tham dự cuộc họp các bộ trưởng thương mại APEC ở TP. HCM.

Việc hai nước ký kết chính thức thỏa thuận kết thúc đàm phán song phương về WTO lần này mở đường cho bước tiếp theo là Quốc hội Mỹ tiến hành bỏ phiếu thông qua qui chế thương mại bình thường vĩnh viễn (PNTR) cho Việt Nam.

Mấy hôm trước, trong buổi họp báo ở Hà Nội, ông Trương Đình Tuyển nói hai nước đang chuẩn bị các bước để có thể chính thức ký thỏa thuận vào tháng Sáu.

Ông cũng nói thêm nước nào càng gia nhập WTO muộn, nước đó càng phải chịu nhiều thiệt thòi.

“Nếu so sánh với các nước đã gia nhập WTO trong các giai đoạn 1995 - 2000 và 2000 - 2005, thì Việt Nam chịu thiệt thòi hơn rất nhiều”.

“Các tiêu chuẩn song phương và đa phương bị áp đặt rất khắt khe. Hơn nữa, đối với các nước đang phát triển, khi gia nhập WTO luôn không thể đạt được sự cân bằng giữa quyền lợi và nghĩa vụ. Quyền lợi ít, nhưng nghĩa vụ rất nặng nề. Nhưng vấn đề là chúng ta chấp nhận cái gì, không chấp nhận cái gì mà thôi."

Việt Nam muốn gia nhập WTO trước lúc tổ chức hội nghị thượng đỉnh APEC ở Hà Nội, một sự kiện dự kiến có mặt Tổng thống George W Bush.

Trước khi Việt Nam có thể đạt mục tiêu này, Quốc hội Mỹ sẽ phải có phiên bỏ phiếu để chính thức phục hồi quan hệ thương mại bình thường vĩnh viễn với Việt Nam.

As for products from Vietnam, I have seen alot more recently, I have a Canon printer made in Vietnam, I also got some paint tray liners and they were also made in Vietnam. Alot more clothes also, along with what I love to drink: Vinacafe!!!

The President has resigned to watch WC:

http://www.tuoitre.com.vn/Tianyon/Index.aspx?ArticleID=144497&ChannelID=3

no

yeah i'm the president of a country full of corruption.......that's a legacy to tell to children and grandchildren

resign........that's a joke
Phan Van Khai is probably the most open minded and pro-American guy there is in the Vietnamese government right now

Too bad Khai is out... and Nguyen Tan Dung is a moron who loves to kiss Chinese a$$.

no

I am not surprised that he stepped down, but I wonder why it took him 15 years to realize that he is useless in solving corruption in the country...it's a sad sad situation...:)..let's see what is going to be next on the news after the next loser steps in. I hope he won't waiste another 15-year.

http://www8.dantri.com.vn/Sukien/2006/6/123905.vip

I am not surprised that he stepped down, but I wonder why it took him 15 years to realize that he is useless in solving corruption in the country...it's a sad sad situation...:)..let's see what is going to be next on the news after the next loser steps in. I hope he won't waiste another 15-year.

http://www8.dantri.com.vn/Sukien/2006/6/123905.vip

He didn't waste 15 years, more things happened in 15 years than any other recent Vietnamese leaders. Of course, he's not the best leader there is, but one person will not solve anything, especially the corruption in Vietnam.

vietnam is to host the ASEAN in 2009

The EIU (http://www.eiu.com/) predicted that the growth of Vietnam after 2010 will decrease to 5.6 from 7.5~ Yes, you heard it right. Vietnam will probably never reach its potential, oh well :scouserd:

I don't think so. Vietnam's economy has got many decades of growth left and would be at least 7% per annum after 2010.

I don't think so. Vietnam's economy has got many decades of growth left and would be at least 7% per annum after 2010.
http://vnexpress.net/Vietnam/Kinh-doanh/2006/07/3B9EB7F4/

Most economic analyzers think otherwise. :scouserd:

You're giving me ONE article and you're saying that "most" economists make such prediction?

Wantuhoa, I studied economics and I'm currently working the stockbroking industry and I can tell you that the financial world is very optimistic about Vietnam's growth. I receive internal economic reports everyday from reputed investment and research houses and they say otherwise about Vietnam's economic growth. Although it is hard to predict what will happen in 5 or 10 years time, given the fact that Vietnam will be entering the WTO very soon and that exports, domestic consumption, industrial production etc are growing strongly, coupled with quality human resource and political stability, it is most likely that Vietnamese economy will maintain momentum.

ey according to fungshui hn sg are now entering the 8th and 9th phase of the 180yrs cycle. the best time of all untill 2024....haha

Ặc ặc thay ông Khải là đúng người đâu mà lúc phát biểu mà nói như ông say rượu "nuôi con gì ? trồng cây gì?....." trông ông Dũng cũng phong độ ra phết hi vọng VN sẽ có 1 người TT phong độ

http://www.gs.com/hkchina/insight/research/pdf/BRICs_3_12-1-05.pdf

Report by Goldman Sachs on future economies of

G7 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, US)

BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China)

N-11 (Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philipines, Turkey, Vietnam)

Will Vietnam become the biggest economy of ASEAN in the future?

How much is the GDP (PPP) of Vietnam in 2010?

Country, GDP (PPP)

Indonesia, 977 Billion
Thailand, 544 Billion
Philippines, 414 Billion
Malaysia, 290 Billion
Vietnam, 251 Billion
Singapore, 123 Billion
Myanmar, 93 Billion
Cambodia, 34 Billion
Laos, 12 Billion
Brunei, 9 Billion

It's time to revive this thread ppl!

http://www.thanhniennews.com/politics/?cat...mp;newsid=20077

Long way for Vietnam’s economy to catch up with Thailand

Vietnam may catch up with Thailand, Southeast Asia’s leading economy, within 25 years if it further strengthens its reforms to improve the business environment, a Japanese businessman has said.
Atsugi Mise, a member of the Executive Board of Sumitomo Shoji Machinex, was among over 100 Japanese businesses who attended a workshop on Vietnam's business environment held in Tokyo Wednesday.

He highlighted Vietnam's political stability and reform policy as major factors for its economic development.

He also made mention of Vietnam’s advantages in geography, natural and human resources and legal and infrastructural systems which, he said, were improving.

However, Mise called on the Vietnamese government to further reform its economic structures, first of all targeting State-run enterprises so as to make them operate efficiently.

He also emphasized the need for Vietnam to speed up upgrading the legal system and the infrastructural network, crack down on corruption, invest more in vocational training to produce a skilled workforce, and pay attention to environmental protection.

If all these works were done, Vietnam may catch up with Thailand, the leading economy in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), within just 25 years, the Japanese businessman said.

Addressing the workshop, the Director of the Institute on Research of Vietnamese Economy, Teruioshi Kubota, expressed his belief that Vietnam would maintain its political stability, continue undergoing great changes in the renewal and international integration process.

As the new leadership in Vietnam continued to consider Japan a reliable partner and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung was expected to visit Japan soon, relations between the two countries would further develop, the director said.

MAy BE THIS IS MORE CONCRETE

Saturday, September 30, 2006
Little Saigon 'Godfather' sets sights on Vietnam
Real estate developer Frank Jao and silent partners have put $10 million into projects in his former homeland, suggesting a sea change in political climate.
By JOHN GITTELSOHN
The Orange County Register

Frank Jao fled Vietnam in 1975 to escape communism and seek his fortune in Orange County. Now, after becoming the biggest developer in Little Saigon, Jao sees Vietnam as a new land of opportunity – a suggestion that once would have drawn death threats from some anti-communists.
Jao is putting his money where his mouth is. For the first time after three decades in exile, he is investing in his homeland. "Vietnam is geared up. It's a good buying opportunity," Jao, 60, said this week in the Huntington Beach offices of Bridgecreek Development, which has built$400 million worth of projects.
So far, Jao said, he and silent partners have invested about $10 million in two projects. If those go well, he plans to assemble a $100 million private fund for future investments in Vietnam and China.
The investments by Jao – often called the "Godfather of Little Saigon" because his shopping malls helped turn Bolsa Avenue into the Main Street of the largest Vietnamese community outside Vietnam – show how attitudes and economics have changed.
A few years ago, advocates of trade with Vietnam faced boycotts, death threats and denunciation as communist collaborators. When Dr. Co Pham, a physician who headed the Vietnamese-American Chamber of Commerce, proposed opening trade ties in 1994, he would wear a bulletproof vest when he went out in public.
"Frank has always been cautious about his overseas activities," said Jeffrey Brody, a Cal State Fullerton professor who teaches a course on the Vietnamese-American experience. "If he is openly investing in a project in Vietnam, it's a sign that the political climate has changed. It's also a sign that Vietnam is seeking investment from the overseas Vietnamese community and that the overseas Vietnamese trust the government enough to invest millions of dollars."
Tony Lam, a Vietnamese refugee and former Westminster councilman, said it's no surprise that Jao is investing openly in Vietnam.
"The people are fed up with anti-communism," Lam said. "Products from Vietnam are all over here. The people are used to it now."
Ky Ngo, a Little Saigon community activist who led several protests against Lam and others he accused of being communist collaborators, said he no longer attacks people for simply trading with Vietnam.
But Ngo accused Jao of a different type of collaboration: using a 2002 appointment by President Bush as chairman of the board of the Vietnam Education Foundation to further his personal business interests.
"People aren't mad about him doing business with Vietnam, but we're upset he's using his title with the U.S. government for his benefit," Ngo said.
Jao said there's nothing wrong with doing business while also serving on the board because he never uses foundation resources to do business. He said critics like Ngo won't deter him from investing where he wants.
Controversy has followed Jao before. His mother's Chinese ancestry and the Chinese architecture of his projects fueled questions about his loyalty to the Vietnamese community, criticisms he dismisses.
"I'm entitled to do business like any citizen," Jao said. "I am a business entity, so I have to behave like a business entity. I am a U.S. citizen. I can't be bound by the rules and regulations of the Vietnamese community."
Incentives to invest in Vietnam are growing as its economy gears up. Vietnam is on track to join the World Trade Organization by November, when it hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference, a summit that will bring 21 heads of state to Hanoi, including Bush.
The International Monetary Fund forecasts 7.8 percent growth for Vietnam this year, leading IMF Chief Economist Raghuram Rajan to call Vietnam an "emerging China."
Vietnam's Ministry of Planning and Investment reported $5.15 billion in direct foreign investment in the first nine months of 2006, up 26 percent over the same period in 2005.
Jao's first investments are a Hanoi-based media company and a food-processing complex outside Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon.
Phase I of the Binh Dien Food Distribution Center is under construction, Jao said. The mixed-use complex, which Jao expects to be complete in four years, will employ 25,000 to 30,000 food-processing workers and house 2,100 families.
Jao said his U.S. investment syndicate will own 29 percent of the project.
He also runs another type of company, which only overseas Vietnamese can own, that will control 41 percent of Binh Dien, giving him control of a total 70 percent stake in the enterprise.
Through a private equity company called V-Home Group, Jao owns a minority stake in Vietnamnet, a media subsidiary of the state-owned Vietnam Post & Telecommunications Corp.
"Our goal is to do TV broadcasts, cell phones, Internet and cable," he said.
V-Home Group also bought a stake in a company called EMHI, which controls the master license for Walt Disney Corp.products in Vietnam. In May, Jao was named as vice chairman of EMHI's board.
The search for opportunities in Vietnam started in 1988, and Jao said he's returned to his homeland several times without finding the right deals until this year.
Vietnam's previous lack of transparency, its capricious bureaucrats and its hurdles against repatriating profits still concern Jao. But U.S. government-sponsored insurance policies through the Overseas Private Investment Corp. give him confidence he won't lose everything. In some ways, Jao said, development is easier in Vietnam than California.
"Here, it takes two or three years to get a building permit," he said of Orange County. "In Vietnam, it's six months to get a permit, and the speed of construction is three times faster."
Jao, whose local developments include the Asian Garden Mall and Asian Village, among other projects in Little Saigon, continues to build there. He plans to break ground this fall on Saigon Village, a $100 million, 144 condo project for seniors on Moran Street near Bolsa Avenue.
"This is part of our global strategy," Jao said. "The recent decline of the real estate market in the U.S. is a concern, but it's not unexpected. Nothing keeps going up forever. Real estate in China and Vietnam has shot up for five years, and we don't expect that to go on forever."

Well,,, Since you post a nice article like this. I would love to contribute ones of the news that i have read @ Thanh Nien Daily couple months ago... Here is it...



Overseas Vietnamese to build waste-processing plant in HCMC


A state-of-the-art waste recycling plant worth US$400 million, initiated by a Vietnamese American has been given the good ahead in Ho Chi Minh City’s Binh Chanh outlying district.

The 128ha Da Phuoc waste processing complex, which house garbage classifying equipment, compost producing mills, and an environmental sound waste burying site, will recycle waste into fertilizers, expat David Duong announced.

The mills are to be able to process 1000 tons of waste into 600 tons of organic fertilizers for export and domestic use, Duong said.

Meanwhile, methane, a by-product of the process, will be used to provide power for the complex to run, he added.

Helpful solution

The city’s daily waste is around 5,000 tons per day, and his complex will be able to process more than half this waste, Duong estimated.

This technology is an excellent solution for the city’s current burden of waste disposal, conserving land used for burying waste in HCMC, said former Environment Commissioner from California, Kathy Neal.

The project will break ground with the construction of a bridge, integral to project transportation, on July 16, according to Duong.

Duong’s company invested more than $107 million in the project’s first phase.

The entrepreneur currently runs four similar plants in the US, with two more coming online in the immediate future.

His California Waste Solutions site is ranked 46th among 100 US leading waste collection, processing, and recycling companies.

Contributing to the homeland

“I’m so happy and proud to help solve the city’s tough waste problem and provide jobs for 130 locals,” the entrepreneur confided.

“I have considered building a plant in this city since 1994, and I dream of building more in Danang, Mekong Can Tho and Vinh Long province,” the entrepreneur confided.

Mr. Duong’s project demonstrates the huge successes that overseas Vietnamese have gained, commented Vietnam’s Consul General in San Francisco, US, Tran Tuan Anh.

It is also a strong evidence of overseas Vietnamese’s constant dreams to contribute to nation building in their home country, Mr. Anh added.

Reported by Mai Vong, Ngoc Son – Translated by Ngoc Hanh

HONG KONG, China (AP) -- The regional economy in East Asia will post slower growth in 2007 because of a slowdown in America and Europe, and the region could be upset by global market turbulence triggered by U.S. recession jitters, the Asian Development Bank said Thursday.

The average GDP growth for East Asian economies would slow to 4.4 percent in 2007, from 4.9 percent in 2006, according to the Manila-based bank's forecast in its twice-yearly report.

"With economic growth in the U.S. and euro zone slowing to a more tempered pace, the external environment facing East Asia in 2007 is likely to be somewhat less supportive of economic growth, but more conducive to containing inflation," the report.

The bank warned that East Asia could suffer from heightened global market volatility because of worries about the risk of a U.S recession and a sliding U.S dollar.

The region is also vulnerable to the increasing risk of a sharper-than-expected slowdown in the U.S. economy. Such a sharp slowdown could trigger less demand for East Asian exports, the bank said.

"Many East Asian economies, with significant trade exposure to the U.S. economy and persistently high current account surpluses are very much exposed to this risk," the report said.

Uncertainties also hang over China's ability to rein in over-investment, the bank noted.

Policy measures to restrain investment appeared to have taken effect late in the year, with fixed-asset investment dropping sharply from a peak of 33 percent in June to 16 percent in October, the report said.

But measures have been limited to specific sectors such as real estate, the ADB said. Authorities must now steer the economy toward an orderly transition to a slower but still high pace of economic growth.

"There is a risk that investment can reaccelerate, which would build up to vulnerabilities characteristic of an economic bubble," the report warned.

China's GDP growth is expected to ease to 9.5 percent in 2007, from an estimated 10.4 percent growth this year.

In Japan, growth is likewise expected to slow down as export growth decelerates, with GDP growth falling to 2.4 percent in 2007 from 2.8 percent this year.

The ADB report surveys 13 other East Asian economies, namely South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

From CNN

If there isn't a financial melt down, the economy in Viet Nam will be very different from today. Hopefully, the private sector will account for a bigger chunk of the economy. Maybe, it could have a giant conglomerate like GE. :)

My friends,in economics,we don't like the idea of an giant like GE who does everything from automobile to utilities.We prefer strongs Mid size class of firms which are very agressive commercially and strategically entering in competition.
Small but smart is better than big and slow.

Yea, that's true. Small and medium sized enterprises are good to a certain extent. But in some industries you need Economies of Scale. That's why there are only 2 airplane manufacturers in the world, Airbus and Boeing. Personally, I wish VN could be involved in aerospace. Space is the final frontier and she be a part or a pioneer in that field.

I have heard that the Vietnamese government is studying the Korean conglomerate model, the chaebol. The state wants to play a big role in VN economy. I don't think this will be a good idea.

Thursday January 4, 02:51 PM
Da Nang Port Lures Tourists To Vietnam's Central Region

HANOI, Jan 4 Asia Pulse - Da Nang port, central Vietnam's leading port, will this year welcome Italian cruiser Costa Marina carrying 1,000 tourists on a visit to sites of interest in the central region.

The country's third largest commercial port, Da Nang port received in 2006 a number of tourist cruises into the city and other neighbouring world heritage sites, such as Hue Imperial City, Hoi An ancient town and My Son Relics site.


Apart from tourist cruises, Da Nang port handled nearly 2.4 million tonnes of cargo in 2006, marking a record high. It plans to increase the volume of cargo to 2.5 million tonnes in 2007.

"Da Nang port targets a growth rate of 12 per cent for 2007," Director Nguyen Thu said, unveiling a plan to enhance the port's capacity in handling cargo containers after marking a 3.5 fold rise in this kind of cargo in 2006.

The plan is expected to contribute to efforts to draw more investors to the city and the central region, Thu said.

Da Nang city is a strategic gateway to the East Sea for central localities in Vietnam and for provinces in southern Laos and northeastern Thailand.

(VNA)

Hãng hàng không Mandarin, Đài Loan, sẽ thực hiện chuyến bay thẳng đầu tiên từ TP HCM đến sân bay mới Thanh Tuyền Cương - Đài Trung, vào ngày 23/12. Sẽ có 3 chuyến một tuần, vào các ngày thứ 3, thứ 5, thứ 7.

Mandarin Airlines là hãng hàng không thứ ba của Đài Loan, sau China Airlines và Eva Air và là hãng mở chuyến bay thẳng đầu tiên giữa Đài Trung - TP HCM.

Chuyến bay khởi hành lúc 8h30 từ Đài Trung, đến TP HCM vào 11h00. Khởi hành từ TP HCM lúc 11h50, đến Đài Trung vào 16h20. Giá mỗi vé một chiều TP HCM - Đài Trung là 250 USD và khứ hồi là 407 USD. Trong thời gian mới khai trương đường bay, từ 23/12 đến 31/12, Mandarin Airlines bán giá khuyến mãi, mỗi vé một chiều là 180 USD và khứ hồi là 307 USD.

Đài Trung là thành phố lớn thứ ba của lãnh thổ Đài Loan, có khoảng 30.000 phụ nữ Việt Nam sinh sống, là vợ của người Đài Loan và lao động xuất khẩu.

Dự kiến từ tháng 3/2007, Mandarin Airlines triển khai tuyến bay trên hằng ngày.

I have heard that the Vietnamese government is studying the Korean conglomerate model, the chaebol. The state wants to play a big role in VN economy. I don't think this will be a good idea.
We can see throughout history that the govenment role in the economy can be both positive, like in the case of Singapore, Taiwan or S. Korea. or negitive like in the USSR or China - pre-1978. If the government wants to truely improve the standards of living, it will likely be positive. If the government just wants to control it, then it will likely be negitive.

bet you're a French canuck skyscraper?

you do think USSR is negitive eh? good for U

Not everyone gets your jokes bang...

joke about what?

If there isn't a financial melt down, the economy in Viet Nam will be very different from today. Hopefully, the private sector will account for a bigger chunk of the economy. Maybe, it could have a giant conglomerate like GE. :)
Vinashin will be a potential conglomerate of Vietnam so does company like FPT. FPT is the current largest company on the Vietnamese stock exchange.

Vinashin is very important.It's definitely strategic to Vietnam destiny.Only when we have a strong naval industry,we should be able to defend our home land and expand our economic and politic influence in SEA and EA.
The CS is wise in this extent.Vinashin is now 11th shipbuilder worldwide and hope achieve 4th place in 2015.
You may search google for story about Vinashin will build by itself 2 battleship Geopard-type in the near future.So i could say that Vinashin will be our very very big big fist.

you want to continue talking about cơm tấm fatcat?

you want to continue talking about cơm tấm fatcat?

Haha:lol: :lol: :lol: I agree with you.Com tam use the most noble kind of rice on earth.You win

Yea, I read about those warship they are building but I'm wondering if Vinashin had any part in the design? If it is just license agreement where they take the blueprint from Russia and build it, then it's not a big deal.

If VN can do some design work where intellectual capability is needed and enhanced, then I think we can make some progress.

^^ Both Samsung Ship Buidling industry (#1 in the world) and the biggest shipmakers in Europe are investing in Vinashin. Vinashin has done a lot of dual venture with Samsung

..

Haha:lol: :lol: :lol: I agree with you.Com tam use the most noble kind of rice on earth.You win

Fatcat, I don't think you know too much about "com tam". Cats don't eat "com tam", especially FAT cat :)

i guessed fatcat s from hanoi (just my stupid guess). HN dont have com tam' sai gon :D, we have but not good as one in sg.

I didn't say com tam is noble...it's expsensive

but right now I miss bánh đúc mắm tôm
just watched a documentary on Hanoi and saw it again....so simple but good eating.

I hope our shipping industry will become big some day. :banana: South Korea development would not be as quick if it doesn't have its giant ship building industry.
-----------------------------------------------------
Vietnamese IT follows Taiwan's example
By David Fullbrook

Vietnam's burgeoning information-technology (IT) sector is drawing favorable parallels with the early phases of Taiwan's rise as a hardware and software powerhouse. The potent mix of government promotion, an energetic and qualified workforce, and growing flows of foreign capital and expertise are fast fitting Vietnam's technology industry into the global IT manufacturing, design and service supply chain.

Similar to Taiwan, Vietnam's Communist Party-led government



has given highest priority to supporting its nascent IT industries, including through the development of better IT-related infrastructure. Between 2006 and 2010, Hanoi has budgeted US$5.97 billion to improve the country's communications. For instance, Vietnam's teledensity, or the number of phones per 100 people, is forecast to more than double to 56.1 by 2010, from 26.2 last August.

Significantly, Vietnam has several natural comparative advantages to Taiwan, which in the 1970s and 1980s was able to leverage its longtime first-mover advantage, but nowadays has been eroded by fierce, fast-moving global competition. Then, Taiwan's choices were limited by its lack of minerals and commodities, harried by the security threat from mainland China, and mostly guided by huge amounts of foreign - mainly US - aid during the early stages of its economic takeoff.

Taiwan's entrepreneurs and government bureaucrats focused on hardware niches, including components and chips for servers, personal computers and printers. From those humble beginnings emerged world-leading manufacturing giants, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp, which specializes in memory chips, and device-design house High Tech Computer, whose highly acclaimed smartphones are now sold under its own brand, Dopod, after scoring success with global mobile-telecom networks, such as the United Kingdom's 02.

By contrast, Vietnam is rich in IT-relevant industrial minerals such as bauxite and manganese, has a young and growing IT-literate labor pool, and is attracting ever higher levels of foreign investment, significantly at a much earlier stage of development than Taiwan ever did. US technology giant Intel's decision last February to build a $300 million microchip-assembly plant in Ho Chi Minh City, and its November announcement to up that outlay to more than $1 billion, promises to lure in big new IT-related foreign investments from Intel's suppliers and supporting industries.

"Intel sees Vietnam as one of its key markets with great opportunity for growth, innovation and partnership," said Rick Howarth, an Intel Products executive at its Ho Chi Minh City facility. "Vietnam has a large population of more than 80 million, with 50% under 25 years old, and this younger generation pushes for and drives technology development, which makes Vietnam an attractive market for Intel."

Homebound diaspora
Another similarity to Taiwan's experience is the growing influx of IT-savvy Vietnamese nationals from abroad. Taiwanese returned from the West, especially North America, with cutting-edge engineering qualifications and an appreciation of where the global technology industry was headed and the particular needs of US-based electronics-manufacturing firms.

Similarly, Vietnamese who fled the country for Western destinations after the 1975 communist takeover, and their foreign-born children, are in increasing numbers heading back to Vietnam to partake in the still-communist-led country's recent economic opening. Known in Vietnam as the "Viet Kieu", they have in recent years become a driving entrepreneurial force behind Vietnam's impressive IT rise.

Returning Viet Kieu have not always received such a warm welcome, however. In the 1990s, returning refugees or foreign-born Vietnamese were often treated with a mix of suspicion and derision by communist officials - though then the xenophobic reception was not much warmer for most foreign investors. That was reflected in half-hearted economic reforms and red-tape-mired investment policies that after a few short frustrating years in the early1990s caused many foreign investors to abandon Vietnam and head for China.

A decade later, the difference is stark. A "key driving force for the recent resurgence of Vietnam is the influx of returnees from her vast overseas diaspora, especially IT-savvy entrepreneurs and investors from Silicon Valley, and the growing links between these overseas diaspora and Vietnam", said Wong Poh Kam, a specialist in technology entrepreneurship at the National University of Singapore's business school, adding, "the same phenomenon that initially drove the growth of high-tech development in Taiwan Hsinchu". (Hsinchu is the heartland of Taiwan's technology sector.)

Indeed, Vietnamese-Americans who cut their teeth in the San Francisco Bay Area are increasingly looking homeward to set up outfits in IT research, development and commercialization. "The [Viet Kieu] are an important factor driving growth, enriching the bubbling pool of small and medium-sized firms, driving the sector, as was the case in Taiwan," noted David Dapice, a specialist in development economics at Tufts University in the US, who is now researching and advising on economic reform in Vietnam.

However, Vietnam's IT sector would not have grown as quickly as it has without the legions of reasonably well-educated engineers and programmers pouring out of the country's own high schools .

and universities - which, similarly, was a key factor in Taiwan's high-tech takeoff in the 1980s. Information technology, especially software, has grabbed the imagination of many young Vietnamese eager to leapfrog over the drudgery of factory work and into what to them represents a more modern livelihood.

Though government policy has swung decidedly behind promoting a national IT industry, there is still a frequent lag in putting official



rhetoric into working action, some industry experts contend. "A range of policies exist to promote IT activities," said Scott Cheshier, deputy director of Bristol University's Mekong Program in Britain. "However, although several plans and strategies exist, coordination and implementation remain the key issues."

One frequent criticism is that the government still cossets big state-owned firms, which not only drag on the public purse but also crowd out innovation.

"The tendency to protect public enterprises is much stronger in Vietnam than in China. There is more reluctance to let hybrid [public-private] forms of organization develop," said Dieter Ernst, senior fellow at the EastWest Center in Hawaii. "In Taiwan there was a great acceptance of this, despite being a severe authoritarian regime at the time."

Comparative advantages
Yet for every drawback, Vietnam seems to have several advantages working in its favor. Unlike Taiwan, where much investment was sourced locally, including through the government, Vietnam is drawing significant capital inflows earmarked for IT ventures from across East Asia, including big outlays from Japan, South Korea and even Taiwan. That is quickly plugging the country into multinational global supply chains and export-oriented operations at the earliest stages of Vietnam's IT development.

Complementing hardware-related manufacturing is an innovative and growing software sector, which is surprisingly thriving given Vietnam's overall low level of economic development. Since the late 1990s, Vietnam's homegrown software houses, especially in Ho Chi Minh City, have picked up a growing amount of US outsourcing work in developing computer games, digital cartoon graphics, and other high-end software, such as Orient, a business-solutions specialist.

While many firms are small, employing dozens rather than thousands, some local IT giants are already emerging. For instance, FPT, a Vietnamese-owned software-services firm that employs about 6,000 in Hanoi, provides back-end services and counts big Japanese firms among its customers. The company scored a $36 million investment from Intel and Texas Pacific Group, a leading private-equity fund, in October.

Still, there is plenty of room for Vietnam's software industry to grow.

"Vietnam's outsourcing business is still immature, with many companies focusing only on a small part of the software development cycle (such as data-entry; testing and coding), but very few indicate capabilities in application development, project management, system architecture, system integration, database administration or business process analysis, which are a major portion of the current outsourcing business," wrote John Vu, a fellow at Carnegie Mellon University's Software Engineering Institute, in a recent white paper on the Vietnamese industry.

Industry trends suggest that software is where most IT business growth will be concentrated, especially as so-called "software as a service", in which applications traditionally stored on a personal computer are instead delivered over the Web, and "network-based solutions", software-based tools that allow people to cooperate on projects over the Internet, grow as expected in global popularity. And with Vietnam's growing pool of low-cost, yet well-qualified, engineers and programmers, the fast-growing country seems increasingly well positioned to win a greater proportion of these emerging market niches.

As of 2003, only 38% of Vietnam's 570 software houses, which then employed more than 12,000 people, were locally owned. There are now more than 700 software-oriented Vietnamese firms, according to the Viet Nam Software Association. That compares favorably with the 1,200 software companies in more established Thailand, which first entered the IT industry in the 1980s but still lacks any globally recognized, homegrown designers or producers. Taiwan, by contrast, has never had a software industry to match its global prowess in manufacturing and design of components, chips and devices.

With many multinational IT investors looking to diversify their recent over-reliance on China as a production base, yet also finding India too distant from East Asia's product design and manufacturing nexus, Vietnam and its increasingly skilled and always energetic workforce appears to be in the right place at the right time for more technology-related foreign investments.

Indeed, statistics show that global demand for Vietnamese programmers and engineers is growing, pushing up local wages for the most skilled IT personnel. Last year, the United Nations Development Program's Hanoi office estimated that Vietnamese programmers were earning on average $7,200 per year, considerably higher than the $5,880 average in IT hothouse India. Perhaps more telling is the fact that Vietnam is fast emerging as the foreign destination of choice for Taiwanese IT investors.

"There's a lot of investment from [other] Asians in Vietnam; Taiwan was mostly self-made," said Kevin Luong, chief executive of Everki International, which manufactures bags in Taiwan but is now developing manufacturing and software operations in Vietnam. "There's a whole section outside Ho Chi Min City that is predominantly Taiwanese. There [are] a lot of Taiwanese investors thinking ahead, developing factories. They're always looking for the next big thing."

(Copyright 2007 Asia Times Online Ltd. All rights reserved. Please contact us about sales, syndication and republishing.)

With the blessing of the State at the moment, the IT, shipbuilding, and other heavy industries will definitely be the leading industries of Vietnam's economy in the near future.

Here is a more sobering view about VN's economy by a former adviser to the Vietnamese government.

http://www.rfa.org/english/news/business/2005/03/11/vietnam_economy/

Here is a more sobering view about VN's economy by a former adviser to the Vietnamese government.

http://www.rfa.org/english/news/business/2005/03/11/vietnam_economy/
Why are you quoting something written by a communist? I thought you don't trust what communists say/write. I guess when something written by a communist that suits your anti-communist agenda then it is correct huh?

LOL, 2005 article. Heck the Vietnamese stock market gain like 145% last year already.

If the communist has credibility, yea sure! A lot of communists and former communists and the whole world think Marxist Leninism is a discredited joke! Are you the only one defending it? LOL

There is something called OBJECTIVE TRUTH without the ideoligical baggage! A centrally planned economy is inefficient, distorted, and wasteful! What's the market capitalization of Saigon's stock exchange. It is tiny compared to Bangkok or any other Southeast Asian exchange. Try to join the real world!

There is something called OBJECTIVE TRUTH without the ideoligical baggage! A centrally planned economy is inefficient, distorted, and wasteful! What's the market capitalization of Saigon's stock exchange. It is tiny compared to Bangkok or any other Southeast Asian exchange. Try to join the real world!
and it's growing the quickest in Asia, with a huge overflow of foreign capital. Vietnamese government just now limit the foreign capital flowing the stock market due to overspeculation. We're smart enough not to commit the same thing Thai stock market did in 1997. :cheers:

Are you sure you're not biased? Will you disregard this article too? Speaking of which RFA just interviewed Ernest Bower, an economic advisor for Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung

http://www.rfa.org/vietnamese/in_depth/2007/01/26/PMNguyenTanDungFirst200Days_Khanh/

:cheers:

Biased about what? I was trained as a financial economist. That's my educational credential. What's yours? What happened in Thailand, Indonesia, S. Korea etc. is the opaque nature of its listings! Loans from banks did not reflect purely commercial basis rather it was collusion among business associates with political connections so a lot of money was flowing to companies without a firm financial footing. That's why it is called emerging markets because they do not have the foundational institution of law like advanced stock exchanges. The books in US companies are transparent for investors to see when a company goes public. You have to have TRUST in the system. The idea of credit is a component of capitalism. Credit is predicated on trust. That's why property rights is so important in capitalism. Even in advanced countries, their stock exchanges can be manipulated and compromised because when a company lists its assets it can be highly subjective. But if you think everything is hunky dory in VN stock market, go ahead plunk all your money in there!

I've been watching the VN stock exchange ever since it first started but it has been slow crawl and only recently has it begun to grow part of which because of VN integration into the WTO. WTO has international standards and people will trust the system more with international standards of business practice. Only recently has VN leaders decided privatized or 'equitized' the inefficient SOE's. The reason why they didn't do it before was because of the ideological conservatives who are still afraid to liberalize the economy. It can have a lot bigger stock exchange if it privatized a lot more businesses but then these businesses would have to be profitable so there will be companies that will go bankrupt. Anyway, you're free to make up your own mind.

The stock market has soared in the last three months. It grew 145% last year plus another 35% in Jan 07. The market value now is almost $ 20 bil. (HCMC and Hanoi) compared only $500 mil in Jan/06. yes, 40 times! another thing is only 180 companies has listed so far , a tiny fraction of the total number of joint stock companies now in VN. The stock market of Thailand is ~ $150 bil. VN market is smaller but growing much much faster. Most people are happy with the market right now. Me too! :) Finally, if you may consider investing in the market, be careful. Some of the stocks are overpriced already!

I think most blue chips are overpriced right now...many ppl are buying by margins in those stocks.

POSCO rethinks India plans due to delay in steel project

New Delhi: South Korean steel giant POSCO is reviewing its investment plans in India while looking at other options in South-East Asia. The company is believed to be actively considering shifting to Vietnam, which has a huge potential market and an investment friendly climate.

The world's third largest steel maker is understood to be worried over delays in getting approvals for its Rs52,000 crore steel investment in Orissa announced in mid 2005.

The steel maker has told the centre and the Orissa government that if matters were not sorted out within the next two-three months, then it could re-consider its investment plans in the country.

The Korean company wants a categorical assurance from the government on various issues pertaining to its 12-million tonne project and wants the state government to clarify its stand on the project.

Ku Taek Lee, CEO, Posco had a meeting with commerce and industry minister Kamal Nath today to discuss the progress on the approvals for its project.

POSCO had signed an MoU with Orissa government in June send this article to a friend2005, but the project has faced stiff resistance from the local population at its project site in Jagatsinghpur district. The protesters allege the company wanted to acquire the land at a throwaway price.

Dell plans to invest $5 billion dollars in Vietnam.

March 21, 2007
Major Offshore Destination Tastes Sweet, Sour At A Go

Good news for India: IBM will invest $6 billion and Accenture will increase its headcount to 2,000. Bad news for India: Country not fit for Dell’s $19 billion investment plan


India, one of the top offshore outsourcing destinations, faced both good and bad news on Tuesday when three multinational corporations announced their future plans.

On the one hand, IBM, the U.S.-tech giant, announced that it will invest six billion dollars in India in 2009. The company has already invested two billion dollars in the country, and will invest more in the coming years. Under the investment plan, the company has shifted its IBM Research Laboratory from the IIT campus (the country’s top engineering school) to a commercial area in Delhi (the capital of the region). The new laboratory will provide IBM better bandwidth to address innovation needs of a larger client base worldwide. The expansion of IBM Research facilities in India is driven by a growth in research activities related to IBM’s software, services and systems businesses, as well as client collaborations in the country. IBM has eight research labs in India.

Another reason to cheer is Accenture, the Bermuda-based consulting and tech services firm, which also announced its plans to increase the headcount of its management advisors in the counts from 500 to 2,000 in the next 16 months. The newly hired consultants will provide services to global as well as domestic clients.

The company sees huge opportunity in the countries like Brazil, Russia, India and China, in terms of large skilled labor pool, and maturing market of management consulting. The company’s investment plan largely focuses on low-cost countries like China and India, where MNCs are increasingly outsourcing tech and back-office support.

Last month Accenture had announced that it will have more employees working in India than in the U.S.A. Currently, Accenture employs 27,000 people (non management consultants) — roughly 19 percent of its global workforce — in six Indian cities: Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Pune and Chennai. In the U.S., the company has between 31,000 and 32,000 workers.

On the sour side, Dell, the world’s largest PC maker, announced that India doesn’t fit in their $19 billion global investment plan. The company says that India’s high tariff keeps it away to invest there. For the global investment plan, the company chose Vietnam over India. Dell plans to invest $5 billion dollars in Vietnam. China and Taiwan has also bagged some investment amount.

Yet, Dell still has something for India. The company also said that it will start making desktops at a factory in Chennai, India by July. Dell also aims to double its annual sales to one billion dollars in the coming years.

..

Singapore firm mulls giant project in central Vietnam

Singapore-based SP Chemicals is pondering a US$1.2-billion investment to build a chemical industrial complex in Vietnam’s central province of Khanh Hoa, a source from the province said Thursday.

Company executives told provincial authorities at a recent meeting they were looking for a location for the project which will manufacture aniline, caustic soda, chlorine, and chemicals for export.

The authorities revealed that SP sought some 500 hectares of land for the complex with good infrastructure and easy road access.

The company had proposed a location in either Van Phong Economic Zone or Cam Ranh Bay, both of which are attracting plenty of foreign and local interest.

This would be the largest such project in Vietnam and crucial for the province in attracting other foreign investment projects.

The complex’s products, with application in a range of industries like textiles, petrochemicals, pulp and paper, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, and metallurgy would be exported to China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea.

Korean group plans $213 mln investment in Vietnam

he Republic of Korea’s GS Engineering & Construction Corp. (GS E & C) plans to invest US$213 million for two urban area and golf course projects in the Ho Chi Minh City.

The Korean investor has submitted the proposal to the city Department of Planning and Investment.

As proposed, it will spend $189 million in developing a 349-ha new urban town in Phuoc Kien and Nhon Duc communes in the outlying district of Nha Be.

The company will also develop a 36-hole golf course complex at a cost of $42.6 million in a planned urban town in Cu Chi District.

The project will cover 200ha site and comprise high-end villas, a swimming pool, tennis courts and a meeting center.

The local government has given the nod in principle to the investor to develop the projects.

Recently, the city government has approved in principle a proposal for British Virgin Islands-registered Proforma Asia Limited to join forces with local investors to develop two real estate projects in HCMC’s District 9, with a total investment of over $26.8 million.

The southern metro department has licensed 38 new foreign direct investment (FDI) projects worth over $58.1 million in the first two months of this year.

Eight operational projects have been allowed to add $29.8 million in investment capital, scaling up the new FDI approvals to $87.9 million, the department reported.

Source: TBKTVN – Compiled by Dong Ha

Vietnamese-Taiwanese IT park to be built in southern hub

Two investors from Taiwan and Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City have signed a memorandum of understanding to build a software park worth over US$500 million in the city.

The project is a joint venture between SaigonTel and Taiwan-based Teco Group.

The two investors will construct the 30ha Teco-SaigonTel Software Park in District 2 and in the Hi-Tech Park in District 9.

The project would be conducted in two stages with the capital for the first expected to exceed $500 million.

Over the next three months, a feasibility study would be carried out and submitted to the Ministry of Planning and Investment and other relevant agencies for approval.

SaigonTel or Saigon Telecommunications and Technology Corp is a member of the Saigon Investment Group.

TECO, a major Taiwanese multinational corporation, is the investor of the 10-hectare NanKang Software Park in Taipei.

NanKang’s annual turnover is about $10billion and it employs more than 25,000 software experts.

Hon Hai Ups Vietnam Investment by $4B

TAIPEI -- Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., the parent of Foxconn, will reportedly up its investment in Vietnam by $4 billion

Last month, Hon Hai chairman Terry Guo signed a letter of intent to invest $1 billion in a high-tech industrial park in Bac Ninh Province. According to several reports, Hon Hai will invest the additional funds in other industrial parks and some urban-development projects.

The company plans to build cameras, cellphones and accessories, PCBs, connectors and other electronics related items in Vietnam, the reports said

Works starts on $15 bln northern seaport-economic zone

Vietnam’s US$15 billion project to build a seaport-economic zone got off the ground Sunday in the northern Quang Ninh with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in attendance.

The Hai Ha project covers 15,000ha, including a large deepwater port, shipbuilding and economic zones, a steel mill, a thermo-power plant, an oil refinery, a tourism site and new urban towns.

The mammoth project, located in Hai Ha District, is to boost socio-economic development throughout the northern region of Vietnam.

Particularly, a special 23-meter depth port in the Hai Ha complex can handle vessels of 200,000 DWT (dead-weight-tons) while the existing main ports in the north can receive ships of 40,000 DWT maximum.

Economic corridors

Quang Ninh, which is part of the Northern Focal Economic Zone, is located in the heart of two planned economic corridors connecting China’s Kunming and Guangxi to Vietnam’s northern provinces.

Therefore, the planned economic complex will also play a crucial role in fostering two-way trade between Vietnam and China and other ASEAN countries.

The complex, which is 40km from the Mong Cai border gate and 100km from Ha Long city, is scheduled to come online in 2017.

On the same day, Vinashin started work on construction of their shipyard at Hai Ha, to be worth some $500 million when completed.

The shipyard, which will build 150,000 – 320,000 ton-cargo ships, is to be operational late this year.

Vinashin plans to pump $1 billion worth of total investment into the shipyard.

The Hai Ha project was originally conceived by the country’s major economic players, including Vietnam Coal and Mineral Industries Group, PetroVietnam, the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam, Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Group (Vinashin), Vietnam Machinery Installation Corp, and Ha Long Investment and Development Corporation.

Northern city plans $49-mln shipbuilding IP

The government of northern port city of Hai Phong on Thursday unveiled a detailed plan to develop a US$49 million shipbuilding industrial park in Thuy Nguyen district.

The Vinashin-Shinec shipbuilding industrial park (SIP) was formed in September last year and run by the Shinec Trading and Manufacturing Joint Stock Company, an affiliate of the Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Group (Vinashin).

In the first phase of the project, SIP will set aside 100 hectares for the construction of a $12-million car assembly factory, a joint venture between the German giant automaker Volkswagen and Shinec.

The joint venture agreement is expected to be signed next month.

The park will also mark off 15 hectares for building a wharf which will able to receive freighters of up to 6,500 tons, three hectares for offices and a trade center as well as a luxury apartment complex.

SIP has so far attracted seven major projects, including a joint venture between Vinashin and Finland’s Mac Gregor group, a $100 million project of the Swedish company, IKEA, and a steel structure plant of Vinashin.

The park is offering many incentives, including low land rent rates for investors who sign land leasing contracts before December 2007 as well as assistance for customers in projects and business establishment, and workforce training.

Further projects

The Shinec Ship*building Joint Stock Co., also a subsid*iary of Vinashin, signed an agree*ment on Wednesday to establish a joint venture with the Czech Republic's Viking Cordage Co.

The joint venture will invest $5 million in a factory in the Vinashin-Shinec Industrial Zone, which cover 300 hectares in Hai Phong's Thuy Nguyen dis*trict.

The facility will manufacture devices for navigation which have not been previously produced in Vietnam, including nets and cables made from natural and ar*tificial fibers, according to Shinec.

The factory is due to be put into operation next year.

Shinec specializes in produc*ing ship interiors. The company has previously supplied products to customers in the Czech Repub*lic and the UK.

Swiss firm eyes $2.6 bln tourism project on Vietnam island

A proposal by Swiss company Trustee Suisse to build a US$2.6 billion financial and tourism complex in Phu Quoc island is awaiting government approval, a local official said Friday.

The island, the country's largest, is about 280 kilometers west of Ho Chi Minh City.

"Trustee Suisse has just asked to invest in the island, but because its investment request is very big, and will involve in financial services, we need to seek approval from Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung," Nguyen Lan Anh, an official in the province's investment cooperation department, said.

The company was seeking to build various hotels and recreational facilities, and planned to offer financial services on a 2,000-hectare site, she said.

Vietnam law requires foreign investors to seek the prime minister's approval for offering financial services.

Anh added there were several other foreign investors also seeking permission for tourism projects on the island, including Nevada-based Rockingham Corp., which wanted to invest $1 billion.

Seaports attract billion-dollar investment projects

VietNamNet Bridge – The launching of the sea-based economy development programme with the construction of seaports has attracted a lot of big investment projects worth several billion dollars.

Welcoming investors

In January 2007, Japanese Sumitomo group officially applied to the Khanh Hoa Peoples’ Committee for the two projects worth $4.2bil in Van Phong Economic Zone after two years of surveying the conditions in the zone. Sumitomo plans to build a 2,640 MW thermo power plant on an area of 175 ha on My Giang hamlet in Ninh Hoa district in Khanh Hoa province, which is estimated to cost $4bil. Sumitomo will also get involved in the starting phase of the international transit container port on Dam Mon peninsula, which is estimated to cost $196mil.

An official from Sumitomo said that both projects are just the first phase of the investment plan of the group. If everything goes smoothly, the group will inject a sum of capital three fold higher than the announced capital sum in building the container transit port.

Besides Sumitomo, the world’s third largest steel group Posco from Republic of Korea, which has invested $1.2bil in the steel mill in Ba Ria – Vung Tau and the Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Group (Vinashin), have asked to lease 720 ha at Van Phong bay to build the steel complex which is expected to have the capacity of 4mil tones a year in the first phase and 8mil tones in the second phase. The total investment capital of the project is $7.2bil.

According to Vo Lam Phi, Chairman of Khanh Hoa Peoples’ Committee, many big groups from Japan, Korea, the US and Europe have expressed their willing to make long term investment in Van Phong. Most recently, the advanced team from Dubai World from UAE has come to Van Phong to prepare for the big survey to be conducted in March 2007. The oil billionaires are also planning to inject several billions dollars in the projects on seaport development, and Van Phong proves to be their first choice thanks to the container transit ports here.

Making Van Phong more attractive

According to the master plan on the Van Phong Bay Economic Zone by 2020 approved by the Government, Van Phong bay will be built into a general economic zone, in the development of which, the international container transit port will play the key role.

Van Phong has become a very attractive investment destination. Deputy Chairman of Sumitomo group Shuji Hirose said that if comparing with the regional transit ports like in Singapore or Malaysia, Van Phong has a better geographical position thanks to the good water depth of 20-27 m. Besides, Van Phong is also out of wind and has large seaport.

Therefore, Van Phong can become an ideal transit port in the region in the region provided that Vietnam has suitable programming for it and offers good investment attraction investment policies.

According to Tran Tan Phuc, Director General of Port Coast, the port design and maritime technique consultancy company, which drew up the detailed design of Van Phong port, Van Phong has big advantages in attracting investment, and it would be regrettable if Vietnam does not have suitable policies to lure foreign investors.

Mr Phuc said that in order to call for investment to Van Phong, the local authority should focus on upgrading the infrastructure system, including power transmission line, road and wharfs. In fact, many investors, though being attracted by the advantageous position of Van Phong, are still worried about the poor infrastructure situation here.

Mr Phi has stressed that the infrastructure development will be the priority task of Khanh Hoa province for the coming months. In the immediate time, Khanh Hoa will build big water reservoirs in Ninh Hoa and Van Ninh districts, which will provide water to Van Phong economic zone. In addition, two wharfs, which are 800 m long will be built in the northern area of Van Phong bay.
According to the Van Phong Economic Zone Management Board, 48 investment projects have been licensed or will be set up there, 50% of which are foreign invested, totaling over $7bil. 17 projects have been operational, 19 projects are following investment procedures, 12 have been just registered. Most of the projects are in heavy industries, seaport development and maritime and tourism services.

Nguyen Trong Hoa, Head of the management board, if the Government makes the decision on building the container transit port soon, the investment registered capital in Van Phong zone will reach $13-15bil in 2008.

Several investment projects that have been licensed: 1. the Van Phong petrol and oil bonded warehouse, which will cover an area of 162 ha on My Giang island in Ninh Hoa district. The first phase of the project has the investment capital of $60mil, which will allow to build the oil and petrol depots of up to 500,000 cu m and receive the ships of 150,000 DWT. 2. the $70.7mil Van Thang industrial zone and urban area, which will cover an area of 264 ha to be invested by Korean Shinsojae Energy 3. the shipbuilding project in Ninh Hoa district, which is estimated to cost $500mil. In the first phase of the project, some 15 ships will be built every year.

Japan firm cuts ribbon for $500 mln hi-tech plants in Vietnam hub

Japanese computer accessories maker Nidec opened two electronic component factories in Ho Chi Minh City Thursday to produce precision engineering items for export.

Set up in the Saigon Hi-Tech Park at US$500 million, Nidec Vietnam Corp. will make fan motors for laptops and desktops while Nidec Sankyo Vietnam Corp. will make stepping motors and optical pickups.

All the products will be shipped to electronics and computer manufacturers around the world.

Shigenobu Nagamori, President and CEO of Nidec Corporation, said the plants were among the 10 projects Nidec planned to set up in the park by 2010 at a total cost of $1 billion.

Le Hoang Quan, chairman of the HCMC people’s committee – the local government – promised to meet the company’s needs with regard to land and infrastructure.

Nidec is the world’s leading producer of hard disk drives, optical disk drivers, and DC motors.

It has invested some $100 million in Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone in HCMC’s district 7.

The Saigon Hi-Tech Park has so far licensed 11 foreign-invested and local projects each totally involving an investment of $1.25 billion.

These include plants by the US-based chipmaker Intel, Denmark’s Sonion, Singapore-based Allied Technologies, the US’s Hewlett Packard, and local giants like FPT and VTC.

RoK firms plan $1 bln power plant project in south Vietnam

Three companies from the Republic of Korea (RoK) are currently seeking permission to build a US$1 billion electricity plant in Vietnam’s southern Dong Nai province, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

Tae Kwang Vina Industrial Co. Ltd., Korea Electric Power Corp. and t RoK Huchems Fine Chemical Co. planned to invest in a 1,000 MW coal-fuelled power plant in Nhon Trach district, said the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment.

According to the plan, the factory will be equipped with environmentally-friendly technologies imported from the United States.

The US Gannon Group and the British BP Corp. also intend to build gas-fuelled electric plants in Nhon Trach district, where a 450 MW thermoelectric plant invested by the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group is now under construction.

Australian company to build US$4bil power plant in Kien Giang

Ensham, an Australian company, has decided to invest US$4 billion to build a 3,600 MW thermo-power plant in southern province of Kien Giang.

The Australian investor plans to build its power plant in Binh An Commune, Kien Luong District. Previously Ensham intended to invest $1 billion in this project, with a capacity of 1,000 MW. The increase of investment is made under the request of the Ministry of Industry and the Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) to balance the power output in the future. The form of investment would be build - operate - transfer (BOT) or build - own - operate (BOO).


Tran Dat Duy, General Director of the Kien Dung Co, Ltd, which is the consulter and the future coal agent of Ensham in Vietnam) said that the project will be implemented in three phases. The construction will start in late 2008 as the deadline and it will begin producing electricity in 2012.


Along with this project, Ensham will also invest US$400 million to build a deep-water port in Kien Luong District to serve coal transportation from Australia to Vietnam to provide fuel for the above thermo-power plant, around 10 million tonnes per year.


Ensham will invite some large power groups from other countries to take part in the $4 billion power project.

One more US$2bil gas-power-fertiliser project

The BP group has asked investment licence for a giant project, which is similar to Nam Con Son, with higher investment capital, according to a representative of the Ministry of Industry.

A representative of the Ministry of Planning and Investment also said that once this project becomes operational, it will have great impacts on the local oil and gas sector in particular and the economy in general.

The project will be located in the southern province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau. Under this project, a gas pipe will be built to transport gas from the Moc Tinh and Hai Thach fields to the mainland.

In 2001, the BP group, the Vietnam Oil and Gas Corporation (PetroVietnam), the ONGC Videsh of India, and the Conoco Phillips of the US invested $1.3 billion to implement the Nam Con Son project.

So far, this project has provided 11 billion cubic meters of gas for the Phu My power plant in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province.

can you summarize that long article?
my english is no good hehe

Source: VOA News (www.voanews.com/english/2007-03-27-voa8.cfm)

By Matt Steinglass
Hanoi
27 March 2007


Vietnam's stock index has skyrocketed over the past year, and experts are worried that a sharp fall may be on the way. The government is considering putting controls on money flowing into and out of Vietnam in an attempt to cool the market. International financial experts have traditionally opposed capital controls, but as Matt Steinglass reports from Hanoi, that may be changing.

http://www.voanews.com/english/images/afp_vietnam_stock_exchange_file_27mar07_eng_195.jpg
Traders monitor share prices at Securities Trading Center in Ho Chi Minh City, 20 Dec 2006

By early March, the floors of stock trading companies like this one in Hanoi were jammed with day traders. Vietnam's stock index had nearly quadrupled in value since the beginning of 2006, and Vietnamese were racing to buy shares, even if they were not always sure what they were buying.

Loan, an accountant, says she tries to read about stocks on the Internet, but sometimes she buys them on intuition.

Much of the trading is in so-called "over-the-counter" shares, which are not regulated and are often sold by unregistered traders. This Vietnamese over-the-counter investor says there are no papers or legal guarantees that you actually own the shares you buy.

She says transactions are made based on mutual trust. Once you do not have trust, nothing is reliable.

Analysts at international investment funds say they, too, find it impossible to tell how much Vietnamese companies are actually worth, because accounting practices are too lax.

Nevertheless, portfolio investors have been pouring money into Vietnamese securities. In 2006, foreign ownership rose from six percent to 17 percent of the market; by the start of March, it was up to 19 percent.

In February, the International Monetary Fund warned that the ratio of share price to share earnings of the average Vietnamese stock had risen to 70-to-1, more than double that of other fast-growing Asian economies, such as China and India.

Financial experts fear if this stock bubble bursts, it could trigger a sharp outflow of foreign capital, as happened in several Asian countries during the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s.

An official of a Vietnamese government financial institution, who asked not to be named, says the effects of a Vietnamese crash could be severe.

She says a massive reversal of capital inflows would affect Vietnam's foreign currency reserves, its exchange rate, the financial system and the economy at large.

To prevent this, the Vietnamese government has been hinting that it may impose some form of capital controls - measures to prevent or slow the flow of money into and out of the country.

In the 1990s, international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund frowned on capital controls. They advocated capital market liberalization: making it easier for investment to flow in and out. But after the Asian financial crisis, they began to reconsider.

Joseph Stiglitz is a Nobel Prize-winning economist who was the World Bank's chief economist during that crisis. He has come to believe that capital controls could be a good thing - especially in small, developing markets, and he says the IMF has been slowly moving in that direction.

"In 2003, their chief economist did a report where he came to the conclusion that the empirical evidence did not show that capital market liberalization worked. It did not lead to more growth, it did not lead to more stability - in fact, it may lead to less stability and less growth," he said.

But other economists say the record is mixed. Countries that did not impose capital controls during the crisis, such as Thailand, suffered longer and harder recessions than countries that did, like Malaysia. But since the recession ended, Thailand has grown faster than Malaysia, which has retained its controls.

Still, many developing countries have elected to keep some type of capital controls in place. Stiglitz says the most popular measures are so-called soft controls, such as higher taxes on short-term investments.

"The effect of that is that it discourages people from putting money in and out quickly, overnight. It doesn't ban it, but it does affect their incentives," he explained.

It is not certain what type of controls Vietnam might choose.

In February, the government dropped the idea of requiring investments to be held for at least a year. Proposals for harsh licensing restrictions on foreign investment firms seem to have been scrapped in mid-March after coming under severe criticism.

But the Finance Ministry is studying raising taxes on short-term investments. At the opening of the National Assembly this March, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung raised the issue in veiled terms.

Hung says there is a pressing need for "market management and monitoring measures" and a "tax policy on income generated from stocks."

Such talk may be cooling the market down. The VNINDEX began to lose ground in early March. One speaker at a recent investment forum in Hanoi said he expects the Vietnamese stock market to drop by about 30 percent in the foreseeable future.

==============================

Oh boy!!! Does it sound like dot com trading in the late 90's here in the States? Everyone is buying but no one can tell what the stock collateral is... You just hope that the small un-informed investors will control themselves when the SHTF!!! Not good :ohno:

--Capee

It's scary, especially knowing that a lot of people borrowed money to buy stocks in the hope to make quick bucks! A lot of us had been burnt here before with all the tech stocks so to see it happening to Vietnam is frightening :-(

VN có thể tăng trưởng trên 10%
Theo đánh giá của Ngân hàng phát triển Châu Á (ADB), Việt Nam hoàn toàn có thể đạt mức tăng trưởng GDP hai con số, vượt xa chỉ tiêu 8,5% được đề ra cho năm 2007 nếu cải cách kinh tế được đẩy mạnh hơn nữa.

Giám đốc ADB tại Việt Nam Ayumi Konishi khẳng định, sau sự kiện Việt Nam gia nhập WTO, xuất khẩu có nhiều thuận lợi và cầu trong nước cũng tăng mạnh, vì thế tổ chức này hoàn toàn tin tưởng Việt Nam đạt tốc độ tăng trưởng khả quan.

Báo cáo Triển vọng Châu Á năm 2007 do ADB công bố sáng nay dự báo, Việt Nam có thể đạt tốc độ tăng trưởng GDP 8,3% trong năm 2007 và 8,5% trong năm 2008.

Tuy nhiên, Giám đốc ADB tại Việt Nam nhấn mạnh, ưu tiên số một của Việt Nam cần được đặt ở chính động lực tạo ra tăng trưởng, là các biện pháp cải cách kinh tế. "Không nên quá tập trung vào các con số, nếu tốc độ tăng trưởng đạt 9% hoặc cao hơn mà không do cải cách thì rất đáng lo ngại", ông Konishi cho hay.

Ông Omkar Shrestha, Phó giám đốc ADB tại Việt Nam, nhận xét, tăng trưởng của Việt Nam phần nhiều vẫn nhờ đầu vào là các yếu tố vốn, nguồn nhân lực và quỹ đất, vốn là những nguồn lực có hạn. Đồng thời, theo Phó giám đốc ADB quốc gia, hiệu quả sử dụng các yếu tố đầu vào của Việt Nam đã giảm đi theo các giai đoạn thực hiện kế hoạch 5 năm.

Với mỗi USD đưa vào sản xuất, tại Trung Quốc tạo ra 3,4 đơn vị sản phẩm, tại Thái Lan 2,7 trong khi tại Việt Nam, con số này vẫn khá khiêm tốn 2,3. Đồng thời, hiện đội ngũ lao động có kỹ năng của Việt Nam mới đạt 27%, trong khi tỷ lệ này trong khu vực là 50%.

Vì thế, các chuyên gia kinh tế ADB khuyến cáo, cần chuyển dịch sự tăng trưởng dựa vào vốn hiện nay sang tăng trưởng dựa vào sáng tạo và cải cách. "Khi Chính phủ đẩy nhanh cải cách, tốc độ tăng trưởng cao là điều đương nhiên", ông Konishi khẳng định.

Lo ngại về nhà đầu tư chứng khoán

Theo Giám đốc ADB tại Việt Nam, thị trường chứng khoán Việt Nam đang ở giai đoạn sơ khởi, nên việc có nhiều biến động không phải là một điều bất thường. "Nếu thị trường không có sự điều chỉnh mới là điều đáng lo ngại", ông Konishi cho biết.

Vị Giám đốc ADB tại Việt Nam lạc quan cho rằng, thị trường chứng khoán sẽ tiếp tục tăng trưởng, tuy nhiên ông khuyến cáo, điều đáng lo ngại nằm ở chính các nhà đầu tư trong nước.

"Việc đáng quan tâm là có bao nhiêu nhà đầu tư thực sự hiểu về thị trường chứng khoán, bao nhiêu người có thể đọc các báo cáo tài chính để phân tích các công ty đang tăng trưởng như thế nào", ông Konishi cho hay.

Cùng với đó, theo ông, việc các công ty có công bố đầy đủ, chính xác thông tin cho các nhà đầu tư và khả năng quản lý của các cơ quan nhà nước cũng là những điều đáng lo ngại.

Ngọc Châu


More reform please :cheers:

Intel xây nhà máy trị giá 2,5 tỷ USD tại TQ

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ông Paul Otellini tại buổi họp báo.
Tập đoàn Intel hôm nay thông báo sẽ xây dựng một nhà máy chế tạo chip trị giá lên tới 2,5 tỷ USD tại Trung Quốc. Với kế hoạch này, Intel sẽ mở rộng hơn nữa sự có mặt của họ tại thị trường đang bùng nổ này cũng như sẽ giúp đẩy mạnh nỗ lực của chính quyền Trung Quốc trong việc thu hút đầu tư vào lĩnh cực công nghệ cao.


Tại một cuộc họp báo được tổ chức tại Đại lễ đường Nhân Dân Trung Quốc, Chủ tịch Intel, ông Paul Otellini cho biết, nhà máy mới của Intel sẽ cung cấp các bộ chipset cho các khách hàng Trung Quốc, thị trường công nghệ thông tin lớn nhất thế giới vào thời điểm nhà máy này mở cửa vào năm 2010. Chipset là những con chip máy tính giúp kết nối bộ vi xử lý với các thành phần khác của hệ thống.


Được xây dựng tại TP Đại Liên, đây sẽ là nhà máy đầu tiên của Intel ở châu Á chế tạo wafer, những tấm silicon mỏng được dùng để khắc hàng chục con chip trên đó. Việc Intel đầu tư xây dựng một nhà máy với giá trị lớn như vậy phản ánh tầm quan trọng ngày càng tăng của Trung Quốc trong thị trường hàng hóa công nghệ cao. Với nhà máy mới này, tổng số đầu tư của Intel vào Trung Quốc đã lên tới 4 tỷ USD.


Ông Otellini nói: "Dự án này đã xác nhận và mở rộng hơn nữa tầm quan trọng chiến lược của Trung Quốc trong chiến lược toàn cầu của chúng tôi cũng như với ngành công nghiệp công nghệ thông tin trên toàn thế giới. Mục tiêu của chúng tôi tại Trung Quốc là sẽ cổ vũ cho sự chuyển đổi từ "Chế tạo tại Trung Quốc" thành "Sáng tạo tại Trung Quốc"".


Theo ông, nhà máy mới của Intel sẽ sử dụng công nghệ tiên tiến nhất mà chính phủ Mỹ cho phép Intel xuất khẩu sang Trung Quốc vào thời điểm việc sản xuất được bắt đầu. Trước đó, chính phủ Trung Quốc cho biết Intel sẽ sử dụng công nghệ 90nm trong nhà máy mới của họ, thấp hơn từ một đến hai thế hệ so với công nghệ tiên tiến nhất hiện nay của Intel.


Theo thông tin trên website của Intel, hiện Intel đang thu hút khoảng 6.000 lao động tại Trung Quốc. Họ có các nhà máy ở Thượng Hải và Thành Đô, chuyên chế tạo các chip nhớ, bộ vi xử lý và các sản phẩm khác.


Hiện nay, Chính phủ Trung Quốc đang tìm cách thu hút các dự án công nghệ cao như của Intel với hy vọng chúng sẽ giúp Trung Quốc từ một trung tâm sản xuất giá rẻ thành một quốc gia có khả năng tạo ra những công nghệ tiên tiến.


Ông Zhang Xiaoqiang, phó chủ tịch Hội đồng Cải cách và Phát triển Quốc gia Trung Quốc cho biết chính phủ nước này cũng hy vọng rằng nhà máy của Intel sẽ "giúp thu hút thêm nhiều các dự án" tới Đại Liên. Đây là dự án đầu tư về công nghệ cao của nước ngoài lớn nhất vào Trung Quốc.


Ông Otellini nói rằng Intel sẽ mở rộng hơn nữa sự hợp tác với chính phủ Trung Quốc trong các chương trình đào tạo nhân lực, phát triển ngành công nghiệp phần mềm cũng như sự phát triển ngành y tế và các khu vực nông thôn.

Intel xây nhà máy trị giá 2,5 tỷ USD tại TQ

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ông Paul Otellini tại buổi họp báo.
Tập đoàn Intel hôm nay thông báo sẽ xây dựng một nhà máy chế tạo chip trị giá lên tới 2,5 tỷ USD tại Trung Quốc. Với kế hoạch này, Intel sẽ mở rộng hơn nữa sự có mặt của họ tại thị trường đang bùng nổ này cũng như sẽ giúp đẩy mạnh nỗ lực của chính quyền Trung Quốc trong việc thu hút đầu tư vào lĩnh cực công nghệ cao.


Tại một cuộc họp báo được tổ chức tại Đại lễ đường Nhân Dân Trung Quốc, Chủ tịch Intel, ông Paul Otellini cho biết, nhà máy mới của Intel sẽ cung cấp các bộ chipset cho các khách hàng Trung Quốc, thị trường công nghệ thông tin lớn nhất thế giới vào thời điểm nhà máy này mở cửa vào năm 2010. Chipset là những con chip máy tính giúp kết nối bộ vi xử lý với các thành phần khác của hệ thống.


Được xây dựng tại TP Đại Liên, đây sẽ là nhà máy đầu tiên của Intel ở châu Á chế tạo wafer, những tấm silicon mỏng được dùng để khắc hàng chục con chip trên đó. Việc Intel đầu tư xây dựng một nhà máy với giá trị lớn như vậy phản ánh tầm quan trọng ngày càng tăng của Trung Quốc trong thị trường hàng hóa công nghệ cao. Với nhà máy mới này, tổng số đầu tư của Intel vào Trung Quốc đã lên tới 4 tỷ USD.


Ông Otellini nói: "Dự án này đã xác nhận và mở rộng hơn nữa tầm quan trọng chiến lược của Trung Quốc trong chiến lược toàn cầu của chúng tôi cũng như với ngành công nghiệp công nghệ thông tin trên toàn thế giới. Mục tiêu của chúng tôi tại Trung Quốc là sẽ cổ vũ cho sự chuyển đổi từ "Chế tạo tại Trung Quốc" thành "Sáng tạo tại Trung Quốc"".


Theo ông, nhà máy mới của Intel sẽ sử dụng công nghệ tiên tiến nhất mà chính phủ Mỹ cho phép Intel xuất khẩu sang Trung Quốc vào thời điểm việc sản xuất được bắt đầu. Trước đó, chính phủ Trung Quốc cho biết Intel sẽ sử dụng công nghệ 90nm trong nhà máy mới của họ, thấp hơn từ một đến hai thế hệ so với công nghệ tiên tiến nhất hiện nay của Intel.


Theo thông tin trên website của Intel, hiện Intel đang thu hút khoảng 6.000 lao động tại Trung Quốc. Họ có các nhà máy ở Thượng Hải và Thành Đô, chuyên chế tạo các chip nhớ, bộ vi xử lý và các sản phẩm khác.


Hiện nay, Chính phủ Trung Quốc đang tìm cách thu hút các dự án công nghệ cao như của Intel với hy vọng chúng sẽ giúp Trung Quốc từ một trung tâm sản xuất giá rẻ thành một quốc gia có khả năng tạo ra những công nghệ tiên tiến.


Ông Zhang Xiaoqiang, phó chủ tịch Hội đồng Cải cách và Phát triển Quốc gia Trung Quốc cho biết chính phủ nước này cũng hy vọng rằng nhà máy của Intel sẽ "giúp thu hút thêm nhiều các dự án" tới Đại Liên. Đây là dự án đầu tư về công nghệ cao của nước ngoài lớn nhất vào Trung Quốc.


Ông Otellini nói rằng Intel sẽ mở rộng hơn nữa sự hợp tác với chính phủ Trung Quốc trong các chương trình đào tạo nhân lực, phát triển ngành công nghiệp phần mềm cũng như sự phát triển ngành y tế và các khu vực nông thôn.


Ấy ấy! Tin đầu tư cho Việt Nam thôi !:lol:
Chứ dự án đầu cho anh bạn Tung Của thì có mà bao nhiêu topic cho nó hết được! :ohno:

cho Việtnam 1 tỷ, mà cho trung quốc những 2tỷ rưỡi........tụi ni không có qủa tim nhỉ?.......1 tỷ chẳng làm được cái gì, mua 2 tô phở là hết

..

1/ Sắp có nhiều công ty lớn cổ phần hóa và nhiều tập đòan nước ngoài mua cổ phiếu. Sẽ không có bong bóng bể ít ra là trong năm tới, nhưng thị trường sẽ hạ nhiệt dần dần do thời siêu lợi nhuận cũng qua rồi.

2/Tâm lý bầy đàn có lợi cho việc góp tư bản, tuy nhiên nếu công ty nào đó làm ăn sụp đổ hay ai đó tích cổ phiếu nhiều rồi bán tống bán tháo thì phải chờ xem như tâm lý thiên hạ thế nào.

Không ai muốn bubble burst ở Vn hết :(

Ở đây có ai chơi ck kô, tui kô có tiền chơi heheh

Kô biết sằp tới có hạ lãi suất kôi...

vay troi vay phat cai stock no khong vo.

:cheers:

Source: VOA News (www.voanews.com/english/2007-03-27-voa8.cfm)

By Matt Steinglass
Hanoi
27 March 2007


Vietnam's stock index has skyrocketed over the past year, and experts are worried that a sharp fall may be on the way. The government is considering putting controls on money flowing into and out of Vietnam in an attempt to cool the market. International financial experts have traditionally opposed capital controls, but as Matt Steinglass reports from Hanoi, that may be changing.

http://www.voanews.com/english/images/afp_vietnam_stock_exchange_file_27mar07_eng_195.jpg
Traders monitor share prices at Securities Trading Center in Ho Chi Minh City, 20 Dec 2006

By early March, the floors of stock trading companies like this one in Hanoi were jammed with day traders. Vietnam's stock index had nearly quadrupled in value since the beginning of 2006, and Vietnamese were racing to buy shares, even if they were not always sure what they were buying.

Loan, an accountant, says she tries to read about stocks on the Internet, but sometimes she buys them on intuition.

Much of the trading is in so-called "over-the-counter" shares, which are not regulated and are often sold by unregistered traders. This Vietnamese over-the-counter investor says there are no papers or legal guarantees that you actually own the shares you buy.

She says transactions are made based on mutual trust. Once you do not have trust, nothing is reliable.

Analysts at international investment funds say they, too, find it impossible to tell how much Vietnamese companies are actually worth, because accounting practices are too lax.

Nevertheless, portfolio investors have been pouring money into Vietnamese securities. In 2006, foreign ownership rose from six percent to 17 percent of the market; by the start of March, it was up to 19 percent.

In February, the International Monetary Fund warned that the ratio of share price to share earnings of the average Vietnamese stock had risen to 70-to-1, more than double that of other fast-growing Asian economies, such as China and India.

Financial experts fear if this stock bubble bursts, it could trigger a sharp outflow of foreign capital, as happened in several Asian countries during the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s.

An official of a Vietnamese government financial institution, who asked not to be named, says the effects of a Vietnamese crash could be severe.

She says a massive reversal of capital inflows would affect Vietnam's foreign currency reserves, its exchange rate, the financial system and the economy at large.

To prevent this, the Vietnamese government has been hinting that it may impose some form of capital controls - measures to prevent or slow the flow of money into and out of the country.

In the 1990s, international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund frowned on capital controls. They advocated capital market liberalization: making it easier for investment to flow in and out. But after the Asian financial crisis, they began to reconsider.

Joseph Stiglitz is a Nobel Prize-winning economist who was the World Bank's chief economist during that crisis. He has come to believe that capital controls could be a good thing - especially in small, developing markets, and he says the IMF has been slowly moving in that direction.

"In 2003, their chief economist did a report where he came to the conclusion that the empirical evidence did not show that capital market liberalization worked. It did not lead to more growth, it did not lead to more stability - in fact, it may lead to less stability and less growth," he said.

But other economists say the record is mixed. Countries that did not impose capital controls during the crisis, such as Thailand, suffered longer and harder recessions than countries that did, like Malaysia. But since the recession ended, Thailand has grown faster than Malaysia, which has retained its controls.

Still, many developing countries have elected to keep some type of capital controls in place. Stiglitz says the most popular measures are so-called soft controls, such as higher taxes on short-term investments.

"The effect of that is that it discourages people from putting money in and out quickly, overnight. It doesn't ban it, but it does affect their incentives," he explained.

It is not certain what type of controls Vietnam might choose.

In February, the government dropped the idea of requiring investments to be held for at least a year. Proposals for harsh licensing restrictions on foreign investment firms seem to have been scrapped in mid-March after coming under severe criticism.

But the Finance Ministry is studying raising taxes on short-term investments. At the opening of the National Assembly this March, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung raised the issue in veiled terms.

Hung says there is a pressing need for "market management and monitoring measures" and a "tax policy on income generated from stocks."

Such talk may be cooling the market down. The VNINDEX began to lose ground in early March. One speaker at a recent investment forum in Hanoi said he expects the Vietnamese stock market to drop by about 30 percent in the foreseeable future.

==============================

Oh boy!!! Does it sound like dot com trading in the late 90's here in the States? Everyone is buying but no one can tell what the stock collateral is... You just hope that the small un-informed investors will control themselves when the SHTF!!! Not good :ohno:

--Capee


It's a good thing for VN index to bungee jump to 700 & consolidate around that level before scaling new height. An expensive tuition fee for many.

Intel khởi công xây dựng nhà máy lớn nhất thế giới tại VN

Trung Bình

http://www2.thanhnien.com.vn/Uploaded/ngocthanh/2803/P4/3.jpg
Lễ động thổ xây dựng nhà máy - Ảnh: Trung Bình
* Sẽ triển khai thêm dự án 1 tỉ USD khác

Sáng 28.3, Tập đoàn Intel đã khởi công xây dựng nhà máy lắp ráp và kiểm định chipset lớn nhất thế giới đặt tại Khu công nghệ cao TP.HCM. Dự án có tổng vốn đầu tư 1 tỉ USD này sẽ được hoàn tất phần xây dựng trong vòng 18 tháng. Song song đó, Tập đoàn Intel cũng đã lên kế hoạch triển khai thêm một dự án nữa tại Việt Nam với mức vốn đầu tư lớn không kém.


Nhà máy lắp ráp và kiểm định chipset của Intel có diện tích 460.000m2, sử dụng khoảng 4.000 lao động khi hoạt động hết công suất. Doanh thu xuất khẩu từ nhà máy này được thiết kế từ 1,5 - 2 tỉ USD/năm. Những con số này là điều không tưởng đối với Việt Nam cách đây 4 năm, khi mà bản đồ công nghệ cao trên thế giới chưa từng nhắc đến đất nước có hình chữ S này.

http://www2.thanhnien.com.vn/Uploaded/ngocthanh/2803/P4/4.mohinhnhamay-INTEL.jpg
Mô hình Nhà máy Intel tại Khu công nghệ cao Tp.HCM - Ảnh: Tr.B



Ông Rick Howarth - Tổng giám đốc Công ty Intel Products Việt Nam - cho biết: "Buổi lễ khởi công này đánh dấu 10 năm sự có mặt của Intel tại Việt Nam. Điều đó cho thấy quyết định đầu tư của Intel đã phải trải qua một giai đoạn điều nghiên cẩn trọng đến mức nào cho dù đối với một thị trường có mức tăng trưởng đứng thứ 2 thế giới".
Một số mục tiêu chính của Khu công nghệ cao TP.HCM đến năm 2010

- Thu hút những tập đoàn công nghệ cao có công nghệ nguồn, đặc biệt trong lĩnh vực vi điện tử, bán dẫn và công nghệ thông tin để xây dựng hoàn chỉnh chuỗi cung ứng của lĩnh vực vi điện tử và bán dẫn tại khu công nghệ cao với hạt nhân là nhà máy 1 tỉ USD của Tập đoàn Intel.

- Phát triển hoàn chỉnh hệ thống các ngành dịch vụ công nghệ cao bao gồm các trung tâm hỗ trợ khách hàng, trung tâm dữ liệu, các trung tâm phát triển phần mềm và ứng dụng web, các trung tâm cung cấp dịch vụ tài chính, ngân hàng...

Sự có mặt của Intel ở Khu công nghệ cao TP.HCM, theo nhận xét của một chuyên gia trong lĩnh vực công nghệ thông tin, còn được xem như một con dấu xác nhận tích cực đối với môi trường đầu tư Việt Nam. Ngân hàng Thế giới từng nhận định rằng Intel sẽ còn kéo theo những nhà đầu tư ngành công nghiệp vi điện tử, bán dẫn... vốn là những nhà cung ứng cho Intel lâu nay trên toàn cầu đến Việt Nam. Một chuyên viên Khu công nghệ cao TP.HCM cho rằng để giảm chi phí, Intel sẽ còn phát triển mạng lưới các nhà cung ứng ở Việt Nam. "Về lâu dài, điều này sẽ giúp hình thành một chuỗi cung ứng trong lĩnh vực bán dẫn tại Việt Nam", chuyên viên này dự đoán.


http://www2.thanhnien.com.vn/Uploaded/ngocthanh/2803/P4/1.jpg
Tổng giám đốc Intel Products Việt Nam: "Giai đoạn 2 Intel sẽ gấp đôi số vốn, gấp đôi nhà máy, gấp đôi nhân viên..." - Ảnh: Tr.Bình


Còn về thông tin Intel sẽ đầu tư thêm 1 tỉ USD cho giai đoạn "TP.HCM chào đón những dự án như dự án của Intel vì nó phản ánh điều kiện đầu tư hết sức tiềm năng mà thành phố trung tâm công nghiệp, thương mại và dịch vụ như chúng tôi mang lại cho nhà đầu tư. Sự kiện ngày hôm nay đã nói lên chiến lược chuyển đổi TP.HCM theo hướng gia tăng các hoạt động có giá trị cao, nhấn mạnh vào việc phát triển kinh tế nhanh và bền vững. Hợp tác với Intel là một cơ hội phát triển quan trọng cho TP.HCM nói riêng và người dân Việt Nam nói chung" - Chủ tịch UBND TP.HCM Lê Hoàng Quân
2 ở Việt Nam, ông Rick Howarth xác nhận với Báo Thanh Niên: "Chúng tôi chưa chính thức công bố thông tin này, nhưng đúng là chúng tôi có kế hoạch đó. Dĩ nhiên với điều kiện là giai đoạn 1 phải được triển khai thành công. Đồng thời, một số yếu tố khác không thể không tính tới, chẳng hạn như nhu cầu của thị trường thế giới... Trước mắt chúng tôi phải thực hiện thành công giai đoạn 1 này đã. Như thế không có nghĩa chúng tôi không tự tin mà hoàn toàn ngược lại. Chúng tôi bỏ ra một số tiền khổng lồ nên đã nghiên cứu rất kỹ lưỡng về thị trường, về môi trường làm việc, lực lượng lao động... Chúng tôi hiểu phải bỏ tiền vào đâu cho đúng chỗ".

Ông Rick Howarth giải thích thêm về dự định của Intel: "Về mặt vật lý thì nhà máy mới sẽ không có gì khác. Có chăng chỉ là sự khác biệt về sản phẩm. Chẳng hạn như lắp ráp và kiểm định microchip. Lúc đó chúng tôi sẽ nâng tổng số nhân công làm việc ở đây lên từ 8.000-10.000 người". Theo ông Rick Howarth, cho đến thời điểm hiện tại, mọi thứ đang chạy rất thông suốt. Intel đang hợp tác rất tốt với chính quyền địa phương, với Ban quản lý khu công nghệ cao và với các trường đại học để chuẩn bị cho số sinh viên ra trường được đào tạo những kỹ năng công nghệ cao mà Intel cần.

T.B

http://www4.thanhnien.com.vn/Kinhte/2007/3/29/186731.tno

..

Báo chí thế giới: "Việt Nam, nụ cười đang nở!"
15:37' 30/03/2007 (GMT+7)
Tốc độ phát triển luôn được duy trì, tăng trưởng kinh tế hàng năm từ 7-8% đã tạo ra thay đổi lớn ở Việt Nam. Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, một thành phố lớn nhất của Việt Nam đang hối hả trong vòng quay của sự phát triển.


Giới trẻ Việt Nam ngày càng có nhu cầu cuộc sống cao hơn thế hệ trước.


Các khách sạn, nhà hàng, shop đồ hiệu lộng lẫy mọc lên ngày càng nhiều không chỉ để phục vụ số lượng du khách, doanh nhân giàu có ngày càng tăng. Tầng lớp trung lưu cũng đang không ngừng mở rộng, phân cấp giàu nghèo đã giảm hơn so với rất nhiều thành phố khác ở Đông Nam Á.

20 năm trôi qua kể từ khi Việt Nam từ bỏ chính sách bình quân chủ nghĩa và theo đuổi công cuộc cải tổ, đất nước này đã tiến rất xa.

Việt Nam không có dân số đạt hàng tỉ như Trung Quốc, Ấn Độ. Nhưng với 84 triệu dân, nước này cũng không quá nhỏ. Việt Nam được coi là một đối thủ đáng gờm trong nền kinh tế thế giới, đặc biệt kể từ khi trở thành thành viên của WTO trong năm nay. Việt Nam là đối thủ chính của Brazil trong xuất khẩu cà phê và của Thái Lan trong xuất khẩu gạo. Việt Nam là một trong những nền kinh tế cởi mở nhất châu Á: thương mại hai chiều đạt giá trị 160% GDP, tỉ lệ gấp đôi so với Trung Quốc và gấp bốn lần so với Ấn Độ.

Đất nước này đã để lại những ký ức về cuộc chiến tranh thập niên 60-70 về phía sau. Bây giờ, người Mỹ được hoan nghênh tới Việt Nam. Tương tự như vậy, sự đối đầu với Trung Quốc - nước thường xuyên có các cuộc xâm lược Việt Nam vào những thế kỷ trước - cũng được gạt sang bên - trong mối quan tâm chung cùng phát triển thịnh vượng.

Những biện pháp cải tổ đã bắt đầu kể từ khi chính phủ theo đuổi công cuộc đổi mới, nhưng hiện tại, sự thành công rõ ràng đã mang lại cho Việt Nam các quyết sách táo bạo hơn. Tuần này, Quốc hội Việt Nam đã thúc giục Chính phủ nhanh chóng xây dựng một nền kinh tế thị trường. Còn Chính phủ thì không ngừng đẩy mạnh việc tư nhân hóa các doanh nghiệp nhà nước.

Giới quan sát đã cố tìm hiểu và giải thích sự thành công của người Việt Nam. Một nhân tố chính là lòng tự tin (trong quá khứ, họ từng chiến thắng ba cường quốc thế giới (Mỹ, Trung Quốc, Pháp). Người Việt cũng giữ lại cho mình một số truyền thống, quan niệm có ích như đức hiếu học và sự lạc quan. Rồi thành công nối tiếp thành công, tự do đã tạo ra thịnh vượng và càng thúc đẩy công cuộc cải tổ tiến xa hơn.

Việt Nam cũng đứng trước vấn nạn tham nhũng, song đang từng bước thực hiện các biện pháp cứng rắn để ngăn chặn.

Người Việt Nam thích thú với làm giàu và những chọn lựa cá nhân, trong đó có việc đưa con cái ra nước ngoài học tập. Nguyễn Kim Định - từng là một công chức, giờ đã dành toàn bộ thời gian cho việc chơi chứng khoán cho hay: ’’Người Việt Nam giờ đây rất nhanh nhạy với việc làm giàu’’.

Sức hút với ngân hàng nước ngoài

Các ngân hàng nước ngoài hiện nay đang bị thu hút bởi sự phát triển kinh tế năng động của Việt Nam và bởi một số lượng lớn dân số trẻ hăm hở đến với các dịch vụ, hàng hóa tiêu dùng hiện đại mang đẳng cấp thế giới. Vào hôm Chủ nhật vừa qua, Việt Nam đã chính thức mở cửa rộng hơn cho các ngân hàng thế giới theo cam kết gia nhập WTO hồi tháng 1.

Các ngân hàng giờ đây sẽ được phép thành lập đơn vị do họ làm chủ hoàn toàn tại đây, việc mở ra chi nhánh hoạt động cũng dễ dàng hơn. Chỉ có sáu triệu người trong số 84 triệu dân Việt Nam có một tài khoản ngân hàng. "Các dịch vụ ngân hàng, thẻ tín dụng, bảo hiểm mới chỉ bắt đầu ở Việt Nam’’, Jean-Pierre Bernard, Giám đốc phụ trách khu vực Đông Nam Á và Ấn Độ của BNP-Paribas (Pháp) nhận xét.

Nếu thị trường hiện tại còn nhỏ, thì viễn cảnh của nó là khá lớn và đầy triển vọng. Nền kinh tế tăng trưởng hơn 8% và 60% dân số dưới 30 tuổi. Thế hệ này có nhu cầu sống cao hơn so với thế hệ trước. "Ngày trước, cha mẹ chúng tôi chỉ cố gắng tiết kiệm đề phòng trường hợp xấu xảy ra. Ngày nay, thế hệ sinh sau năm 1975 có quan niệm khác’’, ông Lý Xuân Hải, Tổng Giám đốc Ngân hàng Á châu cho biết. ’’Họ sẵn sàng chi dùng cho đời sống sinh hoạt cao cấp, họ muốn độc lập, có căn hộ riêng, sống tách với cha mẹ’’.

Nhiều ngân hàng nước ngoài giờ đây đang nỗ lực gia tăng sự hiện diện của mình tại Việt Nam, tìm kiếm đối tác địa phương để có thể thành công trên con đường phát triển khi Việt Nam gia nhập WTO và tiếp tục mở cửa nền kinh tế. BNP Paribas thắt chặt quan hệ với Commercial Bank, ANZ của Australia liên kết với Sacombank, trong khi Standard Chartered và HSBC thực hiện quan hệ đối tác với Asia Commercial Bank và Techcombank.

Với các ngân hàng nước ngoài, quan hệ cùng đối tác địa phương sẽ tạo cho họ cơ hội dễ dàng hơn khi tiếp cận thị trường, trong khi ngân hàng địa phương lại đang cần nhiều kinh nghiệm chuyên môn trong quản lý, công nghệ, sản phẩm và dịch vụ.

Kỳ Thư (Theo AFP, Economist)

A SUSTAINED boom, with annual economic growth consistently around 7-8% since 2000, has transformed Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), its largest conurbation, is bustling, confident and expanding fast. Its fancy restaurants and designer shops are not just for the increasing numbers of foreign tourists and businessmen. The middle class seems broader, and the gap between rich and poor narrower, than in many other South-East Asian cities.

It is over 20 years since Vietnam's ruling communists abandoned collectivism and embarked on their doi moi market-based reforms, not unlike those China adopted a few years earlier. The country has come far since then. In Hanoi, the capital, food was rationed in the gloomy pre-reform era, and even senior officials wore threadbare clothes. “Boat people” were washing up on foreign shores.

Vietnam does not have the billion-plus populations of China and India. But with 84m people, it is no minnow. It is a serious contender in the world economy, especially since joining the World Trade Organisation this year. It has become Brazil's main rival in coffee exporting and Thailand's in rice. Vietnam is one of Asia's most open economies: two-way trade is around 160% of GDP, more than twice the ratio for China and over four times India's.

The country has put the wars of the 1960s and 1970s behind it. Americans are welcome these days, especially if they bring dollars to invest. Likewise, an ancient animosity with China—a frequent invader down the centuries—has been put aside in the interests of prosperity.

Reform has come in fits and starts since doi moi began but, at present, Vietnam's palpable success encourages boldness. The National Assembly this week urged the government to press on with building a market economy. The government in turn is pressing state firms for faster privatisation plans. Vietnam had only begun opening when Asia's 1997 economic storm hit, so, unlike some of its neighbours (see article), it was largely unscathed, and growth has accelerated since.

Where did it all go right? Observers detect a strengthening will to win among the Vietnamese but struggle to explain it. One factor is the self-confidence that comes from having, as they see it, beaten off three world powers (America, China and France) in the past half-century. There is also Confucianism: Vietnam has kept some useful bits, such as the belief in education and self-betterment, without the feudalistic overtones. And success has bred success—liberalisation is producing prosperity, encouraging further reform.

Vietnam has a corruption problem but is taking serious steps to tackle it. A former deputy trade minister was jailed last week for 14 years for bribery—the latest among dozens of top officials given stiff penalties for dishonesty. The armed forces, such a baleful influence in some countries, are fairly clean. Many Asian economies are sucked dry by entrenched, predatory elites. In Vietnam, although collectivist economics have gone, the government remains collective and consensual. Leadership is shared between the party boss, president and prime minister. No personality cults are allowed, other than the one idolising Ho Chi Minh, the revolutionary leader, who died in 1969.

The Vietnamese are enjoying new-found wealth and personal choice, including being allowed to educate their children abroad. Party bosses, conscious of what happened to their former backers in the deceased Soviet Union, realise that they must keep the people happy to stay in power. So far it is working. “Right now people don't think about politics,” says Nguyen Kim Dinh, a former city-government worker who now plays Vietnam's stockmarket full-time. “They just think about earning money.”

Even so, the National Assembly, once a rubber stamp, has become a forum for real debate and scrutiny. Serious criticisms of the government are aired and reported in the press. A record number of self-nominated candidates are standing in the Assembly elections due in May.

However, the party remains terrified of the slightest challenge to its monopoly on power. The press is to remain party-run and independent candidates for the election must still be party-approved. The government claims no one is arrested for his political views, but in reality it treats pro-democracy activists as common criminals, jailing them for supposed spying or sabotage. In February charges were laid against Nguyen Van Ly, a dissident priest who founded Block 8406, a new and apparently widely supported group which last year issued a manifesto for democracy.

“The dissidents are getting bolder,” says Nguyen Manh Hung, an America-based Vietnamese academic. But Carl Thayer, a veteran Vietnam-watcher from the Australian Defence Force Academy, reckons that stronger pressure is coming from reformers inside the party, whose demands are remarkably similar to the dissidents'. Either way, as the Vietnamese enjoy more economic freedom and as more exiled Vietnamese return, bringing foreign ideas of pluralism and free speech, expectations of political liberty will grow.

If so, the ruling party has several regional models from which it can choose. In prosperous Singapore, the People's Action Party allows opposition parties to operate within strict constraints. In prosperous Taiwan, the Kuomintang has abandoned absolute rule for genuine alternation of power. But despite Vietnam's economic success there is little sign to date that the ruling party feels sure enough of its popularity to permit genuine political competition. Fear can be a habit for the ruler, as well as the ruled.

Source: The Economist

Plenty to smile about
Mar 29th 2007 | BANGKOK AND HO CHI MINH CITY
From The Economist print edition

But despite its successes, Vietnam's ruling Communist Party remains terrified of any challenge to its monopoly on power

Taiwanese group plans investment of US$5 billion in Vietnam
09:13' 02/04/2007 (GMT+7)
VietNamNet Bridge - A Taiwanese group, Hong Hai, revealed on March 31 that it would invest up to US$5 billion in two projects in northern Vietnam.

The Taiwanese investor plans to kick off the construction of an industrial zone in Bac Ninh province and another in Bac Giang province as well.

The first project will commence on May 1. Hong Hai will build plants manufacturing automatic camera systems and hi-tech products in this industrial zone.

The Taiwan Economic News daily quoted Taiwan’s trade representative to Vietnam, Huang Nan-hui, as saying that Hong Hai Company also plans to build another industrial zone in Bac Giang. The total area of the two industrial zones is around 300ha.

Hong Hai hopes that with the two above projects, Vietnam will be one of the three biggest partners, after China and India.

The President of Hong Hai group said that Hong Hai would build five industrial zones in Vietnam in 2007, which can bring jobs to around 30,000 workers.

Hong Hai is among world leading companies in mobile phone, computer, pocket computer and computer games.

VietNam Statistical Information from World Bank

http://ddp-ext.worldbank.org/ext/CSIDB/getCountryStatInfoXML

ey what's the Thailand stock shares is currently 28 or 38 billion?

according to this Vn was 13,8 billion last year and now 24,4 billion
if they're 28billion then we're catching up to them pretty fast.

I said this in the Phillipine forum and they didn't believe me...the consumerism rate in VN is very high....people in Vn love to spent..and they got lots of money under the pillow......only 4 of 82 million people put money in banks.......(the rest in piggy banks)...
I went back to Vn....I saw the way people spent money.....I think some foreigns still have this communism and poorness attach to VN and they don't know how big the VN economy is..........it's just that they're not ready to share and show yet.....if only all 80million put money in banks.......we will have so many infrastructure buildings
http://www.tuoitre.com.vn/tianyon/Index.aspx?ArticleID=195110&ChannelID=11

ey what's the Thailand stock shares is currently 28 or 38 billion?

according to this Vn was 13,8 billion last year and now 24,4 billion
if they're 28billion then we're catching up to them pretty fast.

I said this in the Phillipine forum and they didn't believe me...the consumerism rate in VN is very high....people in Vn love to spent..and they got lots of money under the pillow......only 4 of 82 million people put money in banks.......(the rest in piggy banks)...
I went back to Vn....I saw the way people spent money.....I think some foreigns still have this communism and poorness attach to VN and they don't know how big the VN economy is..........it's just that they're not ready to share and show yet.....if only all 80million put money in banks.......we will have so many infrastructure buildings
http://www.tuoitre.com.vn/tianyon/Index.aspx?ArticleID=195110&ChannelID=11



Bang,


Thailand Stockmarket capitalization is at $160 billion while Saigon is at $18 billion.

http://www.thanhniennews.com/business/?catid=2&newsid=26427

Thu Apr 5, 2:29 PM ET

TOKYO (AFP) - Japanese electronics giant Matsushita said Thursday it will set up a research centre in Vietnam to develop key software installed in cellular phones and flat-panel televisions.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., maker of the Panasonic brand, plans to begin operation of the new company, the Panasonic R and D Center Vietnam Co., by the end of April in Hanoi, the company said.

Matsushita will invest 500,000 dollars to create the facility, which will develop and design system chips and control software for Matsushita plants around the world, the company said.

The company also sees Vietnam as a growing market, Matsushita spokesman Akira Kadota said.

"Vietnam has the potential to become the second China, where the open socialist economy could create a larger market rather than just serving as a producing centre," he said.

It will be Matsushita's third research and development centre in the region of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) following similar facilities in Singapore and Malaysia.

Matsushita is shifting research and development to the region to gain lower labour costs at a time when it is also difficult to secure software researchers and engineers at home, Kadota said.

Nineteen employees will initially work at the centre, with the number possibly going up to around 200 in the future, Kadota said.

In a bid to recruit newly graduated engineers in Vietnam, Matsushita said it will also send Japanese technicians to train workers and start a software development course at the Hanoi University of Technology.

Siddude,

Check this Doing Business Assessment from World Bank on Vietnam, very telling story... Doing Business In Vietnam (http://www.doingbusiness.org/ExploreEconomies/Default.aspx?economyid=202). The trend is NOT good unless the rule of law is in place and enforced.

The US Ambassador, Michael Marine has very harsh words of assessment of current and future outcome of Vietnam. He posed the reality that VC has ignored (http://hanoi.usembassy.gov/pr040507.html).

The World Bank’s Doing Business 2007 Report showed that Vietnam fell to 104 out of 175 countries – down six places -- in terms of the ease of doing business. Weak rule of law in Vietnam, particularly its lagging regulatory reforms, cumbersome policies, tepid enforcement of contracts and frail investor protections, contributed to this downslide and acts as a damper on the growing excitement about doing business in Vietnam.

Furthermore, as the nation’s leaders have publicly acknowledged, Vietnam suffers from the cancer of widespread corruption, increasing the prospects for instability and threatening the process of development. Corruption affects all strata of society, and failure to address this threat fully and openly will continue to gnaw away at the country’s ability to fulfill its full economic, social and political potential. Containing corruption requires real checks and balances in society. The ability of citizens in any society, whether Vietnam or the U.S. or others, to speak out without fear or recrimination is a crucial check on the abuse of power.

While Vietnam has done very well so far in achieving significant socio-economic development gains, taking the next step up will require it to harness fully the energy and creativity of its people. And I firmly believe that in no society is this possible without a more open system, a system that allows individuals to peacefully and freely express their views on all issues, including politics.

You just hope that whoever the true leaders that love and care for the well being of the nation recognize the pitfalls...

--Capee

Well, Capee, I could not agree with you more! You see some people are very hard headed! Ignorance + Arrogance is a dangerous mix.

Free Market economy needs the rule of law, the respect for property rights and transparency. Maybe it'll take another 20 years for them to understand. Vietnam is embarking on 100 year plan of economic development.

ey what's the Thailand stock shares is currently 28 or 38 billion?

according to this Vn was 13,8 billion last year and now 24,4 billion
if they're 28billion then we're catching up to them pretty fast.

I said this in the Phillipine forum and they didn't believe me...the consumerism rate in VN is very high....people in Vn love to spent..and they got lots of money under the pillow......only 4 of 82 million people put money in banks.......(the rest in piggy banks)...
I went back to Vn....I saw the way people spent money.....I think some foreigns still have this communism and poorness attach to VN and they don't know how big the VN economy is..........it's just that they're not ready to share and show yet.....if only all 80million put money in banks.......we will have so many infrastructure buildings
http://www.tuoitre.com.vn/tianyon/Index.aspx?ArticleID=195110&ChannelID=11


somebody's english is a disaster and friend starscream is not here to brush it up......where are you friend starscream?


siddude
I thought 28billion.......if they're at the rate of 160 billions then we have long long way to catch up........the pain

http://int1.fp.sandpiper.net/reuters/editorial/weekend/images/040607/travel_hochiminh.jpg
http://www.reuters.com/article/gc08/idUSHAN33373520070405?src=cms

Bang,


Thailand Stockmarket capitalization is at $160 billion while Saigon is at $18 billion.

http://www.thanhniennews.com/business/?catid=2&newsid=26427

How abt Hanoi. I think Hanoi has bigger Stockmarket!(double??)

Well then you think wrong. Hanoi stock exchange is not as big as HCMC

How abt Hanoi. I think Hanoi has bigger Stockmarket!(double??)

:lol: ! It's funny to hear about this! :nuts:



Hanoi = $24 B - $18 (HCMC) = $6 B

Gov’t urges high-tech park infrastructure development

http://www.thanhniennews.com/images/newsimages/hoalac-040-07.jpg

http://www.thanhniennews.com/business/?catid=2&newsid=27018

First Apple store opens in Viet Nam

VNECONOMY updated: 17/04/2007

The first official Apple store in Viet Nam opened in HCM City early this month.

The outlet, operated by FPT Distribution Company, is the first of six Apple stores scheduled to open in HCM City and Ha Noi this year.

The US-based Apple Company has approved the store’s design and technicians. Apple products in the store, including laptop and desktop computers, large LCD screens, Mp3 players and iPods will be offered with one-year international guarantees.

Prices at the store have been fixed by Apple.

During the shop’s first month of operation, customers will receive a free iPod with any Apple computer purchased. The store is located at the iStore shop, 98 Nguyen Cong Tru, District 1.


///////////////////////////
Congratulation you all for the first Apple store coming up in HCM :banana:

Logistics industry may lose home market

VNECONOMY updated: 17/04/2007
Vietnam’s logistics companies are facing a lot of difficulties in the integration period and they need a clear legal framework to develop.

According to the Vietnam Freight Forwarders’ Association (VIFFAS), there are 800-900 operational companies in the logistics industry, including 97 VIFFAS members. These companies have the average operation time of five years and average capital of VND1.5 billion (US$93,750). All logistics companies prove to be very young and many of them are small scale.

There are four advantages to developing logistics services.

First, the legal framework has been gradually amended to make it suitable to the new conditions of the economy.

Second, full membership in the WTO, ASEAN and the normalisation of trade relations with the US will create the best conditions for the development of many industries and services, including logistics.

Third, Vietnam has a long coastline, has borderlines with China, Laos and Cambodia, which can bring favourable conditions for providing transport services, especially the multi-channel transport, an important factor in logistics service chains.

Fourth, the local labour force proves to be able to meet the requirements for logistics industry development – no need to import labour.

However, companies are facing a lot of difficulties, including their small scales. Privately owned companies now account for 80% of total logistics companies, most of which are very small with the capital of VND300-500 million (US$18,750-31,250) for each. Several joint stock companies have been set up on the foundation of equitised parts of state owned enterprises. These newly set up companies have the total capital of VND5 billion, or US$312,500, with which they cannot meet the requirements for joining the world’s logistics companies.

In fact, many companies have 3-5 staffs only, including managers. With such modest capital and few staffs, the companies just can fulfill simple works for separate clients.

Most Vietnamese logistics companies now do not have overseas representative offices, while logistics are being provided globally.

Nguyen Tham, Deputy Chairman of VIFFAS, said that VIFFAS has been aware of this issue, but admitted that the association still couldn’t fulfill the task of associating its members.

Mr Tham said that there would be a lot of business opportunities in the WTO period. Deputy Minister of Trade Luong Van Tu said that import – export turnover would reach US$200 billion in the next 10 years. However, it is not certain if opportunities can be grabbed by domestic companies.

Mr Tham said that domestic companies were facing the risk of losing the home market. Only big companies which can provide high-quality services and have a global network can win the tenders for big contracts. Meanwhile, Vietnamese companies are small and do not have wide networks.

Moreover, companies do not have necessary understanding of international laws and the laws of the nations that Vietnam’s logistics services may relate to.

(chẳng biết phải post ở đâu, thôi post đại ở đây)

Thiệt tội cho các công ty không phải nhà nước. Đụng vô là nhức đầu....
Không muốn nói nhưng thấy quá đáng wá, cũng phải post cho bà con chửi.


Cầu Phú Mỹ: Bộ GTVT can thiệp sâu vào việc chọn thầu của chủ đầu tư (!?)
Lao Động số 89 Ngày 19/04/2007 Cập nhật: 8:42 AM, 19/04/2007
http://www.laodong.com.vn/avatar.aspx?ID=23075&at=0&ts=236
Mô hình cầu Phú Mỹ.
(LĐ) - Chiều 18.4, Cty cổ phần BOT Phú Mỹ đã thông báo với một số PV báo chí rằng họ đã gửi văn bản đề nghị Bộ GTVT, UBND TPHCM, Cục Hàng hải VN, Cty đảm bảo an toàn Hàng hải II chấp thuận việc Cty BOT Phú Mỹ lựa chọn Cty đảm bảo giao thông đường thuỷ Hải Phòng thực hiện điều tiết, khống chế, bảo đảm an toàn hàng hải phục vụ thi công cầu Phú Mỹ.

Sở dĩ có chuyện đề nghị trên là vì ngày 17.4, Bộ GTVT có văn bản 2016/ BGTVT-PC gợi ý thành phố, Cty BOT Phú Mỹ lựa chọn Cty đảm bảo an toàn Hàng hải II thực hiện điều tiết, khống chế, bảo đảm ATGT hàng hải khu vực thi công cầu Phú Mỹ.

Tại văn bản 2016 của Bộ GTVT nêu: "Cty đảm bảo an toàn Hàng hải II là đơn vị được giao nhiệm vụ quản lý, thiết kế, lắp đặt và vận hành toàn bộ hệ thống báo hiệu hàng hải trên luồng cảng từ Quảng Ngãi đến hết địa phận của tỉnh Kiên Giang, có chức năng nhiệm vụ điều tiết, khống chế, bảo đảm an toàn hàng hải tại khu vực thi công cầu Phú Mỹ...".

Tuy nhiên, Cty BOT Phú Mỹ cho rằng, việc Bộ GTVT ban hành văn bản 2016 khiến Cty gặp không ít khó khăn và lúng túng. Bởi, hiện Cty BOT Phú Mỹ đã ký hợp đồng trị giá 48,4 tỉ đồng với Cty đảm bảo giao thông đường thuỷ Hải Phòng (gọi tắt Cty Hải Phòng) thực hiện việc điều tiết, khống chế, đảm bảo ATGT hàng hải phục vụ thi công cầu Phú Mỹ.

Hiện nay, Cty Hải Phòng đã triển khai thực hiện hợp đồng hơn 15 ngày, do vậy nếu chọn Cty đảm bảo an toàn Hàng hải II thực hiện công tác điều tiết trên, thì thiếu công bằng và Cty BOT Phú Mỹ sẽ đền hợp đồng cho Cty Hải Phòng.

Mặt khác, việc lựa chọn lại nhà thầu sẽ làm ảnh hưởng đến tiến độ thi công chung của công trình, khi đó nhà thầu nước ngoài sẽ phạt 25.000USD/ngày chậm trễ.

Ông Nguyễn Thành Thái - Tổng GĐ Cty BOT Phú Mỹ - cho biết, Cty nhận thức được công tác điều tiết, khống chế, đảm bảo an toàn hàng hải phục vụ thi công cầu Phú Mỹ hết sức quan trọng, vì nếu xảy ra sự cố có thể ảnh hưởng đến luồng hàng hải của cả khu vực.

Thế nhưng, trong xu thế hội nhập và cơ chế thị trường cạnh tranh lành mạnh, thì việc lựa chọn đơn vị có đủ năng lực thực hiện công tác điều tiết với giá thấp là quyền của chủ đầu tư, không thể chấp nhận sự áp đặt độc quyền để chi phí tăng lên bất hợp lý.

Trước đây, Cty BOT Phú Mỹ cũng đã nhận được một số văn bản của Cục Hàng hải VN về việc gợi ý lựa chọn nhà thầu là Cty đảm bảo an toàn Hàng hải II. Song do Cty này đề xuất với giá quá cao, nên Cty BOT Phú Mỹ quyết định không chọn.

Tại văn bản gửi Bộ GTVT và các cơ quan liên quan phúc đáp văn bản 2016 của Bộ GTVT, Cty BOT Phú Mỹ cho rằng, trường hợp vẫn quyết định phải giao cho Cty đảm bảo an toàn Hàng hải II thực hiện công tác điều tiết, khống chế, đảm bảo ATGT hàng hải khu vực cầu Phú Mỹ, thì giá trị hợp đồng phải thấp hơn hoặc bằng giá của Cty Hải Phòng.

Link (http://www.laodong.com.vn/Home/kinhte/2007/4/32777.laodong)



Dự án cầu Phú Mỹ (TPHCM): Văn bản chỉ đạo tréo ngoe, chủ đầu tư rơi vào thế bí
Lao Động số 90 Ngày 20/04/2007 Cập nhật: 6:41 AM, 20/04/2007
http://www.laodong.com.vn/avatar.aspx?ID=23209&at=0&ts=236
Vị trí xây dựng cầu Phú Mỹ.
(LĐ) - Báo Lao Động số 89, ra ngày 19.4 có bài viết "Bộ GTVT can thiệp sâu vào việc chọn thầu của chủ đầu tư (!?)". Tiếp tục tìm hiểu vụ việc, PV phát hiện thêm những điều không bình thường và sự tréo ngoe ngay giữa các văn bản của Bộ GTVT.

Tiền, hậu bất nhất

Công tác đảm bảo ATGT hàng hải tại vị trí xây dựng cầu Phú Mỹ hết sức quan trọng. Do đó sau khi Cục Hàng hải chấp thuận phương án kỹ thuật đảm bảo ATGT hàng hải trong suốt quá trình thi công cầu Phú Mỹ, Cty BOT Phú Mỹ đã xin ý kiến Bộ GTVT về việc lựa chọn nhà thầu. Tại văn bản số 7938/BGTVT-VT ngày 19.12.2006, Bộ GTVT có ý kiến: "Việc lựa chọn đơn vị thực hiện công tác đảm bảo giao thông đường thuỷ trong khu vực thi công cầu Phú Mỹ, TPHCM do Cty cổ phần BOT cầu Phú Mỹ quyết định".

Mặt khác, trước đó, ngày 15.2.2005, Bộ GTVT cũng có văn bản số 761, đề nghị Cục Hàng hải giao Cảng vụ Hàng hải TPHCM quản lý cấp phép cho Cty đảm bảo giao thông đường thuỷ Hải Phòng (gọi tắt Cty đảm bảo Hải Phòng) thực hiện.

Bộ GTVT đồng ý, Cty BOT Phú Mỹ tiến hành lựa chọn nhà thầu. Theo đó, có 4 nhà thầu chào giá: Căn cứ vào giá dự toán 51,2 tỉ đồng và qua tìm hiểu năng lực, kinh nghiệm của các đơn vị, Cty BOT Phú Mỹ đã chọn và ký hợp đồng với Cty đảm bảo Hải Phòng thực hiện.

Mặc dù, Cty đảm bảo Hàng hải II chào giá thầu cao hơn 10% so với giá dự toán và cao hơn 17% (trên 8 tỉ đồng) so với giá của Cty đảm bảo Hải Phòng, song ngày 13.4, Cục Hàng hải lại có văn bản 557/CHHVN-BCB đề nghị: "Cty BOT Phú Mỹ phối hợp với Cty đảm bảo Hàng hải II thực hiện công tác điều tiết giao thông hàng hải phục vụ thi công cầu Phú Mỹ đúng tiến độ và an toàn. Mọi chậm trễ về tiến độ triển khai thi công công trình có liên quan đến đơn vị thực hiện điều tiết do Cty BOT Phú Mỹ hoàn toàn chịu trách nhiệm".

Tiếp đó, ngày 17.4, Bộ GTVT có văn bản 2016/BGTVT-PC: "...Đề nghị UBND TPHCM, Cục Cảnh sát giao thông đường thuỷ phối hợp với Cục Hàng hải VN chỉ đạo Cảng vụ Hàng hải TPHCM, Cty BOT Phú Mỹ và Cty đảm bảo an toàn Hàng hải II thực hiện tốt công tác điều tiết, khống chế, đảm bảo ATGT hàng hải phục vụ xây dựng cầu Phú Mỹ".

Chính sự tréo ngoe giữa các văn bản của Bộ GTVT đã khiến chủ đầu tư rơi vào thế bí, vì chẳng biết phải làm thế nào và thực hiện theo văn bản nào của Bộ GTVT?

Bị loại, mới chịu giảm giá hơn 8 tỉ đồng

http://www.laodong.com.vn/Uploaded_LAODONG/thanhbinh/20070420/1b21-1904.jpg
Khu vực hàng hải tại vị trí xây dựng cầu Phú Mỹ luôn đông tàu bè qua lại.

Sau khi Cty BOT Phú Mỹ đã có văn bản gửi Bộ GTVT và các cơ quan cầu cứu (Báo Lao Động đã thông tin), thì ngày 19.4, Cty BOT Phú Mỹ nhận được văn bản của Cty đảm bảo an toàn Hàng hải II (ký ngày 18.4), đồng ý giảm chi phí công tác điều tiết an toàn hàng hải phục vụ xây dựng cầu Phú Mỹ xuống còn 47,99 tỉ đồng - tức thấp hơn giá chào thầu trước đó của Cty hơn 8 tỉ đồng, và thấp hơn cả giá thầu của Cty đảm bảo Hải Phòng (giá 48,448 tỉ đồng). Đã vậy, Cty đảm bảo an toàn Hàng hải II còn nhấn mạnh: "Đề nghị Cty BOT Phú Mỹ sớm ký hợp đồng thi công công tác điều tiết đảm bảo ATGT hàng hải với Cty đảm bảo Hàng hải II".

Một thành viên trong Hội đồng quản trị Cty BOT Phú Mỹ cho PV Lao Động biết, Cty đang gặp khó khăn, bởi nếu không chọn Cty đảm bảo an toàn Hàng hải II sau này e rằng gặp thêm phiền phức, còn nếu chọn thì chủ đầu tư có thể đối mặt với vụ kiện từ Cty đảm bảo Hải Phòng, và nguy cơ bị nhà thầu nước ngoài phạt 25.000USD/ngày do chậm tiến độ... Do vậy, hiện Cty đang xem xét thương thảo, đề nghị cho cả Cty đảm bảo Hải Phòng và Cty đảm bảo an toàn Hàng hải II cùng hợp tác thực hiện.

Link (http://www.laodong.com.vn/Home/kinhte/2007/4/32975.laodong)

i don't understand why they build cable bridges in all the small cities and towns so fast: haiphong, danang, halong, hatay, hadong, cantho etc.

but when it comes to saigon........seems like almost everything delayed.........from the nhieu loc canal, to the eastwest highway, thuthiem tunnel, all the major buildings in down town saigon.

what's wrong with saigon? they think they are the biggest so investors will have to come no matter what?

Around the Markets: Currency is Vietnam's new lureBy Ron Harui and Oliver Biggadike Bloomberg NewsPublished: April 23, 2007

SINGAPORE: Vietnam's currency is starting to capture the attention of derivatives traders as Southeast Asia's fastest-growing economy accelerates.

DBS Group Holdings and Australia & New Zealand Banking Group have begun offshore trading in contracts tied to the future value of the currency, the dong. The $50 million of Vietnamese contracts that trade monthly may double in a year, Standard Chartered estimates. More than $1 billion of Chinese yuan forwards change hands daily in an overseas market that did not exist 15 years ago, HSBC Holdings said.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung of Vietnam loosened currency controls this year and announced plans to increase sales of state-owned assets. The new currency market gives investors more opportunities to bet on an economy that expanded at a 7.7 percent annual rate in the first quarter and may grow 8.3 percent this year, according to the Asian Development Bank.

"You can't imagine the amount of money going into Vietnam," said Peter Soh, head of foreign exchange in Singapore at DBS, Southeast Asia's biggest bank. "Everyone thinks Vietnam will follow China's path. The dong must strengthen."

Vietnam's benchmark stock index is up 29 percent so far in 2007, after gaining 145 percent in 2006, the world's best performance. The economy is the fastest among the six biggest in Southeast Asia.

Investors need derivatives to trade the currency because the government only allows them to buy dong for specific purposes, such as investing in stocks or building factories. The contracts are settled in dollars.

"It's very positive," and is in line with government goals of having the currency trade overseas, State Bank of Vietnam's deputy governor, Phung Khac Ke, said in an interview in Hanoi. "It shows international investors are more and more interested in Vietnam."

The central bank's support coincides with Dung's plans to open the economy.

Dung, 57, became prime minister in June and last week approved a $1 billion sale of government bonds, the largest ever. The Communist Party this year told three of the four biggest state banks to prepare for initial public offerings.

Vietnam this year ended a decade-long policy of "managed devaluation" that caused the dong to weaken 30 percent. The currency gained 0.7 percent between Nov. 22 and Feb. 21. It has since fallen 0.4 percent to 16,041.05 per dollar as regulators curbed borrowing for stock market investment.

Three-month, nondeliverable forward contracts trade at 16,111 to the dollar, data compiled by Bloomberg found. The prices take into account higher interest rates in Vietnam as well as the expectations among traders for dong movements.

The central bank will "keep the dong stable, in a flexible manner, so that it can help our exports," Phung said.

Traders may be "turned off" by the central bank's support for gradual depreciation, said Sean Callow, a senior currency strategist in Singapore at the Sydney-based Westpac Banking. State controls may limit swings in the currency and opportunities to profit, he said.

Investors are still "testing the water" in Vietnam, said Amy Auster, head of international economics at the Melbourne-based ANZ Bank, which owns stakes in two Vietnamese banks.

Derivatives are financial instruments derived from stocks, bonds, loans, currencies and commodities, or linked to specific events like changes in the weather or interest rates.

Trading in the futures may increase once banks introduce a standardized contract for the dong by early June, DBS said in an e-mail. Between 15 and 20 banks in Singapore and five brokers may be interested in the market, DBS said. The central bank doubled the daily limit on dong moves against the dollar to 0.5 percent this year.

"Vietnam is the next market in Asia to look at," said Greg Clinton, global head of interest rate derivatives in Singapore at Standard Chartered, a London-based bank that makes two-thirds of its profit in Asia. "It's booming but it has currency restrictions, and that gives rise to a nondeliverable market."

Forwards are agreements to buy assets at a later specified date. A nondeliverable forward is typically settled in dollars and involves no physical exchange of other currencies.

i don't understand why they build cable bridges in all the small cities and towns so fast: haiphong, danang, halong, hatay, hadong, cantho etc.

but when it comes to saigon........seems like almost everything delayed.........from the nhieu loc canal, to the eastwest highway, thuthiem tunnel, all the major buildings in down town saigon.

what's wrong with saigon? they think they are the biggest so investors will have to come no matter what?
it's harder to clear the land because the people demand more money for their land (and the fact that saigon land is waaaay to expensive compared to other southeast asian cities) while the land clearer (?) don't have that much money supply..

Letter from Ho Chi Minh: Vietnam, a little dragon on the rise

"Vietnam is a good country to invest in and its people are great," said Arthur Ting, chairman of the Taiwan-based Central Trading and Development Group.


For foreign investors, his words were treated as a huge rubber stamp for Vietnam's economic modernisation. Since 1989, his group has invested over US$700 million (Bt24.3 billion) in various infrastructure projects. Currently, it is one of the largest foreign investors in Vietnam.


Vikrom Kromadit, CEO of Amata Group, was quick to second Ting's confident assessment of Vietnam and expressed his wish that Thailand would set forth policies similar to those in Vietnam. "Vietnam attracts foreign investors because people in the government are determined to do so. They welcome 100-per-cent ownership," said Vikrom, who is currently the largest Thai investor in Vietnam.


The Thai government is too bureaucratic and lethargic, he said. Vikrom told The Nation Vietnam would be able to catch up with Thailand very soon in every way. "Vietnam has offered better conditions and incentives for foreign investors than Thailand," he said. One vivid example he gave was the meteoric rise of Taiwanese investment in Vietnam, which has surpassed the $10 billion mark in only 10 years. The same amount of Taiwanese investment in Thailand took over four decades.


A senior Thai banker praised the openness of Vietnam's financial market, which has facilitated foreign investment since the doi moi (renewal) policy was announced 20 years ago. Vietnam now has a total of 38 private banks, and 33 foreign banks - impressive numbers in comparison to Thailand. Such sentiments are being expressed over and over again these days by foreign investors, academics and journalists.


On Monday, over 500 guests, including 70 Thai investors attended the one-day conference, known as the Vietnam New Economic Forum, to explore economic opportunities in Vietnam. Foreign investors and foreign exports who spoke at the forum were unanimously optimistic about the country's future economic growth. Last year, its economic index was second in Asia at 8.2 per cent and it attracted $10.2 billion in investments. Now, more investments are expected to come this year and in the future, taking advantage of Vietnam's having joined the World Trade Organisation in January of this year.


Indeed, the Vietnamese government is trying to do everything it can to attract foreign investors, including overseas Vietnamese, or Viet khieu as they are known in the country. To encourage these people to return to their homeland, Hanoi is planning a visa-free entry scheme for those planning to stay in Vietnam for more than six months each visit. With more than five million Viet khieu spread around the globe, Vietnam wants to garner their wealth of knowledge, experience and financial resources. Although the number of those returning to Vietnam has increased, the government hopes more will do so in the future. If they choose to stay longer and participate in nation-building, the country would benefit most from their investment and management skills.


To obtain a competitive edge and confront future challenges, Vietnamese leaders know well that there must be major changes in the country's education policies, especially in the fields of technology and English-language training. Listening to Nguyen Tien Nhan, Vietnam's education minister, one has the strong impression that Vietnam will emerge in the next years as Asean's leading nation because by that time there will be some 20,000 PhD students in the country, with half of them dispatched abroad for further education and training. For the next three years, at least one million teachers would be retrained with new teaching techniques, he said.


Vietnam, he said, needed to develop its human resources in radical ways to feed economic expansion and keep up with competition in the region and the world. Within months of resuming his position, Nhan came out with a new syllabus and educational innovations to be used to educate future generations of Vietnamese students. With over 53 per cent (some estimates say 65 per cent) of its population of 85 million under the age of 35, this was a sensible policy to execute. "The young generation will be speaking English and will be well versed in IT," he said.


Where is Vietnam heading? The Vietnamese Communist Party has made it clear that it wants the country to become industrialised by 2020 with a more egalitarian society. Ayumi Konishi, country director for the Asian Development Bank, said Vietnam had been successful in reducing its poverty level from 58 per cent in 1993 to nearly 28 per cent in 1996 and an estimated 18 per cent last year.


A reality check is needed. I asked a friend I've known for two decades to take me around to check out new things in Ho Chi Minh City. We stopped at the Ciao Cafe along Ngo Duc Ke Road in District One, which is equipped with free Wi-Fi Internet. It is a coffee shop with lots of books. Youngsters love this place, where a cup of coffee can be had for $2 and the Internet is free. We looked through commemorative books on the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, the Vietnam War (particularly works by Doan Con Tinh ) and old photos of Ho Chi Minh, which we knew full well were things of the past. They remind the people here of what they've been through. She said that nobody worried about the future. "We are making money so very few people are interested in politics. Why should they be? The economy is good - why let politics become a spoiler?"


One of the clearest signs that the economy is vibrant is the increasing number of home-grown restaurants. New local restaurants are mushrooming, trying to tap the pockets of growing numbers of middle-income families and tourists. Indigenous dishes have resurfaced with a longer list of fusion food from the East and West.


Not everything went smoothly though. Two brown outs occurred while we were taking a stroll at a local department store near the Opera House. This is common. My friend told me that there is one "electricity free" day per week in certain quarters within Ho Chi Minh. "It will rotate from one district to the other," she said.

Kavi Chongkittavorn


The Nation


Ho Chi Minh City

http://nationmultimedia.com/2007/04/25/opinion/opinion_30032608.php

35 tỷ USD từ các dự án lớn sắp vào Việt Nam
21:28' 24/04/2007 (GMT+7)
(VietNamNet) - Bộ Kế hoạch - Đầu tư vừa cập nhật một bản danh sách gần 40 dự án đầu tư nước ngoài lớn đang chuẩn bị đầu tư vào Việt Nam với tổng số vốn lên đến 35 tỷ USD. Đây thực sự là một con số khổng lồ và chỉ cần 1/3 trong số này thành hiện thực thì đã có thể hoàn thành vượt mức đề ra cho cả năm.

Nổi bật trong số này là dự án xây dựng một số khu công nghệ kỹ thuật cao chuyên sản xuất các sản phẩm công nghệ cao lĩnh vực điện tử của Tập đoàn Foxconn (Hon Hai) Đài Loan với số vốn lên đến 5 tỷ USD. Hai địa phương Bắc Ninh và Bắc Giang đã được chọn để làm điểm đầu tư. Hiện tại, Foxconn đã đặt một văn phòng đại diện tại Bắc Ninh để đẩy nhanh thực hiện dự án này.

Đứng tiếp theo về quy mô phải kể đến các dự án năng lượng điện. Trong đó dự án Nhà máy Nhiệt điện than Vân Phong - Khánh Hoà có công suất 2.640 MW do Tập đoàn Sumitomo Nhật Bản có tổng đầu tư lên đến 3,5 tỷ USD. Dự án này đã được nhà đầu tư trình lên Thủ tướng từ đầu năm 2007.


Đảo Phú Quốc hấp dẫn các dự án du lịch hàng tỷ USD. (Ảnh: Fiditour)


Hai nhà máy điện khác là Nhà máy Nhiệt điện Mông Dương 2 - Quảng Ninh có công suất 1200 MW do Tập đoàn AES - Mỹ liên doanh với Tập đoàn Than và Khoáng sản Việt Nam có vốn đầu tư 1,463 tỷ USD. Dự án đề xuất thực hiện theo mô hình BOT và hiện đã được Thủ tướng Chính phủ chấp thuận, Bộ Công nghiệp đang thực hiện đàm phán. Dự án Nhiệt điện Than miền Nam đặt tại Bình Thuận có vốn đầu tư 1,4 tỷ USD. Công ty lưới điện Vân Nam - CSG Trung Quốc chủ đầu tư dự án cũng đã được Thủ tướng Chính phủ chấp thuận.

Bên cạnh đó, có các dự án lọc dầu là Tổ hợp lọc dầu số 3 tại Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu do Tập đoàn Hóa chất Thái Lan và Tổng Công ty Dầu khí Việt Nam thực hiện có số vốn đầu tư là 1,53 tỷ USD. Nhà máy lọc dầu công suất 1 triệu/tấn/năm của Công ty cổ phần Hóa chất SP - Singapore đầu tư 1,2 tỷ USD.

Công nghiệp, công nghệ cao cũng có mặt nhiều dự án lớn. Đặc biệt là Dự án thép tại Hà Tĩnh bao gồm một nhà máy thép liên hợp công suất 4,5 triệu tấn/năm và khai thác mỏ sắt Thạch Khê với tổng mức đầu tư khoảng 3,75 tỷ USD. Dự án này hiện có nhiều nhà đầu tư như Posco - Hàn Quốc, Sunsteel - Đài Loan, TaTa Steel và ESSAR (Ấn Độ) Bao Steel và Wuhan - Trung Quốc cùng quan tâm. Một dự án liên quan đến khai khoáng là khai thác quặng Boxit, tuyển Alumin công suất 1,3 triệu tấn/năm của Tập đoàn Alcoa - Mỹ liên doanh với Tập đoàn Than và Khoáng sản Việt Nam đầu tư 1,5 tỷ USD.

Ngoài ra còn có các dự án như: Sản xuất máy tính xách tay của Compaq tại Vĩnh Phúc trị giá 500 triệu USD; Dự án đóng tàu biển cỡ lớn 500 triệu USD ở Vân Phong Khánh Hoà của Tập đoàn STX - Hàn Quốc; Dự án cán thép liên doanh giữa ESSAR - Ấn Độ với Tổng Công ty Thép và Tổng Công ty Cao su vốn đầu tư 570 triệu USD.

Góp mặt nhiều nhất trong danh sách các dự án lớn phải kể đến các dự án xây dựng, bất động sản, đầu tư khu du lịch. Kiên Giang là nơi hấp dẫn 2 dự án lớn nhất là Dự án Hòn ngọc châu Á tại Phú Quốc do Tập đoàn ủy thác Trustee Suisse - Thụy Sỹ liên doanh với Vinaconex đề xuất với số vốn khoảng 2 tỷ USD; Dự án khu phức hợp giải trí cao cấp tại Bãi Vòng rộng 1800 do Tập đoàn Limited Investment Zone - Mỹ cũng có số vốn đến 2 tỷ USD. Một khu du lịch khác tại Kiên Giang lên đến 1 tỷ USD do Rockingham Asset Management - Anh đầu tư.

Trong khi đó, Hà Nội lại là điểm hấp dẫn các dự án bất động sản nhất là các dự án văn phòng cho thuê, căn hộ cao cấp. Một là dự án Tập đoàn Gamuda - Malaysia đầu tư vào khu Yên Sở trị giá 1 tỷ USD. Tập đoàn Facific land Limited - Anh đầu tư 2 dự án mỗi dự án 1 tỷ USD xây dựng một Khu công nghiệp sinh học ở Nam Thăng Long và Khu công nghệ cao Sài Đồng A.

Danh sách của Bộ Kế hoạch - Đầu tư công bố còn cập nhật hàng loạt dự án có quy mô đầu tư từ 100 triệu - đến dưới 1 tỷ USD. Các dự án lớn vẫn tập trung vào các trọng điểm đầu tư nước ngoài như các thành phố lớn Hà Nội, TP. Hồ Chí Minh, các tỉnh Khánh Hòa, Đồng Nai, Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu ở phía Nam; Vĩnh Phúc, Bắc Ninh, Quảng Ninh ở phía Bắc. Với danh mục này, Bộ Kế hoạch - Đầu tư tin rằng nếu làm tốt thì khả năng thực hiện và vượt mục tiêu 12 tỷ USD vốn FDI của năm 2007 là trong tầm tay.

Title : Qantas confirms stake in Vietnam's Pacific Airlines
By :
Date : 26 April 2007 2322 hrs (SST)
URL : http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific_business/view/272712/1/.html

SYDNEY : Australian flag-carrier Qantas confirmed on Thursday it had signed an agreement to buy a 30 percent stake in Vietnam's Pacific Airlines, ending months of speculation about the deal.

Qantas chief financial officer Peter Gregg said the Australian airline would help Pacific develop a business plan to re-position itself as a low-cost carrier both internationally and within Vietnam.

He said that under the deal, Pacific would "harmonise" its operations with Qantas' discount offshoot, Jetstar.

"This will be an important investment for the Qantas Group, supporting Jetstars growth strategy and enabling us to extend our reach in Southeast Asia, where we have been actively exploring opportunities," Gregg said in a statement.

He did not reveal the value of the 30 percent stake - the maximum allowed under Vietnam's foreign investment rules - which the Australian Financial Review this week estimated would cost 50 million dollars (US$41.5 million).

Vietnam's State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC), the main shareholder in Pacific Airlines, said in the statement that it chose Qantas because it was one of the best airlines in the world.

"In particular, Qantas had developed Jetstar into one of the most successful low-cost carriers in Asia," SCIC chairwoman Le Thi Bang Tam said.

Gregg said Qantas would be actively involved in managing Pacific Airlines through board representation and executive appointments.

Qantas confirmed in January that it was engaged in talks on buying a stake in the Ho Chi Minh City-based airline.

The Financial Review reported this week that the private consortium bidding to take over Qantas had approved the deal.

The Qantas announcement was made after the Australian Stock Exchange closed, with the airline's shares closing down 0.01 at 5.35 dollars in a rising overall market. - AFP/de

==========================

Look for Pacific Airlines business and services to be improved ten-fold :)
--Capee

Investors eye $35bn in Vietnam

HANOI - The Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment has reported that 38 major foreign investment projects worth US$35 billion are attracting attention from investors.

Terry Gou, president of the Foxconn Group (Taiwan), has unveiled a plan to invest $5 billion in Vietnam and pledged to transfer advanced technology into the country.

The Foxconn president said the group will initially pour $3 billion



into a project to produce high-tech products and set up a joint venture with the Kinh Bac City Group to build new towns with trade and recreational centers, schools and hospitals in northern Bac Ninh and Bac Giang provinces.

Other projects include the 2,640 megawatt (MW)Van Phong coal-fueled power plant in central Khanh Hoa province. The $3.5 billion plant is being considered by Sumitomo from Japan. The next is the 1,200 MW Mong Duong 2 project in northern Quang Ninh province with an investment of $1.46 billion. It is eyed by a joint venture between AES Group (the US) and the Vietnam Coal and Mineral Group.

The third is a southern thermal power project in central Binh Thuan province with an investment of $1.4 billion. It has got attention from an electricity company from Yunnan province, China.

A $3.75 billion project to build a steel factory with a capacity of 4.5 million tonnes a year and exploit iron at the Thach Khe mine in Ha Tinh province has also attracted many foreign investors, including Posco from South Korea, Sunsteel from Taiwan and Tata Steel and Essar from India.

A series of tourism projects dotting the coastline of Vietnam is also attracting interest, while investors from Southeast Asia are eyeing two oil refinery projects, one worth $1.53 billion and the other $1.2 billion.

Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc affirmed that if only one-third of these projects became reality, the country's goal of attracting $12 billion in foreign direct investment this year would be attained.

(VNA)

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Foreign investors eye huge steel projects

Vietnam Steel Corporation (VSC) will soon sign a joint venture agreement with India’s Tata Steel to build a steel complex whose total investment capital may amount to US$3.5 billion.

A VSC official said the two partners would build the complex in Vung Ang Economic Zone in central Ha Tinh Province. The complex will include a steel mill with annual output of 4.5 million tons. It will refine iron ore from Thach Khe mine. The feedstock will be ready for processing following the recent establishment of a mining joint stock company to tap the ore there.

VSC as the country’s biggest steel maker has been involved in many large-scale steel projects. In March, it was awarded an investment certificate to develop a US$$527 million hot-rolled steel mill in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau with India’s Essar and Vietnam General Rubber group.

Meanwhile, E-United Group, one of Taiwan’s leading iron and steel conglomerates, is planning a US$2.8-billion project to build a stainless steel mill in Vietnam.

Company officials have visited the southern province of Dong Nai for the second time to look into the investment environment there. The group plans to develop the project on 500 hectares if the province ensures that there is sufficient infrastructure and the project site is near a river so that it can build a port.

The planned mill will also manufacture hot- and cold-rolled steel. It will be developed in three phases with a total output of some five million tons of carbon steel and one million tons of stainless steel a year.

GS E&C invests in large urban project

South Korea’s GS Engineering & Construction Corporation (GS E&C) has received an investment certificate to develop a 350-hectare new urban town in the outskirt of HCM City.

City vice chairman Nguyen Huu Tin handed out the certificate to Kim Kab Ryul, CEO of GS E&C, allowing the investor to set up GS Nha Be Development One-Member Co. Ltd. to carry out the GS Nha Be Metrocity project. The new company will spend US$189 million developing a new urban town in Phuoc Kieng and Nhon Duc communes in Nha Be, which will include financial centers, apartments, office buildings, shopping centers, and residential areas for sale and lease.

Under the license, the new company also has the right to invite secondary investors to develop the urban town. It will invest in infrastructure in 2009 and 2010 while commercial construction will start in 2011.

In March, the Korean corporation received a license for a 200-hectare golf resort project and initialed an agreement to build a 14-km road in HCM City with a total cost of over US$340 million under the form of land in exchange for infrastructure. It will spend US$42.6 million developing a 36-hole golf course in the outlying district of Cu Chi and US$30 million building the road linking Tan Son Nhat Airport with the outer beltway in Thu Duc District under the build-transfer (BT) form. When in place, the road will help solve the traffic congestion that is forecast to worsen when the airport’s new, larger terminal is put into service this year.

Proforma joins property projects

British Virgin Islands-registered Proforma Asia Ltd. established by Vinacapital has obtained an investment certificate to develop a residential quarter in HCM City.

Vinacapital Phuoc Dien, a joint venture between Proforma Asia and Dien Phuoc Long Real Estate Trading, will develop 55 villas and a 12-story apartment block with 140 units for sale and lease in District 9’s Phuoc Long Ward. According to the HCM City Department of Planning and Investment, the project has total investment of VND178.5 billion (nearly US$11.2 million), with 84% coming from Proforma.

Proforma Asia is also involved in another real estate project with a local partner, which will be licensed soon. The project developed by a joint venture between Proforma Asia and International Consultant will include an apartment building complex in Phu Huu in District 9. The joint venture, named Vinacapital Long Dien, has total investment of more than VND250 billion (US$15.6 million). It will build three 12-story blocks with 442 units for sale and lease.

Tan Thuan EPZ plans hi-tech park

Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone Development Corp., the developer and operator of Tan Thuan EPZ in HCM City’s District 7, plans to build a hi-tech park in the zone.

The corporation has passed a proposal to the HCM City Export Processing Zone and Industrial Park Authority (Hepza) for conversion of nearly 40 hectares in Tan Thuan into the hi-tech park. It will build facilities in the hi-tech park, including those for research and development (R&D), production and services, shopping outlets, conference halls, and healthcare and entertainment centers.

Tan Thuan EPZ has attracted three foreign-invested hi-tech projects - one from Japan’s Renesas Technology Corp., which has pledged to establish a large integrated circuit design center, one from the world’s second biggest IC designer Altera, which plans to set up a design center, and one from Brunei with plans to build a bio-tech factory.

Some local telecom and software companies have invested in the zone as well. FPT Telecom has signed a land lease with Tan Thuan EPZ to build a data center, and Vietnam Data Communication Co., or VDC, also plans a data center there.

Since its debut more than 15 years ago, Tan Thuan EPZ has attracted 165 foreign companies from 14 countries and territories. They have set up 114 factories and exported some US$2 billion worth of goods, 21% of it contributed by hi-tech companies.

Ha Tay licenses three big projects
Ha Tay Province has licensed three sizable local real estate projects. The VND3,178-billion (US$200 million) Tuan Chau Ha Tay eco-tourism and recreation complex will be developed by Tuan Chau Ha Tay Co. in Quoc Oai District. The 225-hectare Dong Mai industrial complex in Ha Dong Town, capitalized at VND1,265 billion, will be developed by Phong Phu Co. A trade center and an office building worth VND488 billion will be built by Chien Thang Garment Co.

• Viet Fashion Company, owner of the famous casual wear brand Ninomaxx, will go public in August. The company will increase its registered capital to VND80 billion from the current VND16 billion by its own equities before equitization. It expects turnover of VND150 billion this year. It runs 50 shops and 30 agents nationwide plus two shops in the U.S.

• Hoa Sen Corp. will invest VND700 billion (US$43 million) in building a factory to produce steel pipes, aluminum bars, plastics and construction materials in Phu My 1 Industrial Park, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province. The project will be put into operation in 2009. Hoa Sen plans to develop a complex of metallurgy facilities, steel mills and paint and plating factories in the park.

• Saigon Securities Incorporation will issue 30 million shares to raise VND1.9 trillion for business expansion. The stock brokerage company will sell 10 million shares and offer 10 million as dividend to existing shareholders, and 10 million to company management, staff and big investors. In the first four months it earned an after-tax profit of VND54.6 billion.

• The beverage company Tribeco will open a soft drink factory in Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park, Binh Duong Province in August. The listed company will also open another factory in Hung Yen Province in December. It expects sales of VND458 billion and an after-tax profit of VND14 billion this year, up 62% on 2006.

• Jiang Tay Jong Corp. will build a votive paper factory in Xuan Phu Commune, Quan Hoa District, Thanh Hoa Province. The Taiwanese company will invest nearly US$1 million in the project, which is due to start operation early next year.

• Vietnam Steel Corporation will issue corporate bonds worth VND400 billion to raise funds for three big projects. The five-year bonds, with a face value of VND100,000, will be underwritten by Vietcombank Securities Company.

(HCM CityWeb) - Thủ tướng Chính phủ yêu cầu các Bộ, ngành, địa phương, tập đoàn kinh tế tận dụng tốt các điều kiện thuận lợi, khai thác tối đa tiềm năng, lợi thế, đẩy mạnh phát triển kinh tế, phấn đấu đạt tăng trương GDP từ 8,5 đến 8,7% vào năm 2008.
Theo chỉ thị ngày 12-6 của Thủ tướng về việc xây dựng kế hoạch phát triển kinh tế-xã hội và dự toán ngân sách nhà nước năm 2008, phấn đấu đạt giá trị tăng thêm của ngành nông, lâm nghiệp, thuỷ sản tăng 3,5-3,7%; ngành công nghiệp, xây dựng tăng 10,5-10,7%; ngành dịch vụ tăng 8,8%-9,0%.
Về xã hội, Chỉ thị nêu rõ nâng cao năng lực khoa học công nghệ ở trong nước; đổi mới mạnh hơn nữa các lĩnh vực giáo dục, đào tạo, y tế, văn hoá, thể thao đi đôi với việc thực hiện tốt chủ trương xã hội hoá các lĩnh vực này; đẩy mạnh công tác giảm nghèo, giải quyết một cách tích cực và hiệu quả các vấn đề xã hội phát sinh trong quá trình thực thi cam kết WTO...
Chỉ thị nêu rõ các nhiệm vụ bảo vệ môi trường, đẩy mạnh cải cách hành chính, thực hành tiết kiệm, chống lãng phí, tăng cường công tác phòng, chống tham nhũng và tăng cường củng cố quốc phòng, an ninh, giữ vững độc lập dân tộc và trật tự an toàn xã hội.
Theo chỉ thị, dự toán ngân sách nhà nước năm 2008 phải được cơ cấu lại theo hướng vừa tạo điều kiện thúc đẩy tăng trưởng kinh tế ở mức cao hơn, vừa xử lý có hiệu quả các vấn đề xã hội, thúc đẩy nhanh công cuộc xoá đói, giảm nghèo, phấn đầu thực hiện công bằng xã hội đồng thời bảo đảm các vấn đề an ninh tài chính quốc gia.

NS. (Theo TTXVN)
Hope Vietnam Economy can reach that speed.

VietNamNet Bridge - Former Secretary of Commerce of President Bill Clinton’s administration, William Daley, said it was possible that the US’ direct investment in Vietnam would begin taking off within the next five years.



Mr Daley, currently a Chairman of JP Morgan Chase, believes that US investment into Vietnam will rapidly increase because Vietnam is now ‘on the radar screens’ of US investors, including JP Morgan Chase.



On his first visit to Vietnam, Mr Daley talked with VietNamNet Editor-in-chief Nguyen Anh Tuan about US-Vietnam relations on the occasion of the upcoming visit to the US by Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet.



Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet is about to officially visit the US in the next several days. In your opinion, what opportunities will this trip create for US-Vietnam relations?
The visit of a chief of state to another country is always a good chance to develop bilateral ties. So I think that the upcoming visit by President Nguyen Minh Triet is a wonderful opportunity for US leaders and people to understand more clearly about Vietnam.



I know that Mr Triet will visit New York, Washington and Los Angeles, three important cities of America. However, as a Chicago citizen, I still hope that a Vietnamese leader will visit Chicago, which is called the “Heartland of America”.



Mr Triet’s visit is an opportunity to talk about changes in Vietnam, especially an opportunity for Mr Triet to share his vision about Vietnam in the next 5 or 10 years, about the goals that Vietnam aims to achieve in the coming time.



I also want to say that at those meetings, the two sides should aim for more profound and comprehensive awareness of trade issues between the two countries. The more trade exchanges, the more problems emerge. The only way to avoid trade conflicts is no goods exchange, but nobody likes this because international trade benefits all countries.



In some aspects, commercial conflicts between Vietnam and the US are a sign of the increasing value of Vietnam-US economic ties.



In a recent issue of Foreign Affairs magazine, some American researchers said that it was time for Vietnam and the US to build a better partnership. What do you think about this?
I think President Bush and his administration have made positive contributions to the development of Vietnam-US relations.



The government of any US president is always interested in ties with Vietnam and will make efforts to develop the ties widely and better. I believe in and am optimistic about this.



About the development of Vietnam-US ties, I think that the two sides should try their best to expand the scope of relations, not only in economics and trade. We should not forget other fields with potential, such as education cooperation.



Another thing is the role of the community of Vietnamese Americans. I’ve met many Vietnam Americans in different regions, in different circumstances and of different generations. The y oung see a new Vietnam with new ties. Cooperation in education, culture, tourism will be good ways to create sustainable connections.



The upcoming trip by President Triet is expected to encourage US companies to invest more in Vietnam. Do you think so?
I don’t think so. The strongest statements were made by the US government when the two countries normalised their relations, and the US supported Vietnam’s WTO accession.



Big opportunities in Vietnam make Americans realise the activeness and the great potentials of the Vietnamese economy. On the way to the airport (Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi), you can feel it clearly and get a sense of the dynamics of the Vietnamese economy.



The global community of businesses is very dynamic and I don’t think we (US investors) have to wait till the US government tells us about it.



Many think that the US will be the largest investor in Vietnam. However, the US currently ranks sixth among foreign investors in Vietnam. What should Vietnam do to attract more investment from the US?



I don’t know specific statistics but I can say that previously American companies focused their investment in China. For a long time, those projects didn’t yield profit, but recently they have begun to reap profit.



US investors are seeking new opportunities, particularly in Asia, including Vietnam. I think Vietnam can be a destination for direct investment of the US because Vietnam is now appearing on the radar screens of US investors.



I would not be surprised if five years from now the US’ direct investment in Vietnam was increasing rapidly. Perhaps the US will not be the top investor but its investment will surely increase.



What should Vietnam do to compete with China in FDI attraction?



I don’t think any country should directly compete with China. All nations look at the current situation and think that they must compete with China. However, governments must determine their own situations, competitive advantages and seek their own directions.



Through Vietnam News, I know that the Vietnamese government is in the re-organisation and restructuring process in an effort to become more effective. I applaud those efforts by the Vietnamese government. That’s the big step that each government must perform to adapt and to send a message to the private sector that the government is serious about creating differences in legal aspects and to help the state machinery operate more effectively and to focus on dealing with the biggest issues.



As a former government official, and now a businessman, do you see any differences in Vietnam?
Actually, in the two positions, as an official of the White House and a businessman, I see many similar things. I want to emphasise that globalisation has changed the outlook of Americans and has made them pay more attention to Vietnam.



Americans’ recognition of Vietnam’s vast potential and the possibilities of gaining more in the relations with Vietnam are shown through the US’ support for Vietnam’s accession to the WTO. I want to emphasise the meaning of this to enterprises.



But as you know, there are many difficulties that accompany normal changes in countries. Some businessmen don’t properly evaluate or understand the value of those changes.



We, JP Morgan Chase, with rich experience in Eastern Asian countries, are very pleased with the changes in Vietnam. Two months ago, JP Morgan Chase’s Chairman came to Vietnam to learn about these opportunities.



We are in the process of infiltrating deeper into the Vietnamese market in the field of banking. We see many big opportunities. We are researching and considering the possibility of bringing financial resources into Vietnam. But we want to study very carefully to build a long-term and proper business strategy in Vietnam.



But JP Morgan Chase has still not entered the Vietnamese market. What do you think about this fact?



We are in the preparation phase and we are making great efforts. We want to do the right things. Vietnam’s WTO commitments have changed the banking system of Vietnam. We expect that those commitments will be executed well.



I can’t confirm the specific time that JP Morgan Chase will enter Vietnam, but in fact, our leaders are seriously considering taking part in the Vietnamese market in the context of normal changes happening in Vietnam.



We understand that everything is changing very quickly in Vietnam. And we want to be part of those changes and dynamics.



What do you need from the market and the government of Vietnam to decide to enter the Vietnamese market?



The most important thing is not what the Vietnamese government would do but what we could do and contribute in Vietnam. Of course, we also have to see what we could do in other places in the world.



With what things are happening, I think Vietnam is on the right path. We want to be a long-term player in Vietnam.

Agreements worth 4.3 billion USD were signed between businesses from Viet Nam and the Republic of Korea at an investment forum in Seoul, on May 23.

Addressing the Investment, Trade and Tourism Forum, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung stressed that Viet Nam, as a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), has worked hard to improve upon its legal system and create more favourable conditions for investors.

The signed projects include a massive 4 billion USD integrated steel mill between steel maker Posco and the Viet Nam Shipbuilding Industry Group (Vinashin), a 240 million USD pulp mill between the Nghe An Pulp Joint Stock Company and Samsung Corp., and a 45 million USD fabric factory between the Taechang Company, the Viet Nam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex) and the Thien Nam Company.

The forum was one of the highlights of the “Viet Nam Days in the Republic of Korea” programme being run by the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Vietnamese Embassy in the RoK to mark the 15th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The RoK was one of the largest investors in Viet Nam with a total investment of close to 6 billion USD, the signing of the new deals is to almost double that investment.-Enditem

Almost 4.37 billion USD in foreign direct investment (FDI) was pumped into the red-hot Vietnamese economy in the first five months of the year, reported the Ministry of Planning and Investment’s Foreign Investment Department.

Over 3.7 billion USD was funnelled into an additional 372 new projects, while the remaining 577 million USD was used as additional investments in previously licensed or operating businesses. FDI investment capital recorded a 25 percent increase over the same period last year and the number of newly licensed initiatives surged by 32 percent.

Analysts said that the majority of the investments were finding their way into the agro-forestry and fisheries, industry and service sectors, in southern coastal Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, central Thua Thien-Hue province and Mekong delta Hau Giang province.

Topping the list of major projects to get off the ground were an Indian 527 million USD steel producing facility in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, a 276 million USD deluxe resort in the Chan May economic zone in Thua Thien-Hue province and a 220 million USD paper and pulp mill financed by Thailand’s Kraf Vina, in southern Binh Duong province.

Market observers have pointed to Viet Nam’s improving business and investment environment and its adherence to international economic commitments as key drivers in attracting FDI into the country.

According to the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), Viet Nam's business environment now ranks third in Asia, after China and Thailand.

Coupled with a highly productive low cost labour force, pundits have predicted that the South East Asian nation would surpass the 5.2 billion USD mark in the first half of the year, a year-on-year rise of 31 percent. -Enditem

The economic partnership agreements between Viet Nam and Japan expected to broaden trade and investment opportunities between the two countries.

After two days of discussions, the third negotiation of Vietnamese – Japanese Economic Partnership Agreements in Tokyo ended with mutual agreements in the field of investment, industry, agriculture and labor.

Both countries want to complete the negotiations within the year, therefore it is advantageous that the next meeting is planned to take place in Viet Nam in July.

Mr. Nguyen Trung Dung, the Vietnamese Commercial Counselor in Japan spoke of the advantages of this agreement. He said that with the adding of many kinds of unpaid custom duty goods, Vietnamese products will have the opportunity to enter Japan’s market.

The cooperation between the two countries will also boost Viet Nam’s investment and tourism, it will cause demand for some of Viet Nam’s resources and will help to develop the culture. He also commented that Viet Nam can gain financial and technological support through cooperation with Japan with regards to scientific technologies, electrical commerce, finance and banking.

The problem caused by the technological barrier between the two countries was discussed at length; the Japanese have strict rules governing the sanitation of food products and worried that these levels did not compare to those of Viet Nam.

The two nations have since decided to accept one another’s certificates of food hygiene and quality, and will examine results for some fields to simplify the Japanese strict custom rules for food import quality.

Experts predicted that after the agreements, the bilateral trade volume will reach USD$18 billion in 2010.

Mr. Dung confirmed that Japanese businesses are interested in the Vietnamese market and they are willing to import Vietnamese high quality products.

He also advised that Vietnamese companies carefully prepare and inspect the quality of their products, packaging, and especially their capacity to provide large orders.

Since Viet Nam became the 150th member of the World Trade Organization, a multi-billion-dollar wave of investment has begun washing onto its shores from many of the world’s leading hi-tech manufacturers.

From Japanese…
apan heads the list of foreign countries investing in Viet Nam. Big names such as Sanyo, Matsushita, Sony, Fujitsu, Toshiba, Panasonic and Nidec have already built large factories in Viet Nam and are now expanding or planning to expand in a major way.

Canon, which is investing US$100 million to manufacture printers in Ha Noi’s Thang Long Industrial Zone, plans to spend hundreds of millions to build a factory in Bac Ninh, also in the north. The Japanese company wants to make Viet Nam its biggest printer-manufacturing center in the world, turning out 700,000 products per month and earning US$1 billion a year.

Nidec Corporation has built more than USD$100 million worth of factories in Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone in the last ten years, and recently commissioned two factories in Saigon Hi-tech Park (SHTP) in District 9. In all, Nidec intends to invest US$1 billion to build ten factories taking up 33 hectares of SHTP.
…to American and Taiwanese
http://www.saigon-gpdaily.com.vn/dataimages/original/images131400_intel.jpg
A model of the planned Intel factory in Saigon Hi-tech Park

The US chipmaker Intel is following the Japanese lead by building a billion-dollar chip assembly and testing plant on 4.6 hectares of SHTP.

Saigon Hi-Tech Park is also the home of a 100-million-dollar project by Jabil, described as a “leading electronics solutions company providing comprehensive electronics design, production and product management services to global electronics and technology companies”.

The Taiwanese are another bunch looking at Viet Nam and its cheap labor. IT company Foxcoon will invest US$5 billion to build factories in the northern provinces of Bac Ninh and Bac Giang, and the TECO group is teaming up with Saigon Invest Group and SaigonTel Corp for a billion-dollar project called the Software Park Center in Thu Thiem, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City.

Turning Viet Nam into an R&D center

Foreign companies are also planning to build research and development centers in Viet Nam. Their ranks include Matsushita Electric, which makes the famous Panasonic brand, Jabil, and Renesas Technology Corp, to name but a few.

The opportunity to draw billions of dollars in foreign direct investment from the world’s leading hi-tech firms is constantly increasing. According to experts, the Vietnamese authorities should do their bit by building the basic infrastructure and providing the right kind of training to suit the needs of these foreign investors.

At a press conference in Ha Noi on May 29, the World Bank released a report updating Viet Nam’s economic development. Accordingly, Viet Nam’s GDP growth rate is expected to reach 8% - 8.5% by the end of the year.

The World Bank also forecasted foreign direct investment in Viet Nam to have doubled by the end of 2007, compared with 2005 figures. The country’s foreign currency reserve amounted to US$ 12 billion at year-end 2006 and to date, it has increased by US$ 3 billion.

However, the World Bank has warned that Viet Nam may have to cope with inflation once again in the near future, having seen a flat inflation rate for some time.

According to the World Bank, the Consultative Group in Quang Ninh on June 1 and 2 will hold an informal 2-day meeting. The meeting will discuss the results of Viet Nam’s last six months of national socioeconomic development whilst also revising and outlining related plans for the remainder of the year. The assembly will assess the results of the recent Vietnamese government and WTO anti-corruption campaigns, discuss challenges to economic development and evaluate the efficiency of investments financed by official development aids.
In related news, also on May 29, the European Commission Delegation together with the German Embassy, held a meeting to publicize the Green Book, which analyzes the business environment in Viet Nam.

Dr. Markus Cornaro, the German Ambassador, and the leader of the European Commission Delegation said that the European Community is both Vietnam’s second-largest export market and is one of Viet Nam’s top trade partners. Although the growth rate of bilateral trade between Viet Nam and the EC has reached 18% (approximately US $ 10 billion), it does not reflect the potential of the trade relationship between the two.

When asked about the business environment in Viet Nam, Mr. Christian Ludwig Weber Lortsch, the German Ambassador in Viet Nam, said that Viet Nam should diversify its exports. The fact that only a few commodities such as garments, shoes and leathers, seafood, coffee and furniture are exported to European countries cannot guarantee a stable export rate for Viet Nam as it must import raw materials at fluctuating prices.

Interested readers in the Green Book can visit the site http://www.delvnm.ec.europa.eu.

The capital city expects to attract 125 new foreign-invested projects with a total registered capital of about US$820 million by the end of June, said the Ha Noi Department of Planning and Investment.

Twenty-two existing projects have increased their registered capital by a combined US$110 million in the first half of the year.

The total new FDI of US$930 million reflects a year-on-year increase of 26 per cent in capital and 27 per cent in the number of projects.

Among major new projects are a Keangnam hotel, shopping and apartment complex worth US$500 million; an US$80 million five-star hotel; and a US$50 million new urban area.

The Ha Noi People's Committee has also recently published a call-for-investment listing 90 additional projects, including 33 in the commercial services sector, 24 in sports and educational facilities, and 18 in infrastructure development. The remainder included building and industrial projects.

In order to attract more foreign investment, the People's Committee has pledged to continue the city's "one-stop" policy to create a favourable investment climate.

It will also ask relevant sectors and district-level People's Committee to quickly carry out land clearance and compensations as well as issue stricter policies to prevent land from sitting idle in the hands of investors who are slow to implement licensed projects.

The recent establishment of Tan phu IZ in Tan Phu District has increased the total number of IZ in Dong Nai to 23. In the first 4 months of this year, Dong Nai Province has welcomed 13 new FDI-projects with a total invested-capital of US$77,6 million and VND348,705 billion and 2 overseas investment capital projects.

In the same time, 25 entrepreneurs raised their capital to US$167,679 million; as the result, the total investment capital reached US$283,3 million and VND348,705 billion in the past 4 months. Until now, Dong Nai Province has attracted totally 866 projects of 31 countries and territories with total investment capital are US$9,157,183 billion. The number will be higher to US$9,962 billion, thanks to 122 projects outside IZs. The number shows that the IZs growth and their total attracted capital are still stably up, even not as high as before.

Nearly US$10 billion investment capital in 15 years helpfully has boosted up Dong Nai’s industrialization and modernization. The IZs in the province create directly 280.000 jobs and indirectly the same jobs. Moreover, infrastructure investment in the IZs both creates jobs in the labor of construction and consumes a large amount of building materials such as cement, timber, brick, etc.

Inspired of the above good number, in the past time, Dong Nai has not been ranked in the top three FDI as before, consequently raising a question that whether Dong Nai is no longer attractive to investors’ so that they move to others provinces. However, according to the Planning and Investment Department of Dong Nai, its total FDI in this year is likely to reach US$1 or 1.2 billion from projects awaiting to be approved, estimating hundreds millions dollar per project. If these all projects are deployed, FDI of Dong Nai will not stop at US$10 billion.

Ho Chi Minh City by late April had licensed 124 FDI projects with a total registered capital of US$368 million, the municipal People's Committee reported.

Another 10 FDI projects worth nearly US$600 million are now waiting for investment licenses, which will be granted to investors soon, it added.

The city's export turnover, excluding crude oil, reached US$2.3 billion in the first quarter of this year, a year-on-year increase of 8.2 percent.

The municipal administration also reported good growth in all other economic areas.

Exports of the neighbouring province of Dong Nai in the first four months also surged, reaching US$1.64 billion. Foreign-invested enterprises with major staples of electronic components, footwear, food and textiles accounted for over 90 percent of the figure.

The province has set a target of US$5 billion in export value this year, accounting for 10 percent of the country's total figure.