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Vietnamese Ambassador to Croatia Nguyen Thi Bich Thao. (Photo: Marija Katić)

Huge potential for Vietnam – Croatia cooperation: Ambassador

Both Vietnam and Croatia boast great potential for stronger cooperation by bringing into full play each other’s strengths and competitive advantages, says Vietnamese Ambassador to Croatia Nguyen Thi Bich Thao.

Thao, in a recent interview granted to Vietnam News Agency on 30 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries this year, said Vietnam and Croatia have maintained contacts and meetings both bilaterally and multilaterally. The two countries have signed a number of important agreements, creating the legal corridor for their cooperation and development, especially in diplomacy, economy and trade.

As Vietnam and Croatia have many world-famous landscapes and long coastlines, they have great potential for cooperation in tourism, marine economy, and logistics, as well as people-to-people exchanges, said the diplomat.

According to her, Vietnam is ready to act as a gateway for Croatian commodities to penetrate the Vietnamese and ASEAN markets. The two countries also strengthen cooperation within the frameworks of the ASEAN-EU partnership and Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), as well as in the fields of peacekeeping, climate change response, and humanitarian assistance, cited VOV.

Marking 30 years of diplomatic ties this year, Thao said the two countries will increase visit exchanges, work out new cooperation mechanisms, and expand parliamentary cooperation. They will increase cooperation in potential fields with complementary strengths such as food processing, logistics, energy transition, high technology, digital economy, and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

The two countries will consider signing cooperation agreements in other fields such as culture, sports, education, tourism, and labor; establish an intergovernmental committee on economic cooperation; effectively and fully implement the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), and the pending EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).

At the same time, she said they will focus on providing information and building trade and investment promotion programs to create conditions for the two countries’ business communities to understand more about each other’s business and investment environments.

The ambassador also revealed that Vietnam will appoint an honorary consul in Zagreb to promote bilateral relations, especially in the field of economics and trade, and to support Vietnamese citizens in Croatia.

FDI inflow into Vietnam up 13.1% in six months

Vietnam attracted nearly US$15.2 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first six months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 13.1%, according to the General Statistics Office.

Foreign investors registered nearly US$9.54 billion in 1,538 new projects, up 46.9% in capital and 18.9% in the project number as compared to the same time last year, according to VNA.

Inside Jasan textile and dyeing firm in Hai Phong city (Photo: VNA)

Meanwhile, 592 projects had their capital adjusted up, with a total amount of US$3.95 billion, down 6.3% and up 35% year-on-year, respectively.

Capital contributions and share purchases fell 57.7% year-on-year to US$1.7 billion.

Some US$10.84 billion in FDI was disbursed over the six-month span, rising 8.2% against the same time last year.

Foreign investors injected their capital in 18 out of 21 economic sectors in the country, with the processing and manufacturing industry attracting the largest investment of US$10.69 billion, or 70.4% of the total, followed by realty sector (over US$2.47 billion), wholesale and retail sale industry (US$614 million), and professional, scientific and technological activities (over US$452 million).

Registering nearly US$5.58 billion in Vietnam, Singapore was the largest investor among 84 countries and territories with investment in the country, accounting for around 36.7% of total FDI in the reviewed period and representing a year-on-year surge of 86%. Japan came second with more than US$1.73 billion, followed by Hong Kong (China), the Republic of Korea, and China.

The foreign investors funneled their capital into 48 cities and provinces across the nation, with Bac Ninh leading in FDI attraction with US$2.58 billion. In the second and third places were Ba Ria – Vung Tau and Quang Ninh, with corresponding FDI of some US$1.54 billion and US$1.36 billion.

PM encourages close bond between Vietnam and RoK

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, upon arriving in Seoul for an official visit to the Republic of Korea on June 30, met with Korean friends who have made great contributions to Vietnam – RoK relations.

At the meeting, the Korean friends expressed their satisfaction about the positive development of Vietnam – RoK relations in recent times, and said they believe in the bright prospects of the new partnership framework established by the two countries last year.

They briefed on their activities in the RoK, saying they have carried out activities to support Vietnamese expatriates in their host country, and to connect and promote bilateral cooperation in economics, labor, culture, tourism, science and technology, health, education, and people-to-people exchanges, as well as supporting Vietnam on related regional and international issues.

Affirming the close bonds between the two countries, they said they would continue to support Vietnam in its development process and at the same time serve as a bridge to further foster Vietnam – RoK relations, VOV reported.

Photo: VOV

Kwon Seong-teck, vice president of the Korea - Vietnam Economic and Cultural Association (KOVECA), said KOVECA will continue to do its best to connect Korean and Vietnamese businesses and localities.

KOVECA will focus on people-to-people exchanges, environmental protection and climate change response, while providing technology and experience to develop rural and agricultural development in Vietnam, Kwon said.

Meanwhile, Lee Shin-jae, chairman of the Korea - Vietnam Friendship Association (KOVIFA), said that KOVIFA encourages its businesses to invest heavily in Vietnam. The association wishes to act as a bridge not only in the cultural and social fields but also in economic development.

PM Pham Minh Chinh for his part thanked the Korean friends for their heartfelt support and assistance they have given to Vietnam over the years. He briefed them on the close bond between Vietnam and the RoK, saying after experiencing upheavals in history both countries established diplomatic relations in 1992.

Bilateral relations have since developed vigorously with many gains reaped in various fields, noted Chinh.

According to the PM, the RoK is currently Vietnam’s largest investor, second largest development cooperation and tourism partner and third largest labor and trade partner. On the basis of political trust, cultural similarities, geographical proximity, economic complementarity, and shared strategic interests, the two countries decided to upgrade their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2022.

He particularly singled out people-to-people exchanges between the two countries as a pillar in bilateral relations. Currently, there are about 100,000 Korean expatriates in Vietnam, while more than 270,000 Vietnamese nationals are residing in the RoK. The two countries also have more than 80,000 Korean-Vietnamese multicultural families.

The two States and Governments always create opportunities and conditions to ensure the legal and legitimate rights and interests of the two communities, he said.

Chinh affirmed that Vietnam attaches great importance to the relationship with the RoK and it wishes to facilitate bilateral cooperation commensurate with the new partnership framework.

He on this occasion called on Korean investors, businesses, and people to continue to show affection for Vietnam, and to invest and do business in the country, assuring that they will be treated fairly and equally, contributing to the friendship, strength and prosperity of the two countries.

HCM City, Hanoi listed as emergers in Cushman & Wakefield’s Inclusive Cities Barometer

Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi have been listed as emergers in the Asia-Pacific region in the first Inclusive Cities Barometer recently released by Cushman & Wakefield, a leading global real estate services firm.

Emergers are cities that are witnessing emerging pockets of progress aimed at addressing social and urban inclusivity for their citizens.

According to Cushman & Wakefield, Ho Chi Minh City stands out with its favorable levels of population density, high levels of health care access and affordable residential renting.

Hanoi’s Top 3 drivers include higher levels of gender equality, comparatively affordable housing and lower levels of transport costs. (Photo: VNA)

Meanwhile, Hanoi’s Top 3 drivers include higher levels of gender equality, comparatively affordable housing and lower levels of transport costs.

The Inclusive Cities Barometer evaluates the inclusiveness of 44 cities in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa and 35 APAC cities, based on nearly 9,000 data points, 110 metrics across 4 dimensions and 12 subdimensions.

The cities represented in the Barometer are at varying stages of their journey towards more inclusive and vibrant urban environments. Instead of ranking cities by performance, it measures their progress relative to these starting points, highlighting exemplary successes and providing an actionable roadmap for improvement.

Vietnam assumes rotary chair of ASEAN Committee in Czech Republic

Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Duong Hoai Nam received the rotary chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague (ACP) from Malaysian Ambassador Suzilah Mohd Sidek at the 26th meeting of the ACP in Prague.

At the event, Ambassador Nam shared information on the Vietnam – Czech Republic relations, and affirmed that the traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries continue their robust growth momentum in all areas towards the 75th anniversary of the diplomatic ties, VNA reported.

Ambassador Duong Hoai Nam receives the rotary chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague from Malaysian Ambassador Suzilah Mohd Sidek. (Photo: QT)

He proposed several initiatives to carry out the ACP’s activities in the remainders of the year such as celebration of the 57th ASEAN founding anniversary, ASEAN Film Week, and ASEAN goods and culinary culture fair.

ASEAN ambassadors spoke highly of the committee’s activities in the first half of the year, with the highlights being the ASEAN cuisine and culture festival in May and ASEAN consumer goods and cuisine fair in June, saying they contributed to promoting solidarity, the role of the committee and its image in the host nation.

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