Vietnam News Today (Nov. 11): Vietnam Calls for Global Approach to Crisis at ASEAN Business Investment Summit

Getting vaccinated against Covid-19. Photo: VNA

Vietnam logs 416 new Covid-19 cases on November 10

The national Covid-19 caseload rose to 11,507,540 with 416 new cases recorded on November 10, according to the Ministry of Health.

With 153 patients given the all clear during the day, the number of recoveries rose to 10,605,468.

Meanwhile, there are 57 patients needing breathing support, cited VNA.

No death from Covid-19 was recorded in the past 24 hours. The total fatalities stood at 43,166.

As of the end of November 9, the total number of doses of Covid-19 vaccines injected was 262,457,461 with 27,374 doses administered on November 9.

Vietnam calls for global approach to crisis at ASEAN Business Investment Summit

ASEAN should form a global approach and devise solutions to address global challenges, weather crisis and maintain the post-pandemic economic recovery, suggested Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh while delivering a speech at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit 2022 in Cambodia on November 10.

PM Chinh noted that the world is evolving and is facing numerous risks and complications, requiring all 10 ASEAN member states and their partner countries to work together to overcome these issues. He singled out the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit for its role as the biggest business forum in the region that has put forward and implemented several breakthrough solutions, thereby bringing about long-term benefits to businesses and people, according to VOV.

Amid global complications, PM Chinh suggested that the Governments, businesses, and ASEAN stakeholders effectively implement the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework adopted by regional leaders at the 37th ASEAN Summit, and other adopted initiatives focusing on recovery, digitalization, and sustainability, while promoting the application of scientific and technological advances to accelerate green recovery.

Furthermore, he said the ASEAN business community should seek to fully grasp the opportunities brought about by the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the largest regional free trade agreement that makes up 30% of global GDP and 30% of the world’s population, in an attempt to expand market linkages, develop production and value chains, and harmonize regulations on product traceability, customs procedures, quarantine, and technical standards.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh addresses the ASEAN Business and Iinvestment Summit 2022 in Cambodia on November 10. Photo: VOV

The head of the Vietnamese Government also suggested that the bloc effectively implement the ASEAN Consolidated Strategy on Fourth Industrial Revolution and the ASEAN Agreement on E-commerce by strongly accelerating digital transformation and investing in digital infrastructure development to further facilitate regional connectivity and economic recovery.

According to the Vietnamese PM, the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC) should bring into full play its pioneering role in undertaking cooperation activities, promoting innovation and technology transfer, accelerating the transition to a circular economy model, saving resources, and protecting the environment.

Underlining the need to further strengthen public-private cooperation, PM Chinh suggested that businesses closely accompany governments in putting forward initiatives in order to promote a more resilient and sustainable regional economy.

He went on to affirm that Vietnam, an active and responsible member of ASEAN and the international community, is fully committed to creating the best possible business environment for a swift post-pandemic recovery and sustainable development.

Vietnam is willing to cooperate with other regional countries and partners as it strives to enhance digital infrastructure connectivity, towards creating a region of equal and sustainable digital development, while accompanying businesses throughout the region and its partners to make the most of business and investment opportunities, he said.

PM Chinh is currently in Phnom Penh to participate in ASEAN summits and related meetings, including ASEAN + 1, ASEAN + 3, East Asia Summit, and the US-ASEAN summit from November 11 to 13 at the invitation of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Prime Minister meets Philippine President in Cambodia

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met President of the Philippines Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos on November 10 on the occasion of they both attending the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

PM Chinh congratulated the Philippine Government and people on their achievements over the past years, especially in controlling Covid-19 and maintaining high economic growth.

President Marcos expressed his belief that Vietnam will score greater successes in renewal process and global integration. He also welcomed the upcoming Philippine visit by Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

The two leaders expressed their satisfaction about the growing bilateral strategic partnership despite Covid-19 and spoke highly of the effective maintenance of high-level exchanges and meetings. Two-way trade hit an all-time high of US$6.8 billion last year and nearly US$5.4 billion in the first eight months of this year.

Sharing the view that there remains ample room to further deepen the bilateral strategic partnership, both sides agreed to promote all-level visits. PM Chinh suggested that the two sides coordinate to make the best preparation for the upcoming Philippine visit by NA Chairman Hue.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) and President of the Philippines Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos. Photo: VNA

He proposed the two countries enhance trade, including in rice, while considering the removal of unnecessary barriers to create better investment environment for each other’s companies. He also took the occasion to ask the Philippines to continue offering support to the Vietnamese community to live and do business there.

Agreeing with PM Chinh’s proposals, President Marcos urged both sides to foster economic-trade-investment, national defense-security cooperation, especially maritime, education-training, labor, culture, tourism, locality-to-locality and people-to-people links. He called for attention to sharing experience in energy security, climate change response, digital transformation, hi-tech and offering mutual support to fight national disasters and epidemics.

On global and regional issues of shared concern, the two leaders agreed that Vietnam and the Philippines need to strengthen consultation and support each other at regional and global organizations, especially at ASEAN and the United Nations.

They vowed to support each other and maintain the unity and centrality of ASEAN, reported VNA.

Regarding the South China Sea issue, they pledged to uphold the principles of settling disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).

On the occasion, President Marcos invited PM Chinh to pay an official visit to the Philippines soon at a time convenient for both sides.

Vietnam sets 6.5% GDP growth rate target for 2023

The National Assembly passed a resolution on socio-economic development tasks for 2023 at its year-end session on November 10, with GDP projected to expand by 6.5%.

Among other major indicators, GDP per capita is expected to rise to about US$4,400; processing and manufacturing are anticipated to make up about 25.4 – 25.8% of GDP; and the consumer price index is estimated at about 4.5%.

According to the resolution, priority will be given to closely monitoring market developments and promptly identifying risks to introduce feasible solutions, including financial and monetary policies, to stabilize the macro-economy, control inflation and support economic recovery.

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and other NA Vice Chairmen press the buttons to approve the resolution on socio-economic development tasks for 2023.

It’s noteworthy that the resolution emphasizes the need to effectively implement Covid-19 prevention and control measures, and be well prepared to cope with emerging diseases.

The resolution asks for more efforts to be made to completely address the shortage of human resources, drugs, equipment, and other medical biological products, promote domestic production of medical equipment, and improve the living conditions of healthcare workers, cited VOV.

The resolution also requests that the Government accelerate the progress of key transport infrastructure construction projects, including approved urban railway projects and highway and ring road projects, and at the same time remove obstacles to put into operations large power projects such as Thai Binh 2, Nghi Son 2, Duyen Hai 2 and Van Phong 1.

State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs meets OVs in Australia

A delegation led by Vice Chairman of State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (SCOV) Mai Phan Dung had meetings with representatives of Vietnamese associations in Australia during their visit to Australia from November 6-10, 2022.

Vietnamese expats in Australia were updated on Vietnam’s policies and legal regulations related to OVs in general, and those to encourage overseas Vietnamese entrepreneurs and intellectuals to work, invest and do business in Vietnam, WVR reported.

The delegation meets with OVs in Canberra, Australia. Photo: WVR

The delegation acknowledged opinions and contributions of experts and intellectuals, including proposals to connect Vietnamese intellectuals abroad with enterprises in the homeland to accelerate the application of scientific research to practice; promoting knowledge transfer instead of technology transfer, and strengthening activities to preserve the Vietnamese culture and language.

Vice Chairman Dung expressed his hope that Vietnamese associations in Australia will further enhance connection with the homeland, and those in other countries, thus making more contributions to Vietnam’s development through bilateral cooperation programmes between Vietnam and Australia, especially in potential fields such hi-tech agriculture, artificial intelligence, human resource development.

The official said the Commission will make every effort to remove difficulties and provide practical support for OVs abroad in general and in Australia in particular.

The Vietnamese community in Australia counts more than 350,000 people. In the past 10 years, more and more Vietnamese associations and unions have been established.