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Singapore has made the top 10 rankings of the most competitive places for talent - the first time it has reached the elite level in a league table compiled by Swiss business school IMD. ​

The proposal of imposing consumption tax on mobile phones, according to experts, is both contrary to common practice, as well as the characteristics of goods subject to special sales tax.

Although mobile phones are essential goods, Ho Chi Minh City proposed to include them into the list of products subject to special consumption tax to prevent erosion of the state budget.

Japanese investment in Vietnam is expected to grow this year, given Japan’s recent initiative to shift investment to Vietnam and other Mekong River nations, as well as free trade agreements (FTA), experts said.

"In order to encourage business households to become enterprises, it is important to have a favourable, trustworthy and attractive environment."

Although there have been some positive signs in recent years, Vietnam’s sea transport sector still face difficulties with many enterprises suffering heavy losses. The maritime industry is proposing support mechanisms to help the sector out of its stagnant state.

The Netherlands-based Uber BV Company has completed its remaining tax arrears payment of 53 billion VND (2.26 million USD), immediately after the firm withdrew its petition against the Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Tax department.

The maritime shipping sector is facing difficulties caused by strong drops in its workforce.

The changes in tax policy and investment incentives are the issues of greatest concern for foreign investors in Vietnam, said Bui Ngoc Tuan, Deputy General Director of the Audit and Advisory firm Deloitte Vietnam at a workshop on in Hanoi on July 10.

Lawmakers have voiced their support for extending the scope of the draft revised Anti-Corruption Law to the non-state sector to conform with the international trend and requirements of the current fight against corruption.

Experts’ reactions to the Ministry of Finance’s (MoF) tax adjustment draft have been mixed, while the business community struggles to keep up with the variety of proposed tax hikes.

The State Audit of Vietnam (SAV) has proposed the Hanoi Beer Alcohol and Beverage JSC (Habeco) pay the State budget 1.85 trillion VND (81 million USD) in tax liabilities.

Payments for e-commerce transactions must be made via banks or authorised payment intermediary services, according to the draft of the amended Law on Tax Management.

The Ministry of Finance has proposed a tax on houses depending on their construction value as part of a draft law on property tax.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has asked the Ministry of Finance to remove the special consumption tax for locally-manufactured auto parts.

Ho Chi Minh City's Tax Department plans to continue to collect taxes from online businesses that use Facebook and other social media sites.

The Ministry of Finance has proposed the Government raise the individual income tax imposed on capital/securities transfer to 2 percent for trades not registered to the Vietnam Securities Depository (VSD) and not made on the securities market.

The Ministry of Finance is proposing to levy a special consumption tax of 10 percent on sweet drinks to combat child and adult obesity rates.

The Long An Border Gate Economic Zone in the Mekong Delta province of Long An is identified as an economic, cultural-social centre in the province, an official said.

A rapidly growing gap between rich and poor in many developing East Asian nations is threatening the foundation for the region's economic success, the World Bank said in a report released on December 4.