Vietnamplus

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha proposed four major cooperation agenda in the virtual 3rd Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) Leaders’ Meeting, chaired by Laos on August 24.

Complementary cooperation is one of ASEAN's strengths in forging cooperation with any other powers, and will provide ASEAN with advantage in the era of Indo-Pacific competition and post-COVID-19 pandemic order, said a Malaysian expert.

Despite being hit hard by falling oil prices and COVID-19 in the first half of 2020, the Dung Quat Oil Refinery maintained operations via various means and is now ready for the recovery phase in the second half of the year.

A trade fair introducing local specialties of four southern provinces - An Giang, Dong Thap, Long An and Tay Ninh - opened in Chau Doc city of An Giang on July 24.

The e-magazine “Doanh nhan Vietnam” (Vietnam Entrepreneur) held a forum in Hanoi on July 23 to discuss business restructuring amid challenges caused by COVID-19.

Amid the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam, as ASEAN Chair, has managed to formulate a regional comprehensive economic recovery plan, the New Straits Times of Malaysia reported.

On July 21, more than 40 principals and directors of Vietnam's leading higher education institutions participated in a conference on promoting opportunities for studying the international education programs in Vietnam.

Foreign ministers from Indonesia, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, Turkey and Australia (MIKTA) held a video conference on July 17 during which Indonesian FM Retno L.P Marsudi urged for closer cooperation among these countries in post-COVID-19 economic recovery.

Malaysia could become one of the biggest export markets in ASEAN for Vietnam, especially in the post-pandemic period, a city official said at a meeting in HCM City on July 16.

Speeding up infrastructure development and improving ease of doing business and vocational training are among things Vietnam should do to make itself more attractive to foreign investors post-COVID-19, according to investment fund VinaCapital.

A conference was held in the northern mountainous city of Lao Cai on July 13 to boost tourism cooperation between Lao Cai province and Ninh Binh province, also in the north.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to work with cities and provinces on post-COVID-19 tourism recovery scenarios.

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the southernmost Ca Mau province said on July 6 that it is stimulating tourism after COVID-19 has been under control.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has affirmed that the 36th ASEAN Summit which was held on June 26 via video conference was a success.

Thai Prime Minister and Defence Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha attended the 36th ASEAN Summit in the form of a teleconference together with leaders of the 10 ASEAN member states and ASEAN Secretary General.

More than 1,000 domestic and foreign investors and businesses are to attend the “Hanoi 2020 - Investment and Development Cooperation” conference, the city’s People’s Committee announced on June 26.

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin led a delegation to attend the 36th ASEAN Summit held online on June 26 under the chair of Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Noi Bai International Airport has reported full recovery of domestic flights compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic as travel demand is increasing following stimulus efforts by the Government and airlines.

An online conference took place between Vietnam’s Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) and Switzerland’s Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) on June 23, discussing ways to enhance the sides’ post-COVID-19 labour cooperation.

Domestic visitors to Da Nang have started to rise again now that Vietnam has contained the COVID-19 pandemic. The city’s retail sales have also been recovering, and the city’s industry and trade sector has implemented a consumer stimulus program to ensure it continues to rebound.