The Government still targets a GDP growth rate of 5.8% this year though economic challenges remain. Ha Quang Tuyen, head of the System of National Accounts Department, talks about factors that will help the Government obtain the goal. Excerpts:

Ho Chi Minh City attracts over 3.1 billion USD in FDI; WB reports early signs of Vietnam's economic recovery; SOE equitisation requires $5-10 billion; SBV calls for agriculture credit boost; Vietnam offers huge opportunity for retail banking market

 VietNamNet Bridge – Foreign-invested enterprises contribute less than the State sector, deputy director of the Viet Nam Institute of Economics Nguyen Chien Thang told the newspaper Hai quan (Customs).

 Ho Chi Minh City will set up a hotline for business sectors to create more favourable and convenient conditions for foreign investors, Le Manh Ha, Deputy Chairman of the municipal People's Committee, has announced.

 The Vietnam government has done its best to create a favorable investment environment and in the 10 months leading up to November the nation’s economy is like a locomotive gaining momentum.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) issued Circular No. 34/2014/TT-BGDDT (October 15, 2014) guiding foreign investment and co-operation in education. The circular provides guidance

A modest 5-10 percent growth rate expected in sales for the upcoming Tet holiday, instead of the 20-30 percent of previous years, has caused suppliers to scale back production plans.

Within three years, foreign direct investment capital has soared from $0.5 billion to $2 billions, with a number of foreign companies relocating their factories to Vietnam.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Sixty six per cent of the technology transferred to domestic firms came from other domestic firms using low and medium-grade technology,

Analysts and economists, siding with domestic businesses, have voiced great concern over the generous incentives given to foreign invested enterprises and the undervalued role of Vietnamese businesses in the national economy.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam’s participation in the APEC Meeting this time is designed to continue realizing the policy of boosting deeper international integration and multilateral diplomacy to contribute to the common interests of APEC.

VietNamNet Bridge – After three consecutive years of trade surplus, Viet Nam will likely experience a trade deficit next year, the Ministry of Industry and Trade predicted at a meeting last Monday.

 VietNamNet Bridge - In the past 10 months, nearly 20 foreign firms invested hundreds of millions of US dollars in Vietnam's garment industry.

VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Finance (MOF) has proposed to offer attractive tax incentives to major investment projects in an effort to lure more huge foreign investors to Vietnam.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam is prioritising the boosting of foreign direct investment (FDI) in four sectors: supporting industries, infrastructure development, human resources and agriculture.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Recent surveys about the tax policies applied to foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) show that Vietnamese have become choosier about foreign direct investment (FDI) and FIEs (foreign-invested enterprises).

 Multi-billion-dollar pledges by South Korea’s Samsung could not help reverse a slide in fresh foreign direct investment (FDI) approvals in Vietnam in January-October.

 Top brands and Qmix 100 award winners announced; Russian energy corporation seeks cooperation opportunities; Vietnam attracts US$13.7 bil in FDI in ten months; First oil flows from Su Tu Nau oil field

VietNamNet Bridge – Within the first 24 hours after the first shop in HCM City opened, McDonald’s received 22,500 customers, equal to one-tenth of the population in one district in the city.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Foreign investors have recently announced the development of surprisingly highly capitalized projects. However, analysts warn that Vietnam needs to remain cautious about these “super-projects”.