Miliket, once the king of Vietnamese noodles ruling over about 90 per cent of the domestic market, is struggling to keep its head above the water amid current cut-throat competition.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade’s recent proposal on sugar import has put local sugar firms on the tenterhooks, and there is a demand for urgent support from the government to help firms get out of the woods.

In light of the recent conclusion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, Vietnam finds itself at a crossroads with lucrative opportunities on the horizon for several trade sectors. In particular, the textile and garment industry stands to benefit greatly from access to the global market and reduced trade tariffs. However, future supply chain challenges must be addressed in order for Vietnam to capitalise on this potential. Amrish Goel, technical director of management consulting at KPMG in India, and Nguyen Tuan Hong Phuc, consulting director of KPMG Vietnam shared their opinions on this issue.

Returning to Vietnam after Japan honored him with its noble Rising Sun Medal, former Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc shared his thoughts with VIR about ways Vietnam could bolster investments from Japan.

The seventh Vietnam-Singapore Ministerial Meeting on Economic Connectivity, presided over by Vietnamese Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc and Singaporean Minister of Industry and Trade Lim Hng Kiang, took place in Hanoi on July 4.

Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc believes that 2010’s impressive growth figures stem from Vietnam’s magnificent efforts in stepping up local investment and meeting socio-economic development targets.

The Vietnam - Japan Joint Initiative’s (VJIT) phase 3 has been successful, creating a foundation for greater achievements in promoting Japanese investment in Vietnam, said Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc.

In the recent past the planning and investment sector made large contributions to the country’s renovation process. A series of mechanisms and policies were formulated by the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) to help renovate the private sector, state-owned enterprises, goals as well as the implementation of plans. Planning and Investment Minister Vo Hong Phuc speaks to Vietnam Investment Review’s Duc Minh about the role of the planning and investment sector during the past 20 years of renovation.

VIETNAM is likely to achieve economic growth of more than 8 per cent next year, according to the Minister of Planning and Investment, Vo Hong Phuc.

The long-awaited agreement between Vietnam and Japan for the liberalisation, promotion and protection of investment was finally signed in Tokyo last week by Vo Hong Phuc, Minister of Planning and Investment and Yoriko Kawaguchi Japan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.