topnews2000

Top news in VN 2000

New Enterprise Law became effective 1 January. To support its implementation, a New Governmental Decree on 3 Feb. annulifies 84 licenses issued by different ministries "allowing" private enterprises to run specific activities. Most people were surprised by the number of bureaucratic obstacles that surrounded their lives for decades. Among those licenses, the Ministry of Culture and Information accounted for 34 including licenses for teaching music, typing, photocopying... By December more than 12,000 news enterprises, mostly private, have been registered.
The GDP growth has recovered to 6.5% from lowest 4.8% last year. People talk about growth recovery.
Vietnam and Thailand signed visa free Agreement for regular passports in May. Vietnamese and Thai started to enjoy a new visa regime in July. It is the first visa free treaty for regular passport holders. Tourism authorities are pressing for more visa free entries to boost the industry.
The Government decided to go ahead with Truong Son road construction despite doubts about its financial feasibility and environmental impact to the forest resources. The construction of the first bridge started in May in Xuan Son, Quang Binh province, a former ferry crossing where US planes dropped thousands of bombs. The preparation for road construction requires a huge unexploded ordnance clearance task. One private was killed in October while digging up a "bombie", a US anti-personel bomblet.
Me Kong Delta in the south suffered heaviest flooding in 40 years. Water rised since August and receded in November leaving more than 400 dead.
US President Bill Clinton, his wife Hillary and daughter Chelsea visited Vietnam 16-19 November. Clinton delivered a speech at Hanoi National University. The speech was broadcasted live on Vietnam National Television. In general the visit was warm welcomed by Vietnamese both in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, more than the President could expect.
Vietnam and US signed the Trade Agreement in July. The Agreement should be ratified by parliaments of both countries to be effective.
State-owned Petro Vietnam on 15 December finalized a long-awaited $1.5 billion natural gas extraction project with a foreign consortium that includes Britain's BP Amoco, Norway's Statoil and India's Oil and Natural Gas. Corp. The Nam Con Son deal, under negotiation for five years, represents Vietnam's single largest investment. It is expected to spur foreign investment interest, which has waned in recent years.
Most of agriculture products faced lowest prices, especially coffee robusta. Members of parliament pressured Agriculture Minister but no one realized that Vietnam is dominating world market of robusta, i.e. "the more we grow the worse price we get". All government efforts still focus on producing more and more tons of products.
Tran Hieu Ngan won a silver medal at Sydney Olimpic Games. It is the first Olimpic Medal of Vietnam.
The import of Chinese motorbikes reached 1.15 million units per year, not counting numerous smuggled units. These cheap motorbikes contribute to the trafic jams in cities. Authorities are discussing restriction measures by putting a surcharge to support public transport. However, the public buses are considered a working space for pocket pickers rather than a feasible transportation mean.
Vietnam and China signed the demarcation agreement on Bac Bo (Tonkin) Gulf 27 December.
Ly Tong, a Vietnamese American, flew a Chessna aircraft over Ho Chi Minh city and dropped anti-communist leaflets on 17 November, one day before Clinton's visit to former Saigon. The event had given a boost to hardliners against reformers.
Stock Market was inagurated in July. Trading of shares remains modest.