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Swiss-Viet Economic Forum makes debut


Geneva: The Swiss-Viet Economic Forum (SVEF) made its debut at a ceremony held on January 12 in Zurich city, aiming to foster collaboration, innovation, and sustainable growth between Vietnamese and Swiss enterprises.

SVEF Chairman Philipp Rösler said the forum’s target is to create a platform that not only helps improve mutual understanding but also promotes deep interactions and innovation partnership between Vietnam and Switzerland. It is not only a venue for individuals and businesses of the two countries to gather but also a place to incubate ideas, collaboration and transformational projects, thereby helping to bring mutual benefits to the two countries, he added.

Addressing the launching ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Switzerland Phung The Long lauded the significance of the event and expressed his hope that there will be more effective activities to unlock the potential of the two economies.

With the support of relevant governmental agencies, regional and city officials, as well as the embassie
s of the two countries, the SVEF will organise annual events, thus cultivating success for bilateral economic cooperation, the diplomat said./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

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International financial institutions optimistic about Vietnam’s economic growth


HCM City: Many international financial institutions have expressed their optimism about Vietnam’s GDP growth, and shared the view that it would reach at least 6% this year.

Standard Chartered Bank expected Vietnam to have a robust GDP growth of 6.7% in 2024 (6.2% and 6.9% in the first half and second half of the year, respectively).

‘Vietnam continues to offer a promising medium-term outlook. To maintain rapid growth and competitiveness, Vietnam needs to upgrade infrastructure and prepare to lower carbon emissions,’ said Tim Leelahaphan, Economist for Thailand and Vietnam, Standard Chartered.

According to the economist, retail sales and industrial production have stayed robust despite the recent moderation. Exports and imports are starting to recover, though electronics-related trade remains tentative. Given re-emerging inflation concerns, inflation is anticipated to pick up to 5.5% in 2024 from 3.3% in 2023.

HSBC also said Vietnam’s GDP is on a firm recovery track and growth can reach 6% this year. The b
ank expected Vietnam’s inflation to be at 3.4% this year, much lower than the target of 4-4.5%.

Meanwhile, Michael Kokalari, a chartered financial analyst and chief economist at VinaCapital, forecast that the nation’s GDP growth will increase to 6-6.5% in 2024 from 5.1% last year.

After a challenging 2023, all indications are that 2024 should be a stronger year for Vietnam’s economy, driven by a rebound in manufacturing and improvement in consumer sentiment, he said.

Besides, the steady fall in interest rates through 2023 should help boost the real estate market after having helped support the stock market last year, he added./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

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Vietnamese, Lao localities hold annual meeting on border affairs


The 2023 annual meeting on border affairs between the central province of Quang Tri (Vietnam) and its Lao neighbouring province of Savannakhet took place in Dong Ha city, Quang Tri province, on January 13. The two countries’ delegations signed a minutes on border protection cooperation in 2024 at the meeting.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

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PBBM to attend wedding reception of Brunei sultan’s son

MANILA: an of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah.

The President will be back on Sunday, according to a news release of the Presidential Communications Office on Saturday.

The wedding ceremony took place at the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in Brunei’s capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, on Thursday but it’s a 10-day event that will end on Jan. 16 yet.

According to local news, there will be a wedding reception and parade around Bandar Seri Begawan on Sunday, culminating in a banquet to be attended by heads of states.

Prince Abdul Mateen, once named Asia’s most eligible bachelor, is sixth in line to the Bruneian throne.

He is the sultan’s 10th son, a helicopter pilot, a Royal Brunei Air Force major and plays polo.

His bride is a businesswoman who owns a fashion brand and a tourism company.

Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Brunei were established on Jan. 1, 1984 when the Philippine Consulate General in Bandar Seri Begawan was elevated to an Embassy, followed by the opening of the Embassy of Brunei Dar
ussalam in Makati City.

Brunei is home to over 22,000 Filipino workers.

Source: Philippines News Agency

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Modern immigration system detects 241 fraudulent documents in 2023

MANILA: The Bureau of Immigration (BI) detected a total of 241 fraudulent and counterfeit documents in 2023, thanks to modern equipment, which Commissioner Norman Tansingco said is at par with other agencies abroad.

The agency currently has five new video spectral comparators, a complete digital imaging system which is used for advanced forensic-level document examination.

Two of the machines were donated last year by Australia’s Department of Immigration and Citizenship through the Australian Embassy in the Philippines.

The machine can check the authenticity of travel and identity documents, including passports, identification cards, visas, and permits, according to a BI news release on Saturday.

The BI Anti-Fraud Section said questioned documents included birth and marriage certificates used for visa applications, passports, visas, and immigration stamps used for international travel.

‘Apart from our immigration officers who are skilled in detecting fraud, fake documents can already be detected by our
modern equipment,’ Tansingco said. ‘Those who attempt to use spurious documents will definitely be intercepted.’

Meanwhile, the BI recently barred the entry of three male American sex offenders based on data from the sex offender registry.

Turned away and immediately deported were two aged 73 and 56, who landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Parañaque City from Taipei, Taiwan and Shanghai, China, respectively on Jan. 10; and a 79-year-old who arrived at Mactan-Cebu International Airport from Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Jan 11.

The sex offender registry is being implemented in several countries to allow governments to monitor the activities of sex offenders, who are convicted of rape, sexual assault, or child molestation.

Source: Philippines News Agency

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Pangasinan environment office encourages use of e-vehicles

DAGUPAN CITY: The Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) in Central Pangasinan is supporting the use of electric vehicles as it promotes clean energy for better air quality.

Cenro ecosystem management officer Ma Angelica Esteban, during the launching of the e-vehicle charging station at SM Center Mall here on Saturday, said zero-tailpipe emission vehicles help improve air quality.

In 2022, the Philippines ranked 69th with most polluted air out of 131 countries, according to the World Air Quality Report by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir.

The same report said Taguig was the country’s most polluted city.

“Because of this, under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as emphasized in his second State of the Nation Address, we remain committed to global decarbonization goals and the redirection of our carbon footprint by shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources,” Esteban said in her speech.

She cited an analysis made during the pandemic that the dai
ly global carbon emissions decreased by 17 percent and the population weighted concentration of greenhouse gas emissions reduced by 60 percent as transportation was halted and most people opted to either walk or go biking.

“The significant data encouraged vehicle companies around the world to promote e-vehicles as key technology to curb oil use and combat climate change,” Esteban said.

She added that with e-vehicles going mainstream, the presence of charging stations benefits owners and encourages the use of this clean energy technology.

SM Center Dagupan mall manager Eileen Delos Santos vowed the management’s commitment to support the efforts of the government for cleaner air quality and climate change mitigation.

The charging stations are open for free to e-vehicle owners from 10 am. to 9 p.m. daily.

It is the second mall in Pangasinan that has e-vehicle charging stations. The other one is in Urdaneta City.

Source: Philippines News Agency