Vietnam Today

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) announced on February 17 a new strategy for sustainable agriculture and rural development, containing a number of breakthroughs and ambitious goals, such as agricultural growth of 2.5-3 per cent per year, agricultural labor productivity rising 5.5-6 per cent per year, markets expanding and developing, especially export markets, and the export value of agricultural, fisheries, and forestry products growing 5-6 per cent each year, among others.

According to a draft Decree from the Ministry of Finance amending and supplementing guidelines for the Tax Administration Law, owners of e-commerce platforms are to declare tax and pay taxes on behalf of sellers of goods and services on their platforms. Information must now be automatically provided online to tax authorities quarterly.

According to data from the General Department of Vietnam Customs, the import-export value of goods in January was $60.29 billion, a 9.6 per cent increase year-on-year. Exports totaled $30.84 billion and imports $29.45 billion. Vietnam therefore posted a trade surplus of nearly $1.4 billion in the month.

The Ministry of Information and Communications (MoIC) has released an implementation plan for a project on better preventing and fighting internet crime and legal violations to 2025. The Vietnam Internet Network Information Center (VNNIC) will strengthen the management, registration, and use of international domain names, and issue regulations governing cross-border services.

After the piloted reopening of international routes, the number of international visitors to and from Vietnam rose to more than 103,000 in January; double the figure in December. The figure was 153,000 from January to mid-February. The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has said it will soon reach the goal of restoring international tourist numbers to pre-pandemic levels.

During phone talks on February 15 with Mr. Albert Bourla, Chairman and CEO of Pfizer, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh asked the company to supply 22 million doses of vaccine for children from 5 to 12 years old in Vietnam as soon as possible and fulfill the supply contract in April or no later than May.