Chuck Kuhn's Asia in Photos: Vietnam optimistic about exports to the US

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Vietnam optimistic about exports to the US

Viet Nam still has many opportunities to increase exports to the US despite concerns about the US economy moving into a recession, a leading Vietnamese economist said.

According to senior economic expert Pham Chi Lan, the 10 billion USD export turnover to the US in 2007 was considerable for Viet Nam , but only accounted for 0.5 percent of the US ’s total import value. The US currently imports a lot of products that Viet Nam can provide, such as garment, footwear, seafood, coffee and woodwork, she added. However, she also said local enterprises’ competitiveness and product quality are Viet Nam ’s major challenges. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Office of International and Inter-governmental Programmes Director, Richard O’Brien, says Vietnamese businesses need to study export markets carefully and diversify their products in line with consumers’ tastes. Speaking at a forum with Vietnamese exporters to the US held by the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) in Ha Noi on March 12, O’Brien said local companies should also pay more attention to measures to avoid risks when exporting their products to the fiercely-competitive US market. Viet Nam ’s administration agencies also recommended domestic enterprises develop specific strategies to build human resources, make alliances and increase their presence by opening representative offices in the US market. In a recent meeting between the Ministry of Industry and Trade and commercial counsellors and enterprises, Vietnamese commercial counsellor to the US , Ngo Van Thoan, said the country is urgently proposing the US provide preferential duty-free entry for several products under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP). However, economic experts and administration agencies share businesses’ concerns about negative impacts of the devaluation of the US dollar against the Viet Nam dong. According to the Viet Nam International Bank (VIBank), the USD/VND exchange rate has so far this year reduced by 0.3 percent, resulting in the increase of production costs for enterprises, especially those who depend on material imports. Viet Nam is expected to earn more than 13 billion USD from exports to the US in 2008, representing a 28 percent increase against last year

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They say "

“I can’t say what made me fall in love with Vietnam - that a woman’s voice can drug you; that everything is so intense. The colors, the taste, even the rain. Nothing like the filthy rain in London. They say whatever you’re looking for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived. The smell: that’s the first thing that hits you, promising everything in exchange for your soul. And the heat. Your shirt is straightaway a rag. You can hardly remember your name, or what you came to escape from. But at night, there’s a breeze. The river is beautiful. You could be forgiven for thinking there was no war; that the gunshots were fireworks; that only pleasure matters. A pipe of opium, or the touch of a girl who might tell you she loves you. And then, something happens, as you knew it would. And nothing can ever be the same again.”
― Graham Greene, The Quiet American

Tips on Travel to Vietnam

It's always warm in Southeast Asia apart from high mountains, so leave the heavy clothing at home. Cotton and breathable fabrics are always better than synthetics -- although cotton does wrinkle a lot when traveling! December through April is roughly the dry season in that region, although it can still rain a little. December is a good time to go in terms of temperature -- cooler than in the humid summertime. Either way, wearing more clothing (shirt sleeves and long pants) is always more respectful towards the Asian culture, especially when visiting temples and rural areas.