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☆ Vietnam to Hold Arms Fair in December as Its Seeks to Diversify Supplies
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam's defence ministry said on Friday it will organise an international arms fair in December, as it seeks to diversify its arms supplies and expand cooperation in arms production and exports. Vietnam held its first international arms fair in December 2022, which attracted 174 exhibitors from 30 countries, including all large arms-making nations except China. The ministry on Friday said "several deals were reached" at that arms fair, without giving further details. The Southeast Asian country has an annual military expenditure of above 2% of its gross domestic product, according to the ministry. Vietnam is producing among other weapons small weapons, ammunitions, drones and armoured vehicles.

Persons: Khanh Vu, Francesco Guarascio, Michael Perry Locations: HANOI, Gia Lam, Hanoi, China, Vietnam

Vietnam has already rail connections to China, but the system is old with limited capacity on the Vietnam side. The upgraded railway would pass through the region where Vietnam has its largest deposits of rare earths, of which China is by far the world's biggest refiner. Chinese and Vietnamese rare earths industry experts discussed last week stronger cooperation on processing the minerals, according to Vietnamese state media. It is unclear how much China would contribute to the upgraded railway track in Vietnam and whether Hanoi would accept sizeable financing from Beijing on this. A strengthened railway link could also boost Vietnam's export to China, mostly of agriculture products, boost Chinese tourism to northern Vietnam and further integrate the two countries' manufacturing industries, which experts already consider as symbiotic, with factories in Vietnam largely assembling components produced in China.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Vietnam's, Wang Yi, Tran, Pham Minh Chinh, Wang Wentao, Francesco Guarascio, Khanh Vu, Phuong Nguyen, Stephen Coates Organizations: Vietnam's, China's Commerce, Initiative, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Hanoi, China, Haiphong China, Vietnam, HANOI, United States, Tran Luu Quang, Kunming, Haiphong, Beijing, China . China, Hong Kong, Washington, South

☆ China, Vietnam Consider Rail Link Through Rare Earths Heartland
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Francesco Guarascio and Khanh VuHANOI (Reuters) - China and Vietnam are working on a possible significant upgrade of their underdeveloped rail links to boost a line that crosses Vietnam's rare earths heartland and reaches the country's top port in the north, senior officials and diplomats said. Vietnam has already rail connections to China, but the system is old with limited capacity on the Vietnam side. The upgraded railway would pass through the region where Vietnam has its largest deposits of rare earths, of which China is by far the world's biggest refiner. Chinese and Vietnamese rare earths industry experts discussed last week stronger cooperation on processing the minerals, according to Vietnamese state media. It is unclear how much China would contribute to the upgraded railway track in Vietnam and whether Hanoi would accept sizeable financing from Beijing on this.

Persons: Francesco Guarascio, Khanh Vu, Xi Jinping, Vietnam's, Wang Yi, Tran, Pham Minh Chinh, Wang Wentao, Phuong Nguyen, Stephen Coates Organizations: Vietnam's, China's Commerce, Initiative Locations: Khanh, Khanh Vu HANOI, China, Vietnam, Hanoi, United States, Tran Luu Quang, Kunming, Haiphong, Beijing, China . China, Hong Kong, Washington, South

Parliament approved the higher tax rate as part of a global tax reform, and said the government would work on specific incentives in 2024. "The National Assembly is not issuing a separate resolution on investment incentives at this time," said Le Quang Manh, head of the assembly's financial commission. Vietnam's corporate income tax is already set at 20%, but it has offered for years much lower effective rates to large foreign investors. The Korean Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam said members were concerned about the new tax rate, but "none have expressed their intention to alter their investment in Vietnam". However, Thang Vu, a tax expert at consultancy Dezan Shira, said Vietnam could see a drop in foreign investment if it did not offer "adequate alternative economic benefits" to those affected by the new tax.

Persons: Le Quang, Thang, Dezan Shira, Khanh Vu, Francesco Guarascio, Miral Organizations: Samsung, Assembly, Korean Chamber of Commerce, Thomson Locations: Vietnam, Hanoi, HANOI, Korean

☆ Vietnam set to raise effective tax rate on multinationals as part of global deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HANOI, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Vietnam's parliament is set to approve on Wednesday a top-up tax for multinationals, which will raise the effective rate of the corporate levy to 15% from January in line with a global agreement. But it has eventually added it back to its schedule, with the vote on the tax expected now at the last day of its month-long session. Vietnam's corporate income tax is already set at 20%, but the country has offered for years effective rates as low as 5% and lengthy zero-tax periods to large foreign investors. With the new top-up tax, 122 foreign companies will face a steep increase in their tax costs in Vietnam, according to a document prepared by the Vietnamese government which estimated the additional intake for the state at 14.6 trillion dong ($601.05 million) a year. Reporting by Khanh Vu and Francesco Guarascio; Editing by Stephen CoatesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Khanh Vu, Francesco Guarascio, Stephen Coates Organizations: Samsung Electronics Co, chipmaker Intel Corp, Organisation for Economic Cooperation, Development, Thomson Locations: HANOI, Vietnam, Korean

Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends the retreat session of the 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, September 5, 2023. The document, known as Resource Mobilisation Plan, has to be agreed with investors ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) which begins on Thursday in Dubai. Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will attend the COP28 from Nov 30 to Dec 3, the government portal said, raising expectations that the plan could be announced there. A second foreign official said there was no major issue pending, and approval of the final version "is very nearly there." There is no certainty that Vietnam would actually take the loans on offer, and the communist government has been reluctant to take foreign loans in the past.

Persons: Pham Minh Chinh, Mast, Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio, Khanh Vu, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Vietnam's, 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, Rights, Change, Reuters, of, Thomson Locations: Jakarta, Indonesia, Rights HANOI, Vietnam, Dubai, Hanoi

☆ Vietnam to Extend Anti-Graft Drive as Police Reveal Real Estate Fraud Worth 3% of GDP
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Khanh Vu and Francesco GuarascioHANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam's top leader vowed to extend "for the long-term" an anti-corruption campaign that has had a chilling effect on the economy, after police revealed financial scandals in the real estate sector worth more than 3% of gross domestic product. Trong's remarks came after the police announced the outcome of months-long investigations into two financial scandals, revealing for the first time the scale of the fraud, worth a combined $12.8 billion, or 3.2% of the economy. The case had been widely publicised when My Lan was arrested in October last year and led to a crisis in the real estate sector and the market for corporate bonds, which she has been accused of issuing illegally in large amounts. The huge scale of the fraud had not been known until this week and has raised concern among financial experts about the impact on the banking sector. In September, the Asian Development Bank warned of potential spillover into banking from the crisis in the real estate sector as the ratio of non-performing loans increased.

Persons: Khanh Vu, Francesco Guarascio HANOI, Nguyen Phu Trong, Trong's, Truong My Lan, Van Thinh, Lan, Morgan, Moody's, Tan, Francesco Guarascio, Robert Birsel Organizations: Communist Party's, Van Thinh Phat Holdings Group, Stock Commercial Bank, Morgan Research, Asian Development Bank, Group Locations: Communist, Saigon, China

HANOI/KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Electronics worth a year-high $74 million, such as solar panels and microchips mostly from Malaysia and Vietnam, were denied entry in the United States in September or were checked for components from forced labour in China, official data show. In September alone, $82 million worth of shipments were either refused or were held for checks -- 90% of which were electronics -- a jump from less than $20 million in August. Over two-thirds of rejected or held cargoes came from Malaysia or Vietnam, which are major exporters to the United States of solar panels and semiconductors. Malaysia and Vietnam have had cargoes worth about $320 million each denied or held for checks since the new rules came into force, nearly three times more than China's. Washington has accused China of genocide against the Uyghurs, with rights groups denouncing a widespread use of internment camps and forced labour.

Persons: Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio, Kim Coghill Organizations: Industry, Uyghur, Labor, Thomson Locations: HANOI, KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Vietnam, United States, China, China's Xinjiang, U.S, Xinjiang, Washington

A smartphone with a displayed Intel logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken March 6, 2023. The source, who declined to be named because the information was confidential, said Intel had made that decision around July. Intel is also expanding its investment in chip packaging in Malaysia, one of Vietnam's main Southeast Asian rivals. "You cannot take for granted that because Intel has already invested here it will invest more," Chung Seck, partner at law firm Baker & McKenzie Vietnam told Reuters. Asked about the possible investment plan at the time, Intel told Reuters: "Vietnam is an important part of our global manufacturing network, but we have not announced any new investments."

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Joe Biden, Biden's, Tran Luu Quang, chipmakers, Chung Seck, Baker, McKenzie, Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio, Max Cherney, Khanh, Miyoung Kim Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Intel, U.S, Reuters, Vietnam's, White House, Marvell, McKenzie Vietnam, Thomson Locations: Rights HANOI, Vietnam, China, Taiwan, United States, U.S, Hanoi, Europe, Malaysia, San Francisco, Khanh Vu

☆ Indonesia, Vietnam energy transition financing under G7-funded plans
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

South Africa was the first country to reach a deal under the JETP, securing a $8.5 billion financing pledge in 2021. Indonesia secured a pledge of $20 billion and Vietnam $15.5 billion in deals struck in late 2022. Without the plan, Indonesia's greenhouse gas emissions are expected to reach more than 350 million tons in 2030. How would the JETP financing be arranged? G7 donors as well as Norway and Denmark have pledged a total $10 billion public financing for Indonesia while the remaining $10 billion will come from public financing.

Persons: they'll, Quoc Khanh, Fransiska Nangoy, Khanh Vu, Francesco Guarascio, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Climate, Asian Development Bank, Natural Resources, Reuters, European Union, Thomson Locations: Hanoi, Rights JAKARTA, HANOI, Indonesia, Vietnam, Africa, Senegal, INDONESIA Indonesia, Norway, Denmark, VIETNAM, EU

The Southeast Asian electronics manufacturing hub already hosts U.S. giant Intel's (INTC.O) largest semiconductor packaging and testing plant worldwide and is home to several chip designing software firms. It is working on a strategy to attract more semiconductor investment, including from foundries, which focus on manufacturing chips. Meetings with half a dozen U.S. chip firms took place in recent weeks, including with fab operators, Vu Tu Thanh, head of the Vietnam office of the US-ASEAN Business Council, told Reuters. He declined to identify the firms because talks were still at a preliminary stage. John Neuffer, President of the U.S. Semiconductor Industry Association, at the same conference recommended the government focus on chip sectors where Vietnam was already strong, such as assembling, packaging and testing.

Persons: Florence Lo, PSMC, Tu Thanh, Joe Biden, GlobalFoundries, Hung Nguyen, Viettel, Robert Li, John Neuffer, Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio, Khanh Vu, Fanny Potkin, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, Hanoi, U.S, ASEAN Business Council, Reuters, GlobalFoundries, Industry, Hanoi's University Vietnam, BET, Vietnam Semiconductor, European Union, U.S . Semiconductor Industry Association, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Thomson Locations: Vietnam, HANOI, U.S, Hanoi, China, South Korea, Singapore

☆ Vietnam's real estate woes: how much worse can they get?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

HANOI, Oct 26 (Reuters) - A rough year for Vietnam's real estate sector has seen developers miss interest payments on debt, amid a credit crunch spurred by ill-timed government measures, although spillover risk has been limited. Shares of the largest listed developer, Vinhomes (VHM.HM), part of the country's biggest conglomerate, Vingroup (VIC.HM), have fallen 13% this year. In September, the Asian Development Bank warned of potential spillover into banking from irregularities in corporate bonds and real estate markets, although troubled bonds made up just a small portion of total bank credit. While ill-timed government measures, companies' high debt and oversupply are responsible for the sectors' woes in both countries, conditions are different in Vietnam. Vietnam has a less acute situation of oversupply and speculation than China, he added, while real estate's contribution to its economy is also smaller.

Persons: Ho, Van Thinh Phat, Jean Xavier of S, Truong, Truong My Lan, Van Thinh, P's Xavier Jean, Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio, Phuong Nguyen, Anne Marie Roantree, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Dragon, Hung Thinh Corp, Moody's, Asian Development Bank, P Global, P, Southeast Asia Bank, Maritime Bank, Asia Commercial Bank, Vietnam Prosperity Bank, VP Bank, Bank, Van Thinh Phat Holdings Group, Thomson Locations: HANOI, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Phu, Hanoi, Southeast, Asia, Truong My, VIETNAM, CHINA, China

☆ US says ready to help Vietnam with rare earth auctions
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HANOI, Oct 25 (Reuters) - The United States is ready to help Vietnam in preparing auctions for rare earths mines, the U.S. State Department chief economist Emily Blanchard on Wednesday. "If Vietnam chooses to ask for assistance in developing an auction, we would be happy to provide assistance to do so," she said in Hanoi when asked about possible auctions to be arranged by Vietnam for new concessions at unexploited mines. Vietnam's government intends to launch tenders for multiple blocks of its Dong Pao mine before the year's end, Tessa Kutscher, an executive at Australia's Blackstone Minerals Ltd (BSX.AX), which plans to bid for at least one concession, told Reuters last month. Blanchard said that U.S. technical assistance to partner countries can extend to support to craft tenders or bids "to generate the most interest". Reporting by Francesco Guarascio; Editing by Martin PettyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Emily Blanchard, Tessa Kutscher, Blanchard, Francesco Guarascio, Martin Petty Organizations: U.S . State Department, Australia's Blackstone Minerals Ltd, Reuters, Thomson Locations: HANOI, United States, Vietnam, Hanoi, Dong

☆ Exclusive: Vietnam eyes China model to seek index upgrade, boost investment
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Francesco Guarascio | Thomson Reuters | Francesco Leads A Team Of Reporters In Vietnam That Covers Top Financial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

An investor sits in front of screens showing stock board information at a securities company in Hanoi, Vietnam July 6, 2018. That prevents many funds, investors and family offices from investing in companies listed there. MULTI-MILLION-DOLLAR PIEUnder the new plan, Vietnam would adopt a mechanism to settle payments on shares transactions that could meet the key requirement from FTSE for the upgrade. Active funds are estimated to have five times more investments in the FTSE emerging market, which could lead to far bigger gains for the HCMC market, which has currently a $179 billion capitalisation. Foreign investors need also to be consulted.

Persons: Le Thi Le Hang, Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, FTSE, Chi Minh City Stock Exchange, The bourse, State Securities Commission, Vietnam, Thomson Locations: Hanoi, Vietnam, China HANOI, China, Chi Minh, The, Indonesia, Philippines, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Kenya

☆ Vietnam rare earths arrests include key figure in bid to build industry
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Luu Anh Tuan, Chairman of mining company VTRE in his Hanoi office with samples of rare earth oxides in Hanoi, Vietnam September 7, 2023. REUTERS/Francesco Guarascio/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsHANOI, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Police in Vietnam have arrested six people accused of violating mining regulations, including the chairman of a company at the heart of efforts to develop Vietnam's rare earth industry, seizing 13,715 tons of rare earths ores. VTRE has partnered with Australian mining companies Australian Strategic Materials (ASM) (ASM.AX) and Blackstone Minerals LTD (BSX.AX), which were not involved in the investigation. ASM signed a binding agreement in April with VTRE for the purchase of 100 tons of processed rare earths this year, and committed to negotiating a longer-term supply deal. Vietnam is planning to organise auctions for concessions at its largely unexploited rare earths mines, which are considered to contain the world's second biggest deposits of the critical minerals used in electric cars and wind turbines.

Persons: Anh Tuan, Francesco Guarascio, Yen Bai, VTRE, Blackstone, Dong Pao, Tuan, Doan Van Huan, Khanh Vu, Edmund Klamann, Martin Petty Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Police, Earth JSC, Duong Group, Ministry of Public Security, Strategic Materials, Blackstone Minerals LTD, Blackstone, ASM, Australian, Thai Duong Group, Thomson Locations: Hanoi, Vietnam, Rights HANOI, Vietnamese, Yen, Lai Chau, Yen Bai

Work is under way on a joint statement that would be issued during the visit, four people informed about the negotiations told Reuters. China's foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Reuters GraphicsSTATE VISIT PREPARATIONSOne of the sources said China had sent a team to Hanoi to organise accommodations for Xi's delegation. China's foreign minister Wang Yi was expected to visit Hanoi in mid-October to help finalise the joint statement, the source added, if sufficient progress on the text has been made. As China's president, Xi travelled to Vietnam twice, with his latest visit in 2017, when he attended an Asia-Pacific summit with Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and other leaders.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Wang Yi, Florence, Joe Biden's, Xi, Pham Thu, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Khanh Vu, Francesco Guarascio, Martin Pollard, Yew, Tian, Gerry Doyle Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Graphics STATE, Vietnam, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Vietnam, HANOI, BEIJING, Hanoi, Washington, Vietnam's, United States, Europe, Asia, U.S, Singapore, South

☆ Exclusive: China's Trina Solar plans $400 mln Vietnam plant after US sanctions - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Francesco Guarascio | Thomson Reuters | Francesco Leads A Team Of Reporters In Vietnam That Covers Top Financial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Trina, one of the world's biggest solar panel makers by sales, would invest $400 million in the plant that would span 25 hectares of industrial land. Production is set to begin in 2025, one of the sources with direct knowledge of the plan said. Another person who was involved in discussions with the company said Trina had flagged $600 million in possible investment in Vietnam. Another source said Trina Vietnam's power supply problems were being considered as the company weighed options for its possible expansion. A heatwave in June hit the output of hydropower, Vietnam's second biggest source of electricity, forcing factories to temporarily suspend production due to power cuts.

Persons: Trina, Trina Solar, FENG SHUI, Feng shui, Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio, Phuong Nguyen, Miyoung Kim Organizations: Reuters, U.S . Department of Commerce, P Global Market Intelligence, Thomson Locations: Vietnam, Thailand, HANOI, United States, Southeast Asia, U.S, Beijing, Washington . China

Embattled Bamboo, Vietnam's No. "Bamboo Airways has reduced a number of pilot personnel recently to serve this goal," the statement said, denying that late payments of salaries were the reason behind the departures. Many staff at Bamboo have sometimes had to face delays in salary payments but this had not, until recently, affected foreign pilots who make up a large majority of the airline's pilot staff, the sources said. Messages seen by Reuters from an internal company chat forum that management uses to communicate with foreign pilots show some salary payments have been late. Bamboo, which flies both internationally and domestically, has around 17% of Vietnam's market share, its then CEO told local media in March.

Persons: Bamboo, Vietnam's, Bamboo's, Nguyen Ngoc Trong, Trong, Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio, Khanh Vu, Phuong Nguyen, Mai Nguyen, Jamie Freed, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Bamboo Airways, Airways, Reuters, Sacombank, Vietnam's, Thomson Locations: Samcombank, HANOI, United States

She cited unpublished information from Vietnam's Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, which did not respond to requests for comment. In recent years, Japanese investors Toyota Tsusho and Sojitz abandoned projects at Dong Pao after China ramped up supply, pummelling prices. Reuters GraphicsStill, rare earths at Dong Pao are relatively easy to access and are mostly concentrated in bastnaesite ores, according to the Hanoi University of Mining and Geology. The plant has capacity to process 5,000 tons of REO a year but the company plans to treble that to accommodate input from Dong Pao, Tuan said. The metallization process is controlled by China, which produces 90% of rare-earth metals, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Persons: Dong Pao, Blackstone, VTRE, Tessa Kutscher, Anh Tuan, Joe Biden, Kutscher, Sojitz, Dylan Kelly, Vingroup, Rivian, Dong, Tuan, David Merriman, John Rockhold, Dudley Kingsnorth, Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio, Khanh, Melanie Burton, Trevor Hunnicutt, Mai Nguyen, Phuong, David Crawshaw Organizations: REUTERS, Australia's Blackstone Minerals Ltd, Vietnam's Ministry of Natural Resources, Earth JSC, U.S, . Geological Survey, Reuters, Toyota, Terra Capital, Blackstone, Hanoi University of Mining, REO, White House, Department of Commerce, U.S . Chamber of Commerce, Strategic, ASM, Reuters Graphics Reuters, U.S . Department of Energy, Western Australian School of Mines, Curtin University, Thomson Locations: Nam, Lai Chau, Vietnam, Pao, HANOI, Dong, Beijing, China, Hanoi, U.S, Dong Pao, VTRE, South, Khanh Vu, Melbourne, Seoul, Washington, Phuong Nguyen

FILE PHOTO-Volker Turk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, attends the Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland February 27, 2023. Hanoi police on Sept. 15 detained Ngo Thi To Nhien, Executive Director of the Vietnam Initiative for Energy Transition (VIET), an independent think tank focused on green energy policy, Reuters reported last week citing a charity and a source. Nhien had worked for the World Bank, with the United Nations Development Programme and the United States aid agency (USAID), according to her profile on LinkedIn. She "has participated in international and national events, including consultations organized by UNDP on the topic of energy transition," the UNDP in Vietnam confirmed in an email message to Reuters. Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia Director at Human Rights Watch, said Manh had a strong alibi which was disregarded.

Persons: Volker Turk, Denis Balibouse, U.N, Joe Biden, Ngo Thi, Nhien, Le Van Manh, Phil Robertson, Manh, Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio, Michael Perry Organizations: United Nations, Human Rights, REUTERS, Rights, Vietnam Initiative for Energy, Reuters, UN, World Bank, USAID, LinkedIn, UNDP, European, Asia, Thomson Locations: Geneva, Switzerland, Rights HANOI, Hanoi, United States, Vietnam

☆ UN Worried About Vietnam Arrest of Energy Expert After Biden's Visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Francesco GuarascioHANOI (Reuters) - The U.N. human rights office has expressed concern about the arrest of a Vietnamese green energy expert, who had collaborated with U.N. and U.S. agencies, just days after President Joe Biden signed business and human rights deals with Hanoi on a visit. Hanoi police on Sept. 15 detained Ngo Thi To Nhien, Executive Director of the Vietnam Initiative for Energy Transition (VIET), an independent think tank focused on green energy policy, Reuters reported last week citing a charity and a source. She "has participated in international and national events, including consultations organized by UNDP on the topic of energy transition," the UNDP in Vietnam confirmed in an email message to Reuters. Vietnam's government has not issued any public statement about Nhien's arrest, and did not reply to requests for comment. Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia Director at Human Rights Watch, said Manh had a strong alibi which was disregarded.

Persons: Francesco Guarascio HANOI, U.N, Joe Biden, Ngo Thi, Nhien, Le Van Manh, Phil Robertson, Manh, Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio, Michael Perry Organizations: Vietnam Initiative for Energy, Reuters, UN, Human Rights, World Bank, United Nations, USAID, LinkedIn, UNDP, European, Asia Locations: Hanoi, United States, Vietnam

But it was a key topic of Vietnamese-U.S. official talks in Hanoi, New York and Washington over the past month. A major U.S.-Vietnam arms deal could aggravate China, Vietnam's larger neighbor, which is wary of Western efforts to box in Beijing. A long-simmering territorial dispute between Vietnam and China is heating up in the South China Sea and explains why Vietnam is looking to build up maritime defenses. Earlier this month, Vietnam upgraded Washington to Hanoi's highest diplomatic status, alongside China and Russia, when U.S. President Joe Biden visited the country. Nonetheless, Vietnam is also actively in talks with Moscow over a new arms supply deal that could trigger U.S. sanctions, Reuters has reported.

Persons: Biden, Jeffrey Ordaniel, Ordaniel, Joe Biden, Trevor Hunnicutt, Nandita Bose, Francesco Guarascio, Mike Stone, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: U.S, White, Tokyo International University, Pacific Forum, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Vietnam, China, Russia, Washington, Hanoi, American, Beijing, Hanoi , New York, Russian, U.S, South, Philippines, Taiwan, United States, South Korea, India, Ukraine, Moscow

A VinFast VF8 electric SUV is displayed during CES 2022 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. January 5, 2022. If fulfilled, Europe would become VinFast's biggest overseas market this year. The company had shipped about 2,100 EVs earlier this year to the United States. Should the EU probe conclude that punitive duties on China-made EVs are warranted, VinFast could find its cars are more competitively priced. VinFast, which is part of Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup (VIC.HM), was formed in 2017 and began making EVs in 2021 after dropping its manufacturing of cars with internal combustion engines.

Persons: Steve Marcus, Thuy, Inovev, VinFast, Phuong Nguyen, Francesco Guarascio, Miral Organizations: Las Vegas Convention, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, European Union, Nasdaq, EU, Thomson Locations: Las Vegas , Nevada, U.S, Rights HANOI, Europe, France, Germany, Netherlands, VinFast's, Vietnam, United States, Israel, China, Indonesia, India, East, Africa, Latin America

☆ Vietnam activists to seek US refuge after Biden administration deal -US officials
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Trevor Hunnicutt | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A human rights lawyer who campaigned for accountability for police abuses, a Catholic parishioner evicted from his home, and their families are exiting Vietnam for the United States, one of the officials said. In the United States, the families are expected to seek resettlement under the "Priority 1" refugee program. The activists were not imprisoned, but had been barred from leaving Vietnam. Vietnam is holding at least 159 political prisoners and detaining 22 others, Human Rights Watch said earlier this month. Biden administration officials pushed for the exit visas as an additional step during final negotiations over the joint statement and trip logistics, according to one of the U.S. officials.

Persons: Biden, Biden's, Nguyen Bac Truyen, Mai Phan Loi, Ben Swanton, Antony Blinken, Bui, Trevor Hunnicutt, Francesco Guarascio, Heather Timmons, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Communist, Reuters, United, U.S, Human Rights Watch, Biden, Thomson Locations: United States, Hanoi , U.S, Vietnam, Washington, China, Russia, India, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Germany, Bui Thanh, Hanoi

☆ Exclusive: Vietnam activists to seek US refuge after Biden administration deal - US officials
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Trevor Hunnicutt | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

In the United States, the families are expected to seek resettlement under the "Priority 1" refugee program. The activists were not imprisoned, but had been barred from leaving Vietnam. The officials would not identify any of the four people, citing diplomatic and security sensitivities, but the two ex-prisoners' names are known. Vietnam is holding at least 159 political prisoners and detaining 22 others, Human Rights Watch said earlier this month. Biden administration officials pushed for the exit visas as an additional step during final negotiations over the joint statement and trip logistics, according to one of the U.S. officials.

Persons: Biden, Biden's, Nguyen Bac Truyen, Mai Phan Loi, Ben Swanton, Antony Blinken, Bui, Trevor Hunnicutt, Francesco Guarascio, Heather Timmons, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Communist, United, U.S, Reuters, Human Rights Watch, Biden, Thomson Locations: United States, Hanoi , U.S, Vietnam, Washington, China, Russia, India, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Germany, Bui Thanh, Hanoi

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