Investment policy and regulation
Domestic investors
Formosa Plastics taps India, Southeast Asia for growth
Taiwan’s Formosa Plastics, the island’s largest maker of key plastic materials, on Tuesday said it wanted to aggressively expand in India, Southeast Asia, Middle East, and Africa to lower its dependence on China, which has been mired in a prolonged supply glut. “We are aiming to ...
Textile & garment companies still attract foreign investors
Though growth in investment in the textile & garment sector has slowed down, it is still attractive in foreign investors’ eyes. The years 2014 and 2015 witnessed the massive landing of foreign textile & garment enterprises in Vietnam. In 2015 alone, $2 billion worth of foreign ...
Coal outgrows hydropower
As Cambodia’s demand for electricity grows and domestic energy production increases, new data released from the Ministry of Mines and Energy on October 10 show that coal-fired energy generation surpassed hydroelectricity for the first time last year. According to the Cambodia National Energy Statistics 2016, a joint ...
Industrial sector says policy details are needed to ensure economic zones grow
Poor infrastructure, low-quality or unreliable electricity supply, water shortages, inadequate transportation links, and ongoing disagreements with local residents affected by zone development are among the most serious problems developing the country’s industrial sector, experts say. But perhaps the biggest problem, they say, is the lack ...
US gems association eyes trade ties as sanctions end
The American Gem Trade Association arrived in Myanmar for the first time this week to assess the gems sector and build trade relationships ahead of an anticipated end to the US sanctions regime, which would allow the legal import of Myanmar rubies and jade. The association’s ...
Low production and quality to blame for rubber sector’s export woes
Low productivity, high labour costs and sub-par quality are holding Myanmar back from becoming a serious rubber producer, experts say. The nation’s rubber plantations produce at less than half the international production rate, and a rise in volume must be matched by improvements in product ...
Vietnam firm eyes transferring sugar mill in Laos
Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group has finally confirmed it is negotiating with Thanh Thanh Cong to transfer its sugar mill in Laos to TTC – both companies are giants in their field, Vietnam’s local media reported this week. TTC is known as the leading player in ...
Nok Air spreads wings with debut in China
Nok Air has solidified its intentions to extend its footprint into China with the planned debut of scheduled flights to Kunming and Guangzhou. China will drive the SET-listed budget airline’s accelerated international network expansion, expected to provide an impetus for future growth. While the airline ...
Kamworks will harness sun to power residential tower
Kamworks Utility has clinched a deal to install and operate what could be the first commercial solar power system on a high-end residential tower in Cambodia, contributing to efforts to reduce elevated electricity costs through renewable energy, a company representative said on October 6. The Dutch-founded ...
World Bank forecasts 7.8% growth in Myanmar this year
The World Bank has predicted strong economic growth in Myanmar through the 2016-17 fiscal year, ending in March. In its growth outlook for “developing East Asia and Pacific” for 2016-18, released on October 5, the World Bank projects growth in Myanmar to hit 7.8 percent for the ...