Trade policy and regulation

Japan and the five Southeast Asian countries bordering the Mekong River adopted a blueprint on 24 August to boost industrialization in the subregion. The blueprint, known as “The Mekong Industrial Development Vision,” got the thumbs-up during a meeting between Japan’s Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry Yoichi ...

Shanghai shares fell more than 5% on 19 August, extending their largest daily fall in more than three weeks on concerns of waning government support. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index dropped 5.04%, or 188.74 points, to 3,559.42 during the morning session. Keep reading ...

Vietnam on 18 August devalued its currency by 1% following the devaluation of the Chinese yuan and a possible US interest rate increase. Keep reading ...

With most of the high-priority measures in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) blueprint already adopted, policymakers and businesses need to work closely on the remaining challenges to achieve benefits of full economic integration beyond 2015, a new report recommends. The report from Ernst & Young, titled ...

Local small and medium-sized importers are in a rush to hedge their currency exposure to protect against the rapid weakening of the baht, says TMB Bank. The number of SME customers hedging against foreign exchange risk has increased by 20-30% since the baht began depreciating after ...

Hanoi chicken farmer Nguyen Huu Tuyen blames inexpensive poultry imported from the U.S. for the loss of almost $14,000 this year.   Farmers such as Tuyen say the only way American companies can undercut Vietnamese poultry prices is if they export chicken at artificially low prices or ...

Vietnam and the EU have reached a framework agreement on the creation of a free trade zone under which almost all customs barriers between the partners will be eliminated.   The deal, which follows two and one-half years of talks, will once fully implemented remove nearly all ...

Laos and Thailand are seeking bilateral cooperation at special and specific economic zones along the border of the two countries. Laos’ National Committee for Special Economic Zones and Thailand’s Policy Committee on Special Economic Zone Development are preparing to sign a memorandum of understanding to inaugurate ...

The Vietnam Stock Index or VN-Index slumped for four straight days amid currency devaluation fear, closing at 589.03 points on 14 August. According to stock experts, the decisions of China’s central bank to devalue the Chinese yuan and the decision of Vietnam’s central bank to widen the exchange ...

Vietnam can help traders save US$10 billion every year by simplifying its customs procedures, which are now very time-consuming and complicated, an expert from a think tank has said.    Nguyen Dinh Cung, head of the Central Institute for Economic Management, told an online conference on Tuesday that customs ...