Background Reading 6:Vietnam Singapore Industrial Park

The Vietnam Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) is an integrated industrial zone spanning a land area of 500 hectares with full infrastructure facilities and conducive operating environment. VSIP is an excellent investment location for companies that target Viet Nam’s domestic market as well as export market.

VSIP is an integrated industrial park in Binh Duong province, strategically located 17km north of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s main commercial center. This location choice provides investors in VSIP a winning combination of developed infrastructure and competitive cost structure.

Visit this website to get more information about VSIP.
http://www.vsip.com.vn/?id=why_loc


Reflection Questions
1. Why do you think the Vietnam Government invited Singapore to develop this park?

2. Suggests reasons why foreign investors would want to invest in this park.

3. Do you forsee any problems that foreign investors will encounter?

Post your answer in the comment box.

Background Reading 5:Vietnam 'could be key travel destination'

TRISHAW TOUR: President Nathan being greeted by residents during a 'cyclo' ride in Hoi An



March 1, 2008 from the Straits Time

Singapore happy to seek partnership in promoting tourism: President Nathan
By Roger Mitton

DANANG (VIETNAM) - PRESIDENT SR Nathan hopes that with more Singaporeans visiting Vietnam, the increased tourism will further enhance the already excellent bilateral ties between the two countries. Mr Nathan, who concluded his five-day state visit to Vietnam yesterday, said the country is in a good position to become a key destination for both leisure and business travellers.

He said: 'Singapore would be happy to explore how we can be partners in promoting tourism.' Vietnam is keen to put itself on the global tourism map and will be organising major events such as the Miss Universe pageant to be held in July at Diamond Bay, Nha Trang, a beach resort area south of Danang. Officials hope the event will attract around one billion television viewers.

Mr Nathan hopes good ties between the two nations will spur artistic and cultural cooperation. To this end, Singapore's National Heritage Board will organise a 'Vietnam Festival 2008' from next month to July to mark 35 years of bilateral relations.

Said Mr Nathan: 'The festival, which will feature the first- ever major exhibition of Vietnamese contemporary art in Singapore, will include 100 historically important works, from paintings to installation and performance art.'

He ended his state visit by touring the ancient port of Hoi An, 30km south of Danang. It was his first visit to central Vietnam and he extolled its unique historical sites and long pristine beaches, where many developers are vying for the best spots to build deluxe resorts.

Picturesque Hoi An was once an important entrepot. From the 16th century until recent times, merchants from Asia and Europe journeyed to the little port midway along Vietnam's coastline to trade all kinds of goods from spices to silk and gold.

Sited on the banks of the Thu Bon River, its narrow lanes are dotted with temples, shrines and Chinese-style tile-roofed wooden houses. It also has boutique hotels, trendy eateries and silk merchants.

During their tour of the town, made partly in trishaws, the President and Mrs Nathan were greeted enthusiastically by locals and foreigners alike, including several Singaporean tourists.

As well as viewing the famous wooden Japanese Bridge, Mr Nathan explored some ancient Chinese houses, including the Hokkien association pagoda that Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong had visited last December.

He wrote in its visitor's book: 'I am pleased to visit Hoi An ancient city where much history is preserved for future generations to appreciate.' Before leaving for home, he attended a lunch hosted by the chairman of the provincial authority, Mr Nguyen Duc Hai, and other local dignitaries.

Reflection Questions

1. How will the good bilateral ties between Vietnam and Singapore brings benefits to both countries?

2. Do you think Vietnam is an attractive tourist destination?

3.Suggest three reasons why Singaporean would like to visit Vietnam.

Post your answers in the comment box.

Background Reading 4:Vietnam's can-do spirit impresses President Nathan

TAKING IN THE SIGHTS: Mr Nathan (centre) visiting the Champa ruins in My Son in Quang Nam province, Vietnam, yesterday.

Feb 29, 2008 Fromthe Straits Time

Leaders are eager to spur growth and tackle attendant ills
By Roger Mitton

IN DANANG - THE first thing that struck President S R Nathan about Vietnam on his current visit was its sheer vibrancy, he told Singapore media yesterday. This was epitomised by the dynamic business activity and frenetic can-do spirit of its people, he said on the fourth day of his state visit.

The President, whose last visit to the country was seven years ago, was reflecting on the immense changes that have taken place since then. He said he found Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, President Nguyen Minh Triet and Communist Party leader Nong Duc Manh different from the past leadership.

'They are more focused on Vietnam's economic transformation and they spoke only about what needs to be done to develop the nation,' he said. 'They talked earnestly about how they might deal with infrastructure problems, like bottlenecks at the ports and so on, that come with fast economic progress.'

Indeed, as Vietnam spurts ahead, its leaders have grown anxious about attendant concerns such as soaring inflation and increased urbanisation, arguably the two most serious problems facing the country today.

The latest official figures released on Wednesday showed that inflation has increased yet again and that February prices rose by a whopping 15.67 per cent compared to last year's.

Mr Nathan said: 'There is tremendous enthusiasm for continued high growth, but the leaders here realise it comes at a cost and they are conscious that they must tackle inflation.'

As for urbanisation, which resulted in half a million rural folks migrating to the cities last year, the President said Vietnam's leaders had sought advice from Singapore about how to deal with this and other issues.

'There is a keenness to learn from us in areas like human resource development, although they realise that what we do in Singapore has to be adapted to local conditions.'

Mr Nathan revealed, for instance, that the Danang municipality will send a team to Singapore to study street lighting, while Singapore will continue to help train Vietnam's English-language teachers.

Mr Lee Yi Shyan, Minister of State for Trade and Industry, is accompanying President Nathan on the trip. He said: 'When I visited here five years ago, there were few English-speaking officials, but now they have lots of young ones ready to deal with potential investors.'

As for politics, Mr Nathan said it hardly came up in his talks with Vietnam's leaders, except for regional issues and the need to move forward to get the new Asean Charter implemented soon.
'They are determined to play a strong role in regional affairs and help the process of integration. Vietnam will be a great asset to Asean,' he said.

Yesterday, Mr Nathan, who had earlier toured the Cham Museum in Danang, also visited one of Vietnam's major cultural treasures, the Champa ruins at nearby My Son.

Today, he will visit the historic Unesco World Heritage village of Hoi An, before meeting local leaders and ending what he referred to as his 'friendship visit' to Vietnam.

Reflection Questions

1. With development comes problems. What do you think are two of the most serious problems that Vietnam will face this year?

2. What lessons do you think Vietnam can learn from Singapore?

Post your answers in the comments box.