Running after economic growth at any cost will not make the country develop. The question is how to ensure the quality of growth and make it a primary task.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) has set a target to attract US$20 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) and increase FDI disbursement to US$11.5 billion.

Coffee from the Central Highland province of Dak Lak has been exported to 60 countries and territories across the world, according to the local trade promotion, investment and tourism centre.

 Priority will be given to projects scheduled to finish within the year, transitional projects which need to accelerate their progress to finish in 2012, and key projects to boost regional economic development.

 The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in Belgium has removed Vietnamese tra fish from the WWF’s red guidebook in 2010-2011, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) said on January 29. 

Almost every supermarket in big cities like Hanoi , Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang are packed in the run up to the Lunar New Year (Tet) as shoppers flock to buy goods for the year’s largest festival.

2010 was the year to mark many important events of Binh Duong province’s business community amid the world financial storm. Province-based businesses, namely Truong Thanh Woodwork Corp., Dai Thien Loc Steel Joint Stock Co., Dong A Steel Joint Stock Co.,…upheld their inner strength for stable growth and quick penetration to new markets which were previously the “prerogative region” of the multinational corporations.

In the 10th year of Golden Dragon Award held by Vietnam Economic Times (VET) in collaboration with the Foreign Investment Agency and the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), Setia Becamex honorably awarded in 2010 among 80 winners.

A heat wave in year end’s real estate market of Binh Duong has returned and clamped down prices of land use right contracts. The outburst of infrastructure projects have promoted premium apartments sale.

Being assigned by Binh Duong Department of Industry and Trade to stabilize markets prices in remote areas from January 19 to 27, Binh Duong Co.opMart has launched 6:00 to 17:00 mobile shops to sell goods to local people at 9 places of 6 communes of Ben Cat District. The projected goods amount is cost at VND 150 million with majority of daily necessity under Co.opMart brand for the upcoming Tết holiday. Besides, lucky draws are also offered to attract buyers.

Many commercial banks have chosen to extend operation to remote areas in new attempts of expansion. Activities of credit institutions have greatly contributed to common economic achievements of the province. More branches and offices are opened to facilitate loans and capital however imbalanced the race has been.

Domestic customers have become more aware of the food safety, hygiene and quality, which is also the top factor in the trend of buying Tet food with Vietnamese trademarks. They have also received a deep impact from the “Vietnamese people give priority to using Vietnamese goods” campaign.

Dong A Steel JSC in Di An district’s Song Than IP just held a summing up conference on its activities 2010 and mapped out strategies for 2011. After its re-structure, the company has increased over 42.5% in human resources with an average income of over VND4.1mil per capita per month, reached 94,300 tons in consumption output, a year-on-year rise of 24%, VND112bil in pre-tax profit, a year-on-year increase of 27%. The company in 2010 conducted insurance policies worth over VND2bil for laborers as well as granted scholarships to workers’ children.

Domestic gold prices rose by VND100,000 per tael on January 24. Many businesses increased gold buying prices to reduce the differences between selling and buying prices of domestic gold.

The Vietnam Airlines Engineering Company (VAECO), a member of the Vietnam National Flag Carrier – Vietnam Airlines, has just received the FAR-145 certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration of the US.