Chairman Le Hoang Quan Welcome senior executives of Sanofi Vietnam and Sanofi Group

The France-based Sanofi Group is looking forward to investing in a high tech pharmaceutical plant in HCMC with larger capacity than its current two plants in the city, said Thomas Kelly, senior vice president of Sanofi Asia.

At the meeting with HCMC Chairman Le Hoang Quan on Tuesday, Kelly proposed the city government facilitate this project, especially in finding a suitable location.

HCMC Chairman Le Hoang Quan (R) speaks with senior executives of Sanofi Vietnam and Sanofi Group at the City Hall on Tuesday

“Both of Sanofi plants in HCMC are located in urban areas. We hope the third one will be developed in an industrial zone with the required area of six hectares,” said Kelly.

Moreover, he added the high tech medicines to be produced in the Vietnam market would be consumed locally as well as exported to other countries. That explained why Sanofi Vietnam had asked for a change in its investment license.

Earlier this month, Sanofi Vietnam submitted to the city government its dossiers, asking for the addition of export-import to the company’s registered business fields. Kelly told Chairman Quan that this change is important to Sanofi Vietnam’s business in coming time because it affects both product export and import of materials that accounts for 90% of production demand.

Along with the export revenue, easier material import would help pull down the medicine prices in Vietnam, Kelly underscored, especially when Vietnam dong is losing its value against strong currencies like the U.S. dollar or the euro.

Regarding the firm’s request to change its investment license, Chairman Quan promised to send his reply prior to September 10, after consulting with the city’s Department of Planning and Investment and Department of Health. In the meantime, the pharmaceutical company was asked to consider the feasibility of the high tech pharmaceutical plant development in HCMC.

Sanofi has been present in Vietnam for nearly 50 years with 1,000 employees currently working at its two plants and offices nationwide. The company last year paid taxes of VND100 billion to the State.

Its offshoot Sanofi – Synthelabo Vietnam is cooperating with the Ministry of Health on a research of vaccine for dengue fever.

However, not until 2015-2016 can this vaccine be put into use, said Kelly, though the Paris-based laboratories are in the final stage of clinical experiment.

PV

(Theo website Lê Hoàng Quân)

Chairman Le Hoang Quan: Entire East-West Highway ready by late November

The entire East-West Highway, including Thu Thiem Tunnel under the Saigon River, will be officially opened to traffic on November 22 this year.

This decision came at a meeting last Friday where HCMC chairman Le Hoang Quan was briefed on the project by the city’s Management Board of Traffic Construction and Urban Projects, Japanese main contractor Obayashi and relevant authorities.

HCMC chairman Le Hoang Quan makes a point at the meeting last Friday - Photo: Kinh Luan

There will be no technical opening of the highway on National Day, September 2.

Luong Minh Phuc, director of the management board, said this would save money and time to solve any technical matters.

Obayashi also proposed putting the highway and Thu Thiem Tunnel into full operation after the deadline of November 15. Quan selected November 22 to open the whole project to traffic in commemoration of the 71st Southern Vietnam’s Uprising Day on November 23.

 

(Theo website Lê Hoàng Quân)

Chairman Le Hoang Quan meets with Malaysian Minister of Domestic Trade

Malaysian Minister of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob is in HCMC for a visit aimed at stepping up work on two real estate projects worth US$800 million.

The minister on Tuesday led a business mission to the City Hall to meet with the city’s chairman, Le Hoang Quan, over the two projects in Binh Chanh District.

HCMC chairman Le Hoang Quan meets with Minister of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob (2nd, R) and Malaysian investors during the meeting on Wednesday - Photo: Kinh Luan

One of the two projects is a US$600-million building complex at a 9-hectare site near the crossroads of Nguyen Van Linh-National Highway 50. Licensed in December 2008, this complex includes not only urban and entertainment areas but also a supermall to mainly sell Malaysian-made products. However, the site is not yet ready because land clearance is still in progress.

Platinium Plaza is the second project that was approved in January 2010 as a joint venture between WCT Berhad, one of Malaysia’s largest construction and property development companies, and the local real estate company Dat Phuong Nam.

With a 4-story retail mall and four 33-story buildings comprising two office towers, one hotel and one soho (small office/home office), this US$200-million project will be built in front of the first project’s location.

However, like the first project, the site is not ready now because more than 400 families have not moved.

By Kinh Luan

HCMC chairman Le Hoang Quan meets with Minister of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob (2nd, R) and Malaysian investors during the meeting on Wednesday – Photo: Kinh Luan

 

(Theo website Lê Hoàng Quân)

HCMC chairman Le Hoang Quan receives Israeli ambassador Amnon Efrat

The high-tech experimental dairy farm with Israel’s financial and technical supports will start work next month in HCMC, said Israeli ambassador Amnon Efrat when he met with city chairman Le Hoang Quan last week.

Located in Binh Chanh District, this 9.8-hectare project will come into operation later this year. The project requires total investment capital of US$6.3 million, including Israel’s ODA loan of more than US$1million.

HCMC chairman Le Hoang Quan (R) receives Israeli ambassador Amnon Efrat at the City Hall - Photo: Kinh Luan

Talking to Quan, the ambassador pledged that Israeli technology will help to increase the yearly productivity to 7,000 – 8,000 liters per milk cow.

“We hope this dairy farm will be not only a hi-tech experimental facility but also a good training center,” said Efrat.

Nguyen Phuoc Trung, deputy director of the HCMC Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the hi-tech dairy farm will initially choose 100 milk cows from farming households for trial rearing, and would raise the herd by an additional 80 head of cattle later.

“Because the total cost of imported Israeli cows is too high, the two sides had agreed to tap local cows that have been chosen from best strains” explained Trung.

Trung also admitted that the project has been delayed for so long due to complicated procedures, as the related memorandum of understanding had been signed with Israel since 2007.

At the meeting, Efrat also talked about a hospital project with Israeli support, saying that the hi-tech children hospital project has gone through all procedures.

The ambassador hoped “the city government will facilitate the project by providing preferential treatment.” This project by a group of Israeli investors has total investment of US$45 million.

By Kinh Luan

(Theo website Lê Hoàng Quân)

HCMC Chairman Le Hoang Quan confer the City Insignia on Kuwaiti consul general

The award, similar to the title of “Honorary Citizen” in use elsewhere in the world, is meant to recognize the diplomat’s contributions during his 2.5-year term in HCMC.

HCMC Chairman Le Hoang Quan confer the City Insignia on Kuwaiti consul general

HCMC Chairman Le Hoang Quan (R) conferred the City Insignia on Kuwaiti consul general Naijeeb Al-Bader during a farewell meeting last weekend

(Theo website Lê Hoàng Quân)

Nguyễn Tấn Dũng welcomes ADB Country Director Ayumi Konishi

Việt Nam and the Asian Development Bank have forged effective cooperation during the past time, Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng said.

PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng welcomes ADB Country Director Ayumi Konishi, Hà Nội, June 17, 2011 - Photo: VGP

The Government chief made the comment at his reception for the ADB Country Director in Việt Nam, Ayumi Konishi, who will leave in July to wrap up his five-year term in Việt Nam.

PM Dũng noted ADB-funded programs and projects have made significant contributions to the Southeast Asian country’s all-around development, highlighting Mr. Ayumi Konishi’s dynamic role in those contributions.

Mr. Konishi suggested that both sides should focus on accelerating official development assistance (ODA) disbursement, renewing ODA vision, and improving legal framework for the advancement of public-private partnership (PPP) model.

Applauding the guest’s proposals, PM Dũng, however, mentioned to the ODA disbursement, saying the two sides need to jointly make essential preparations to enable speedy disbursement for projects after they are approved.

“Việt Nam is still in need of ODA though it has become a low middle-income country,” the PM told the ADB official, saying the country is ready to discuss with ADB about a clear-cut cooperative plan for the coming years.

Regarding the PPP model, PM Dũng affirmed the Government’s consistent policy of expanding the model in a bid to diversify capital resources for investment projects, especially in infrastructure development.

However, he pointed to it a new field, pledging that Việt Nam will gradually perfect the related legal framework and hopes to receive more assistance from ADB in the field.

On the occasion, PM Dũng also welcomed the new ADB Country Director, Tomoyuki Kimura, who will take office in early July.

The Vietnamese leader pledged to create favorable conditions for the new ADB Country Director during his term here.

The same day, Politburo member, Minister-Chairman of the Office of Government Nguyễn Xuân Phúc met with Mr. Konishi.

By Hải Minh

(Theo website Lê Hoàng Quân)

Deputy PM Hoang Trung Hai meets with Japanese financial leaders

Deputy PM Hoàng Trung Hải separately met with leaders of Japanese financial institutions and coordination organizations in Tokyo on the sidelines of the 17th International Conference on “The Future of Asia”.

The above-mentioned entities, which have maintained close relations with Việt Nam, include Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). 

Deputy PM Hoàng Trung Hải meets with President of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Sadako Ogata, Tokyo, Japan - Photo: VGP

Deputy PM Hoang Trung Hai also separately met with Chairman of the Japan-Việt Nam Parliamentary Friendship League of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Takebe Tsutomu and leaders of some of Japanese economic giants.

During the meetings, the Vietnamese leaders highlighted that the strategic partnership between Việt Nam and Japan has been advancing well, particularly the substantial rise of investment and trade. Japan is now the 3^rd biggest trade partner and the 4^th biggest investors in Việt Nam.

Deputy PM Hoang Trung Hai spoke highly of the role of such Japanese entities in consolidating the bilateral relations between the two countries.

He hoped that these organizations would continue encouraging Japanese businesses to boost cooperation with Việt Nam under new models like public-private partnership, supporting industry, workforce training, in a bid to help  Việt Nam improve its competitiveness and business environment.

By Hải Minh

(Theo www.lehoangquan.net)