Workshop spotlights support for SMEs in foreign trade
The Vietnamese Government’s latest support policies for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and foreign banks’ assistance for their international trade activities were updated at a workshop in Hanoi on October 31.
The workshop in Hanoi on October 31 updates the Vietnamese Government’s latest support policies for SMEsand foreign banks’ assistance for their international trade activities (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA)– The Vietnamese Government’s latest support policies for small- andmedium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and foreign banks’ assistance for theirinternational trade activities were updated at a workshop in Hanoi on October31.
The event, which was co-hosted by the VietnamChamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and Standard Chartered Bank Vietnam, attractedmany economists and representatives of commercial banks, business associationsand more than 100 enterprises.
VCCI Secretary General Pham Thi Thu Hang saidSMEs have been contributing remarkably to trade activities, creating jobs and fosteringVietnam’s economic growth for many years. Therefore, it is essential to providethem with necessary assistance to develop effectively and sustainably, sheadded.
Hang also spoke highly of opportunities ofcooperation with Standard Chartered, which could give SMEs useful informationand experiences to gain success in international trade activities, saying thisis of special importance amid Vietnam’s deeper integration into the regionaland global economies.
Nirukt Sapru, CEO of Standard Chartered BankVietnam, said over the last two decades, the country has gained a number of benefitsfrom expanding trade and investment ties with many countries.
Vietnam is now enhancingexternal trade relations, and SMEs are an essential part of this process,helping the nation to further integrate into global supply chains, he added.
Standard Chartered Bank Vietnam pledgeseffective support for Vietnamese firms to integrate into the global economy andexpand their business activities, Sapru stressed.
He added that his bank provides bankingsolutions for all activities of SMEs from capital management, activityexpansion, profit improvement to cross-border business activities. They areparticularly designed to help SMEs carry out bank transactions more easily sothat the companies can focus on developing their business activities.-VNA
As many as 200 enterprises and more than 194,000 locals in the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh have benefited from a Canadian-funded project to support SMEs.
The Saigon Hanoi Bank (SHB) recently announced that it will launch a 2.5 trillion VND credit package with preferential interest rate from 6.5 percent per year for SMEs.
The Government’s solutions to support the development of enterprises has proven effective, with a surge in the number of newly established firms in the first nine months of 2017.
The HCM City Centre for Supporting Enterprise Development (CSED) on October 18 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with 30 organisations to provide support to SMEs, including start-ups.
The article by Cuba’s Inter Press Service detailed how Vietnamese private enterprise Agri VMA leased 1,000 ha of land in Los Palacios district, Cuba’s westernmost province of Pinar del Río, for rice cultivation over a three-year period. The project’s first harvest in 2025 recorded an impressive yield of 7.2 tonnes per hectare, far exceeding the local average of 1.6 tonnes.
During the visit, office representatives held a working session with the Tipaza Chamber of Commerce and Industry and met with several prominent local businesses operating in key sectors including industry, agriculture, fisheries, food processing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and plastics.
A Nordic delegation to Vietnam International Sourcing 2025 in September will feature leading names in retail, consumer goods, logistics, and sustainable manufacturing, including global fashion giant H&M, offering fresh prospects for partnerships in fashion, textiles, and green supply chains.
With the current trading band of +/- 5%, the ceiling rate applicable for commercial banks during the day is 26,276 VND/USD and the floor rate 23,774 VND/USD.
Effective from the date of signing on June 18, the decision halts procedures outlined in the 2005 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the governments of Vietnam and Laos on the initial implementation of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Cross-Border Transport Facilitation Agreement at the Lao Bao–Densavan border gate.
The event aimed to update businesses on new regulations and compliance requirements regarding US tax, trade, and customs policies, while offering practical solutions to facilitate exports amid shifting trade dynamics.
The festival marks a significant milestone in promoting the brand, value, and legacy of traditional fish sauce - a product deeply rooted in the island’s identity and history spanning over 200 years.
According to Mastercard data, Vietnam has recorded a remarkable 92% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in contactless transaction volume from Q4 2022 to Q4 2024.
Tuan expressed his confidence that LH, with its expertise and experience, would swiftly implement the urban area project, contributing to a modern urban landscape for the province.
With its strategic location, abundant workforce, and modern infrastructure, Vietnam holds significant potential to become a leading centre for power and electronics production in the region and the world.
The renewable energy workforce training and development centre, invested by Germany's GEO Group, is expected to be a cornerstone in shaping Binh Dinh as a renewable energy and innovation hub in central Vietnam, meeting the growing demand for skilled technical personnel in offshore wind, solar farms, and green hydrogen projects.
A notable trend is the shift toward satellite regions. With land scarcity and soaring prices in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, investors are eyeing provinces like Hung Yen, Bac Ninh, and Hai Phong, which are benefiting from improved technical infrastructure and transport connectivity.
To further strengthen private-sector innovation, Bac Ninh plans to accelerate administrative reforms, build a digital, service-oriented government, and develop an integrated innovation ecosystem that connects businesses with domestic and international institutions, universities, and experts.
The participation of H&M, one of the world's largest fashion corporations, in Vietnam International Sourcing 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City in early September is considered a special highlight, opening up many cooperation opportunities for Vietnamese businesses in the fashion, textiles and sustainable supply chains.
This latest order builds on a previous agreement signed at the Singapore Airshow last year for 40 engines, bringing the total number of Trent 7000 engines ordered by the airline to 80.
Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien acknowledged that despite concerted efforts by ministries and local authorities in combating fake and substandard goods, the situation remains highly complicated, attributing the persistent challenges to high profits luring numerous participants, increasingly sophisticated violations, limited resources within enforcement agencies.
The group also placed among the Top 5 energy companies in Southeast Asia and secured the top spot among the largest Vietnamese enterprises featured on the list.
The workshop in Hanoi on October 31 updates the Vietnamese Government’s latest support policies for SMEsand foreign banks’ assistance for their international trade activities (Photo: VNA) 
