Vietnam News Highlights for June 5, 2023

Nguyen Quang Hai and Pau FC agree on mutual termination of their contract

Nguyen Quang Hai (yellow) in a match for Pau FC. Photo: The Hanoi Times

Nguyen Quang Hai, one of Vietnam's top footballers, will leave French club Pau FC on June 30, a year before the end of his 24-month contract. He hoped the European experience would boost his career after playing well for Hanoi FC and the Vietnam national team.

Hai scored one goal in just 12 of 21 games for Pau FC in the 2022-2023 season. His physical attributes were cited as the main reason for his lack of success in France.

The Vietnam Glory Awards 2023 honors 16 individuals and groups.

The Vietnam Glory Awards 2023 honored 16 individuals and units for their dedication to serving the country and its people. Among the honorees were the Vietnam Women's National Football Team, eight-time SEA Games champions, and the Department of General Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which helped secure donations of the Covid-19 vaccine for Vietnam.

The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor and the Lao Dong (Labor) newspaper have held the awards program annually since 2004.

New Vietnam-Australia air routes launched

Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air have launched new direct routes connecting Hanoi and HCM City with the Australian cities of Melbourne and Brisbane. The airlines will operate four flights per week.

Vietnam Airlines will launch its first flight between Hanoi and Melbourne on June 15, followed by Vietjet Air the next day. In the first five months of 2023, 158,000 Australians visited Vietnam, almost half the pre-pandemic level.

Authorities approve Vietcombank's capital increase plan

Vietcombank, the largest company by market capitalization, has received approval to increase its charter capital by 18.3% to nearly VND56 trillion (US$2.38 billion) through share issuance. The bank will issue 856.5 million dividend shares at a ratio of 18.1%.

If successful, Vietcombank will become the second largest bank in Vietnam by capital after VPBank.

Vietnamese diners enjoy Norwegian Seafood Day in Vietnam

Norwegian Ambassador to Vietnam Hilde Solbakken joins a professional chef in processing and cooking top-class Norwegian salmon. Photo: Tuoi Tre newspaper

Vietnamese savored world-class dishes at the first Norwegian Seafood Day in Vietnam, held last week at Vincom Mega Mall Time City in Hanoi. Organized by the Norwegian Seafood Council and WinCommerce General Commercial Services JSC, the event aimed to promote the "Seafood from Norway" brand to Vietnamese consumers.

Norwegian Ambassador to Vietnam Hilde Solbakken and professional chefs attended the event and prepared top quality Norwegian salmon on the spot.

Ten industries in Vietnam face declining demand

Ten industries in Vietnam are experiencing a significant decline in labor demand, according to a report by Navigos Group. The tourism, restaurants, and hotels sector has seen a 43%  fall in hiring needs in the first four months of 2023. The textile, leather, construction, and real estate industries have also seen a decline in labor demand of up to 39% due to the global economic downturn and tighter credit policies.

Other industries such as construction and real estate, materials and logistics, information technology, procurement, and supply chain have also seen a declining demand.