Vietnam news in brief - September 3

Nine must-try dishes in Hoi An Ancient Town

SCMP notes 9 delicacies the traveler must eat and drink in Hoi An, the food capital of Vietnam. Photo: Kylie Knott

The South China Morning Post (SCMP) has compiled a list of nine must-try dishes in Hoi An Ancient Town, Vietnam's gastronomic capital, including banh bao banh vac (white rose dumplings), banh mi (street food snack), pho (Vietnamese noodle soup), hoanh thanh chien (fried wontons), my quang (Quang-style noodles), cao lau (regional noodle dish), com ga (chicken rice), coffee and snacks. The selection criteria are based on the cultural flavor, appeal and renown of the dishes.

Nearly 33,000 tourists visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum on National Day

Nearly 33,000 tourists, including 635 foreign travelers, visited the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum on National Day [September 2], the management of the Mausoleum of President Ho Chi Minh reported. On the day, the management board, in coordination with the Hanoi Department of Tourism, provided free water, bread and milk for visitors to the mausoleum.

US highly praises the control of food safety in Vietnamese tra fish

The US inspection delegation highly praised the safety control system of Vietnamese tra fish exported to the US, said Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. From August 7 to 22, the inspection delegation from the US Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) visited Vietnam to inspect the enforcement of food safety and other regulations by the relevant authorities on consumer protection, hygiene monitoring, HACCP system, chemical residue control program, testing laboratory, and microbial analysis program.

Vietnam is the No. 1 seafood supplier to the US market, accounting for 91% of total U.S. seafood imports in terms of volume and value.

Vietnam's exports are expected to fully recover by 2024

Processing catfish for export at Cantho. Photo: Hung Thap

Vietnam's GDP growth is expected to reach 6.5% in 2024, a significant increase from around 5% in 2023, driven by a full recovery in exports, said Michael Kokalari, Chief Economist at VinaCapital, forecasting an 8-9% growth rate for Vietnam's exports.

This activity will recover in the fourth quarter thanks to the bottoming out of US retailers' inventories, the increasing wave of multinational companies shifting production to Vietnam, and the positive return of the foreign-invested sector.

US reiterates willingness to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam

The US Department of State announced on September 2 that Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken reaffirmed US support for a strong, prosperous, independent, and resilient Vietnam.

The US government values the partnership that both governments and peoples have cultivated together and desires to work together in priority areas to advance the shared goal of a prosperous, open, resilient, and peaceful Indo-Pacific region. The US diplomat also looked forward to President Joe Biden's historic visit to Hanoi on September 10 to celebrate the two countries' achievements together and plan for their shared future.