VNS- The capital is poised to start construction of a new urban complex of international standard, named "Exchange City" to the west of the downtown area.

The VND397.5 billion project will be undertaken by the Viet Nam-Cuba Construction Joint Venture Company on a 96 ha site adjoining Co Nhue commune and Cau dien and Mai Dich neibourhoods. The centre, in high-rises of up to 24 storeys, will house sports facilities of international standards, a scientific research zone, a high-tech zone, a trading centre and an international hospital.

It will be constructed in three two-year phases from 2001 to 2007.

VNS- Sai Gon Port, Viet Nam's biggest, reportedly handled over 4 million tones of cargo in the first five months of this year, up 1.3 per cent year-on-year, and 846,000 tones last month alone.

Of this, imports accounted for 1.7 million tones, exports, 1.3 million tones, and domestic cargo,  the remainder. Rice exports alone were 784,390 tones, making up 40 per cent of the port's rice export target for the whole year.

Tuesday June 5, 2001
　

…approved construction plans for the Tra Khuc and Cay Bua bridges in the southern province of Quang Ngai. The two packages represent the second and third phases of a project to upgrade bridges on National Highway No.1.

The winning bidder is the joint venture between China’s National Construction Corporation and Truong Son Construction Corporation.

The project will take 20 months to implement and is worth $10.5 million.

Document 906/CP-CN dated October 4, 2001

... assigned Electricity of Viet Nam to undertake a feasibility study of the project Upgrading and modernising Pha Lai I power plant.

The ministries of Planning and Investment, Construction, and the National Sport Committee, have been given authority to build a Central Stadium, in time to host SEA Games 22, which will take place in 2003.

The PM also authorised the ministries of Planning and Investment, and Construction to start the bidding plan for the building of the Can Tho Bridge.

 ...approved the proposal of the Ministry of Transport to implement seven transport projects under the build- operate-transfer (BOT) model during the 2001-2005 period.

Projects will include the first phase of the HCM City - Can Tho Highway, HCM City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Highway, Vinh City Detour, Noi Bai-Ha Long Highway, and the Yen Lech, Rach Mieu, and Vam Cong bridges.

The total State budget to be invested in these projects will be VND13, 2 billion.

 
Document 411/CP-CN dated May 16, 2001.

The first phase of an investment project that will up-grade the Mai Dich - Phap Van Road in Ha Noi has been approved by Prime Minister Phan Van Khai.

The project's first phase, which will be worth VND820 million, will begin within a year and should be completed in 2003.

The 11.2km section of road runs through the two inner districts of Cau Giay and Thanh Xuan, and the two suburban districts of Tu Liem and Thanh Tri within Ha Noi.

Decision 597/QD- TTg dated May 16, 2001.

He has also:

Infrastructure projects get the go-ahead

... Assigned the Transport Ministry to take responsibility for a number of immediate projects designed to upgrade infrastructure.

They will be, the Ha Noi - Lang Son Railway and the road linking the Lang - Hoa Lac Highway to the 54 Ethnic Groups' Culture Village in Ha Tay Province's Son Tay District, 37km west of Ha Noi.

Others will include the Long Binh Port in HCM City, and 13 sections of road on the 1, 2, 3, 4D, 12A, 28, 31, 32, 34, 37, 46, 217, and 279 highways.

Decision 597/QD-TTg dated May 16, 2001.

...assigned the Ministry of Transport, the HCM City People's Committee and other agencies to raise capital from domestic and foreign sources for the construction of the Trang Bom-Hoa Hung railway in the southern Tay Ninh Province and HCM City.

The agencies were also told to carry out further research into the technical methods and duration of the project, ensuring that the appropriate amount of investment capital is raised.

Document 417/CP-CN dated May 18, 2001

The PM has also given the go-ahead for the Viet Nam Railway Union to take out preferential loans from the Austrian Government to buy mechanical railway repair equipment.

Document 402/CP-QHQT dated May 21, 2001

The PM has also:

Diplomatic compound to be set up in Ha Noi.

...Assigned the Ministry of Construction to start work on the infrastructure for the diplomatic residential and office compound in Xuan Dinh Commune of Ha Noi's Tu Liem District.

The project is worth VND 4,007 billion (US$276 million).

Document 415/QD- TTg dated April 11, 2001
　

VNS- The Industrial and Commercial Bank of Viet Nam Vietincombank) has over the past five  months invested a large mount of money in several projects in key economic sectors.

It has given VND1,340 billion (US$92.41 million) for the post and telecommunication sector, VND937 billion for the cement sector, VND750 billion for the coal sector, and VND700 for the textile and garment sector.

The bank has also invested $20 million into installing oil line networks in Nam Con Son oil field, $30 million into building the T1 station of the Northern Aviation Ports Complex and $57 million into Can Don Hydroelectric Plant.

It has worked with the Development Support Fund to provide loans to enterprises.

The bank has over the past five months received VND49,000 billion in saving deposits six per cent  higher year on year and lent VND39,681 billion, up 13.5 per cent.

VNS- The southern Binh Phuoc province is set to increase the proportion of its industrial production to 20.2 per cent of the provincial Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2005.

The provincial Industry Department Director Ho Van Huu also said that they aimed at industrial export of 20-25 per cent of total export value. To achieve the targets Binh Phuoc will give top priority to the development of mining and construction material production, he said, adding that 45-50 per cent of local farm produce are set to be semi-processed.