Vietnam Forum 2019: Vietnam’s Business Environment Amidst Global Uncertainties

The Vietnam Forum 2019, hosted by Yusof Ishak Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) in collaboration with Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management (FSPPM), took place last week in Singapore. The event was facilitated by our sponsoring partners, MayBank Kim Eng and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung.

Under the theme “Vietnam’s Business Environment Amidst Global Uncertainties,” the Vietnam Forum 2019 attracted many scholars, policy makers and entrepreneurs from the region, as well as specialists from Vietnam and abroad. The Forum’s discussions revolved around Vietnam’s prominent economic issues and trends, especially in the context of global instability caused by trade wars. Three separate panel discussions focused on as many major sectors of the Vietnamese economy: (i) finance and banking; (ii) infrastructure and energy; and (iii) real estate.

Leaders and lecturers, as well as senior specialists from Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management (FSPPM) participated in the discussions. Following his opening remarks, Dr. Vu Thanh Tu Anh, Dean of FSPPM, presented “Recent political and economic trends in Vietnam”; while specialist Nguyen Xuan Thanh presented “Vietnam’s banking reforms: What more to expect?” in the panel discussion on banking and finance. Dr. Le Viet Phu gave a presentation titled “The renewable energy sector in Vietnam: Trends and Challenges” during the third panel discussion on infrastructure and energy.

Many observers believe Vietnam will be among the countries that benefit the most from the trade war between China and the United States, as enterprises and companies consider strategic expansion or relocation of their headquarters from China to Vietnam. At the forum, the Director of ISEAS, Mr. Choi Shing Kwok claimed that when companies and businesses seek to diversify or retreat from the Chinese market, they will come to Vietnam, where the economy is dynamic and burgeoning.