AmCham Vietnam Weekly eNewsletter - 21st Week of 2022

Weekly eNewsletter

21st Week of 2022 - May 24, 2022

AmCham Vietnam’s Vision:

We strive to continue to be the most influential, strategic, and dynamic business association in Vietnam.

AmCham welcomes American, Vietnamese, and international companies that share our interest in enabling a fair, transparent, predictable, and efficient regulatory environment that values innovation.

We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as environment, social, and governance values and aim to be a community you want to join.

www.amchamvietnam.com

Dear ,

Last week was a whir of meetings and events in HCMC, Hanoi, HCMC, and Hue, between our May 17 AmCham Vietnam Chair’s Circle Dialogue with HCMC People’s Committee Chairman Phan Van Mai, a May 18 virtual event with AmCham Singapore and AmCham Thailand on Ties that Bind: Logistics, Supply Chain and Trade Connectivity in Southeast Asia, and the May 19-22 AmChams of the Asia Pacific (AAP) 2022 Business Summit in Hanoi and Hue, with a May 20 dinner meeting with Chairman Mai and foreign business associations on Friday evening back in HCMC. It was wonderful to reconnect in Hanoi and Hue with so many old friends and finally meet in person some colleagues I have only known for the last two years on Zoom. In between racking up frequent flier miles on domestic airlines, I found time for a walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, spent a few moments in my garden after the rains, and tried my first Cơm hến Huế. It was delicious – I don’t know why it took me nearly six years in Vietnam to discover!

Photo credit: Nikkei Asia

Photo credit: The New York Times

President Biden’s first trip to Asia: Seoul and Tokyo, QUAD and IPEF. President Biden now is on his first trip to Asia, visiting Seoul and Tokyo. Following the May 12-13 U.S.-ASEAN Summit in Washington DC, the visit demonstrates U.S. re-engagement and continued commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region and treaty alliances, as well as intent to work closely with allies and partners in the region on shared strategic interests. During the visit, President Biden met with newly-elected South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio. The visit will culminate in a “Quad Summit”, with leaders of Japan, India, and Australia, focused on common global issues, including climate change and global health.

IPEF. A key part of the visit was President Biden’s announcement Monday, May 23^rd of an economic plan for Asia – the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF, eye-peff), with 13 countries, including: Australia, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, together with the United States. The IPEF’s aim is “to contribute to cooperation, stability, prosperity, development, and peace within the region”. Administration officials stress the IPEF is not a trade agreement and lacks market access provisions. Instead, it focuses on four pillars: supply chain resilience; clean energy, decarbonization, and infrastructure; taxation and anti-corruption; and fair and resilient trade, including digital trade. While details are still to be developed, the IPEF demonstrates the United States is back at the table on economic issues in the region, and importantly for us, Vietnam is at the table, too. To learn more, join the May 31, 8-9am AAP 2022 Virtual Door Knock Series: The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, Trade, and ASEAN. LINK

https://vietnamnews.vn/politics-laws/1204361/viet-nam-joins-indo-pacific-economic-framework-for-prosperity.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/23/world/asia/biden-asian-pacific-bloc.html

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Biden-s-Asia-policy/Indo-Pacific-framework-to-begin-with-13-nations-including-India

The week ahead. This week, I am taking some rare time off to travel with my older daughter and her husband, visiting from San Francisco - please excuse any delayed email responses… There still is plenty going on at AmCham, both at our Committee meetings (in-person and virtually) and events, including our May 25 Connect & Cocktails at Cocotte Sila (with some amazing appetizers from their new chef!), and our May 26 event at the Intercon Saigon, Prevent and Manage Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, a topic important to us all as we seek to ensure safe, inclusive, and productive workplaces. Please share by noon on Monday, May 30 any cross-cutting issues of national concern for consideration in the June 24^th VBF Technical Session (more info in Advocacy Report).

And make sure you stay informed and connected. Looking ahead to next week, register now for our May 31 AAP Virtual Doorknock meeting to learn more about the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) that President Biden just announced in Tokyo and Vietnam agreed to join, join our May 31 Women in Leadership Networking Event at venue TBD, and if you work in Binh Duong, join the June 2 Networking Event we are co-hosting with HKBAV and other chambers.

Upcoming events and Committee meetings

May 24 9-10:00am Tourism and Hospitality Committee Meeting. Join to learn industry updates from Committee leaders, as well as insights from Dr. Nuno Ribeiro, Senior Lecturer & Research Cluster Lead, Hospitality & Tourism, School of Business & Management, RMIT, discussing “Hunting for Human Talent for Tourism is the New Normal in Vietnam”. LINK

May 25 9-10:00am Logistics & Supply Chain Committee Meeting. Join to learn industry updates, including updates from Committee leaders, and a readout of the May 19 USAID and General Department of Vietnam Customs Workshop on Reducing Congestion at Cat Lai Port from AmCham LSCC attendees Strategic Advisor, Ky Nguyen, CEO/General Director, Cai Mep International Terminal; Vice Chair, Astrid Vienney, Senior Manager, International Supply Chain – Vietnam, Kuehne + Nagel; and Secretary, Ngan Nguyen, Head of Government Relation and Corporate Affairs, Cai Mep International Terminal. LINK

May 25 6-8:30pm Connect & Cocktails at Cocotte Sila Tower. Join this month’s AmCham networking event at Cocotte’s beautiful Sila Tower venue in D3 with delicious appetizers made by Cocotte’s new chef! I saw previews and am sorry to miss, but know Owner Dong Khoi Nguyen will be an excellent host!! Expand your personal network - join AmCham members, friends, and other professionals in an informal after-work setting over a glass of wine, beer, or a cocktail. LINK

May 26 8:30-10:35am Prevent and Manage Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Legal Requirements and Best Practices at the InterContinental Saigon and virtually. LINK

May 31 8-9am AAP 2022 Virtual Door Knock Series: The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, Trade, and ASEAN. LINK

May 31 5-7:30pm Women in Leadership Committee Meeting and Ideating Event at venue TBD (more details coming soon);

June 2 6-8pm Networking event for Binh Duong members. LINK

Recent Events:

May 17 Dialogue between HCMC People’s Committee Chairman Phan Van Mai and leading AmCham Member companies with U.S. Consul General Marie Damour. The focus of our Dialogue was partnering to strengthen the business environment to drive innovation and sustainable growth. HCM City Leaders and AmCham recognize that the best way to attract new investment is to ensure an enabling environment for businesses already here to maintain and grow their operations, employment and investment. AmCham leaders discussed key themes for partnership: Promoting Healthcare and Wellness; Growing High-value Manufacturing and Sustainable Supply Chains; Enabling the Digital Economy; and Developing a Globally-competitive Workforce. We also discussed other Doing Business concerns, including the need for improved warehousing facilities, 24/7 hours for Food Safety Inspections, and streamlined procedures for Temporary Residence Cards and visas, including for tech startup founders and investors. Chairman Mai committed to continuing collaboration on these issues of mutual concern and instructed Departmental heads to follow up.

May 19 USAID Workshop. Investment in transportation infrastructure is needed to support HCMC’s continued development and contributions to the national economy. AmCham welcomes HCMC Leaders’ plans to prioritize several road, port, and airport projects and wants to partner on solutions.

Meanwhile, AmCham members joined a May 19 USAID workshop to ease congestion at Cat Lai port, including Board Member Mark Gillin and members of AmCham’s Logistics and Supply Chain Leadership Team, Strategic Advisor Ky Nguyen and Vice Chair Astrid Vienney. LINK to article from FB.

May 19-21 AAP Business Summit. AmCham Vietnam members from HCMC and Da Nang, including Da Nang Chair Chris Vanloon, and HCMC Board Members Dr. Lan Dam and Leo Garcia, VBF Representative Fred Burke, and Executive Director Mary Tarnowka, joined the AmChams of Asia Pacific (AAP) Business Summit 2022 in Hanoi, hosted by AmCham Hanoi.

The AAP Summit was held on May 20 just after the May 12-13 U.S.-ASEAN Summit in Washington and just as President Biden began his first trip to Asia, a 5-day trip to Seoul and Tokyo. The Summit featured senior U.S. government officials, including Ambassador Marc Knapper, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Dan Kritenbrink, Commerce Under Secretary Marisa Lago, as well as regional Senior Commercial Officers and AmCham Executive Directors, industry experts including U.S. Chamber SVP for Asia Charles Freeman and AAP Chair Steve Okun discussing prospects for trade and investment in the region, particularly the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, officially launched by President Biden on May 23 in Tokyo.

May 20 HCMC Chairman Mai Dinner Meeting with Foreign Business Associations. AmCham was honored to be included in the May 20 HCMC People’s Committee’s Meeting Between HCMC Leaders and Foreign Business Associations 2022, this year in a new more informal setting over dinner.

Representatives from AmCham, KoCham, JETRO, EuroCham, the Dutch Consul General, and Singaporean Business Group shared similar comments and recommendations, praising the HCMC leaders’ pragmatic and flexible COVID response and vaccine rollout, and recommending actions to drive innovation and sustainable growth, including continued focus on health and wellness; administrative reforms and e-government processes; investment in transportation, logistics, and energy infrastructure for sustainable growth; and support for the digital economy and service sector generally.

AmCham Membership Renewal. Renew now to retain your membership benefits! If you haven’t already, make sure you renew your membership now to continue your involvement in AmCham, with opportunities for professional networking, business intelligence, advocacy to improve the business environment, and promotion of your business. Please renew promptly and consider upgrading to become Premium Members! If you haven’t yet received your renewal notice, please contact Membership Manager Sam Hoang.

AmCham Premium Corporate Membership: AmCham Premium membership offers the opportunity for qualified companies to highlight your status as business leaders and your strategic support for AmCham Vietnam’s mission and programs. Premium Membership offers a range of benefits, and exclusive VIP access. Customized packages are available. To learn more, see LINK or contact Office Manager Cindy Tran.

Thank you for your continued support – let us know how we can do better at team@amchamvietnam.com! Regards, Mary

Greetings from sunny Da Nang and I hope you are all well. Thanks to AmCham Hanoi for organizing the AmCham of the Asia Pacific Summit in Hanoi and Hue last week! It was a very insightful meeting and great place to exchange knowledge and business understanding with our brother and sister Chambers throughout the region.

Also exciting that our member Evergreen Labs, led by cofounder and Da Nang Vice Chair Dr. Kasia Weina, completed its 6-month long donation project supporting local schools, orphanages, and disability organizations across Vietnam. Evergreen Labs helped over 2,700 children and donated over 21,000 items to 19 organizations with a total value of $7,000. Among the donations were 360 tables and chairs made from recycled plastic by the social enterprise Reform Plastic. It was a massive effort by over 70 people and nearly 500 hours of work in total! Please see the LINK to its press release (EN & VN) and feel free to share this with any relevant contacts to help spread the word. Congratulations to Evergreen Labs on this impressive contribution!

Advocacy

Last week provided key opportunities to advocate on issues of HCMC concern directly with City leaders and relevant departments, as well as to discuss issues of regional concern at the AAP Summit. Don’t miss the opportunity to submit issues of national concern by May 30 for the upcoming June 24^th VBF Technical Meeting. And learn more about the new U.S. Indo-Pacific Economic Framework at our May 31 – 8-9am virtual Members-only event AAP 2022 Virtual Door Knock Series: The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, Trade, and ASEAN

HCMC. We shared key concerns with HCMC authorities at our May 17 Dialogue between HCMC People’s Committee Chairman Phan Van Mai and leading AmCham Member companies with U.S. Consul General Marie Damour and the May 20 HCMC Chairman Mai Dinner Meeting with Foreign Business Associations. LINK to May 20 remarks

National/VBF. The Vietnam Business Forum, a key forum for AmCham national-level advocacy, now through May 31, is soliciting issues of concern and recommendations from AmCham in preparation for a “Technical” Forum, currently scheduled for June 24^th. Some of you already may have contributed your ideas directly through VBF Working Groups. If not, please submit, ideally through Committee chairs, to advocacyaction@amchamvietnam.com, no later than noon on Monday, May 30, in both English and Vietnamese, using the form provided, to facilitate our consolidation and submission. LINK. Fred Burke, AmCham’s 2022 VBF Representative notes: “The VBF is probably the most effective advocacy channel Am Cham has in Vietnam, so please try to use it. No issue is too big or too small, but the issue should be cross-cutting and not merely of interest to a single member.’”

AmChams of the Asia Pacific July Doorknock. We encourage AmCham members who are interested to register for the AmChams of the Asia-Pacific (AAP) July 17-20 AAP Doorknock in Washington DC (registration fee $1000) LINK.

We are also now reviewing proposed advocacy from the F&B Committee on Nutritional Labeling. We welcome your feedback on these and other issues to ensure we are aware of your top concerns. This report and prior Advocacy Reports are available on AmCham’s Advocacy page. LINK. Please send your feedback on what is working, what issues remain, and recommended solutions to relevant Committee Chairs, advocacyaction@amchamvietnam.com

Committee Meetings & Activities (For AmCham Members only)

May 24: Tourism and Hospitality Committee Meeting

May 25: Logistics & Supply Chain Committee Meeting

May 31: Women in Leadership Committee Meeting

June 1: Education & Training Committee Meeting

June 3: Manufacturing Committee Meeting

June 6: Capital Markets and Financial Services Committee (CMFSC) Meeting

June 8: Legal & VBF Liaison Committee Meeting

June 9: Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Committee Meeting

Key Media Updates

Stay informed about key developments affecting your business by checking frequently – updated regularly on weekdays. On weekends, stay informed and connected through AmCham’s Facebook, Linked IN, and Instagram. LINK to our Key Media Updates.

Upcoming Events

May 25 - 6:00-8:30pm.

AmCham Connect & Cocktails

At Cocotte Sila Tower, 21 Ngo Thoi Nhiem St, Dist. 3

May 26 - 8:30-10:35am.

Prevent and Manage Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Legal Requirements and Best Practices

At InterContinental Saigon Hotel and via Zoom

May 31 - 8:00-9:00am.

AAP 2022 Virtual Door Knock Series: The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, Trade, and ASEAN

Virtual participation only event.

May 31 - 5:00-7:30pm. SAVE THE DATE - More information Coming Soon!

Women in Leadership Networking and Ideating Event

Venue TBD

This event is open to AmCham women members, allies, and friends. Join us for a chance to refine networking skills you learned at our April “Networking with Purpose” event. AmCham members also are invited to share ideas for future Women in Leadership Committee speakers, activities, and events. We’ll set up an Ideas Catcher Station, and present the themes collected at the end of the event.