AmCham Vietnam Weekly eNewsletter - 39th Week of 2021

Weekly eNewsletter

39th Week of 2021 - October 3, 2021

AmCham Vietnam’s Vision:

The most influential, strategic, and dynamic business association in Vietnam, that drives innovation and sustainable growth, and helps our members succeed. AmCham is a diverse and inclusive business association. We welcome American, Vietnamese, and international companies that share our interest in enabling a fair, transparent, predictable, and efficient regulatory environment that values innovation. A community you want to join!

www.amchamvietnam.com

Dear ,

Adjusting to the New Normal. We hope many of you are enjoying your new freedoms in Hanoi, Da Nang, and now Ho Chi Minh City. I was delighted to be able to do my own shopping, but decided to shop at local fruit and vegetable stalls and nurseries, versus supermarkets where I feared the crowds might be larger this weekend. And I got my bicycle tire repaired. I feel I am already contributing to Q4 GDP. Are you doing your part??

AmCham CARES. Please CLICK NOW AND SAVE TEN LIVES! Reopening finally is beginning in HCMC, but many of its residents, our neighbors, are still struggling to find enough to eat. Join hands with AmCham CARES, support those in need, and be inspired with Recipes for Revival from ten of Vietnam's top tastemakers!!

With a donation of 350,000 VND, you will receive a link to download our special eBook “RECIPES FOR REVIVAL, Inspired by Vietnam's Top Tastemakers", including: Layla and Summer Experiment's Jay Moir; The Ox Not Only the Ox's Ngo Thanh Hoa; Quince's Julien Perraudin; Le Corto and P'ti's Sakal Phoeung, ANAN and NHAU NHAU's Peter Cuong Franklin; TUNG Dining's Hoang Tung, Master Chef Jack Lee, Chill Sky Bar and Vigor Dining's Emilio Moscati; Ivoire's Kasey Doan, and Maison Marou's Stephanie Aubriot.

This ebook is a collaboration between AmCham Vietnam, AusCham Vietnam, EuroCham Vietnam, Epicure Vietnam, Food Bank Vietnam and Saigon Children's Charity. All proceeds will be shared equally with our two partner charities. CLICK AND DONATE NOW! Additional contributions are welcome – you can order for friends, too!

Advocacy. Our main focus continues to be supporting a safe reopening and economic recovery, promoting the Government’s dual goals of protecting lives and livelihoods, as we adjust to a new normal of living safely with the virus. We were thrilled with the announcement of another 1.5 million donation of vaccines by the U.S. government, bringing the total U.S. donations to 7.5 million. Last week, we shared feedback to the HCMC authorities on their draft reopening plan, and to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on the national Guidelines, including at meetings in Hanoi Friday, October 1st, with MPI Minister Dung, and staff for DPM Khai. We were pleased to see HCMC’s reopening plan announced in Directive 18, dated September 30th, 2021, Binh Duong’s reopening plan 4988 and 2455, dated October 1st and 2nd, respectively, and the Prime Minister’s Directive 27, issued on October 3rd,^,signed by DPM Le Van Thanh. We expect to have a meeting with Binh Duong City leaders sometime this week, likely Tuesday or Thursday morning, and also possible a meeting with DPM Le Van Khai. We welcome feedback from all of you on how the reopening plans are playing out, at our Manufacturing and Supply Chain Task Force at MFGTF@amchamvietnam.com, or at advocacyaction@amchamvietnam.com. We also hope to see many of you in the Manufacturing Sector at our Manufacturing Committee Meeting on Friday, October 8th!

USTR Timber 301 Investigation Concluded. Fantastic news for Vietnam’s furniture sector and many of our member companies! AmCham, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, other business associations, and Baker McKenzie Vietnam's Fred Burke worked closely with HAWA to recommend against punitive sanctions, including my testimony at a USTR briefing at about midnight last December. Vietnam and its furniture sector have taken many actions since to improve education about ethical timber sourcing and ensure illegal timber does not get imported or used in furniture production and exports. LINK

The AmCham 2021 Board of Governor election process has kicked off! The AmCham Vietnam Nominating Committee is seeking your recommendations for candidates for the AmCham Vietnam Board of Governors in Ho Chi Minh City. Voting AmCham members may recommend themselves or another person. There are 9 positions open on the Board. The Nominating Committee is seeking candidates willing to actively serve for a two-year term, Jan 2022 - Dec 2023. The recommendation form explains who may recommend/be recommended, the process for recommending and formal nomination, and other important information. Recommendations may be made through Sunday, October 17.

Upcoming Events and Committee Meetings

We are all adjusting to the “new normal’ and what that means for us personally and our companies. Please join AmCham’s event, Adjusting to the "New Normal": a Mental Health Discussion on Thursday, October 7 at 4PM, to hear from a panel of medical and mental health experts including Saigon Psychology & Co Psychologist Dr. Astrid Matarrita, Family Medical Practice Vietnam's Dr. Jane Shadwell-Li, and Human Dynamic Group's Phan Trinh Hoang Da Thi, on what that means and how best to cope with the uncertainty, fear, and changes that we are all facing everyday, as well as how to help support members of your team and family, as they experience stress and loss.

Please join our Capital Markets & Financial Services Committee Meeting on Monday, October 4 at 4PM with Guest Speaker VinaCapital Fund Chief Economist Mike Kokalari; our Food & Beverage Committee’s Quarterly Meeting on Tuesday, October 5 at 4PM; our Education & Training Committee Meeting on Wednesday, October 6 at 9AM; and our Manufacturing Committee Meeting on Friday, October 8 at 8:30AM.

It is not too late to contribute! Please contribute NOW personally or for your company to support Vietnam and HCMC at this challenging time. AmCham CARES provides you a transparent mechanism to make contributions NOW for critically-needed medical equipment and supplies and know they will be delivered where in Vietnam they are needed most. We also welcome contributions from non-members and will ensure all donors are recognized. Contribute now: https://bit.ly/3i4FHRn to demonstrate AmCham CARES! If you have any questions, please contact AmCham Office Manager Cindy Tran at cindy.tran@amchamvietnam.com.

The highly transmissible Delta variant is causing extreme hardship for many Vietnamese people, especially disadvantaged groups such as migrants and informal workers. We know many of AmCham’s members and friends want to contribute to help, but don’t know how best to do so. In addition to contributing directly via AmCham CARES to donate critically-needed medical equipment to support the Vietnamese government, we provide information below about various AmCham INGO members’ COVID-19 relief programs in Vietnam, as well as links to some local NGOs vetted and supported by LIN. Contribute now personally or via your company. LINK.

We are happy to highlight COVID-related contributions from our member companies on our social media. Please email details, including photos, to Cindy Tran. We will also recognize contributions of our member companies to support the Vietnamese government’s COVID response, as well as other innovative and impactful Corporate Social Responsibility Programs or Environment, Social, and Governance initiatives at our November 18 “Giving Thanks Dinner”.

AmCham Premium Membership offers the opportunity for qualified companies to highlight their status as business leaders and their strategic support for AmCham Vietnam’s mission and programs. Premium Membership offers a range of discounts, benefits, and exclusive access. Customized packages are available. To learn more, see LINK or contact Office Manager Cindy Tran at cindy.tran@amchamvietnam.com.

To support the HCMC People’s Committee’s COVID-19 control measures, AmCham Vietnam will continue to hold all our meetings and events at a Level IV rating this week – all virtual. Please see https://bit.ly/ACEventRating for more information about AmCham’s COVID-19 event ratings. All members of the AmCham team are following a Work from Home (wfh) policy. Our team is still working hard to serve you. We regret our home wifi is not as strong as at the New World Hotel.

We welcome your feedback at team@amchamvietnam.com to let us know how we can serve you better. We wish you a safe and healthy week ahead! Mary

Greetings from Da Nang! I am happy to report that we have begun the government’s gradual removal on travel restrictions throughout Da Nang. Businesses are beginning to open again and even the beaches have reopened -- at least from 4:30 to 6:30 am daily.... We look forward to the continued efforts of the city to open even further. Of course, as ever, we still need to remain vigilant. COVID is still here in Vietnam and while we are experiencing more freedoms than the past months, we need to ensure that we are all abiding by the 5K rules when venturing out. Additionally please register on the Da Nang Smart City app with updated details regarding your vaccination status so that you can enter even more places and enjoy shopping once again throughout the city.

Stay safe, stay healthy!

COVID-19 Update from Healthcare Provider Subcommittee Chair

Dr. Mason Cobb and Andrew Meadows

What Do We Do Now?

For more information, LINK (to COVID page).

Advocacy

AmCham Vietnam continues to be focused on COVID-19-related advocacy and support to our members, both at the Central and provincial-level.

If you have concerns regarding how to maintain manufacturing operations during COVID, please send to our Manufacturing Task Force, at MFGTF@amchamvietnam.com

We are also finalizing advocacy on F&B Committee concerns on environmental packaging, Energy Committee request for a postponement of the Wind Feed in Tariff due to COVID, Digital Economy and Technology & Capital Markets and Financial Services Committees’ concerns about non-cash payments, and Healthcare Committee strategic priorities.

See LINK for this week’s report. Please continue to share your feedback on policy challenges and recommended solutions to relevant Committee Chairs and advocacyaction@amchamvietnam.com

Committee Meetings & Activities (For AmCham Members Only)

October 4: Capital Markets and Financial Services Committee

October 5: Food & Beverage Committee Meeting

October 6: Education & Training Committee Meeting

October 8: Manufacturing 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.