Weekly eNewsletter
18th Week of 2021 - May 8, 2021
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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, 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!
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I am enjoying my lotus, my neighbor’s orchids, and my first lychees of the season! |
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We hope you are enjoying the weekend, staying safe and practicing the 5K’s (better in Vietnamese – use face masks, wash hands, socially distance, avoid gatherings, and file health declarations). Given the multiple current community outbreaks in Vietnam, AmCham is operating at Level III (hybrid with 30 or fewer in-person participants, facemasks required, and reduced capacity seating) or Level IV (virtual). If you come to the AmCham office, masks are required; please make sure you register for first-come, first-served limited in-person seating at our Committee meetings.
Although we canceled our Cinco de Mayo celebrations scheduled for this evening, Saturday, May 8, at District Federal, we hope you will continue to support local restaurants as you feel comfortable, in person or via delivery. Especially our discount partners! LINK
We are still hopeful that, with your support, Vietnam will again be effective in controlling the COVID pandemic and we will be able to hold our U.S. Independence Day Celebration and Community Picnic at the Riverside Apartments in D2 on Saturday, July 3, and in Da Nang, at the Blush Beach Resort on Sunday, July 4th. Save the dates now!!
On Monday, I look forward to meeting with leadership of the Korean Chamber of Commerce (KOCHAM) and Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) to discuss potential areas of partnership, together with Vice Chairs Jahanzeb Khan and Uyen Ho.
This week, we have no events scheduled, but look forward to several Member-only Committee Meetings. On Tuesday afternoon at 3PM, our Energy Committee will feature guest speaker Clime Capital Country Manager Quynh Chi Trinh discussing renewable energy and the Vietnamese power market. Wednesday at 5PM (new day of the week), our joint with AmCham Hanoi Legal & VBF Committee will meet to focus on various regulatory updates and possible advocacy issues. On Thursday at 4PM, our ESG Committee will feature guest speaker U.S. Consulate Deputy Principal Officer Robert Greenan.
Last week, several members of our AmCham Vietnam Board, together with AmCham Vietnam-Da Nang Chair Chris Vanloon, and our 2021 VBF Reps, Eric Johnson and Fred Burke, joined a meeting with the EuroCham Board, hosted by Chairman Alain Cany. We recognized that although in some respects our organizations and members compete, we have many shared interests. We agreed to form task forces to partner on Facilitating Work Permits for Foreigners, and Enabling a Safe Reopening for Foreign Travel and Tourism, and on an upcoming joint event (with BritCham) on the COVID Virus, Variants, and Vaccines.
Our Capital Markets and Financial Services Committee featured guest speaker TIMO COO Hai Bui An, interviewed by Co-Chair Eric Levinson, who discussed fintech, techfin, the use of blockchain and AI, and TIMO’s ecosystem and customer advantages. I am not a TIMO customer yet, but heard from a friend the registration is super-easy, mostly on-line with an 20-minute appointment in D3 the next day for the final details and card (she got a fresh fruit plate, too!).
Our Education and Training Committee focused on COVID precautions, as schools prepared for a return to on-line learning (effective in HCMC on Monday, May 10th). Due to COVID restrictions, we decided to postpone the Developing a Globally Competitive Workforce event planned for late May. We also postponed a Gender Lens Investing event and a Business Benefits of Gender Equity event originally scheduled for May 19th and 20th to a time when we can hopefully allow more in-person participation. Stay tuned!
Meanwhile, our Healthcare Committee Core Group met to finalize plans for this year’s AmCham Healthcare Whitebook, and to informally celebrate Pharmacity’s 10-year anniversary (since its large celebration planned for last week was postponed due to COVID precautions).
I joined our AmChams of the Asia-Pacific (AAP) General Meeting last Friday, chaired by AmCham Thailand Chair Greg Wong, where we passed resolutions establishing new legal structure, by-laws, and a bank account in Guam as we seek to strengthen our corporate governance. Future meetings will focus on electing officers and developing plans for advocacy, joint events, and possible humanitarian cooperation.
With many of us planning to travel back to the States this summer and others looking to bring new team members to Vietnam, we also plan to hold a webinar soon on Facilitating Travel (and Return) to Vietnam of Foreign Experts and Family, likely Wednesday, May 19th AM TBC.
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We welcome your feedback at team@amchamvietnam.com to let us know how we can serve you better. We wish you a safe and restful weekend! Mary
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Greetings from Da Nang and I hope you are all staying safe! Our Board Secretary Craig Meadows and I were lucky enough to attend the wine dinner hosted by our new member Scott Reynolds at Olivia’s Prime Steak House. Lucky in two ways that is. The first was the delicious four-course menu, paired beautifully with Vina Ezzazuriz’s Wines. And second, this small function was the last evening of dining out in Da Nang as we began another level of containment in response to outbreaks of Covid-19. While F&B and entertainment services are closed, I hope that you all are staying safe and healthy and getting plenty of exercise. Together, we will get through this latest wave! |
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On May 5th, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the U.S Department of Commerce hosted its 4th virtual Digital Economy Policy Roundtable, focusing on Vietnam, with panelists from the U.S. government and private sector, including AmCham Hanoi Chair Ginny Foote. The roundtable discussed issues which can affect all sectors, including the Draft Personal Protection Data Decree, Cross-border Digital Service Tax under Draft Circular on the Law on Tax Administration and Decree 126/ND-CP, Draft implementing regulations for Law on Cybersecurity, and Draft Decree amending earlier Decrees covering the management, provision, and use of Internet services and online information. AmCham Vietnam has provided comments and recommendations on all these regulatory issues and continues to partner with both the U.S. Mission and Vietnamese government to address member concerns. These issues will be discussed at our VBF & Legal and Digital Economy and Technology Committees. We welcome additional comments and recommendations from AmCham members at advocacyaction@amchamvietnam.com.
AmCham’s F&B Committee is consolidating comments on the Draft Decree on State Inspection and Food Safety Inspection to submit to General Department of Vietnam Customs. AmCham members can send comments soonest to fnb@amchamvietnam.com.
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Committee Meetings & Activities (For AmCham Members Only) |
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Venue: New World Saigon Hotel, 76 Le Lai, Dist. 1 |
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Venue: The Reverie Saigon, 22-36 Nguyen Hue Boulevard & 57-69F Dong Khoi Street, Dist. 1 |
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Venue: New World Saigon Hotel, 76 Le Lai, Dist. 1 |
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Venue: Riverside Apartments, 53 Vo Truong Toan, An Phu, Dist. 2 |
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COVID-19 Update from Healthcare Provider Subcommittee Chair
Dr. Mason Cobb and Andrew Meadows
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Every few hours, the Covid-19 situation in Vietnam evolves in this Fourth Wave. As of Saturday, there are 176 new community cases affecting 19 cities and provinces, including the three most populous cities, resulting in restrictions and lockdowns throughout the country. Hanoi has been forced to close two hospitals, including its National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, its main facility for COVID-19 treatment.
These outbreaks appear driven by variants, up to 50x more transmissible than the original virus. The Minister of Health has described the situation as "alarming”. Some of the variants affect younger age groups, as many as 22% of cases. Fortunately, the variants do not appear to be more lethal, and doctors are becoming adept at treatment. It is still recommended to assiduously follow the recognized preventive measures.
It also appears that some of the outbreaks are attributable to individuals who completed 14 days of mandatory quarantine and tested negative multiple times. It is not clear whether quarantine facilities did not effectively segregate and quarantine residents, whether tests were faulty, or whether the virus actually took more than 14 days to present. As authorities strengthen supervision of quarantine facilities, the quarantine time has been extended from 14-21 days, followed by 7 days of home quarantine.
Unfortunately, only 0.13% of Vietnamese are vaccinated, the lowest rate in ASEAN, even lower than Myanmar. There are still less than a million vaccinated in Vietnam and the vaccine supply chain is unknown to the public or even healthcare facilities. The WHO COVAX program is woefully behind, in part due to vaccine nationalism. For example, India, a major vaccine supplier to the world, has a COVID-19 crisis at home. Much of the global humanitarian response now is being directed there.
AmCham supports the Vietnamese Government’s effort to secure proven vaccine supply at scale, and to ensure equitable access by Vietnamese and foreigners, according to the Vietnamese categories largely aligned with WHO guidelines. We have also encouraged consideration of policies to allow organizations such as hospitals, clinics, or pharmacies to purchase vaccine commercially and distribute it according to the Government’s stated priorities to support the Government’s goal in vaccine delivery.
However, the current crisis will rely on the tried and true: massive quarantining and aggressive case tracking, plus individual responsibility. How can you remain personally safe? Wear masks, clean hands, clean surfaces, social distance, and avoid poorly ventilated or crowded indoor spaces. At this time, the more you can stay home and work from home, the better. And we are back to elbow or foot bumps, Namastes or bows, saving those precious hugs for a safer time.
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If you want to become an AmCham member, register here. If you have already renewed for 2021, you should have received your membership card already. If you haven’t, please let us know. If you haven’t yet renewed or settled your payment, please do so soonest so you can keep enjoying the benefits of AmCham membership!
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AmCham’s Member Discount Program supports local businesses that contribute to our quality of life, and also offer benefits to you, our members. For more information on participating businesses, or if you want to become an AmCham Member Discount Partner, click here.
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The American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam
New World Hotel Suite 323
76 Le Lai Street, District 1
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Phone: +84 28 3824 3562
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