AmCham Vietnam Weekly eNewsletter - 18th & 19th Weeks of 2022

Weekly eNewsletter

18th & 19th Weeks of 2022 - May 9, 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 ,

We hope you all had an opportunity to rest and recharge over the May holidays! I continue to enjoy my garden – including an odd-looking red flower I don’t remember planting (apparently morbidly called a Blood Lily), and lots of mangoes! But we need to pick them fast, before the family of four civet cats gets to them in their nightly outings…

Upcoming Events and Meetings:

U.S.-ASEAN Summit. This week, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will be participating in the May 12-13^th U.S.-ASEAN Summit in Washington DC, hosted by President Joe Biden. He also will lead a delegation for bilateral meetings in Washington DC, New York, Boston, and San Francisco. During the visit, there will be site visits and numerous signings of MOUs, including with several of our member companies, highlighting the growing trade and investment ties between the United States and Vietnam. The stated purpose of the Summit is to recognize ASEAN’s central role in delivering sustainable solutions to the region’s most pressing challenges and commemorate 45 years of U.S.-ASEAN relations. The United States is likely to focus on its strategic interests of an “Indo-Pacific that is free and open, secure, connected, and resilient.” Topics of discussion are expected to include the ongoing fight against the pandemic, cooperation to combat climate change, supply chain challenges, and security challenges in the region and globally, including the war in Ukraine.

May 17 Chair’s Circle (invite-only) Dialogue with HCMC People’s Committee Chairman Phan Van Mai. We are delighted to host this private dialogue with Chairman Mai. Chairman Mai has requested an interactive exchange with leading AmCham investors and employers to better understand the key opportunities and challenges for your businesses, as well as how AmCham and HCMC leaders can partner to attract more investment and drive innovation and sustainable growth. He expressed special interest in growing high-value manufacturing and sustainable supply chains, enabling the digital economy, promoting healthcare and wellness, and developing a globally competitive workforce. Given limited in-person participation, this event will be held as a Chair’s Circle Event on an invite-only basis for members of the HCMC Board of Governors, former Chairs, Diamond and Gold sponsors, and a few other representatives with particular subject matter expertise. https://www.amchamvietnam.com/chairs-circle/ While in-person participation is limited, we want to ensure we are representing all our members’ interests. If you have insights you wish to share, please send soonest to advocacyaction@amchamvietnam.com

May 18 Ties that Bind: Logistics, Supply Chain and Trade Connectivity in Southeast Asia. AmCham Vietnam is partnering with AmCham Singapore Women in Business Committee and AmCham Thailand in the second part of its ongoing inter-chamber dialogue series featuring female industry leaders discussing the region’s most pressing business cross border issues. In this upcoming session, we’ll be discussing Southeast Asia and Greater Mekong Subregion trade, manufacturing and supply chain issues as part of the region’s larger COVID recovery efforts. More details coming soon!

May 19-21 AmChams of Asia Pacific (AAP) Business Summit in Hanoi and Hue. AmCham Hanoi is hosting the AAP 2022 Business Summit in Hanoi and Hue May 19-21. Attendees will include AmCham business representatives and U.S. Embassy Senior Commercial Officers from throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Topics include Deepening U.S. Economic and Trade Engagement in the Region; Navigating U.S.-China Tensions; Addressing Infrastructure Development, Energy Transition, and Climate Change Mitigation; Working in Partnership to Drive Innovation and Creativity; Pathways to Enhance Fair and Resilient Trade; Promoting U.S. Exports and Market Access; and Enhancing Regional Recovery and Promoting Sustainable Development (early-bird registration for event-only is $500 by May 12, and $600 thereafter; flights and hotels separate. Please be aware that AmCham Hanoi plans currently are to prioritize participants from outside Vietnam for the May 19 reception at the Ambassador’s residence; you may want to plan your travel accordingly.). LINK

Upcoming Committee Meetings. We look forward to welcoming members to a number of Committee meetings this week. Please join in person or virtually:

Capital Markets and Financial Services Committee (CMFSC) Meeting on Monday, May 9 at 4PM with guest speaker Tran Minh Hoang, Head of Research, VCBS Research Department. He will share with us on "What's next with inflation on the Horizon". There will be an update on the Sustainable Finance SubCommittee and Committee Co-Chairs also will solicit ideas in preparation for the 2022 Committee Strategic Plan.

Energy Committee Meeting on Tuesday, May 10, at 3PM, for discussion of the Committee’s 2022 Draft Strategic Plan, an update on PDP8 by Baker McKenzie’s Nguyen Thanh Hai and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Opportunities in Vietnam by Fluence VP of Growth APAC Achal Sondi.

Legal & VBF Liaison Committee Meeting on Wednesday, May 11 at 5PM for an update of laws and regulations.

Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Committee Meeting on Thursday, May 12 at 4PM, including presentations from ERM and Matera Alliance; and

Manufacturing Committee Meeting on Friday, May 13 at 9AM to discuss current manufacturing sector operational opportunities and challenges, Committee leadership opportunities, and priorities for the 2022 Committee strategic plan.

Recent Events

Networking with Purpose Women in Leadership Discussion and Mixer. Useful tips from our expert panel of Women in Leadership (and an Ally) Irene Öhler, Dr. Astrid Matarrita, Van Ly, Jonathan Moreno, and Moderator Mimi Vu.

Some of the takeaways: Think about your goal for each event and have a strategy in advance. Have a 10-second intro ready. Ask questions to connect; 80/20 listening/speaking is a good ratio. Feel free to take a break in a corner or re-charge with a friend. Build your network by helping others connect. Don’t expect instant deep connections. Real relationships take time. Follow-up. And have fun! Most people in Vietnam are friendly!!

April Connect & Cocktails. The temperature may have been a bit warm on the patio, but there were plenty of networking opportunities and good, cold at Heart of Darkness Craft Brewery for our April Connect & Cocktails! Share your ideas for venues for future C&Cs!!

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

Best wishes to all from Da Nang. Congrats to all the Ironmen and Ironwomen who competed! And I want to note AmCham has become a trendsetter. Eurocham also chose Da Nang - and the Furama - for its Board offsite and strategy session!

Under the guidance of the city leaders, the Da Nang Investment Promotion Agency is conducting a survey to gather opinions of enterprises in Da Nang about the difficulties in the process of investment and business in the city as well as related recommendations. If you do business in Da Nang, we encourage you to complete the survey using the link below and responding before May 15.

Complete the SURVEY

Advocacy

May 17 Chair’s Circle (invite-only) Dialogue with HCMC People’s Committee Chairman Phan Van Mai. Please see description above regarding the event. Chairman Mai expressed special interest in growing high-value manufacturing and sustainable supply chains, enabling the digital economy, promoting healthcare and wellness, and developing a globally competitive workforce. If you have insights you wish to share, please send soonest to advocacyaction@amchamvietnam.com. Note the “Meeting Between the HCMC Leaders and Foreign Business Associations” originally scheduled for April 29 was postponed; we will keep you apprised of any new dates. Meanwhile, keep us informed of your concerns!

US-ASEAN Summit May 12-13 in Washington, DC. President Biden will host ASEAN leaders in Washington DC in a Special Summit to demonstrate U.S. enduring commitment to the ASEAN region and the common commitment to advance an Indo-Pacific that is free and open, secure, connected, and resilient. Prime Minister Chinh will lead the Vietnamese delegation to attend the summit and have other meetings in Washington DC, New York, Boston, and San Francisco, to strengthen the bilateral comprehensive partnership.

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 TBD, likely $1000) LINK.

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 9: Capital Markets and Financial Services Committee (CMFSC) Meeting

May 10: Energy Committee Meeting

May 11: Legal & VBF Liaison Committee Meeting

May 12: Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Committee Meeting

May 13: 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.