VINACHEM

Vietnam will continue to be an economic highlight in Southeast Asia in 2017, according to international economists.

The Star Online, a Malaysian daily, wrote Vietnam will maintain its high growth rate in 2017 with increasing exports.

The licensing of major enterprises such as Samsung Electronics Co has turned the Southeast Asian country into an electronic exporter, said The Star.

Meanwhile, the Asian Development Bank expected Vietnam’s economy to grow at 6.3 percent.

The country will enjoy fast growth in the next few years while expanding its global exports, according to Frederic Neumann, Co-head of Asian Economics and Managing Director of HSBC Hong Kong (China).

Foreign firms will keep investing in Vietnam to take advantage of its cheap and skilled labour, he added.

He also noted that Vietnam has bright prospects and will be one of the biggest economies in Asia.

Bloomberg reported that shares of Vietnamese businesses are valued higher than those of other Southeast Asia firms, thanks to the stability of marco economic indexes and domestic politics.

The time is ripe for international companies to increase investment in Vietnam as the country’s government has accelerated the equitisation of state-owned enterprises.

However, international media also warned of potential risks threatening Vietnam’s economy.

Business Insider news said a loose monetary policy will pose challenges to Vietnam while financial experts of Swiss Credit Suise predicted Vietnam’s economy might be threatened by US president-elect Donald Trump’s policies. - VNA