The Vietnamese government announced tax breaks for businesses investing in the Van Phong Economic Zone (EZ) in central Khanh Hoa province in a bid to make it an urban-industrial-services hub.

The Vietnamese government sent an emergency message Saturday instructing all agencies concerned to be prepared for Typhoon Durian which swept through the Philippines killing at least 300 people.

Leaders of 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies are expected to finalize issues related to the grouping's economic development and cooperation on the second and final day of their annual meet.

The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting, due to bring leaders from 21 member economies to Vietnam, kicked off with a senior officials' meeting in Hanoi Sunday.

Vietnam, one of the world's fastest growing economies, won formal approval from the World Trade Organization (WTO) Tuesday to become its 150th member by the end of the year.

Vietnam is preparing to become the latest country to join the ranks of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Vietnam, gearing up its preparations for the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting next week, has said it is ready to host the country's largest ever international conference.

Prime Minis­ter Nguyen Tan Dung ex-pressed his delight at the development of friendship relations between Viet Nam and Singapore in a va­riety of ways, including ef­ficient co-operation be­tween the two transport ministries.

At least 16 people died, and thousands of houses collapsed or had their roofs blown off after typhoon Xangsane swept through central Vietnam Sunday, state television VTV said Monday.

A tropical depression strengthened into a storm on Sunday is forecast to lash coastal provinces from Nghe An to Quang Tri this evening, the Central Hydrometeorological Center reported.