ADB tipping big things for growth: the Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently released its Asian Development Outlook which has high expectations for economic growth in Vietnam. The bank's country director John Samy discusses the report's predictions with Xuan Ha. (News)

Vietnam Investment Review, May, 2003 by Xuan Ha

How would you assess Vietnam's economic performance over the past four months in the context of global uncertainties like the Iraq war and SARS?

The war in Iraq will have direct impact on oil, transport and trade while the SARS epidemic will have more direct impacts on Vietnam's services sector, particularly tourism and related sub-sectors.

Despite the war in Iraq and the outbreak of SARS, Vietnam's economy performed well in the first quarter, underpinned by continuously strong domestic demand. The economy in the first quarter of 2003 grew strongly at a rate of 6.9 per cent, compared with 6.5 per cent growth during the same period last year. Growth in the industry and construction sector accelerated to 9.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2003 and industrial...