"Vietnam has issued a five-point resolution aimed at rejuvenating the economy caught in the throes of rising inflation and a bulging trade deficit. A thorough review of public spending, tightened monetary policies, stable supply of essential commodities, stable power supply for key industries and increased assistance for disadvantaged people were the five courses of action announced by the government.

State-run corporations have been asked to boost exports of electronic items, furniture and fisheries products in a bid to increase export turnover by 26 to 30 percent by the end of this year. The move seeks to curb the widening trade deficit, which stood at $900 million in August alone, compared with $800 million in July. Electricity of Vietnam has been asked to guarantee sufficient power supply for the production of essential goods and export items."

"Six years of negotiations between India and Asean have finally culminated in giving shape to a free trade agreement that the trade ministers of all these countries are comfortable with. Though some segments of Indian industry as well as farmers, especially plantation owners, are wary about what the FTA might mean in terms of imported competition, the government is confident that the overall benefits will outweigh any possible negative impact in some sectors.

There is good reason for this optimism, even if the worries are not wholly unfounded. The FTA will result in import tariffs on some 80 percent of the goods traded between the signatory nations being reduced to nil in a phased manner. This would benefit, in particular, sectors like steel, some types of auto components and engineering goods. This is a net gain for India. At the same time, there is little doubt that India has conceded some ground to accommodate the specific demands of countries like Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia."

"The equitable distribution of infrastructure in a country is a pre-requisite to ensuring uniform economic and social well being of different regions of the country. Investment decisions in installation of infrastructure is an important factor which eventually influences development of economic and social growth centers of the country. However in Bangladesh, infrastructures are not evenly distributed throughout the country which makes some regional imbalance among the districts.

In terms of electricity distribution, about 75% districts of Bangladesh lie below national average. Border districts of Bangladesh are more deprived from electricity. About 72% districts of Bangladesh have water supply facilities above the average national level. Dhaka city and its surrounding districts have the best electricity facility in Bangladesh. The eastern and the southern part of the country have better roadway facilities whereas this facility is not so good for the northern part."

"Two United Nations agencies have called for increased attention and care for children and mothers in Papua New Guinea. The country has the highest rate of child mortality in the Pacific region and one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the world. Papua New Guinea has one of the lowest immunization rates in the Pacific region and highest rates of women suffering and dying due to complications related to pregnancy and child birth.

Children continue to die from preventable or treatable illness and conditions as diarrheal diseases, malaria, and measles under nutrition, low birth weight and pneumonia in Papua New Guinea. Provision of basic health services remains very limited, particularly in rural areas."

"After three years of above-trend growth, India is now facing major macro-challenges sustaining its growth rates at 8-9%. Domestic overheating resulted in the Reserve Bank of India pursuing tight monetary policy since the last quarter of 2006. Overall investment growth has been strong, but micro imbalances are challenging the sustainability of the high growth.

It is estimated that private corporate investments rose to 16.1% of GDP in 2008 from 5.4% in 2002, but that infrastructure investments remained low at 5.3% of GDP in 2008. Rapid growth in demand for infrastructure over the past five years and a less than proportionate rise in infrastructure spend has meant that capacity utilization in electricity generation, roads, seaports and major airports is at maximum levels. A complex set of factors is causing this delayed response in infrastructure development."

"Bangladesh has proposed direct road links connecting itself with Myanmar and Thailand. Currently Bangladesh is helping build a road in Myanmar to link Bangladesh with it. It was proposed that this road could also be connected to a planned Myanmar-Thailand highway.

It will also provide access to China. Eventually four countries, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand and China could be thereby interconnected. Bangladesh will immensely benefit from a road outlet to the East, particularly to China and the ASEAN."

"Tajikistan has pinned its economic hopes on developing its hydropower potential. Three projects are either under construction or being considered, including Rogun, a gargantuan structure farther up the Vakhsh River that, as it is now envisioned, will surpass Nurek in height by more than 30 meters, or 100 feet. Tajik officials say that they have hopes of building more than 20 hydroelectric plants and dams.

But a number of sizable hurdles must first be surmounted before the plans for a great hydropower future can be realized. Tajikistan is in an earthquake zone and the dams must be built to withstand major seismic shocks. Officials are expected to conduct environmental impact studies to determine whether any flora or fauna will be threatened."

"Every river in inner Hanoi is heavily polluted and a major health risk, according to the latest report by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The report stated that most inner city rivers were contaminated with harmful bacteria at levels three - to five-times that which is considered acceptable. It said untreated sewage was being discharged into the city's rivers at volumes that were hundreds of times higher than permitted.

Just one-third of effluent pouring into the capital's waterways is treated. Most factories in the city don't have waste water-treatment facilities and that just half of the 91 hospitals and district-level health centers in Hanoi detoxify their waste. Hanoi currently has four sewage plants with an individual capacity of 48,500 cu.m per day, while the daily output of effluent in the city is 400,000 cu.m."

"The southern city Shenzhen will accelerate its integration with Hong Kong with the construction of another six ports linking it with the special administrative region. With existing ports being expanded and new ports in service, the population flow will become seamless between Shenzhen and Hong Kong in the foreseeable future. Shenzhen's long-term plan is to set up 20 ports linking it with Hong Kong.

The six ports to be constructed are Liantang Port, Longhua Railway Port, Fujian Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Passengers Port, Dachan Gulf Harbor Port, Nan'ao Tourists Port and a port connecting the airports in Shenzhen and Hong Kong via an undersea tunnel. The ports will link Shenzhen and Hong Kong by land, sea and rail."

"Indonesian inflation inched lower in August on the back of lower oil prices, but failed to dent expectations of a rise in interest rates this week as the central bank seeks to bring inflation back into single digits. Price growth fell to 11.85 percent compared to 11.9 percent a month earlier and was just below market forecasts of 11.9 percent, reinforcing expectations that price pressures may have peaked.

But with price growth still running well above the central bank's comfort zone, Indonesian investors are bracing for a fifth rise in rates this year when the central bank meets this week. Analysts expect a further rise before the end of 2008."

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