Shady foreign loan offers raise alarm

The State Bank of Viet Nam has issued a warning that some foreign individuals claiming to represent international institutions have recently approached ministries and municipal authorities, offering low-interest loans and non-refundable aid on condition of receiving a Vietnamese Government guarantee.

Therefore, the State Bank has issued Official Document No 7824/NHNN-TD reminding its branches and credit institutions nationwide to cautiously consider loan offers in accordance with foreign debt regulations.

Credit institutions were also told to work closely with law firms, embassies, credit rating agencies and bank agents to verify the financial capacity and legal capacity of foreign partners before entering any agreement. Credit institutions and central bank branches were also ordered to report all documents pertaining to foreign loan offering to the State Bank no later than December 31.

State Bank branches were further instructed to support municipal authorities in preventing credit risks arising from foreign loan offers.

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