Mai Thi Hai Yen – A2/K44/BBE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
For much of improvement during the time when I took my
apprentice at Vietnam Eximbank-Hanoi Branch along with a
well-spring of helps and encouragements from all people around
me, this 2009 internship report has been completed on time.
First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the
Business English Faculty for providing best conditions for me
during my study in Foreign Trade University for four academic
years and now giving me a chance to practice my academic
knowledge, skills and profession in reality in this final internship.
I also wish to give my special thank to Ms Nguyen Thi Diem
Ha, my dedicated instructor for her invaluable suggestions and
continuing supports while this report was in progress. She was
always available to input her constructive ideas and better edition
to make my writing become more enjoyable.
My heartfelt gratitude also goes to Ms Le Kim Lien – Manager
of the international settlement department and all staff there who
gave me a good opportunity to use my economic knowledge and
face with the real facts and difficulties at the banking
environment. Throughout my internship here, they have treated
me as their real colleague, they are always ready to assist me to
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finish my task and supply me with valuable materials related to
my report.
Hanoi, May 4, 2009
Student
Mai Thi Hai Yen
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CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……….
……………………………………………………i
LIST OF ABBREVIATION.......................................................iv
LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES….......................................v
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................vi
PART 1: LITERATURE REVIEW OF IMPORT AND
EXPORT L/C..............................................................................1
I.
INERNATIONAL PAYMENT BY LETTER OF
CREDIT...........................................................................1
1. Letter of credit.....................................................................1
1.1. Definition of Letter of Credit..............................................1
1.2. Role of Banks in Documentary Letters of Credit...............3
1.3. The Documentary Credit Cycle..........................................3
2. Import LC............................................................................5
3. Export LC............................................................................7
II. HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF EXIMBANK 8
1. General information............................................................8
2. Development process...........................................................8
3. Vietnam Eximbank Services.............................................9
3.1. Vietnam Eximbank -Hanoi Branch....................................9
3.2. Services of Vietnam Eximbank Hanoi Branch.................9
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PART II: THE CURRENT SITUATION OF LETTER OF
CREDIT PAYMENT IN VIETNAM EXIMBANK – HANOI
BRANCH....................................................................................11
I. THE CURRENT SITUATION OF L/C PAYMENT IN
HANOI BRANCH.............................................................11
1. Payment method by Import L/C in Vietnam Eximbank
.............................................................................................12
1.1 L/C Issuance…................................................................12
1.2. B/L endorsement/guarantee issuance..............................12
1.3 Documents Processing and Payment.................................13
2. Procedures of Export LC settlements..............................14
3. Development of L/C payment in Vietnam Eximbank....14
3.1 Analysis on the current Import L/C payment activities at
Hanoi Branch...........................................................................15
Analysis on the current Export L/C payment activities at Hanoi
Branch..........................................................................................18
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II. ESTIMATION OF L/C PAYMENT SERVICES IN
HANOI BRANCH.............................................................19
1. Vietnam Eximbank’s strengths in L/C payment services
.................................................................................................19
1.1 Predominant credit & Wide operation network.................19
1.2 Leading technology & Advanced technology level...........20
1.3 Abundant service content..................................................20
2. Limitations in L/C payment services...............................21
2.1 Document problems...........................................................21
2.2 Ineffective marketing activities.........................................21
2.3 Limited working conditions...............................................22
PART III: DEVELOPMENT ORIENTATION AND
PROPOSALS TO IMPROVING INTERNATIONAL
PAYMENT SERVICE AT EXIMBANK HANOI BRANCH 23
I.
DEVELOPMENT ORIENTATION OF HANOI
BRANCH.......................................................................23
1. Opportunities and challenges in new context of
Vietnam’s economy...........................................................23
Opportunities................................................................................23
Challenges....................................................................................24
2. Vietnam Eximbank Hanoi Branch’s development
orientation to 2010.............................................................24
General orientation.......................................................................25
Economic development targets...................................................25
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II.
PROPOSALS FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY
OF LC SETTLEMENT AT EXIMBANK HANOI
BRANCH.......................................................................27
1. Bettering the working conditions & improving the
capabilities of the staff and efficiency of its transactions...27
2. Simplifying the documents and payment process...........28
3. Upgrading IT system to develop the international
payment .................................................................................29
4. Promoting Hanoi Branch’s band name, products and
services....................................................................................29
5. Combining Export-Import Package Service...................30
CONCULSION.........................................................................31
REFERENCES...........................................................................32
LIST OF ABBREVIATION
1. L/C: Letter of Credit.................................................................2
2. D/C: Documentary Credit.........................................................2
3. UCP: Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary
Credits…....................................................................................2
4. T/T: Telegraphic Transfer.......................................................10
5. D/P: Document Against Payment – D/P.................................10
6. D/A: Document Against Acceptance.......................................10
7. B/L: Bill of Lading..................................................................13
8. AWB: Airway Bill..................................................................13
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9. WTO: World Trade Organization...........................................16
10..................................................GDP: Gross Domestic Products
.................................................................................................19
11.................SWIFT: Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial
Telecommunication.................................................................20
12.............................................STP: Straight-Through Processing.
.................................................................................................20
13................................................................. HR: Human Resource
.................................................................................................21
14.....................................................................MA: Master of Arts
.................................................................................................21
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LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES
1. Figure 1: The Documentary Credit Cycle..............................4
2. Figure 2: The operation flow of opening Import LC............7
3. Figure 3: The official logo of Vietnam Eximbank.................8
4. Table 1: The total volume of Import L/Cs payment mode
recently........................................................................................15
5. Table 2: Volume of Import L/Cs in comparison with the
total value of Export Import international settlement services
......................................................................................................17
6. Table 3: Volume of Export L/Cs in comparison with the
total value of Export/Import international settlement services
......................................................................................................18
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INTRODUCTION
For several recent years, Vietnam economy has much
developed along with many domestic and international significant
events, especially become the official member of WTO. The
amount of trading with foreign companies has got a sharp
increase, and the volume of imported and exported goods and
services has also increased considerably. Therefore, the
international payment with foreign companies becomes very
important
for
settling
a
long
time
business
trading.
Acknowledging these requirements, Vietnam Eximbank has made
a strong focus on its international settlement department to help
the foreign trade carry out as quickly and smoothly as possible.
After a short time as an intern at Vietnam Eximbank Hanoi
Branch, I have gained a lot of practical experiences and learnt that
the international payment by opening Letter of Credit is the most
favorable method to be transacted between Vietnamese
companies and other foreign companies through Hanoi Branch of
Eximbank’s services.
Being aware of the importance of international settlement in
international business, I have decided to choose topic
“International payment service by opening Letter of Credit at
Vietnam Eximbank Hanoi Branch” for my field study report.
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The main focus of this report is designed in three parts:
Part I: Literature review of Export and Import LC and
Overview of Eximbank-Hanoi Branch.
Part II: The current situation of L/C payment at EximbankHanoi Branch.
Part II: Development orientation and proposals to improve the
international settlement services of Eximbank Hanoi Branch.
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Mai Thi Hai Yen – A2/K44/BBE
PART I
LITERATURE REVIEW OF IMPORT AND EXPORT L/C
I. INTERNATIONAL PAYMENT BY OPENING LETTER
OF CREDIT
1.
Letter of credit.
1.1 Definition of Letter of credit
According
to
Wikipedia,
the
free
encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/: “the English name “letter of credit”
derives from the French word “accreditation” which means a
power to do something, and in turn is derivative of the Latin
word “accreditivus” which means trust. The application can use
this like any defense relating to the underlying contract of sale.
This is as long as the seller performs their duties to an extent that
meets the requirements contained in the LC.”
However, A.Asley (2003, p.155) explained more clearly about
the term “Letter of Credit” in Oxford Handbook of Commercial
Correspondence as follows: “Letters of Credit have been used for
centuries in one form or another to enable travelers to obtain
money from foreign banks. The process begins with the traveler
asking their bank to open letter of credit in their favor. (…). The
bank then drafts a letter, which will allow the traveler to draw
money on foreign banks with whom the traveler’s home bank has
an agreement. The foreign banks will then draw on the home
bank to recover their payments. For individual travelers, credit
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Mai Thi Hai Yen – A2/K44/BBE
cards, eurocheque, and traveller’s cheques have largely replaced
this method of obtaining money, but documentary credits (letters
of credit accompanied by documents) are widely used in foreign
trade.”
Additionally, the definition stated in an article by the famous
website http://www.investorwords.com/ has demonstrated “Letter
of Credit” term at other aspect:
“Letter of Credit can be
understood as a binding document that a buyer can request from
his bank in order to guarantee that the payment for goods will be
transferred to the seller. Basically, a letter of credit gives the
seller reassurance that he will receive the payment for the goods.
In order for the payment to occur, the seller has to present the
bank with the necessary shipping documents confirming the
shipment of goods within a given time frame.” (Source:
http://www.investorwords.com/2774/letter_of_credit.html)
A letter of credit is the most widely used trade finance
instrument in the world. It has been used for the last several
hundred years and is considered a highly effective way for banks
to transact and finance export-import trade and to eliminate risks
such as unfamiliarity with the foreign country, customs, or
political instability. The letter of credit is a formal bank letter,
issued for a bank's customer, which authorizes an individual or
company to draw drafts on the bank under certain conditions. It is
an instrument through which a bank furnishes its credit in place
of its customer's credit. The bank plays an intermediary role to
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help complete the trade transaction. The bank deals only in
documents and does not inspect the goods themselves. Thus a LC
(as it is commonly referred to) is a payment undertaking given by
a bank to the seller and is issued on behalf of the applicant like
the buyer.
A letter of credit is a document issued mostly by a financial
institution, used primarily in trade finance, which usually
provides an irrevocable payment undertaking (it can also be
opened under other conditions like revocable, unconfirmed,
transferable, back to back, etc. but the most common way is
irrevocable/confirmed) to a beneficiary against complying
documents as stated in the Letter of Credit.
Letter of Credit is abbreviated as an LC or L/C and often is
referred to as a Documentary credit, abbreviated as DC or D/C,
documentary letter of credit, or simply as Credit. Documentary
credits are governed by the International Chamber of Commerce
code of practice, known as the Uniform Customs and Practice for
Documentary Credits. The current code is ICC publication
No.500 and is generally referred to as UCP 500 and UCP 600 and
e-UCP600 in payment via the Internet.
The LC can also be the source of payment for a transaction,
meaning that redeeming the letter of credit will pay an exporter.
Letters of credit are used primarily in international trade
transactions of significant value, for deals between a supplier in
one country and a customer in another.
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The parties to a letter of credit are usually a beneficiary who is
to receive the money, the issuing bank of whom the applicant is a
client, and the advising bank of whom the beneficiary is a client.
The buyer is the Applicant and the Seller is the Beneficiary. The
Bank that issues the LC is referred to as the Issuing Bank which
is generally in the country of the Buyer. The Bank that Advises
the LC to the Seller is called the Advising Bank which is
generally in the country of the Seller. Almost all letters of credit
which are irrevocable can not be amended or canceled without
prior agreement of the beneficiary, the issuing bank and the
confirming bank.
1.2 Role of Banks in Documentary Letters of Credit
Compared to other payment forms, the role of banks is
substantial in documentary Letter of Credit transactions.
Firstly, the banks provide additional security for both parties in
a trade transaction by playing the role of intermediaries. The
issuing bank often works for the importer and the advising bank
works for the exporter.
Moreover, the banks assure the seller that he would be paid if
he provides the necessary documents to the issuing bank through
the advising bank.
And the banks also assure the buyer that his money would not
be released unless the shipping documents evidencing proper and
accurate shipment of goods are presented.
1.3 The Documentary Credit Cycle
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The specified bank makes the payment upon the successful
presentation of the required documents by the seller within the
specified time frame. Note that the Bank scrutinizes the
“documents” and not the “goods” for making payment. Thus the
process works both in favor of both the buyer and the seller. The
Seller gets assured that if documents are presented on time and in
the way that they have been requested on the LC the payment will
be made and Buyer on the other hand is assured that the bank will
thoroughly examine these presented documents and ensure that
they meet the terms and conditions stipulated in the LC.
There are many steps involved in opening an account for letter
of credit. The letter of credit can be opened by mail or by cable.
When the letter of credit is opened by mail, the buyer's bank
sends the letter of credit and two carbon copies of the letter to the
importer. The importer then dispatches the letter of credit to the
exporter in foreign country by mail or air mail. One carbon copy
of the letter of credit is kept for record and the second after
signing is sent to the bank by the importer. If an importer directs
the bank to open letter of credit by cable the buyer's bank sends a
cable to the corresponding bank in the foreign country with a
request to notify the exporter of the letter of credit and the terms
and conditions which are laid therein. The expense of the
telegram is met by the importer. The bank also mails the written
confirmation of the cable to the corresponding bank for forward
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delivery to the exporter. The bank also sends a copy of the cable
and the written confirmation to the importer of the merchandise.
Figure 1: The Documentary Credit Cycle
Typically the documents often requested in a Letter of Credit are
the following:
-
Commercial invoice
-
Transport document such as a Bill of lading or Airway
-
Insurance document
-
Inspection Certificate
-
Certificate of Origin
-
Other documents
bill
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The LC could be “irrevocable” or “revocable”. An
irrevocable LC cannot be changed unless both the buyer and
seller agree. In a revocable LC, changes to the LC can be made
without the consent of the beneficiary. A “sight” LC means that
payment is made immediately to the beneficiary/seller/exporter
upon presentation of the correct documents in the required time
frame. A “time” or “date” LC will specify when payment will be
made at a future date and upon presentation of the required
documents.
A letter of Credit may be payable either at sight or at
extended payment terms (payment at a future date). A payment at
sight means that the payment is due upon the presentation and
receipt of documents after shipment of the goods and/or services
are provided. On the other hand, if the exporter (seller) allows the
importer (buyer) an additional period after presentation of
documents to pay the credit at a future date, then the credit is
payable at 30, 60 or 90 days after presentation and acceptance of
documents (Bill of Lading Date or whatever payment terms have
been agreed upon).
2. Import LC
Import Letters of Credit provide importers the most widely
used and accepted international trade payment mechanism and
finance instrument. Letter of credit is an undertaking of a bank for
account of the importer to pay the foreign exporter the value of
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the goods provided the required documents are submitted and the
terms of the credit are complied with.
With an Import Letter of Credit, importers request that their
bank guarantee payment for the goods, provided that certain
documentary conditions are met. A fast and secure method of
guaranteeing payment to suppliers to expedite shipment from
overseas, the Import Letter of Credit brings such features and
benefits as giving variable terms and new products via access to
foreign suppliers, ensuring that buyer only be required to pay if
conditions of credit are met, improving cash flow management,
minimizing financial risks to your business, and eliminating
extensive credit investigations by the seller of the importer.
A process of opening Import L/C can be undertaken through
following eleventh steps. First of all, buyer and seller agree to
conduct business. The seller wants a letter of credit to guarantee
payment. At the second step, buyer applies to his bank for a letter
of credit in favor of the seller. Thirdly, buyer's bank approves the
credit risk of the buyer, issues and forwards the credit to its
correspondent bank (advising or confirming). The correspondent
bank is usually located in the same geographical location as the
seller (beneficiary). At the fourth step, advising bank will
authenticate the credit and forward the original credit to the seller
(beneficiary). And next, seller (beneficiary) ships the goods, then
verifies and develops the documentary requirements to support
the letter of credit. Documentary requirements may vary greatly
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depending on the perceived risk involved in dealing with a
particular company. At the sixth step, seller presents the required
documents to the advising or confirming bank to be processed for
payment. After that, advising or confirming bank examines the
documents for compliance with the terms and conditions of the
letter of credit. At the eighth step, if the documents are correct;
the advising or confirming bank will claim the funds by debiting
the account of the issuing bank or waiting until the issuing bank
remits, after receiving the documents or else reimbursing on
another bank as required in the credit. Next, advising or
confirming bank will forward the documents to the issuing bank.
At the tenth step, issuing bank will examine the documents for
compliance. If they are in order, the issuing bank will debit the
buyer's account. Finally, issuing bank then forwards the
documents to the buyer and the buyer gets the consignment by
presenting the shipping documents to the shipping company.
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