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Government News 12/4


PM receives out-going RoK’s Ambassador


 

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PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives out-going Ambassador of the Republic of Korean to Viet Nam Lee Hyuk, Ha Noi, April 11, 2018


Viet Nam expects the Republic of Korea (RoK) to increase imports of Vietnamese agricultural and aquatic products, receive more Vietnamese workers, and enhance technology transfer in fields of auxiliary industry, mechanics, garments and electronics for Viet Nam.

The PM made that statement on April 11 at his reception for out-going Ambassador of the RoK to Viet Nam Lee Hyuk.

PM Phuc hailed breakthroughs in Viet Nam-RoK Strategic Partnership in all areas, particularly economics as the RoK takes the lead among investors in Viet Nam.

Appraising cooperative achievements between the two nations in such areas as politics, diplomacy, economics, trade and investment during the Ambassador’s working period in Viet Nam, he hoped that the Ambassador will make more contributions to the two nations’ relations in the upcoming time.

Ambassador Lee Hyuk highlighted that that more RoK enterprises tend to invest and expand their operation in Viet Nam, expressing his hope that the PM will advocate strengthening the relationship between the RoK and other nations in ASEAN.

Viet Nam is willing to facilitate the RoK’s businesses to pour more investment in the nation, thus enhancing investment to other countries in Southeast Asia, asserted the Vietnamese leader. 

VNA Deputy General Director receives ICAP leader


 

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At the reception 

Deputy General Director of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Dinh Dang Quang hosted a reception in Hanoi on April 11 for President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with Peoples (ICAP) Fernando Gonzalez Llort, who is in Vietnam from April 9-15. 

Quang told the guest that the VNA chapter of the Vietnam – Cuba Friendship Association (VCFA) was founded in 2001 with 57 members, including VNA staff who studied and worked in Cuba or relatives of those who did and are studying in the country. 

He added that the VNA is Vietnam’s the only press agency to form the chapter, which is also considered one of the most effective ones. 

According to him, the chapter has increased coverage of Cuba and bilateral ties, held photo exhibitions on bilateral friendship, Cuba and its country and people, joined celebrations of Cuba’s major festivals and the anniversary of Vietnam – Cuba diplomatic ties, contributing to strengthening solidarity with Cuban people. 

The host said the chapter’s members are a pillar force to reinforce ties between the VNA and Cuba’s State-run news agency Prensa Latina, including compilation and publication of Vietnam Pictorial in Spanish language in Cuba. 

He hoped that the ICAP will continue working closely with Vietnam’s agencies, including the VNA and its Vietnam-Cuba friendship chapter to further expand bilateral ties in promising fields. 

Llort, for his part, said the ICAP is tasked with supporting foreign students in Cuba, including those from Vietnam. 

The guest expressed his belief that the VNA and its Vietnam – Cuba friendship chapter will make active and effective contributions to deepening ties between Vietnam and Cuba, and between Vietnam and Latin American countries in general. 

The ICAP has a network of chapters and partner groups across 160 countries worldwide and backed Vietnam’s fight for independence in the past. 

Earlier, the Cuban delegation laid a wreath at the Monument of José Marti, leader of Cuba’s independence movement.

Vietnam, Czech share huge potential for trade cooperation


 

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Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic Vladimir Bartl  

A Czech trade official has said Vietnam and the Czech Republic share huge room for trade and investment cooperation.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic Vladimir Bartl, has told the Vietnam News Agency that Vietnam and the Czech Republic have promising and long-term cooperation potential in numerous fields thanks to the traditional friendship between the two nations, the active support of the two governments, and particularly the EU – Vietnam free trade agreement (EUVFTA) which is to be effective within this year.

"Vietnam and the Czech Republic serve as the two gateways for their products to enter the EU in one way and ASEAN in another way. The two nations will actively support each other to fully tap the potentials of their own as well as within the cooperation mechanisms that they are members to,” Bartl said.

The Deputy Minister was in Hanoi for the sixth meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee on Vietnam-Czech Republic Economic Cooperation on April 11. He attended the Vietnam-Czech Business Seminar the day earlier.

“The economic and trading cooperation between the two nations over the past years has yet to reach their potentials and expectations,” he underscored, adding that the Czech Republic wants stronger cooperation and investment in environment protection, mining, construction technology, biotechnology, nanotechnology, telecommunication, industrial machines, and agriculture, with Vietnam.

Addressing at the Czech-Vietnamese Business Seminar hosted by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) on April 10, Ta Hoang Linh, Head of the European-American Markets Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade highlighted the fast growth and deep integration into the global and regional economy of both Vietnam and the Czech Republic as a favourable condition for the two countries to accelerate bilateral cooperation in economics, trade and investment.

He highlighted Vietnam’s favourable investment environment for foreign investors in general and those from the Czech Republic in particular, in terms of political stability, better legal system in line with international practices, and improved infrastructure.

He said the Vietnam Government is accelerating institutional and administrative reforms in an effort to meet the requirements of the market-oriented economy as well as the international integration, with a view to creating a more transparent and favourable condition for trading and investment of foreign and domestic businesses.

“The Ministry of Industry and Trade and other ministries and sectors are committed to supporting and facilitating trade and investment of Czech businesspeople,” Linh said.

The Czech Republic is among Vietnam’s biggest trade partners in Central and East Europe, he affirmed, calling on Czech firms to turn greater attention to the Vietnamese market.

For his part, VCCI Vice President Doan Duy Khuong highlighted the stable growth of the Vietnam – Czech trade exchange, and noted prospects for bilateral cooperation in such key sectors as agricultural products, textile and clothes, machinery, medical equipment, and energy. 

“The Vietnam – Czech cooperation has always been among priorities of the two nations’ governments and business community,” Khuong said, citing the participation of many Czech firms in the seminar. 

Sabina Tancevova, Manager of the International Relations Department under the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic described Vietnam as one of the most dynamic markets in Asia, adding that the two nations share huge benefits in boosting their business connection.

“Czech firms are very interested in investing in Vietnam, particularly partnering up with Vietnamese firms run by those who used to live or study in the Czech Republic,” she said, noting the mutual understanding in terms of language and culture as the reason.

Meanwhile, Petr Kulovany from the Department of Africa, Asia and Australia under the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic highlighted Vietnam as a traditional business partner of the Czech Republic, saying that the mutual trade tradition has spanned over the past 70 years.

Vietnam is among the most important partners of the country in Asia and ASEAN, and is on the list of the priority countries in the Czech Export Strategy from 2012 -2020, he said.

In 2017, Vietnam and the Czech Republic traded nearly 257.6 million USD worth of goods, up 3 percent from 2016, 151 million USD of which was Vietnamese export, up 3.5 percent year on year.

In January-February 2018, the two countries’ trade reached nearly 50 million USD, up 31.3 percent from the same period in 2017. Vietnam’s exports worth more than 28 million USD in the time were mostly footwear, apparels, aquatic products, industrial machines, spare parts and electricity devices.

As of the end of February, the Czech Republic has 36 valid investment projects in Vietnam, capitalizing at over 90 million USD, ranking 49th out of 126 nations and territories investing in Vietnam.

The sixth meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee on Vietnam-Czech Republic Economic Cooperation in Hanoi on April 11 sought to come up with more possibilities for the two countries as well as their businesses to accelerate their economics, trade and investment partnerships.

HCM City hopes for stronger multifaceted ties with Japanese prefecture


 

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The meeting between Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong and Nagano Governor Shuichi Abe on April 10 (Photo: sggp.org.vn) 

Officials of Ho Chi Minh City met with leaders of Japan’s Nagano prefecture on April 10, expressing their willingness to step up bilateral cooperation in agriculture, hi-tech industry, vocational training, education and health care.

At the meeting with Nagano Governor Shuichi Abe, Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong said he was very impressed with the precision mechanics sector as well as the training quality and curriculum of universities in Nagano when he visited two businesses in Suwa region, dubbed “Switzerland of the East”, and two universities.

This Japan trip aims to seek more cooperation opportunities in agriculture, hi-tech industry, vocational training, education and health care, he said, noting that Nagano is strong at manufacturing, supporting industries and agriculture, which are also the fields that HCM City wants to promote.

Aside from growing economic, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, the Nagano-Vietnam Exchange Association is also an important contributor to the relations between HCM City and Nagano.

Phong asked for the Governor’s support for the establishment of the friendship between District 1 of HCM City and Matsumoto city of Nagano.

Meanwhile, Governor Shuichi Abe expressed his hope that basing on the signed cooperation agreements, the two sides will increase economic cooperation and cultural exchange activities.

He noted about 2,100 Vietnamese people are working in his prefecture, calling for more support for manpower exchange between the two localities. Nagano also wants to receive more students and labourers from Vietnam.

As Nagano has potential for agriculture, it hopes to help Vietnam in agricultural development, Abe said, adding that the prefecture wants HCM City to help bring local agricultural products to the Vietnamese market.

Meeting with Chairman of the prefecture’s council Kiyoshi Suzuki, Phong said in less than two years since the first visit to HCM City by the Nagano Governor in October 2016, the city’s leaders have visited Nagano twice, which reflects HCM City’s wish to boost cooperation with the Japanese locality.

Discussing cooperation in human resources, he said the quality of manpower has yet to meet his city’s development demand. He hopes that Nagano prefecture’s council will have cooperation programmes and share experience with HCM City to ensure the best life quality for people in both localities.

Also on April 10, the Vietnamese delegation visited the Global Aqua Innovation Centre of the Shinshu University. Chairman Phong said HCM City is facing major challenges posed by environmental pollution and climate change. He asked the Shinshu University and Nagano to help his city seek solutions to protect the environment and use water resources sustainably, while implementing other cooperation programmes to benefit both sides.

VN, U.S. to enhance cooperation in marine corps


 

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Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Viet Nam People's Army, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Phuong Nam expected that the marine corps between Viet Nam and the U.S. will enhance cooperation, making contributions to improving the two sides’ relations more intensively and effectively.

Mr. Nam made that statement at his reception for head of the U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific, Lieutenant General David Berger on April 9 in Ha Noi.

The host supposed that the two countries accelerated defense cooperation actively and effectively over the recent years, especially in fields of education and training, remedial post-war landmine settlement, and search and rescue.

Mr. David Berger hoped that his working visit to Viet Nam will strengthen knowledge and defense cooperation in the upcoming time.

VNA seeks ways to improve coverage of Party building work


 

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At the workshop 


How to improve coverage of Party building work was the main theme of a workshop held by the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and Department of Information and Communications of the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang on April 12. 

VNA Deputy General Director Le Quoc Minh said journalists and press agencies should be aware that the coverage of Party building work should direct the flow of information and public opinion on new matters as well as issues of public concern such as the fight against corruption, wastefulness and other bad deeds. 

Besides, it is necessary to promote new, creative models and examples in Party building, Minh said. 

Delegates at the workshop underlined the need to develop a contingent of journalists who are enthusiastic about Party building and have firm political will, good ethics and professional knowledge. 

They also said coordination of the information and education sector, relevant ministries and agencies, and local authorities is necessary to help journalists access accurate information sources. 

Nguyen Thien Can, deputy head of the Kien Giang provincial Party Committee’s Information and Education Board, was of the opinion that press agencies should seek new ways of reporting about Party building work.

He also proposed maintaining and launching more specialized pages and columns devoted to Party building, and increasing broadcasting durations to promote the work.

Ambassador: high political trust drives Vietnam-Russia ties forward


 

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Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manh (L) in the interview


Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manh has stated that high political trust will create a driving force for promoting bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership. 

He made the statement in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of his presentation of credentials to Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 11. 

Manh said bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership has been growing in diverse areas, especially via the exchange of high-level visits, notably Chairwoman of the Federation Council of Russia Valentina Matviyenko’s visit to Vietnam in February 2017, President Tran Dai Quang’s visit to Russia in June 2017. In November last year, Presidents Tran Dai Quang and Vladimir Putin held talks on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting in the central city of Da Nang. 

Two-way trade neared 4 billion USD last year, up 36 percent annually. Russia’s total investment in Vietnam hit 2 billion USD while Vietnam poured 2.9 billion USD into the European country. 

The two countries have agreed to jointly build and modernise energy works in Vietnam, and their localities have held meetings to boost ties, notably between Hanoi and Moscow, Ho Chi Minh City and Saint Petersburg, Da Nang and Yaroslavl, Khanh Hoa and Khabarovsk. 

National defence-security cooperation has developed via the regular exchange of delegations and effective operations of the Vietnam – Russia Inter-Governmental Committee on Scientific-Technological Cooperation. Ties across culture, education and science-technology have been increasingly strengthened. 

In order to fully tap potential of bilateral cooperation, Manh underscored the need to realise projects under the Vietnam – Russia priority portfolio for 2018-2019, and make periodic review to clear barriers and unlock opportunities brought about by the Vietnam – Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement that took effect in October 2016. 

He called for stepping up trade promotion and popularising images of Vietnam to attract investment. 

The Vietnam – Russia Inter-Governmental Committee on Scientific-Technological Cooperation’s meetings held every three months prove Russia’s determination to deepen ties with Vietnam, he said. 

The ambassador added that the embassy will give priority to economic diplomacy in order to realise the goal of lifting two-way trade to 10 billion USD by 2020 as agreed by leaders.

Vietnam-France enjoy growing partnership


 

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President Putin stresses thriving Vietnam-Russia relations


 

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Russian President Vladimir Putin and Vietnamese Ambassador Ngo Duc Manh (second, left). 

The Vietnam-Russia strategic partnership is developing fruitfully, with regular political meetings, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Russian President made the remark at a reception in Moscow on April 11 for Vietnamese Ambassador Ngo Duc Manh and 16 other ambassadors who came to present their credentials.

President Putin said Vietnam and Russia have closely coordinated with each other, firstly within the framework of multilateral organisations in Asia-Pacific.

Vietnam is one of Russia’s leading trade partners, he said, noting that the two countries have also joined hands in military and military technology.

The leader also commended the effective operation of the Vietnam-Russia inter-governmental committee on economic, commercial, scientific and technological cooperation.

At the reception, President Putin stressed that Russia stands ready to support constructive initiatives raised by the ambassadors.

Vietnam and Russia established diplomatic ties on January 30, 1950.

Two-way trade topped 5.3 billion USD in 2017, representing a year-on-year rise of 35 percent.

The two countries are working together to raise the figure to 10 billion USD by 2020.

Hanoi, New Zealand steps up cooperation


 

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Scene at the meeting between Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Doan Toan and New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam Wendy Matthews (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn)

Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Doan Toan received New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam Wendy Matthews on April 11 to discuss bilateral ties.

At the reception, Toan said the capital has made efforts to build highly competent human resources for the fourth industrial revolution, and to develop a smart city and e-governance system.

These are sectors in which Hanoi wants assistance from New Zealand, the official added.

For her part, the New Zealand diplomat said her country wants to contribute to Hanoi’s development, particularly via cooperation in human resources training.     

Matthews said New Zealand is involved in several activities within Vietnam’s national foreign language education project and expects to work with the Hanoi agencies running the project.

With universities ranked among 500 top universities in the world, New Zealand is capable of providing Vietnam with training programmes for high-quality managers, she noted.

She highlighted her country’s strength in e-governance, saying it is also a sector New Zealand wants to collaborate in with Vietnam and Hanoi.

Toan introduced to his guest Hanoi’s trade promotion conference in mid-June and invited the diplomat to the event, an invitation she accepted.

Overview of PAPI in Vietnam


 

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VNA Deputy General Director receives ICAP leader

At the reception

Deputy General Director of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Dinh Dang Quang hosted a reception in Hanoi on April 11 for President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with Peoples (ICAP) Fernando Gonzalez Llort, who is in Vietnam from April 9-15. 

Quang told the guest that the VNA chapter of the Vietnam – Cuba Friendship Association (VCFA) was founded in 2001 with 57 members, including VNA staff who studied and worked in Cuba or relatives of those who did and are studying in the country. 

He added that the VNA is Vietnam’s the only press agency to form the chapter, which is also considered one of the most effective ones. 

According to him, the chapter has increased coverage of Cuba and bilateral ties, held photo exhibitions on bilateral friendship, Cuba and its country and people, joined celebrations of Cuba’s major festivals and the anniversary of Vietnam – Cuba diplomatic ties, contributing to strengthening solidarity with Cuban people. 

The host said the chapter’s members are a pillar force to reinforce ties between the VNA and Cuba’s State-run news agency Prensa Latina, including compilation and publication of Vietnam Pictorial in Spanish language in Cuba. 

He hoped that the ICAP will continue working closely with Vietnam’s agencies, including the VNA and its Vietnam-Cuba friendship chapter to further expand bilateral ties in promising fields. 

Llort, for his part, said the ICAP is tasked with supporting foreign students in Cuba, including those from Vietnam. 

The guest expressed his belief that the VNA and its Vietnam – Cuba friendship chapter will make active and effective contributions to deepening ties between Vietnam and Cuba, and between Vietnam and Latin American countries in general. 

The ICAP has a network of chapters and partner groups across 160 countries worldwide and backed Vietnam’s fight for independence in the past. 

Earlier, the Cuban delegation laid a wreath at the Monument of José Marti, leader of Cuba’s independence movement.

Vietnam, Czech share huge potential for trade cooperation

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic Vladimir Bartl 

A Czech trade official has said Vietnam and the Czech Republic share huge room for trade and investment cooperation.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic Vladimir Bartl, has told the Vietnam News Agency that Vietnam and the Czech Republic have promising and long-term cooperation potential in numerous fields thanks to the traditional friendship between the two nations, the active support of the two governments, and particularly the EU – Vietnam free trade agreement (EUVFTA) which is to be effective within this year.

"Vietnam and the Czech Republic serve as the two gateways for their products to enter the EU in one way and ASEAN in another way. The two nations will actively support each other to fully tap the potentials of their own as well as within the cooperation mechanisms that they are members to,” Bartl said.

The Deputy Minister was in Hanoi for the sixth meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee on Vietnam-Czech Republic Economic Cooperation on April 11. He attended the Vietnam-Czech Business Seminar the day earlier.

“The economic and trading cooperation between the two nations over the past years has yet to reach their potentials and expectations,” he underscored, adding that the Czech Republic wants stronger cooperation and investment in environment protection, mining, construction technology, biotechnology, nanotechnology, telecommunication, industrial machines, and agriculture, with Vietnam.

Addressing at the Czech-Vietnamese Business Seminar hosted by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) on April 10, Ta Hoang Linh, Head of the European-American Markets Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade highlighted the fast growth and deep integration into the global and regional economy of both Vietnam and the Czech Republic as a favourable condition for the two countries to accelerate bilateral cooperation in economics, trade and investment.

He highlighted Vietnam’s favourable investment environment for foreign investors in general and those from the Czech Republic in particular, in terms of political stability, better legal system in line with international practices, and improved infrastructure.

He said the Vietnam Government is accelerating institutional and administrative reforms in an effort to meet the requirements of the market-oriented economy as well as the international integration, with a view to creating a more transparent and favourable condition for trading and investment of foreign and domestic businesses.

“The Ministry of Industry and Trade and other ministries and sectors are committed to supporting and facilitating trade and investment of Czech businesspeople,” Linh said.

The Czech Republic is among Vietnam’s biggest trade partners in Central and East Europe, he affirmed, calling on Czech firms to turn greater attention to the Vietnamese market.

For his part, VCCI Vice President Doan Duy Khuong highlighted the stable growth of the Vietnam – Czech trade exchange, and noted prospects for bilateral cooperation in such key sectors as agricultural products, textile and clothes, machinery, medical equipment, and energy. 

“The Vietnam – Czech cooperation has always been among priorities of the two nations’ governments and business community,” Khuong said, citing the participation of many Czech firms in the seminar. 

Sabina Tancevova, Manager of the International Relations Department under the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic described Vietnam as one of the most dynamic markets in Asia, adding that the two nations share huge benefits in boosting their business connection.

“Czech firms are very interested in investing in Vietnam, particularly partnering up with Vietnamese firms run by those who used to live or study in the Czech Republic,” she said, noting the mutual understanding in terms of language and culture as the reason.

Meanwhile, Petr Kulovany from the Department of Africa, Asia and Australia under the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic highlighted Vietnam as a traditional business partner of the Czech Republic, saying that the mutual trade tradition has spanned over the past 70 years.

Vietnam is among the most important partners of the country in Asia and ASEAN, and is on the list of the priority countries in the Czech Export Strategy from 2012 -2020, he said.

In 2017, Vietnam and the Czech Republic traded nearly 257.6 million USD worth of goods, up 3 percent from 2016, 151 million USD of which was Vietnamese export, up 3.5 percent year on year.

In January-February 2018, the two countries’ trade reached nearly 50 million USD, up 31.3 percent from the same period in 2017. Vietnam’s exports worth more than 28 million USD in the time were mostly footwear, apparels, aquatic products, industrial machines, spare parts and electricity devices.

As of the end of February, the Czech Republic has 36 valid investment projects in Vietnam, capitalizing at over 90 million USD, ranking 49th out of 126 nations and territories investing in Vietnam.

The sixth meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee on Vietnam-Czech Republic Economic Cooperation in Hanoi on April 11 sought to come up with more possibilities for the two countries as well as their businesses to accelerate their economics, trade and investment partnerships.

HCM City hopes for stronger multifaceted ties with Japanese prefecture

The meeting between Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong and Nagano Governor Shuichi Abe on April 10 (Photo: sggp.org.vn)

Officials of Ho Chi Minh City met with leaders of Japan’s Nagano prefecture on April 10, expressing their willingness to step up bilateral cooperation in agriculture, hi-tech industry, vocational training, education and health care.

At the meeting with Nagano Governor Shuichi Abe, Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong said he was very impressed with the precision mechanics sector as well as the training quality and curriculum of universities in Nagano when he visited two businesses in Suwa region, dubbed “Switzerland of the East”, and two universities.

This Japan trip aims to seek more cooperation opportunities in agriculture, hi-tech industry, vocational training, education and health care, he said, noting that Nagano is strong at manufacturing, supporting industries and agriculture, which are also the fields that HCM City wants to promote.

Aside from growing economic, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, the Nagano-Vietnam Exchange Association is also an important contributor to the relations between HCM City and Nagano.

Phong asked for the Governor’s support for the establishment of the friendship between District 1 of HCM City and Matsumoto city of Nagano.

Meanwhile, Governor Shuichi Abe expressed his hope that basing on the signed cooperation agreements, the two sides will increase economic cooperation and cultural exchange activities.

He noted about 2,100 Vietnamese people are working in his prefecture, calling for more support for manpower exchange between the two localities. Nagano also wants to receive more students and labourers from Vietnam.

As Nagano has potential for agriculture, it hopes to help Vietnam in agricultural development, Abe said, adding that the prefecture wants HCM City to help bring local agricultural products to the Vietnamese market.

Meeting with Chairman of the prefecture’s council Kiyoshi Suzuki, Phong said in less than two years since the first visit to HCM City by the Nagano Governor in October 2016, the city’s leaders have visited Nagano twice, which reflects HCM City’s wish to boost cooperation with the Japanese locality.

Discussing cooperation in human resources, he said the quality of manpower has yet to meet his city’s development demand. He hopes that Nagano prefecture’s council will have cooperation programmes and share experience with HCM City to ensure the best life quality for people in both localities.

Also on April 10, the Vietnamese delegation visited the Global Aqua Innovation Centre of the Shinshu University. Chairman Phong said HCM City is facing major challenges posed by environmental pollution and climate change. He asked the Shinshu University and Nagano to help his city seek solutions to protect the environment and use water resources sustainably, while implementing other cooperation programmes to benefit both sides.

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GMS transport projects make Vietnam better connected


Vietnam has got better connected with other countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) thanks to a wide range of projects on transport infrastructure development conducted within this cooperation framework.


 

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Hanoi - Lao Cai expressway, the longest of its kind in Vietnam, was put into operation in September 2014 as part of the North – South Economic Corridor (NSEC)


Vietnam is the only country in the GMS that has participated in all three economic corridors. They include the north-south corridor that connects Vietnam with China, the east-west to link Thua Thien-Hue province and Da Nang city in the central region with Laos and all the way to Thailand and Myanmar and finally the southern one bridging HCM City with Phnom Penh and Bangkok.

According to Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Transport Le Dinh Tho, with financial aid from sponsors, especially the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and concerted efforts, Vietnam has been completing works within these important connectivity corridors. Connecting with China, Vietnam put the Kunming – Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong expressway into use in December 2015.

Notably, the Hanoi – Lao Cai expressway with a total length of 264 km and investment of 1.2 billion USD sourced from the ADB was considered a strategic part of the Kunming – Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong road corridor under the cooperation programme between the six GMS countries, namely Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and China. 

The expressway, the longest of its kind in Vietnam, was put into operation in September 2014 as part of the North – South Economic Corridor (NSEC), helping reduce travel time between Hanoi and the northern border province of Lao Cai from seven to three hours and facilitating the transport of goods.

It is not only important to Vietnam but also the whole GMS region by changing the economic panorama of localities in northern Vietnam and southern China through enhancing transport connectivity, trade exchanges, investment and tourism cooperation.

The Nanning – Lang Son – Hanoi – Hai Phong and Hai Phong – Ha Long – Van Don – Mong Cai – Pingxiang expressways are set to become operational before 2020. 

The East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC) features Da Nang Port – Dong Ha (along National Road No.1) – Lao Bao International Border Gate – National Road No. 9 of Laos – Thailand – Dawai Port of Myanmar route with a total length of 1,450 km. This is an important corridor that helps shorten road travel time from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean to three hours.

Another route in the east-west corridor running along National Road 217, funded by the ADB, will be completed soon.

On the basis of the east-west corridor linking the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, Vietnam and Laos have put forth an initiative to build another corridor from Myanmar to Laos via Thailand, running along Paksan (Laos) – Thanh Thuy International Border Gate – Vinh (Vietnam’s Nghe An province) section to Vung Ang Port in the central province of Ha Tinh. It is a branch of the Hanoi – Vientiane expressway. 

To connect with Cambodia, the Southern Economic Corridor (Southern Coastal Corridor - SCC) has been built with the ADB’s support. Vietnam and Cambodia have signed an agreement on accelerating the construction of the 180-km Ho Chi Minh City – Phnom Penh expressway. The route runs from Ho Chi Minh City through Cai Mep – Thi Vai Port to Phnom Penh and then to Thailand before joining the SCC.

Transport infrastructure development a priority of Vietnam

Addressing a session on infrastructure development and financing as part of the GMS Business Summit in Hanoi on March 30, Vietnamese Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The said infrastructure plays an important role in socio-economic development of a nation and infrastructure development is a priority of many developing countries, including Vietnam.

In recent years, the Vietnamese Government has spent about 9-10 percent of its annual GDP on transport, energy, telecommunications and water infrastructure, he said.

However, the transport infrastructure system in Vietnam is still small in terms of scale with asynchronous connections. The country has only 756 kilometres of expressway while the railway system is out-of-date. 

According to the minister, Vietnam plans to step up development of high-quality transport infrastructure to spur its socio-economic growth.  It will continue completing its expressway system. Between now and 2020, the country expects to finish construction of about 654 kilometres out of 1,300 kilometres of the north-south expressway in the form of public-private partnership (PPP).

It also considers the building of new roads and high-speed railways to get connected with ASEAN, GMS and trans-Asia road systems, while paying attention to airport development, including the construction of Long Thanh International Airport with annual capacity of 100 million passengers and 5 million tonnes of cargo in the southern province of Dong Nai, The said.

He revealed that Vietnam needs an estimated 1,015 quadrillion VND (44.7 billion USD) in investment to develop transport infrastructure in the 2018-2023 period. 

Of the total, 651 trillion VND is for road development, 119 trillion VND for railways, 101 trillion VND for air transport, 68 trillion VND for sea routes and more than 33 trillion VND for inland waterways.

About 300 trillion VND (14 billion USD) is expected to come from non-budget sources inside and outside the country, especially foreign investment.

Therefore, Vietnam calls on businesses, investors and development partners to invest in developing transport infrastructure in Vietnam as well as other GMS nations, thus turning the GMS into a prosperous and developed sub-region, The stressed.

Enhancing transport connectivity for prosperous GMS

Transport connectivity is a top priority of the GMS Economic Cooperation Programme. At the time when the programme was launched, most of the sub-region’s infrastructure was in very poor quality. In response to this, the GMS adopted the Transport Master Plan in 1995, which identified priority transport links – mostly road projects – designed to generate the greatest and most immediate connectivity improvements.

This was an important step in economic development, with improvements in transportation infrastructure boosting economic opportunities throughout the region, especially by reducing travel times and costs. As the countries have moved from a strategy of self-sufficiency to regional cooperation, major efforts have been made to develop infrastructure linking the GMS and beyond, particularly through the identification of economic corridor projects.

A GMS transport strategy for 2006-2015 was developed to build a seamless GMS transport network, connecting not only sub-regional nations but also neighbouring countries and regions.

Now, the GMS transport strategy towards 2030, with a vision of “seamless, efficient, reliable, and sustainable GMS transport system”, recommends expanding road and railway connections, focusing on multimodal transport development and integrating climate change assessments into transport development projects. 

The sub-region’s member nations have pledged to implement the GMS Cross-Border Transport Facilitation Agreement (GMS-CBTA) to boost economic cooperation and development.

Turning the countries’ infrastructure into economic corridors, generating jobs, developing tourism and trade, creating cohesion in terms of interest and promoting peace in the region are among the GMS’s goals.

“Infrastructure is the key of the GMS connectivity, especially the inland connectivity. It is the trend of our sub-region to enhance the inland connectivity,” Tak Sriratanobhas, a member of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade told the Vietnam News Agency on the sidelines of the GMS Business Summit, which took place in Hanoi on March 30 as part of the sixth GMS Summit.

The key is turning infrastructure from transport corridors to economic corridors, meaning hardware and software infrastructure must combine, he said, adding that the hardware is the efficiency of roads linking the countries while the software is how to go through the border easier, faster and cheaper.

“If we make the border crossing more efficient, faster and less costly, it is the key to successfully turning the region into a real economic corridor,” he noted.

According to Chris Malone, Partner and Managing Director at the Boston Consulting Group, the GMS countries need to work together to have a win-win solution so all of them benefit from further infrastructure connectivity and contribute to economic development as well as the harmony of people in the Mekong River.

Transport infrastructure development will help optimise the supply chain of companies, reduce their costs and make them more competitive, said Csaba Bundik, Vice Chairman of the Central and Eastern European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam. 

“A better linked infrastructure will make people’s life and companies’ operation easier,” he noted. 

The current trade among the GMS countries could double if there is better infrastructure in the region, according to Htun Zaw, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Economic Relations Department under the Ministry of Planning and Finance of Myanmar.

“There is a huge opportunity to increase infrastructure connectivity in the region but the real challenge is funds,” he said.

Meanwhile, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Umeda Kunio said at the session on infrastructure development and financing of the GMS Business Summit in Hanoi on March 30 that his government has put forth an initiative to promote quality infrastructure and made efforts to improve connectivity in the GMS region.

As a partner of the GMS, Japan has provided support for fostering regional economic growth, contributing to narrowing the development gap as well as boosting investment and trade through infrastructure projects.

Japan’s assistance not only covers hard infrastructure such as expressways and bridges but also human resources training and development of areas along the economic corridor, he said. 

The ADB has for years been a major sponsor of the GMS. ADB President Takehiko Nakao said his bank plans to provide 7 billion USD over the next five years for a range of projects supporting transportation, tourism, energy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, agribusiness value chains and urban development in the sub-region. 

The sub-region is expected to receive 66 billion USD in investment to strengthen regional economic cooperation in the next five years, Alfredo Perdiguero, Director of Regional Cooperation and Operations Coordination Division, Southeast Asia Department, told Vietnamese media.

The sum increased by 2 billion USD compared to what ministers of the six member countries agreed in the action plan framework for 2018-2022 late last year.

It will more than triple the total sum of 21 billion USD mobilised for the region since the GMS economic cooperation programme was first launched by the ADB in 1992.

Besides the ADB, the amount is also expected to be contributed by many other partners, together with the governments of the GMS countries, he noted.

The GMS cooperation was launched in 1992 as an initiative of the ADB. The GMS Cooperation Programme is the most complete cooperation programme that involves Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, and China’s Yunnan and Guangxi provinces. The programme prioritises infrastructure development, energy, telecommunication, tourism, trade-investment, human resources, and environment.

VNA

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Social News 13/4


Telegraph on traffic safety for National Reunification Day released

The PM has issued a Telegraph on serving people’s travel demand and ensuring traffic safety and order on the National Reunification Day (April 30) and International Workers' Day (May 1).

The PM asked ministries and agencies to strengthen measures to guarantee the safety and quality of transport services to meet the increasing travel demand on the festival, especially on traffic routes connecting Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City and other large tourism and entertainment locations.

He required checking the signaling system and the traffic lights at disadvantaged areas, ensure traffic clearance and take prompt measures when there are incidents.

Patrols must be strengthened and violations causing traffic accidents must be strictly punished.  

Ministries and agencies have to enhance communications of traffic laws and skills for people to increase of their awareness when using roads.

The People’s Committees of cities and provinces and other authorized agencies have to prevent local people to set fire or smoke which may restrict the visibility of drivers. 

A hot line on transport and traffic safety must be announced publicly to receive information about traffic accidents. 

Rice relief for Dien Bien, Hoa Binh

The PM has assigned the Ministry of Finance (MoF) to supply rice from the national reserves for two northern provinces of Dien Bien and Hoa Binh in the crop-between period.

Specifically, the MoF will provide 1,301,085 kg of rice for these two provinces, including 1,172,595 kg for Dien Bien Province and 128,490 kg of rice for Hoa Binh Province. 

Drug administration warns of fake Zinnat drug


 

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The Drug Administration of Vietnam warned fake drug named Zinnat 500 mg film tablet as per the report of inspectors from the Department of Health in Hanoi.

Through examination, the administration verified the drug with label “Sefuroksim aksetil 20 film table” and subsidiary label assuming the name of manufacturer Glaxo Opertione UK Ltd-British and importer Armephaco in 118 Vu Xuan Thieu, Hanoi’s Long Bien District as fake medicine.

To protect patients’ safety, the administration asked departments of health nationwide to inform pharmacies to about the fake medicine. Pharmacies are not allowed to sell the fake one.

In addition, departments of health were ordered to enhance supervision to early detect import, production and sales of fake medicine or medicine without clear indication of origin, banned drug.

Harsh penalties will be issued on violators.

Apart from this, the health sector should work with media to inform people about the fake drug with such above- mentioned feature.

The departments of health received information of business and residents should work with relevant agencies to trace back the origin of fake drug to impose punishment on violators.

Preferential loans should be accessible to disabled: seminar


 

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At the seminar


Delegates at a seminar in Hanoi on April 12 suggested preferential loans should be accessible to people with disabilities as well as businesses employing the disabled. 

They explained that preferential loans exclusively for disabled people have remained limited. 

Over the past three years, vocational training and job generation for the disabled have met a range of difficulties, they said, pointing to the loose coordination among competent agencies in this field. 

The delegates called on the Government to continue to complete legal documents on the disabled and create conditions for them to benefit from the State’s policies. 

Besides, all-level Party Committees and authorities should allocate resources from local budgets and other legal funds to the disabled, they said. 

According to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Vietnam has about 8 million people with disabilities aged 5 years and over, with the majority of them (82.27 percent) living in rural areas.

Of the total, only 30 percent are working, mainly in the agro-forestry-fishery sector, with low income. Of note, up to 41.01 percent of the disabled aged from six years and above are illiterate and only 6.5 percent of them have certificates or degrees. 

The seminar was jointly held by the ministry, the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies and Japan’s Nippon Foundation. Within the framework of the event, there were pavilions displaying products and services of the disabled.

Greetings to Khmer people on traditional New Year


 

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Vice President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Nguyen Huu Dung presents a gift to Most Venerable Duong Nhon.  

Vice President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Nguyen Huu Dung on April 11 visited the Patriotic United Buddhist Association in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang on the occasion of Khmer people’s traditional New Year festival, Chol Chnam Thmay - which falls on April 14-16.

The official stressed the important role played by Khmer people, who make up more than 30 percent of Soc Trang’s population, in previous wars and the current development. 

Khmer people have significantly contributed to socio-economic development, security, stability and cultural conservation in the locality, Dung said. 

He urged the association and Khmer Buddhist dignitaries, monks and nuns to set good examples in building national unity, contributing to the development of Soc Trang and the country. 

On the occasion, the VFF Central Committee presented gifts to the association and outstanding monks and nuns in the province. 

The same day, a delegation of the VFF’s branch in Ho Chi Minh City also granted gifts to Khmer people in difficult circumstances in District 3 and Tan Binh district. 

Additionally, the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long held a meeting with representatives of Khmer people who number 24,000 in the locality. 

Truong Van Sau, Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, stressed that Vinh Long has always paid attention to training Khmer officials and preserving Khmer culture and education in Khmer communities. 

He called on Khmer officials, soldiers and people to play a more active role in production and the building of new-style rural and urban areas. 

A similar event was held in the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang, which is home to more than 24,500 Khmer people, on April 11. 

At the meeting, 220 gifts were given to Khmer Buddhist monks, nuns, retirees, social policy beneficiaries and prestigous people in the locality. 

In 2017, Hau Giang invested more than 16 billion VND (704,000 USD) in infrastructure, production, housing and job generation for Khmer people. 

Chol Chnam Thmay is one of the most important festivals of Khmer people. It usually lasts three days and is celebrated mostly in pagodas. The festival is a demonstration of Khmer people’s aspirations to move on from the previous year and look forward to a promising new year.

Seminar talks education for disabled children


 

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A seminar took place in the central province of Ninh Thuan on April 11 to share experience in educating disabled children.

Organised by the provincial Department of Education and Training and the United Nations Children’s Fund, the event attracted scientists, managers and teachers specialised in early intervention and integration education for disabled children. 

They discussed zoning off support centres for integration education and specialised education establishments, raising public awareness of the effort, improving services for disabled children and overseeing enforcement of policies targeting them. 

Participants agreed that integration education for disabled children in centres in Vietnam and Ninh Thuan in particular basically meet parents’ expectations, helping them integrate into school life. 

Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Van Binh said effective models should be further spread, adding that suggestions at the event will serve as reference to report to the government to issue proper policies, helping children living in special circumstances access education.

Student exchange marks New Year festivals of Laos and Cambodia


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Lao Bunpimay festival and the Cambodian Chol Chnam Thmay festival are celebrated in HCM City.  

The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union in Ho Chi Minh City on April 11 celebrated the Lao Bunpimay festival and the Cambodian Chol Chnam Thmay festival.

The event featured traditional art performances of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, as well as Laos and Cambodia’s rituals like thread tying on wrist and water-splashing to wish for a year of happiness and prosperity.

Nguyen Huu Hiep, head of the municipal Party Committee’s mass mobilistion board, delivered New Year greetings to Lao and Cambodian students who are studying in the city.

He affirmed that city leaders always pay attention to organising student exchange events, creating opportunities for students to better understand cultural tradition in each nation and the history of the friendship among the three countries.

Hiep expressed his hope that the students will continue to treasure the ties, making contributions to building prosperous countries toward an ASEAN Community of peace, cooperation and development.

Currently, there are some 500 Lao and Cambodian students in Ho Chi Minh City.

The Bunpimay and Chol Chnam Thmay festivals fall on April 14 to 16, with several ritual ceremonies praying for good weather, an abundant harvest and a prosperous New Year.

Australia helps Vietnam with agricultural development


 

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Australia’s cooperation and sharing through the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) in Vietnam has helped Vietnam improve its research capacity in the agricultural field, contributing to reducing poverty and raising farmers’ income.

The remark was made by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quoc Doanh at a fair in Hanoi on April 11 marking the 25th founding anniversary of the centre (1993-2018). 

He described the ACIAR as a special partner of Vietnam in the field of agricultural research and development. 

Meanwhile, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Craig Chittick said agricultural cooperation forms an important part of the Vietnam-Australia relationship, under the coordination of the centre. 

Australia’s support to Vietnam through agricultural cooperation projects is within the country’s official development assistance programme, the diplomat added, expressing his delight that the assistance greatly contributed to Vietnam’s development, especially noted changes in the farming sector. 

Professor Andrew Campbell, ACIAR CEO, said the Australian side has shared its experience in production, marketing, food safety and quality control, water conservation, forest management and aquaculture with Vietnam over the past time.

According to the Australian Embassy, over the past 25 years, the Australian Government has invested 100 million AUD (77.5 million USD) in 170 agricultural research projects in Vietnam, helping improve capacity for many local researchers. 

A wide range of agricultural products of cooperation projects between Vietnam and Australia were displayed at the fair, jointly held by the Australian Embassy in Vietnam and the ACIAR.

Mural paintings stir quiet valley in Da Nang


 

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The first fresco valley along alley No.75 on Nguyen Van Linh Street in Da Nang city opens to public after four months of implementation  

The first fresco valley which has been relived with glamorous mural paintings in the central city of Da Nang has opened to public after four months of implementation. 

Mural paintings depicting cultural life, natural landscapes and people of Da Nang painted on the walls along alley No. 75 on Nguyen Van Linh street in Hai Chau district have attracted a large number of visitors to the place. 

A group of artists from Da Nang city’s Fine Arts Association and the Architecture University participated in the art project worth over 2.5 billion VND, since January. 

The images of Da Nang’s signatures, such as the red shanked douce langur, Da Nang beach, Dien Hai temple, Son Tra mountain and the whale worshipping festival are showcased in the paintings. 

Apart from enjoying the beauty of the paintings, visitors also have a chance to take part in cultural activities, including folk games, held at weekends.

Cuban doctors to aid Vietnamese peers in Quang Binh


 

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The Vietnam – Cuba Dong Hoi Friendship Hospital will invite Cuban experts to help train local doctors in the next two years.  

The Vietnam – Cuba Dong Hoi Friendship Hospital in the central province of Quang Binh has signed a contract to invite Cuban experts to work here and help train local doctors in the next two years.

Selected Cuban doctors are experts in cardiology, oncology, neuropathology, and traumatology – orthopedics, among others. Part of the financial source for the contract is sponsored by the provincial authorities.

Duong Thanh Binh, Director of the hospital, said Cuban experts will join doctors at the hospital in providing health check-ups and treatment.

A group of interpreters has been set up to facilitate the collaboration and technical transfer, Binh added.

The Vietnam – Cuba Dong Hoi Friendship Hospital was established with Cuban funding on September 9, 1981as a symbol of the two countries’ solidarity. The general medical facility accommodates 900 beds, serving patients in provinces from Ha Tinh to Quang Tri in the central region.

HCM City marks traditional New Year festival of neighbouring countries


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At the ceremony to celebrate the traditional New Year festival of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand  

A ceremony was held at Pho Minh Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh City, on April 11 to celebrate the traditional New Year festival of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.

The event was organised by the HCM City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) and the board for international Buddhism of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS)’s chapter in HCM City. 

It saw the presence of the four countries’ consuls general to HCM City, Vice President of the VBS Central Committee’s Executive Council Most Venerable Thich Thien Tam, along with entrepreneurs and students of the countries in HCM City.

Addressing the event, HUFO Chairman Huynh Minh Thien said the ceremony to mark the traditional festival, known as Chol Chnam Thmay in Cambodia, Bunpimay in Lao, Thingyan in Myanmar and Songkran in Thailand, aims to enhance mutual understanding between Vietnam and neighbouring countries, along with the nations’ cultural exchange and multifaceted cooperation.

He stressed that Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand are members of the ASEAN Community, and they have had much cooperation and mutual support over the past years. People of the five countries have stood side by side in the fights for national independence in the past and national development at present. They have also been striving together to build an ASEAN Community of peace, stability, cooperation and prosperity.

Thai Consul General to HCM City Ureerat Ratanaprukse shared the importance of the traditional festival to people of the four countries, adding that the ceremony helps demonstrate solidarity among the five nations.

The event featured the Buddha bathing ritual and performances of traditional songs and dances of the countries.

Upward trend in number of dengue cases in southern Vietnam


 

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A medical worker sprays chemical to kill mosquitos and its larva 

Dengue fever cases are creeping up again as Vietnam enters summer with heat which is conducive for mosquito development.

The Department of Preventive Medicine under the Ministry of Health this morning announced from the beginning of the year, there had been 14,000 reported cases of dengue so far with three deaths; one in the Mekong delta province of Ca Mau , two in the southern provinces of Binh Duong and Binh Phuoc.

Through study, most infection cases are in the southern provinces.

Head of the Department Tran Dac Phu said that despite upward trend of dengue cases, it is lower than same period last year. However, hot weather is favorable condition for mosquito development, it is highly likely that the disease will be able to break out.

Along with this, people habit of storing water maintain unchanged and polluted environment are to contribute to outbreak of dengue.

The Department head warned that the disease occurs in many countries in Asian region. Travelers and exchange between nations make the disease spreading and uncontrollable. 

Accordingly, to prevent the disease, the Ministry of Health warned people to conduct hygiene measures by covering all water containers to deter mosquitos laying eggs.

Moreover, residents should kill larva by removing water items, remove water from flower pot plates on alternate days, turn over all water storage containers and wear long-sleeved clothing.

Fishing boat rescued at sea


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The fishing boat was found to be in good shape after it was tugged ashore.  

The Quang Binh provincial Border Guards High Command has successfully rescued a fishing boat with a 9 crew members, which was drifting due to a broken engine, in the central province of Thanh Hoa.

Earlier, at 6:30pm on April 10, the boat’s crew were reportedly fishing 47 nautical miles northeast of Gianh port, in the central province of Quang Binh, when its engine broke down. The crew could not fix the problem and the boat was adrift for several hours.

After receiving the information, the Quang Binh provincial Border Guards High Command sent Flotilla No.2 to coordinate with a Coast Guard ship to the location to deploy the rescue mission.

The fishing boat was found to be in good shape after it was tugged ashore. All of the crew members have recovered and are in good health.

Ancient imperial city ready for 10th Hue Festival 

 

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The 10th edition of the Hue Festival will open on April 27.  

The ancient imperial city of Hue in the central province of Thua Thien – Hue has completed preparations for the 10th edition of the biennial Hue Festival, which is slated to open on April 27.

Thua Thien - Hue Vice Chairman Nguyen Dung said the programme aims to promote art exchanges among cultures and introduce unique values of the culture of Vietnam and Hue, thus boosting tourism growth and the local economy.

So far art troupes from 21 countries have registered to perform at the week-long event alongside domestic art delegations.

The festival this year will direct the spotlight on the city’s five world heritage items, namely the Hue Monuments Complex, Hue Royal Court Music, Woodblocks of Nguyen Dynasty, Nguyen Dynasty's imperial documents and literary works on Hue imperial architecture.

As Hue served as the imperial city under the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945), the festival will re-enact royal celebrations and events such as Royal Night, Orient Legends and the Nam Giao ritual.

Many side events will also be held, such as the International Food Fair, a beer carnival, an international trade fair, a traditional boat race on Perfume River, a kite festival, and the Hue Poetry Festival.

Several exhibitions will introduce to visitors the poetry on Hue imperial architectural works inscribed on truc chi (bamboo pulp) paper, the beauty of orchids and bonsai, and cultural heritage with integration and development.

The Hue Festival has been held every two years since 2000, bringing together excellent arts companies with unique performances from across the world.

People with disabilities need exclusive source of low-cost loans


 

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Vocational training for people with disabilities 


Millions of working-age people with disabilities who have the ability to work are in need of help to access soft loans to pursue vocational training and employment but there is an absence of a source of soft loans exclusively designed for them.

The problem was brought to light at a workshop on policy and credit solutions to develop vocational training and employment for persons with disabilities and promote their products in Hanoi on April 12. The workshop was co-held by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) and Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP).

Statistics by the MoLISa show that Vietnam is home to about 8 million people with disabilities aged above 5 years old, most of whom (87.2 percent) are living in rural areas. Of the disabled population, some 65 percent are at working age; about 40 percent have the ability to work; but only 30 percent are actually working to earn a living for themselves and their families.

Dinh Thi Quynh Nga, a disabled woman and director of a Hanoi-based handicraft cooperative which employs dozens of workers with disabilities, said the workers there have acquired necessary working skills but they all experience financial difficulties. 

“People with disabilities who want to take part in the cooperative must make a contribution to the charter capital, but all of them are living under difficult circumstances and dependent on their family,” she said, adding that it is the reason why it is hard for the cooperative to expand. 

The VBSP is providing people with disabilities and businesses who employ people with disabilities with loans sourced by the National Fund for Job Assistance and the Nippon Foundation of Japan but there is yet a source of low-cost loans exclusively designed for people with disabilities, said MoLISA Deputy Minister Le Tan Dung.

Echoing Dung’s view, VBSP Deputy Director General Nguyen Van Ly noted that there is an absence of a special mechanism to give soft loans to people with disabilities; as a result, very few people were able to access low-cost loans.

The VBSP reported that last year, the banks offered soft loans to four new projects employing a large number of persons with disabilities and some 2,360 projects run by persons with disabilities, which provide employment to a total of 2,540 people with disabilities. Its disabled clients were estimated at more than 11,000 people.

Ly suggested the government to review legal documents on people with disabilities, increase annual funding for the National Fund for Job Assistance and set up a special fund providing low-cost loans to people with disabilities and employers of people with disabilities.

He also advised the local governments to allocate funding for such type of loans and closely work with the VBSP to improve the quality of social quality credit services for disabled people.

HCMC speeds up construction of Rach Chiec sports complex


 

HCMC speeds up construction of Rach Chiec sports complex, Fifth grader honored for returning $1,052, 7th Southern Folk Cake Festival returns to Can Tho, Cyber security becoming urgent issue in Vietnam
The design of Rach Chiec sports complex in district 2 

The People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City has asked the Department of Culture and Sport to complete legal documents and detailed plan at 1:2000 scale for Rach Chiec sports complex in district 2 before May 31.

The city’s government has also asked the People’s Committee of district 2 to delegate the project construction investment management board of the district to finish site clearance and compensation payment for the affected households for the sport complex project soon.

The city’s authorities has conducted the Department of Investment and Planning to coordinate with relevant departments to call on investors into deployment, and operating and investing works in the complex.

The Rach Chiec Sports Complex following the international modern standard will be built in district 2 of Ho Chi Minh City. 

The construction covers over 180 hectares of land with total investment capital of VND 34,000 billion, aiming to serve sport and culture activities of the city and the country, contributing to boost the city's economic, society and culture development . it can be called the two-decade project because it has been launched since 1994 but just approved until now. 

Rach Chiec National Sports Complex is to serve the city’s plan on organizing the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in 2021.

Fifth grader honored for returning $1,052

Fifth grader Vo Hong Hieu who returned a sum of VND24 million ($1,052) was honored yesterday by managers of Thinh Loc Primary School in Loc Ha District of the central province of Ha Tinh.

Before, on the way home, the student noticed a plastic bag with VND24 million and an ID card. He waited for a long time with expectation that the person who dropped the bag will come back but it turned hopeless.

Later, the boy asked his relatives to return the sum.

The sum was then given back to a woman in the same district.

The boy is a good student despite his poverty. His good deed is a shining example for his peers to follow, said school managers.

7th Southern Folk Cake Festival returns to Can Tho


 

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The 7th Southern Folk Cake Festival will feature 200 display booths of local businesses, according to the organization board on April 8.

These booths include more than 100 stalls featuring more than 200 traditional cakes and specialties.

Participants come from cities and provinces throughout the country, such as Hanoi, Lam Dong, Yen Bai, Cao Bang, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Bac Lieu, An Giang, Hau Giang, Vinh Long, Soc Trang, Kien Giang, Can Tho and others.

There will be a series of cultural activities, such as cake exhibition, folk cake making contest, calligraphy and don ca tai tu (Southern folk music) performances, Miss Mekong Delta pageant, street festival, traditional games and others.

The cake show aims to preserve and promote traditional cuisines and cultural activities of the Vietnam’s South. It will be also a chance to promote tourism and cultural potentials of Can Tho city.

The 2018 Southern Folk Cake Festival will take place at the Investment & Trade Promotion Center in the Mekong delta city of Can Tho from April 25-29.

Last year’s event attracted over 500,000 visitors.

Cyber security becoming urgent issue in Vietnam

Just like other countries in the modern world, Vietnam is significantly affected by complicated and rapid changes of cyber security. These changes have posed risks and challenges to each individual, organization, and company. They even issue dire threats to national security.

At the Security World 2018 Conference held in Hanoi on April 5 with the theme of ‘Increasing data and cyber security in the connected world’, Director of the Cyber Security Department under the Ministry of Public Security, Lieutenant General Hoang Phuoc Thuan said that each year his department discovered tens of state information leaks on the Internet, but the truth might be more than that due to the anonymous nature of the network environment.

According to Lt. Gen Hoang Phuoc Thuan, the Fourth Industrial Revolution is happening in a large scale and has created new opportunities for Vietnam to rapidly integrate into the world, to upgrade its technology level as well as manufacturing and competitiveness capacity.

Industry 4.0 has also been a means for a major change in formations of the service sector; for new chances for innovative startups. It has provided a lucrative and promising investment environment in the field of digital industry and Internet as well as a golden opportunity for industrial manufacturing which can successfully apply advances in science and technology.

Vietnam is one of the 20 countries with the fastest Internet development and implementation speed in the world. It has nearly 60 million Internet users, accounting for 62 percent of the population, and is striving to become the second in ASEAN to build a smart city so that it can deliver a better living environment to citizens while boosting the positive effects of sustainable economic and social development.

However, just like other countries in the modern world, Vietnam is significantly affected by complicated and rapid changes of cyber security. These changes have posed risks and challenges to each individual, organization, and company. They even issue dire threats to national security.

According to Lt. Gen Hoang Phuoc Thuan, one of the grave risks is that at the moment, personal information leaks of Internet users is escalating worriedly. The most scandalous event recently has been the case of illegal sharing of 50 million Facebook accounts to Cambridge Anlytica Company for commercial and political purposes, forcing the US and EU to conduct an urgent investigation. At the same time, unhealthy and disturbing information on the Internet also seriously harms many organizations and individuals.

Aside from receiving benefits and positive information, Vietnamese Internet users, especially the young and students or even children, are negatively affected by thousands of pieces of information and images which have obscene, decadent, and violent content to terrorize their mind. These have been freely distributed on the network, and some are used to offend public security. This has been a thorny issue which directly affects social safety and security as well as legal rights of all citizens.

Head of the Information Safety Department under the Ministry of Information Nguyen Thanh Hai stated that the development of the Internet and Internet of Things (IoT) has promoted the connection process among domestic information systems and international ones, leading to various advantages in different aspects of life.

However, it is this process that has created new risks of information leaks. Recently, there have been more and more cyber-attacks on confidential information, many of which are shifting their aim from individuals to major international corporations or even important governmental information systems.

“The lack of human resources in the field of information safety as well as the insufficient individual and organization awareness has accidentally created information weaknesses for cyber attackers to take advantage of. Experts have claimed that more than 90 percent cases of information leaks are due to human faults. Therefore, the task of ensuring information safety is becoming more and more challenging”, affirmed Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hai.

Microchip development program to be purposely implemented in HCMC

To take full advantage of the Resolution No.54/2017 of the National Assembly, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) People’s Committee Tran Vinh Tuyen has just insisted on the need to attract talents, experts, and scientists for the city's microchip development program.

The Resolution No.54/2017 of the National Assembly concerning pilot implementation of special mechanisms and policies for development of Ho Chi Minh City should be made the most at the moment, and the announcement on focusing on microchip development is a suitable aim.

Accordingly, related agencies have to boost their cooperation with Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), Military Industry and Telecoms Group (Viettel), the Board of Governmental Essential Services, Saigon Hi-tech Park (SHTP), Quang Trung Software City. They also need to increase other partnership within the frame of the program.

Vice chairman Tuyen stated that the common aim of this program is to contribute to the sustainable growth and development of HCMC economy.

Therefore, to boost the commercialization of microchip products, the HCMC Department of Information and Communications (DIC) have to build a strategic plan for the manufacturing of microchip for governmental use, supplying Vietnamese businesses, and export goals.

The DIC also needs to summarize all received suggestions, makes a report on results of activities related to the 2017 microchip development program in HCMC, and prepares an implementation plan for the 2018-2020 period as well as a detailed working schedule for 2018.

Guidance documents regarding the program from the Central Government, the Standing Committee of HCMC, and the HCMC People’s Committee must be timely supplemented.

Japan’s Kosen model in workforce training introduced


HCMC speeds up construction of Rach Chiec sports complex, Fifth grader honored for returning $1,052, 7th Southern Folk Cake Festival returns to Can Tho, Cyber security becoming urgent issue in Vietnam 

At the event 


A seminar took place in Hanoi on April 12 to introduce Japan’s Kosen model to vocational training establishments. 

The model has been applied in Japan since the 1960s, connecting high-quality workforce training with enterprises to ensure that all graduates will land jobs. 

Participants shared the view that the Vietnamese Government always pays attention to high-quality human resources training to meet demand for economic development and global integration. 

Vietnam now has three universities and three colleges that adopt Kosen model. Since 2016, they have learned about the model and improved curricula in a systematic way. 

This year, the model will offer support to pilot schools and expand to other vocational training establishments under the management of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs. 

The four-year project aims for safety and innovation training, active study and technical design education. 

Participating training establishments also connect with local and Japanese firms to generate jobs for graduates.

Japanese-funded projects improves health care services to elderly


 

HCMC speeds up construction of Rach Chiec sports complex, Fifth grader honored for returning $1,052, 7th Southern Folk Cake Festival returns to Can Tho, Cyber security becoming urgent issue in Vietnam 

The General Office for Population and Family Planning under the Ministry of Health on April 12 launched a Japanese-funded project to provide preventive health care services to the elderly to cope with population aging in Vietnam.

The project, which has been carrying out from July 2017 to March 2020, is funded with 91,750 USD from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and over 1.4 billion VND from the Vietnamese Government.

It aims to build a standard model on caring the health of the elderly in the community before multiplying it across the country, contributing to meeting the demand of long-term care for the elderly.

The projects has five components, including building specific projects and plans for each year, popularising preventive medicine programmes through communications and consultations, enhancing officials’ capacity on managing and guiding the elderly on exercise to avoid falling, preparing equipment and facilities for the maintenance of exercise activities of elderly, and giving supervision and technical support to the project.

According to deputy head of the General Office for Population and Family Planning Nguyen Van Tan, the project is being piloted in Xuan Phuong ward of Hanoi’s Nam Tu Liem district.

At the event, Japanese delegates shared experience on building a comprehensive health care system for the elderly as well as providing nursing services at home.

Dialogue focuses on labour safety, hygiene


HCMC speeds up construction of Rach Chiec sports complex, Fifth grader honored for returning $1,052, 7th Southern Folk Cake Festival returns to Can Tho, Cyber security becoming urgent issue in Vietnam 

At the dialogue  

The National Council on Labour Safety and Hygiene held its 2018 dialogue in Hanoi on April 11 in response to World Day for Safety and Health at Work (April 28) and preparation for the national action month on labour safety and hygiene in May.

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Le Tan Dung stressed the necessary to hold regular dialogue on labour safety and hygiene policies in order to share information and intensify mutual understanding between employers and employees.

The dialogue was also a chance for participants to contribute ideas to the making and revision of laws and policies so as to make them conformable to business and production activities.

According to estimates of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), every day, the world records 6,400 deaths due to work incidents and occupational diseases and 680,000 people injured at workplace, which requires a satisfactory investment in labour safety and hygiene at both international and national levels and in businesses.

In Vietnam, over 1 million youths enter the labour market each year, with the number of labourers aged from 15-24 accounting for 15 percent of the country’s workforce. The rate of work incidents involved in young people is 40 percent higher than that of other groups.

ILO Vietnam Director Lee Chang-hee said that the target of improving labour safety and hygiene is reached only when State management agencies, employers, employees and organisations representing business owners and workers exert joint efforts.

Participants at the dialogue discussed issues related to newly-promulgated policies, and proposed measures to solve shortcomings in implementing State laws and regulations on the field as well as initiatives on administrative procedure reform.

VN Permanent Mission to UN extends Bunpimay greetings to Laos


 

HCMC speeds up construction of Rach Chiec sports complex, Fifth grader honored for returning $1,052, 7th Southern Folk Cake Festival returns to Can Tho, Cyber security becoming urgent issue in Vietnam
The traditional dance of Lao people


Ambassador Duong Chi Dung, head of Vietnam's Permanent Mission to the UN, WTO and other international organisations in Geneva, Switzerland, on April 11 led a delegation to visit and extend greetings to their Lao counterparts on Bunpimay Festival, the traditional New Year of Laos.

Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Dung sent his best wishes to Lao Ambassador Khan-Inh Khitchadeth and Lao officials in Geneva and their families a New Year of happiness and prosperity

He reiterated the close relationship between the two missions in Geneva, reflecting the special ties between Vietnam and Laos at the UN and at multilateral forums as well. He expected the two missions will maintain and develop the traditional relations in professional work and cultural exchange.

Lao Ambassador Khan-Inh Khitchadeth, for his part, thanked the Vietnamese diplomats for their congratulations, bringing them joy and luck on the new year of Buddhist calendar 2561.

He and other Lao diplomats splashed water on their Vietnamese guests and tied threads on their twists, which are among Lao traditional rituals on the Bunpimay Festival.

He underscored that the two countries’ governments and people need to continue stay united each other as expected by their former leaders.

He thanked Vietnam for always supporting and providing help for Laos, particularly at many multilateral forums.

VNN

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Renewable energy: which option for Vietnam?



Considered a country with great potential for solar and wind power, Vietnam continues to be one of the 12 ‘hotspots’ in the globe for coal-fired power development.


 

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Vietnam has great potentials to develop clean energy 

The global coal-fired power plant monitoring system’s updates on March 22 showed that the indicators in thermal power capacity, including the planning, construction and completion phases, continued declining significantly in 2017.

The decline is attributed to Chinese policies on tightening coal-fired power plant control and India’s decision to cut financing of coal power projects. The capacity expansion in other countries has slowed down to 22-29 percent from 41-73 percent two years ago.

Meanwhile, more old coal-fired plants have been shut down with 206,000 MW cut in 2009-2017. A report shows that 290,130 MW coal-fired power plants have been running for more than 39 years, the average life expectancy, and the figure would be 315,580 MW.

It is expected that by 2022, the number of old plants to be shut down would be higher than the number of plants to become operational. This will be the beginning of the period of coal-fired power development decline.

It is expected that by 2022, the number of old plants to be shut down would be higher than the number of plants to become operational. This will be the beginning of the period of coal-fired power development decline.

In India, the renewable power price has decreased by 50 percent in the last two years because of higher capacity. Because of financing problems, there is no electricity sale contract for 16 GW of coal-fired power, while 17 GW has been frozen at construction sites.

In the US, as of 2017, 266 coal-fired power plants have stopped operation or committed to stop operation.

Since 2015, more than 700 organizations from 76 countries have committed to withdraw investments from projects related to fossil fuel, totaling $5.5 trillion, and 58,000 individuals committed to withdraw $5.2 billion worth of capital.

The fourth survey report by Greenpeace, Sierra Club and CoalSwarm showed that Vietnam is one of 12 hot spots for the globe’s coal-fired thermopower development. No new plant was built in 2017, but many projects were proposed.

Under the seventh power development program released in 2016, Vietnam had 12,100 MW announced, 15,040 MW to be licensed, 8,750 MW licensed and 10,635 MW under construction.

A report from GreenID in 2017 showed that most projects used foreign financing, mostly from China, Japan and South Korea.

Japan had three projects listed among top 10 investment projects in Vietnam in 2017, including two coal-fired power projects, namely Nghi Son 2  ($2.793 billion) and Van Phong ($2.581 billion).

According to Takimoto Koji from JETRO office in HCMC, some Japanese investors came to Vietnam to seek opportunities to invest in renewable energy. However, the projects were unattractive to investors because of the low electricity pricing policy.

 

 
Kim Chi, VNN

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Non Nuoc Cao Bang named second global geopark in Vietnam

Paris -Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark in the northern border province of Cao Bang was recognised as a global geopark by the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council in Paris on April 12.

A view of Ban Gioc Waterfall, which is part of Non Nuoc Cao Bang Global Geopark (Photo: VNA)

This is the second UNESCO-recognised Global Geopark in Vietnam after Dong Van Karst Plateau, which was recognised in 2010.

Non Nuoc Cao Bang is about 300km from Hanoi capital city. It covers more than 3,000 sq.km. in the districts of Ha Quang, Tra Linh, Quang Uyen, Trung Khanh, Ha Lang and Phuc Hoa and part of Hoa An, Nguyen Binh and Thach An districts. 

The geopark is home to fossils, ocean sediment, volcanic rocks, minerals, and especially karst landscapes, which can give researchers an insight into an over-500-million-year history of the Earth. It is also well known for rich biodiversity and many indigenous fauna and flora species.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung said the Global Geopark title is UNESCO’s recognition of diverse landscapes and spiritual cultural values of the Non Nuoc Cao Bang area. It will also help the province boost sustainable socio-economic development and improve local living standards.

Ambassador Tran Thi Hoang Mai, head of Vietnam’s Permanent Mission to UNESCO, said during the dossier verification process, UNESCO experts highly evaluated the values of the Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark. 

Aside from natural values, she said, it also contains a number of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, particularly revolutionary relic sites such as special national relic site of Pac Bo, where Nguyen Ai Quoc or President Ho Chi Minh, returned in 1941 to lead the domestic revolution after spending over 30 years in other countries to seek ways to save the country.

It is also home to special national relic site of Tran Hung Dao Forest, where then General Vo Nguyen Giap in 1944 established the Vietnam Propaganda and Liberation Army, the predecessor of the Vietnam People’s Army today.

Chairman of the Cao Bang People’s Committee Hoang Xuan Anh pledged that local authorities and people will associate the conservation and development of Non Nuoc the Cao Bang Global Geopark with local socio-economic development in a sustainable manner.

Non Nuoc Cao Bang was established in 2015. In November 2016, Cao Bang submitted a dossier to UNESCO to seek the global geopark recognition. A survey team of UNESCO came to the province in July 2017 to make assessment of the park’s values and conservation work.


VNA

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BUSINESS IN BRIEF 13/4


Shrimp exports see bright prospect this year


 

Shrimp exports see bright prospect this year, Foreign investors eyeing notorious Chu Lai Soda processing plant, Savills says Vietnam youth is easier for housing affordability, Da Nang High-Tech Park tries to attract more investment

Shrimp breeders enjoyed a bumper crop and high prices in the first quarter of this year as a result of favourable weather, growing market demands and stable global market prices, which have facilitated domestic production and exports.

The country’s seafood exports are estimated at 441,500 tons valued at US$1.67 billion in the first quarter of this year, up 8.73% in volume and 11.2% in value against the same period last year, of which shrimp exports ranked second in terms of volume but first in value.

The EU, the US, Japan, China, the Republic of Korea, Australia, Canada, ASEAN, Taiwan, and the Switzerland were top ten importers, which accounted for 88.6% of Vietnam’s total shrimp export value. All of these markets, except Japan, obtained a positive growth with Australia seeing the highest growth of 76.2%.

The EU, Japan and China were the three largest consumers of Vietnamese shrimps late last year, but, the placed orders have changed with the US rising to the second place, followed by Japan and China. The EU remained the biggest importer, making up 18.6% of the country’s total shrimp exports with US$81.9 million in the first two months of this year (up 11% over the same period last year).

Being considered the most dynamic market of Vietnamese shrimps in 2017, exports to the EU have further maintained an upward trend this year. Currently, shrimp exports to the market enjoy many advantages as Indian shrimps known as its key competitor are loosing favour due to overuse of antibiotics and facing threats of an import ban. As a result, Vietnamese products are chosen to replace Indian shrimp.

Besides, Vietnamese products are enjoying the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) tariff from the EU with 4.2% for frozen shrimp and 7% for frozen processed shrimp. Meanwhile, two other big competitors - Thailand and China do not get the EU’s GSP.

Particularly, the Vietnam - EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) which is coming into force will create more opportunities for Vietnam to boost shrimp exports to the market.

Shrimp exports to the US show a signs of recovery after constant decline last year. Exports to the market rose 6.6% to more than US$75.07 million in the first two months of this year. The growth helps the US rise from the fourth last year to the second place among world leading importers. Exports to the country tend to inch up thanks to good consumption, increasing consumers’ trust and positive economic prospect.

Japan is the third largest consumer of Vietnamese shrimp, accounting for 15.5% of the country’s total exports with US$68.2 million in two months of 2018, down 15.8%. Its consumption demand is highest among key importers. Domestic exporters have improved product quality and processing methods to attract more Japanese customers.

In the same period, Australia imported US$16.6 million worth of  Vietnamese shrimp products. With high import demands, Vietnam has seen excellent prospect to increase shrimp exports to the market, especially with Australian experts’ positive evaluation of product quality after their recent working visit to Vietnam.

Food producer KIDO targets 43% increase in profit

   
Foods and flavours producer KIDO Group (KDC) plans to earn VND800 billion (US$35.1 million) in pre-tax profit in 2018, up 43 per cent year-on-year, the group has announced.

At a meeting held on April 6, KIDO Group, listed on Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange under the code KDC, revealed that it targeted a revenue of VND12 trillion in 2018, up 71 per cent compared to last year.

The company also plans to pay cash dividend to shareholders at the rate of 16 per cent in 2018.

Meanwhile, the group’s Board of Directors submitted to the shareholders a plan to increase the ownership of foreign investors in the company to 100 per cent, while preparing for the necessary procedures to adjust the company’s business lines if these are restricted to the ownership ratio of foreign investors.

KIDO Group recorded a revenue of VND7 trillion in 2017, more than three times the figure in 2016. It’s pre-tax profit in 2017 reached VND561 billion, while post-tax profit touched VND440 billion.

As of December 31, 2017, the total assets of the group reached VND11.3 trillion, an increase of VND1.9 billion compared to the beginning of the year. Total debt was estimated at nearly VND3.5 trillion, up by VND631 billion compared to the beginning of the year.

Viet Nam contributes to regional broadcasting
   
Viet Nam actively participated in forums and meetings of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) Wireless Group, and contributed possible recommendations on a harmonised frequency band plan for the 700 MHz band.

Director General of the Authority of Radio Frequency Management of Viet Nam (ARFM), Doan Quang Hoan told Viet Nam News at the 23rd meeting of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity Wireless Group (AWG-23) in Da Nang yesterday.

He said Viet Nam had joined the AWG early to propose initiatives among member countries in the Asia-Pacific region in planning frequency for new technology applications.

Hoan said AWG’s frequency plans and recommendations over past years had been widely used not just in the local region, but on a global platform as well.

“For example, APT’s plan for the 700 MHz band, which was used for television technology, was then applied to broadband radio among European and African countries,” Hoan said, adding that Viet Nam also joined the AWG in promoting the plan.

“Viet Nam even took a role in researching radio frequency at AWG forums and discussions, and the country also hosted a series of key meetings of ATP with the participation of many representatives from regional countries.”

Deputy minister of information and communications, Pham Hong Hai, said the outputs of AWG have effectively assisted APT members in using the radio frequency spectrum and deploying wireless networks.

Hai said the AWG recommendation on a harmonised frequency band plan for the 700 MHz band has been adopted by a huge number of countries in all regions of the world.

“The demand of mobile communication can be seen through the continuing development of telecommunication and mobile internet infrastructure. The wireless applications and technologies such as ITS, wireless power transmission, railway radio communication system, and unmanned aircraft are emerging as well. It all requires policy makers to prepare relevant policies, and allocate additional spectrum resources and operators to prepare for this development,” Hai said in the opening ceremony.

He also highly appreciated the key contribution of AWG to the growth of radio communications by developing the best practices and recommendations for the use of spectrum and harmonizing mobile broadband and emerging technologies.

“Only by working together can we successfully promote the development and harmonization of wireless systems.”

Secretary General of ATP, Areewan Haorangsi said the AWG-23 focus on assisting APT members to improve spectrum management practices to mitigate digital infrastructure constraint relating to the use of spectrum.

“At the 14th Session of the General Assembly of the APT (GA-14) held in November last year, the Strategic Plan of the APT for of 2018-2020 was adopted which emphasises five strategic pillars and identifies a number of strategic actions to be implemented by all APT work programmes,” Areewan Haorangsi said.

“The new strategic plan of the APT has given a lot of emphasis on developing the digital infrastructure and harnessing the benefits of new technologies. The Strategic Plan focuses on increasing broadband penetration particularly reaching to the underserved and unserved population to ensure affordability and quality of service with improved speed and coverage,” she said.

The secretary general added that the strategic plan has also given directions to APT to continue its effort to foster the development and adoption of the latest telecommunication technologies.

She stressed that AWG has always been active in developing numerous tangible outcomes in order to implement the previous Strategic Plans of APT.

Chairman of APT, Kohei Satoh said he hoped the AWG-23 would gain results during the five-day discussions among members.

Nguyen Anh Tuan, deputy manager of spectrum policy and planning office, under the ARFM, said Viet Nam will offer some initiatives and recommendations at the AWG-23 including smart traffic, and broadband use for new applications in mobile phones, internet and wireless routers.

Tuan said Viet Nam has benefited from positive co-operation among members of ATP and AWG as the country has witnessed booming internet use over the past decade.

Discussions and working sessions in frequency management, spectrum arrangement, additional spectrums available for 4G and many other emerging wireless technologies among ATP members will continue till April 13th.

ASEAN Bahrain Council delegation to network in April

An ASEAN Bahrain Council (ABC) delegation under the patronage of its Chairman, Sheikh Duaij bin Isa Al-Khalifa, will hold networking sessions followed by a dinner in Hanoi at the Intercontinental Lakeside at 6pm on April 12 and in Ho Chi Minh City at the Sofitel Saigon Plaza at 6pm on April 16, with the objective of creating business opportunities between Vietnam and Bahrain.

The initiative is proudly endorsed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce Industry (VCCI), who have jointly invited Vietnam’s business community to attend.

The gateway to the Gulf Co-Operation Council (GCC) countries in the Arabian Gulf, Bahrain will assist Vietnam’s business community in studying the prospects for investment, trade and commerce, with a presentation of all opportunities and incentives on offer from the Bahraini Government.

What began as the Bahrain-Malaysia Business and Friendship Society has since evolved to include the other ASEAN countries. The ASEAN Bahrain Council (ABC), established in September 2017, is an independent, non-political and non-profit association regulated by the Ministry of Social Affairs in Bahrain.

The ABC’s mission is to promote and strengthen trade, economic, tourism, and cultural relations between ASEAN nations and the Kingdom of Bahrain. It is also to enhance mutual consultative relations for the benefit of Bahrain and ASEAN countries, increase trade exchange, and strengthen trade partnerships between Bahrain institutions and ASEAN countries. The ABC also acts as the premier advocacy organization for Bahraini corporations operating within the dynamic ASEAN region.

“The idea of establishing the ASEAN Bahrain Council was put forward since the establishment of the Bahrain-Malaysia Business and Friendship Society,” said Mr. Shaikh Daij bin Isa Al Khalifa, Chairman of the ASEAN Bahrain Council. “The idea evolved to include Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Burma, and Cambodia in ASEAN.”

April 6 was a historical moment for the Kingdom of Bahrain, as it marked the largest discovery of oil under the leadership of HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. The new resource is forecast to contain highly significant quantities of tight oil and deep gas, dwarfing Bahrain’s current reserves. Bahrain’s Higher Committee for Natural Resources and Economic Security, chaired by HRH the Crown Prince, announced the discovery of a new tight oil and deep gas resource in the Khaleej Al Bahrain basin, located off the west coast of the Kingdom.

SBT to buy back 83.5 million shares
   
Domestic sugar producer Thanh Thanh Cong-Bien Hoa Joint Stock Company has announced it will buy back more than 83.5 million shares as treasury stocks.

The company will buy the shares through order-matching transactions between April 18 and May 17.

It will buy those shares based on the firm’s share price levels but the price levels will not exceed VND30,000 (US$1.33) per share.

The company is not holding any treasury shares, the HCM Stock Exchange said in a statement. The targeted buyback shares are equal to 15 per cent of the company’s total outstanding shares on the stock market.

Thanh Thanh Cong-Bien Hoa JSC is trading more than 557 million shares on the HCM Stock Exchange with code SBT.

Its shares closed flat on Monday at VND18,050 per share, up a total of 5.5 per cent from its three-month low of VND17,100 per share hit on March 29.

SBT shares have fallen sharply by 56.6 per cent from their record high of VND41,650 per share on August 2, 2017 and by nearly 26 per cent from the six-month high of VND24,350 per share made on January 11, 2018.

SBT and other sugar producers have underperformed on the stock market since the beginning of the year as they have suffered from trade agreement threats and the sharp decline of sugar prices.

The price of sugar was down nearly 0.1 per cent on Monday to trade at 12.33 US cents a pound ($27.2 cents a kilogramme), data on Bloomberg showed.

The sugar price has almost lost a fifth of its one-year high price of 15.33 cents a pound hit on January 2. Due to a surplus on the global market, last month was volatile as it peaked at 12.93 cents a pound on March 12.

Domestic producers will have to compete with sugar imports from other producers in the ASEAN region, especially after the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) took effect on January 1, 2018, allowing sugar imports in Viet Nam to be taxed only 5 per cent.

Other sugar stocks that have also witnessed a downtrend included Lam Son Sugar JSC (LSS), Son La Sugar JSC (SLS) and Kon Tum Sugar JSC (KTS).

Vietnam exports rambutan to New Zealand

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the New Zealand Embassy in Vietnam announced the export of Vietnamese rambutan to New Zealand in Hanoi on April 10.

Rambutan is the third fruit of Vietnam to be exported to this market, after mango and dragon fruit.

Director of the MARD’s Plant Protection Department Hoang Trung said to export rambutan to New Zealand, Vietnam needs to meet import requirements such as making dossiers to register rambutan farms, which will be granted code numbers on cultivation method, control of harmful pests, production as regulated and right use of plant production medicine. 

In addition, packaging units must register and be certified by the department to meet New Zealand’s requirements for packaging and labeling, according to Trung. Irradiation facilities to treat the fruit must be certified by the department as being qualified to ensure the treatment of rambutan for export meet New Zealand’s requirements.

All batches of rambutan will be checked and granted quarantine certificates by the department, to ensure the fruits are free of infection with harmful bacteria.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quoc Doanh said the announcement event marked a milestone in the agricultural cooperation between Vietnam and New Zealand, especially trade of agri-products.

It also confirms the advantage of the Vietnamese fruit and proves its quality has been improved because New Zealand strictly controls quality and quarantine of plants, he added.

Furthermore, the entry of rambutan in New Zealand also means opportunities to export to other countries with equally tough restrictions, he noted.

The deputy minister added that his ministry will focus on directing the research and application of advanced science and technology in farming, preservation and processing. It will also reorganise production, especially the value chain of farm produce, so that Vietnam has enough high quality and safe agricultural products that meet the increasing standards of importing countries.

Dam Quang Thang, General Director of Agricare which exports rambutan to New Zealand, said his company will seek more New Zealand partners to expand export to this market.

Vietnam earned a record 3.45 billion USD from fruit and vegetable exports in 2017, a year-on-year rise of 40.5 percent, much higher than traditional staples like rice, crude oil and coffee.

In January-March this year, Vietnam raked in 960 million USD from fruit and vegetable exports, up 35.6 percent against the same period last year.

State budget collection up 5.3 percent in Q1

Total revenue of the State budget reached 308.4 trillion VND (13.6 billion USD) in the first quarter of 2018, equivalent to 23.4 percent of the yearly estimate and up 5.3 percent year-on-year, said the Ministry of Finance.

Domestic revenue, estimated at 253.1 trillion VND (11.16 billion USD), rose by 7.2 percent from the same period last year. The figure was equal to 23 percent of the estimate.

Meanwhile, revenue from crude oil surged 13.9 percent year on year to 13.2 trillion VND (582.1 million USD), accounting for 36.9 percent of the estimate. Import-export activities contributed nearly 67.58 trillion VND (2.98 billion USD) to the State budget, equal to 23.9 percent of the estimate. 

In the reviewed period, State budget spending stood at 290 trillion VND (12.78 billion USD), equal to 19 percent of the yearly estimate and up 1.7 percent annually.

Of the sum, development investment spending, regular spending and debt payment were 35.3 trillion VND (1.55 billion USD), 222.5 trillion VND (9.81 billion USD), and 31.4 trillion VND (1.38 billion USD), respectively.

Government bonds worth 40.4 trillion VND (1.78 billion USD) were issued as of March 28, ensuring supply for spending and debt payment.

The Finance Ministry said it would continue coordinating with relevant agencies to enhance budget collection management and combat smuggling, trade fraud and transfer pricing, along with handling tax arrears.

Vietnam – potential market of Russian businesses

Vietnam is a potential market that Russian businesses want to cooperate and boost trade exchanges with, heard a forum in Ho Chi Minh City on April 10.

Chief Representative of the Russian Export Centre in Hanoi Robert Kurilo said Vietnam and Russia became members of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in 2016. Since then, the bilateral trade exchange has increased significantly. Many Russian products including farm produce have been present in Vietnam and vice versa, he added.

There is a wide room for the two countries to boost cooperation in tourism, agriculture and oil and gas, Kurilo said, noting that Russian firms are especially keen to collaborate with Vietnamese partners in developing tourism and agri-products.

Vietnam has a lot of delicious fruits and farm produce while the demand for such products in Russia is really huge. Russia is importing various kinds of fruits from countries in the Southeast Asian region. This will be an excellent opportunity for Vietnamese businesses to boost exports to the market, he said.

Nguyen Viet Anh from Nafoods Group JSC said his company is seeking partners to expand its exports to Russia. 

Anh said Russia is a huge market that has big demand for farm produce and tropical fruits. 

He hoped to establish partnership with Russian import-export companies to make inroads into the market in the coming time.

Russian firms not only want to import farm produce and aquatic products from Vietnam but also expect to bring Russian food products to Vietnamese customers. 

Gostevskikh Mikhail, managing director of Siberia company, said Russian businesses consider Vietnam an attractive destination to implement new commercial development strategies.

Vietnam is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia with improved local living standards and increasing demand for high-quality and safe products.

Vietnam is not only a potential economic partner of Russia but also a close friend of Russian people, Mikhail said, adding that he believes the bilateral trade will reap positive outcomes in the coming time with the efforts of two sides’ State agencies and businesses.

Sergey Klishin from Schelkovo Agrohim, one of the largest manufacturers of pesticides in Russia, said his company is seeking opportunities to export its products to Vietnam as the Southeast Asian country boasts a large area for agricultural production.

At the forum, participants suggested Vietnam and Russia step up trade promotion and business connectivity to create more opportunities for enterprises to seek partners and set up long-term partnerships.

Fire destroys 2,000sq.m factory of ABC Bakery

A huge fire broke out and destroyed the whole 2,000sq.m factory of ABC Bakery in Binh Tan district, Ho Chi Minh City.

The fire broke out at 7 PM last night in the new factory of Asia Bakery & Confectionery Pte., Ent. (also known as ABC Bakery) at Lam Hoanh Street, An Lac ward, Binh Tan district, Ho Chi Minh City. The workers and security staff of the company could not put the fire out before it spread.

The Ho Chi Minh City Fire Prevention Department has sent 28 fire engines and 200 fighters to the scene who fought the fire until midnight. The fire did not have casualties, but injured two firefighters.

ABC Bakery is a home-grown bakery chain based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, well known for its high-quality range of bakery products, such as bread, pastries, and cakes. ABC Bakery first started as a small store in an alley in District 11 and has developed into a chain of bakeries all over Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, and Can Tho, with a presence in Cambodia.

This morning, another fire also destroyed Sam Ngoc Linh JSX’s 2,000sq.m ginseng plantation in Da Lat city, Lam Dong province.

Ngoc Linh ginseng is considered one of the five most valuable medicinal herbs in the world and produces high profit for the company. Fortunately, there were no casualties in the fire, but the damage to assets was substantial, estimated at nearly half a million dollar.

Seminar discusses macroeconomics of first quarter

The Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment have organised a seminar on the institute’s macroeconomic report in the first quarter in Hanoi on April 11.

At the seminar, Vice Director of the CIEM’s Macroeconomy Department, Nguyen Anh Duong, briefed the group on the main points of the report in terms of growth, construction, industry, inflation, credit, the exchange rate, foreign direct investment (FDI), and imports and exports.

Accordingly, economic growth for the first quarter of 2018 has exceeded its expected potential (GDP growth rate in the first quarter of 2018 reached 7.4%, up 2.2% compared to 2017).

However, Consumer credit increased slowly, as the credit structure shifted to support production investment (medium-long term credit increased by 4.3%), and some import sectors decreased.

In order to create the prerequisites for development in the coming time, experts advise that the State should focus on maintaining macroeconomic stability; harmonization of the requirement on increasing prices of goods and services with increasing productivity and quality of supply; and researching, planning, and communicating on the adjustment to regional minimum wages in 2019.

Over 1,000 enterprises join Saigontex 2018

The Vietnam Textile & Garment Industry Expo (Saigontex 2018) –an annual international event took place in April 11 at Saigon Exhibition Convention Center, district 7, HCMC and lasts till April 14, 2018.

The event attracted the participant of over 1,000 enterprises from 27 nations and territories across over the world such as Belgium, India, Canada, China, France, German, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore…

It is also good chance for Vietnamese enterprises to meet and exchange, seek partners; promoting brand names and expanding the market.

A range of sideline activities will be taken place during the event such as international conferences, exchanges and dialogues between domestic and international businesses...

The event is co-organized by the Vietnam Textile & Garment Association, Vinatex, VCCI and Vietnam Exhibition Organization Co. and CP Exhibition Hongkong.

Vietnam-Russia economic cooperation prospects under spotlight

Cooperation prospects between Vietnam and Russia in the fields of industry, energy, information and technology and agricultural exports were discussed at several workshops held in the framework of the 28th Vietnam International Trade Fair (Vietnam Expo 2018) in Hanoi from April 9-11.

The events were attended by representatives from the Eurasian Economic Commission’s Department for Industrial Policy, and many Russian corporations such as Russian Railways Logistics JSC, Alfa Robotics, Intelligent Security Systems and GOST group.

How to apply new technologies and artificial intelligence in Vietnam in an effective way as well as opportunities for Vietnamese education and healthcare to access the world’s scientific achievements were tabled for discussion, along with measures to promote cooperation between Vietnamese and Russian enterprises.

According to Doan Duy Khuong, Vice President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Russia has long-standing relations and close cooperation with Vietnam, its only strategic partner in the Asia-Pacific. Economy and trade have been always the highlights in the bilateral cooperation after the two countries upgraded their ties to a strategic partnership in 2001.

Four pillars in the cooperation are trade, investment, oil and gas and electricity power. The bilateral economic ties have been elevated to a new height thanks to the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which took effect in October, 2016.

Russia holds strengths in economy, finance and technology while Vietnam has advantages in human resources, natural resources and geographical location along with its stable politics-economy-society.

Those strengths, once combined, will help consolidate the strategic cooperation between the two countries, Khuong stated.

In the past years, Vietnam has reaped crowing achievements in economic reforms, business climate improvement, completion of legal regulations and simplification of administrative procedures, he said, adding that Vietnam will continue with the work to facilitate conditions for foreign investors, particularly those from Russia.

Khuong said that the Southeast Asian nation is prioritising investment in renewable energy, support industry, green industry, manufacturing mechanics, petrochemical, pharmaceuticals, information and technology, education, healthcare and tourism, among others.

The VCCI pledged support for the Russian Embassy, trade representative offices and trade promotion organisations to connect companies of both sides, Khuong stressed.

HCM City: Conference spotlights India-Vietnam textile cooperation

A conference, entitled “Textiles: India – Vietnam Cooperation, Partners in Progress”, was held by the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City on April 11, aiming to boost trade relations between the two countries in textiles.

Addressing the event, Consul General of India K. Srikar Reddy said Vietnam’s textile industry has huge potential and more and more Indian investors are interested in doing business in Vietnam.

Meanwhile, India is a supplier of high-quality materials, fabrics and machinery at competitive prices and is also a market of 1.3 billion people, Reddy noted.

The government of India is encouraging investment in the textile industry by allowing all foreign direct investment (FDI) to enter the sector without government approval, he added.

Truong Van Cam, Vice President of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS), said Vietnam’s textile sector is growing rapidly but in an unbalanced way as the country has limited domestic supply of materials like cotton. 

He warned that if Vietnam does not improve self-supply capacity, the country will not be able to take full advantage of benefits brought by free trade agreements.

According to Cam, Vietnam is in great demand of quality yarn and fabric at reasonable prices. He expected that with strength in technology and textile material production, India will provide Vietnam with effective support in this field. Enhanced cooperation between businesses of the two countries will help both sides offset their limitations and boost production and expand markets, he said.

During the conference, enterprises from the two sides showed their desire to develop links in the sector through accelerating trade promotion and information exchange.

India runs 176 FDI projects in Vietnam with total investment of 814 million USD, making it Vietnam’s 28th largest investor.

Last year, Vietnam exported 31 billion USD worth of textile and garment products, up 10.23 percent from the same period last year while its imports of textile and garment materials, mostly yarns and fabrics, amounted to 19 billion USD.

India’s textile-garment shipments to Vietnam hit 429 million USD in 2017, a year-on-year surge of 44 percent while its imports from Vietnam were estimated at 178 million USD, up 42 percent.

The two countries aim to bring bilateral trade to 15 billion USD by 2020.

Russia’s key products displayed at Vietnam Expo 2018

Russian enterprises are displaying products of their key sectors like machinery, precision mechanics, automation equipment, industrial biotechnology, and high tech electronics at the 28th Vietnam International Trade Fair (Vietnam Expo 2018), which opened in Hanoi on April 11.

Russian exhibitors’ attendance at the event is hoped to bring an effective trade promotion chance for the two countries’ enterprises, thus enhancing their cooperation. 

Speaking at the opening ceremony of Russia’s pavilion, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh said the Vietnamese side is pleased that Russia accepted the invitation to participate in the event as the guest of honour. 

He highlighted the significance of the event, saying that it will help the two countries’ business communities seek partners and establish partnerships in the coming time. 

The expo also offers a good opportunity for Vietnamese firms to learn Russia’s advanced technologies in aviation, railway, mining, automation and biotechnology, he noted. 

In 2017, two-way trade between Vietnam and Russia hit 3.56 billion USD, up 29 percent year-on-year. Vietnam’s exports to Russia valued at 2.17 billion USD (up 34 percent), while its imports from Russia was 1.39 billion USD (up 23 percent).  

In the first two months of 2018, the trade between the two countries reached 657.7 million USD, 45.3 percent higher than the same period last year. 

The free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which took effect on October 5, 2016, is expected to serve as an effective legal framework, helping promote the exchange of goods, services and investment flows between Vietnam with the EAEU in general, with Russia in particular.

Themed “Vietnam Expo - Enhancing Regional and Global Economic Links”, the Vietnam Expo 2018 attracts enterprises from 16 provinces and cities of Vietnam and 23 countries and territories, including Russia, the Republic of Korea, China, Nepal, Thailand, Japan, Singapore, Cuba, Laos, Cambodia, Taiwan and Hong Kong (China), and Mongolia.

Many promotion activities will be also arranged on the sidelines of the four-day expo such as an export promotion forum, symposiums, and visits to industrial parks.

Seminar seeks ways to improve growth quality

Economic experts discussed measures to improve the quality of economic growth in a workshop held by the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM) in Hanoi on April 11.

Participants heard that with economic growth of 7.38 percent, Vietnam’s GDP growth in the first quarter of 2018 surpassed most of the forecast expectations.

According to Nguyen Anh Duong from the CIEM, the impressive economic growth in the first three months was attributed to the improvement of trade balance. 

He said the low inflation and stable macro economy created favourable conditions for Vietnam to achieve high growth in the period. 

However, economic experts said Vietnam’s growth quality has not been improved as the national economy still relies on foreign invested sector and is affected by the world economy’s fluctuations. 

To create impetus for the higher economic growth in the remaining quarters of the year, Duong said the Government should give priority to stabilising the macro-economy and exchange rate, while carefully considering regional minimum wage increase in 2018 to avoid impacts on inflation. 

He also underlined the need to further improve business climate, accelerate the restructuring of State-owned enterprises and encourage businesses to apply advanced technologies in production to increase labour productivity and quality.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Mai, Chairman of the Association of Foreign Invested Enterprises, stressed that it is necessary to have fundamental changes in FDI attraction policy with specific orientations and objectives, towards expanding affiliation between foreign-invested enterprises and local partners, thus promoting sustainable economic growth. 

CIEM Director Nguyen Dinh Cung said Vietnam should be more active in finding high quality FDI sources that have great impact on its economy. 

Along with changing the FDI attraction strategy, there should be solutions to support the development of domestic economic sector, contributing to the national growth, he noted. 

Economic experts said in order to achieve high and sustainable growth in the coming years, Vietnam needs to take advantage of opportunities from international economic integration, particularly benefits brought by the newly-signed Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the Vietnam-European Union Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) which are said to positively impact Vietnam’s economic and export growth.

SaigonTex 2018 introduces modern textile-garment machinery

The Vietnam Textile and Garment Industry Expo – SaigonTex 2018, the biggest and most influential event of the textile and garment industry of Vietnam, opened in Ho Chi Minh City on April 11.

The event is organised by the Vietnam National Garment and Textile Group (Vinatex), the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Hongkong-based CP Exhibition company. It is Vietnam’s sole textile and garment industry expo meeting UFI standard of the Global Association of the Exhibitor Industry.

This year, SaigonTex attracts the participation of more than 900 firms from 27 countries and territories across the world, including Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong (China), India and Indonesia. Many leading experts are expected to attend the event to suggest measures to address the sector’s challenges. 

Many advanced textile equipment machinery and spare parts as well as new materials are introduced at the event. It also offers opportunities for domestic and international firms to meet and promote their brands, as well as seek new customers and expand markets. 

Numerous fashion collections of famous Vietnamese designers are also on display. 

President of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association Vu Duc Giang said SaigonTex 2018 is hoped to not only enable participants to explore new garment-textile equipment, but also bolster investment in the field.

The event runs until April 14 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre.

Vietnam Airlines to add 300 flights during upcoming holidays

The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines announced on April 11 that it would increase domestic flights to meet the high travel demand of passengers during the Reunification Day (April 30) and May Day (May 1).  

Accordingly, the firm will add nearly 300 flights or nearly 60,000 seats on 12 domestic air routes, especially key ones such as Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City-Da Nang; Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City – Phu Quoc; Hanoi – Nha Trang. 

Vietnam Airlines said it plans to supply 480,000 seats during this time, 14 percent higher than usual and up 4.5 percent over the same period last year. 

The firm recommended passengers to early book flight tickets, and use online check-in services to reduce time for waiting in the airport before departure. 

Low cost carrier Vietjet Air recently also said it plans to increase 200 flights, with 46,000 seats, to domestic popular tourism destinations such as Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Da Nang, and Da Lat, and international destinations, including the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China) and Thailand.

Jetstar Pacific will also add 20 flights per day to serve the growing demand, an increase of 20 percent from the same period last year.

The two carriers said they have ensured sufficient ground services and flight crews for the holidays.

Vietnam’s sugarcane industry licks lips over Coca Cola-VSSA deal

The Vietnamese sugarcane industry’s capacity will be improved after the Vietnam Sugar Association (VSSA) and Coca-Cola Beverages Vietnam Co., Ltd inked a cooperation deal on April 11.

VSSA Chairman Pham Quoc Doanh said that under the agreement, 100 percent of the beverage giant’s sugar materials will be purchased domestically. In addition, the company will develop some sugarcane plantation areas so that female farmers can increase their incomes.

Training is included in the cooperation deal as well, Doanh noted.

In the past years, Coca-Cola has accompanied Vietnam’s sugarcane industry in production, business and consumption, making significant contributions to the sector’s development, he said, adding that many sugarcane companies of Vietnam have inked contracts with the beverage firm.

According to Calin Dragan, Coca-Cola Regional Director, Bottling Investments Group ASEAN and Middle East, Coca-Cola Vietnam has committed to enhancing domestic value chain through production, business and training activities.

The company has an ingenious plan to use domestic materials like coffee and aloe as the ingredients in its new beverage products, he stressed, saying that the freshly inked deal will create a comprehensive access for the involved parties to meet development priorities from the Government and businesses.  

Vietnam is currently home to 300,000 hectares of sugarcane and 38 sugar plants with total designed capacity of 150,000 tonnes of sugarcane per day. The country produces some 1.2-1.5 million tonnes of various kinds of sugar, 50 percent of which are refined sugar, serving processing industry and domestic consumption.

Vietnam attends ASEAN-India business cooperation conference

Vietnam joined member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at a conference promoting cooperation between the group and India in New Delhi on April 11.

Themed Doing Business with ASEAN, the event held by the India’s PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHD Chamber) drew the participation of high-level officials from India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry and PHD Chamber, Indian businesses, the Ambassadors of Brunei, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam to India and representatives from ASEAN states’ diplomatic agencies in New Delhi.

Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to India Ton Sinh Thanh lauded achievements in cooperation between ASEAN and India across the fields of politics, economy and society.

He informed the Indian businesses of Vietnam’s business environment, investment policies and prioritised fields.

At the conference, ASEAN members highlighted traditional and comprehensive cooperative ties with India as well as potential for further collaboration between the two sides.

Meeting eyes breakthroughs in Vietnam-Czech cooperation

The 6th meeting of the Vietnam-Czech Republic inter-government committee on economic cooperation took place in Hanoi on April 11 to discuss measures for creating breakthroughs in bilateral economic ties. 

Head of the Vietnamese delegation to the meeting, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai informed the Czech side on the economic situation in Vietnam in recent time. 

He affirmed that Vietnam appreciates the Czech Republic’s move to include Vietnam in the list of 12 priority foreign trade market in its export strategy for 2016-2020, adding that the two economies are enjoying dynamic growth and deep international economic integration, which is a favourable condition for bilateral economic, trade and investment ties to expand. 

Reports show the Czech Republic is one of the largest partners of Vietnam in Central and East Europe. According to Vietnam Customs’ statistics, two-way trade was valued at 257.6 million USD in 2017, up nearly 3 percent from 2016. Of the figure, Vietnam’s exports were worth 151.4 million USD and imports 106.2 million USD, increases of 3.5 percent and 1.5 percent respectively.

In the first two months of 2018, bilateral trade turnover increased 31.3 percent year on year to reach almost 50 million USD, with Vietnam’s exports accounting for 28.1 percent.

Vietnam’s main exports include footwear, garments, aquatic products, industrial machinery and components, and electric equipment. It imports from the Czech Republic machinery and equipment, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and glassware.

Regarding investment, the Czech Republic had 36 valid investment projects worth 90 million USD in Vietnam as of the end of February, ranking 49th among 126 countries and territories investing in the Southeast Asia country. 

Vietnamese investors have so far poured 4.44 million USD in four projects in the Czech Republic. 

Sharing the Vietnamese side’s view, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic Vladimir Bartl expressed his joy at the unceasing development of bilateral ties. 

He noted that there is great potential for bilateral trade considering the good relations between the two countries at present. 

According to the official, Czech firms want to seek Vietnamese partners in engineering manufacturing, energy, cement and construction materials, medical and aviation equipment supply, and environmental protection.

The 6th meeting of the Vietnam-Czech Republic inter-government committee on economic cooperation was also attended by 15 Czech companies.

Russia launches Commercial House to boost trade with Vietnam

The Russian Export Centre in HCM City has launched a Russia Commercial House to support business connectivity between the two countries, thus boosting bilateral trade. 

Russia will promote trade exchange activities and support import-export businesses in Vietnam, Russian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Alexey V.Popov affirmed at a ceremony introducing the Russia Commercial House model in the city on April 10.

The Russia Commercial House, which offers space for product displays and meetings of businesses, is expected to become a venue for importers and exporters to exchange information and seek partners.

Popov said the sound traditional relations between Vietnam and Russia create a firm foundation for the two countries to develop economic and trade exchanges, noting that two-way trade topped 5.3 billion USD in 2017, showing a year-on-year rise of 35 percent.

Vietnam and Russia aim to bring the bilateral trade to 10 billion USD by 2020.

The Consul General added that Russia’s trade promotion agencies will actively work to connect Vietnamese and Russian businesses as well as increase support for their operation.

Elizaveta Zinovyeva, director of international trade development from RETs Group of the Russian Export Centre, said Russian businesses evaluate Vietnam as one of the most promising countries to expand exports in the coming time, especially after the free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Vietnam came into force in 2016.

Vietnam not only records high economic growth but also serves as an important bridge for Russian businesses to access to other markets in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), she said, adding that this is the reason why the Russian Export Centre launched the first Commercial House in HCM City – the southern economic hub of Vietnam.

According to Zinovyeva, the house will provide a number of services supporting trade activities for Russian exporters and Vietnamese importers. 

It will help businesses seek new partners and provide the latest information on the market in addition to introducing prestigious and highly competitive suppliers and consulting about import-export contracts.

The house will also offer financial and insurance services for trade activities between Vietnam and Russia, she noted.

Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vo Tan Thanh said Vietnam and Russia have stepped up cooperation in various fields in recent years, especially trade and investment. 

The Commercial House model is expected to boost import-export activities and increase trade value between the two countries, he added.

Vietnam, Kuwait to boost economic ties

Kuwait and Vietnam are ready to promote bilateral economic and trade relations, the Kuwait News Agency said, citing comments by Fahad Al-Joan, a member of the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a meeting with a visiting Vietnamese business delegation, the official said there are agreements between the sides for the future expansion of Kuwait's direct investment in Vietnam, adding that Kuwait – Vietnam trade revenue amounted to 500 million USD in 2017.

Mentioning oil investments, he said Kuwait has 150 fuel stations in Vietnam, which is predicted to hit 300 in the future.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Al-Qattan, CEO's Representative of the Kuwait Petroleum International, said the Vietnam Refinery, one of the biggest external projects launched by the Kuwaiti oil sector, would be operational on May 11, with its total cost estimated at 9 billion USD.

He said the refinery is expected to become a booster for bilateral investment relations.

The facility has an estimated production capacity of 200,000 barrels per day, he said, revealing a plan to push the figure to 400,000 barrels per day in the future.

VNN

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Vietnam ministry seeks final assessment of $69bn plan to develop three special economic zones


The project would require a whopping VND1,570 trillion ($69.16 billion) in funding

​Vietnam ministry seeks final assessment of $69bn plan to develop three special economic zones

 

An aerial view of Phu Quoc Island, off Kien Giang Province, southern Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance is collecting final feedback on a proposed master plan to establish three special administrative and economic zones projected to carry an enormous total price tag of VND1,570 trillion (US$69.16 billion).

The solicited feedback will be transferred to a final assessment report which will then be submitted to the lawmaking National Assembly for final approval during its month-long fifth session in May.

Vietnam has plans to set up the Phu Quoc, Van Don, and Van Phong special economic and administrative zones, which will function as models for the Southeast Asian country on its quest to stimulate growth and lure foreign investment.

The Phu Quoc special administrative and economic zone will be developed on the namesake island off the southern province of Kien Giang, whereas the Van Don and Van Phong economic zones will be located in the northern province of Quang Ninh and the south-central province of Khanh Hoa, respectively.

 

​Vietnam ministry seeks final assessment of $69bn plan to develop three special economic zones
Ships are seen at a transshipment port off the Van Phong special economic and administrative zone in Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The administrations of the three affected provinces have developed their own establishment proposals, which are now awaiting assessment from the finance ministry.

Lawmakers are scheduled to pass a law allowing for these special administrative and economic zones during next month’s National Assembly sitting, paving the road needed to realize the plan.

According to the finance ministry, some VND270 trillion ($11.89 billion), expected to be funded equally by local budgets and foreign investment, is needed to develop the Van Don special zone alone.

The estimated investment for the Van Phong project is VND400 trillion ($17.62 billion), while Phu Quoc would need a whopping VND900 trillion ($39.65 billion), 59 percent of which would be domestically funded.

Incentives sought

Administrators of the three provinces are busy completing prep work for the projects, and at the same time calling for a number of incentives and preferential treatments for their respective facilities.

Phu Quoc, only an hour-long flight from Ho Chi Minh City, has so far attracted 377 investment projects collectively worth nearly $17 billion, according to Le Thi Minh Phung, deputy chairwoman of the Kien Giang administration.

Phung added that improving water supply and wastewater and solid waste treatment systems is among the urgent tasks necessary for completing the island’s infrastructure.

 

​Vietnam ministry seeks final assessment of $69bn plan to develop three special economic zones
A worker is seen at the construction site of an airport at the Van Don special economic and administrative zone in Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre


The Van Phong project also requires infrastructure development, including nine new major roads, a 20km railway, and other amenities.

The Quang Ninh administration has sought permission to retain 100 percent of its budgeted revenue from the Van Don economic zone from its opening to 2030 to fund its reinvestment, while Khanh Hoa seeks to keep 100 percent of its export taxes and budgeted revenue generated from within the Van Phong zone.

For its part, Phu Quoc wants to host luxury ecotourism areas worth more than $300 million, as well as small-scale casinos.

The finance ministry has responded that requests to keep budgeted revenues may affect the national government’s revenues. 

It also disapproved of the casino proposal.

Vietnam stipulates that an investor must have at least $2 billion in registered capital to be able to open a casino.

Tuoi Tre News

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Lawyer-talk: can and should Thai Beverage gain control of Sabeco now?


Lawyers Luong Van Trung from the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre and Tran Thi Anh Tho from Lexcomm Vietnam LLC discuss whether Thai Beverage has the right to be on Sabeco’s board before the six-month holding period passes.

 

lawyer talk can and should thai beverage gain control of sabeco now
The two layers weigh in their opinion about the Sabeco-Thai Beverage conflict

A case that may affect Vietnam’s reputation on global markets

On April 23, Sabeco will hold its annual general shareholders’ meeting, less than six months after it held the share auction that saw Thai Beverage as the only buyer. According to Vietnamese laws and Sabeco’s charter, a shareholder with more than 5 per cent of the stake must hold the shares for more than six consecutive months before they can present nominees to the board.

In this case, as Thai Beverage only acquired 51 per cent of Sabeco’s shares last December, technically speaking, the Thai investor has not had the right to enter Sabeco’s board yet.

But should we make an exception in this case? Thai Beverage clearly wants to gain control of Sabeco as soon as possible, having forked out almost $5 billion to buy the shares. This is evident in their complaint letter to the Vietnamese government last month, and Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue has asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) to look into this problem.

At the moment, Sabeco’s board consists of four members, and three more seats remain empty. We believe that Sabeco can temporarily fill these three empty seats with representatives from Thai Beverage and hold an extraordinary meeting to cast a vote on this appointment. This is in line with Article 26 of the firm’s charter.

There are counter-arguments, such as Article 26 of Sabeco’s charter does not follow Decree No.71/2017/ND-CP by the Ministry of Finance about corporate governance at listed companies. Article 26 also clashes with Article 16 in Sabeco’s charter about nominating and selecting board members.

We believe that these arguments are incorrect. Both Article 26 and 16 of Sabeco’s charter state that Sabeco needs to gain shareholders’ approval for its selection of board members, which must stand at seven people.

Also according to the charter, any decision must gain the approval of at least three quarters of the board, or five people. Up until now, Sabeco’s board operates with only four members, so does this mean the firm must re-organise all of its previous meetings with seven people to show that it strictly follows the charter?

Regarding Decree 71 and Circular No.95/2017/TT-BTC, the law only says that a firm’s charter must be passed by the annual general meeting and must not violate the Law on Enterprises, Securities Law, Decree 71, and relevant rules. The model charter is only for reference. There is no ground in stating that Sabeco’s Article 26 violates the law.

Moreover, MoIT and Sabeco’s board do not need to ask the State Securities Commission whether nominees from Thai Beverage are truly independent or not, and how Sabeco should appoint its board. As long as the nominees can meet requirements stated in Article 151 (1) of the Law on Enterprises and stay clear from five situations listed in Article 151(2), they can become independent board members.

Thirdly, Thai Beverage is a long-term strategic investor, rather than a financial investor or speculator. The people that they nominate must be qualified individuals who have the expertise and experience to help push Sabeco forward.

In one extreme case, the Thai firm does not have any right at the moment to nominate board members, but as they have 51 per cent of Sabeco’s shares, they can easily skip the meeting on April 23 and turn down all suggestions made by the meeting. In other words, they can pull the brake even though they cannot go forward yet.

Moreover, it’s less than two months until Thai Beverage gains enough time and power to organise another extraordinary meeting, if they want to. This is in accordance with Article 22 (3) of Sabeco’s charter.

The truth is, Thai Beverage has spent a huge amount of money to own half of Sabeco’s shares, thus they naturally have the right to become part of Sabeco’s management team. This is why we believe that it is unfair for Thai Beverage if we continue to emphasise minor details such as the six-month holding period.

The Vietnamese government’s swift response to Thai Beverage’s complaint is testament to Vietnam’s efforts to attract foreign investment and create a transparent and fair legal environment for investors. This sends a positive message to any foreign investor in Vietnam.

In this case, if the situation can be solved properly, it will assist Vietnam in future IPOs and the equitisation processes of major state-owned firms. If Vietnam can show that it encourages foreign investment, high-quality foreigners with ample financial capacity will certainly help Vietnamese firms in corporate governance, supply chain, logistics, and technology.

This underscores how important it is for the Thai Beverage-Sabeco case to be taken seriously. It will affect Vietnam’s reputation as an investment destination, as investors do not want to worry about not having power even after buying majority shares at Vietnamese firms.


 

lawyer talk can and should thai beverage gain control of sabeco now
Thai Beverage has every right to demand control at Sabeco. The main question right now is how to solve this complaint properly and preserve Vietnam's appeal as an investment destination

Legal adjustments needed

In general terms, drawing lessons from the Thai Beverage-Sabeco case, we suggest that the Vietnamese government consider adjusting the Law on Enterprises, specifically the amount of share-holding time that major investors must pass before nominating their representatives to the board:

Investors with 1-5 per cent of the stakes must hold the shares for three or six consecutive months. Three months are the requirement for investors with 5-10 per cent. There should be no time requirement for individuals with more than 5 per cent or institutional investors with more than 10 per cent of the stakes.

This can be specifically applied to buyers who purchase more than 1 per cent of the stakes in state divestments or IPOs. These investors can nominate themselves into the board if they hold the shares for three or six consecutive months.

These adjustments, in our opinion, would increase the attractiveness of major share sales, especially the IPOs of electricity and infrastructure firms. Investors will not have to worry that during the long waiting period the company may undergo significant changes.

This rule will also help the government to prevent any corrupted officials from “sucking blood” from the company before selling it off to external investors. They will also not have enough time to erase any wrongdoings previously conducted or send their acquaintances into the business before they lose control of it.

Moreover, when conducting share sales, the government should ensure that major shareholders have the right to nominate representatives into the board by organising an extraordinary meeting. If this happens, the current board cannot turn down the request.

To facilitate this move, maybe it is a sensible idea to “freeze” the money received from the deal in a separate bank account before all issues relating to board members’ nomination are solved properly.

VIR

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BUSINESS IN BRIEF 14/4


Automobile sales surge 70 percent in March


 

Automobile sales surge 70 percent in March, Ba Ria - Vung Tau supports new startups 

A total of 21,127 automobiles were sold in March 2018, a surge of 70 percent over the previous month, reported the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (VAMA) on April 10.

The VAMA revealed that among the sold vehicles, there were 12,858 passenger cars, a month-on-month increase of 48 percent, along with 6,949 commercial and 1,320 special-purpose vehicles, up 109 percent and 222 percent, respectively.

In terms of origin, the number of domestically assembled vehicles was 18,777 and imported automobiles were 2,350, representing rises of 76 percent and 37 percent against the previous month. 

The VAVA’s monthly report also showed that new Honda cars were introduced in the month – Jazz, CR-V, Civic and Accord – which were imported from Thailand. In the month, Honda sold 1,311 cars, up 24 percent year on year.

In the first three months of this year, a total of 59,558 vehicles of all kinds were sold, a drop of 8 percent from the same period last year. A fall of 4 percent was seen in sales of passenger cars, while that of commercial and special-purpose vehicles was 11 and 40 percent respectively.

The number of domestically-assembled vehicles sold in the January-March period was 50,049, up 8 percent, while the figure of imported vehicles were 9,509, a drop of 48 percent from the same period last year.

According to a representative of Toyota Vietnam, affected by Decree 116/2017/ND-CP, automobile producers did not import cars into Vietnam in March, especially cars from some ASEAN countries. Meanwhile, sales of domestically-assembled vehicles boomed thanks to abundant supply and competitive prices.

Russian firms network in HCMC     

The Russian Export Centre on Tuesday held a networking event in HCM City to enable Vietnamese and Russian business executives to meet each other and improve the business relationship between the two countries.

Held at the Rex Hotel, it was attended by around 20 businesses from the two countries.

Robert Kurilo, chief representative of the Russian Export Centre (REC) in Ha Noi, said: “Viet Nam is good at agriculture, medical products and tourism, which Russia has high demand for.

“However, trade between the two countries has not been as good as we would hope. I think this is because after the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia had to focus on its domestic markets.

“Russia is slowly paying more attention to the Viet Nam market, but now there is a lot of competition with countries such as Japan and the US, so that can be a challenge.

“But with the support of businesses, the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and Russian authorities, we hope to build the relationship between the two sides.”

Since January this year logistic companies such as Russian Railway Logistics are providing services enabling export of Vietnamese goods to Russia and vice versa by rail, which is faster than by sea.

Sergey Klishin of Schelkovo Agrohim, one of Russia’s largest plant protection chemical manufacturers, said: “We are here to network with Vietnamese companies and research the plant protection chemicals market in Viet Nam as we are aware that Viet Nam has high demand for such products. We are looking for partners so we can tap the market.”

Nguyen Viet Anh, marketing manager of NaFoods Group (a Vietnamese fruit and vegetable exporter), said the event was a great opportunity to meet with Russian companies that can help export Vietnamese fruits to Russia, which has great demand for Vietnamese fruits.

He did meet some potential partners and hoped for close co-operation with them, he said.

REC’s Russian Gastro House in District 1, a showroom for Russian food items, plans to expand in the next few months.

It will change its name to Trading House of Russian Export Centre and showcase more types of products and organise more promotional events.

Trade between the two countries last year was worth around US$5.2 billion.

Alexey Popov, Russia’s consul general in HCM City, said the two countries hoped to reach $10 billion by 2020.

Vo Tan Thanh, deputy director of the VCCI said the Viet Nam - Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement which took effect in 2016 and the expansion of REC’s services were major factors in boosting trade and fostering the relationship between Viet Nam and Russia. 

HDBank allowed to expand business in 2018     

HCM City Development Commercial Joint Stock Bank or HDBank has been approved by the State Bank of Vietnam to open 45 new branches and transaction offices in 2018.

If the plan materialises, HDBank will increase its network to 315 transaction points.

In 2007, HDBank opened 19 branches and transaction offices, taking the total number of transaction points to 270.

Due to the expansion of its network and business plan, HDBank recruited more than 2,600 people in 2017, taking the total number of staff to more than 13,700.

Last year, the bank recorded a pre-tax profit of VND1.95 trillion (US$86 million), an increase of 113.7 per cent over 2016.

The sharp increase in profit was attributed to an increase in the scale of lending and settlement of overdue debt, bad debt and non-performing assets as well as an increase in income from other services and securities investment and business.

The net income of HDBank last year increased by VND1.7 trillion, while income from investment in securities, mainly government bonds, increased by VND333 billion. The income from other activities rose by VND103 billion, from service activities by VND78 billion and from capital contribution by VND31 billion.

Property Awards 2018 to boost transparency     

The first Viet Nam Property Awards 2018 is expected to create new development trends in the property market, says Dang Hung Vo, former deputy minister of Natural Resources and Environment.

The annual awards are co-hosted by the Viet Nam Real Estate Association (VNREA), Management Agency for Housing and Real Estate Market under the Ministry of Construction and VTV24 news centre.

The award ceremony is scheduled to take place in the middle of this month at the National Convention Centre.

According to Vo, the awards are considered significant to ensure sustainable and transparent development of the real estate market.

The awards aim to honour outstanding individuals, organisations and projects that contribute to the rapid, sustainable and transparent development of the realty market amidst industrialisation, modernisation and integration, thereby encouraging domestic property firms to improve competitiveness and trademark to meet international practices.

The competition is open to all individuals and entities operating in real estate in line with Viet Nam’s law, exclusive of wholly foreign-owned ones, without discrimination between VNREA members and non-members.

Participants will compete in eight categories, including prestigious real estate developer, largest urban area, best resort development, best office building for rent and shopping mall, best residential area, best green building, best real estate transaction floor and best social housing project.

He said the eight categories cover all aspects of the property market. Of these, the three criteria of green building, energy saving and highly valued by customers have been standards.

“Estate firms will have the opportunity to score based on the criteria. The awards will also help prestigious property developers advertise their image as well as encourage businesses to become more professional in the market,” he said.

Workspace provider Regus offers conference centre in HCM City     

lobal workspace provider Regus has launched its conference centre in the Deutsches Haus building on Le Duan Street in HCM City’s central business district area.

Situated on the second floor of the Deutsches Haus centre, it can host up to 200 guests and is equipped with modern technology.

Viet Nam is currently one of the fastest growing MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) hubs in Southeast Asia, having invested significantly in infrastructure in recent years to position itself as Asia’s next Tiger Economy.

According to statistics from McKinsey consulting group, last year 17 per cent of visitors to HCM City came for business purposes, higher than the regional average of 14-15 per cent.

The company began operations in Viet Nam in 1998 and now boasts eight business centres spread across HCM City, Ha Noi and Da Nang.

Regus solutions enable businesses to minimise their second largest cost of doing business - the expenses associated with leasing, equipping and staffing an office.

The Deutsches Haus centre is the first Regus facility in Viet Nam to offer conference centre solutions.

Regus’ office, co-working and meeting spaces are spread over 3,000 locations in over 100 countries and serve 1.5 million members every month. 

Annual awards recognise listed firms for corporate governance, success     

The Viet Nam Listed Company Awards (VLCA) kicked off its 2018 season in HCM City on Tuesday.

The awards, given jointly by the HCM City Stock Exchange (HOSE), the Ha Noi Stock Exchange (HNX) and Viet Nam Investment Review magazine, and sponsored by Dragon Capital Group, are an extension of the Viet Nam Annual Awards (ARA), an event that has accompanied the growth of Viet Nam’s stock market and listed companies for a decade now.

Besides the annual reporting awards and the sustainability reporting awards, this year’s contest will also conduct an in-depth review of corporate governance standards at listed companies.

The aim of the review is to encourage listed firms to adopt international standards of governance and promote sustainability.

A corporate governance set of standards developed by the VLCA’s organising committee is based on the standards of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, with adjustments made to suit the local situation.

Besides annual reports, judges will also take into account information published by companies between July 1 last year and April 30 this year on other channels, such as their own website or policymakers’ websites.

An independent third-party judge will be invited to evaluate the corporate governance section.

The preliminary results of the awards and corporate governance review will be checked by global auditors Deloitte, E&Y, KPMG, and PwC to ensure the highest level of transparency, impartiality and professionalism.

Another new aspect of the VLCA this year is that participating companies, wherever they are listed, will be classified into three groups based on their market capitalisation (large cap, mid-cap or small cap).

This classification will create opportunities for mid- and small-sized companies, encouraging them to take part in the awards.

There will be awards in three categories, Annual Reports, Corporate Governance, and Sustainability Reporting.

In the Annual Reports category, 10 mid-cap and small-cap companies each and five large-cap companies will be chosen for the awards.

In the Corporate Governance category, it will be five each.

The Sustainability Reporting Awards will be given with assistance from the International Finance Corporation and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. There will be one first and second prize each and three consolation prizes based on the completeness, reliability and presentation of reports.

The preliminary round and auditing of results will end on August 31 and the final round on September 15. The awards ceremony is expected to take place in October. 

SAM Holdings seeks additional share issue to finance new investments     

SAM Holdings Corp is seeking its shareholders’ approval to issue additional 101 million shares and offer a stock dividend rate of 3 per cent for the 2017 business result.

The plans, if they receive the nod of shareholders at the annual shareholders’ meeting on April 17, will be implemented in 2018 and 2019.

The wire and cable manufacturing and trading company will issue some 7.25 million shares to pay the stock dividend, while the additional share issue will be offered at the rate of 41.76 per cent and at a price not lower than VND10,000 per share.

The proceedings will be used to finance the purchase of State shares in State-owned enterprises’ divestment, restructure debts and supplement working capital.

The company’s charter capital is expected to increase from VND2.4 trillion to VND3.5 trillion (US$153.5 million) after the two issues.

Its board of directors has also proposed business targets of VND2.95 trillion in revenue and VND180 billion in pre-tax profit for 2018, up 20 per cent and 26 per cent, respectively, against 2017.

This year, the company will evaluate the effect of its investment projects and divest from some ineffective projects. It will also promote investment in new areas such as high-tech agriculture.

The dividend rate is projected at 3 per cent, as that of 2017. 

FPT Telecom to pay 50% stock dividend     

FPT Telecom Joint Stock Company will pay shareholders stock dividend at the rate of 50 per cent for 2017’s business result, the company announced.

The list of shareholders participating in this payout will be finalised on April 20.

The telecom arm of the FPT Group is expected to issue some 75.4 million shares to pay dividend this time.

Shares of FPT Telecom, which are trading on Unlisted Public Company Market with the code FOX, rose 6.5 per cent on April 10 to VND85,000 (US$3.73) per share after the announcement.

In its annual shareholders’ meeting in late March, FPT Telecom approved the plan of distributing the undistributed profit, which reached VND1.2 trillion ($52.6 million) by 2017-end, with a dividend payment scheme of 30 per cent in cash and 50 per cent in the form of shares.

The company paid the 30 per cent cash dividend last year.

In 2018, the telecom firm targets a total revenue of VND8.67 trillion, up 13.3 per cent year-on-year, of which core business lines – telecom and advertising services – are projected at VND8.1 trillion and VND570 billion, respectively.

Its pre-tax profit is expected to reach nearly VND1.4 trillion, a rise of 14.6 per cent against 2017. 

Russian Export Center delegation visits Vietnam

The Russian Export Center JSC (REC), in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, is holding commercial events in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City during a visit by a delegation from April 9 to 13. The trip’s mission is to develop economic and commercial relations between the two countries.

The REC delegation visited Saigon Hi-Tech Park in Ho Chi Minh City, one of Vietnam’s leading science and technology centers, and had business-to-business (B2B) meetings with representatives of Vietnamese enterprises involved in export projects with Russia.

It introduced the REC Commercial House Model on April 10. With an “umbrella structure”, the Commercial House Model will link Vietnam with REC’s entire infrastructure network abroad, allowing a centralized source for Russian exporters to approach and conduct meetings and negotiations with foreign partners, provide samples of their products at active stalls in the network, or organize product exhibitions. A pilot project of the Commercial House Model is now being researched in Ho Chi Minh City.

The ceremony introducing the Commercial House Model was attended by Mr. Popov Alexey Vladimirovich, Russian Consul General to Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Robert Kurilo, Head of the REC, and Russian and Vietnamese business associations and companies.

The REC delegation will also attend Vietnam Expo 2018 on April 11, in Hanoi. More than 30 leading Russian enterprises are participating at the event, including the VIST Group, the Sinara Transport Machines JSC, Sintez, Nacimbio, and others.

In the Russian area will be a forum on the “Russia-Vietnam Partnership in the Area of Trade and Economy: Development Strategies”; round tables on exporting agricultural products to Vietnam, promoting cooperation in industry and energy between Russia and Vietnam, and information technology and digital economy; and seminars on the adaptation of Russian products in Vietnam and the conditions and financial angles of doing business in the country.

The delegation will also visit several Vietnamese companies based in Hanoi that have branches in Russia.

The Russian Export Center JSC is a State-owned development institute established by the government to support the development of the non-commodity export industry. It offers a wide range of financial and non-financial support to benefit Russian exporters in exploring foreign markets and building capacity in global trade. The REC also acts as a focal point for interaction with relevant domestic ministries and agencies and cooperates with key industries and business players in Russia to improve export conditions in Russia and help bypass trade barriers.

Ba Ria - Vung Tau supports new startups

The People’s Committee of Ba Ria – Vung Tau is working with the non-profit Startup Vietnam Foundation (SVF) to support new business and boost economic growth in the province.

During a conference on startups attended by officials and businesses late last week, the two parties signed an agreement to promote financial aid and other investment channels, and to enhance networking between investors and customers.

The People’s Committee and SVF plan to devote resources to counselling and managerial training programmes, and build a network of investors to aid startups.

Nguyen Thanh Long, deputy chairman of the committee, said the province was already seeing numerous ambitious and innovative start-ups.

He asked departments, organisations and businesses to keep track of startup needs and assist them as much as possible.

Startup support policies are part of the province’s plan to develop an innovative startup community that uses the province’s indigenous ingredients (“Made in Ba Ria – Vung Tau” products) and demonstrates their quality to other regions in Vietnam.

Some companies in the province have become famous for promoting “Made in Ba Ria – Vung Tau” ingredients, such as Forny Ltd, a local company that produces honey and turmeric powder whose products are now sold at pharmacies all over Vietnam.

The company was among the first in the province to produce turmeric powder after conducting lengthy research on technologies, material purchases and production chains.

The company Amazon Food Ltd is also well known for producing cocoa products that use only ingredients from Ba Ria – Vung Tau, which has contributed to their reputation in Vietnam as well as Japan. 

Cargill opens grain warehouse in southern province

Cargill on April 10 opened an 80,000 metric tonne warehouse for grains and oilseed at the Saigon International Terminals Vietnam (SITV) port in Phu My town, the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau. 

Equipped with world-class equipment, the 10 million USD facility is expected to meet the growing demand for grains primarily from the food and animal feed sectors.

The company said the warehouse meets safety, security and quality requirements and enables customers to receive agricultural products faster, more efficiently and more cost effectively.

This is Cargill’s such facility in the southern region. It has another 50,000-tonne facility at Cai Lan Port in the northern province of Quang Ninh.

Alan Willits, head of Cargill’s grain and oilseed business in Asia Pacific, said Vietnam is a key market for the company and the new storage facility strengthens its ability to supply high-quality feed grains and animal feed products to customers. 

According to him, the investment is part of Cargill’s strategy to expand business to meet the growing demand for feed grains and animal feed, driven by increased meat consumption amongst Vietnamese consumers.

In the past three years the volume of grains and oilseed handled by the company in Vietnam has grown four-fold from 400,000 metric tonnes to 1.75 million tonnes.

By 2020 Cargill expects this to increase to more than 3 million tonnes, making it one of the largest importers, marketers and distributors of grains in Vietnam, he said.

Alongside the investment in the storage facility, Cargill will also become the first company in Vietnam to offer customers a digital platform that will provide real-time information including the warehouse stock position, shipment status, product orders and contract status updates. The digital solution will be launched in June 2018.

Cargill, which came to Vietnam in 1995, is a leading animal nutrition company that produces premix and compound feed. It also deals in food and beverage ingredients, grain, oilseed and metals.

Philippines to import 250,000 tonnes of rice from Vietnam or Thailand

The Philippines is considering an emergency purchase of up to 250,000 tonnes of rice from Vietnam or Thailand to ensure enough rice for domestic consumption during months of bad harvest.

According to the Philippines’ National Food Authority (NFA), officials concerned are in the process of reference for the emergency purchase.

Under a new decree of President Rodrigo Duterte, the state-run grains agency may resort to alternative methods of procurement, especially during emergency cases. Therefore, the NFA said that whoever can bring in the rice requirement the fastest and the cheapest will be awarded the supply contract.

Duterte on April 5 met with rice traders to appeal to them not to hoard rice or sell the grains at higher price.

Rice traders promised to sell white rice at a price lower than the current market price and provide market with 700,000 sacks of rice.

Raw material shortage to result in halted production

Many cashew nut processing facilities are facing the risk of being halted their operations due to a serious shortage of raw cashew nuts in the first quarter of this year.

The Vietnam Cashew Association (Vinacas) reported that local businesses shipped 74,590 tons of cashew nuts in the first quarter of this year to get US$758.067 million with an average price of US$10,173 per ton. Exports increased 33.8% in volume and 46.69% in value compared to the same period last year. However, the sector is in the serious shortage of raw cashew nuts for processing.

Early this year, the sector expected a bumper crop with an output of around 400,000-500,000 tons. However unfavourable weather and limited care of cashew growers have made the 2017-2018 crop fail on a large scale.

Meanwhile the quality of import raw cashew nuts also decreased, badly affecting the nut volume.

This year, the sector is expected to get 300,000 tons of raw cashew from local growers, import about 1 million tons and export around 270,000 tons of processed cashew nuts.

Vietnam Listed Company Awards kicks off 2018 edition

Vietnam Listed Company Awards announced its 2018 season on April 10, with greater emphasis on corporate governance and a new classification system for the winners.

This morning, Vietnam Listed Company Awards, co-organised by the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange, the Hanoi Stock Exchange, and Vietnam Investment Review under the sole sponsorship of Dragon Capital Group Ltd., announced its 2018 edition.

Vietnam Listed Company Awards (VLCA) is an extension of Vietnam Annual Reports Awards, which has accompanied the growth of the Vietnamese stock market and listed companies throughout the past ten years (2008-2017).

Besides the annual reporting and the sustainability reporting awards, this year’s contest will conduct an in-depth review of the corporate governance standards at listed companies, with a tailored set of criteria.

The aim of this corporate governance review is to encourage Vietnamese listed firms to adopt international standards of governance and promote sustainability.

The corporate governance standards developed by VLCA’s Organising Committee are based on the standards of OECD countries, with adjustments to fit the current situation at Vietnamese listed firms and the Vietnamese law.

Beside the annual reports, judges will also take into account reliable information published by companies between July 1, 2017 and April 30, 2018 via other channels, such as their own or policymakers’ website. An independent third-party judge will be invited to evaluate the corporate governance section.

Similar to previous editions, the preliminary results of VLCA and the corporate governance section will be checked by global auditors Deloitte, E&Y, KPMG, and PwC to ensure the highest levels of transparency, impartiality, and professionalism.

Another new aspect of VLCA this year is that participating companies are listed on the HSX and HNX. The participants will be classified into three groups based on their market capitalisation (large, middle, and small-cap). This classification will create opportunities for small-and medium-sized companies, encouraging them to join the awards and receive recognition.

The preliminary round and auditing of results will end on August 31, 2018. The final round will end on September 15, 2018. The awards ceremony is expected to take place in October 2018.

Le Hai Tra, acting chairman of HOSE and co-head of the Organising Committee, said, “As the Awards reach the 11th year, we continue to feel a strong responsibility to continue the Awards, which has had a positive impact on listed Vietnamese companies, investors, and the entire market in general. This year, we are determined to raise the quality and reputation of the Awards.”

Mothercare’s entry to challenge Bibo Mart domination?

The joining of the globally leading specialist retailer of products for mothers-to-be, babies, and children, Mothercare Plc., may be the starting pistol in the race with Bibo Mart JSC.

mothercares entry to challenge bibo mart domination

On April 21, Mothercare will launch its first baby and mom retail store in Ho Chi Minh City’s Crescent Mall, which is one of the first shopping centres in Vietnam meeting international standards. The store volume is expected to increase to three within the year.

Mothercare will join Vietnam via franchising partner Au Chau Fashion and Cosmetics Co., Ltd. (ACFC), which is a subsidiary of Imex Pan Pacific Group (IPP Group) and specialises in distributing the products of Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, and Gap, among others.

Covering an area of 286 square metres, Mothercare will supply UK-standard products meeting all demands of mothers-to-be, babies, and children.

According to the first phase’s development plan, Mothercare will focus on supplying creative and unique products for children below five.

With its “Welcome to the club” slogan, Mothercare set itself apart from general baby and mom stores. Notably, Mothercare will organise programmes and forums to connect family members with each other to better take care of the babies and connect families with each other to train and share experiences in pre-natal care raising children.

In the UK, Mothercare and Early Learning Centre products are sold through the group’s own multi-channel (in-store and online) retail operations and via a smaller wholesale operation. In the overseas markets, the group’s products are sold through its franchise partners’ retail stores with a small but growing online presence and a fledgling wholesale business for territories where the company does not have franchise partners.

At present, the baby and mom retail market is dominated by the Bibo Mart baby and mom store chain, which is 20 per cent owned by ACA Investments—Japan’s leading fund management company and an affiliate of Sumitomo Corporation.

Starting out with only two stores in 2006, Bibo Mart now has 120 stores. It is expected that by the end of this year, the number of stores will double over 2016’s figure to reach 180 and then 500 by the end of 2019.

On average, about 10 new stores will open nationwide each month. Bibo Mart stores will be located in more than 18 cities and provinces, targeting locations that are densely populated and convenient for buyers. Over its 12 years of establishment and development, Bibo Mart is now the No. 1 mother and baby chain in Vietnam and is valued at $140 million.

In May 2017, ACA Investments completed the purchase of a 20 per cent stake in Bibo Mart JSC with the ambition to become the dominant baby and mom retailer in Vietnam.

ACA Investments is one of the best-performing fund managers in Asia, with a head office in Singapore and extensive experience in investing in projects in the Asia-Pacific region. It was established in 2008 and has a focus on growing companies in specific industries as well as investment-related services, such as mergers and acquisition advisory.

Mothercare was established in 1961 in the UK. Mothercare Plc. is a global retailer for parents and young children. In 1974, it established the first Early Learning Centre. Both brands resonate well with customers the world over. It currently has 1,300 stores across more than 50 countries, offering a range of products from both Mothercare and Early Learning Centre.

The clash of Mothercare and Bibo Mart is expected to be fierce, as Mothercare has extremely deep financial foundations, while Bibo Mart receives support from ACA Investments, giving both sides ample ammunition.

Dak Nong promises great incentives for solar power project

Europe Clean Energies Japan K.K will receive numerous incentives during the construction process of the Truc Son solar power project located in Cu Jut district of the Central Highlands province of Dak Nong.

The Dak Nong People’s Committee has approved in principle the Truc Son solar power project invested by a joint venture between Europe Clean Energies Japan K.K and Thanh Nien Media Corporation.

According to the plan, the project will cover an area of 50.77 hectares and have the total investment capital of VND1.1 trillion ($48.3 million).

The investor will accelerate efforts to complete the administrative procedures for the investment certificate to implement the project as soon as possible. The project is expected to come into operation in June next year with the capacity of 67MWh per year and operate for 50 years.

During the construction phase, the investor will enjoy corporate income tax, land rental fee, and import tax incentives, among others. Besides, the authorities will support the investor in completing the administrative procedures.

Previously, the investor planned to implement the construction in February this year so that the plant can generate electricity in March 2019, but failed.

In another movement, India-based EPC firm Sterling and Wilson plans to build 300MW of solar PV plants in Vietnam by mid-2019.

The company said it was in advanced discussions with leading developers in the country for projects requiring investment of $250 million.

Sterling and Wilson plans to hire local workers to construct and maintain the solar projects and aims to generate employment for nearly 600-700 people during construction and 50 people during the 20-year maintenance phase.

Bikesh Ogra, CEO of Sterling and Wilson, said, “Vietnam is one of the fastest growing economies in the world with nearly 8-10 per cent annual increase in power consumption by industries who are the largest consumers of electricity in the country. We are working closely with leading developers to join the larger aim of bringing affordable and clean energy to the Vietnamese market.”

Long-delayed Metro Line No.2 may be added $701.78 million?

Despite the fact that the construction of Metro Line No.2 connecting South Thang Long and Tran Hung Dao has been delayed for ten years now, the Hanoi People’s Committee proposed the government to add VND16.1 trillion ($701.78 million) to the project, increasing its total investment capital to VND35.7 trillion ($1.56 billion).

Approved in November 2008, the project is invested by Hanoi Metropolitan Railway Management Board (MRB) with the total investment capital of VND19.55 trillion ($857.5 million) by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Under the approved plan, the metro line will be 11.5 kilometre long, nearly 9km of which will run underground and 2.6km above the surface. It consists of a 17.5-hectare depot in Xuan Dinh ward, North Tu Liem district, and ten stations, including three elevated and seven underground.

The project was expected to come into operation in 2017, however, the construction has yet to be kick off. The investors have only completed the building of tender packages and the basic design.

In 2015, the Hanoi People’s Committee proposed the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) to adjust the investment capital of the project up to VND51.7 trillion ($2.27 billion), however, because the added capital volume was too extensive, MPI asked the Hanoi People’s Committee to reconsider its proposal. As a result, for its second proposal, the Hanoi People’s Committee only requested to increase the capital to VND35.7 trillion ($1.56 billion).

Accordingly, in April 2017, the Hanoi People’s Committee submitted the adjustments to other agencies for consultation.

The metro line will start from South Thang Long-Ciputra and end at Tran Hung Dao Street. It will pass through Tu Liem, Tay Ho, Cau Giay, Ba Dinh, and Hoan Kiem districts.

The first adjustment involves the basic design of the project. In particular, although the total length of the route remains the same (11.5km), the underground parts increased from 8.5 to 8.9km and the total length of the overhead parts was reduced from 3 to 2.6km.

In addition, to ensure investment efficiency, the total number of trains (each having four carriages) for this line also dropped from 14 to 10. The train frequency will be five minutes.

Due to long delays, the project’s deadline is expected to be extended to 2023.

When the Hanoi authorities submitted the adjustments to other agencies, Hanoi authorities said that they signed an agreement with JICA for the first phase’s loan of ¥14,688 million ($133.3 million), including ¥11,573 million ($105 million) for construction and ¥2.223 million ($20.18 million) for consultancy services, effective from July 2009 to June 2019.

On another hand, in February 2018, Vingroup was permitted to compile investment dossiers, including the expanded phase of the Metro Line No.2 from Tran Hung Dao Street to Thuong Dinh with the length of 5.9km.

Vingroup proposed building the pre-feasibility and feasibility plans financed from their own equity. If Vingroup become the official investors of the project, its expenditure for building investment dossiers will be added to the investment capital of the projects.

However, in case it is not selected to develop the project, it will be ready to hand over all investment dossiers to the Hanoi People’s Committee and the selected investors without asking for recompensation.

FPT to focus on digital transformation

FPT Group will focus on its core segment: technology, specifically digital transformation, after reducing its ownership rates in FPT Trading and FPT Retail.

Digital transformation is expected to help FPT's continued growth and preserve its position as the leading tech group in Vietnam which it has been holding for the past 30 years. Therefore, despite no longer being the major stake-holder of the two “golden geese” (47 per cent in FPT Retail and 48 per cent in FPT Trading), FPT’s leaders still believe in the group’s development.

“Large businesses' digital transformation demands are growing unprecedentedly. Some of these businesses decided to sign with FPT in only two months, while previously they spent 2-3 years to find partners in the same segment,” Truong Gia Binh, chairman of FPT Group, said at FPT’s annual general shareholders' meeting on March 28.

Binh also added that the number of FPT’s partners within the Fortune Top 500 group in 2017 remained 64, exceeding 2016's 24. Many of the world’s leading brands, including Starhub, GE, Airbus, and Coca Cola Vietnam, have co-operated with FPT to satisfy their digital transformation demands. Currently, the number of these partners increased by 104.

FPT even has ambitions to become one of the world’s leading companies specialised in digital transformation and become a key partner of many the world's leading IT.

FPT also set the target of increasing its turnover by 50-70 per cent per annum from digital transformation segment, in order to preserve the growth rate of 25-35 per cent during the next five years. FPT also expects that digital transformation will make up 50 per cent of the group’s turnover.

Technology will be FPT’s main engine of growth in 2018 with an anticipated turnover and profit of VND12.149 trillion ($535.2 million) and VND1.46 trillion ($64.3 million), up 10 and 29 per cent year-on-year, accounting for 55 per cent of the group’s turnover and 42 per cent of its profit.

The telecom segment is expected to reach VND8.66 trillion ($381.5 million) of turnover and VND1.394 trillion ($61.4 million) of profit, up 13 and 16 per cent year-on-year, respectively.

After FPT Trading and FPT Retail become FPT Group’s venture companies, the group’s turnover in 2018 is predicted to hit only VND21.9 trillion ($964.7 million) (after excluding the turnover of FPT Trading and FPT Retail), lower than last year's VND43.8 trillion ($1.92 billion).

However, the net profit is expected to reach VND3.484 trillion ($153.4 million), up 18 per cent year-on-year.

Ho Chi Minh City to organise bid for Metro Line No.5-phase II

Ho Chi Minh City will organise a bidding this year to select investors to develop Metro Line No.5–phase II under the public-private partnerships (PPP) model.

Accordingly, the investors will conduct a survey and build the construction plan for Metro Line No.5–phase II.

Previously, the city issued plans to organise the bidding in March this year, which failed as the authorities had not approved the project’s feasibility report yet.

Ho Chi Minh City plans to build a total of eight metro lines, one tramway line, and two monorail lines, but currently only Metro Line No.1 between Ben Thanh and Suoi Tien is under construction and is scheduled for completion in 2020.

In January 2018, during a working session with the Ho Chi Minh People’s Committee, Jose Kaiser Moreiras, general director for International Trade and Investment Department under the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (MEIC), pledged to provide financial assistance worth $335.2 million for Ho Chi Minh City to develop Metro Line No.5.

Jose Kaiser Moreiras stressed that Spain has experience in technology application, construction design, transport infrastructure development, and relevant consultancy. However, no more information about the proposal has been published.

Metro Line No.5 has total investment of €1.56 billion ($1.94 billion). Its first phase has a total length of 9 kilometres, including 7.46km of underground track and 1.43km of elevated rails.

The first phase of Metro Line No.5 is a priority project as it will serve as a transit system among other lines in the city.

Ho Chi Minh City plans to build a total of eight metro lines, one tramway line, and two monorail lines, but currently only Metro Line No.1 between Ben Thanh and Suoi Tien is under construction and is scheduled for completion in 2020.

Line 1 has a length of nearly 20km and consists of 14 stations, three of which are underground.

Geleximco unswayed by investors' refusal to hand over thermal power plants

In spite of being refused by existing investors to develop the billion-dollar thermal power plants, Geleximco is still determined to take over the projects.

Earlier in July 2017, Hanoi General Export Import JSC (Geleximco) expressed interested in co-operating with Sunshine Kaidi New Energy Group Co., Ltd. to invest in five thermal power projects, including Quynh Lap I, II, Quang Trach I, II, III, and Haiphong III under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.

MoIT has issued a document to collect opinions from relevant authorities about Geleximco’s proposal to establish Geleximco-HUI and implement the Quynh Lap 1 and Quang Trach 2 thermal power plants.

Three months later, in October 2017, Geleximco sent documents to the government and authorities to propose establishing Geleximco-HUI, a joint venture between Geleximco and Hong Kong United Co., Ltd. (HUI, a subsidiary of Kaidi), to implement the $2-billion thermal power plants Quynh Lap 1 and Quang Trach 2 from Vinacomin and EVN, respectively.

Notably, Geleximco proposed permitting the joint venture to hold a 75 per cent stake in Quynh Lap 1, leaving the remaining 25 per cent with Vietnam's mining group Vinacomin. Meanwhile, the joint venture is looking to acquire the entire 100 per cent stake of Quang Trach 2 from state run Electricity of Vietnam (EVN). Geleximco stated that 80 per cent of the investment capital comes from loans from Chinese banks, while equity is only 20 per cent.

However, Geleximco’s proposal has yet to be approved due to concerns of the existing investors of Quang Trach II and Quynh Lap I about potential delays in construction and rising capital demand in case Geleximco partners up with Chinese contractors.

A representative of Geleximco stated almost all long-delayed projects are invested by either state capital or loans with government guarantee. Besides, numerous investors from Europe and the US had their investment certificates revoked due to the long delays in construction.

“Thus, selecting partners that have enough financial potential and experience is more important than the origins of the investors. Furthermore, we affirmed that the joint venture can arrange capital without guarantee from the Vietnamese government, thus in case the projects fails to meet the schedule, we will have to bear the most responsibility,” the representative said.

Talking about Kaidi, the representative of Geleximco said that the corporation was selected as the contractor of Mao Khe-Quang Ninh thermal power plant invested by Vinacomin. The project is considered the largest thermal power project so far and the only thermal power project in Vietnam that has been constructed before schedule. Staring operations in April 2013, the plant is still operating smoothly.

In April 2009, the government assigned Vinacomin to develop Quynh Lap I thermal power plant. According to the plan, the project will come into operation in 2022-2023. However, it was not until seven years later in September 2016 that Vinacomin submitted the pre-feasibility and the environmental impact assessment report to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment for evaluation.

During these seven years, Vinacomin failed to find co-investors due to legal and financial problems.

Notably, Vinacomin invited Kospo Group from South Korea and Geleximco to join the project. However, Kospo asked the Vietnamese government to guarantee the loans as well as the electricity purchase contracts. As a result, the two parties failed to reach a compromise.

Geleximco affirmed that it can arrange capital without guarantee from the Vietnamese government, however, it asked to hold 75 per cent of the project. Vinacomin disagreed with Geleximco's proposal.

Failing to find partners, Vinacomin has yet to complete the site clearance, despite the ground-breaking ceremony organised in October 2015.

As the manufacturing sector has been driving electricity demand, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has issued a document to collect opinions from relevant authorities about Geleximco’s proposal to establish Geleximco-HUI and implement the Quynh Lap 1 and Quang Trach 2 thermal power plants.

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Government News 14/4



Vietnam enhances cooperation with ICAPP


Vietnam enhances cooperation with ICAPP, Hanoi, Greek city discuss ways to boost bilateral cooperation 

Chairman of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Hoang Binh Quan (R) shakes hands with Park Ro-byug, Secretary General of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties  

Chairman of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Hoang Binh Quan on April 12 received Park Ro-byug, Secretary General of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), who is visiting Vietnam. 

At the meeting, Quan lauded the development of the ICAPP since its establishment towards the realisation of ICAPP’s key targets, such as promoting exchanges and cooperation between political parties of Asia countries, as well as enhancing mutual understanding among Asian countries and boosting regional cooperation through the unique role political parties, thus contributing to regional peace, stability and prosperity.

He affirmed that Vietnam has always attached much importance to multilateral forums, including the ICAPP, saying that Vietnam will continue to participate in ICAPP activities in a bid to build it into a strong multilateral organisation of political parties.

For his part, Park hailed the changes and development of Vietnam over the past years under the leadership of the CPV. He also briefed his host about the ICAPP’s agenda and orientations in the coming time to raise its operation effectiveness, turning ICAPP to an institutional multilateral forum of political parties in Asia. 

At the meeting, Park thanked practical and efficient contributions of the CPV to the ICAPP in recent years. He also expressed his hope that the CPV, as a member of the ICAPP Standing Committee, will make more contributions to the ICAPP’s development and activities in the future.

Earlier, ICAPP Secretary General Park Ro-byug held talks with Vice Chairman of the CPV Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Tran Dac Loi.

Hanoi, Greek city discuss ways to boost bilateral cooperation


Vietnam enhances cooperation with ICAPP, Hanoi, Greek city discuss ways to boost bilateral cooperation

 

Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen The Hung (R) presents a souvenir to Vice Mayor of Edessa Anastasios Diou  

The capital city of Hanoi wants to increase exchanges and cooperation with cities and provinces of countries around the world, including Edessa city of Greece, said a local official.

Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen The Hung expressed the wish at a reception in Hanoi on April 12 for Vice Mayor of Edessa Anastasios Diou.

Hung said a lot of Greek businesses have invested in different fields in Vietnam, including tourism. In 2017 alone, Hanoi welcomed about 3,000 Greek visitors, he said.

With a population of nearly 10 million and area of over 3,000 square kilometers, Hanoi is potential market for both domestic and foreign enterprises, he said, adding that Hanoi is looking forward to greeting a delegation of Greek businesses to invest in the city.

Hung hoped thta the exchanges and connectivity between Hanoi and Edessa will contribute to lifting the Vietnam-Greece friendship to a new height.

For his part, Diou said this is the first time a delegation of high-ranking officials from Edessa city has visited and had a working session with a city of Vietnam. The visit aims  to explore local culture and history, and boost cooperation in tourism between localities, especially with Hanoi and central Nghe An province.

He expressed his belief that after the working visit to Hanoi, the relations between the two cities will see new progress. 

Leaders of Edessa city will actively urge Greek businesses to pour investments into Hanoi as well as other Vietnamese cities and provinces, he affirmed.

President of Lao Front for National Construction visits Hoa Binh


 

Vietnam enhances cooperation with ICAPP, Hanoi, Greek city discuss ways to boost bilateral cooperation
At the meeting between President of the Lao Front for National Construction Central Committee Xaysomphone Phomvihane and Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Bui Van Tinh (Source: http://www.baohoabinh.com.vn) 

President of the Lao Front for National Construction Central Committee Xaysomphone Phomvihane visited the northern province of Hoa Binh on April 13.

Welcoming the Lao guest, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Bui Van Tinh highlighted the faithful and close relations between the two countries as well as between the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Lao counterpart.

Phomvihane congratulated Hoa Binh on its achievements in socio-economic development, especially poverty reduction and improvement of local living standards in ethnic minority and disadvantaged areas.

He recalled the support of people in Hoa Binh province for Laos’ revolutionaries during the resistant wars against the colonialism and imperialism in the past. Hoa Binh province was the place where the preparatory conference of the second congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party congress was held.

The province also housed the Pathet Lao radio station from 1969 to 1973. The site in An Binh commune, Lac Thuy district, Hoa Binh province, has become a valuable historical site, helping foster the friendship between the two countries’ generations.

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Vietnamese coffee inspires American coffee ‘geek’


For Will Frith, born in the US to an American father and Vietnamese mother, a visit to Vietnam in 2004 ignited a passion for coffee that would change his life.


Vietnamese coffee culture, high quality Vietnamese coffee, Vietnam economy, Vietnamnet bridge, English news about Vietnam, Vietnam news, news about Vietnam, English news, Vietnamnet news, latest news on Vietnam, Vietnam

 

At the source: Coffee plants in bloom in Lang Biang mountain, Da Lat City, home to most of the Arabica coffee in Vietnam.


His mission on that first trip was to see his grandmother. But along the way, he had the chance to experience the Vietnamese coffee culture: “sitting in the small plastic stool, watching the world go by while slowly sipping the ca phe da (iced coffee),” he recalls. He describes the now-familiar flavour as “nutty chocolate and caramel ice cream with a bitter aftertaste”.

“Everything I heard, smelled, saw, and tasted was familiar thanks to my early exposure to the sounds of the language, the food and customs. I couldn’t quite understand why it was so familiar, but it felt something like ‘home’,” said Frith.

The passion for Vietnamese coffee, combined with his experiences working as a roaster in Washington after graduating from college, led Frith to a career in coffee consultation. While working in the states, he maintained his interest in his mother’s country and its coffee.

“What keeps me engaged in the country [Vietnam] is its potential for producing great coffee and a fascinating coffee culture that is growing quickly,” said Frith.

In 2013 he moved to HCM City on a mission to find high quality arabica in Da Lat.

With strong coffee-drinking culture and more specialty cafes opening, Vietnam can be “one of few places that grows, processes, and consumes specialty coffee within its own borders - a sustainable, virtuous loop”, Frith says. He sees high potential for the country’s growth, predicting that the Da Lat region could become a reputable producer of medium- and high-quality Arabica internationally.

 “Most coffee-growing countries export their best products to the US or Europe for consumption, but if someone wants to taste the best Vietnamese Arabica they would have to visit Vietnam,” said Frith.

Da Lat’s flavourful Arabica

Over the past few years, Frith has worked with specialty cafes and organisations in Vietnam like Là Việt Coffee in Da Lat, a family business that produces, roasts and serves their own beans; The Workshop in HCM City, touting itself as Vietnam’s first specialty coffee bar; Mach Coffee, a luxury roasting house in Phan Rang since the 1940s; and Filanthrope, a non profit charity that supports indigenous tribal coffee farmers.

 

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Coffee master: Will Frith (front left) focused mostly on roaster and barista training, branding, quality control and product development. - Photos courtesy of Will Frith


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Moving on up: Frith (left) has became part of a small and young community of producers, processors, green coffee buyers and roasters who are trying to "make Vietnamese coffee something legit and worthy of attention".


Frith focused mostly on roaster training, barista training, branding, quality control and product development.

Tran Nhat Quang, owner of Là Việt Coffee, met Frith at the Coffee Festival in Buon Me Thuot City in Dak Lak Province in 2013.

With a shared passion for coffee, Quang and Frith became close friends quickly.

“We talked passionately about the potential of Arabica coffee in Vietnam. In late 2013 when I opened Là Việt café, he came to help me with staff training and roasting training as well as quality control and to connect me with the international partners,” said Quang. “Frith is very knowledgeable about Vietnamese coffee. He and I share the aspiration to bring high quality Vietnamese coffee to the world.”

Frith has became part of a small, young community of producers, processors, green coffee buyers and roasters who are trying to “make Vietnamese coffee something legit and worthy of attention”.

“I consider the work I do with small farmers as my ongoing education—we learn from each other. I am a proponent of Vietnamese specialty coffee, trying to connect as many people to Vietnam as I can with the hope of increasing the amount of high quality Arabica that Vietnam produces,” said Frith.

Arabica was introduced to Vietnam in 1850s and Da Lat is an ideal place for growing the bean. The right growing practices and processing methods will increase the country’s Arabica quality, said Frith.

“There needs to be a lot of hard work to make it [Arabica] high quality.”

Arabica coffee has very complex flavor potential, affected by many factors. It can be “delicate, floral and tea-like, or nutty and sweet, or rich and fruity”.

The flavours can be affected by a number of factors: soil health and content, arabica type and seed selection, weather patterns, elevation, angle of the sun, surrounding forests or farms, shade, farm management, selective harvesting, clean and careful processing, storage and transport and roasting and brewing, according to Frith.

“Coffee evolved in the understories of Ethiopian forests, so it follows that some of the best coffees come from farms that resemble those forests, with healthy, fertile soil and shade trees, plenty of beneficial microbes and fungi, and animals that all work together to create a healthy ecosystem,” Frith added.

“People must be patient, with the ability to take some risks, because it’s a slow process requiring a long-term approach. They must have a good attitude, and be willing to collaborate with others—even their competitors. We all need to work together to grow the high-quality segment of the coffee industry. No single entity can do it alone,” said Frith.

Vietnam has been the world’s second largest coffee producer and exporter since the early 2000s. The Central Highlands region contributes to 90 per cent of the country’s total coffee production. 

Frith has now been working for Modbar, a coffee equipment manufacturer in the US, for three years. He still provides consultancy for Vietnam coffee growers and coffeehouses, traveling back and forth between Vietnam and the US.

 “With each visit, my love for Vietnam grows and becomes more complex. It’s no longer as simple as saying ‘I love Vietnam’ or ‘I dislike Vietnam’ because there’s so much diversity of experience and attitudes,” said Frith. 

VNS

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A glimpse of the oldest pagoda in town


HCMC is home to hundreds of pagodas and temples with diverse architectural features. But Giac Lam Pagoda in Tan Binh District has stood the test of time for nearly three centuries, and it is the city’s oldest pagoda.


Construction of the pagoda was started in 1744 by a hermit identified as Ly Thuy Long who raised money to build the temple for pilgrims to worship Buddha.

The pagoda was originally called “Cam Son”, “Cam Dem” or “Son Can” and it was not until 1774 it had been renamed “Giac Lam” under Venerable Monk Vien Quang.

The pagoda has undergone three massive overhauls but still retained its historical roots. It has a seven-story stupa with a highlight of a statue of Quan am (the Goddess of Mercy) right at the entrance.

Hundreds of precious Buddhist statues, antique artifacts and old documents in the philosophy of Buddha are still intact inside the pagoda. Especially, a treasure of architecture, culture and sculpture highlighting the color of Buddhism in southern Vietnam can be found at the 274-year-old pagoda.

This place has been frequented by not only local pilgrims but also foreign tourists interested in exploring Vietnamese history and culture since the pagoda was recognized as a national relic in 1988.

Michalina, a tourist from Poland, told the Daily that she feels a bit creepy when stepping into the main hall due to the extremely peaceful and holy atmosphere.

“This is my first journey to Vietnam as well as to the pagoda. Really interesting! Vietnamese people did a good job to form the temple. Sure! I will come back there for more photos in the future,” she added.


 

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A woman prays in front of the statue of Quan Am (Goddess of Mercy)


 

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The 274-year-old pagoda on Lac Long Quan Street in Tan Binh District was acknowledged as a national relic in 1988 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism


 

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A statue of Quan Am at the entrance to the seven-storey stupa inside Giac Lam Pagoda in Tan Binh District

SGT

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BUSINESS IN BRIEF 15/4


Saigon Co.op to open 50 more convenience stores


Hoa Lam Corporation sells LIM II Tower for $61.4 million, Saigon Co.op to open 50 more convenience stores, Vietnam’s sticky rice price takes sudden nosedive, Ministry deals with loss-making mining project in Laos

 


Saigon Co.op, the country’s leading retailer, will open an extra 50 Cheers in convenience stores in HCMC in partnership with NTUC FairPrice of Singapore this year, said Nguyen Thanh Nhan, general director of Saigon Co.op.

At a 2017 review meeting of Saigon Co.op last week, Nhan said Cheers stores would sell household and consumer goods and operate 24/7. In HCMC, there are already two Cheers stores.

Besides Cheers, Nhan said this year Saigon Co.op would open 19 more Co.opmart supermarkets, two more Co.opXtra stores, 150 more Co.opSmile shops and at least one more Co.opmart hypermarket in a high-end residential area.

To maintain its position as Vietnam’s leading retailer, Saigon Co.op must focus on expanding the retail network, diversifying products and developing logistics, said Nhan.

Saigon Co.op is expected to achieve a 10% increase in total revenue.

A report released at the meeting showed that in 2017 Saigon Co.op made some VND30,000 billion in total revenue and Co.op Xtra enjoyed export growth of 30%.

Customs officers implicated in fuel smuggling case in Binh Thuan

Smuggling activities of Duong Dong Hoa Phu Co. in the south-central province of Binh Thuan were helped by officers at the provincial customs department, according to a local newspaper.

A Tuoi Tre Online report said the Supreme People’s Procuracy has finished an indictment alleging that 12 were involved in the fuel smuggling case in Binh Thuan.

The volume of smuggled fuels amounted to hundreds of thousands of tons and was worth over VND2 trillion. The case has been transferred to the People’s Court of Binh Thuan Province for trial.

Dinh Huu Thuy, who was in charge of inspecting import shipments of Duong Dong Hoa Phu Co., has been charged with taking bribes and Le Van Vinh, Thuy’s colleague, with abusing position and power while on duty, said the report.

Thuy admitted receiving VND12 million from Nguyen Tuan Anh, an employee of Duong Dong Hoa Phu Co., in each import shipment inspection. Thuy kept VND3 million for himself, handed over VND3 million to Vinh and the remainder to a team at the department.

Thuy took almost VND150 million in total from Anh, according to the report. 

Investigators at the Ministry of Public Security found that Vo Van Toan, director of the customs department, Ta Hung Dung, deputy director of the department, and Luu Trong Vu, head of the team that got money from Thuy, failed to supervise and monitor their staff’s work.

An interdisciplinary team headed by the investigative force of the Ministry of Public Security inspected BTS Christina tanker, owned by BTS Tankers in Singapore, on January 29, 2016 and found A92 gasoline was being pumped from the ship to the storage tank of Duong Dong Hoa Phu Co. in Tuy Phong District.

Inspection results showed the company formally declared import of over 1,800 tons of gasoline. But at the time of inspection, BTS Christina was found to be carrying 9,300 tons and more than 3,200 tons had already been pumped from the vessel. The inspection team concluded that Duong Dong Hoa Phu Co. had smuggled over 7,200 tons of A92 petrol, worth VND155 billion.

Between October 2015 and January 18, 2016, Duong Dong Hoa Phu Co. was found to smuggle in some 100,000 tons of fuel worth over VND2 trillion. Of these, the company sold more than 120 million liters of fuel, generating revenue of over VND1.3 trillion.

Nguyen Duc Manh, chairman and general director of the company, was identified as the one who signed fuel import documents.

Philippine national Romels Pagente Aleria, captain of BTS Christina, has also been prosecuted for allegedly illegally transporting goods across borders, said the news report.

The report quoted the indictment as saying that Romels Pagente Aleria transported more than 7,200 tons of A92 petrol worth nearly VND155 billion, which was different from what was declared in import documents.

Vietnam’s sticky rice price takes sudden nosedive

The sticky rice price in Long An Province has suddenly dropped to VND9,600 per kilo from VND11,000 around 10 days ago due to a sharp fall in Chinese purchases, delivering a blow to traders and exporters, news website Vietnamplus reports.

Dang Van Thanh, CEO of Viet Thanh Limited Co., said 80-90% of sticky rice output has been exported to China via border trade. But in the last two weeks, all orders by Chinese importers have been suspended, resulting in a commercial sticky rice price slump, Thanh added.

Traders had earlier placed deposits of VND4-5 million per hectare of sticky rice to guarantee purchase of the imminent crop from farmers at VND6,100 per kilo, and are now facing huge losses as the market price tumbled to only VND5,300 per kilo when harvest comes.

In recent years, the demand for sticky rice has been running high, propping up prices and leading farmers in Long An Province and elsewhere in the Mekong Delta to expand cultivation of this commodity.

According to statistics of Long An’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in the winter-spring crop, there was 85,000 hectares of sticky rice with average output of eight tons per hectare.

Chinese importers suddenly stopped buying it, hitting Vietnamese exporters and traders hard, while farmers saw their harvested crop piling up.

If traders choose to buy all output as agreed, they would lose VND800 per kilo. If they choose to abandon their deposits of VND4-5 million per hectare, their losses would average out at VND500 million to VND1 billion given the large area under contract.

Nguyen Ngoc Long, owner of Ngoc Long enterprise, said given the volatile sticky rice price, Vietnamese exporters have suspended buying sticky rice from traders and farmers while waiting for the price to rebound.

Long proposed the Government and relevant agencies to lend a helping hand in finding new markets.

Ministry deals with loss-making mining project in Laos

The Ministry of Industry and Trade is finding ways to cope with a loss-making potassium salt mining and processing project in Laos.

Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh and Lao Minister of Energy and Mines Khammany Inthirath last week met over the project. The two ministers agreed in principle the main contents of a revised agreement on energy and mining cooperation between the two countries so that they would report to their governments for approval.

The agreement is expected to pave the way for long-term partnership, news website VnExpress reports.

The agreement includes a list of Lao power projects to supply electricity for Vietnam and a plan to transmit electricity from Laos to Vietnam, as well as a mechanism for the two sides to negotiate electricity pricing.

The two sides agreed to further support the State-owned Vietnam National Chemical Group (Vinachem) in the potassium salt mining and processing project.

Trade Minister Anh said his ministry has been scrutinizing the project. “We will come up with a specific plan soon. Upon completion of this procedure, we will send a notice to your government,” he said.

The potassium mining project in Laos began in 2015 with the main investor being Vinachem, a State-owned enterprise under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

The plant, with a designed capacity of around 320,000 tons of potash a year, was expected to be developed in five years with a total mining area of 10 square kilometers.

It costs an estimated US$522 million, with Vinachem covering US$105 million. This is a pivotal project for Vietnam as it will help the country reduce its reliance on potash imports. However, the project has been suspended since 2017.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai said at a regular Government press conference in February that the project might face losses, so the ministry has decided to suspend it as the price of potassium has dipped to US$250-300 a ton while the estimated price in the pre-feasibility study is US$500.

FLC wants to upgrade Dong Hoi Airport

Vietnam’s property developer FLC Group has expressed its interest in upgrading Dong

Hoi Airport in the central province of Quang Binh under the build-operate-transfer format, VnEconomy news website VnEconomy reports.

The group has sent a relevant proposal to the Ministry of Transport, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, and the government of Quang Binh Province.

The Government has asked the Ministry of Transport to consider a master plan for upgrading the airport so that it can receive bigger aircraft and meet higher air travel demand.

If approval is forthcoming, FLC Group would strictly go through the investment and operation procedures in line with the prevailing regulations, the company said in its proposal.

FLC signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus late last month to purchase 24 A321neo aircraft for its startup carrier Bamboo Airways.

Bamboo Airways is expected to begin operation late this year with aircraft to be leased from third party lessors before taking delivery of the aircraft under the deal with Airbus.

The airline will focus on bringing domestic and international tourists to some of the nation’s increasingly popular destinations such as Quy Nhon, Quang Ninh, Haiphong, Thanh Hoa and Quang Binh.

After its upgrade, the airport would help create thousands of jobs for locals and fuel tourism growth.

AWS picks FPT as advanced consulting partner

FPT Software has become an advanced consulting partner of Amazon Web Services (AWS) with its staff equipped with AWS certificates.

At the Singapore Summit 2018 held earlier this month, AWS recognized FPT Software its first advanced consulting partner in the region with some 500 engineers and technological experts getting AWS technology certificates, 64 of them for experts.

Before the event, FPT was acknowledged as AWS’s technology partner and one of the first partners capable of administrating and transferring technology platforms of AWS.

FPT Software has applied AWS technology for improvements of customer solutions worldwide such as AWS Connect, AWS lex, IoT, Self Service Portal and multi-tenancy.

Since its entry into the Vietnamese market in late 2017, AWS has been offering over 90 services in calculating, storing, providing information and data, analyzing, deploying and expanding mobile services.

Tax refund claims rise sharply

The HCMC Tax Department received more than 18,000 claims for personal income tax refunds in the first three months of 2018, a sharp increase compared to the same period of previous years.

Speaking to the Daily, Le Thi Thu Huong, deputy director of the department, said the large number of refund claims is keeping tax officials and agencies busy. The rise in refund claims has resulted from increased public awareness of tax obligations, she noted.

At present, irregular income of VND2 million (US$88) or above a month is subject to a personal income tax of 10% if workers have a labor contract of under three months or no contract.

This regulation is unsuitable for big cities like HCMC where many workers have more than one job, Huong said, adding the department has proposed revising up this taxable income threshold to VND5 million but the proposal has not been approved.

Data of the HCMC Tax Department shows 63% of tax refunds in 2017 were made for those having income of less than VND5 million. Each claim required some 13 signatures by tax officials, meaning that the procedure is time-consuming.

According to the General Department of Taxation, the number of people who did tax audits on their own accounted for only 1% of all taxpayers in 2015. But it was big enough to overwhelm tax agencies, especially during the peak tax auditing season in late March.

Wood firms to be classified

Enterprises planting forests and supplying, processing, trading and exporting wood and wooden products will be classified into two groups: compliance and non-compliance with the law in line with Vietnam’s timber legality assurance system (VNTLAS).

Vietnam and the European Union (EU) inked a voluntary partnership agreement in forest law enforcement, governance and trade (VPA/FLEGT) in May last year, allowing Vietnamese enterprises with FLEGT licenses to ship wooden products to the EU. Firms complying with the law will find it easier to get FLEGT licenses.

On the sidelines of a recent seminar, Tran Hieu Minh at the Vietnam Administration of Forestry under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said VNTLAS is developed based on the Vietnamese law on wood export. When VNTLAS is put into operation, wood importers will have to prove the origin of wood as well.

Guidelines of VNTLAS will be completed by 2019 to enable the official operation of the system later, Minh said.

Nguyen Ton Quyen, vice chairman and general secretary of the Vietnam Timber and Forest Products Association (Vifores), said wood exporters expected the agreement to spur wood exports to the EU.

Regulations on wood export are necessary due to an increase in the number of suppliers of wood for export including forest farmers and wood traders but their knowledge of VPA/FLEGT is limited.

The connection between forest growers and wood processing and exporting enterprises should be strengthened to make the most of VPA/FLEGT.

Quyen proposed competent State agencies promptly issue guidelines for VPA/FLEGT and provide training for those involved in wood export activity.

Last year, Vifores provided training for wood enterprises but just those having business registration certificates attended. Vietnam currently has some 4,500 wood enterprises which have officially registered business and 27,000 others have not been registered. Vifores can manage about 2,000 businesses in the sector.

Frequent corrections expected this month

The stock market is predicted to experience many corrections this month as big-cap stocks have rallied sharply on strong demand, said Hoang Thach Lan, head of the individual investor department of Viet Dragon Securities Company.

Having slumped in late March over fears of a U.S.-China trade war, the market has bounced back strongly since early this month, indicating that local equities have not been impacted by world markets.

In March, stocks of many sectors such as industry, service, construction, real estate and consumer goods rose strongly. This month, some large companies will release their first quarter earnings results and those having good earnings will certainly see their shares soaring, Lan was quoted by vietstock.vn as saying.

However, Lan said investors might worry about risks such as a possible correction of key stocks. Large-cap stocks on both HCMC and Hanoi exchanges have rallied strongly in recent times.

Foreign investors were on the selling side in March but they remained net buyers during the first quarter. Notably, they have offloaded stocks with goods fundamentals such as dairy firm VNM, lender VCB and construction firm CTD while buying shares of property firm VIC and retail group VRE.

Besides, capital divestment and initial public offerings by State-owned enterprises will help drive the market up. Major firms such as GAS, BID, HVN and PLX might see their stocks advancing when they announce divestment plans.

This month, investors should pay attention to key sectors such as banking, real estate and petroleum. Most banks are projected to obtain good first quarter and full-year earnings, supported by the credit growth target of 17%.

Besides, banks have focused more on consumer lending. Some institutions will gain better profits as they have cut provisions or divested from financial investments.

For the oil and gas sector, local firms still depend on the global oil price, which is expected to hit US$75 per barrel. Investors should stay cautious when buying petroleum stocks, Lan added.

The VN-Index of the Hochiminh Stock Exchange rose to a new high last Friday, closing up 0.57% at just shy of 1,200 points. For the week, the index advanced 2.2% for an eighth straight week in a row.

VRE and its parent company led gainers. Earlier this week, VIC sought approval from the Hochiminh Stock Exchange to list 2.7 billion shares of its Vinhomes unit.

Returned Vietnamese seafood spurs concern

To address issues on Vietnamese outbound seafood shipments being returned due to quality concerns, the Government has asked competent agencies to pinpoint unsafe and low quality products, news website Dan Tri reports, citing the Prime Minister’s Instruction 09/CT-TTg.

The number of seafood shipments being returned for breach of food safety regulations remains high, damaging the image and prestige of Vietnamese seafood products on the global market, according to the instruction.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is assigned to inspect and complete mechanisms and policies on seafood safety management, and take low quality, unsafe products and seafood with antibiotics out of the trade list.

Besides, the ministry is told to team up with the ministries of health and industry-trade to closely control imported chemicals and antibiotics as they may be wrongly used in seafood business.

In addition, the Prime Minister demanded agencies to launch an investigation and collect information in a bid to punish organizations smuggling, storing and transporting banned goods, toxic chemicals and vet medicine impacting on seafood industry.

The seafood industry of Vietnam has achieved significant growth in the past 20 years with an average annual surge of 15% in export turnover, from a low US$550 million in 1995 to a staggering US$8.3 billion in 2017.

However, recently some countries have complained about the quality of Vietnamese shrimp and other seafood.

In 2017 the EU warned of the possibility of probing the Vietnamese seafood industry after many shipments had been found to contain high levels of chemical and antibiotics residues. In 2015, up to 165 shipments were detected to violate food safety regulations, of which 78 contained high levels of chemical and antibiotics residues.

In 2015, the U.S. also complained about 35 contaminated shipments, while Japan and the EU also found 27 substandard shipments.

Vietnamese pepper export revenue dips

Vietnam exported nearly 42,000 tons of pepper in this year’s first quarter, up 17.3%, yet revenue dropped by a staggering 32.1% year-on-year to US$159 million, news website Nguoi Dong Hanh reports, citing data of the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

The shrinking revenue is attributed to the lower global price, which averaged out at only US$3,805 per ton in the first three months, or half the price in the year-ago period

In fact, the pepper price has taken a nosedive in recent years.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s data show domestic pepper price has tumbled to VND53,000-54,000 a kilo, decreasing roughly VND10,000 per kilo against a month ago. Earlier, the pepper price had halved to VND70,000 per kilo from VND140,000 in 2017, and the slump has continued until the first months of 2018 to around VND50,000 per kilo.

The current price is at a five-year low, as it was just half of last year’s and only a quarter of the that in mid-2016.

The price fall is due to an oversupply. The total area under pepper cultivation has expanded strongly, leading to a significant increase in pepper output.

The pepper growing area last year reached 152,000 hectares, up 17.6%, equivalent to 22,700 hectares against last year, with output of nearly 242,000 ton, up 11.6%. This area is three times the targeted growing area of 50,000 hectares by 2020 as indicated in a master plan for the sector.

The depressed price is a sign of market saturation as Vietnam supplies over 50% of global pepper output.

Although output of the world’s largest pepper exporters, including Vietnam, is likely to fall, the global supply continues to rise compared to 2017, which is larger than global demand as the growing area continues to expand, according to the Vietnam Pepper Association. Consequently, the global pepper price will drop further, causing losses for Vietnamese farmers.

Farmers are seeing their difficulties aggravated as pepper plants died en masse. According to the association, as of March, some 13.5% of the pepper area of Ea Lai Commune in Dak Lak Province’s M’Drak District had died, equivalent to 58.6 hectares. Most of the remaining pepper areas were also affected, resulting in lower output.

Bu Dop District in Binh Phuoc Province was in the same situation. Since early this year, there has been over 150 hectares of pepper perished.

Hoa Lam Corporation sells LIM II Tower for $61.4 million

Vietnam Thuong Tin Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Vietbank) plans to spend VND1.4 trillion ($61.4 million) acquiring LIM II Tower in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 3 from Hoa Lam Corporation, according to the bank’s documents prepared for its 2018 shareholders’ meeting.

If the plan is approved, an acquisition deal between Vietbank and Cho Dui Co., Ltd., a member of Hoa Lam Corporation and developer of LIM II Tower, shall be concluded in the second half of the year.

Tran Thi Lam, chairwoman of Hoa Lam Corporation, is the wife of Duong Ngoc Hoa, chairman of Vietbank.

LIM II Tower is constructed on an area of nearly 2,200 square metres. The building consists of 18 levels, including four floors for commercial business, 13 floors of office space, a rooftop, and three basements for parking and other facilities. The 6,255sq.m basement can accommodate about 120 cars, providing safety and convenience for clients. The total construction area is about 28,000sq.m.

Hoa Lam Corporation is a co-founder of Vietbank, contributing 35 per cent of the bank’s capital in 2007.

Hoa Lam Corporation was found in 1993 with the initial name of Nhat Nguyen Transport Service and Trading Company, established by Duong Ngoc Hoa and Tran Thi Lam.

In 1999 it was renamed to Hoa Lam Corporation and started manufacturing Halim motorcycles. In 2004 the company name was changed to Hoa Lam Development and Investment Company which manufactured Kymco motorcycles.

In 2006 Hoa Lam joined the financial market by acquiring a major stake in Vietbank. So far, the bank has been developed to have hundreds of branches and offices nationwide.

In 2010 Hoa Lam joined the real estate market with its first office tower LIM I in District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City. In 2015 LIM II located in District 3 was put into operation.

In 2014 Hoa Lam opened Hoa Lam Shangri-La Health Centre on a 4.7-hectare land plot in Binh Tan district of Ho Chi Minh City. One year later Hoa Lam started operation of its second hospital under the private-public partnership format.

Apart from these, Hoa Lam is also the owner of the Vietcombank building and many other on-going projects, including the residential areas 2, 3, and 4 in Thanh My Loi ward, District 2 of Ho Chi Minh City.

Thanh Thanh Cong-Bien Hoa to buy back 83.5 million shares

Domestic sugar producer Thanh Thanh Cong-Bien Hoa JSC has announced it will buy back more than 83.5 million shares as treasury stocks.

The company will buy the shares through order-matching transactions between April 18 and May 17.

It will buy those shares based on the firm’s share price levels but the price levels will not exceed VND30,000 (US$1.33) per share.

The company is not holding any treasury shares, the HCM Stock Exchange said in a statement. The targeted buyback shares are equal to 15 per cent of the company’s total outstanding shares on the stock market.

Thanh Thanh Cong-Bien Hoa JSC is trading more than 557 million shares on the HCM Stock Exchange with code SBT.

Its shares closed flat on Monday at VND18,050 per share, up a total of 5.5 per cent from its three-month low of VND17,100 per share hit on March 29.

SBT shares have fallen sharply by 56.6 per cent from their record high of VND41,650 per share on August 2, 2017 and by nearly 26 per cent from the six-month high of VND24,350 per share made on January 11, 2018.

SBT and other sugar producers have underperformed on the stock market since the beginning of the year as they have suffered from trade agreement threats and the sharp decline of sugar prices.

The price of sugar was down nearly 0.1 per cent on Monday to trade at 12.33 US cents a pound ($27.2 cents a kilogramme), data on Bloomberg showed.

The sugar price has almost lost a fifth of its one-year high price of 15.33 cents a pound hit on January 2. Due to a surplus on the global market, last month was volatile as it peaked at 12.93 cents a pound on March 12.

Domestic producers will have to compete with sugar imports from other producers in the ASEAN region, especially after the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) took effect on January 1, 2018, allowing sugar imports in Viet Nam to be taxed only 5 per cent.

Other sugar stocks that have also witnessed a downtrend included Lam Son Sugar JSC (LSS), Son La Sugar JSC (SLS) and Kon Tum Sugar JSC (KTS).

Sterling and Wilson planning solar PV projects

Sterling and Wilson, one of the leading Solar EPC companies globally, is planning to build 300 MW of solar PV plants in Vietnam by June 2019 for leading developers in Vietnam with whom the company is under advanced discussions and would attract investment of $250 million.

Once constructed, the projects will produce 270 million units annually and thereby reduce CO2 emissions by 250,000 tons per annum. Sterling and Wilson will be hiring local talent to construct and maintain the solar projects, thereby contributing to Vietnam’s socioeconomic development. It plans to generate employment for nearly 600-700 people during construction and 50 people during the maintenance phase of 20 years.

“Vietnam is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, with a nearly 8-10 per cent annual increase in power consumption by industries, who are the largest consumers of electricity in the country,” said Bikesh Ogra, CEO - Renewable Energy and Energy Storage at Sterling and Wilson. “The government is aiming at 0.8 GW of solar power by 2020, which experts feel has a potential for 7 GW of solar projects in the present conditions. We are working closely with leading developers to join the larger aim of bringing affordable and clean energy to Vietnam.”

Sterling and Wilson already has a substantial presence in Southeast Asia, with more than 50 MWp of solar PV plants successfully running in the Philippines and powering nearly 30,000 homes today, and another 60 MWp project in the commissioning phase in Bangladesh.

Sterling and Wilson is one of the leading Solar EPC players globally. It has to its credit close to 5GW of solar portfolio in various countries, including India, the Philippines and South Africa. It is currently constructing 1,177 MWp of Solar PV plants in Abu Dhabi, which is the world’s largest single location to date. It is also building a number of projects in Zambia, Egypt, Namibia, Niger, Jordan, Argentina and Morocco. Sterling and Wilson has more than 4,000 qualified engineers, project managers, and designers.

It has seen exceptional growth over the last five years, with operations all over the globe, and has also expanded its range of services. Turnover growth has been extremely positive.

New technology solution facilitates HR development

Improving the quality of human resources is seen one of the most important factors in helping Vietnam seize new opportunities in light of new free trade agreements (FTAs) like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

With a population of about 94 million, including 54.61 million, or 59.5 per cent, who are older than 15, Vietnam is still experiencing a “golden population structure” with an abundant and stable labor supply, according to Ms. Le Kim Dung, Director of the Employment Department at the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA).

“The quality of human resources in Vietnam, however, is still quite poor,” she added. “The proportion of trained workers is still low and workers’ skills do not meet the needs of businesses and the market, especially in the context of international integration.”

According to insiders, new FTAs like the CPTPP will create an open but competitive business environment. The competition in the labor market is forecast to be fiercer and Vietnamese workers are largely unprepared. Improving the quality of human resources in Vietnam is therefore becoming an increasingly urgent task.

An expert from the International Labor Organization (ILO) told the “A New Solution for Human Resources Development in Light of the CPTPP” conference, on April 5, that gains from the agreement will be concentrated in a few industries, such as textiles, clothing, footwear, food, beverages and tobacco, chemicals, transport equipment, and plastic parts.

The CPTPP will also help to increase foreign direct investment (FDI), expand service sectors, and boost productivity. It will bring greater benefits to higher-skilled workers in the top 60 per cent in terms of income distribution. Technology, however, not the CPTPP, will be the game changer.

Given the increasing wave of new technologies, the application of technology in internal training promises to be more effective.

Among others, online training (e-learning) based on cloud computing technology is not only a major solution in education but also effectively resolves enterprises’ problems in human resources.

The solution is used by many firms in developed countries around the world such as the US, Europe, and Japan to improve the quality of human resources by establishing a platform for internal training.

However, due to differences in cultures, habits, and the level of awareness among students, each e-learning solution is only suitable for deploying in specific areas. Such systems also cost up to several million dollars, in addition to customs fees and costs for regular maintenance and upgrades.

Technology solutions for online training in Vietnam are still in the early days of development, with only a small number of providers.

The cloud-based learning management system CLS - Cloud Learning System, researched, developed and implemented by the Huong Viet Group, which has a decade of experience in education technology, is the only solution offering internal and online training solutions.

With a price 10 per cent less than foreign technology solutions, CLS is expected to be a strong driver of online education in Vietnam.

Moreover, it’s suitable for all types of enterprises, from large to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and micro-enterprises. Foreign invested enterprises (FIEs) can also take advantage of the inland infrastructure CLS possesses, which is of the same quality as foreign software.

In the context of globalization and international integration, improving human resources quality has been a key factor for businesses in enhancing their competitiveness, according to Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhan, Director of CLS - Cloud Learning System Project.

Vietnam now has more than 500,000 businesses. Ninety per cent, however, do not have their own internal training system. There are also no professional units in the sector. “Therefore, CLS offers a modern internal training system equivalent to those in developed countries,” Ms. Nhan said, adding that FDI companies could immediately use the CLS system for VND10,000 to VND20,000 ($0.45 to $0.90) per user per month, depending on deployment scale and with no additional costs.

The solution is calculated to help enterprises save 75 per cent of training costs, 95 per cent of the time needed for organizing classes, and 100 per cent of travelling and accommodation costs for both students and trainers. Enterprises can increase their operational effectiveness by 2.5-fold and staff productivity by three-fold without any halt to operations.

“With CLS, it is easy for businesses to conduct training activities regularly and continuously to standardize their staff’s skills,” Ms. Nhan explained. “It also helps improve productivity and competitiveness, reduces costs, and increases revenue and profit. Using CLS is a long-term investment for sustainable development.”

With outstanding features in management, storage and distribution of training courses to each student and group, CLS supports people every time, everywhere. It also helps businesses implement check-ups and monitor the progress of each staff member. Other functions, such as conducting web meetings, organizing tests, and compiling reports, are also integrated into the system.

The CLS system has been implemented in nearly 500 businesses nationwide in different sectors, from production and distribution to retail, services, and education.

FLC Group to open first FLC Shopping Center in July

The FLC Group will officially open its first FLC Shopping Center in Hanoi in July, marking its entry into the retail sector.

Located at FLC Twin Towers, 265 Cau Giay Street, Cau Giay district, Hanoi, the shopping center has a “golden” location with easy access to arterial roads and is nearby a station on the upcoming Metro Line No. 2.

The local area is expected to become vibrant from a number of high-rise buildings being built near the metro.

Retailers can maximize profits at the location, accessing more than 225,000 local residents and more than 10,000 people at the FLC Business Center office block.

The FLC Shopping Center includes six floating floors with a total floor space of up to 25,000 sq m.

Managed by CBRE, it features a high-end design and a variety of amenities that promise to make it become a hub of business, shopping and entertainment in the west of the capital.

The mixed-use FLC Twin Towers sits on 163,188 sq m with two towers - a 50-story residential tower and a 38-story office tower - and a five-floor retail podium. It’s expected to go into full operations in June.

According to an FLC representative, the group will also launch its second FLC Shopping Center this year, at FLC Sea Towers, 11 An Duong Vuong Street in south-central Binh Dinh province’s Quy Nhon city.

The center is a combination of commercial space, apartments, and a hotel, with classy amenities such as an underground bar directly connected to the beach, a security system, an intelligent parking and warning system, the five-star Novotel Hotel, an entertainment area, and an infinity pool.

Millennials finding home ownership difficult

Across large parts of the world, Generation Y is struggling to get a foot on the property ladder without help from parents or grandparents, according to Ms. Sophie Chick, Head of Residential Research, Savills Sydney, and Mr. Duong Duc Hien, Director of Residential Sales, Savills Hanoi, who examined the issue from the perspectives of two different markets.

In emerging Vietnam, according to the mid-term Population and Housing survey, the home ownership ratio was 90.8 per cent in 2014, down slightly from 92.8 per cent in 2009. A closer examination, however, indicates that this high ratio is the result of inheritance or significant financial support from the older generation. Mr. Hien believes that without this help, home ownership for under 35s is challenging.

“Admittedly there is a gap between young buyers’ incomes and housing prices in major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City,” he said. “A mid-end two-bedroom apartment in Hanoi costs between $140,000 and $200,000, close to the average in developed markets, while the average income in Vietnam is nowhere near the level in those markets.” Family support clearly plays a large role in the financial capacity of young homebuyers in Vietnam.

Housing affordability has become a worldwide issue since the global financial crisis (GFC) a decade ago, partly because mortgage lending has been significantly curtailed by regulation. It is the younger generation, usually needing the highest loan-to-value ratios and loan-to-income ratios, who are most affected.

This has become evident in developed markets. In Australia, the share of homeowners aged 25 to 34 is 45 per cent (it was 58 per cent in 1986); much lower than in Vietnam. In the US, the current rate is 31 per cent for under 35s, against 39 per cent in 1995, while in the UK, only 5 per cent of housing equity is owned by under 35s, who are now paying four and a half times as much in rent to landlords as they are in mortgage interest.

Ms. Chick believes this generational effect goes beyond the GFC and “is symptomatic of how equity has become concentrated in older generations through a history of home ownership, mortgages and price rises.”

“Meanwhile, younger ‘equity have-nots’ find it increasingly difficult to access owner occupation, requiring large amounts of equity to fund rising prices and higher deposits. Generation Y (aka Generation Rent) is having to delay life choices such as marriage and parenthood, and one of the essential requirements to become a home purchaser now is a dual income, despite the low interest rate period seen post-GFC.”

This will be a particular issue for developed economies, but not irrelevant to recently emerging ones such as Vietnam. Ms. Chick expects that the scarcity of equity among first-time buyers and limits to affordability in many Western countries will act as an effective ceiling on house prices and lower price growth will be the result. For Vietnam, Mr. Hien believes this issue will encourage buyers to use financial leverage, which is yet to be common. The growth of Vietnam’s economy in coming years will hopefully increase average incomes and bring them closer to housing prices.

Vietnam Airlines picks up TripAdvisor award

TripAdvisor, the world’s leading travel website, has announced the winners of its Travelers’ Choice awards for favorite airlines around the globe, with national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines finding a place for the first time.

TripAdvisor’s Best Travelers’ Choice Major Airlines awards honor the world’s top carriers based on the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings submitted by travelers worldwide over the last 12 months. The traveler community on TripAdvisor evaluated airlines based on eight criteria: customer service, seat comfort, legroom, cleanliness, food and drinks, flight procedures, entertainment, and value for money.

Vietnam Airlines received more than 4,000 out of 900,000 reviews from TripAvisor users in 26 different languages of 550 airlines around the world, becoming one of the most popular carriers in Asia in 2018 together with other famous airlines such as Singapore Airlines, ANA, Korean Air, Garuda Indonesia, and Cathay Pacific.

Over the past two years the national flag carrier has been awarded four-star services by UK-based SkyTrax and in 2017 won the “World’s Leading Cultural Airline” award at the World Travel Awards.   

Launched in 2002, Travelers’ Choice is the most prestigious award of TripAdvisor, based on millions of reviews and opinions from travelers, reflecting service, quality, products and travel destinations.

Vietnam Airlines was founded in 1956 as a State-owned enterprise when the Vietnam Civil Aviation Department was established by the government, marking the birth of Vietnam’s civil aviation industry. In 1995, the Vietnam Airlines Corporation was born, with the gathering together of 20 aviation enterprises and the airline itself as the core business. In 2010, it was restructured into a limited liability company.

Vietnam Airlines officially became a member of the Skyteam Aerospace Alliance in 2010, making it the first Southeast Asian carrier to have joined the world’s second-largest global airline alliance and expanding its network to more than 1,000 destinations in 177 countries. In 2015, it became only the second airline in the world to operate both Boeing 787-9 and Airbus A350 modern aircraft at the same time. It currently operates more than 90 routes to 20 domestic destinations and 29 international destinations, with an average of 400 flights a day.

Manufacturing firms optimistic about production in second quarter

Approximately 89.6% of surveyed enterprises in the manufacturing industry said that their business and production activities will be stronger and more stable in the second quarter of 2018.

According to a recent survey by the General Statistics Office of Vietnam (GSO) on business trends in manufacturing enterprises, 75.4% of firms said that their business in the first quarter of the year had seen improvements compared to the fourth quarter of 2017 and the trend promises to continue for the second quarter of the year.

The quarterly survey was conducted on more than 6,500 firms operating in the manufacturing industry across 63 provinces and cities around the country with a response rate of over 90%.

The survey revealed that 91.8% of manufacturing enterprises in the FDI sector expressed their optimism for improved business operations in the second quarter of 2018 while 88.8% of enterprises in the State-owned sector, and 88.6% of enterprises in the private sector, showed their belief in a better upcoming quarter.

Regarding production output, 91% of firms predicted an increase in their output for the second quarter of this year.

Of those, 93.6% of FDI firms expected increased or stable output while 91.7% of State-owned firms and 89.9% of private firms forecasted a higher output in the second quarter of the year.

VNN

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Social News 15/4


War-era bomb found in Quang Ninh


 

Farmers cash in on intercropping, Ties between apartment management boards and residents to be tightened, Lack of policies hinders digital signatures, HCM City eyes 3 transport projects
Company 319 (under the Defence Ministry) moves the MK82 bomb from the site 

A bomb and mine disposal company on April 13 safely removed a 225-kg bomb believed to be dropped by US planes in 1972 from the construction site of a highway in the northern province of Quang Ninh. 

Company 319 (under the Defence Ministry) discovered the MK82 bomb when clearing unexploded ordnance in Tien Lang commune (Tien Yen district) in preparation for the construction of the Van Don-Mong Cai Highway.  

Post-war bombs and mines have remained a daily threat in Vietnam. 

It is estimated that more than 6.1 million ha of land or 18.71 percent of Vietnam’s total area are contaminated with about 800,000 tonnes of bombs, mines and unexploded ordnances (UXO) left by wars, which are scattered over all 63 cities and provinces in the country, with the central region the hardest hit.

Between 1975 and now, bombs and mines killed more than 40,000 people and injured 60,000 others. 

Each year, Vietnam decontaminates from 40,000-50,000 ha of land. However, it will take more than a century to clear all bombs and mines in the country, with an estimated cost of over 10 billion USD, excluding spending on resettlement and social welfare work in the danger zones.

Taste of Australia family BBQ to be held in Da Nang


 

Farmers cash in on intercropping, Ties between apartment management boards and residents to be tightened, Lack of policies hinders digital signatures, HCM City eyes 3 transport projects 

The Australian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City will host the annual Taste of Australia Family BBQ, a public outdoor community barbecue for the general public, Australians, Australian alumni and their families, in the central city of Da Nang on April 22.

The event, held from 12:00 to 18:00 at Ocean Villas Da Nang, is part of the Taste of Australia 2018, according to a press release of the Australian Embassy in Vietnam.

“This year, our family BBQ event will be bigger and better than ever as we are also celebrating the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and Vietnam,” said Australian Consul-General Karen Lanyon.

Come along to enjoy delicious Australian foods, premium Aussie beer and wines and fantastic live entertainment, including Australian singer-songwriter Nick Barker, she stated.

There are also plenty of activities for the kids including a bouncy castle, slip and slide and cricket, and watch Taste of Australia Ambassador Luke Nguyen and celebrity chef Ngo Thanh Hoa battle it out in an Aussie BBQ challenge, she added.

Participants can also win free nights at 5-star resorts, golf rounds and food and wine vouchers. All profits will be donated to charity.

Farmers cash in on intercropping 

 

Farmers cash in on intercropping, Ties between apartment management boards and residents to be tightened, Lack of policies hinders digital signatures, HCM City eyes 3 transport projects
Harvesting durian in Đắk Lắk Province’s Krông Pắk District. 


Farmers in the Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) region are earning high incomes from growing perennial fruit trees, which are currently in high demand.

Đỗ Quang Danh, a farmer who grows lychees and longans on a 3.5ha plot of land in Đắk Lắk Province’s Ea Kar District, now earns an annual profit of more than VNĐ400 million (US$17,600).

In the past, he planted cassava and beans and earned little profit, he said.

Đắk Lắk, one of the region’s leading provinces in intercropping fruit trees in coffee orchards, has more than 12,000ha of land dedicated to growing fruits, according to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. 

Deputy Director of the province’s agriculture department Huỳnh Quốc Thích said the soil and weather conditions in the province are well suited to fruit cultivation. He also said that when growing coffee and pepper, it is important to have other trees to provide shade and protect them from winds.

Fruit tree cultivation in coffee and pepper orchards has thus proven effective, he said, adding that in Gia Lai Province’s Chư Pưh and Chư Sê districts, many farmers have intercropped fruit trees in their orchards.

Biện Tấn Quỳnh, who has a 3ha orchard in Chư Pưh, said: “I began to intercrop avocado, durian, passion fruit and jackfruit trees into my pepper and coffee orchard two years ago.”

Last year, a few dozen of the avocado trees began bearing fruit for the first time, and this year around 100 of the trees are expected to produce fruit in his orchard.

Chư Pưh District has about 300ha of fruits that are mostly intercropped in coffee or pepper orchards, according to the Chư Pưh District’s Agriculture and Rural Development Division. The district has no concentrated fruit planting area.

Deputy head of the district’s agriculture division Nguyễn Long Khánh said the area of intercropped fruit trees has existed for five to seven years.

“Fruit trees are not the district’s primary focus, but local authorities are encouraging farmers to intercrop with other plants to increase income,” he said.

According to statistics from Đắk Nông Province, the amount of land used for fruit trees rose from nearly 3,500ha in 2010 to 7,000ha this year.

The most popular fruits grown in the provice are durians, mangos, oranges and mandarins. Cultivation of these fruits is providing farmers with an anual profit of up to VNĐ400-500 million per hectare.     

Đắk Nông Province is committed to developing concentrated fruit growing areas for durians, mangos, avocados, passion fruit and citrus fruits.

Lê Quang Dần, deputy director of the Đắk Nông Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that having concentrated fruit growing areas would yield a large quantity of product, and subsequently get farmers a better deal with companies who are buying from them.

Under the instruction of local authorities, farmers have turned thousands of hectares of farmland into fruit orchards. Previously, this farmland had no irrigation facilities and was considered unsuitable for coffee tree growth. 

The Tây Nguyên region, which includes the Đắk Lắk, Lâm Đồng, Đắk Nông, Gia Lai and Kon Tum provinces, has more than 35,000ha of perennial fruits under cultivation. Local farmers are continuing to plant more fruit orchards or intercrop fruit trees in their coffee or pepper orchards.

Ties between apartment management boards and residents to be tightened
 

 

Farmers cash in on intercropping, Ties between apartment management boards and residents to be tightened, Lack of policies hinders digital signatures, HCM City eyes 3 transport projects
The investor of the Goldmark City project in Nam Từ Liêm District faces protests from residents for changing the design of buildings. - Photo taichinhvietnam.net.vn


Apartment management boards are meant to protect the rights of residents.

But when a dispute between residents and the board arises, things can get ugly.

Opaque financial reports are one major reason leading to conflicts between residents and managing boards.

Residents of Văn Phú Victoria project in Hà Đông District have claimed that the annual operation expenses for the building reach VNĐ17 billion (US$750,000), according to the fees they have paid.

How the money was allocated, distributed and paid remains unknown as the managing board refuses to publish it.

A resident who did not want to reveal his name told Vietnam Television he did not know who held responsibility for undertaking those reports. 

“The total amount of money paid and the sum they calculated do not match,” he said.

Residents, therefore, established a supervisory team to watch out for the management board. However, the effort has borne little fruit.

“They do not listen to our opinions to improve the apartment operation. They even find means to obstruct us,” said Nguyễn Văn Sơn, a team member.

As many complaints had not been heard, on April 5, an unscheduled meeting was held by residents, asking for answers from the management board.

They, once again, dodged by refusing to give an accurate assessment of financial reports.

“We will answer at the official apartment conference,” said Trần Minh Tân, head of the management board.

Conflicts between residents and management boards are common in big cities, especially in HCM City.

By the end of 2017, the city has more than 140,000 apartments. Nguyễn Linh from Phú Nhuận District told Tuổi trẻ (Youth) newspaper that the management board of the complex he lived in decided the operation fees without consulting residents.

According to him, the board has never published reports on fee collection, including services, parking and cable televisions.

“Some people doubt the management board’s ability to receive money to let them offer exclusive services for residents. Therefore, we have no choice but to use their services,” Linh said.

Experts stress transparency and responsibility as key elements to help residents and management boards live in harmony.

Nguyễn Tiến Dũng, director of Savista Real Estate Company, said that project investors should be transparent in making apartment sale contracts and indicate public space and expenses clearly.

Nguyễn Bích Sơn, director of NPC Company, said that a common standard of living in apartment should have been developed by residents.

As Vietnamese people choose apartments based mostly on the price ranges, they have to tolerate people leading different lifestyles. Sơn recommended customers of construction projects consider living quality and style before investing in an apartment.

Investors, management boards and residents need to respect each other to solve problems, he said.

In late March, to deal with incidents happening to apartments across the city, HCM City People’s Committee asked all apartments to establish management boards to ensure safety and make apartments livable for all residents.

Lack of policies hinders digital signatures
 

Farmers cash in on intercropping, Ties between apartment management boards and residents to be tightened, Lack of policies hinders digital signatures, HCM City eyes 3 transport projects

 

Vague regulations are hindering the use of personal digital signatures in Việt Nam despite rapidly growing demand, an official said on Thursday.- Photo qdnd.vn


Vague regulations are hindering the use of personal digital signatures in Việt Nam despite rapidly growing demand, an official said on Thursday.

Speaking at a conference on policies for digital signature on mobile devices, the National Electronic Authentication Centre (NEAC) director Lã Hoàng Trung said Việt Nam is a country with a young population where more than 70 per cent of people use mobile devices in big cities.

With everything online now, the demand for valid digital signatures in Việt Nam was huge, he said.

Trung, however, said that accounts authenticated by the NEAC to have valid digital signatures were disproportionate from businesses, with individuals accounting for less than 5 per cent.

“The main reason is there are few to none services accepting personal digital signatures while the authentication process is not available on mobile devices,” he added.

“The demand is there, the technological solutions are also ready. What Việt Nam lacks is detailed regulations.”

Information and Communications deputy minister Nguyễn Thành Hưng said the Government was determined to accelerate the use of information technology in agencies, businesses and all of society.

That will be impossible without the “prerequisite” condition of information security of applications, he said, adding that a mechanism to confirm the safety of an online service for both providers and customers - through digital signatures for example – was very important and necessary.

Hưng said that the Ministry of Information and Communications is drafting and will soon release or submit to higher level policies and regulations on the use of digital signatures on mobile devices.

HCM City eyes 3 transport projects
 

Farmers cash in on intercropping, Ties between apartment management boards and residents to be tightened, Lack of policies hinders digital signatures, HCM City eyes 3 transport projects

 

Three transport infrastructure works proposed in HCM City are expected to ease congestion on roads. - Photo nld.com

The HCM City Department of Transport has sought approval from the municipal People’s Committee for three transport infrastructure works to be undertaken in build-transfer mode.

The works, including upgrades to Nguyễn Duy Trinh Street and dredging of the Tắt River in District 9 and widening of Trần Đại Nghĩa Street in Bình Thạnh District, are budgeted to cost VNĐ 6.6 trillion (US$290 million).

The District 9 works are expected to ease traffic congestion near Cát Lái Port and connect ports in districts 9 and Thủ Đức.

With an expected cost of some VNĐ4.7 trillion ($206 million), the widening of Trần Đại Nghĩa Street is expected to unclog Provincial Road 10 by sharing some of its traffic.

According to the department, feasibility reports have been done for these projects.

Nhân pockets first win in cycling race
 

 

Farmers cash in on intercropping, Ties between apartment management boards and residents to be tightened, Lack of policies hinders digital signatures, HCM City eyes 3 transport projects
Trần Nguyễn Duy Nhân of the Military Zone 7 crosses the finish line in the 14th stage of the HCM City Television Cycling Tournament yesterday. - Photo of the organisers


Trần Nguyễn Duy Nhân of Military Zone 7 pulled off a shock to win the 14th stage of the HCM City Television Cycling Tournament yesterday.

Nhân was not fancied to triumph, with green jersey holder Lê Nguyệt Minh of Minh Giang HCM City and three-stage winner Nguyễn Thành Tâm of Hạt Ngọc Trời An Giang the favourites.

However, Nhân sprinted from behind to leave the other cyclists behind to win the 94km track from Quy Nhơn to Tuy Hòa City in Phú Yên Province in a time of two hours, 30 minutes and 10 seconds.

It was his first win in the tournament, with Tâm coming second and Minh third.

In the overall rankings, Huỳnh Thanh Tùng of Milittary Zone 7 leads with a total time of 35:49.51. Meanwhile VUS-HCM City leads the team ranking.

In the 15th stage around Tuy Hòa City, cyclists will race 40km. The stage will be aired live on HTV9, and HTV thể thao from 8am.

HCM City apartments face fire risks
 

 

Farmers cash in on intercropping, Ties between apartment management boards and residents to be tightened, Lack of policies hinders digital signatures, HCM City eyes 3 transport projects

HCM City fire prevention police have announced a list of apartment buildings which have failed to meet fire safety requirements or have failed to be checked for fire safety system before being put into operation.

The list consists of eight apartment buildings in different districts in the city. 

The City Gate Towers on Vo Van Kiet Street in District 8 invested by Hung Thanh Company did not conform to the approved fire safety standards. However, residents have moved in to some 714 out of the 29-storey building’s 1,092 apartments.

The Hung Thanh Company is also the investor of Carina Plaza apartment building in HCM City where the fire happened recently, causing 13 deaths and 91 injuries.

Bay Hien Towers in Tan Binh District invested in by Long Hung Phat Company faced the same problem with City Gate Tower. The investors have already let residents live in 72 apartments of the building.

Ngoc Phuong Nam in District 8 which has 25 floors with 216 apartments has not yet undergone fire safety checks, but 128 apartments have been handed over to buyers.

Nguyen Quyen in Binh Tan District, Bac Binh in Binh Thanh District, Cao Oc Xanh in District 9, Ngoc Khanh in District 5, Hung Vuong in District 5 apartment blocks all missed fire safety inspection before being put into operation.

 The HCM City’s fire prevention police have asked municipal authorities to deal with the violations and instructed the Department of Construction to tighten control over construction violations in the city.

Many cars hit by stones on Hanoi-Thai Nguyen highway
 

 

Farmers cash in on intercropping, Ties between apartment management boards and residents to be tightened, Lack of policies hinders digital signatures, HCM City eyes 3 transport projects

The North-South Construction and Investment Consultancy Company, which manages the Hanoi-Thai Nguyen Highway has reported that several cars were hit by stones on the evening of April 11.

The company has received complaints from several drivers whose cars were broken by stones. The firm will work with management agencies to inspect the case.

Driver Nguyen Thai Vinh in Hanoi said that his car was hit by stones at around 10 pm when travelling through Van Ha Commune, Dong Anh District. Drivers of four other cars reported the same problem, Vinh added.

Early last year, a car was also hit by a big stone on the highway’s section through Pho Yen Town, Thai Nguyen Province. The car which was running at 80 kilometres an hour had its windscreen seriously damaged. Luckily, people in the car were safe.

Cao Bang meets standards on education universalisation
 

 

Farmers cash in on intercropping, Ties between apartment management boards and residents to be tightened, Lack of policies hinders digital signatures, HCM City eyes 3 transport projects
Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Huu Do speaks at the working session with Cao Bang's authorities 


The northern mountainous province of Cao Bang has been recognised to have met standards on education universalisation and illiteracy eradication in 2017.

A delegation of the Ministry of Education and Training led by Deputy Minister Nguyen Huu Do made the recognition during a working session with the province’s authorities on April 13.

Specifically, Cao Bang has fulfilled requirements for preschool universalisation, and for primary education universalisation at second level. The province also satisfied requirements for junior high school education universalisation and illiteracy eradication both at first level.

The standards cover the quantity and quality of teachers, along with teaching and learning facilities and equipment.

Also in 2017, eight districts of Cao Bang completed illiteracy eradication at first level and five achieved the second level.

Besides, all communes and towns of the province had community learning centres.

To build up the achievement, Cao Bang will begin the assessment and classification of different education models while working to enhance the capacity and effectiveness of the network of continuing education centres.

The province will also assess the outcomes of a project on building a learning society in 2012-2020.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Huu Do hailed the provincial administration for taking effective measures in popularising education and reforming teaching methods for better education quality and sustained outcomes of education universalisation.

He recommended that the province prepare resources to build facilities serving the development of a learning society and pay more attention to strengthening community learning centres.

Diverse activities mark Vietnam’s Ethnic Culture Day 2018


VNN

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Government approves US$379 million investment in hydropower plan


 Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung recently signed a decision on ratifying a plan to expand the country’s second largest hydropower plant in Hoa Binh province at a cost of nearly VND8.6 trillion (US$379 million).


 

Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant is recognized as an important project to national security


Under Decision No. 389/QĐ-TTg, the expanded project of the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant will include two turbines with total capacity of 480MW. Once completed, due in 2022 or 2023, the plant’s average power is expected to reach 479 million kWh per year, while its electricity mobilization during peak hours will increase to 264.4 million kWh per year.

Vietnam Electricity Corporation will pay for 30 percent of the project, while the remaining 70 percent will come from commercial loans.

According to the decision, the investment aims to raise the national power network’s peak power and maximize utilization of water discharged from the plant in the flood season for generating power.

It will also help improve frequency modulation capability and stabiles the frequency of the national electricity system and reduce the working intensity of available turbines of the plant, thus prolonging the life of equipment and saving maintenance and repair costs.

The Hoa Binh hydro power plant, located in the northern province of Hoa Binh, is the second largest hydropower plant in Vietnam, after the Son La hydro power plant, with an annual electricity output of over 10 billion kWh. The power station currently accounts for over a quarter of the country's electricity output.

The Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant was recognized as one among seven projects of significant importance to national security last year according to a Government’s decision. In accordance with the decision, the protection of the plant is determined as an important task of the public security force and related ministries and sectors.

According to statistics by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the national total power output was 46.2 billion kWh in the first quarter of this year, up 10.4 percent year-on-year.

Demand for electricity in the second quarter is set to increase by 12.5 percent at the peak of the dry season compared to last year, which usually records the highest power consumption of the year.

While the backbone of Vietnam’s electricity remains hydropower, the Electricity of Vietnam Group (EVN) said power supply will be ensured for the coming dry season.

To meet the high demand, the EVN will fully utilize coal and gas sources to run coal turbines (in thermoelectric power plants Vinh Tan 2, Vinh Tan 4, Duyen Hai 1 and Duyen Hai 3), in addition to the reliance on reservoirs to ensure sufficient water to operate hydropower facilities in the lowlands. If necessary, the group will operate thermoelectric turbines that run on oil to ensure supply.

In addition, the group’s affiliate, the National Power Transmission Company, was asked to ensure safe operation and continuous transmission of power grids, especially the 500kV north-south line.

In terms of construction, the group will accelerate completion of projects in the second quarter this year to ensure power supply, including granting a Provisional Acceptance Certificate for Thermo-power plants of Vinh Tan 4 and Thai Binh and finishing a 500kV Vinh Tan-Song May transmission line.

In the second quarter this year, the corporation will try to launch the 500kV west Hanoi – Thuong Tin transmission line, a 500kV/220kV Nho Quan-Phu Ly-Thuong Tin line and 500kV transmission stations in Chon Thanh Township in the southern province of Binh Phuoc and My Tho city of Tien Giang province.

Hanoi Times

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Being a shipper in Vietnam: instant but not easy money


A shipper’s work day can last until 11:00 pm 


 

Being a shipper in Vietnam: instant but not easy money
Employees of a delivery service categorize and arrange goods in the warehouse before assigning them to be shipped. Photo: Tuoi Tre


Delivery men on motorbikes, known locally as “shippers,” are becoming more common in Vietnam.

Countless “shippers” snake their way through Ho Chi Minh City’s traffic every day to deliver goods to eagerly awaiting customers.

But as with most jobs, the delivery business is not a walk in the park.

At the end of his sophomore year, Phan Van Dao’s parents bought him a motorbike.

That was three years ago. Since then, Dao has spent his days receiving orders via cellphone and transferring goods to customers.

Every now and then, Dao’s work day stretches to 11:00 pm as he battles traffic and picks up late orders.

Though his work hours are spent driving through dusty streets on hot, sunny days and battling floods in the rain, the flexibility is just one of the reasons Dao has stuck with shipping.

Nguyen Hoang Hai is also a keen shipper.

“We make up to ten deliveries every day so we need to be constantly picking up and delivering goods until late at night. Sometimes we even have to leave unfinished meals to pick up delivery orders from customers. After driving around the city for a whole day, our faces are covered with dust. At least we can wash our faces. I can’t even imagine what is going to happen to our lungs,” Hai joked about his experience.

Like any other job, shipping is not always smooth sailing.

At times, Dao is in such a rush to deliver packages that he runs a red light and is stopped by the police, turning a VND15,000 (US$0.7) payday into a VND300,000 ($13) fine and complaints from angry customers about a lack of punctuality.

But racing against the clock is normal for a delivery driver. Certain parcels need to be delivered within two hours – barely enough time for the shipper to get to the warehouse, pick up the parcel, and make it to the customer.

Beating other shippers to accepting is another added stress of the job. A driver who takes his eyes off the app for just a few moments may miss the chance for a lucrative payday.

The riskiest part of the job, however, is delivering food. 

Being in a hurry has led to several situations in which Dao let the food become too messy for the customer to accept the delivery. In those cases, he is forced to eat the food himself to keep it from going to waste.

Another challenge these delivery men face is traffic jams.

“Traffic jams are the scariest,” Dao says.

“I usually calculate just enough time [for the parcel to be delivered], but when I see a traffic jam I know I am in trouble. It is alright when the customers are easy-going, but some demanding customers refuse to pay for the goods and the delivery service. Even if they do, I am still marked in the system as ‘late.’  I receive a penalty if that occurs too often.”

On the other hand, being a shipper does have its perks.

“Working as a delivery man, I do not have to wait until the end of the month to be paid because I’m paid directly after delivering the goods. It is a really good feeling to have the money in my hands, but there are times I have to pay the price,” Dao says.

According to Hai, a hard worker can make a considerable monthly income in the shipping business. On the flip side, bigger paydays come with bigger competition.

“I didn’t accept delivery orders made late in the night or ones with low shipping fees and bigger deposits. However, these days I pick them all or else other shippers might take the offer. There are even freelance shippers who agree to lower prices,” Hai said about his job.

 By Ha My / Tuoi Tre News Contributor

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Social News 16/4


Social media – effective tool for tourism companies


 

Social media – effective tool for tourism companies, Chinese Embassy in Vietnam meets with local reporters, Australia helps Vietnam with slaughtering management, skills, HCM City to host activities for Hung Kings’ death anniversary
Visitors learn about tours at the HCM City Tourism Fair.


Social platforms are effective channels where online tourism firms interact with potential customers, and the travel industry must transform to keep pace with technological changes, experts have said.

La Quoc Khanh, deputy director of the HCM City Department of Tourism, said the fourth industrial revolution is making its way into people’s lives, with almost every device being connected with the internet, representing a new way of communicating and doing business.

With Industry 4.0, the tourism industry must figure out how to adopt new technologies to engage with a customer and gain market share, he told an online tourism forum held on April 13 in HCM City as part of the HCM City Tourism Fair.

Vietnam ended 2017 with GDP growth of 6.8 percent, Huynh Bich Tran, deputy director of Nielsen Vietnam, a global information and measurement company, said.

The service sector also saw significant growth, and contributing to this was increasing tourism and a number of government initiatives, she said.

The number of domestic tourists reached 73 million last year, a year-on-year increase of 20 percent, while the number of foreign tourists rose by 30 percent to 13 million. 

Vietnamese consumer confidence finished 2017 on a high note as Vietnam continued to be ranked as the seventh most optimistic country in the world, according to the latest issue of the Conference Board Global Consumer Confidence Survey done in collaboration with Nielsen.

There was a sustained high confidence level among Vietnamese consumers through 2017, the survey found.

Vietnamese consumers were eager to spend on big ticket items to enhance the quality of life. Nearly half of all consumers were willing to spend their spare cash on buying new clothes (49 percent) and on holidays (44 percent).

There were 23 million “connected” spenders – referring to people who have access to the internet -- in Vietnam in 2015 and the number is expected to nearly double to 40 million by 2025, according to Nielsen.

By 2025 their spending is expected to account for a half of all consumer spending.

Smartphones sustain the growth momentum as usage and ownership keep increasing in Vietnam.

According to the 2017 Nielsen Vietnam Smartphone Insights Report, the number of people using smartphones accounted for 84 percent of all phone users in 2017 compared to 78 percent a year earlier.

In secondary cities, 71 percent of people use smartphones out of the 93 percent that use mobile phones.

More notably, in rural areas, while 89 percent of the population own a mobile phone, 68 percent of them possess a smartphone.

Social media could be a channel to bring customers to online tourism enterprises, and optimising access for connected customers holds the key to success, Tran said.

Some sources that customers consult before using services include social media (60 percent), friends and relatives (48 percent) and online travel forums (45 percent), she said.

The feedback and comments on forums from earlier customers have a strong effect on the decision of new customers, she added.

According to Jennifer Chau, business manager of Facebook Vietnam, on average Vietnamese customers spend three hours a day on mobile phones, more than on newspapers (56 minutes), television (1.4 hours) or radio (43 minutes).

It is expected that by 2021 half of online tourism revenues would come from mobile phones.

"There are 59 million active Facebook users in Vietnam, with 97 percent of them using smart phones to browse," she said.

All travellers are users of social platforms and Facebook is the top social platform, according to Chau.

Creative videos with good contents are the most effective way to touch potential customers.

Lao students in Son La enjoy traditional Bunpimay Festival


Social media – effective tool for tourism companies, Chinese Embassy in Vietnam meets with local reporters, Australia helps Vietnam with slaughtering management, skills, HCM City to host activities for Hung Kings’ death anniversary 

Tay Bac University holds a celebration of Bunpimay Festival for Lao students on April 13. 


Tay Bac University, a public higher education institution in the northern mountainous province of Son La, held a celebration of Bunpimay Festival for its Lao students on April 13.

Bunpimay Festival, the traditional New Year of Laos, has been annually celebrated by Tay Bac University in April with various cultural and sport activities as well as art performances.

The Lao and Vietnamese students together lighted candles, splashed water and tied threads on twists of each other, which are among the traditional rituals of the Bunpimay Festival to wish for peace and a happy New Year.

The Lao and Vietnamese students tie threads on each other's twists, a tradition of Bunpimay Festival. (Photo: VNA)

The students and lecturers join a ceremony to light candles to wish for peace and a happy Bunpimay Festival. (Photo: VNA)

“It is the second year I has celebrated the Bunpimay in the university. Though far away from home, I feel really happy as my lecturers and classmates have shown me warm affection and taken special care of me on these days,” said Koungnang Laeunglutthavong, a Lao student of the university.

“The Bunpimay Festival often takes place from April 14-16, coinciding with the time when students are preparing for examinations. So we cannot go back home for the festival. Thanks to the university, I am having a warm and cheerful Bunpimay like I had at home,” added Syvui Bun Buu Phanh from Laos.

According to Nguyen Thieu Son, deputy rector of Tay Bac University, the university now has 602 Lao students, including 589 undergraduate and foundation students and 13 postgraduate ones.

HCM City seminar launches emission reduction project


 

Social media – effective tool for tourism companies, Chinese Embassy in Vietnam meets with local reporters, Australia helps Vietnam with slaughtering management, skills, HCM City to host activities for Hung Kings’ death anniversary
Deputy head of Climate Change Department Truong Duc Tri 


A seminar was held in Ho Chi Minh City on April 13 to launch a 2018 Project to Support the Planning and Implementation of the Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (SPI-NAMA). 

The event was co-hosted by the MoNRE, the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)’s Office in Vietnam. 

Speaking at the event, representative of the municipal Climate Change Office Nguyen Huy Phuong said Ho Chi Minh City records huge emission with 38.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, accounting for nearly 13 percent of the country’s total. 

He said the city plans to refine legal regulations on emission reduction, enhance global cooperation, attract investment and improve management in the field. 

Chief of the SPI-NAMA project’s short-term research group Makoto Kato suggested saving energy by installing solar panels on high-rise buildings, using rapid buses and urban railway instead of personal vehicles, collecting exhaust fumes in landfills to manufacture organic fertiliser, recycle urban solid wastes, and collect fowl and cattle droppings to manufacture biogas. 

Luong Quang Huy, chief of the Greenhouse Emission Reduction Office under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE)’s Department of Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Change said under the greenhouse emission scenario, Vietnam will emit 400 million tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2018, 500 million tonnes by 2020, 600 million tonnes by 2025 and 800 million tonnes by 2030. 

He said between 2021-2030, Vietnam has pledged to reduce 8 percent of greenhouse emission, or nearly 62 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, with only domestic resources, and 25 percent with global support in the fields of energy, transport, agriculture and wastes. 

By 2015, the country will reduce greenhouse emission by 45 percent, increase the use of renewable energy to 44 percent and forest coverage by more than 50 percent. 

In order to achieve above targets, Vietnam has taken 45 mitigation measures with the use of necessary resources and technology. 

The MoNRE has submitted a Decree on greenhouse emission roadmap to the Prime Minister for approval this year.

Conference reviews climate change response support programme


 

Social media – effective tool for tourism companies, Chinese Embassy in Vietnam meets with local reporters, Australia helps Vietnam with slaughtering management, skills, HCM City to host activities for Hung Kings’ death anniversary
A conference took place in Hanoi on April 13 to review the support programme in response to climate change.  

The event was co-hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s Department of Climate Change and the Ministry of Planning and Investment’s Department of Science, Education, Natural Resources and Environment. 

Speaking at the event, head of the Department of Climate Change Tang The Cuong said Vietnam has actively realised commitments mentioned at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-21). 

He said Vietnam’s major policies in 2019, which should be added to a policy framework to submit to the Prime Minister in June 2018, will contribute to refining mechanisms towards the full implementation of the Paris Agreement to be valid in the country from 2021. 

Deputy head of the Department of Climate Change Pham Van Tan said eight goals of the support programme in response to climate change include response to natural disasters, climate monitor, ensuring water and food security amidst climate change, response to rising seawater level and disaster risks in vulnerable areas, sustainable forest management and development, emission reduction, response capacity improvement, and diversifying financial resources and improving investment efficiency. 

WB environment expert Stephen Ling lauded the Vietnamese government for basically achieving goals set in 2016 and 2017 and vowed to assist Vietnam in devising the policy framework in the near future. 

Over the past decade, the programme has made great contributions to climate change response in Vietnam. Each year, development partners together with ministries and agencies meet to discuss framework policies approved by the Prime Minister and agreed on priority policies in the coming years.

Chinese Embassy in Vietnam meets with local reporters


 

Social media – effective tool for tourism companies, Chinese Embassy in Vietnam meets with local reporters, Australia helps Vietnam with slaughtering management, skills, HCM City to host activities for Hung Kings’ death anniversary
Charge d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam Yin Haihong (second, left) speaks at the meeting (Source: tuoitre.vn) 

The Chinese Embassy in Vietnam met with local reporters in Hanoi on April 13 to brief them about the country’s major internal and external policies after meetings of the 13th National People’s Congress and the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

Charge d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam Yin Haihong said that in the past five years, China’s posted an annual average growth rate of 7.1 percent, while its contribution to the world economy rose from 11.4 percent to 15 percent.

During the period, people’s consumption contributing to the country’s economic growth increased from 54.9 percent to 58.8 percent, she said, adding that the ratio of service sector rose from 45.3 percent to 51.6 percent, making it a major motivation of China’s economic development.

China’s urbanization ratio rose from 52.6 percent to 58.5 percent, while its contributions in technological advance increased from 52.2 percent to 57.5 percent. Its poverty rate dropped to 3.1 percent from 10.2 percent, said Yin.

While highlighting the relationship between China and Vietnam, Yin said that China has always paid much attention to developing relations with Vietnam.

She noted that after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Party General Secretary and Chinese President Xi Jinping chose Vietnam as the destination for his first visit abroad, showing China’s great attention to the bilateral relations between the two countries.

The diplomat said that after the two important meetings in 2018, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Vietnam, marking the first visit to a foreign nation by a leader of the new Chinese government after the meetings.

According to Yin, China and China are maintaining a sound relationship that is entering a new period. Two-way trade exceeded 100 billion USD in 2017, she said, adding that China has been the biggest trade partner of Vietnam in many years. About 10 million people of both countries have visited each other’s country.

Yin stressed that the two nations should boost cross-border cooperation, while fostering connectivity and seeking stronger partnership in economy, trade, investment, culture, tourism, military affairs, law enforcement and science-technology.

The Chinese official also highlighted the role of the press in boosting the growth of bilateral ties and enhancing mutual understanding between people of the two countries.

She said China welcomes Vietnamese reporters to visit China to introduce the development of the relations between the two Parties, nations and people, affirming that the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam is willing to support and prioritise jounalists.

Regarding prioritised areas in Vietnam-China cooperative ties in the coming time, Yin said that the two sides will continue maintaining meetings and mutual visits by senior leaders of the two Parties and countries, while stepping up cooperation in the areas of investment, labour, culture, tourism, people-to-people exchanges, and media.

Australia helps Vietnam with slaughtering management, skills


 

Social media – effective tool for tourism companies, Chinese Embassy in Vietnam meets with local reporters, Australia helps Vietnam with slaughtering management, skills, HCM City to host activities for Hung Kings’ death anniversary 

The Vietnam Meat Industries JSC (VISSAN), one of Vietnam’s largest food producers, on April 13 launched a training project on slaughtering skills, aiming to improve the local slaughtering capacity and hygiene.

Funded by the Embassy of Australia and carried out by the programme Aus4skills, the project is part of a progamme on management, training and exchange of skills (MATES) to enhance the accessibility and sustainability of cattle trade between Vietnam and Australia. 

VISSAN is one of two facilities in southern Vietnam selected by the programme to host the skill training sessions.

The project will focus on improving slaughtering skills and hygiene and increasing product lifecycle, distribution, and marketing.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam said cooperation between Vietnamese and Australian enterprises is expanding in different areas, including investment, trade and agriculture. It is a positive signal for the start of a new era in the two countries’ partnership, he noted.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development expects that the bilateral relations in general and cooperation between the business communities of the two nations will further develop in the future, with active transfer of slaughtering technology and vocational training from Australia that will help bring more high-quality, safe and value-added food products to the Vietnamese market, he added.

Australian Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources David Littleproud described  Vietnam as a vibrant and potential market, offering many opportunities for firms from both sides. He reiterated that Vietnam remains as one of Australia’s key partners.

HCM City to host activities for Hung Kings’ death anniversary


Social media – effective tool for tourism companies, Chinese Embassy in Vietnam meets with local reporters, Australia helps Vietnam with slaughtering management, skills, HCM City to host activities for Hung Kings’ death anniversary

A ceremony commemorating the death anniversary of Hung Kings in Ho Chi Minh City in 2017  

A series of cultural and entertainment activities and art performance shows will be organised in Ho Chi Minh City to commemorate the death anniversary of Hung Kings in 2018. 

A ceremony commemorating the death anniversary of Hung Kings will be held at the Hung Kings Memorial site in the National Historical and Cultural Park in Ho Chi Minh City on April 25 (the 10th day of the third lunar month), featuring traditional rituals such as processions, and incense and flower offerings.

Art and traditional marital art performance programmes, dragon dances and drum performance will be orgnaised at the site on April 24-25. 

The first Chung cake-making contest, and a wide range of other activities such as a book exhibition, kite performance, folk games, calligraphy and food exhibition will also take place on April 22-23.

Legend has it that the Hung Kings ruled Vietnam from 2879 BC until 258 BC and are considered the founders of the nation. To honour the Kings, the tenth day of the third lunar month serves as the national commemorative anniversary for them. 

The worshipping rituals of the Hung Kings was recognised as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012.

Ethnic culture in Son La province to be introduced


 

Social media – effective tool for tourism companies, Chinese Embassy in Vietnam meets with local reporters, Australia helps Vietnam with slaughtering management, skills, HCM City to host activities for Hung Kings’ death anniversary
A performance of "Khen" art 


A traditional market in the northwestern province of Son La will be re-enacted at a festival honouring Vietnam’s ethnic groups, scheduled to take place during the Southern Liberation and National Reunification Day (April 30) and May Day holidays at the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism.

The market day will introduce local dishes and folk games of people in the Mong, Dao, Thai, Muong, Kho Mu and Tay groups to visitors.

Themed Colours of Vietnamese ethnic minority groups, the festival will also honour typical cultural characteristics of ethnic groups in Son La, including Mong people’s “Khen” art (a type of bamboo pipe) and the “pieu” scarf of Thai women, a specialty of their costume.

The Xen Cung festival of Kho Mu people in Dien Bien province will also be re-enacted at the event.

“Khen” art of the Mong ethnic group in Son La was named national intangible cultural heritage in 2015. 

Cultural activities are frequently held at the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism in Hanoi’s Son Tay town to promote and preserve the rich and diverse cultures of 54 ethnic groups across the country.

Diverse activities mark Vietnam’s Ethnic Culture Day 2018


 

Social media – effective tool for tourism companies, Chinese Embassy in Vietnam meets with local reporters, Australia helps Vietnam with slaughtering management, skills, HCM City to host activities for Hung Kings’ death anniversary


Cao Bang meets standards on education universalisation


Social media – effective tool for tourism companies, Chinese Embassy in Vietnam meets with local reporters, Australia helps Vietnam with slaughtering management, skills, HCM City to host activities for Hung Kings’ death anniversary 

Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Huu Do speaks at the working session with Cao Bang's authorities  

The northern mountainous province of Cao Bang has been recognised to have met standards on education universalisation and illiteracy eradication in 2017. 

A delegation of the Ministry of Education and Training led by Deputy Minister Nguyen Huu Do made the recognition during a working session with the province’s authorities on April 13. 

Specifically, Cao Bang has fulfilled requirements for preschool universalisation, and for primary education universalisation at second level. The province also satisfied requirements for junior high school education universalisation and illiteracy eradication both at first level. 

The standards cover the quantity and quality of teachers, along with teaching and learning facilities and equipment. 

Also in 2017, eight districts of Cao Bang completed illiteracy eradication at first level and five achieved the second level. 

Besides, all communes and towns of the province had community learning centres. 

To build up the achievement, Cao Bang will begin the assessment and classification of different education models while working to enhance the capacity and effectiveness of the network of continuing education centres. 

The province will also assess the outcomes of a project on building a learning society in 2012-2020.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Huu Do hailed the provincial administration for taking effective measures in popularising education and reforming teaching methods for better education quality and sustained outcomes of education universalisation. 

He recommended that the province prepare resources to build facilities serving the development of a learning society and pay more attention to strengthening community learning centres.

Hoc Mon district eyes urban farming

The outlying district of Hóc Môn in HCM City plans to focus on urban farming as part of the national “new-style rural area” programme in which it takes part.

Lê Thanh Liêm, deputy chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, said that urban farming could increase the income of local residents, which is an aim of the new rural area programme.  

Liêm spoke at a seminar in Hóc Môn District on Thursday (April 12) on the status of the district’s new rural areas and tasks for the rest of the year.

Hóc Môn’s urban farming models are considered effective, including cultivation of honeydew melons, mushrooms and orchids in net houses, the farming of hydroponic vegetables and breeding of ornamental fish.

Nguyễn Sĩ Phước, deputy head of the district’s Farmers Association, said that urban farming models are equipped with modern facilities and bring high profits to farmers.

Training courses on advanced farming techniques have been regularly organised by the district. 

The district’s 17 agricultural co-operatives and 20 agricultural co-operative teams also operate effectively, he said.

In the 2016-17 period, the district’s 10 communes have met an average of 10 of the 19 criteria set under the national target programme for new-style rural areas.

Last year, the average annual income of residents in Hóc Môn reached VNĐ51 million (US$2,200) per capita.

The district aims to have annual income VNĐ63 million ($2,770) per capita by 2020, according to the district’s People’s Committee.

Đỗ Thị Lâm Tuyền, deputy chairwoman of the People’s Committee, said the district had mobilised more than VNĐ3.16 trillion ($139 million) from various sources to implement the programme.

The district’s 178 farmer households have also donated more than 7,400 sq.m of land to upgrade and expand roads in the 2016-17 period.

Farming households have contributed more than 2,000 days of work to dredge drainage ditches, and to consolidate embankments and lanes in fields.  

Despite these improvements, participants at the seminar said that slow investment in infrastructure was hindering progress.

The district has 18 rural roads under construction that are behind schedule because of land clearance obstacles.

Phước said that each commune in the district should establish at least one more modern farming model to improve agricultural value. The models should focus on the district’s key products like vegetables, mushrooms, orchids and ornamental plants.

The district’s 50-ha water spinach area, which is planted under Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practice standards, has a stable outlet.

Nguyễn Cư, secretary of the district’s Party Committee, said the new rural area programme had helped improve the lives of residents.

Health insurance fund should be well-managed: Deputy PM


 

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Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam called for boosting cooperation in social insurance fund management to ensure both benefits and savings are maximised. 

Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam at a dialogue held on Thursday in Hà Nội between leaders of the Ministry of Health (MoH), Việt Nam Social Security (VSS). — Photo VGP“Balancing the health insurance fund is very important in the context of increasing medical costs and lowering health insurance premiums,” he said.

He spoke at a dialogue held on Thursday in Hà Nội between leaders of the Ministry of Health (MoH), Việt Nam Social Security (VSS) and the Vietnam Private Hospital Association (VPHA) on problems related to private medical facilities.

Deputy PM Đam stressed that the policy of the Party and the State was to encourage the private health sector to develop and implement policies on protecting and improving the people’s health in accordance with the law and to ensure that policy makers take into account real-life conditions.

Currently, the number of private hospital beds accounts for about 5 per cent of the total number of hospital beds nationwide. There are more than 30,000 private clinics.

The VSS has signed medical examination and treatment contracts with more than 600 private medical facilities. In 2016, the health insurance program paid VNĐ 6.6 trillion (US$286 million) for 17 million medical examinations and treatments in private sector.

Last year, as much as VNĐ8.6 billion (approximately 10 per cent of total national health insurance spending) was paid for 24.8 million medical treatments in the sector.

At the dialogue, Nguyễn Văn Đệ, chairman of the VPHA, raised 10 proposals that should be discussed. These included questions about the health insurance contract and the untimely payment for medical examinations and treatment, causing difficulties for private medical facilities. The fact that patients in private hospitals don’t get the same support as public ones in terms of health insurance payment was also a matter of concern.

Đệ suggested a number of mechanisms and regulations should be adjusted to support private health facilities, ensuring equity between private and public health care and better serving patients. He cited the signing of health insurance contracts as a typical example of discrepancies between public and private care.

Đệ said a number of private health facilities were “inferior” in signing health insurance payment contracts with the social insurance agency or had their contracts suspended suddenly after violations were detected.

Phạm Lương Sơn, deputy general of VSS, acknowledged that shortcomings in the signing and implementation of health insurance contracts had occurred in a number of localities. 

He said the VSS would soon issue guidance documents and request health insurance offices at provinces and cities strictly follow articles in the signed contracts.

Sơn stressed that VSS always encouraged private hospitals to participate in medical examination and treatment so that people would have more choices and public hospitals wouldn’t develop a monopoly in the health sector.

In response to opinions from representatives of private hospitals and clinics who expressed their anxiety over the delay in payment of health insurance for examinations and treatments, Phúc said it took a long time to reach an agreement between health insurance claims assessors and private health facilities.

He said due punishment had been imposed on health insurance offices at localities which experienced delays in making payments.

Đệ also admitted that a number of private hospitals had submitted reports to the health insurance agency too late, leading to low payment, adding that the association has requested its members abide by approved regulations.

At the end of the dialogue, the Deputy PM said that in the future, the MoH, the VSS and the private medical facilities should increase dialogue and information in order to immediately handle problems which arise.

Hospitals urged to improve management of health insurance costs

Also on Thursday, the Việt Nam Social Security and Department of Health in HCM City instructed hospitals and other health facilities to improve management of health insurance funds used to cover insured patients.

Speaking at a meeting to review the year’s first quarter, Lưu Thị Thanh Huyền, deputy director of VSS, said the fund this year would total around VNĐ9.5 trillion (US$416.7 million). 

Last year, the fund totalled VNĐ14.3 trillion ($627 million), but the covered amount was VNĐ16.4 trillion. As many as 273 hospitals and other health facilities, including 70 public and 73 private hospitals, exceeded insured costs last year.

The fund went over the allocated budget last year because too many patients were allowed to stay over at hospitals, especially for diseases related to eyes and for traditional treatment, she said.

Medicine prescribed at high prices was also a problem, while the monitoring was weak of patients who seek care at multiple facilities in a single day, according to Huyền.

Đinh Thị Liễu, head of the city’s Department of Health’s finance and planning division, said expenditures should be better managed as some hospitals would achieve financial autonomy this year.

“If the situation does not improve, unlike in previous years, it will take time to be reimbursed to cover the excess costs because authorities will want to ask questions about why the costs were too high,” she added.

Dr Đinh Thanh Hưng, director of Tân Phú District Hospital, said that medical staff at the hospital were worried about what they see as unavoidable costs. “As many as 200,000 outpatients, including those who are insured, who come from other areas in the city and provinces visit the hospital every day,” Hưng said.

He said the insurance fund payments for insured patients were too low. "The cost for surgery to remove a tumour in the chest, for instance, is VNĐ120,000," he said.

Emissions-mitigation project kicks off in HCM City


 

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An emissions-mitigation workshop discussed upcoming activities at a workshop held in HCM City on April 13.  

Activities for a project that will reduce the amount of emissions nationwide kicked off in HCM City yesterday at an inception workshop.

The project, officially called “Support Planning and Implementation of Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions” (SPI-NAMA), deals with regulations on greenhouse gas emissions, legislative actions, and local authorities’ responsibilities.

The workshop was organised by the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment (MONRE), HCM City’s Department of Natural Resource and Environment, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Attendees included officials of Việt Nam’s ministries, departments, research institutes and private sector; as well as Japanese advisors, experts and specialists.

Dr. Lương Quang Huy, director of MONRE’s Department of Climate Change, spoke about Việt Nam’s current readiness for Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) implementation, including a decree regulating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and an emissions reduction roadmap, among other issues.

According to the roadmap decree, GHG emissions in Việt Nam should be reduced by 6.6 per cent by 2025, or about 40 million tonnes of CO2 compared with business-as-usual (BAU). By 2030, reductions should reach at least 8 percent, or about 62.8 million tonnes of CO2 compared with BAU.

Nguyễn Huy Phương from the Climate Change Bureau of the city’s Department of Natural Resource and Environment reported the results of the SPI-NAMA project in the 2015-17 period as well as the HCM City Climate Change Action Plan for 2017-20.

HCM City discharges about 38.5 million tones of carbon dioxide, accounting for 26 per cent of the country’s total emissions.

Makoto Kato, team leader of SPI-NAMA project’s HCM City Component, described the 2018 work plan for technical works in HCM City.

He said the city’s climate change action plan would be strengthened at the policy level; a city-level GHG inventory would be improved, based on past cooperation; and an action plan and MRV [Measurement, Reporting and Verification] for energy efficiency in the transport sector would be developed.

Planned activities include revision of the current policy framework; city-level monitoring and evaluation to support quantification of the impact of policy; and support for action plan development and MRV for targeted sectors.

Disabled people need more support


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Handicraft products of people with disabilities are displayed at a fair on the sidelines of the workshop.  

Although the Government and citizens offer some support to people with disabilities, much more needs to be done, according to officials.

This was affirmed by delegates at the workshop entitled ‘Policies and credit solutions for developing vocational training, creating jobs and introducing products of people with disabilities’ which was held in Hà Nội on Thursday by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) in collaboration with Việt Nam Social Policy Bank (SPB) and Nippon Japan Foundation.

Participants said that in the past three years, vocational training and job creation for the disabled have encountered many difficulties.

Many organisations and businesses have worked to create jobs for disabled people but co-ordination has been poor, and there was no agency responsible for monitoring and researching the number of people with disabilities or how many need vocational training or jobs.

In addition, the preferential fund for people with disabilities was still limited, delegates said.

According to Lê Tấn Dũng, deputy minister of MOLISA, the loan source for disabled people and enterprises employing disabled people mostly came from the National Fund for Employment and from Nippon.

At present, there was no source of capital dedicated for people with disabilities to develop economically, he said.

People with disabilities still struggled to access loans because the Government has no mechanism for allocation of these loans, said Nguyễn Văn Lý, deputy general director of SPB.

A SPB report shows that in 2017, more than 2,365 projects of people with disabilities and enterprises employing disabled labourers have received loans, creating jobs for 2,540 disabled workers.

However, more than 11,000 disabled people need loans, Lý said.

Director of the Sóc Sơn Handicraft Co-operative, Đinh Thị Quỳnh Nga, said to help disabled people, agencies need to provide preferential policies to people with disabilities that are members of co-operatives and help the co-operatives access loans with low interest rates.

Lý also said the Government should continue improving the system of legal documents on people with disabilities, helping them benefit from the policies of the State.

At the same time, the Government should pay more attention to vocational training and allocate resources for credit policy programmes, he said.

According to the MOLISA, Việt Nam now has about eight million people with disabilities.

Some 87.27 per cent of them live in rural areas, 65 per cent are working age yet only 30 per cent are employed.

There are many stores displaying products made by people with disabilities on the sidelines of the workshop, helping them exchange experience and access information on vocational training, financial services, banking and insurance.

225-kg bomb found on road construction site


 

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Soldiers from the 319 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company move the 225-kg bomb found in Tiên Lãng Commune, Tiên Yên District in Quảng Ninh Province on Friday.  

A Mark 82 (MK 82 - an unguided bomb) bomb weighing 225 kilos was found on Friday morning at a road construction site in Thủy Cơ Hamlet, Tiên Lãng Commune in northeastern province of Quảng Ninh.

The 319 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company under the Ministry of Defence detected the bomb during an inspection to prepare for the Vân Đồn- Móng Cái expressway construction project.

The bomb, believed to be left from American war in 1972, was 225 kilos and 1.54 metres long.

The company removed the bomb to a safe place where it was deactivated. According to the company, it has found and deactivated another 10 explosive devices on the expressway construction site so far. 

Châu Đốc aims to become spiritual destination


 

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Temple visit: Visitors at Bà Chúa Xứ (Lady Xứ) Temple in Châu Đốc Town. — Photo thanhnien.vn 

Châu Đốc Town in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of An Giang has launched a project on sustainable tourism for the 2018-25 period to promote the town as a spiritual and cultural destination with unique tourism products and services.

Trần Quốc Tuấn, vice chairman of Châu Đốc Town’s People’s Committee, said that the project would focus on developing sustainable tourism, and help raise public awareness of professional and responsible tourism practices that contribute to local economic growth.

The project, called “Communication, Promotion, Human Resources Training and Brand Building for Châu Đốc Tourism”, has a total cost of VNĐ40 billion (US$1.76 million).

During the first phase of the project from 2018 to 2020, the town will focus on human resource training and marketing activities for products at home and abroad, according to Tuấn.

In the second phase from 2021 to 2025, the town will promote corporate brands and create market recognition in the Greater Mekong Sub-region and Southeast Asia, among other overseas markets.

The People’s Committee also announced that it had chosen a logo for the town with the image of seven lotus petals and Bà Chúa Xứ (Lady Xứ) Temple.

Millions of pilgrims flock to Lady Xứ Temple at the foot of Sam Mountain in Châu Đốc Town every year, especially during the temple’s most important festival held annually from the 23rd to the 27th day of the fourth lunar month.

Châu Đốc Town, with significant Chinese, Cham and Khmer communities, is famous for Sam Mountain, its centuries-old pagodas and the Trà Sư Bird Santuary.

Last year, the town attracted 4.9 million tourists and pilgrims. 

Tâm takes lead in HCM City cycling event


 

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Nguyễn Thành Tâm celebrates his stage win yesterday. — Photo plo.vn 

Nguyễn Thành Tâm won the 15th stage and took the yellow jersey at the HCM City Television Cycling Tournament yesterday.

Tâm of Gạo Hạt Ngọc Trời An Giang completed the 40km stage around Tuy Hòa City in Phú Yên Province with a time of 1:02.34. This is his fourth win in the tournament.

Tâm replaced Huỳnh Thanh Tùng of Military Zone 7, who finished fourth, as the leader of the tour. Tâm recorded a total time of 35:52.23. Tùng was just two seconds behind. Edgar Espaola Nito of Ynghua Đồng Nai stood third, clocking 36:53.18.

This win was a sweet revenge for Tâm who had lost his jersey to Tùng in the tournament two years ago in Phú Yên.

In the green jersey race, Lê Nguyệt Minh of Minh Giang-HCM City came second and Trần Nguyễn Duy Nhân of Military Zone 7, who had won the previous stage, came third.

Minh still leads the race with 177 points.

Positions in the team ranking did not change. VUS-HCM were on top, followed by Gạo Hạt Ngọc Trời An Giang and Military Zone 7.

The 120km 16th stage will be held today from Tuy Hòa to Nha Trang City in Khánh Hòa Province. Cyclists will have to conquer the Cả Pass. Bikelife Đồng Nai’s Loic Desriac is currently the leading contender in the race for the red polka dot jersey for the King of Mountain.

Sanna Khánh Hòa defeat Quảng Ninh Coal in V.League 1


 

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Sanna Khánh Hòa vs Quảng Ninh Coal in the fifth round of the V.League 1 yesterday. Khánh Hòa won 1-0. — Photo bongda.com.vn 

Midfielder Hoàng Nhật Nam scored Sanna Khánh Hòa’s only goal to help his team defeat Quảng Ninh Coal by a score of 1-0, in the fifth round of the V.League 1 yesterday.

Making full use of their home advantage, the Sanna Khánh Hòa players, coached by Võ Đình Tân, dominated the game during the first 20 minutes.

The visitors, Quảng Ninh Coal, fought back with strong attacking play by Phạm Nguyên Sa, Nguyễn Hải Huy and Nghiêm Xuân Tú.

However, without their key striker Eydison Teofilo Soares, who was out with an injury, Quảng Ninh Coal could not score during the first half.

After the break, Tân changed his team’s tactics and substituted players to win the three points.

In the 55th minute, Quảng Ninh midfielder Dương Thanh Hào illegally tackled striker Lâm Ti Phông inside the 16.5 metre area, and the hosts won a penalty. However, striker Youssouf Toure failed to beat the Quảng Ninh goalkeeper, Huỳnh Tuấn Linh.

In the 79th minute, after receiving a spectacular pass from Toure, Nam scored the opener for Khánh Hòa.  

With the win, Khánh Hòa is now on top of the league rankings with 10 points, followed by Hà Nội and Quảng Ninh Coal.

Hailstones rain down on mountainous Lao Cai province


 

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The hail in Nam Chay commune of Muong Khuong district, Lao Cai province, blanketed the ground with hailstones 1 – 1.5cm in diameter  

Hailstones accompanied by whirlwinds rained down on many places in Muong Khuong district, the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai, in the early morning of April 15.

Pham Xuan Thinh, deputy head of the agriculture division of Muong Khuong, said the slight hail, a result of a cold snap moving from the north, occurred in early morning during 0am to 5am in almost all communes of the district, lasting from five to 15 minutes.

However, he said, the hail did not cause considerable human or property damage.

Residents in Nam Chay commune said the hail, along with strong winds, lasted for 15 minutes, blanketing the ground with hailstones 1 – 1.5cm in diameter.

This was the second hail recorded in Lao Cai province since the beginning of 2018. It ended the hot weather and pushed temperatures down to 17 – 20 degrees Celsius, according to Director of the Lao Cai hydro-meteorological station Luu Minh Hai.

Vietnamese culture attracts visitors at int’l fair in Mexico


 

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Visitors show interest in Vietnamese handicrafts at the 10th International Friendly Cultures Fair in Mexico City  

The Vietnamese culture has impressed visitors at the 10th International Friendly Cultures Fair, which opened at Zocalo square in Mexico City, Mexico, on April 14.

After the fair’s opening ceremony, the pavilion of Vietnam, introducing the country’s landscapes and people, special handicrafts, ao dai (women’s traditional costume), and non la (traditional conical hats), attracted thousands of visitors.

A number of Mexicans and foreigners described the Vietnamese culture as unique and charming, which could be seen in women’s ao dai and lacquer products. Meanwhile, typical dishes of Vietnam like nem ran (fried spring roll) and coffee also inspired visitors’ interest.

Many visitors expressed their hope for increased presence of the Vietnamese culture in Mexico, adding that they also want to learn more about the country.

The International Friendly Cultures Fair 2018 draws the participation of 90 countries around the world, featuring hundreds of cultural activities. It is expected to attract 3 million visitors before wrapping up on April 29.

Criteria needed for model rural residential areas: Deputy PM


 

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Building transport infrastructure in Yen Dinh district, Thanh Hoa province (Illustrative image. 

Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue has asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to create a set of criteria for building model rural residential areas, gardens and farm households to submit to the Government as soon as possible.

He made the request at a conference in the central coastal province of Ha Tinh on April 15 focusing on model rural residential areas, gardens and farm households with the participation of representatives from 63 cities and provinces across the country.

According to the Deputy PM, such models will serve as an important foundation to build model rural areas at the communal and district levels.

He praised localities including Ha Tinh, Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa, Quang Nam and Thai Nguyen for their initial achievements in the direction, with new rural models meeting local residents’ aspiration.

Hue highlighted the role of authorities in devising scheme to build model residential areas and gardens that suit the conditions of each locality, adding that regular review is needed to learn from experience during the process.

The national target programme on building new-style rural areas, initiated by the Vietnamese Government in 2010, sets 19 criteria on socio-economic development, politics, and defence, aiming to boost rural regions of Vietnam.

The list of criteria includes development of infrastructure, improvement of production capacity, environmental protection, and promotion of cultural values.   

To date, as many as 3,289 communes nationwide have been recognised as rural areas, making up around 36.8 percent of the total communes.

Particularly, localities such as Ha Tinh, Quang Ninh, Quang Nam, Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Ho Chi Minh City, Lao Cai, and Quang Ngai have promulgated criteria for model rural residential areas, while Ha Tinh and Quang Ninh provinces have created criteria on building model gardens.

Vietnam Railways to add 30,000 tickets during upcoming holidays


 

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The VNR plans to operate more trains to serve the increasing travel demand during the upcoming holidays.  

The Vietnam Railways Corporation (VNR) has announced its plan to operate an increased number of trains, with an additional 30,000 tickets in service of passengers during the upcoming April 30 and May 1 holidays.

Specifically, the Hanoi Railway Transport JSC (HRT) will supplement 29 trains with more than 15,170 tickets for all routes, while the Saigon Railway Transport JSC (SRT) will allocate 28 additional trains from Saigon Station to Phan Thiet city (Binh Thuan province), Nha Trang city (Khanh Hoa province), and Quy Nhon city (Binh Dinh province), between April 24 and May 1, with around 13,000 tickets.

The Hanoi-Vinh and Vinh-Hanoi routes will be served by eight additional trains between April 24-28 and April 30-May 1, respectively, with over 4,650 tickets each. The Hanoi-Dong Hoi route will run two more trains on April 27 with 788 tickets, while three trains will be added to the Dong Hoi-Hanoi route on April 30 and May 1, with a total of 1,182 tickets.

There will be nearly 1,700 tickets supplemented on the Hanoi-Da Nang and Da Nang-Hanoi routes, and 1,924 tickets added to the Hanoi-Thanh Hoa and Thanh Hoa-Hanoi routes.

The SRT will mobilise the trains coded SPT3, SPT4, SPT5, and SPT6 for the HCM City-Phan Thiet-HCM City routes; the trains coded between SNT3 and SNT12 for the HCM City-Nha Trang-HCM City routes; and the trains SQN5 and SQN6 for the HCM City-Quy Nhon-HCM City routes.

In addition, from April 25 to May 14, the SRT will operate the train SQN2 in replacement of SQN4, while running two additional trains of SE25 and SE26 connecting HCM City and Quang Ngai, and NH1 and NH2 on the Nha Trang-Hue route, in order to meet the increasing demand in summer.

Ho Chi Minh City bolsters tourism ties with Binh Thuan, Lam Dong


 

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Foreign visitors to Ben Thanh Market in HCM City  

Around 50 percent of tourism projects in the south central province of Binh Thuan and the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong are invested by businesses from Ho Chi Minh City.

At a conference reviewing the four-year partnership between Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Thuan and Lam Dong on April 15, the Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism of Binh Thuan reported that 239 tourism projects in the province (62 percent) are run by investors from Ho Chi Minh City. The figure reported by Lam Dong was 100 (44 percent).

Under their partnership, the three localities have regularly exchange experience in State management of tourism and jointly hold events annually for their travel agencies.

Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism Bui Ta Hoang Vu said the outcomes of the partnership proved that connectivity help the partners better tap their own potential and advantages.

From a business perspective, Nguyen Van My of Lua Viet company said the tourism brand of the three localities is weak, adding that for the connectivity to produce desired result, each locality should develop its own strength, which are then combined to create unique products able to compete with other regions.

Deputy Director of Lam Dong province’s Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc proposed building a joint tourism development plan with specific mechanisms designed to support local tourism firms, thus making the partnership more strong and effective.

The tourism sectors of the three localities pledged to push forward with the trilateral cooperation. They will take measures to improve joint promotion activities and build a joint brand along with a tourism app for the three localities as a whole.

Hanoi hosts National Volleyball Championship 

 

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The tournament promises to bring exciting and thrilling matches to volleyball lovers.  

The 2018 PV Gas National Volleyball Championship officially commenced at the Gia Lam gymnasium in Hanoi on April 14, attracting the participation of ten men’s and ten women’s teams from across the country.

The men’s teams include The Cong, Border Guard, Long An, Military Zone 4, Ben Tre, Sanest Khanh Hoa, Trang An Ninh Binh, Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Tinh, and Vinh Long Lottery, while the women’s participants are Vietinbank, VTV Binh Dien Long An, Kingphar Quang Ninh, LienVietPostBank, Tien Nong Thanh Hoa, Makado Thai Binh, Hai Duong, Vinh Long Television, Duc Giang Hanoi Chemicals, and Dak Lak.

The teams will be divided in two groups in each of men’s and women’s categories, playing according to a round robin format to decide the top two finishers from each group for the final stage, scheduled to be held between December 25-28.

The capital of Hanoi will host the Group B competition with the presence of five women’s teams (Duc Giang Hanoi Chemicals, Vinh Long Television, VTV Binh Dien Long An, Vietinbank, and Kingphar Quang Ninh), and five men’s teams (Trang An Ninh Binh, Ha Tinh, Sanest Khanh Hoa, Vinh Long Lottery, and HCM City).

Meanwhile, the Group A matches will take place in the northern province of Hai Duong, with the remaining five women’s and men’s teams competing.

The opening day of competition sees two clashes, Trang An Ninh Binh – Ha Tinh (men’s) and Duc Giang Hanoi Chemicals – Vinh Long Television (women’s), in Hanoi.

The tournament aims to select the outstanding players to supplement the national volleyball teams, in preparation for the upcoming Asian Games in Indonesia.

V.League 2018: Oseni hat-trick ensures resounding Hanoi FC win at SHB Da Nang


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Nigerian striker Oseni shines with a hattrick against SHB Da Nang.  

Nigerian striker Oseni scored a hat-trick as Hanoi FC thrashed SHB Da Nang 4-0 in their trip to Hoa Xuan Stadium on April 14, as part of the fifth round of the Nuti Café V.League 2018.

The encounter had been highly anticipated by the fans as the two sides’ lineups featured many players from Vietnam’s U23 team which delivered a stunning runner-up finish at the recent 2018 AFC U23 Championship in China.

SHB Da Nang headed into the fixture determined to avenge their winless streak against Hanoi over the recent V.League seasons. A win on home turf would have helped manager Nguyen Minh Phuong’s side to dethrone Hanoi FC from the top of the table.

Meanwhile, Hanoi FC is proving itself as odds-on favourites for the 2018 V.League trophy. Possessing a strong lineup of quality players, such as Thanh Luong, Van Quyet, Quang Hai, and Oseni, it was little surprise as manager Chu Dinh Nghiem’s side took control of the match.

Van Quyet threatened the home side with a volley off the crossbar after 13 minutes, before his teammate Oseni was denied a goal due to an offside flag 16 minutes later

Hanoi FC’s unceasing efforts finally paid off four minutes before half time, as Oseni opened the scoring with an eye-catching shot in the 16m50 area.

Manager Nguyen Minh Phuong brought forward Do Merlo onto the field to strengthen Da Nang’s attacking power, but only to see the deficit extended to 3-0, as Nigerian striker, Oseni, completed his hat-trick with a header (69’) and a shot (80’) on target from close range.

Substitute Minh Di dealt the last blow on the host team with the fourth goal for Hanoi FC one minute from time.

With the convincing victory, manager Chu Dinh Nghiem’s side continue to fly high on top of the V.League 2018 table with 13 points, three points clear of second-place Quang Ninh Coal, who suffered a narrow 0-1 defeat at Sanna Khanh Hoa BVN on April 13.

In the other Saturday matches, Saigon scored their first win of the season by beating Hoang Anh Gia Lai 3-1, while V.League newbies Nam Dinh remain rooted to the bottom position following their 1-3 defeat to Ho Chi Minh City on their home turf.

Women’s career day opens in Ho Chi Minh City


 

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The event features many activities related to enrolment, vocational counselling, unemployment insurance, interviews and direct labour recruitment. (Photo: nld.com.vn)


A programme entitled “Women’s Career Day - Proud of Vietnamese Products” opened at Le Van Tam Park in Ho Chi Minh City on April 12.

The week-long event, organised by the Women's Union of Ho Chi Minh City, features many activities related to enrolment, vocational counselling, unemployment insurance, interviews and direct labour recruitment, as well as two-way information exchanges between enterprises, recruiters and employees.

There will be 300 booths including a number of recruitment desks providing women employees with information on vocational training courses and jobs in various positions and professions.

In addition, it is also an opportunity for businesses to promote high quality Vietnamese products in response to the “Vietnamese give priority to Vietnamese goods” campaign.

Special dishes and specialties from across the country are also on display at the event.

Co Tu ethnic cultural festival opens in Da Nang 


 

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A festival featuring the traditional culture of the Co Tu ethnic community in the central city of Da Nang and the central province of Quang Nam, kicked off at Gian Bi village, Hoa Bac commune, Hoa Vang district, Da Nang city on April 13.

The festival attracted the participation of the Co Tu ethnic minority people in Ta Lang and Gian Bi villages in Hoa Bac commune, Phu Tuc village in Hoa Phu commune and several villages in Tay Giang district, Quang Nam province.

A series of activities such as traditional dancing ‘tung tung- ja ja’, cooking traditional foods, brocade weaving and crossbow shooting have been organised as part of the event.

Ethnic Co Tu artisans from Quang Nam province and Da Nang city have been invited to the festival to introduce the group’s indigenous gong culture, in addition to their other cultural practices.

The festival, which runs until April 14, aims to preserve and uphold the cultural values of the Co Tu people.

15,000 new cooperatives to be built by 2020


 

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At the signing ceremony


The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the Vietnam Farmers’ Union (VFU) and Vietnam Cooperative Alliance (VCA) have signed a coordination program to build 15,000 agricultural cooperatives and cooperative alliances nationwide by 2020.

According to VCA, the country has 30 cooperative alliances and 11,688 agricultural cooperatives in 2017, up 962 cooperatives compared to 2016.

3,881 agricultural cooperatives was established in the 2012-2017 period, including 308 units adopting high technology to agriculture.

VCA will call for assistance from all fields to join hands to implement the program effectively and support the cooperatives’ operation.

CAAV to launch representative office in Van Don Int’l Airport
 

 

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A design mock up of Van Don International Airport 

The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) has launched a decision on establishing its representative office in Van Don International Airport in the northern province of Quang Ninh .

The representative office’s functions are inspecting the observance of regulations related to civil aviation, plans and programs to develop civil aviation, aviation safety and security; ensuring compatible land use around airports, and other activities.

Van Don International Aiport is built on 290 ha in Doan Ket commune, Van Don District under build-operate-transfer (BOT) format, with an estimated investment capital of US$2 billion. The construction of the airport has been started in 2015 and is expected to comlete in 2018.

The airport is designed to serve both civil and military flights and able to receive 2-2.5 million passengers a year by 2020 and large aircrafts like B777, B787, B747-400 and A350. The airfield will be expanded to serve five million passengers annually by 2030.

HoREA disagrees tax under VND1 billion housing
 

 

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Slums alongside river in district 8  

In its document to the Ministry of Finance, the Ho Chi Minh City Real Estate Association (HoREA) has proposed not taxing house owners of under VND700 million.

HoREA said that the Ministry should not tax house owners of below VND 1 billion to support low-income people because before the Ministry planned to tax VND700 million house owners.
According to HoREA, the Ministry should not tax house but non-agricultural land as per the law of using non-agricultural land taking effect in 2010.

Generally, planned tax level is low; therefore, HoREA said it is necessary to have property tax regulations which include land, housing after 2020.

Different from other countries where land is considered as private ownership while Vietnamese people pay a sum as land use tax into the state budget. However, the land use amount is a bureaucracy that costs enterprises a lot of time to finish formalities.

Moreover, the amount accounts for 10 percent of a condo cost and 30 percent and 50 percent cost of other houses and villas.

Accordingly, HoREA realized that proper law should go along with changes in land use tax which is equivalent of 10 - 15 percent of land price index issued by provincial people’s committee adjusted annually to parallel with market price to ensure transparency and reduce land use tax.

On that basis, the government will have land and housing property tax.

Moreover, HoREA said that proposed land and over VND1 billion condo construction land tax of 0.4 percent is acceptable compared to other countries’.

HCMC tightens health insurance regulations
 

 

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This year, Ho Chi Minh City is allowed to spend nearly VND10 trillion ($438.7 million), a decrease of nearly VND4 trillion compared to last year.


To ensure the planned spending, the city’s Social Insurance Agency will set up the cost estimate in all hospitals, advance, payment a well as tighten control of medical insurance spending for the year.

For 2017, vice director of Social Insurance Agency Luu Thi Thanh Huyen said that the agency has signed medical insurance treatment contracts with 70 public infirmaries, 73 private facilities, 15 medical institutions of companies, and 145 medical centers in districts and communes.

With nearly 6.6 million of medical insurance cards, HCMC planned to spend VND14,263 billion; however, in reality, it paid VND 16.372 billion.

The cause of over-spending is many inpatients and improper prescription of expensive drug in treatment.

Additionally, many patients go to different hospitals for treatment many times but they did not pay for tests ad medicine charges; according the vice director said that with the estimation of nearly VND10 trillion for the year, medical facilities must tighten prescription and limit patients to undergo unnecessary techniques to fix the estimation.

At the health sector’ online meeting for the first quarter, in first three months, medical facilities provided examination and treatment to nine million patients, a year-on-year increase of 7.9 percent and the rate of inpatient is 71.7 percent, a hike of 7.1 percent compared to same period last year.

Ms. Huyen said that the agency will early announced the estimation of medical insurance treatment to all hospitals so that facilities are able to calculate the spending.

Alongside with this, the agency will keep an eye on implementing regulations of advancing, paying and treatment spending to ensure the set estimation.

Directors of hospitals disagreed with medical insurance regulations because they don’t match with the reality.

Deputy director of the municipal Health Department Tang Chi Thuong said that the department has set up a special team to solve problems in medical insurance mission in infirmaries to provide timely guidance.

First of all, the team in coordination with the agency provide training courses relating to connection between hospitals with the aim to use test results in order to cut down the cost.

Denmark backs Vietnam in strengthening NCD prevention


 

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Vietnam and Denmark are working on new cooperation in the health sector, aiming to improve the prevention, early detection and management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Vietnam.

NCDs kill 380,000 people in Vietnam a year, equivalent to 73 percent of all deaths annually with 40 percent dying before the age of 70, higher than the regional average of 17.1 percent, according to the World Health Organisation.

It is also estimated that about 12 million Vietnamese people have high blood pressure, while nearly three million people have diabetes, two million have chronic heart and lung problems and nearly 120,000 fresh cancer cases are reported annually.

Many of the risk factors for NCDs are due to unhealthy lifestyles including physical inactivity and alcohol and tobacco abuse.

“Denmark is ready to assist Vietnam in the prevention and control of NCDs,” Minister of Health of Denmark Ellen Trane Nørby said while she met with Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen Xuan Phuc during her recent Hanoi visit. She noted that Denmark was very interested in NCDs prevention and control in cooperation with Vietnam.

At a Hanoi meeting discussing non-communicable disease prevention held on April 10, the minister said Vietnam and Denmark are both pursuing healthcare reforms to strengthen the primary healthcare system as one of the key components in fighting chronic diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

“This is also an area of direct bilateral cooperation between the two ministries of health,” she said. “The two ministries have worked together very well.”

In September, 2016, the health ministries of Vietnam and Denmark inked a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in healthcare, providing a foundation for the launch of a cooperation project on NCDs prevention and management at primary level in 2016-2018 in northern Thai Binh province dealing with diabetes and hypertension.

Under the project, 30 commune health stations in four districts were selected and after an extensive evaluation, the training of the healthcare workers will begin in mid-April. The first set of materials have been crafted to provide a new approach to patient-centred prevention and care of diabetes and hypertension.

The goal of the pilot project in Thai Binh is to expand healthcare services at commune health stations to include more prevention of NCDs, earlier detection of NCDs and basic management of patients.

Besides diabetes and hypertension, the project is expected to expand to other disease groups.

Under the ministries’ cooperation, during the next two years from 2018, national guidelines and tools for prevention, early detection and treatment of selected NCDs are expected to be developed.

Best practices and ideas will be gathered for the development of new guidelines, implementation manuals, communication materials and other tools for frontline healthcare workers to prevent, detect and treat NCDs.

Vietnamese doctors apply DSA for coronary artery treatment


 

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Surgeons of the City International Hospital have successfuly applied Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) for treating a patient with coronary artery, heart failure, chronic kidney, high blood pressure, diabetes, hepatitis C and tuberculosis.

A 58 year old patient hailing from the central coast city of Nha Trang was taken to the hospital when she was suffering breathing problem, and her body was swollen. She was diagnosed to have acute swollen lung, heart failure and coronary arteries.

The old woman was undergoing tests and intensive treatment. Doctors kept an eye on her to follow the development of the disease.

However, her condition did not abate but became worse. Accordingly, doctors from the heart ward, the recuperation convened a meeting to arrive at a decision for a stent thrombosis implantation because she had coronary artery.

After the surgery, the elderly woman recovered soon.

Yamashita Hong An becomes champion of sixth Dream Fulfilling contest


 

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Wishing to become a special education researcher, twelfth grader Yamashita Hong An from the school for the gifted students became the champion of the sixth Dream Fulfilling contest held in the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Cultural House on April 14.

In the final round, Yamashita Hong An, tenth grader Dang Le Minh Anh from Quang Tri senior high school in the central province of Quang Tri, twelfth grader Dang Ngoc Duy Khang from Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Senior high school in HCMC, eleventh grader Nguyen Mai Thao Tram from Nguyen Binh Khiem high school for the gifted student in the central province of Quang Nam, tenth grader Nguyen Ngoc Tu of Dong Du high school in the highland province of Dak Lak had to take part in many parts of the contest.

For instance, in the Hieu ve Uoc Mo ( Understanding your dream ), contestants had to finish multiple choice tests comprising of ten question of general knowledge and information of professions of students’ choices meanwhile in the Song Voi Uoc Mo ( Living with the Dream), students lived a part to deal with a hypothetical situation to show their ability in resolving the problem.

In the eloquence contest named Giu Lua Uoc Mo ( Keeping Dream) , five contestants talked about the profession value and answered the jury’s questions.

Champion Yamashita Hong An captured a scholarship for a master course in Australia’s Western Sydney university worth 75,000 Australian dollar, a course at Dac Nhan Tam - Dale Carnegie school and cash of VND10 million.

Dang Ngoc Duy Khanh and Nguyen Mai Thao captured the second prize including cash, four-week course scholarship in Australia’s Wesstern Sydney university worth 7,500 Australian dollar and courses in Dac Nhan Tam- Dale Carnegie school.

Nguyen Ngoc Tu and Dang Le Minh Anh who won the third prize are eligible for four-week courses in Autralia’s Wesstern Sydney university worth 7,500 Australian dollar and courses in Dac Nhan Tam school.

The contest was jointly organized by the Department of Education and Training, the Youth Communist Union, the Center for Supporting students in HCMC, the International Training institution of Economy Univerity and Tuoi Tre Newspaper with the support of Western Sydney university, Dac Nhan Tam -Dale Carnegie school.

Taking from October, 2017, the contest attracted over 200,000 high school students across the country. Director of the center for supporting students Quach Dat Hai said the contest not only find winners, how many beautiful dream, but also it aims at student’ growth up in thinking and realizing their profession of choice; students themselves will build up their picture of future profession and parents are just companions.

In the first year, the contest was just for students in HCMC only. In the second year, the contest was open to the neighboring southern provinces of Dong Nai, Binh Duong and Long An.

The third contest was for students in southeast provinces and students started to work on online software multiple choice test. Now, the sixth contests was open for students nationwide.

HCMC General Sciences Library turns 40
 

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 Ho Chi Minh City’s General Sciences Library 

A ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Ho Chi Minh City’s General Sciences Library was held on April 12.

It is one of the libraries having the largest number of readers in the southern region over the past 40 years. It receives 1.4 million people and grants library cards for 34,000 readers every year.

The library has gained many achievements in establishing digital library model, publishing books for the blind, organizing painting and reading contests for children, conserving and restoring books.

On this occasion, many activities have been organized at the library, such as an exhibition featuring 300 photos of the history of establishment of the General Sciences Library of Ho Chi Minh City, kicking off the modernization project of information system of the General Sciences Library and 24 districts' libraries, starting the upgrading project of the Youth's reading room.

The origins of the General Sciences Library of Ho Chi Minh City may be traced back to the Documentation Library of the Government of Cochinchina (Bibliothèque de Documentation du Gouvernement de la Cochinchine Française), which was set up by Admiral-Governor Marie Gustave Hector Ohier in 1868.

It is one of Ho Chi Minh City's most iconic buildings and top tourist destinations in the city.

Vietnamese citizens warned not to travel to Syria

The Consular Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has warned Vietnamese citizens not to travel to Syria or regions in its vicinity until stability is re-established in this Middle East nation.

The move aims to prevent possible dangers and risks.

In case of emergency, Vietnamese citizens are recommended to contact the Vietnamese Embassy in Iran (cum Syria) via its hotline 98.21.2411670 or their relatives in Vietnam can call the citizen protection hotline 84.981.84.84.84 for timely support.

The US, the UK and France launched a coordinated air strike on Syria at 4 am (local time or 2am GMT) on April 14, involving planes and ship-launched missiles, together with more than 100 projectiles in all, in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack.

Cao Lanh Bridge to be opened to traffic this month
 

 

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Cao Lanh Bridge, one of two major infrastructure projects underway in the Mekong Delta, will be opened to traffic later this month. 

The bridge will be ready between April 25 and 27, said Phan Duy Lai, deputy general director of Cuu Long Corporation for Investment, Development and Project Management of Infrastructure, the project developer, at a meeting with Dong Thap Province on April 10.

The company has proposed the Ministry of Transport organize an inauguration ceremony for the bridge on April 27, he noted. However, no decision has been made.

This is because arrangements are being made for officials from the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Australian Embassy in Vietnam to attend the event. The Australian government has provided non-refundable aid for Vietnam to build the bridge, Lai said.

Cao Lanh Bridge over the Tien River, which links Cao Lanh City and Lap Vo District in Dong Thap Province, is over two kilometers long and 24.5 meters wide.

The bridge, which began construction in October 2013, costs more than VND3 trillion (US$131.6 million) sourced from Australia’s grant, Asian Development Bank loans and Vietnam’s reciprocal capital.

Cao Lanh is the second biggest bridge behind Vam Cong in the Mekong Delta.

The bridge, when in place, will make it easier and faster to transport goods and promote socio-economic growth in Dong Thap Province and the delta as a whole.

According to the meeting on April 10, Lo Te-Rach Soi Highway which connects Vam Cong and Cao Lanh bridges will also be up and running on the inauguration date. As such, they will facilitate road transportation between the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang and HCMC.

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Vietnam firms advised to invest in Indian garment market


HCM City - A representative of the Indian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City recommended Vietnamese companies look for investment opportunity in the Indian market of 1.3 billion people, particularly in garment and textiles.

Illustrative image (Source: VNA)

Currently Vietnam and India are among the five leading garment exporters in the world. Last year, the value of India apparel exports to Vietnam grew 44 percent to 429 million USD, while Vietnam’s shipment of garment-textile products to India reeled in 178 million USD, an annual increase of 42 percent.

The Indian Government is allowing 100 percent foreign direct investment (FDI) in single-brand retail via automatic route, which means foreign investors can pour money into the market without prior permission from the authorities. Vietnamese garment companies can take advantage of the policy by investing in the production of threads, fabrics and ready-made clothes.

It was estimated that between April 2017 and January 2018, Vietnam – India trade reached 10.39 billion USD, surpassing the figure of 10.13 billion USD recorded from April 2016 to March 2017.

Improving trade transactions and connectivity have been classified as a strategic target by the two countries’ leaders.

The two countries aim to bring bilateral trade to 15 billion USD by 2020.

Last year, Vietnam exported 31 billion USD worth of textile and garment products, up 10.23 percent from the same period last year while its imports of textile and garment materials, mostly yarns and fabrics, amounted to 19 billion USD.


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Government News 16/4


Vietnam, Pakistan hold second political consultation


 

Vietnam, Pakistan hold second political consultation, Vietnamese ambassador works to enhance ties with Algerian locality, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during a working session in Dong Thap
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Dinh Quy co-chairs the 2nd Vietnam-Pakistan political consultation in Islamabad capital on April 13.


Vietnam and Pakistan held their second political consultation in Islamabad capital of the Muslim country on April 13, during which they lauded their close collaboration and were unanimous to support each other at regional and international forums.

At the meeting, co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Dinh Quy and his Pakistani counterpart Tehmina Janjua, the two sides reached consensus that the foreign ministries should uphold their core role in promoting bilateral cooperation in various fields.

They highlighted the importance of high-level meetings and people-to-people exchanges while agreeing to accelerate the meeting of the inter-governmental committee on economic, cultural and sci-technological cooperation in 2018.

As part of the efforts to enhance economic, trade and investment ties, both sides consented to speed up the meeting of the sub-committee on trade cooperation this year to set out initiatives and practical and flexible measures to reach the target of 1 billion USD in two-way trade by 2020.

Vietnam and Pakistan will increase exchange of business delegations to optimise investment and business opportunities, they said.

The Pakistani side noted that it welcomes Vietnam’s traditional products like tea, pepper and basa fish.

Agriculture, culture-sports, tourism, connections, information and communication, and exchanges of intellectuals are among the fields of potential cooperation between the two sides.

The 3rd Vietnam-Pakistan political consultation will be held in Hanoi in 2019.

Vietnamese ambassador works to enhance ties with Algerian locality


Vietnam, Pakistan hold second political consultation, Vietnamese ambassador works to enhance ties with Algerian locality, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during a working session in Dong Thap 

Vietnamese Ambassador to Algeria Pham Quoc Tru (R) in Tamanrasset 


Vietnamese Ambassador to Algeria Pham Quoc Tru paid a working trip to the southern province of Tamanrasset from April 10-13. 

During his stay, he held working sessions with Governor of Tamanrasset province Doumi Djillali and leaders of the provincial Chamber of Commerce and Industry, during which both sides discussed respective socio-economic development, business opportunities and specific measures to further lift bilateral economic ties. 

The provincial authorities expressed wish to boost ties with Vietnam in the fields of trade, agriculture, mining and tourism. 

On the occasion, the embassy partnered with the provincial Chamber of Commerce and Industry to hold a round-table seminar to introduce opportunities for bilateral cooperation in export-import and investment, with more than 30 firms taking part. 

Speaking at the event, Tru stressed the need to clear existing barriers to trade and investment, refine synchronous legal framework with support measures, and make it easier for the two countries’ enterprises to join each other’s market. 

He also unveiled a plan to hold a business forum on tourism scheduled for September to which Tamanrasset’s travel agencies will be invited. 

Vietnamese Commercial Counsellor Hoang Duc Nhuan briefed participants about Vietnam – Algeria economic, trade and investment ties over the past years and future development prospects. He also introduced a French-language book entitled “Handbook of doing business with Vietnam” and a list of prestigious international fairs and exhibitions held in Vietnam. 

While in Tamanrasset, the Vietnamese delegation visited several local firms major in manufacturing construction stones and agricultural farms.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during a working session in Dong Thap 


 

Vietnam, Pakistan hold second political consultation, Vietnamese ambassador works to enhance ties with Algerian locality, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during a working session in Dong Thap

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong visited the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap on April 13-14 to inspect its socio-economic performance and Party and political system building. 

During a working session with the provincial authorities on April 14, the Party leader praised the province for gaining outstanding achievements in various fields, with a number of effective models and new practical initiatives.

He noted that economic development is a core task, Party building is a crucial task while national defence-security is a regular task. 

Currently, average income per capita in Dong Thap reaches over 36 million VND, lower than the country’s average of more than 50 million VND so that the province needs to strive more, he said. 

The leader called for attention to streamlining apparatus, strengthening ties with Cambodia, neighbouring and border localities to facilitate people-to-people exchange, and improving residential management. 

He attached importance to Party building and rectification as well as fighting corruption, negative phenomena and wastefulness. 

The Party chief suggested devising specific goals and breakthrough measures between now and 2020. 

The provincial authorities proposed State funding for transport infrastructure, including Cao Lanh – My An and An Huu – Cao Lanh sections.  

They also asked for refining regulations on extending land quota and switch to goods-based agricultural economy. 

Dong Thap is one of the three localities to be chosen to pilot agricultural restructuring. After three years, local farmers and firms have gradually switched agricultural production to agricultural economy, towards building a farm produce chain that meets market demand. A number of high-tech farming models have been launched. 

The province now ranks first nationwide in terms of tra fish output and third in rice production, and becomes a key hub of fruits in the region, with many being exported to demanding markets such as the US, Japan, the UK and Australia. 

Community and agricultural tourism have also contributed to increasing value of farming sector and farmers’ income. 

Dong Thap also leads the region in labour export with thousands of young workers landing jobs overseas, bringing home trillions of VND. They are also behind a number of start-up projects. 

The locality is now home to 45 club houses with nearly 2,000 members with an aim to inspire farmers’ innovation in the spirit of self-control and mutual support. 

In the morning the same day, General Secretary Trong offered incense and flowers at a relic site dedicated to Nguyen Sinh Sac – father of President Ho Chi Minh in Cao Lanh city.

Earlier on April 13, at a working session on April 13 with authorities of Tan Thuan Tay commune which was recognised as new-style rural area in late 2017, the Party chief lauded local authorities and people for their achievements over the past years. 

He wished that they would continue staying united to deal with emerging issues and reap new successes. 

Later, he visited Tam Que club-house, one of the two operating in the community model. Last month, it formed an organic mango farming group to bring practical benefits to local residents, which was lauded by the Party chief as effective and should be expanded to other localities. 

On the occasion, he presented gifts to several outstanding households in the commune.

EU – leading strategic partner of Vietnam: PM


 

Vietnam, Pakistan hold second political consultation, Vietnamese ambassador works to enhance ties with Algerian locality, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during a working session in Dong Thap
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chairs a meeting to evaluate cooperation with the EU in Hanoi on April 14. 


Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc laid stress on the significance of bolstering cooperation with the European Union (EU), a leading strategic partner of Vietnam in economy, trade and investment while chairing a meeting to evaluate bilateral collaboration in the past time in Hanoi on April 14.

Two-way trade has seen fruitful results, with the EU being the second largest importer of Vietnam and the destination for 18 percent of Vietnamese exports, he said, noting that the union was the third biggest trade partner of Vietnam with two-way trade reaching some 50 billion USD in 2017.

Vietnam enjoyed a trade surplus of 31.8 billion USD with the EU, he added.

He also pointed out some factors that hinder two-way trade like the “yellow card” issued by the European Commission for Vietnamese seafood. The local business climate should be improved while administrative procedures need to be streamlined to facilitate trade and investment between Vietnam and the EU, he added.

At the meeting, the Government leader ordered relevant ministries to closely work with the EU’s bodies to complete the signing and ratification of the Vietnam-EU free trade agreement (EVFTA) at the end of 2018, creating a breakthrough for economic and trade cooperation between the two sides.

The EVFTA, a new-generation free trade agreement between Vietnam and the EU’s 28 member states, is a comprehensive and high-quality trade pact that balances benefits for both Vietnam and the EU as well as is in line with regulations of the World Trade Organisation.

Leaders of Vietnam and the EU finished negotiations for the deal in 2015.

HCM City promotes collaboration with Cuban localities


 

Vietnam, Pakistan hold second political consultation, Vietnamese ambassador works to enhance ties with Algerian locality, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during a working session in Dong Thap
Permanent Vice Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Tat Thanh Cang (R) receives President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with Peoples (ICAP) Fernando Gonzalez Llort


Ho Chi Minh City will implement a host of activities to boost friendship and cooperation with Cuban sectors and localities in the coming time, a municipal official has noted.

At a reception for visiting President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with Peoples (ICAP) Fernando Gonzalez Llort on April 13, Permanent Vice Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Tat Thanh Cang thanked the Cuban people for their support for Vietnam during the past struggle for national independence.

He stated Ho Chi Minh City will spare no effort to foster Vietnam – Cuba traditional friendship.

He congratulated Cuba on its recent socio-economic progress, saying he admired the country’s significant achievements in bio-research, health and education despite difficulties from trade embargo.   

For his part, Fernando Gonzalez Llort highlighted the recent visit to Cuba by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, saying it asserted a strong determination to boost bilateral ties and laid a foundation for further engagements between the two Parties and peoples.

Expressing his impression on the dynamic development of Vietnam’s southern hub, the ICAP President affirmed the institute’s willingness to further its joint work with HCM City and commitment to cementing Vietnam – Cuba relations.

HCM City wishes to expand partnership with German state


 

Vietnam, Pakistan hold second political consultation, Vietnamese ambassador works to enhance ties with Algerian locality, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during a working session in Dong Thap
Overview of the meeting 


Ho Chi Minh City wishes to foster collaboration with Rheinland Pfalz state of Germany in various fields, especially economy and education, stated Le Thanh Liem, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee at a meeting with Volker Wissing, the state’s Minister of Economics, Transport, Agriculture and Viticulture in the city on April 13.

Liem held that the two localities boast high potential of cooperation, saying that Rheinland Pfalz state could support HCM City in some areas that the city is focusing on, including pharmaceuticals and biotechnology.

Once the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union takes effect, the partnership between the two localities will have abundant chances to expand, he said.

Speaking highly of Germany’s education, Liem said he hopes in the coming time, Rheinland Pfalz state will connect Ho Chi Minh City with its education experts and facilities to exchange experience in dealing with problems that the city is facing in the field.

He also suggested that the German side strengthen cooperation in coping with challenges in high-tech agriculture and eco-agriculture as well as share experience in developing support industry in the city.

The municipal leader pledged that the city always welcomes and creates favourable conditions for foreign investors, especially those from Germany, to do long-term business in the city.

For his part, Wissing said that his visit is part of activities to implement a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between Rheinland Pfalz state and Vietnam, which was signed during the recent Germany visit of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

He said that his visit has created a good chance for the state’s businesses to seek partnerships with their peers in Ho Chi Minh City, while providing more opportunities for the two localities to step up collaboration in economy, education and tourism.

Wissing underscored that Rheinland Pfalz state firms are very interested with Ho Chi Minh City’s market and hoped that the city will back them in joining the market, especially in areas of biotechnology, machinery manufacturing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and viticulture.

Trade between Ho Chi Minh City and Germany hit 2 billion USD in 2017. Currently, the city is hosting 137 German-funded projects worth 250 million USD, making Germany the 14th biggest out of 93 countries and territories investing in the city.

Ho Chi Minh City is also home to the German House, a symbol of the Vietnam-Germany sound relationship.

Vietnamese, Lao fronts discuss enhanced ties


 

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President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Tran Thanh Man (R) and President of the Lao Front for National Construction Central Committee Xaysomphone Phomvihane 


President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Tran Thanh Man received President of the Lao Front for National Construction Central Committee Xaysomphone Phomvihane in Hanoi on April 13.

Mentioning Vietnam – Laos solidarity cultivated by both sides’ leaders, Man affirmed the Vietnamese Government, Party, National Assembly, Front and people always give priority to cementing the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with Laos.

The front leader suggested both sides work together to build plans to realise their memorandum of understanding on cooperation and the joint communiqué on outcomes of an international conference on building a Vietnam – Laos borderline of peace, friendship and comprehensive cooperation for 2017 – 2020.

He asked the Lao Front for National Construction to push for facilitating the searching and repatriation of remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who laid down their lives in Laos during wartime and to propose the Lao Party and Government create favourable conditions for Vietnamese expatriates in the country.

Expressing his delight at fruitful growth of the Vietnam – Laos relations, Xaysomphone Phomvihane stressed activities marking the two countries’ 55 years of diplomatic ties and 40 years of signing of their Treaty on Amity and Cooperation in 2017 contributed to educating their people, particularly youths, on the special relationship.

He said the two fronts’ cooperation has achieved effective outcomes via joint programmes, and delegation and experience exchanges.

The Lao official highlighted his belief that the visit to Vietnam will help his front understand more about the VFF’s ideology and history, thus contributing to further enhancing the Vietnam – Laos traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation.

PM urges faster progress of HCM City’s metro project


 

Vietnam, Pakistan hold second political consultation, Vietnamese ambassador works to enhance ties with Algerian locality, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during a working session in Dong Thap
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc addresses the meeting 


Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has underlined the Government’s determination to speed up the progress of Ho Chi Minh City’s metro project to serve the city’s development, reduce traffic congestions and effectively use capital.

During a meeting in Hanoi on April 13, PM Phuc stressed the need to strictly and fully abide by legal regulations while preventing negative acts and corruption in the implementation of the project.

He asked the People’s Committee of HCM City to deal with troubles regarding the project, while making dossiers on the construction of the project and submit them to authorized agencies for verification.

The Ministry of Transport was assigned to complete a verification report after consultations with relevant ministries and is responsible for the verification of concerned aspects such as economics, technology and total investment. 

The PM also requested other relevant ministries and sectors to prepare explanation for issues under their management if required by the National Assembly.

HCM City’s metro project was the first proposed in 2001 as part of a comprehensive public transport plan for HCM City and neighbouring provinces to mitigate traffic congestions.

It includes three monorail lines with a total length of 37km and six partly underground metro routes running a total of 107km from Ben Thanh to Suoi Tien, Ben Thanh to Tham Luong, Ben Thanh to Binh Tan, Lang Cha Ca to Van Thanh, Thu Thiem to Can Giuoc, and Ba Queo – Phu Lam. Ben Thanh will be a hub connecting all the lines.

According to the initial estimates in 2007, total investment of the project was 17 trillion VND (around 749 million USD). However, a recent calculation of Japanese consultant joint venture, verified by a Singaporean independent consultant unit, showed that total cost must be 47 trillion VND (2.07 billion USD). So far, 51 percent of the project’s workload has been completed and the project is scheduled to be finished in 2020.

Iranian Parliament Speaker to visit Vietnam

Speaker of the Parliament of Iran Ali Ardeshir Larijani will pay an official visit to Vietnam from April 15-18.

The visit will be made at the invitation of Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, announced the NA’s Committee for External Relations.

Vietnam and Iran set up diplomatic ties on August 4, 1973. Since then, they have continuously enhanced bilateral cooperation in all fields and supported each other at global multilateral forums.

Condolences sent to Algeria over military plane crash


 

Vietnam, Pakistan hold second political consultation, Vietnamese ambassador works to enhance ties with Algerian locality, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during a working session in Dong Thap
Scene of the military plane crash near the Boufarik airbase outside Algeria’s capital, Algiers, on April 11 


President Tran Dai Quang on April 13 cabled a message of condolences to his Algerian counterpart Abdelaziz Bouteflika over a recent military plane crash which claimed many lives.

An Algerian airplane carrying mostly soldiers crashed near the Boufarik airbase outside Algeria’s capital, Algiers, on April 11.

The aircraft went down shortly after takeoff, killing at least 257 people aboard.

PM requests support for youths to promote start-up


 

Vietnam, Pakistan hold second political consultation, Vietnamese ambassador works to enhance ties with Algerian locality, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during a working session in Dong Thap
PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (white shirt, front line) and representatives of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee. 


Young people, especially university students and youths working in businesses, should be supported to promote start-up and scientific research, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said. 

PM Phuc made the request at a working session with the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU) Central Committee in Hanoi on April 13 to review the implementation of a joint resolution between the Government and the HCYU Central Committee since the national congress of the union last December, and set forth youth union affairs in 2018. 

“We should begin with youths when embarking on the knowledge-based economy, the fourth industrial revolution and the digital economy as they are the core force,” he said. 

The PM emphasised the need to increase activities in order to promote the pioneer role of youngsters, especially those in the armed forces and schools, in socio-economic development, national defence and security, social welfare and the fight against peaceful evolution. 

He asked administrations at all levels and the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs to pay due attention to job-related issues and vocational guidance for young people. 

PM Phuc also emphasized the organization of cultural, art, sport and entertainment activities for youths, particularly those in industrial parks as well as rural and remote areas. 

To understand young people’s aspirations, agencies and localities need to increase dialogues with them, he said, urging youth union organisations pay more heed to communications campaigns to contribute to preventing bad deeds among youngsters. 

At the working session, the PM applauded significant contributions made by youths to socio-economic development in 2017 despites difficulties and challenges at home and abroad.

Vietnam, Czech Republic seek to tap cooperation potential


Vietnam, Pakistan hold second political consultation, Vietnamese ambassador works to enhance ties with Algerian locality, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during a working session in Dong Thap 

Vo Tan Thanh, Vice President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, speaks at the event. 


Vietnam and the Czech Republic have substantial potential for investment and trade cooperation in many spheres, heard a workshop in Ho Chi Minh City on April 13. 

Vo Tan Thanh, Vice President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), said both Vietnamese and Czech economies are growing with high rates, and deeply integrating into the global economy, which has created many opportunities for bilateral collaboration in economy, trade and investment. 

The Czech  Republic is one of Vietnam’s largest trade partners in Central and Eastern Europe, with two-way trade exceeding 257 million USD in 2017, of which Vietnam’s exports to the Czech Republic were over 151 million USD. 

In the first two months of 2018, export-import turnover between the two countries hit nearly 50 million USD, up 31.3 percent year-on-year, he said.

Vietnam’s major exports to the Czech Republic include footwear, garments-textiles, mobile phones, electronic components, farm produce and aquatic products. 

Meanwhile, the country mainly imports machines, equipment, chemicals, and mechanical, pharmaceuticals and crystal products from the Czech Republic. 

By the end of February 2018, the Czech Republic had invested in 36 projects in Vietnam with total registered capital of over 90 million USD, ranking 49th among 126 countries and territories investing in Vietnam. Vietnamese enterprises have also invested in four projects worth some 4.5 million USD in the Czech Republic. 

However, Thanh said, such outcomes have yet to reflect cooperation potential and strength of each country, explaining that businesses of the two countries lack information about the respective markets. 

Vladimir Bartl, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, said Czech businesses have advantages in energy, infrastructure construction, automation, and financial and insurance services. 

Additionally, the Czech Republic has capacity and experience in urban development planning and public transport operation which are of Vietnam’s priorities, he said. 

The official stressed that the Czech Republic has regarded Vietnam as an important partner and market in its strategy to expand business in Asia. 

Czech firms want to cooperate with Vietnamese partners in mechanical manufacturing, energy, cement and constructional material production, medical equipment supply, aviation and environmental protection, he said. 

Vladimir Bartl said the enhancement of trade ties between Vietnam and the Czech Republic will help the two countries utilise their respective market while helping them expand market shares in Europe and Asia. 

Experts at the workshop suggested intensifying connectivity between businesses of the two countries and promoting trade and investment activities.

Businesses of each nations also should take the initiative in studying the respective markets to promptly grasp investment and businesses opportunities, they said.

Party chief commends An Giang on clear orientation for development


Vietnam, Pakistan hold second political consultation, Vietnamese ambassador works to enhance ties with Algerian locality, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during a working session in Dong Thap 

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has a working session with An Giang’s key officials on April 15 


Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has commended An Giang for defining clear orientation for development, noting that the Mekong Delta province has good potential of growth and the local contingent of officials have high determination. 

The Party leader held a working session with An Giang’s key officials on April 15 as part of his two-day trip to the province to inspect the implementation of socio-economic and defence-security tasks as well as the performance in building the Party and political system. 

Stressing that An Giang has a strategic position in the Mekong Delta, General Secretary Trong acknowledged that the province has made important achievements in the recent time, as seen in improved infrastructure, better living conditions of residents and lower poverty rate among households. 

He also noted that the local leadership has constantly been strengthened, helping the province well implement the Party Central Committee’s resolutions and accelerate administrative reform. 

He expressed hope for the province’s stronger development in its chosen direction of developing hi-quality and high-value agriculture, considering many untapped advantages and potential. 

The Party General Secretary shared with local officials worry that the tasks ahead are heavy with high requirements while there are many shortcomings in existing policies and mechanisms plus the difficulties in sourcing capital, adding that those problems are not only of An Giang but also many other localities. 

Therefore, An Giang should strive to have more creative ideas and effective measures to carry out the Party’s policies, he said. In order to do that, the province needs a contingent of capable officials, Party members and civil workers, and a strong Party organisation and political system, he said. 

He noted and welcomed the province’s five proposals on transport connectivity; erosion prevention; response to climate change and rising sea level; policies to create land fund for attracting investment and developing agriculture; and support for border localities. 

The Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Vo Thi Anh Xuan reported to the Party leader that the poverty rate in the province has dropped to 5.24 percent. 

The province has adopted a project on creating a land fund for hi-tech agriculture, which helped attracted many investors in agriculture. During two years 2016 and 2017, An Giang attracted 45 investment projects in this sector with total capital of over 7.2 trillion VND (316.8 million USD), up 30 projects and 6 trillion VND compared to the figures in 2015.

Also during the trip, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong toured My Phu commune in Chau Phu district, and visited the construction site of Cao Lanh Bridge across Tien River, one of the two tributaries of Mekong River. He also visited and presented gifts to Vietnamese Heroic Mother Le Thi Tai in Long Xuyen city.

HCMC, Hokkaido foster hi-tech agricultural cooperation


Vietnam, Pakistan hold second political consultation, Vietnamese ambassador works to enhance ties with Algerian locality, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong during a working session in Dong Thap 

HCM City's authorities have identified hi-tech agriculture as a key sector and expect the city to be a research center on developing and supplying crop and animal strains in the southern region.


Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong said at a meeting with governor of the Japanese prefecture of Hokkaido Harumi Takahashi on April 11.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phong wished that HCMC will have experience exchanges on this field with Hokkaido hoping that institutes and businesses of the prefecture will provide cooperation on transfering techonoly of cultivation and breeding of plant and animal strains, packing and storage of qualifying agricultural products to Vietnamese partners.

According to HCMC Mayor, 14 investment projects worth nearly US$5 million of Hokkaido's enterprises have being operated in the city. Vietnam is the leading trade partner of Hokkaido in the Southeast Asia.

The chairman believed HCMC will receive more investors from Hokkaido, especially businesses who invest in the smart farming models will gain success due to advantages of abundant human resources, large consumer market, high demand of safe farm products. Hokkaido is also home to the largest number of Vietnamese laborers.

Governor of Hokkaido prefecture Harumi Takahashi warmly welcomed the HCMC delegation. She expected the two sides will continue to boost connection and cooperation in cultural, trade, scientific and techonoligical exchanges to diversify relationship between Japan and Vietnam, particularly HCMC.

On the same day, the delegation visited J-Farm which has applied advanced agricultural tech in planting tomato and vegebtables. The total yield of the enterprise is estimated to reach at about 100 tons of leaf products/ha/year and 100 tons of tomatos/1.5ha/year.

They also paid a visit to Hokkaido University and met Vietnamese teacher of Can Tho Univeristy, Nguyen Thanh Tinh who is studying in the univeristy for postgraduate degrees in the field of agricultural robotics.

VNN

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Vietnam, RoK intensify environmental cooperation


 

Vietnam, RoK intensify environmental cooperation, Can Tho wishes to boost cooperation with France, Tuyen Quang: over 116 billion VND allocated to ethnic minorities, Japanese firms, Vietnamese students join exchange
Delegates to the forum.


Vietnam’s central province of Ha Tinh and the Korea Environment Industry and Technology Institute (KEITI) will cooperate to implement a project on building a master plan on improving the sewage system and river water quality in Ha Tinh.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed within the Korea-Vietnam Environmental Cooperation Forum in Hanoi on April 16.

Addressing the forum, Vietnamese Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha described the Republic of Korea (RoK) as one of Vietnam’s most important strategic partners in environmental protection.

Vietnam and the RoK are aware of the significance of enhanced bilateral cooperation in environmental protection, in order to ensure sustainable development of both sides, he said.

The two countries have agreed to expand the bilateral collaboration through the exchange of experience and information, and the transfer of technologies relating to environmental protection and settlement, the minister noted.

At the same time, they have committed to coordinating at international, regional and sub-regional forums to share viewpoints and consult each other in relevant spheres of mutual concern, according Ha.

Minister of Environment of the RoK Kim Eun-kyung expressed her hope that state management and environmental research agencies, environmental protection associations and businesses of Vietnam and the RoK will actively exchange information and experience in management, promote technological transfer, and propose specific cooperation projects.

The forum focused on investment and environment policies in Vietnam and the RoK, investment attraction policies in Ha Tinh, sewage system and river water quality in the province, and environmental technologies in the RoK.

Can Tho wishes to boost cooperation with France


Vietnam, RoK intensify environmental cooperation, Can Tho wishes to boost cooperation with France, Tuyen Quang: over 116 billion VND allocated to ethnic minorities, Japanese firms, Vietnamese students join exchange 

The Mekong Delta city of Can Tho wants to promote cooperation with France in the fields of hi-tech agriculture. 


The Mekong Delta city of Can Tho wants to promote cooperation with France in the fields of hi-tech agriculture, infrastructure, medical equipment and education.

At a working session with French Consul General to HCM City Vincent Floreani on April 16, Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Tran Quoc Trung highlighted a French-funded project to equip medical equipment for the city’s General Hospital with a total investment of over 22 million EUR, 19.5 million EUR of which comes from the French Government’s loans.

Another project to build Can Tho river embankments in response to climate change, with over 19.5 million EUR in loans from the French Government, has helped the locality deal with river bank erosion and flooding, beautify its urban landscape and promote tourism development.

The city leader wished that the French Consul General will act as a bridge to bring French investors, art troupes and tourists to Can Tho, he said, adding that the city is calling for investment in such areas as infrastructure, transport, health, education and tourism.

The guest was urged to support Can Tho in accessing official development assistance (ODA) sources from the French Government so that the city can build more embankments and bridges, upgrade and buy modern equipment for hospitals and train more health workers.

For his part, Vincent Floreani spoke highly of the recent gigantic development of Can Tho in various fields. On the basis of the fine diplomatic ties between the two nations over the past 45 years, France will encourage its businesses to land investments in Can Tho and its localities to set up twin relations with the city.

The same day, the French delegation had a working session with the University of Can Tho and the municipal Department of Education and Training on cooperation programmes in the field, including French language training in Can Tho, exchange of lecturers and postgraduates, and scholarship granting.

Conference seeks joint efforts in supporting drug addicts to access treatment


 

Vietnam, RoK intensify environmental cooperation, Can Tho wishes to boost cooperation with France, Tuyen Quang: over 116 billion VND allocated to ethnic minorities, Japanese firms, Vietnamese students join exchange
At the conference 


A conference was held in Hanoi on April 16 to discuss a model to provide psychological support and consultations for drug addicts before the court gives decisions on compulsory detoxification methods to them.

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha said that detoxification and rehabilitation for drug addicts have been implemented synchronously across the country, while legal documents for the work have been completed.

Many modern models in the world have also been applied in Vietnam, she added.

She noted that as of 2017, Vietnam had over 220,000 drug addicts from walks of life and at different ages, including 100,000 receiving treatment.

However, the number of synthetic drug addicts has continued rising requiring new and more effective treatment methods, she stressed.

Ha suggested that participants discuss possible difficulties and advantages as the model is piloted in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Vu Huy Hoang from the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SANHSA) held that the model can help improve treatment service quality for drug addicts, while helping controll HIV/AIDS by connecting drug addicts to healthcare services as well as ARV treatment.

The model aims to strengthen coordination among justice, healthcare, social agencies as well as the community in assisting drug addicts in accessing and strictly following healthcare, social and judicial services in the community, thus reducing the relapse risks.

Tuyen Quang: over 116 billion VND allocated to ethnic minorities


Vietnam, RoK intensify environmental cooperation, Can Tho wishes to boost cooperation with France, Tuyen Quang: over 116 billion VND allocated to ethnic minorities, Japanese firms, Vietnamese students join exchange

The northern mountainous province of Tuyen Quang has decided to invest over 116 billion VND (5.1 million USD) in 2018 to help people in specially disadvantaged and ethnic minority-inhabited areas build infrastructure, develop production and diversify their livelihood.

Of the total, over 115.6 billion VND (5.1 million USD) is sourced from the State budget.

Accordingly, more than 86 billion VND (nearly 3.8 million USD) will be used in infrastructure development such as transport, irrigation systems and cultural houses.

Livelihood diversification and poverty reduction will get more than 20 billion VND (880,000 USD). Meanwhile, nearly 10 billion VND (440,000 USD) will be used to maintain facilities and improve capacity of the public and local officials.

The targeted localities comprise Lam Binh, Na Hang, Chiem Hoa, Ham Yen, Yen Son and Son Duong districts.

Tuyen Quang has 699 villages and hamlets in special difficulties, with ethnic minority groups making up nearly 54 percent of the province’s population.

The province has implemented special policies to support socio-economic development in ethnic minority-inhabited and mountainous areas from 2018-2020.

Japanese firms, Vietnamese students join exchange


 

Vietnam, RoK intensify environmental cooperation, Can Tho wishes to boost cooperation with France, Tuyen Quang: over 116 billion VND allocated to ethnic minorities, Japanese firms, Vietnamese students join exchange
At the exchange between 17 firms from the Japanese region of Kyushu and Vietnamese students 


An exchange between 17 firms from the Japanese region of Kyushu and Vietnamese students in five local universities took place in Fukuoka prefecture on April 14.

Students are from Kyushu University, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, the Japan University of Economics, the Kyushu Institute of Information Sciences and Kyushu Industrial University.

The event, the second of its kind, enabled students to learn about job opportunities while affording Kyushu firms a chance to recruit qualified students.

This year, the number of participating firms rose three-fold, namely Kyushu Electric Power, AEON Kyushu, Kyushu Engineering and Okura hotel. Meanwhile, the number of students at the event also doubled.

The exchange was an annual activity of the Kyushu – Vietnam Friendship Association to introduce companies in Kyushu and upcoming projects in Vietnam, as well as attract more Vietnamese students to local firms after graduation.

The event was co-hosted by the Kyushu – Vietnam Friendship Association, the Vietnamese Consulate General in Fukuoka, the prefecture administration and the Kyushu Economic Federation.


Continuous efforts to tackle war-left bombs, mines


 

Vietnam, RoK intensify environmental cooperation, Can Tho wishes to boost cooperation with France, Tuyen Quang: over 116 billion VND allocated to ethnic minorities, Japanese firms, Vietnamese students join exchange
Vietnamese, French researchers explore wide-ranging partnerships


Professor Nguyen Van Minh, Director of the Hanoi National University of Education, speaks at the seminar

The time-honoured relations and age-old educational and cultural exchange have allowed many Vietnamese and French researchers to explore long and short-term cooperation in the fields.

“French culture and education have made curtain influence on the fields of Vietnam, in terms of architecture, literature, language, among others,” Professor Nguyen Van Minh, Director of the Hanoi National University of Education said at a scientific seminar themed “Vietnamese – French cultural exchange: Achievements and perspective”.

Meanwhile, Professor Michel Espagne, Director of the French National Scientific Research Centre (CNRS) and Director of the LABEX-TransferS under the École Normale Supérieure said “young French scholars and researchers are increasingly interested in Vietnam’s academy and scientific studies”.

French is significant in Vietnam as a significant part of archives in Vietnam are in French and there are many renowned Vietnamese writers who write and publish their books in French, which inspired generations of French writers, according to the professor.

Etienne Rolland-Piegue, Counselor for Cultural and Cooperative Affairs of the French Embassy, who is also Director of the French Institute in Vietnam, described 2018 as a special year for Vietnamese – French cultural exchanges.

“A new approach to studies on Vietnam is taking shape in France,” he said, adding that numerous scientific studies were carried out in history, social sciences, humanity, archeology, political science and literature.

Vietnamese and French scholars, lecturers and researchers are seeking to form and develop the international research groups in education, social sciences and humanities from this seminar, and for the bigger aim of contributing to the development of Vietnamese-French strategic partnership.

Professor Minh reiterated that the traditional relations between Vietnam and France were mainly on culture and education, expecting that the seminar and others in the future will help enhance the reputation of French language.

The two countries’ researchers will deal with a wide range of topics, such as educational studies; literature and linguistics; philosophy and religion; history, archeology, ethnology and anthropology; arts; sociology, psychology and social work.

“We can learn from each other,” Professor Michel Espagne said. “The exchange and comparison of orientations of Vietnamese and French scientists can create new knowledge and new studies.”

The two-day event, co-hosted by the Hanoi National University of Education and the Paris-based École Normale Supérieure of France, was opened on April 16 in coincidence with the 45th anniversary of the Vietnam – France diplomatic relations.

Vietnam and France officially set up diplomatic ties on April 12, 1973. The two nations decided to establish the Strategic Partnership in 2013.

France regards education and training as a priority in its cooperation with Vietnam, focusing on French language teaching and human resources training at tertiary and post-graduate levels in various areas like economic management, banking, finance, law and new technology.

The French Government allocates about 5 million EUR (6.1 million USD) for cultural cooperation with Vietnam each year, including support for French culture centres in Hanoi (L’Espace), Ho Chi Minh City (Institute of Cultural Exchange with France – IDECAF), Hue and Da Nang. 

As members of the International Francophone Organisation (OIF), Vietnam and France have many cooperation activities within the organisation, especially in teaching French, higher education and parliamentary activities.

Currently, around 300,000 Vietnamese people are living, studying and working in France, 40,000 of whom have tertiary or postgraduate degrees. Many of them are working in universities, research institutes and administrative agencies of France.

Bo Luy-Lo Gach pagoda relic gets national status


Vietnam, RoK intensify environmental cooperation, Can Tho wishes to boost cooperation with France, Tuyen Quang: over 116 billion VND allocated to ethnic minorities, Japanese firms, Vietnamese students join exchange 

A photo of the ceremony to receive the recognition certificate held on April 16 


The relic complex of Bo Luy-Kompong Thmo pagoda, also known as Lo Gach (Brick-kiln) pagoda, in Chau Thanh district of the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh, has been recognised as a national archaeological site.

A ceremony to receive the recognition certificate was held in the province on April 16.

The architectural relics unearthed at Kompong Thmo pagoda, also known as the Lo Gach pagoda, in Tra Vinh southern province, carry features from the southwest region’s Oc Eo Culture, which was heavily influenced by the Indian culture, experts said following a recent excavation at the site.

Located in Luong Hoa commune, the relic site consists of two large-scale areas – one inside the pagoda’s complex and the other in the vicinity.

Excavations of an area of 778 sq.m dug up six brick architectural constructions sprawling across an estimated 4,500-5,000 sq. m.

These constructions were found to share similarities with architectural relics found at Go Thanh relic site in Tien Giang and Go Xoai relic site in Long An.

Both sites trace back to the Oc Eo civilisation, which was well-known for its canals, temples and tombs built from bricks and stones. Gold sheets that had elephant images carved on them found at the Lo Gach pagoda and in Go Thanh were strikingly alike, as both are Buddhist architectural structures dating back to the period between the 8th and 9th centuries AD. Other findings also include remnants of earthen ramparts to the west of Lo Gach pagoda.

Tran Thanh Thuong, Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said local authorities will carry out a project to preserve the relic complex, aiming to build it into one of the popular destinations in Tra Vinh in the future.

Currently, Tra Vinh is home to 36 relics, including 14 national and 22 provincial sites.

Lao ethnics in Dien Bien celebrate water splashing festival


 

Vietnam, RoK intensify environmental cooperation, Can Tho wishes to boost cooperation with France, Tuyen Quang: over 116 billion VND allocated to ethnic minorities, Japanese firms, Vietnamese students join exchange
Scene at the water splashing festival 


The Lao ethnic minority group in Na Sang 1 village, Dien Bien district, the northern province of Dien Bien, organised the water splashing festival (Bun Huot Nam) from April 14-16.

Water splashing is among the rituals held during the traditional New Year festival of the Lao ethnic group that lasts from April 14 to 16 every year.

The festival is held to say goodbye to dry season, wash off bad lucks and pray for favourable weather, bumper crops, good health and luck.

The shaman and prestigious and elder people in the village make prayers, splash fragrant water, and tie threads on wrist on all locals.

The festival also includes a rain praying ritual conducted by voluble women, together with a series of folk games and traditional dance.

A typical feature of the event is a water splashing ritual which takes place in a spring in the village.

Luong Sao May, the shaman of Na Sang 1 village, said that the water splashing festival is the pride of the Lao ethnic minority group in the village.

“Through the festival, we wants to promote the cultural identity of the Lao ethnic minority group in Na Sang 1 village to people in the province and across the nation, in order to attract more tourists,” she added.

The water splashing festival was recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on September 11, 2017.

Na Sang 1 village held a ceremony on April 13 to receive the certificate recognising the festival as a national intangible cultural heritage.

Remains of US servicemen repatriated


Vietnam, RoK intensify environmental cooperation, Can Tho wishes to boost cooperation with France, Tuyen Quang: over 116 billion VND allocated to ethnic minorities, Japanese firms, Vietnamese students join exchange 

At the ceremony 


A ceremony to repatriate remains of US servicemen missing in action during the war in Vietnam took place at Da Nang international airport on April 15, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Attending the ceremony were representatives from the Vietnamese Office for Seeking Missing Persons, US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Mary Tarnowka, and delegates from the Vietnamese Defence Ministry and the US MIA Office in Hanoi.

The Vietnamese side handed over to the US side three sets of remains found during the 130th joint search from February – April 2018. Forensic experts have examined the remains and suggested sending them to Hawaii for further verification.

Speaking at the event, a representative from the US government spoke highly of Vietnam’s humanitarian policy as well as the full and increasingly effective cooperation of the Vietnamese government and people.

It was the 143rd hand-over of remains of US servicemen missing in action since 1973.

Art performance raises funds for Vietnamese pagoda in Japan


Vietnam, RoK intensify environmental cooperation, Can Tho wishes to boost cooperation with France, Tuyen Quang: over 116 billion VND allocated to ethnic minorities, Japanese firms, Vietnamese students join exchange

The art performance to raise funds for Dai An pagoda in Saitama prefecture 

The Vietnamese Buddhist Association (VBA) in Japan on April 15 organised an art performance to raise funds for Dai An pagoda in Saitama prefecture.

Head of the VBA nun Thich Tam Tri said the association was selected to inherit a pagoda in Honjo city, Saitama prefecture, which covers an area of 1,500 sq.m, in late 2017. The pagoda was then renamed Dai An.

Along with nine other Vietnamese pagodas across Japan, Dai An pagoda will provide spiritual support to the Vietnamese community in Japan in general and Vietnamese expats with difficult circumstance in particular.

According to nun Thich Tam Tri, a lecture hall and columbarium tower will be built in the pagoda. The pagoda also plans to hold classes of Vietnamese language, contributing to preserving the Vietnamese cultural identity among the community.

The fund raising event attracted more than 1,800 participants. A similar event event will be held in Hyogo prefecture on April 21.

At present there are around 260,000 Vietnamese people living in Japan.

The VBA was established in 2014, represented by num Thich Tam Tri. The association has worked hard to guide Buddhists in their social interactions, and educate the younger generation on Vietnam’s identities and cultural traditions. It has also become a source of spiritual support for disadvantaged Vietnamese in Japan.

Young work conditions need improving
 

 

Vietnam, RoK intensify environmental cooperation, Can Tho wishes to boost cooperation with France, Tuyen Quang: over 116 billion VND allocated to ethnic minorities, Japanese firms, Vietnamese students join exchange
Hà Tất Thắng, director of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, gives a speech at the forum.

Young workers face higher rates of diseases and accidents than older workers, but fatalities among young workers are less common, according to experts at the forum “For a generation of safe and healthy workers: Improving work safety conditions for young workers” held in Hà Nội on April 16.

The forum was organised by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

The forum was held in response to the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, which will fall on April 28.

During the forum, experts exchange information and experiences related to safe work conditions for young workers, who are between 15 and 24 years old.

Hà Tất Thắng, director of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said that as a country with a great number of young workers, Việt Nam had issued different policies and regulations related to ensuring work safety for young workers over the past few years.

The policies and regulations state that enterprises and employers must provide training about work safety for young workers and safe work condition norms in the agricultural, forestry and fishery sectors.

“However, the country still faces challenges in preventing and limiting work accidents in general, and work accidents for young workers in particular, including challenges in improving awareness and skills on work safety,” he said.

Thắng expressed his hope that during the forum, experts would find solutions to resolve the challenges and not only improve working conditions and health for young workers, but also promote sustainable work options for them.

“Efforts from the community will be connected to prevent risks and different forms of child labour,” said Thắng.

Valentine Offenloch of the ILO said that more than 2.3 million people in the world died annually as a result of work accidents and diseases. Ever year, an additional 313 million people suffer non-fatal work accidents that nonetheless leave serious consequences.

Valentine suggested including content about safe working conditions in curricula in high schools and vocational schools to set up a generation of safer and healthier workers.

Young workers should be encouraged to discuss and raise their opinions about work safety, she said.

Youth and their organisations should be allowed to join the construction and implementation of work accidents and disease-preventing programmes.

Việt Nam saw more than 8,900 work accidents last year, killing and injuring more than 9,100 people, according to the MOLISA.

Mekong Delta district expands shrimp-rice farms
 

 

Vietnam, RoK intensify environmental cooperation, Can Tho wishes to boost cooperation with France, Tuyen Quang: over 116 billion VND allocated to ethnic minorities, Japanese firms, Vietnamese students join exchange
Farmers in Kiên Giang Province’s Vĩnh Thuận District harvest black tiger shrimp. 

As profits rise from shrimp-rice rotation models, Kiên Giang Province’s Vĩnh Thuận District plans to expand the cultivation area to a total of 10,000ha.

Under the highly profitable model, farmers use the same field to grow blue-legged prawns and white-legged shrimp in the dry season, while rice is cultivated in the rainy season.

Phạm Văn Hậu, vice chairman of the Vĩnh Thuận District People’s Committee, said that breeding prawns lasts for six months and shrimp three months.

With such a schedule, farmers can harvest three crustacean crops and one rice crop a year.

The model provides an average profit of about VNĐ300 million (US$13,200) per ha per year, he said.

The district plans to expand the model in Vĩnh Bình Nam, Vĩnh Bình Bắc and Bình Minh communes, which are located along the Cái Lớn River, and in Tân Thuận Commune.

The shrimp bred under this model is considered “clean” because farmers do not use chemicals. In addition, the quality of the field soil improves and provides natural food for the shrimp.

Also, farmers no longer have to worry about selling their products as traders come to their fields to buy the shrimp.

Võ Văn Sữa, who has 3ha of land in Vĩnh Bình Bắc Commune, said he earns a profit of more than VNĐ900 million ($36,600) a year from shrimp and rice. In the past, his family bred black tiger shrimp and did not always earn a profit.

To enhance efficiency, the district will expand the market for blue-legged prawns as farmers are more willing to switch to the model when there is a stable outlet.

“Under the district’s agricultural restructuring plan, the district is developing the rotation model, but many farms are still breeding only shrimp,” he said. This could lead to polluted water resources and soil degradation, which could damage farms.

This year, the district will register a collective brand for its blue-legged prawn and rice planted under the shrimp-rice rotating model, he said.

Shrimp and rice are two key agricultural products in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta district of Vĩnh Thuận, where the soil is affected by aluminum and saltwater intrusion.

The district’s blue-legged prawns are sold domestically and also exported to Cambodia.

Last year, the district bred about 23,880ha of various kinds of shrimp with a total yield of about 12,580 tonnes, up 20 per cent against 2016.

Of the figure, blue-legged prawn accounted for 5,551 tonnes, and white-legged shrimp and black tiger shrimp the rest.

Free surgery for children with cleft lip, palate
 

 

Vietnam, RoK intensify environmental cooperation, Can Tho wishes to boost cooperation with France, Tuyen Quang: over 116 billion VND allocated to ethnic minorities, Japanese firms, Vietnamese students join exchange
Some 80 children nationwide will be operated this month. - Photo Operation Smile Việt Nam


Vietnamese National Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology in Hà Nội and Operation Smile Việt Nam started the month with charity surgery for children born with cleft lip and cleft palate on Monday.

Some 80 children nationwide will be operated this month.

The children will be provided with free treatment, including surgery, testing, X-ray and post-operation care, until they are discharged from the hospital. They will also be given financial support.

The hospital and Operation Smile Việt Nam plan to organise eight operation programmes of charity surgery this year.

Of these, four programmes will take place at the National Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology, while the remaining will take place in Đắk Lắk, Quảng Ngãi, Phú Yên and Nghệ An provinces.

The project is expected to provide charity surgery to more than 600 children nationwide this year.

Việt Nam Red Cross, Women’s Union ink collaboration deal


 

Vietnam, RoK intensify environmental cooperation, Can Tho wishes to boost cooperation with France, Tuyen Quang: over 116 billion VND allocated to ethnic minorities, Japanese firms, Vietnamese students join exchange
Việt Nam Red Cross (VNRC) and Việt Nam Women’s Union sign a joint agreement on humanitarian activities on April 16 in Hà Nội. 


Việt Nam Red Cross (VNRC) and Việt Nam Women’s Union will work together in social and humanitarian activities from 2018 to 2022 under the framework of a joint agreement.

The deal was signed in Hà Nội today.

The collaboration aims to strengthen awareness and responsibility as well as collaboration activities of the two sides in the areas of charity, healthcare for the poor and organisational development.

Under the programme, activities will be focused on implementing five major contents, including education and communication to strengthen awareness of members and volunteers on the Party’s humanitarian and social welfare policies, international laws on humanity and gender equity and mobilisation sources for building humanitarian constructions and social welfare projects.

The two sides will also work together in organising public healthcare initiatives, inspection and supervision programmes on social welfare policies and implementation of a joint programme called “Companion with frontier women” during 2018-2022.

Under the framework of the joint programme, VNRC, in collaboration with Việt Nam Women’s Union and National Humanitarian Portal 1409, has launched an SMS campaign for mobilising funding for poor women living in border areas of the country. The programme also aims to raise the community’s awareness on border issues and the country’s border sovereignty.

People can support the campaign by texting BC to 1409 until May 26, 2018. Each text message will contribute VNĐ20,000 ($0.85) to the livelihood fund for poor women in border areas.

The programme’s goodwill ambassador, actress Nhã Phương, has called on enterprises, individuals and benefactors to support poor women in the border communes in overcoming difficulties, escaping from poverty and developing household economy.

On April 17, the programme’s organisation board will donate the money from the livelihood fund to the first five poor women (VNĐ10 million, or US$445 each) and provide free health check-up, medicines and gifts to 200 poor women in Phong Nặm Commune, Trùng Khánh District in northern Cao Bằng Province.

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