Social News 12/3 Suspected murderer in Bình Dương turns himself in  Police put up the parameters around FPT Telecom Company in Chánh Nghĩa Ward, Bình Dương Police on Sunday announced they had arrested a man alleged to have murdered his colleague at FPT Telecom Company in Chánh Nghĩa Ward, The victim is Nguyễn Văn Đông, 21, from the southern province of Đồng Tháp. The captured suspect is Đỗ Long, 23, from the Central Highlands Long and Đông were guards of the Bảo Thiên Long Company, and were assigned to work at the FPT Telecom Company in On March 9, they had an argument at work, and Long is alleged to have stabbed Đông dozens of times with a knife, killing him at the scene. Long then fled to hometown. Đông’s body was discovered the next morning by the cleaning lady, who then reported the case to the police. Long surrendered to police on Saturday night in Lale Commune in Chư Pưh District, The Bình Dương Province Police took Long to Fire destroys 40ha of forest in Gia Lai A fire that broke out in the Ia Grai protection forest in the Central Highlands However, more than 40ha of forest, comprising pine trees planted in 2015, was destroyed. Lê Tiến Hiệp, head of the forest’s management board, said that the fire occurred on Friday afternoon. More than 200 people from the management board, provincial Border Guards and local residents from Ia Chía and Ia O communes were called to extinguish the fire. The team managed to temporarily halt the fire on Friday night. However, due to dry conditions and strong winds, the flames reappeared. Ia Grai District authorities called for more firemen from Đức Cơ District to stamp out it. Ia Grai District authorities kept a close watch on the scene to prevent the fire from re-occurring. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Vietnamese Buddhist Association hold requiem in RoK The Vietnamese Buddhist Association in the Hundreds of Vietnamese Buddhist followers including migrant workers, students and members of Vietnam-RoK multicultural families across the RoK were present at the event. Buddhist nun Thich Nu Gioi Tanh, Chairwoman of the Vietnamese Buddhist Association in the RoK, said the requiem aims to pay tribute to ancestors and soldiers who sacrificed their lives for She highlighted significant contributions of Vietnamese Buddhist community in the RoK to charitable activities in the host society and the homeland. At the ceremony, a representative from the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) Central Committee announced a decision to recognise the Vietnamese Buddhist Association in the RoK as a member of the VBS. The association’s chairwoman pledged to accompany other Vietnamese associations in the RoK to build a strong community of overseas Vietnamese and contribute significantly to the development of the two countries’ relations. At the end of the requiem, participants offered incense and released flower garlands to commemorate the deceased and prayed for a New Year of peace and prosperity. Ha My massacre commemorated in Quang Nam A ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Ha My massacre took place at the Ha My Monument, in Dien Duong ward, Dien Ban township, the central province of Quang Nam on March 11. The event saw the presence of a 40-member delegation of the Republic of Korea-Vietnam Peace Fund, representatives from the Quang Nam province chapter of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisation, local authorities, and crowds of people, witnesses and relatives of victims. The RoK delegation, including professors, physicians, teachers, farmers, artists, students and social activists, offered incense and floral wreaths to commemorate the innocent victims of the massacre, and expressed their apology to Vietnamese people for the involvement of RoK soldiers in the killing. Fifty years ago, on the morning of February 25, 1968, the 24th day of the first lunar month of the year Mau Than (Year of Monkey), 135 Ha My villagers, most of them being elderly, women and children, were killed by troops of the RoK "Green Dragon" brigade. Speaking at the ceremony, President of the RoK-Vietnam Peace Fund, Kang U-il expressed his pain and deep regret for the massacre, saying that the truth must be brought to light in order to draw lessons from history and to ensure that such tragedy will not happen again. Previously, the fund visited families and relatives of the massacre victims, and presented 35 bicycles to students of the The RoK-Vietnam Peace Fund, a non-governmental organisation, was launched in 2016 by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, with the purpose to promote the "Sincere apologies to More Japanese cherry trees planted in Hanoi The Japanese retail group AEON planted 500 more cherry blossom trees at the The event, which was attended by Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Kunio Umeda and Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung, was held by the AEON Environmental Foundation in response to a project planting one million green trees in the capital city. Ambassador Kunio Umeda said the planting of cherry blossom trees in He hoped the trees will grow well, making Chairman of the AEON Environmental Foundation Takuya Okada said since 2014, the foundation has grown nearly 100,000 trees in He added that the foundation has planted 200 cherry blossom trees at The trees were selected from the variety from Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung said the cherry blossom trees that he planted at He hoped the event will help raise public awareness of environmental protection. More than 200 Vietnamese and Japanese volunteers joined hands to plant the cherry trees. Maps of Through the map exhibition, the country wants to provide visitors with more information about More than 40 leading travel companies from The Vietnamese booths are set up on an area of 500 square metres, drawing a large crowd of foreign visitors thanks to the provision of a diverse number of products and services. Deputy Director General of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) Ha Van Sieu said there are good of opportunities for However, the biggest challenge for the tourism industry at present is how to improve its competitiveness in the region and beyond since most of Vietnamese tourism businesses are small- and medium-sized ones. Therefore, it is necessary to invest in human resource development and seek the most efficient way to promote tourism, he suggested. According to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam aims to serve between 15 and 17 million foreign and 78 million domestic travellers this year, with total revenue expected to hit 620 trillion VND (27.28 billion USD), up 21.35 percent on year. With a growth of 30 percent in tourism in 2017, Ben Tre hosts Mekong Delta Francophone Day The 21st Francophone Day of the Mekong Delta opened in Ben Tre on March 11 in celebration of the International Francophonie Day (March 20) and to mark the 45th anniversary of the Vietnam – France diplomatic ties (April 12). The event was jointly organised by the Ben Tre province chapter of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations, Francophone international organisations, and Can Tho University. Many activities were held during the event, including a French speaking contest on the theme of Vietnamese and French cuisine, a cooking contest focusing on French dishes, and bilingual art exchanges. Jean Philippe Rousse, attaché of cooperation and cultural activities at the Consulate General of France in Ben Tre has the largest numbers of French language learners and teachers in the Mekong Delta region, with 4,000 students and 30 teachers at secondary and high school levels. Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Huu Phuoc said more than 100 graduates from the Ben Tre senior high school for gifted students have received tertiary education in Over the past time, numerous local students have received scholarships of France-based universities and institutes, which will encourage more students to learn French and lay the foundation for the cooperation between Ben Tre and France in the future, he said. The Francophone Day of the Mekong Delta is the biggest annual get-together of the Francophone community in the Mekong Delta. It is rotationally organised by four regional localities. This is the fourth time Ben Tre province has ever hosted the event. Firefighters stamp out tanker blaze in Hai Phong port city Firefighters successfully stamped out the blaze of a tanker at Port K99 in in Hai An district, the northern port city of According to the municipal People’s Committee, the fire broke out at 4:30 pm on March 10 on Hai Ha 18 oil tanker which was carrying 900 cubic metres of A92 petrol. When the incident happened, the tanker was pumping petrol ashore. However, a fuel pump was malfunctioned, so the process was stopped for the ship to be pulled out of the wharf for repair. An explosion occurred immediately after that, leading to fire. Right after the incident, Minister of Public Security To Lam, Secretary of the municipal Party Committee and Chairman of the municipal People’s Council Le Van Thanh, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Van Tung, and Vice Chairmen of the municipal People’s Committee Pham Van Ha and Nguyen Van Thanh, came to the scene to direct firefighting efforts. More than 400 firefighters and 15 fire trucks were sent to put the fire under control. According to the initial information, no human losses have been reported so far and the tanker has been removed to a safe area. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc also sent a dispatch to the National Committee on Incident, Disaster Response and Search and Rescue, the Ministries of Public Security, National Defence, and Transport, and the People’s Committee of Hai Phong, requesting them to work out all measures to prevent the blaze from spreading to other areas and ensure absolute safety for nearby residents. Danang requested to rescue Dien Hai Citadel Hung told the Daily on March 8 that several existing structures have encroached on the citadel. The Moreover, Hung proposed closing down the boat station along the “Although the boat station does not encroach on Dien Hai Citadel according to the law of heritage, it is blocking the entrance to the relic site,” said Hung. Chairman of Danang City Huynh Duc Tho has assigned the Department of Culture and Sports to work with the Department of Construction to rework the zoning plan for Dien Hai Citadel, including the possibility of relocating the boat station. Proceeds from auction of U23 team’s ball, jersey presented to poor districts The 20 billion VND (878,000 USD) collected from the auction of the ball and the jersey with autographs of all members of U23 Vietnam team, the runners-up of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U23 Championship last January, was presented to 20 deprived districts of 12 provinces nationwide in Hanoi on March 11. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended the presentation ceremony, which also saw the presence of head coach Park Hang-seo and players of the U23 Vietnam team along with representatives of the 20 localities. The beneficiary districts are Dong Van and Meo Vac of Ha Giang province, Muong Khuong and Si Ma Cai of Lao Cai, Ha Quang and Bao Lac of Cao Bang, Van Ho and Sop Cop of Son La, Muong Te and Sin Ho of Lai Chau, Muong Lat of Thanh Hoa, Ky Son and Tuong Duong of Nghe An, A Luoi of Thua Thien-Hue, Tu Mo Rong and Kon Plong of Kon Tum, Bac Tra My and Tay Giang of Quang Nam, Tan Phu Dong of Tien Giang, and Tra Cu of Tra Vinh. Addressing the event, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc appreciated the warm response that organisations and people nationwide gave to the auction. He also congratulated FLC Group on winning the auction. He asked authorities of the 20 districts to use the presented money to build 500 houses worth 40 million VND (over 1,750 USD) each for revolution contributors, policy beneficiary families and low-income earners. He also encouraged The Government leader also took this chance to call on all-level authorities and sectors to follow the spirit of U23 Vietnam to make strong reforms and be united and determined to develop the country. The ball and the jersey were initially gifts from the U23 team to PM Phuc. On February 1, the PM handed over the gifts to Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung and Minister of Information and Communications Truong Minh Tuan for auction. The auction from February 6 to February 11 attracted people from all social strata. FLC Group initially bid 12 billion VND (526,800 USD) for both items and then raised the sum to 20 billion VND to win the auction. Vu A Dinh scholarship fund mobilises support in RoK The Vu A Dinh scholarship fund, established in 1999, aims to support ethnic minority students from poor families who achieve outstanding academic performances, said former State Vice President and Chairwoman of the fund Truong My Hoa. At a meeting with representatives from the Vietnamese community in the Republic of Korea (RoK) on March 10 to mobilise support for the fund, Hoa noted that academic investment for children is crucial, particularly those from ethnic minority groups. Some 5,000 scholarships are presented to the needy every year, helping them overcome difficulties and contribute to society, she added. At the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to the RoK Nguyen Vu Tu underlined the sound relations between He said that there are 50,000 Vietnamese students studying in the East Asian nation and the figure is expected to rise. Meanwhile, representatives from the Vietnamese organisations in the RoK introduced their activities to support the needy in the homeland and vowed to support the impoverished students. India tourism promotion event held in HCM City Inviting all Vietnamese citizens to experience the different flavours of Indian culture, cuisine and nature was the theme of a tourism-promotion event that was held by the Consulate General of India in The event, named ‘Visit India in 2018’, was organised in the city last Friday, attended by representatives of the city’s Department of Tourism, Vietnamese and Indian tourism enterprises, and other relevant agencies. It called on the travel industries from both sides to boost the bilateral people-to-people exchange in line with the guidance given by the leaders of the two countries. Speaking at the event, Indian Consul General K. Srikar Reddy in Việt The longstanding Over the years, there has been regular exchanges of high level visits between the two countries. The leaders of both countries have agreed to intensify cooperation in the fields of culture, tourism and people-to-people exchange while widening and deepening cultural and historical ties. Tourism has been identified as a priority area for cooperation. Last year, foreign tourist arrivals in Meanwhile, the number of Vietnamese visiting Nguyễn Thị Ánh Hoa, deputy director of the The country attracts tourists thanks to its diverse traditions, life styles, colorful fairs and festivals, geographical diversity, attractive beaches, 36 World Heritage sites and 25-bio-geographic zones. According to World Travel and Tourism Council’s research, the world’s 10 fastest growing destinations for leisure-travel spending in the period of 2016-26 will be Feasibility study for southern railway project done The Southern Institute of Science and Technology has finished the feasibility study for a high-speed railway project linking HCMC and Can Tho City, said the institute’s head Tran Cong Hoang Quoc Trang. The five southern localities which the 139-kilometer railway would pass through have agreed on the recommended route. In particular, the HCMC-Can Tho railway would run in parallel with HCMC-Trung Luong-My Thuan expressway. It would begin at Tan Kien station in HCMC and run to stations in Long An, Tien Giang and Vinh Long provinces before ending at The railway would a track width of 1,435 mm. There would be 10 stations in 10 cities along the line. According to a statement issued by the institute, it has worked with some 15 interested investors and decided to pick The HCMC-Can Tho railway project has received much attention from the Canadian government and the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs has written to the HCMC chairman showing support for the Canadian investor’s cooperation. The consul general of The institute on February 2 signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with MorFund on an investment scale of 6.3 billion Canadian dollars, or some US$5 billion. The MOU is considered a legal basis to proceed to the next steps of the project’s financing. The institute plans to report the project to the Ministry of Transport, the Prime Minister and the National Assembly this year so that it can get off the ground soon. In November 2013, the institute and the U.S.-based EDES also signed a MOU on cooperation in the HCMC-Can Tho railway project. However, no official contract between the two sides has been inked since then. According to the institute, the HCMC-Can Tho railway would be first used for cargo transport and would not consider transporting passengers until 2025. Red Spring blood donation festival takes place in The National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) has collected nearly 10,300 units of blood from donors at the Lễ hội Xuân hồng 2018 (Red Spring 2018) blood donation festival in Hà Nội. Organised by the NIHBT and the Hà Nội Steering Committee for Voluntarily Blood Donation Mobilisation, the year’s largest blood donation festival aims to collect at least 8,000 units of blood from 15,000 participants, mainly youth and students, from March 3 to 11. “The annual festival has basically aimed to assist during the blood shortage for emergency aid and treatment at hospitals, as well as provide safe and sufficient blood for development of high medical techniques, such as organ transplants and cancer treatment, saving lives of patients with fatal diseases,” said Deputy Minister of Health Nguyễn Viết Tiến on Saturday. Tiến also expressed his hope that humanitarian blood donations would be further expanded among each family, as well as the entire society in the coming years. “The country experiences a blood supply shortage after the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday due to the demand for blood being higher than our preserved amount,” said NIHBT director Bạch Quốc Khánh . “Red Spring festival remains the best way to handle the situation. We organised this year’s event in many places in the city over nine days to offer more opportunities for donors to donate blood and to increase the quality of healthcare for donors,” said Khánh. Trần Minh Đức, a teacher, travelled more than 100 kilometres from “I’m very excited to share my blood to help needy patients, and I’m very happy when I can do something useful,” said Đức. Đức said that this is the 15th time he has donated blood since he was a student more than 10 years ago. Đức said that he learned about the festival through his Facebook social network. He added that he will explain the benefits of voluntary blood donations with his students and friends to increase the community’s awareness about such humanitarian activities. The festival organisation board said more than 60,300 units of blood were collected from 190,000 participants during ten Xuân Hồng blood donation festivals, since the first festival was held in 2008. Last year, the festival received more than 9,300 units of blood, compared to 9,000 units during the previous year. Construction begins for two railway roundabouts in Quảng Nam Province The central province of Quảng Nam, in co-operation with local car firm Trường Hải, commenced construction of a railway flyover roundabout at one of the busiest crossroads on National Highway No 1A, in Núi Thành District, and a road linking Chu Lai Port to Đà Nẵng-Quảng Ngãi Expressway. The flyover, invested in by Trường Hải to the tune of VNĐ600 billion (US$26.5 million), will be a key project to reduce traffic at the crossroad of the national highway and north-south railway system as well as on the route from the Chu Lai Port and Chu Lai-Trường Hải Industrial Complex to the expressway. It is scheduled to open to traffic this August. The flyover will allow non-stop travel on the national highway and hasten transportation of cargo from the seaport to the road system and A pedestrian bridge will be built to create a safe way to cross the railway system. Minister of Transport Nguyễn Văn Thể said the project will play a crucial role in providing safe transport for all vehicles at the busy road-railway crossing. He said the flyover will be a symbol of The ministry also approved eight flyover bridges in flood-affected areas in Chairman of Trường Hải company Trần Bá Dương said the project will be a challenge for construction companies and workers with its strict construction schedule. He said the company will work to complete the project on schedule to mark the 15th anniversary of the foundation of the Chu Lai Open Economic Zone. The crossroad section is used by more than 9,000 workers and vehicles from the Chu Lai-Trường Hải Industrial Complex as well as numerous vehicles that traverse the national highway and railway systems. Tourism in the Cửu Long ( During the period, Cần Thơ City received 1.8 million tourists, up 19 per cent year-on-year, according to the city’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The city’s tourism revenue rose by 28 per cent to reach VNĐ515 billion (US$22.6 million). Trần Việt Phường, director of the department, attributed the surge in tourist arrivals to rising demand for travelling during the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday and various festive activities held in the city during the holiday. Famous tourist attractions, such as Cái Răng floating market, Mỹ Khánh tourism village, Trúc Lâm Phương Nam Zen Monastery, Bình Thủy ancient house, and cồn Sơn (Sơn islet), were crowded with domestic and foreign tourists during Tết, Phường said. To lure more tourists, the city has fostered tourism promotion and links with other major cities, such as Last year, the city welcomed 7.5 million tourists, up 40 per cent year-on-year, and tourism revenue surged by 61 per cent to VNĐ2.9 trillion ($127.6 million). The province is encouraging enterprises to invest in infrastructure and tourism facilities, as well as upgrade historical, cultural and scenic sites to serve tourists, Hồng said. It has enhanced tourism marketing and promotion in local markets and abroad, he said. The province has mapped out four key tourism zones, including The number of tourists visiting the province totaled more than 1 million in the first two months of the year, up 2.5 per cent year-on-year. Đồng Tháp, Long An and Tiền Giang provinces have collaborated with Jutatip Maneephan wins fourth stage of Biwase Cup Asian Games gold medalist Jutatip Maneephan won the fourth stage of the Bình Dương international women’s cycling tournament, the Biwase Cup, yesterday. The Thai cyclist won the 50km race around Lee Euheen of Lee Joohee of Despite finishing in 12th in this stage, Nguyễn Thị Thu Mai of Gạo Hạt Ngọc Trời An Giang retains the yellow jersey for the best overall time of 9:31.49 after four stages. In the team rankings, Biwase Bình Dương lead, followed by Gạo Hạt Ngọc Trời An Giang and the Today, cyclists will compete in the fifth stage from Nha Trang to The event features nearly 140 cyclists from nine foreign teams and nine domestic. Quảng Ninh beat Đà Nẵng at league’s first game Quảng Ninh Coal defeated SHB Đà Nẵng 1-0 in the first round of the Nuti Café V.League 1 at Cẩm Phả Stadium yesterday. Taking full advantage of playing at home, Quảng Ninh scored the opener in the 18th minute through Brazilian striker Teofilo Eydison. Eydison’s goal drove the home side on but they couldn’t best goalkeeper Nguyễn Thanh Bình again. In the second half, the visitors flooded forward to attempt to level the score. However, they nearly fell behind further in the 54th minute when Bình fouled Marcus Vinicius of Quảng Ninh in the penalty area. Fortunately for the visitors striker Mạc Hồng Quân failed to score from the spot. In the 79th minute, Đà Nẵng were presented a glorious opportunity to equalise when goalkeeper Huỳnh Tuấn Linh of the hosts fouled national U23 striker Hà Đức Chinh in the box. Brazilian Đỗ The hosts controlled the remainder of the game, taking away all three points. In other matches yesterday, Hà Nội FC beat Hải Phòng 1-0, while On Saturday, defending champions Quảng Nam FC drew with Sài Gòn FC 1-1 at Tam Kỳ Stadium. Although Quảng After the break, the two sides pushed forward to seek goals. In the 47th minute, Hà Minh Tuấn headed the ball into the Sài Gòn net to open the scoring. In the 62nd minute, following a defensive mix-up, Lê Hoàng Thiên levelled the score for the visitors. At Pleiku Stadium, Hoàng Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) played out a goalless draw with former champions Becamex Bình Dương. The event drew much attention of fans and media in the country, with HAGL heavily tipped for the title this season. The stadium was full of fans who wanted to see HAGL’s midfielder and captain Lương Xuân Trường after two years of playing in South Korea on loan and other stars such as Nguyễn Công Phượng, Nguyễn Văn Toàn, Vũ Văn Thanh and Nguyễn Phong Hồng Duy who played for the national U23 team during their run to the final of the AFC U23 Championship in China in January. However, Bình Dương, who are in the process of bringing new blood into their team, gave the hosts plenty of trouble but failed to score. 5,000 people walk in Around 5,000 people joined a voluntary walk around The event was jointly held by the Vietnam Youth Federation's Central Committee, Vietnam Volunteers Centre and FPT Corporation. It was also aimed to mark FPT Community Day on every March 13. The walk participants include FPT staff the most along with local residents and many singers and musicians. Each participant contributed VND100,000 (USD4.54) to raise funds for social security projects, including the construction of playgrounds for children. Nguyen Thi Thu Van, vice chairwoman of the Vietnam Youth Federation's Central Committee, said that voluntary campaigns would be the focus of the federation in the next five year, aiming to call for young people to contribute more to community projects. Bui Quang Ngoc, general director of FPT, said that since 2010, the corporation has selected March 13 as FPT Community Day so that their staff can contribute to helping disadvantaged people in the country. On the sidelines of the walk, the Vietnam Voluntary Centre and FPT Corporation signed an agreement for social security programmes in 2018, including repairing houses for the poor and supporting schools in remote areas. Two Vietnamese-American girls saved after being kidnapped for ransom Police in Officers under the police department in District 11 saved six-year-old T.H.B.N. and eight-year-old T.H.M.A. on March 10. Their father, 45-year-old Tran Hoang, reported their abduction to police officers on March 7. The two girls are studying at an international school in the city, according to the family. Footage from the school’s security cameras showed that Lam Thi Phuong Dung, 15, who is the housekeeper, picked up the two children at their school on March 7. Phuong then walked them towards a strange man, who later carried the girls on his motorcycle to an unknown location. About an hour later, T.T.C., Hoang’s mother, received a text message from a strange number via Viber, which said that they were holding her two granddaughters. The abductors told the family to prepare their money and not to call the police, or the two girl’s lives would be harmed. At 2:00 pm on March 9, they kidnappers sent a second message, asserting that the ransom worth US$50,000 must be delivered at an area near the Dau Tieng Rubber Company in southern Based on the initial information, officers started probing Dung’s relationship with multiple people, and dispatched units to various locations in Following relentless efforts, investigators were able to determine where the girls were held. They carried out a raid on a tenanted house in Binh Tan District on March 9, where the two children were staying with Dung. The victims were still in good health conditions but did not seem to be as active as they normally are. Thanks to Dung’s statements, officers apprehended Truong Huong, a 58-year-old Vietnamese- American woman who is also one of Hoang’s best friends. Huong refused to answer any of the officers’ questions and demanded the presence of a consular representative. Police have also arrested a relative of the young girls for allegedly being involved in the kidnap. Further investigation is ongoing. Festival to bolster The event, the second of its kind, aims to create a free venue for students to boost exchanges with the Japanese-speaking community in The festival will introduce visitors to cultural practices, signature dishes and folk games of the two countries. Visitors are invited to learn Japanese calligraphy and Origami (Japanese paper folding art), try on Kimono and Yukata (casual summer kimono), as well as a sumo wrestler costume, and make Japanese traditional masks and dolls. They can also take part in a performance of cosplay costumes and a lucky draw with many interesting prizes. Lam Dong province acts to preserve gong culture The Central Highlands The scheme aims to gradually restore the values of the gong culture space as well as the traditional lifestyles of ethnic minorities in the province, as a way to safeguard their cultural identity and provide a boost for tourism. Lam Dong province’s programme also seeks to train a new crop of young instrumentalists who can protect and keep the gong culture alive. The plan is part of The cultural space of gongs is practised by 17 ethnic groups in five provinces across the Central Highlands, namely Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, and Lam Dong. Dong Nai advances extra payment for Texwell Vina workers premium The People’s Committee of Dong Nai province yesterday approved an extra advance of nearly VND1.4 billion (US$61,000) on the provincial budget to pay social premium for workers of Korean Texwell Vina Compay, which owner has run away, so that they can enjoy unemployment insurance and maternity regime after ending labor contracts with the company. In an announcement sent yesterday, the provincial Labor Union said that so far 1,700 social insurance books have been returned to workers and the remaining of 300 books have not been received. Ms. Nguyen Hoa Hiep, deputy chairman of Dong Nai People’s Committee, said that the province has worked to ensure rights for workers of the company and mobilized businesses in the province to receive workers of over age 40. Previously, Dong Nai had advanced on its budget to pay half of January wage for the workers to celebrate the Tet holiday. The Inorganic fertilizers badly harm Vietnamese farmers use 11 million tons of fertilizers annually, of which, only one million tons is the organic fertilizer while the remaining is inorganic, according to the Department of Plant Protection’s statistic released at a meeting on developing organic fertilizer for the country’s agriculture sector in As of December, 2017, the number of registered organic fertilizer products for agricultural production is 713, accounting for 5 percent compared to total products registered with 14,318. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development (MARD), manufacturing and using fertilizers in moderation will help increase productivity and produce quality. However, for a long time, Vietnamese farmers have used synthetic or inorganic fertilizers which depleted the quality of soil and badly impacted on fruit and vegetable meanwhile organic kinds - an essential element for the growth of microorganisms in the soil can help improving humus in the soil , the growth of microorganisms in addition to providing nutrients to the soil. Developing production of organic fertilizers both boosts organic agricultural production and takes advantage of waste products in planting, breeding and revamp soil environment. However, at present, the country has 180 licensed manufacturers to make organic fertilizers, accounting for 24. 5 percent over 735 units. These 180 manufacturers make 2.5 million tons annually, just accounting for 0.1 percent compared to their chemical fertilizer plants with 26.7 million tons a year. Therefore, at the meeting, experts warned that this is good opportunity for investors to pour capital into producing organic fertilizers in next 5 - 7 years. Speaking at the meeting, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong proposed enterprises adopting hi-tech in manufacturing organic fertilizer to protect environment. Moreover, he promised to have preferential policies to support firms. Additionally, the Ministry will increase supervision on the quality of fertilizers to set order in production and business of fertilizers. The Ministry petitioned the government to have preferential policies in production capital, special treatment in soil hiring as well as tax exemption for individual and organizations to make organic fertilizers. Moreover, the government should have mechanism to support firms to build their brand names and growth of production. The Minister suggested local administrations encouraging farmers to increase utilization of environmentally friend fertilizers as well as enhance supervision to discover fake fertilizers or low quality kinds. HCMC needs to build 80,000 houses annually The Department of Construction in Buildings will be built in new urbans and in districts which have complete infrastructure. New buildings to replace old ones inner-city areas such as districts 1, 3, 4, 5 will set up to exploit land efficiency. Meantime, four new urbans including Thu Thiem, Hi-tech area, South including the South area and HCMC strives to raise residents’ satisfaction to administrative procedures HCMC has been striving to increase residents and businesses’ satisfaction level to administrative procedures to over 80 percent and individuals’ satisfaction in education and health fields to over 80 percent by 2020. Currently, it is implementing solutions to efficiently materialize Politburo Conclusion 21 and National Assembly Resolution 54 on piloting specific mechanisms for HCMC development. Specifically, the city focuses on building specific mechanisms according to the resolution to untie knots in finance, land, apparatus and human resource in public administrative field to develop fast and sustainably, according to the draft statement on administrative reform results in the phase of 2011-2017 and directions and missions in 2018-2020 which the city People's Committee has recently sent to the city People’s Council. The People’s Committee said that administrative reform leadership and instruction has been conducted drastically, closely and thoroughly in a timely manner from city to ward levels. Administrative reform has been sped up and procedures have been simplified and streamlined in construction and land field. The city has set up a working group headed by the chairman of the People's Committee to solve investment procedures. One door mechanism and one stop shop mechanism have been carried out to gradually improve resident serving quality. Agencies have received and returned documents through post and telecom service. The city has also paid attention to building and improving the staff of cadres and officials to contribute in bettering state management efficiency. However surveys show that residents and organizations’ satisfaction to public administrative service and public services has increased insignificantly. Obtained results have failed to meet the target in the action program of the city Party Committee to implement the resolution on administrative reform program in the phase of 2016-2020. Administrative procedures in some fields such as invesment, land and construction are still complicated. Annoucement and publicization of administrative formalities have been slow while the number of procedures conducted under one door and one stop shop mechanisms and electronic public services of level 3 and 4 has been few. Public workforce cut has neither been stepped up nor paid attention to appropriately. Decentralization has not been implemented thoroughly and stably. Therefore, the city People’s Committee has set out specific missions to continue taking the initiative in conducting and intensifying surveys of residents and businesses’ satisfaction to the service by government agencies to rectify limitations in a timely manner. Besides increasing residents and businesses’ satisfaction to administrative procedures to over 80 percent, the city will study breakthrough innovations in institutions in combination with strong administrative reform, change from pre to post inspection in administrative procedure implementation, intensify application of information technology to contribute in developing e-government. Especially the city would focus on carrying out the plan of the city People’s Committee to materialize NA Resolution 54 on schedule and ensure quality. The committee has suggested promoting supervision and feedback role of the city People’s Council and Vietnam Fatherland Front committee in administrative reform. HCMC records three cases of measles Three people were taken to hospital with diagnosis of measles during two past weeks, repported the Preventive Medicine Department in According to the Department, in three first months of the year, the city recorded 2,187 cases of dengue inpatients, a year-on-year decrease of 30 percent; 255 hand-foot-mouth cases and one case of disease caused by Zika virus, a drop of 42 percent and 93 percent compared to 2017. Three cases of meales are most noticeable. Following the hospitalization of three measles inpatients, experts warned of the possibility of reoccurrence of the ailment as the year in the measles period is 3-5 years. This year is the peak year for the disease as per the period. The youngest patient is a 18-month-old infant in district 2. According to the baby’s relative, the baby lived in the North where measles is plaguing and he has moved to the city lately. The second patient is a toddler in district 6 and the third is a 23 year old person in District Phu Nhuan. Through epidemiology investigation to isolate the district, no link between cases of measles which adults and children both suffer. Medical workers warned weather transaction make children’s resistance weaker; accordingly, parents should look after their kids well. To actively prevent the disease, parents need to take their children to infirmaries for vaccination as per the National Expanded Immunization Program. When a person experiences symptoms like fever, rash, red eye, and running nose, they should go to the nearby clinic. Infected people should be kept isolation especially children and unvaccinated people to prevent transmission. Four Vietnamese women artists exhibit artworks in China Four Vietnamese female painters traveled to Artists, including Nguyen Thi Tam, Tran Thi Thuy Linh, Huynh Phuong Thi dai Trang and Viet Thi Kim Quyen who are members of the The exhibition will feature nearly 50 paintings using various materials by 22 women artists from ILO: Women have fewer chances than men in labor market Women have fewer opportunities to participate in the labor market and hold senior positions than men, especially in developing countries, according to a survey by the International Labor Organization (ILO). The survey released in Only 48.5% of females participate in the labor market this year, 26.5 percentage points lower than men. In addition, the jobless rate among women is 6%, 0.8 percentage point higher than men. Deborah Greenfield, ILO deputy general director for policy, said it is difficult to achieve gender equality in the labor market despite many achievements and commitments on the issue. The unemployment rates among women and men in developed countries are not so different. There are even fewer unemployed women in Eastern Europe and Meanwhile, in Arab and North African countries, the number of jobless women doubles that of men due to social prejudices hindering females from doing paid jobs. The report also said that the number of males holding managerial posts is four times higher than women. The gender discrimination in According to the latest employment survey, 71% of females are employed while the rate is 80.6% for males. In 2016, the number of unpaid female workers was 12.4% higher than men. Among wage earners, male workers are monthly paid VND5.3 million, 10.7% higher than females. Ben Thanh market to apply safe-food model next month Ben Thanh Market in HCMC’s District 1 will pilot the model of safe-food market, with the first step being to upgrade sanitation facilities next month, said Le Quang Thien, head of the management unit of the market. According to Thien, the management unit is working on necessary procedures for the market renovations so that the safe-food market model can be piloted there, particularly with pork trading. Renovations at the market include the replacement of tiles of kiosks and shelves, lighting systems, water supply and drainage, and food storage among others. There will also be a separate functional area and spacious aisles in addition to hygiene and fire safety facilities. Thien said all pork sold at Ben Thanh Market has clear origin. In particular, 41 pork kiosks of 36 traders at the market sell pork sourced from Vissan, the country’s biggest food processor. The implementation of the safe-food market model at Ben Thanh market is part of the 2016-2020 pilot food safety program. In the first phase of the program, the safe-food market model is applied for pork trading at Ben Thanh Market in District 1 and Hoc Mon Wholesale Market in Hoc Mon District. The aim of the program is to develop a market model which meets food safety standards, with a focus on the origin and quality of products. Safe-food markets must satisfy different criteria concerning products, traders, market facilities and inspections. Every main criterion has detailed requirements. For instance, food products for sale must have documents showing their origins, food safety certificates or testing documents. The origin of food products must be traceable and comply with technical requirements like residues of veterinary medicine and heavy metals. Besides, food traders at markets must have trading registration certificates, and be certified or pledge to meet food safety standards specific to the food categories they trade in. The program will be expanded to 12 traditional wet markets after the first phase and all traditional markets in HCMC after 2020. After pork, such a model will be introduced to other farm produce, essential goods and catering services. VNN |
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BUSINESS IN BRIEF 12/3 CP TPP expected to boost Vietnam-Chile economic ties The newly-signed Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CP TPP), of which In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, the diplomat noted that since They have signed many deals facilitating their affiliation, including a free trade agreement in 2012. Two-way trade grew impressively to 1.3 billion USD in 2017 from only under 200 million USD in 2005. They have set up dialogue mechanisms in politics and economy, along with annual meetings to review cooperation outcomes and map out collaboration plans for following years. Son stressed that the two sides are open economies, holding that the CP TPP will help further expand and develop bilateral economic, trade and investment partnerships. The ambassador said that almost all Presidents of Chile have visited At the same time, However, he said that bilateral investment remains modest, citing they are yet to have any project in each other' territory. The diplomat also pledged that the Vietnamese Embassy in Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son spoke highly of Son congratulated He asked He expressed his hope that Iwao Horii spoke highly of He showed his delight at the signing of the CPTPP between He expressed his hope that He affirmed that his country supports efforts to maintain peace, stability, and maritime and aviation freedom in the Both host and guest agreed to coordinate closely to prepare for visits made by the two countries’ leaders this year when they are celebrating the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties. Nghe An asked to double economic scale by 2025 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked the central The Government leader made the request while addressing the 10th annual meeting with investors conference in Nghe An on March 10, which drew a large number of domestic firms and foreign businesses from various countries such as Lauding the local government's efforts and strong determination to attract investment, the PM said that Nghe An's experience is helpful for other localities in investment promotion. He held that the joint determination of local government and investors has made Nghe An an attractive destination for businesses with large projects, showing the good combination between domestic and foreign-invested capital resources. The PM noted that Nghe An has various favourable conditions for development in all fields, including its location as a transit point of northern and southern economic regions, as well as a population of nearly 4 million. The province ranked 25th out of 63 localities in the 2016 provincial competitiveness index, seven spaces higher than 2015, he noted, adding that many other indications, including those on market engagement and labour training, also increased. However, the province's performance in unofficial costs and land use remained modest, he said, asking the locality to continue improving its investment and business environment to lure more investors. The PM urged Nghe An to continue building a dynamic, action-oriented and dialogue-willing government with better services for investors, while fully implementing commitments with investors and staying ready to respond to their requests. Nghe An should join neighbouring Thanh Hoa and Ha Tinh provinces to form a growth with modern industry and smart agriculture and play the role as the driving force for the inclusive growth of the northern central region and the country as a whole in the near future. He underlined that the province needs to tap its advantages in location to draw more investment, technology and high quality human resources, while encouraging and creating favourable conditions for the growth of support industries and other related sectors. Although industry and services play a more important role in the economy, Nghe An province should develop agriculture comprehensively, with the focus on biological, organic and hi-tech agriculture, considering it a firm basis to for the locality to grow sustainably and strongly, PM Phuc said. The province should pay attention to early upgrading the Thanh Thuy border gate and Vinh airport to international ones, attract investment from the private sector, especially in infrastructure of industrial zones, seaports and airports, and work to hasten the progress of a highway project which will help reduce the travel time from Hanoi to Nghe An to 2.5 hours. The Government leader stressed the need for the locality to improve the quality of education and carry out policies to draw investment in high-quality universities and vocational schools in the fields of information technology, bio-technology, and manufacturing technology, as well as encourage the involvement of both domestic and foreign intellectuals in the local economic development. He requested ministries, sectors to soon study and submit to the Government appropriate policies and mechanisms to connect the north central and central economic regions and Nghe An in particular to mobilise maximum resources and improve the business and investment environment in order to help Nghe An and its neighbouring Ha Tinh grow stronger in the time to come. He also asked investors to realise their commitments, combine economic development with environmental protection, and ensure the interests of labourers. This year’s conference continued to attract numerous big investment projects in Nghe An. The province granted investment licences to nine projects, and signed 16 memoranda of understanding on investment cooperation with a total registered capital of 13.1 trillion VND (576.4 million USD). The Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV) and the Sai Gon-Hanoi Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SHB) handed over three agreements providing credits worth 800 billion VND (35.2 million USD). On the same day, the Government leader offered incense at the Dong Loc T-junction Relic Site to commemorate the 10 female youth volunteers who died on duty at the T-junction during wartime in Can Loc district, Ha Tinh province. He also paid tribute to late President Ho Chi Minh at Nghe An’s Kim Lien relic site. Growth boosts demand for industrial land  Demand for industrial land around the country is expected to increase thanks to significant growth in terms of both industrial production and FDI. Last year FDI flows into At HCM City IPs, according to real estate service consultant Colliers International, at the end of 2017 the average annual rent was 142.2 USD per square metre, an increase of 0.9 percent from the previous year. By 2025 it is expected that more 2,300ha in eight new industrial parks will come into the market with a promise of better infrastructure and services. From now through 2025 rents are expected to increase sharply. Authorities around the country continue to offer incentives to promote supporting industries. The Around 200 hectares in the Hiep Phuoc and Le Minh Xuan 3 Industrial Parks will be earmarked for supporting industries. Rents in By 2020, “With a business-friendly environment and high demand from customers, we hope the trend will continue through 2018,” David Jackson, General Director of Colliers International Vietnam, told the Thoi bao Kinh te “ In other cities too, demand for industrial land has increased as many enterprises have expanded their production since the beginning of this year. For instance, HTMP Ltd signed a contract with TNI Holdings Vietnam to expand its production at the Industrial production has recovered and is expected to expand, and the occupancy ratio at industrial parks has significantly increased, especially this year. Lack of funds hinders MSMEs’ growth Micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) account for nearly 97 percent of the total number of businesses in But despite being the backbone of the city and country’s economy, MSMEs facing many challenges in accessing funding to upgrade technology to boost productivity and competitiveness. According to a survey by the HCM City Business Association, of the number of original brand manufacturers (OBM) – enterprises that design their own products, buy components produced by others and sell products under their own brands – operating in city’s six key industries of mechanical engineering, food processing, chemical-plastics-rubber, electronics-information, textile-garment and footwear, only 48 percent are MSMEs. Moreover, MSMEs that operate as OBM in mechanical engineering, chemical-plastics-rubber and electronics-information use limited or out-of-date technologies. Do Phuoc Tong, chairman of the HCM City Association of Mechanical Electrical Enterprises, said that most mechanical enterprises are MSMEs or household businesses. Since they lack new technologies and research and development capacity, MSMEs, usually working as sub-contractors for big companies or second- and third-class suppliers, mainly handle raw materials and assemble products with very low value addition, he said. Besides, Vietnamese consumers’ preference for “foreign brands” is also a big challenge for MSMEs. Tong said there are Vietnamese products that match the quality of foreign-made items, but they are not accepted in local markets until they are exported to overseas markets like Export-import enterprises claimed it is because Vietnamese export products are “better” than local ones though local manufacturers said they are of the same quality. Whatever the reason is, the fact remains that enterprises have to bear the logistics costs of sending their products overseas to sell them at home. MSMEs are unlikely to grow rapidly in the near future due to shortcomings in Government policies, one of which is the tax regime, according to experts. To attract foreign investment, the Government waives tax on import of machinery, equipment and tools by foreign direct investment (FDI) companies for use in manufacture. But local enterprises have to pay 10 percent import tariff on the same stuff. The cumbersome procedures involved in getting loans also make it harder for MSMEs to operate. Most lenders demand mortgage of assets which is a big problem for MSMEs. Nguyen Dinh Tue, director of the Centre for Supporting Small and Medium sized Enterprises, said because of financial constraints, MSMEs cannot upgrade their technologies or improve productivity to compete on price. To support MSMEs, the Government needs to create a healthy business environment and reduce issues like red tape and harassment. Besides, to help them access credit, the Government should share their risks to reduce their mortgage burden, Tue said. Director of the city’s Department of Trade and Industry, Pham Thanh Kien, said his department is considering a lending rate cut in preferential loans for enterprises to below 7 percent. The municipal Department of Trade and Industry recently said it would continue to work with the State Bank of They are agriculture and rural development, exports, MSMEs, supporting industries, and enterprises that adopt new technology. Under the programme, credit institutions in the city can sign up to lend to enterprises at a preferential interest rate of 6.5 percent for short-term loans and 8–9 percent for medium- and long-term loans. Moreover this year, banks will consider further cut interest rates for enterprises that borrow a second or a third time through the programme. The link-up programme, initiated by the SBV, began in 2012. Last year, banks provided loans worth more than 300 trillion VND (13 billion USD) to 15,778 enterprises participating in the programme. Up to 291 million USD was poured into Vietnamese start-ups last year, a year-on-year increase of 42 percent, according to a recent report by Topica Founder Institute (TFI). Ninety-two start-ups received investment last year, almost a double from 2016. Domestic investors accounted for 64 deals, while foreign investors made 28. For the first time, local venture capitalists and angels bypassed foreigners in deal count. However, foreign investors still generated higher deal value. The amount domestic investors poured into Vietnamese start-ups in the past year was only 46 million USD, relatively modest compared with the 245 million USD from foreign investors. Among investors, 500 Startups led in successful investment deals, with 11 acquisitions, followed by ESP Capital, a new homegrown venture capital firm. With 20 million USD in establishing funds, ESP Capital is focused on technology start-up companies in their beginning stages (pre-seed and seed funding stages), with investment funds from 50,000 USD to 300,000 USD. Thanks to the rise of domestic investment funds, Vietnamese firms like VIISA, ESP, VSV, 500 Startups Formerly known as a "unicorn" startup in Asia, Sea Group (formerly Garena) topped the list of investors pouring capital into Vietnamese start-ups last year. The report said that Sea paid 64 million USD to acquire an 82 percent of stake in Foody, a restaurant review start-up. Besides, Sea also acquired two top Fintech and logistic players. The details are undisclosed but the value is estimated at up to 50 million USD. CyberAgent Ventures, a venture capital fund from The fund successfully exited four deals this year with Foody, CleverAds, Tiki and Vexere. In addition, the Norwegian telecommunication company Telenor’s acquisition of 701Search, regional holding of Chotot.vn, a local classified site, for 109 million USD was one of the notable deals to watch within the Vietnamese start-up ecosystem. According to observers, with a growth rate of about 22 percent a year, the Vietnamese e-commerce market is a lucrative slice for businesses with investments from many domestic and foreign tech giants. Specifically, there are 21 e-commerce investment deals conducted with a total value of 83 million USD last year. In particular, Tiki has received a Series C investment up to 54 million USD from investors JD.com and STC Investment. Meanwhile, Sea, which is well-known for managing and operating popular games, is taking over two Vietnamese start-ups in this field. Sea CEO Forrest Li shared with the media that the company is moving toward e-commerce. The acquisition of the two start-ups in Following e-commerce is foodtech with the presence of Foody, Cooky and an undisclosed platform and social community related to food and restaurants, at a total deal size of 65 million USD. Fintech ranked third, with eight investment deals, worth 57 million USD. Media is also one of the hot areas with nine deals and more than 18 million USD in deal value. Logistics and online travel are also included in the list with five deals in total, valued at 18 million USD and 10 million USD, respectively, with some big names including Vntrip and Inspitrip. Nghe An lures investments Nghe An Province has emerged as a hot investment destination when many areas in the North and South have shown signs of saturation with increasing capital flowing in the province in recent years, attendees told a workshop on investment attraction and support in the province held on March 9. According to Do Nhat Hoang, director of the Foreign Investment Agency, the region should take the initiative to develop its infrastructure and quality of human resources in order to take advantage of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Agreement which Meanwhile, Nghe An Province has enjoyed significant growth in investment inflow in the past 10 years thanks to its enormous efforts in building infrastructure and improving the investment climate and business conditions. The north central coastal province has drawn 980 investment projects (927 domestic and 53 foreign direct investment projects) with total registered capital of VND276 trillion (US$12.1 billion) in the last 10 years, a record high compared to the previous periods, a provincial People’s Committee’s report showed. In 2017 alone, the province inaugurated 176 new projects with combined registered capital of over VND14.5 trillion. Dairy firm TH Group has invested a total of VND65 trillion in this region, including a $1.2-billion hi-tech concentrated dairy and fresh milk production project. Sabeco has two projects worth a combined VND2.4 trillion. PetroVietnam has four projects with total investment capital of VND7.5 trillion. Hoa Sen Group has two steel projects worth VND7.3 trillion. Vingroup invested in a resort complex worth VND900 billion. Many foreign companies have also opted to invest in Nghe An, such as WHA Group’s $1 billion industrial park construction, the $30 million Hitech BSE telecommunications electronic equipment factory and Mavin AustFeed’s VND325 billion cattle feed plant. Increasing investment has helped the province shift its economic structure towards modernity, contributing to the growth in local budget revenue, from VND4.44 trillion in 2009 to VND12.03 trillion in 2017, creating tens of thousands of jobs for local workers. The province’s per capita income has increased to VND29 million ($1,272) per year. Nghe An is one of the few provinces which have established an investment promotion and support centre under the provincial People’s Committee. This one-stop agency has helped reduce procedures for investors. The authority has also actively engaged in direct dialogue with the business community to listen to solve problems quickly. In 2009, the province initiated the first investment promotion conference with the participation of three parties (authority, investors and creditors) which aimed to resolve problems for businesses, enhancing the business environment and attracting more investment. The “Meeting Investors”, with the participation of the Prime Minister and representatives of leaders of central and local ministries and sectors, has become Nghe An’s iconic annual event with entrants increasing from 200 to about 1,000 visitors this year. Along with attracting investment by the red carpet and support policies, the provincial authority has been accelerating the planning for infrastructure development, especially transportation, to ensure the favorable movement of goods and services. – VNS PM attends the 10th investment conference in Nghe An Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will attend the 10th investment promotion conference in Nghe An Province on March 10. The provincial authority will present its achievements in investment attraction in the province in the past 10 years, as well as introduce its socio-economic issues and investment environment and policy. The Government leader will deliver a speech, giving direction for the province’s investment and socio-economic development in the coming years. The conference opens investment opportunities for businesses in the region. It is expected to draw 1,000 delegates this year, including state management agencies, embassies, international financial organisations, big domestic and foreign corporations and potential investors. Developers should lead planning: experts The Government should acknowledge the significant role developers play in the real estate market and in city planning, experts have said. Dr Huynh The Du of Fulbright University Viet Nam, speaking at a workshop on March 9 on the role of developers in HCM City’s real estate market development programme, said the Government has a limited role to play in setting the scene and developers should be the ones to lead the market as they know what projects need to be built and where. One developer said: “The city’s urban planning is not done in an effective way at the moment. Even the person who approves [housing] projects does not really have a clear idea of what they are doing.” Yet to some extent developers have to rely on the master plan, she added. Du said the Government has the role of regulating the market. Prof Richard Peiser from the Graduate School of Design at “Often city leaders think they are the ones that lead the market and can set the context and the playing field, but developers are the ones who take the risk and someone has to take the risk. “Developers are the key because they are the ones who tidy up the land, bring the capital and have the responsibility of having the project built. “They are at the centre of making it happen.” But he also said one of the key ingredients for a vibrant and competitive real estate market is proper regulation by the Government. To promote the development of the real estate market, the Government should also try not to limit the participation of FDI investors since they bring capital, promote competition and improve design standards in the market, he said. Asked how local developers can compete with international players who are from more developed markets if the Government opens the doors wide to FDI investors, he said: “Real estate is a very local business and local developers always have better information and certain natural advantages.” Maybe in big projects local developers would be somewhat at a disadvantage, so it is appropriate that the Government requires a certain amount of legislation to better monitor the market, he said. Some protection is good but in general it should not keep out foreign investors, he added. Last year foreign investment in real estate amounted to 8.5 per cent of the city’s total FDI of $3.05 billion. FLC to build resort complex in Quang Ngai The People’s Committee of central The FLC Binh Chau – Ly Son complex would cover four coastal communes including Binh Chau, Binh Phu, Binh Hoa and Binh Hai in the province’s Binh Son District and 20ha in Ly Son and An Binh islands. The complex would include a five or six star hotel, beach resort, villas, golf courses, a 1,500-seat international convention centre, entertainment area, trade centre and a boat cruise connecting Binh Chau and Ly Son Island. FLC Group asked the province to hand over clean land for them to start the project’s first phase in the second quarter of the year. The two sides also discussed building a 16ha twin tower in the province or hi-tech agriculture projects. FLC’s chairman Trinh Van Quyet expected that the province would support the investor in launching the project as soon as possible. The province said tourism and service development are considered a key task in its 2016-20 development plan. Quang Ngai has the potential of diversified landscapes and local distinctive culture. However, it has not seen big tourism projects which could improve the sector. It added that it would facilitate FLC in completing the necessary procedures for the project. The Nawaplastic Industries, an affiliate of Thailand’s SCG Group, on Friday successfully bought 29.51 per cent of stake of Binh Minh Plastics Company (BMP), or 24,159,906 shares worth more than VND2.33 trillion (US$102.35 million). The shares have a reference price of VND96,500 each. The trading has bought the Nawaplastic Industries’ total ownership at BMP to 49.91 per cent of the stake. The auction was held by the State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC), which owns over 29.5 per cent of stake at BMP. At the auction, there were two participants including the Nawaplastic Industries and an individual. The Nawaplastic Industries has ordered the lot at the reference price, but gave away 20,000 BMP shares to an individual. Vinachem announces equitisation plan for 2018 The Viet Nam National Chemical Group (Vinachem) has announced its equitisation and divestment plans for its member companies in 2018. Regarding the plan, Vinachem will seek the approval of the Prime Minister and Ministry of Industry and Trade to issue a decision on the corporation’s equitisation of its three member companies in the first and second quarter of 2018. The three companies are the Viet Nam Apatite One Member Limited Company, the Viet Nam Institute of Industrial Chemistry and the parent company of Vinachem. This is part of Decision No.16/QD-TTg dated January 5, 2018, signed by Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue, approving the restructuring plan for Vinachem. The decision, designated for 2018-2020, aims to improve Vinachem’s structure, capacity, production efficiency and business competitiveness. While signing the decision, the deputy prime minister stated the need for streamlined and compact business models after the equitisation and divestment process at Vinachem and its member companies. Regarding the divestment plan, the key focus of Vinachem is State divestment from a number of its subsidiaries. For seven companies that Vinachem is holding 50-plus per cent to less than 65 per cent stake, Vinachem will maintain a 51 per cent stake at Ninh Binh Phosphate Fertiliser Joint Stock Company and Viet Nam Pesticide Joint Stock Company. At the same time, it will sell a part of its stake in the other five companies, which are Industrial Gas and Welding Electrode Joint Stock Company, Viet Tri Chemical Joint Stock Company, South Basic Chemicals JSC, Lam Thao Fertilisers and Chemicals Join-Stock Company and VanDien Fused Magnesium Phosphate Fertiliser Joint Stock Company. For nine companies that Vinachem is holding less than 50 per cent stake, it will reduce the portion to 36 per cent. The nine companies are Southern Rubber Industry Joint Stock Company, Da Nang Rubber Joint Stock Company, Yellow Star Rubber Joint Stock Company, Binh Dien Fertiliser Joint Stock Company, Can Tho Fertiliser and Chemicals Joint Stock Company, Southern Fertiliser Joint Stock Company, Net Detergent Joint Stock Company, Lix Detergent Joint Stock Company and Dry Cell and Storage Battery Joint Stock Company. Vinachem will also divest completely in 15 other companies, including Hanoi Soap Joint Stock Company, Vinh Phu Storage Batteries & Dry Cells Joint Stock Company, Inoue Rubber Viet Nam Co Ltd, TPC VINA Plastic and Chemical Corporation Limited and Southern Chemical Import and Export Joint Stock Company. "Vinachem has clearly defined its restructure roadmap. However, in order to overcome challenges and difficulties, in addition to the efforts of leaders and staff, Vinachem hopes to receive support from the Government, related ministries and agencies,” Vinachem said. Vinachem’s main businesses are production and trading of basic chemicals, and mining and processing of raw material for fertilisers, pesticides and chemical production. VP Bank stock permitted for margin trading The HCM City Stock Exchange (HoSE) has removed the shares of Viet Nam Prosperity Joint Stock Commercial Bank (VPB) from the list of securities not eligible for margin trading. Six months have expired since the first trading date on August 7, 2017. On the stock market, the price of VPB was VND65,100 (US$2.9) per share on Thursday, and the average liquidity was nearly 4.3 million shares per session. In 2017, VPB posted a pre-tax profit of more than VND8.1 trillion, registering a 65 per cent year-on-year increase. The bank’s total assets reached nearly VND278 trillion last year, increasing 21 per cent from the previous year. Customer lending rose by 24 per cent to VND196 trillion in 2017, and the deposit was VND200 trillion, up 16 per cent from the previous year. Its turnover growth rate in 2017 was VND25 trillion, posting a 48 per cent year-on-year rise. The net profit rose by 36 per cent and net services by 70 per cent. It used more than VND8 trillion for its risk prevention fund. The bank’s growth quality was also seen through the return on equity (ROE) of 27.47 per cent and the return on assets (ROA) of 2.54 per cent. Rong Viet Securities profit doubles Rang Viet Securities Company has reported that its profits more than doubled year-on-year in the first two months. Its pre-tax profit in the period was VND30 billion (US$1.3 million), on revenues of VND75 billion ($3.3 million). Revenues from margin trading rose by over 48 per cent while income from brokerage saw a whopping 179 per cent jump. The company said 2018 is the first year since its restructuring. This year it targets after-tax profit of VND144 billion ($6.3 million). It plans to increase its registered capital to VND1 trillion ($43 million) by issuing shares and invest in human resources and IT. Vinacapital, Maybank Kim Eng host VN Corporate Day in London VinaCapital and Maybank Kim Eng Securities hosted the Viet Nam Corporate Day in The event, featuring large cap companies like Coteccons, FPT Retail, HDBank, Phu Nhuan Jewelry, Eximbank, and Vietjet Air, was attended by around 100 institutional investors with combined assets in excess of US$7 trillion. “Viet Nam’s stock market has become one of the most attractive destinations for international investors thanks to solid progress in the SOE privatisation programme and the Government’s focus on foreign investments,” Kim Thien Quang, CEO of Maybank Kim Eng Viet Nam, said. Don Lam, CEO of VinaCapital, said the event was in line with his fund’s efforts over the last 14 years to promote “From the success of Viet Nam Corporate Day, I believe more investors will take notice that In the first two months of 2018, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Ha Cong Tuan said his Ministry will seek to raise growth targets. “We have reviewed measures toward higher growth targets. Next week, we will meet and then submit to the government our revised solutions. This year, we aim to achieve a growth rate of 3.05% against the set target of 3% and earn US$40.5 billion from export instead of previous target of US$38 billion”, said Mr Tuan. The Ministry is working to eliminate the “yellow card” imposed on Vietnam’s fisheries by the European Commission before the deadline April 23rd. Nguyen Thi Phuong Dung, Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Department of the Directorate of Fisheries said that the revised Law on Fisheries has integrated the EC’s recommendations on preventing and fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU). Ms Dung said, “The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has sent dispatches to the Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of National Defense requesting close coordination in implementing the Prime Minister’s Decree 45 on urgent measures to deal with the EC’s warnings on fighting illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. The Ministry has asked the fisheries surveillance force to increase patrols and monitoring at sea. It updates list of illegal fishing vessels on a monthly basis, increases the local administrations’ responsibilities, and cooperates with other countries which claim violations of fishing vessels.” The Ministry is undertaking drastic solutions including promoting incentives to lure more investment in agriculture, and strengthening the value chain in production, processing and consumption of agricultural products to achieve set targets. New prospects for Tran Tuan Long, President of Thiet Thach Construction Investment JS Company, said, “I hope that Vietnam and HCM City will achieve even more outstanding economic achievements than last year, a stellar year for the Vietnamese economy. I hope the business community will thrive and help Returning to According to Lam, “in order to build a smart city and a qualified team of leaders, policies are needed to support human resource training. To attract talent we need a good salary mechanism. Cadres need to be professionally trained for the long term.” In response to the government motto “Disciplined, incorruptible, active, creative, and effective”, the city will implement 7 breakthrough programs to improve growth and economic competitiveness in combination with comprehensive economic restructuring. Nguyen Thien Nhan, a Politburo member and Secretary of the municipal Party Committee, said that this year HCMC has adopted 3 new breakthrough solutions to create motivation in addition to the 7 breakthrough programs to exploit the new mechanisms. He said, “The first solution is to fine-tune the management mechanism. Second is building a smart city. And the third solution is to mobilize domestic and foreign consultants to design an innovative urban center which comprises district 9, home to high-tech zones, district 2 with new urban areas and a financial center, and Thu Duc district with 12 universities with more than 1,500 doctorates and lecturers, and 70,000 students.” VNN |
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Vietnam central bank seeks to lower commercial ratesThe central bank will pursue a flexible monetary policy that aims at maintaining economic stability  A woman rides a bicycle past the building of the State Bank of The State Bank of The central bank will pursue a flexible monetary policy that aims at maintaining economic stability, according to the statement posted on the central bank’s website late on Tuesday. It said it will continue its efforts to clean up non-performing loans in the local banking system and build up foreign exchange reserves. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said earlier this month that The central bank’s benchmark annual refinancing rate is currently 6.25 percent, and was last lowered in July, with the discount rate at 4.25. Reuters |
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BUSINESS IN BRIEF 14/3 Binh Duong grants 19 investment certificates  The major projects included two investments on logistics services and industrial real estate, jointly invested by Warburg Pincus Financial Group and Becamex IDC Corp in Bau Bang and My Phuong industrial parks with total registered capital of US$135.2 million; and a $20-million apparel manufacturing factory of Far Eastern Apparel Co Ltd at VSIP II-A. Tran Thanh Liem, chairman of Binh Duong People’s Committee, said the improvement and transparency in the province’s investment climate helped increase investors’ trust and strengthen their long-term investment commitment. Saigon Petro has proposed to bring petrol A92 back to the market when the consumption of E5 bio-fuel is low and it is not meeting the target of environmental protection. The proposal is part of a recommendation on environmental protection tax and policies to develop bio-fuel in the future, which was recently sent to the ministries of Trade and Industry and Finance, and after two and a half months, fuel A92 or RON 92 was replaced with E5 bio-fuel. According to the prime minister’s decision, E5 fuel, which is a mix of A92 petrol (95 per cent) and bio-fuel ethanol (5 per cent), has been officially sold nationwide to replace A92 since January 1, this year. Currently, there is A95 gasoline, which is suitable for vehicles with high-engine displacement, and E5, which is suitable for low-engine displacement. Although the price of A95 is about VND1,600 per litre, higher than E5, many consumers prefer A95. Nguyen Thanh Huong, a Ha Noi resident who owns a scooter, told Việt Nam News that she still used A95 for her vehicle because it was said that it was much better than E5, which may cause problems to the vehicle’s engine. “Its price is higher than E5 but I do not care much about it. I always spend about VND100,000 for a full tank of petrol; it is just about VND6,000-7,000 higher than E5,” said Huong. Saigon Petro said through references of its big fuel wholesale agents, the volume of E5 bio-fuel sold was 30 per cent of the market share, while the remaining 70 per cent was gasoline A95. Previously, A92 occupied 65 per cent of the market share. A firm leader told nguoilaodong.com.vn that the sale of E5 petrol is expected to account for 70 per cent and A95 30 per cent of total volume of petrol sold in the market. According to the calculation of Saigon Petro, in the first two months of this year, the consumption of non-essential A95 petrol was up to VND400 billion per month, due to the consumers’ psychology. Many types of motorcycles can use A92 or E5. There is no need to use the high-priced A95 gasoline. Saigon Petro said if there was no way to raise the consumption volume of E5, the Government and relevant ministries should allow bringing A92 back to the market to curb usage of A95. The price of A95 is currently 8 per cent higher than E5, while the different rate should be 20 per cent to encourage consumers using E5. “Our opinion is that people who use A95, which affects the environment, will be charged a higher price in order to support people who use E5, which is to protect the environment,” said the Saigon Petro leader. “The environment protection tax of A95 should be raised from current VND3,000 to VND4,000 per litre and the tax on E5 should be decreased from VND2,850 to VND2,500 per litre in order to lure the consumer,” he added. The Deputy Director of Cu Chi Commercial and Industrial Development Investment JSC, Nguyen Van Tam, said that if the use of A92 petrol is allowed, it will be a step backward. “We need to use E10 and E20 like many other countries in the world. The main issue is to raise people’s awareness so that people understand the use and efficiency of bio-fuel,” said Tam. Can Tho enhances collective economy Can Tho Co-operative Alliance aims to further enhance the development of co-operatives as well as the city’s collective economy in both scale and quality this year. Specifically, it plans to establish at least 100 new co-operative groups and 35 co-operatives, unions of co-operatives and form at least 15 co-operative models that have sustainable value chains. It also aims to raise the number of co-operative members by at least 10 per cent compared to last year, the ratio of co-operatives that have high operation efficiency by 50 per cent and increase the charter capital of the Co-operative Assistance Fund to reach at least VND20 billion (US$879,000). To achieve the above objectives, the Can Tho Co-operative Alliance will coordinate with the People’s Committee of the city’s districts and the relevant agencies to reform propaganda of the Government’s policies on promoting the development of co-operatives and intensify communication about developing new-style co-operatives that link with value chain. In addition, the alliance will coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to review difficulties faced by co-operatives to help them solve difficulties. Organising training courses to improve management capacity for co-operative leaders, training for local officials on collective economic knowledge, strengthening solutions to mobilise capital for agricultural cooperative production and trading, and expanding the linkage in production and consumption of farm produce through promoting linkage among co-operatives, co-operative groups and businesses, are among its other focuses for this year. It also advocates the development of diversified forms of co-operative groups, and creating conditions to boost the development of unions of co-operatives in localities and inter-regions, with a focus in agricultural and rural areas. At the same time, it will concentrate on raising its capacity in support, consultancy and supply services to meet co-operative demand as well as improve services providing capacity in terms of technology, governance and trade promotion for co-operatives It proposed that the Co-operative Assistance Fund renew its operations to increase the capacity to mobilise more resources so as to offer more loans to co-operatives. The alliance will co-operate with the city’s Department of Planning and Investment and other relevant agencies to promote external activities in the direction of actively expanding international co-operation; seeking and calling for international investment in serving the development of co-operatives and the cooperative economy. In addition, it will build and implement a scheme to improve professional skills and foreign languages for staff members in charge of external affair jobs. Nguyen Duc Phuong, chairman of the Can Tho Co-operative Alliance, said the city now has 223 co-operatives and 1,349 co-operative groups operating in the fields of agriculture, handicrafts, transportation and construction, commercial services and credit funds. Many co-operatives specialising in rice seed production and pangasius farming for export have achieved high revenue and profits, contributing to an increase of income for members. Last year, the city had 35 new co-operatives, up 46.5 per cent over 2016, with agricultural cooperatives accounting for 51 per cent. Many co-operatives have enhanced linkage between production and consumption, resulting in higher economic efficiency, he said. Viet Nam-Japan forum strengthens ties The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) hosted a Speaking at the opening ceremony, Hoang Quang Phong, VCCI’s Executive Vice President, acknowledged Cooperation between Vietnamese and Japanese firms, as well as bilateral trade, have been growing steadily over the years, with Japan remaining one of Viet Nam’s most important partners, he said. In 2017, Japan was the biggest foreign investor in Vietnam with US$9.11 billion worth of capital, accounting for 25.4 per cent of Viet Nam‘s total foreign direct investment capital, while the value of total two-way trade reached over $33.4 billion. Kobayashi Yoichi, Chairman of JCCI’s Mekong-Japan Business Cooperation Committee, and Co-chairman Nekoshima Akio expressed their appreciation towards the VCCI for hosting the dialogue, saying the event was a good opportunity for both sides to understand the current economic situation and bilateral trade and investment cooperation potential. Kobayashi noted that not only will the CPTPP promote export and investment between the two countries, it will also help increase export value in sectors such as textile, garments or seafood for Vietnamese firms. In addition, Kobayashi hoped that Nekoshima said that in the upcoming time, there will be even more potential for cooperation in new fields such as agriculture, tourism, training and development of human resources and transportation, with a focus on Vietnamese small and medium enterprises. With a market of 95 million people, of which nearly 35 per cent live in urban areas, Nekoshima also noted that travel and transportation have immense potential for growth, with the number of Vietnamese tourists coming to Japanese companies have previously focused on investing in The dialogue consisted of two sessions discussing business opportunities, advantages and disadvantages for services, tourism and transportation. The Japanese business delegation, consisting of 50 senior executives working in general trade, manufacturing, machinery, aviation and services, was eager to exchange information and seek cooperation with potential Vietnamese partners, among Vietnamese companies such as distributor Phu Thai Group Jsc and travel company Vietravel. Business representatives from both countries also expected the newly signed CPTPP to further promote bilateral and multilateral economic and trade cooperation. VN firms see positive impact from CPTPP Sixty three per cent of businesses in Viet Nam believe the newly-signed Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade agreement will have a positive impact on their operations, according to an HSBC Group survey. The survey, conducted between December 2017 and January 2018 by market research group Kantar TNS on behalf of HSBC of key decision makers at 6,033 eligible companies, sampled 26 markets around the globe, including six member countries of the CPTPP - Of around 1,000 firms based in these six markets, including 200 firms in Winfield Wong, country head of Wholesale Banking, HSBC Viet Nam, said CPTPP is a big, ambitious deal for “Now is the time for both firms and the Government to focus on implementing the agreement to achieve its full potential. It’s encouraging that many businesses are already expecting to see benefits.” The revised version of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement was signed on March 8 in The pact now includes Across the 11 economies involved, recent estimates from the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) suggest trade flows will be boosted by 6 per cent to 2030, with members enjoying total real income gains of US$157 billion every year, HSBC noted. LienVietPostBank’s profit to rise by 27% in 2018 Lien Viet Post Joint Stock Commercial Bank (LienVietPostBank)’s profit is predicted to increase by 27.4 per cent to reach VND2.2 trillion in 2018. This was announced by VNDIRECT Securities Corporation in its newly issued report about the bank. According to VNDIRECT’s analysts, in 2017, the credit growth of LienVietPostBank, listed as LPB, was lower than predicted. But the bank’s deposit growth was higher than expected, so its loan-to-deposit ratio was only 67.4 per cent, much lower than projected. LPB, therefore, still has plenty of room for credit growth. Experts have raised the credit growth of LPB to 20 per cent in 2018 from 18 per cent in 2017, and the figure for the 2019-20 period is predicted to be at 18 per cent, also higher than the previous forecast of 16 per cent. Experts also raised their forecast for the bank’s NIM (net interest income), thanks to LPB’s expansion in the retail segment. LPB will continue to promote retail lending, especially key products such as retirement credit and loans to cadres and workers as well as the armed forces. “These credit products were implemented in 2015, so they are still in the early stages of the product life cycle. However, we think these products are in a high-growth stage,” the analysts said in the report. LPB has great networks in remote areas so the bank can approach a large number of customers who have never used banking services. The bank has already been allowed by State Bank of SSI targets 15% growth in profit this year Saigon Securities Inc (SSI) targets a total revenue of VND3.41 trillion (US$150 million) and pre-tax profit of VND1.615 trillion this year. This marks a year-on-year increase of 12 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively. The information was revealed in the company’s business plan for 2018. The annual shareholders’ meeting of SSI will be held on April 20 in At this meeting, the Board of Directors will submit reports on business results, financial statements and profit distribution plan in 2017, approve the chairman of the board of directors and general director in 2018, elect an additional member of the supervisory board and change the company’s name. In 2017, SSI recorded a revenue of over VND3.04 trillion, up 19.8 per cent compared to 2016 and surpassing 44.35 per cent of the plan. The pre-tax profit reached more than VND1.4 trillion, up 23 per cent and exceeding 32.8 per cent of the plan. 41 investors eye stakes at Vinafood 2 HCM Stock Exchange has announced the results of registration for the shares auction of Viet Nam Southern Food Corporation (Vinafood 2). Up to 114,831,000 shares will be put up for sale for the first time in the run-up to the initial public offering (IPO), at a starting price of VND10,100 (44 US cents) per share. The IPO is scheduled to take place at 9am on March 14. Forty one investors registered to take part in the auction, including 31 domestic investors and 10 foreign investors. The total registered volume was 115,603,300 shares, of which 115,096,500 shares were from domestic investors. According to the equitisation plan of Vinafood 2, the charter capital after equitisation will be VND5 trillion, of which the State will hold 255 million shares, representing 51 per cent of the charter capital. The number of shares offered in the IPO is over 114.8 million, representing 22.97 per cent of the charter capital. Nearly five million shares will be sold to employees, equivalent to 0.99 per cent of the charter capital. The stake sold to the trade union organisation at the enterprise is 200,000 shares, representing 0.04 per cent of the charter capital. Over 4,400 Suzuki FU150 FI Raider units recalled Suzuki Viet The motorbikes were manufactured from November 10, 2016, to August 1, 2017. The recall time will last until December 31, 2019, with an estimated replacement time of one hour for each vehicle. The replacement will be free of charge. According to Suzuki Viet Moreover, when the ignition switch is turned on, the vehicle’s power system might occasionally lose power. This will either not start the vehicle or stop it abruptly while the engine is running, which can prove to be dangerous. The newspaper quoted the Lao Ministry of Industry and Commerce as saying that two-way trade between Last year, the landlocked country’s exports rose by 13.4% to more than US$4.8 billion while its imports climbed by 7.6% to more than US$4.5 billion. The Southeast Asian country’s main exports were electricity, goal, camera accessories, garments, sugar, cassava, coffee, rubber, and corn. Two-way trade values between VinEco acquires Hung Vuong’s feed arm VinEco holds 24 per cent stake of Viet Thang Feed JSC (VTF) and expects to raise it to 60 per cent without a public offering. The shareholders of Viet Thang Feed JSC have just approved VinEco Agricultural Investment, Development and Productions LLC. to increase its holdings without a public offering. VinEco currently holds 25 million shares, equivalent to 24 per cent of VTF’s charter capital. They will purchase an additional 37.6 million shares to raise ownership in VTF to the maximum of 60 per cent. Earlier, VTF was a subsidiary of Hung Vuong Corporation (code: HVG), which held 90.38 per cent. On January 8, HVG. announced selling over 50 per cent of VTF to overcome financial difficulties. VinEco, a member of Vingroup, bought 24 per cent on March 1. The total output of HVG’s fishery feed processing factories is more than 1.5 million tonnes per year, which is the highest in the sector and surpasses foreign producers like Cargill, CP, and Proconco. Three of VTF’s factories in Dong Thap received an investment of around VND1 trillion ($44 million) to produce 1 million tonnes per year. However, consumption reduced from 410,000 tonnes in 2014 to 331,000 tonnes in 2017. VTF has invested heavily into pig husbandry in An Giang and Binh Dinh and a feed processing factory for poultry and livestock in Long An. However, they had to set aside a provision of VND375 billion ($16.5 million) in 2017. According to the firm’s financial report, VTF owes over VND2.1 trillion ($92.5 million) to BIDV, 65 per cent of its total capital, while half of the company’s assets—nearly VND1.6 trillion ($70.5 million)—are in receivables. With VinEco as a new shareholder, the company has set a target of VND6.303 trillion ($277.7 million) of revenue and VND383 billion ($17million) of after-tax profit this year. In addition to VTF, HVG has also sold numerous real estates at golden land plots recently, as well as 54 per cent of its capital in Sao Ta Foods JSC (FIMEX VN). CP TPP – a progressive trade direction in 21st century One year after the US’s withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the remaining 11 Asia-Pacific countries, including Vietnam, have signed a new Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to remove tariff barriers in the region. This is considered a move towards progressive, open and equal trade, without the threat of trade wars. The signing of the CPTPP has delivered a strong message against protectionism, which is emerging across the world as a barrier to global trade growth. The new deal also marks the endless efforts of the remaining 11 member countries to revive the TPP. Japanese Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy Toshimitsu Motegi described the CPTPP as a historic achievement that creates free and fair rules in Asia-Pacific. The deal not only benefits member countries but also creates new momentum for regional economic-trade cooperation and connection. Many leaders from the 11 CPTPP nations have welcomed the pact as a clear message of support for free trade and multilateralism. Chilean President Michelle Bachelet declared that the signing of the CPTPP is a commitment to global integration and a strong signal against protectionism. It is also an ambitious and strategic multilateral cooperation deal in the context of globalisation. Covering 500 million people on both sides of the Pacific Ocean, the pact represents a new vision for global trade as the The New York Times quoted Wendy Cutler, a former Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal posted a story titled “In America’s Absence, the TPP Goes On”, highlighting the survival of the TPP, now CPTPP or TPP – 11, which will be a boon to traders in Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. The CPTPP is also the latest illustration that other countries are accelerating efforts to conclude trade deals. The CPTPP was inked at a ceremony chaired by Chilean President Micelle Bachelet in Trade ministers of 11 countries participating in the trade pact, namely The ambitious deal came after the The pact will create one of the world’s largest free trade blocs with a combined market of 499 million people and GDP of about 10.1 trillion USD, accounting for 13.5 percent of global GDP. The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines is set to launch a summer promotional programme from March 15 to 28. Under the promotional programme, one-way tickets to domestic destinations will start at 299,000 VND (13 USD) while roundtrip tickets for international flights will be from 899,000 VND (39 USD). The prices exclude taxes and fees, and come with certain conditions. The programme is applied for flights departing from April 1 to October 31. A representative of Vietnam Airlines said that last year’s summer promotional programme, which was launched for 14 days, attracted dozens of thousands passengers on domestic and international flights. The carrier has recently extended time for self-check-in by one hour, helping passengers save time in the upcoming peak season. Wide-body aircraft will be increased on its key routes. In addition, a new air route connecting Nha Trang city in the central coastal More information could be found at website www.vietnamairlines.com/vi/sites/chao-he-2018, the carrier’s Facebook page and hotline 1900 1100. Hai Duong lures 185 million USD in FDI in first two months The According to the provincial Department of Planning and Investment, the locality licensed eight new projects with a total registered capital of 32.1 million USD, including five projects worth 24 million USD located outside industrial parks. During the period, nine projects increased their investment capital by 153.45 million USD, including two projects outside industrial parks with 23 million USD added. In order to attract more foreign investors, Hai Duong will focus on improving its investment environment and pushing administrative reform, while maintaining dialogues with businesses. Nguyen Manh Hien, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, said in 2018, the province will continue to invest in infrastructure development to lure more investments in industrial areas and clusters, priotising the production of high-tech and competitive products, and support industry. Hai Duong has 370 FDI projects valued at more than 7.4 billion USD, directly generating jobs for over 170,000 labourers. While receiving Yoichi Kobayashi, Chairman of the Japan-Mekong Business Cooperation Committee under the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) in Regarding economic relations, Acknowledging contributions made by Japanese businesses and JCCI to achievements in economic cooperation between the two nations, she expressed her wish that more Japanese enterprises will invest in developing services in Vietnamese and Japanese businesses should step up cooperation in education and tourism development by taking advantage of cultural similarities and beautiful landscapes of both countries, she said. She added that For his part, Yoichi Kobayashi expected the economic-trade collaboration between the two nations to develop more fruitfully, especially in the context that the bilateral ties are becoming closer and their businesses are provided with the most favourable conditions. Hailing He also highlighted the developing people-to-people exchanges between He said he wishes that bilateral trade and investment ties will be further enhanced via periodical dialogues with the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Vinh Long to host investment promotion conference The Mekong Delta Truong Dang Vinh Phuc, Director of the Vinh Long Department of Planning and Investment, said the conference will take place on March 27, drawing 750 delegates from ministries, agencies, foreign embassies, international organisations, provinces and cities nationwide as well as domestic and foreign investors. At the event, the local authority will present certificates of investment registration and memorandums of understanding to 25 projects with a combined capital of 12.43 trillion VND (546.92 million USD), Phuc said at a press conference on the upcoming event held in Vinh Long on March 12. The province will sign cooperation documents to carry out a project on coastal sub-regional connectivity between Vinh Long, Ben Tre, Tien Giang and Tra Vinh provinces, thus boosting investment, trade and tourism cooperation in the Mekong Delta. The local authority will also honour contributions by domestic and foreign organisations, individuals and enterprises to social welfare activities in combination with poverty reduction, contributing to change local face-lift. There are activities held on the sidelines of the conference such as a trade fair, an exhibition on local agriculture, industry and trade, the inauguration of Vinh Long general hospital and an art performance. Apart from a stable, transparent business environment, investors will take local advantages and be offered incentives, Vice Chairman of the Vinh Long province Le Quang Trung said, adding that the province hopes to become a liable, attractive destination of businesses and investors. In the 2017-2020, Vinh Long is calling non-state budget capital in 67 projects capitalised at 27.568 trillion VND, focusing on industry, industrial complex infrastructure, rural agriculture, culture-tourism, transport infrastructure, urban-housing development, and trade-services. CP TPP to bring both opportunities, challenges to breeding sector The newly-signed Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CP TPP), is expected to create many opportunities and challenges for Van said that as CP TPP will cut import taxes, breeding products of countries strong in the industry such as He stressed the need to focus on improving quality of strong products, as the production cost of He said that the CP TPP will allow national branded products to be exported to all member countries without limited quota as long as they meet the countries’ requirements. This will pressure domestic production, but also benefit the country as Van asserted that domestic farms should change their management method for integration. Import tax for breeding equipment will also be reduced, cutting production costs. Vietnamese agriculture is attractive as the economy is growing and consumption trends are changing, bringing opportunities to lure foreign investment, Van said, noting that many firms are looking to pour capital into building a genetic research centre in Hoa Lac hi-tech park. Institutional reform is another urgent need for After thoroughly studying the deal, Van affirmed that CP TPP will bring more benefits than negative impacts to Van revealed that the Department of Livestock Production will hold several national conferences on developing production chains for pork and chicken meat, while reviewing cow breeding methods to restructure the breeding industry. The CPTPP was signed in Reference exchange rate drops on March 13 The State Bank of With the current trading band of +/- 3 percent, the ceiling rate applied to commercial banks during the day is 23,123 VND/USD and the floor rate 21,779 VND/USD. The opening hour rates at major commercial banks saw only slight changes. Vietcombank maintained both rates unchanged from March 12, listing the buying rate at 22,720 VND/USD and selling rate 22,790 VND/USD. Meanwhile, BIDV raised both rates by 5 VND, buying the greenback at 22,725 VND and selling at 22,795 VND per USD. The rates at Vietinbank were adjusted up 4 VND to 22,728 VND/USD (buying) and 22,798 VND/USD (selling). Other statistics from the General Department of Customs showed that The US President Donald Trump signed proclamations to impose a 25-per-cent tariff on imported steel and a 10-per-cent tariff on imported aluminum on March 8. With the decision, Last year, Experts said coated steel producers would be most affected as the Outstanding businesses in made-in-Vietnam products campaign to be named Ninety-six outstanding enterprises in the “Vietnamese people prioritise using made-in-Vietnam goods” campaign will be announced at an awards ceremony to be broadcast live on VTV1 on March 17. Specifically, 10 business will be awarded with the “Top 10 Vietnamese product brands” title, while 10 others will be named in the “Top 10 businesses holding excellent Vietnamese brand services” category. The remaining will receive the “outstanding Vietnamese brand enterprises” award. The competition, the second of its kind, was launched in October 2017, with nearly 300 enterprises from across The event, held for the first time in 2014, aims to honour outstanding Vietnamese products and services, and encourage domestic enterprises to invest in production and business and take advantage of science and technology advances to increase product quality. Speaking at a press conference in Hanoi on March 12, Le Viet Nga, deputy head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Domestic Market Department, said the awards ceremony is in preparation for the 10th anniversary of the “Vietnamese people prioritise using made-in-Vietnam goods” campaign to be held in 2019. CP TPP opens ups opportunities for Vietnam-Canada trade: expert The signing of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement (CP TPP) in According to Beck, CP TPP is really important to Canada, as it gives the country unlimited access to the Japanese market and other potential markets such as Vietnam and Singapore, with which Canada is yet to have a bilateral free trade agreement. He said the deal will bring According to Beck, Canadian people and businesses have come to realise that Having visited Vietnam several times to push the implementation of the Women’s Initiative for Startups and Entrepreneurship (WISE) sponsored by the Canadian Consulate General in Vietnam and APF, the expert has his opinion on fields with great potential for bilateral cooperation after the CP TPP officially takes effect. He said The Canadian side hopes that with the official signing of CP TPP, and considering the large Vietnamese community and increasing numbers of Vietnamese students in The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CP TPP) was officially inked at a ceremony chaired by Chilean President Micelle Bachelet in Trade ministers of 11 countries participating in the trade pact, namely The ambitious deal came after the The pact will create one of the world’s largest free trade blocs with a combined market of 499 million people and GDP of around 10,100 billion USD, accounting for 13.5 percent of the global GDP. Steel exports increase 38% Other statistics from the General Department of Customs showed that The US President Donald Trump signed proclamations to impose a 25-per-cent tariff on imported steel and a 10-per-cent tariff on imported aluminum on March 8. With the decision, Last year, Experts said coated steel producers would be most affected as the The prices of domestic construction steel have been continuously increasing due to an increase in imported material prices and affects from A steel shop in The current selling price of construction steel is at VND15.3 million per tonne. This has been the highest level in the past few years. Steel shops said the number of orders has been on the rise amid the steel shortage. Some people bought a large amount of construction steel, contributing to the price rise. They added that the price would continue to rise in the upcoming time. VSA’s vice chairman Nguyen Van Sua said the price increase in the first two months of the year was due to a price rise of steel billet of 3 per cent and ore of 7-8 per cent. Sua added that the rise was not due to the He said the price of input material for steel production would increase, making the construction steel price rise by VND300,000-500,000 per tonne by the end of May. “Constructors and investors should calculate demand to ensure steel supply, thus reducing construction fees,” he noted. Japonica rice to become one of main rice varieties for export Japonica rice is likely to become one of the main rice varieties for export of This variety currently accounts for a small share of the rice export structure, but the export volume of it has grown rapidly over the past year, reaching 4.4 percent of the country's total rice export in 2017, said the VFA. The association said variety and quality of According to VFA, this is a positive trend as export of low-grade rice will gradually reduce, replaced by high-quality rice, thus improving the efficiency of rice production and export business. Last year, In 2018, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development expects the country to export 6.5 million tonnes of rice. Vietnam needs to step up reforms to make full use of CP TPP Vietnam needs to step up reforms to benefit more from the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CP TPP) signed by 11 nations in Chile on March 8, said Hoe Ee Khor, Chief Economist of the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) in Singapore. The economist said that, without the US, the new version of the TPP is still very important to the 11 remaining nations as it will span a market of nearly 500 million people and the member states together amount to more than 13 percent of global GDP and 15 percent of global trade. Among five Asian members of the CP TPP, which are More foreign investment will be drawn into the country after the agreement enters into force. It was forecast that Though some 20 provisions of the original TPP have been suspended, the CP TPP remains a high-quality free trade agreement, including many provisions in non-tariff barriers, rules of origin, competition, labour protection, intellectual property rights and dispute settlement. To make the full use of the deal, member nations must accelerate restructuring. This is why some countries see the CP TPP as a driving factor for their internal reforms. He suggested VNN |
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Consumer credit market sees more M&A deals The increased presence of foreign investors in M&A deals of finance companies shows the attractiveness of the consumer credit market.  The growing tendency has caught attention from foreign institutions and stimulated the birth of new lenders and more M&As. In late January, Prudential announced the sale of PVFC, its consumer finance company, for $151 million, becoming the first foreign company to sell 100 percent of its shares. Meanwhile, Techcombank is the first commercial bank selling a finance company. The buyer of TechcomFinance is Lotte, a South Korean investor. The value of the deal has not been announced in Three investors from Local newspapers have reported that Japanese Shinsei Group has acquired 49 percent of shares of the Military Bank’s finance company – Mcredit. Prior to that, Saison jumped into HDBank’s consumer finance company.
The other Japanese investors in the field include Toyota Finance, JACCS Vietnam and ACS Vietnam, which belongs to AEON Finance. An analyst said that foreign-run companies have advantages in capital and experience developing products. 2017 was the first operation year of Mcredit after Military Bank joined hands with Shinsei. Speaking about the role of the foreign shareholder, Hoang Minh Tuan, CEO of Mcredit, said Shinsei Bank has contributed to improvements in risk management related to customer management, loan management, and optimization of business processes, and has proposed technological solutions for the development of new channels. Finance companies are gearing up to expand their business and cement their positions in the market. Home Credit has announced changes in brand identity and committed to make bigger investments with the presence of a new CEO, who was an important figure in the Russian market. Meanwhile, FE Credit has been steadily increasing its charter capital every year from VND2.790 trillion in 2016 to VND4.474 trillion in 2017. Finance companies have been exploiting the Vietnamese consumer finance market in the last six years. Consumer credit accounted for 9.8 percent of GDP in 2016, while the figure was 5.2 percent in 2013. |
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Cooperation in A Blueprint for Fisheries Management and Environmental Cooperation in the East Sea, a tool to improve management and maintain stability in the East Sea, was introduced by the US’s Center for Strategic and International Studies last year.  This is the first product of the CSIS Expert Working Group on the The Blueprint, developed by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, aims to set up a group of experts from around the region who are familiar with environmental laws and policies to develop models of conduct for fisheries management and environmental protection in the States responsible for cooperation in marine environmental protection According to CSIS, the Gregory Poling, Director of the Maritime Transparency Initiative of the CSIS, said that unlike hydrocarbons, for which exploitation rights are based only upon a state’s entitlement to the continental shelf, the obligation to jointly steward living marine resources makes fisheries management and environmental protection “low hanging fruit” for cooperation in the East Sea. With political will, it is entirely possible for nations bordering the Mr. Poling said, "In fact we are clear that for this work all claimants will have to agree that nothing in the framework will amount to a compromise on the eventual sovereignty claim but the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea is filled with requirements for states to cooperate in fisheries management and environmental protection." Article 123 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) mandates that states bordering semi-enclosed seas like the This is reflective of the deeply interconnected ecologies of semi-enclosed seas, in which currents cycle marine life (and pollution) through the region without regard for national jurisdiction. Moreover, Article 192 of UNCLOS provides a general obligation for states to “protect and preserve the marine environment.” Protect marine environment through multilateral cooperation The international legal obligation to cooperate on fisheries management and the environment is matched by practical necessity. Communities all around the Mr Poling said, "In the case of outstanding maritime disputes, states have responsibilities to find pragmatic solutions, mechanisms to work through disputes. We have two options. We can either think of creative ways to manage the resources of the ocean or we can spend the next 20 years arguing about sovereignty disputes but the fish is all gonna die in the next 10 years. So it will be lot easier to resole the disputes when there’s no fish left to worry about. But I don’t think that what’s anybody want." To that end, the Blueprint for Fisheries Management and Environmental Cooperation in the East Sea suggests claimants should agree to establish a Fishery and Environmental Management Area in the East Sea; split enforcement responsibilities between occupiers and flag states; agree not to use subsidies to encourage fishing within the already overfished East Sea; coordinate efforts to reintroduce giant clams and other threatened species such as sea turtles to depopulated reefs in the East Sea; avoid activities that damage the marine environment or alter the seabed; cooperate on marine research, which is necessary to assess the health of the maritime environment and effectively implement conservation efforts. VOV5 |
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Russian citizens in Nha Trang city vote in Presidential election  A Russian man casts his ballot at a voting station in Nha Trang city Russian nationals that are staying in Nha Trang city, in the central coastal Second Secretary of the Embassy of Russia in Vietnam Lunev Konstantin said that the voting station in the city’s Vinh Truong ward served nearly 100 Russian citizens that wished to fulfil their rights and obligations. The voting is expected to end at 17pm on March 14. Khanh Hoa is home to numerous Russian specialists and businesses people, plus a growing numbers of tourists. There are many Russian scientists working at the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre in Nha Trang city, which was established 30 years ago. In 2017, the province welcomed over 440,000 Russian tourists. In addition to Nha Trang, the Russian Embassy will also open voting stations in Mui Ne (Binh Thuan province), Phu Quoc island district (Kien Giang province), In Metropole to host French food festival The Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi will celebrate French cuisine at the global gastronomic event Goût de France from March 21 to 30, attended by more than 2,000 chefs from five continents. Organized by The Metropole’s Executive Chef Paul Smart has cooked up a wide array of traditional French fare for Goût de France, including seared foie gras with smoked pumpkin and hazelnuts, red mullet with artichoke mousseline, and Cheese lovers can rejoice, as French affineur of great repute, Patrice Marchand, of the cheese-making family Les Freres Marchand, returns to the historic hotel for an evening of cheese and live jazz at Le Beaulieu on March 15, priced at VND1.5 million net ($66). On March 22, Spanish Chef Sergi Millet, who worked at elBulli, one of the world’s best restaurants, is set to delight palates at Le Beaulieu with a meal priced at VND1.9 million net ($83). The Metropole’s Spring Culinary Festival concludes on March 30 with a special wine dinner, featuring a number of one-of-a-kind “Made in Bordeaux” Grand Crus, supplied by French wine trading house Mestrezat, priced at VND1.9 million net ($83). The Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi is an award-winning colonial and neo-classical luxury hotel located in the heart of The hotel offers 364 rooms and suites together with French, Vietnamese and Italian restaurants, three bars, seven function rooms, a heated swimming pool, the luxurious Le Spa du Metropole, complimentary wi-fi, and a unique Path of History tour. Community to raise ideas for ‘smart city’ The central city of Đà Nẵng has invited local residents, tourists and foreigners living in the city to offer ideas and suggestions for developing Đà Nẵng as a ‘smart city’. Vice director of the city’s information and communication department Trần Thạch said local residents can visit the page gopy.danang.gov.vn or switchboard 20361022 to submit their plans or solutions for a smart city design from March 10 to April 10. Thạch said the department will collect and select possible ideas and plans to host a dialogue on the feasibility of projects in late April Many ideas from local people and tourists posted on the page had been either turned into reality or planned for the coming years, including a double-decker bus route for tourists, a flower road in the Sơn Trà Mountain, international kite competition on beach, digitalisation of items at public museums, adventurous entertainment services and the decoration of manhole covers with colourful paintings. The gopy.danang.gov.vn was launched in 2016 in order to get feedback on city services from the local community in urban, environmental, administrative and tourism-related services. The page had already received 600 opinions and complaints from local residents and tourists, of which 98 per cent were resolved within seven days. Đà Nẵng plans to make it a “smart city” by 2020 and a “green city” in 2025. Nearly 8,000 people ready to run for peace About 8,000 people will take part in the 45th Hanoi Moi Newspaper Run for Peace, which will be held at the capital’s My Dinh National Stadium in Nam Tu Liem district on March 25. The annual race is set to begin at 7:30am, with the run spanning 1.5 km. The event will be broadcast live on the Hanoi Radio & Television channel. At a meeting held by the municipal Department of Culture and Sports on March 13 to review preparations for the peace run, authorities in Nam Tu Liem said 5,000 locals are ready for the race. Last year, more than 1,500 athletes joined the run around 13 projects win 1st prize in national science and technology contest More than 400 students will take part in a national science and technology contest for secondary schools and high schools in the southern region from March 17 to 20 in the They will present a total of 239 projects, 22 more than last year. In the north, the contest saw 249 projects by 475 students, 30 more than last year, as it wrapped up on Tuesday in Nghệ An Province. Thirteen projects won first prizes worth VNĐ 1.3 million (US$57) each. Teams from Hà Nội won three first prizes, followed by teams from Nghệ An Province and Second prizes were handed out to 26 projects and third prizes to 38 projects. Participating students presented their projects and were interviewed by the jury. The annual contest is organised by the Ministry of Education and Training to encourage science and technology research, innovation and application at the high school level. The central city’s People’s Committee has asked the local public security department to investigate an assault on a reporter at a bar in the city’s downtown on Sunday. The investigation agency must report on the case before Wednesday. According to a report from Thạch Thang Ward’s investigation team, Hứa Vĩnh Nhân, a reporter working for the Giao Thông (Transport) newspaper was recording the Lost&Found Bar at 28 Bạch Đằng Street from a position on the other side of the street. A group of six men from the bar suddenly attacked him and abducted him for two hours from midnight on Sunday till 2am on Monday. Nhân declared at Thạch Thang Ward’s public security office on Monday that he was beaten by the group of men from the bar and was illegally arrested by the group – which he said was comprised of the bar’s staffers – for hours. A medical examination at the city’s hospital showed that Nhân suffered an inner skull wound and maxillofacial trauma. He said his camera, ID and mobile phone were kept by attackers, and he was released about 2am on Monday. Nhân said he was recording illegal nighttime activities of the bar following complaints from local residents living near the bar. They said the bar had for a long time been playing music too loudly late at night. The case is the worst assault on reporter in the city in recent years. Đà Nẵng has more than 100 representative offices of newspapers with nearly 1,000 journalists, reporters and staff members. Hepatitis A outbreak controlled in Đắk Lắk A Hepatitis A outbreak in Drung village, Yang Tao Commune, Lắk District of Central Highlands province of Đắk Lắk has been so far controlled, the local medical agency said. Nearly two months since the disease outbreak began in the village, no new cases have been reported since February 23. Between January 22 and February 23, 22 people were diagnosed with the disease. Locals consume unsafe food, lack clean water and live in unhygienic conditions. Most locals walk with bare feet. Doctor Trần Minh Hùng, head of the Disease Control Department of Lắk District’s Health Centre, said that the centre has distributed Chloramin B and instructed locals on how to use the antibacterial agent to sterilize wells, toilets. The centre and local authorities have instructed locals to cook food, not to eat raw pig blood, uncooked vegetables and treat the waste of human and animals. Local people must go to medical centres for health examinations and to receive vaccines, he said. Baby infected with rare disease saved A 14 day-old baby infected with a rare intestinal disease is now in stable condition after the surgery, doctors of the The baby from the Central Highlands Her mother was diagnosed with a similar disease. Doctor Vũ Công Tầm, head of department of surgery, anesthesiology and recovery of Đồng Tầm said that the illness occurs in one of every 15,000 to 30,000 babies. He advised pregnant women to receive regular genetic tests and health check-ups to identify the disease. Japanese cherry trees presented to Bac Ninh province A ceremony was held at Nguyen Van Cu Park in the Present at the ceremony were Japanese MP Kaneko; Asaduma Sinnichi, Minister at the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam, and representatives of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association of Chukyo region and Bac Ninh province. A representative of the association handed over and introduced techniques to plant 200 cherry trees. Asaduma Sinnichi, Minister at the Japanese Embassy in He expressed his belief that the cherry trees will become a bridge connecting the Japanese and Vietnamese people. The plantation of cherry trees will contributed to popularising Japan’s images, culture and people to Bac Ninh residents and enhancing mutual understanding between the people of the two nations, he added.- Dien Bien police uncover cross-border drugs trafficking ring The narcotics forces of the border guard in the northern mountainous The three traffickers are Giang A Tu (born in 1985, residing in Xieng Khouang province, A drugs haul of 60 bricks of heroin and 40,000 pills of synthetic drugs was seized. Other seized exhibits were one gun, seven bullets, two cars, one tape recorder and eight mobile phones. Earlier, the drug squad police and other forces detected a ring transporting drugs from Bokeo to Muang Khua ( VFF leader conveys condolences over death of Archbishop Bui Van Doc President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Tran Thanh Man on March 13 sent a letter of condolences to Archbishop of Hue Archdiocese Joseph Nguyen Chi Linh, who is also President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam and Bishop of Thanh Hoa Diocese over the recent passing of Archbishop Paul Bui Van Doc. The letter was also conveyed to the Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh City. In his letter, Man wrote that Bui Van Doc, who was Archbishop of Ho Chi Minh City Archdiocese, former President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam, and Chairman of the conference’s Committee on the Doctrine of the Faith passed away at 22:15 on March 6 (Rome time), or at 4:15 on March 7 (Vietnam time). He expressed his most profound condolences to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam, bishops, priests, members of the Vietnam Catholic Church, the Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh City, Saint Joseph Seminary, and relatives of Paul Bui Van Doc. Man lauded the deceased Archbishop for his dedication to the Vietnam Catholic Church, the Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh City and Catholic followers. He said Paul Bui Van Doc actively fostered the great national unity and the patriotic emulation campaigns of Catholic followers in general and the Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh City in particular in the spirit of the Pastoral Letter of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam, the message of the 2010 Congress of the Vietnam Catholic Church and teachings of Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis. The VFF Central Committee wished that the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam, dignitaries, priests and Catholic followers would continue upholding Paul Nguyen Van Doc’s good example and caring for the poor in service of the nation. Deputy Patriarch of Deputy Patriarch of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha's Executive Council Most Venerable Thich Thanh Sam passed away at 6:30 on March 13 in Bac Ninh province, aged 90, according to the Government’s Committee for Religious Affairs. On its announcement the same day, the Committee said Most Venerable Thich Thanh Sam had high prestige and influences among monks and nuns and followers in and outside the country. He made numerous contributions to Buddhism and the nation and had been conferred with the first and third class Independence Order, the second class War Resistance Order, among others. The dignity died of old age and his funeral will be held on March 16 in Kinh Bac ward, Bac Ninh city in Bac Ninh province. The Japan Patent Office (JPO) will assist the Intellectual Property Department (IPD) under the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology in implementing a project to comprehensively improve its ability in processing applications for industrial property (IP). IPD Director Dinh Huu Phi said, with its role as an intellectual property management agency, the department has devised many specific measures to promote intellectual property-related innovation activities, and deal with the backlog of industrial property applications. The IPD suggested the JPO continue to help it with processing industrial property registrations through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and retrieve intellectual property data through the Japan Funds-In-Trust under the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). Accordingly, The JPO’s experts will work with the IPD on specific contents before submitting to the Japanese Government for approval. It will also cooperate with WIPO and relevant partners to assist the department in issues related to retrieving intellectual property data. Recently, the Japan Funds-In-Trust helped the IPD upgrade its ability and IT infrastructure. A large number of Vietnamese staff working in the field has been trained under the support of the Fund. Phi said the JPO will aid the department in fine-tuning policies to improve the efficiency of intellectual property protection and exploitation; better its ability to appraise industrial property applications; accelerate the automation of industrial property registration management system; and promote cooperation in the work. At present, the number of industrial property applications submitted to the IPD is on the rise, while the processing ability remains limited, leading to the backlog of registrations. In 2017, the IPD received over 102,000 applications, including 58,800 applications for intellectual property rights. The department processed more than 80,000 applications, including 39,000 registrations for industrial property rights, up 1 percent against 2016.- Hanoi to celebrate Ireland’s National Day The The ‘greening’ ceremony will be held at 6pm and will be followed by the Ireland Day event, a fun-filled free public event of Irish cultural activities organised by the Centre for Sustainable Development Studies (CSDS), a partner of the Embassy. Minister of State for Food, Forestry and Horticulture, Andrew Doyle, will represent the Government of Ireland at the St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations in Every year on March 17, Since 2010 a very special project called This year on St Patrick’s Day, over 300 of the world’s most famous landmarks (stadiums, statues, museums and towers) in over 32 countries around the world, such as the Over 10,000 Irish visitors travel to Toll to be reduced on Toll on a stretch of National Highway 18 in the Residents of the 16 wards in The toll fee will be reduced by 60 per cent to VNĐ20,000 (US$0.9) per vehicle for vehicles with 12-30 seats and trucks weighing two to four tonnes, and by 57 per cent to VNĐ15,000 per vehicle for vehicles with less than 12 seats and trucks weighing less than two tonnes. Vehicles with 31 or more seats and trucks weighing four to 10 tonnes will enjoy a 53 per cent toll reduction, at VNĐ35,000 per vehicle. Toll for trucks weighing 10-18 tonnes and for 20ft container trucks will be reduced by 36 per cent to VNĐ90,000 per vehicle. Toll for trucks weighing more than 18 tonnes and measuring up to 40ft will be reduced by 30 per cent to VNĐ140,000 per vehicle. The project of upgrading the Hạ Long-Mông Dương section of National Highway 18 was implemented in September 2015 under the form of BOT (build-operate-transfer). The project had a total investment capital of some VNĐ2 trillion ($88 million) by BOT Biên Cương JSC. The company began collecting toll from February 13 this year. It paused toll collection during the Tết (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) holidays and resumed it on February 20 but was met with public opposition, with drivers blocking traffic and causing disorder at the toll station. Photo contest on rural women launched A photo contest on Rural Women and Sustainable Development has kicked off with the aim of recognising rural women’s contributions to the growth and prosperity of Việt UN Women joined hands with the Embassies of Australia and Photographers can send their entries to the organising board before June 8. Participants are encouraged to submit photos under six specific topics including rural women and technology; rural women and sustainable agriculture; rural women and disaster/climate change; rural women in business and/or co-operatives; rural women in leadership and decision making; and gender equality between rural women and men. Photography is detail-oriented and highlights specific individuals and scenes. It can be a powerful tool to raise awareness and to trigger positive development in society. This contest gives a platform to Vietnamese society to picture the positive changes they want to see regarding empowering rural women. The winning images, in colour or black-and-white, will be selected based on the strength of their potential impact on society’s perceptions of rural women and sustainable development. The awarding ceremony and exhibition of excellent works will take place on October 20. Can Tho looks to complete new-style rural area plan in 2019 The Mekong Delta city of The target was made during the working session on March 13 between the city’s National Assembly delegation led by deputy head of the delegation Nguyen Thanh Xuan and Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Dao Anh Dung, head of the Steering Committee for the national target programme on new-style rural area building of the city. Xuan, also head of the city’s supervision team for the implementation of the programme, noted that by the end of 2017, 27 of 36 communes fulfilled all criteria of the programme, completing 75 percent of the city’s plan. Dung said the most difficult criteria for the remaining communes include those in health insurance, poor household ratio, income and environment. He pointed to a lack of resources for development, especially infrastructure building, as hampering progress. Dung proposed that the Government give more incentives for enterprises to encourage them to invest more in production facilities in rural areas, thus creating jobs and improving incomes for locals. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development should provide more investment to pilot models of concentrated agricultural production, he said, adding that the city needs resources for maintaining education, health care and cultural works in recognised communes. Xuan pledged that he will propose the National Assembly, Government, ministries and sectors tackle issues related to mechanisms and policies, as well as adjusting some new-style rural area criteria to suit the conditions of each locality. 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 The list of criteria includes the development of infrastructure, the improvement of production capacity, environmental protection, and the promotion of cultural values. Under a decision issued by the Prime Minister in April 2016, a district must have all communes meeting all of the criteria to be designated as a new-style rural district. Earlier, those with at least 75 percent of the communes satisfying the 19 criteria were eligible. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, as of February 21, 2018, there were 3,160 communes recognised as new-style rural areas, 35.4 percent of total communes. FLC Thanh Hóa failed to get the points needed at Mỹ Đình Stadium The coach of FLC Thanh Hóa let U-23 goalkeeping star Bùi Tiến Dũng play in the match against Bali United yesterday at Mỹ Đình stadium. The national hero managed to keep a clean sheet, but his team failed to score the goals they needed to raise their chances of getting through to the next round. The game ended 0-0. FLC Thanh Hóa dominated most of the game, but failed to capitalize on chances and break past the effective defense of Bali United. FLC Thanh Hóa gained only one point, giving them 4 points in total and placing them third in the group. The chances for FLC Thanh Hóa to go further in the tournament are slim. Feeling pressure to win the match, FLC Thanh Hóa mounted a strong attack against Bali United, pushing the opponents to stick together and defend their goal. FLC Thanh Hóa managed 20 shots, 7 of which were on target, while Bali United made only 4 shots. Thief gets a healthy dose of karma after nabbing a motorbike Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng successfully stole a motorbike and earned VNĐ7 million (US$300) by selling it on to another person. The next time, he stole a motorbike parked in front of a rented house in Nha Trang, central Hùng offered a price of VNĐ2.5million ($110) to the owner of a motel. However, the man refused to buy it because it looked too old. Hùng left the bike in the yard waiting for another ‘customer’ to come along. The next day when he came back, the motorbike had been stolen. The ill-fated thief not only received no profit from his ill-gotten gains but was also sentenced to several years in prison after being caught by the police. Lesson learned: keep a close eye on your stolen property, karma is sure to come back and bite you. Women’s special day gets even more special after big win Women working at a sub-commission on publicity and education in the Central Highlands Their boss, Lê Thị Kim Đơn, head of the sub-commission, bought 40 lottery tickets issued by Women’s day was complete when the results were announced at the end of the day. 18 out of the 40 tickets won prizes, worth a total of VNĐ4.8 billion (US$208,700). Đơn received a gift for herself by nabbing four winning tickets, worth VNĐ200 million ($8,700). From now on, we may see lottery tickets running quickly ‘out of stock’ on special occasions. Restaurant moonlights as museum to preserve president’s dining spot Bún chả Hương Liên, a family-run restaurant serving rice noodles with grilled pork, on Lê Văn Hưu Street in Hà Nội, is well-known for its other name – ‘Bún chả Obama’. The former Since then, the restaurant has been crowded with diners from all over Việt Its owner, a woman named Liên, carefully washed the dishes, plates, spoons and chopsticks that the two men used and stored them in a safe place right after the meal. The owner has recently set up a corner of the restaurant’s second floor as a ‘museum’, honouring her distinguished guests. A set of plates, spoons, chopsticks, two bottles of beer and other items are organised exactly as they were on the table where Obama and Bourdain ate together. Of course, the iconic low plastic stools are included. To preserve the moment forever, the setup is surrounded by protective glass. Now diners visit the restaurant not only to eat but also to see the display. Liên said that diners suggested she display the dishes. Many people called her to ask if she wants to sell the table, stools or empty beer bottles. Some people think that this is a promotion strategy. Others doubt whether the dishes, spoons and chopsticks are really the ones that the former president used. No matter how the public has responded, Liên told media that it is not to promote her eatery but to save the memorable image. “For us, he (the President) is a close and lovable person that we appreciate a lot,” she said. A memorial service will be held in May to repatriate 65 sets of remains of Vietnamese fallen soldiers from It was said at the March 13 meeting between representatives of Xiangkhuang province, the National Steering Committee for the Search and Gathering Martyrs' Remains, National Steering Committee 1237, Military Zone 4 and Nghe An Military Command to review the search, gathering and repatriation of remains of Vietnamese fallen combatants. At the meeting, the participants discussed and reviewed cooperative efforts in Xiangkhuang province in 2018. Both sides agreed on the plan to repatriate 65 sets of remains back to Mr Khamesen Manivonge, deputy mayor of Xiangkhuang province committed to further assisting these activities. He also extended gratitude to Vietnamese specialists and soldiers who laid down their lives for peace, independence, freedom and happiness of Lao people. A team of eye specialists from Quang The Vietnamese eye doctors performed 449 medical check-ups and 31 eye surgeries at Sekong provincial hospital. They also presented medicines and gifts to the patients. The medical team is led by Hoang Chau Sinh, former vice secretary of Quang Nam Party Committee and current vice president of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association in Quang An Suong Tunnel in Tunnel N1 at An Suong 3-level intersection in The VND514 billion project aiming to ease traffic congestion in HCM city includes two tunnels separating vehicles travelling in opposite directions. Tunnel N1 at An Suong intersection in Hoc Mon district is 445metres long and 9 metres wide with two lanes. The tunnel is designed with a lifespan of 100 years and would be able to survive 7 magnitude earthquakes. Deputy director of the Urban Traffic Management Zone No. 3,Trinh Linh Phuong, said the project would help reduce traffic congestion and accident hotspots at An Suong crossroads. Mr Phuong also asked Hoc Mon district People’s Committee to speed up the land acquisition progress to enable Tunnel N2 be completed this year. Wheel pops off bus in An old bus had its wheel comes off while traveling in Ho Chi Minh City on March 12, frightening passengers aboard yet leaving nobody injured. The incident took place when the rear left wheel of the bus en route to The old bus tilted diagonally, leaving its rear axle screeching the asphalt, according to one witness. Tran Chi Trung, director of the Public Transportation Management and The cause was attributed to the broken rear axle, according to Trung. The Thanh Son Cooperative, which operates the bus, was then required by the center to review all of its old buses, put them under maintenance, and register for a quality evaluation. The center has also promised to perform regular checks on all public transport vehicles in use so as to ensure the safety of passengers. The bus, one of the No. 29 series, commuting from Thu Duc Produce Market in Thu Duc District to The old model has been in use for nearly 10 years, notorious for an unaesthetic exterior and interior, an inadequate cooling system, grumbling engine noises, and often criticized for exhausting plumes of black smoke from its rear. Tech bosses of multi-million-dollar gambling ring arrested Two technology officers from VTC Online and CNC were arrested for running a multi-million-dollar gambling line under the wings of former C50 director general. The investigation agency has arrested two technology officers for running a multi-million-dollar gambling ring that involved Nguyen Thanh Hoa, former director general of the Ministry of Public Security's High-Technology Department (C50), who has just been arrested a few days ago. The arrested duo include Phan Sao Nam, founder and former chairman of VTC Online, and Nguyen Van Duong, chairman of high-tech security development company CNC, the masterminds behind a huge gambling ring. This operation was based in Phu Tho province and nearly 70 people have been arrested for involvement since August 2017. The local police said that The investigation found that there are around eight million frequent users on this trans-national gambling site. The police has seized more than VND1 trillion ($44 million) so far and suspect that a further $3.6 million has been transferred overseas. Nguyen Thanh Hoa, former chief of the cyber-crime unit, had failed to shut down the syndicate after discovering it, and instead offered his protection. Hoa was director general of the C50 from 2009, after long years of working in the economic crime unit. He was suspended in late 2017 for his involvement in the crime ring. According to Article 249 of the Penal Code, organising gambling or running gambling dens is punishable with up to 10 years of imprisonment. Singer Cat Tuong to embark on Singer Vu Cat Tuong is set to perform in the Japanese city of According to the organising board, the singer was invited to take part in a range of cultural exchange activities in In addition, she will hold a fan meeting and a mini-show titled “Hello Osaka I am Vu Cat Tuong” at 19:00 on March 24, at TB-SQUARE, 2-13-22 Shimanouchi, Chuo-ku. The show will be live streamed on the Vlive channel. The U.S. Embassy Hanoi’s 60 The Embassy’s EducationUSA is a U.S. Department of State-supported network of over 425 advising centers in more than 175 countries. EducationUSA Advisors provide Vietnamese students and parents with accurate, comprehensive, and current information about how to apply to accredited VNN |
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MobiFone and AVG acquisition case to go to court The Government Inspectorate has proposed to investigate and prosecute those who involved in the Mobifone's acquisition of multimedia company Audio Visual Global.  MobiFone and AVG cancel acquisition agreement The inspectorate announced the initial investigation results on March 14 and concluded that Mobifone, the Ministry of Information and Communication, and related agencies had committed many violations in assessing AVG's financial situation and choosing consultants, allegedly leading to state budget losses of VND7trn (USD308m). Office of the Party Central Committee said this was a complex and serious case and related agencies must be transparent, strictly deal with violators to recover the embezzled money. In early 2016, Mobifone announced the acquisition of AVG to expand its television network, one of the company’s four main business areas. The details of the deal were not disclosed. In August 2016, the Government Inspectorate was asked to investigate the acquisition and announced that had found many violations. Mobifone and AVG agreed to cancel the transfer of 344 million shares and refund each other the amount received in the VND8.89trn (USD395m) failed acquisition. According to the AVG representative, there are many reasons for them to cancel the contract. Since its acquisition, Mobifone has not run and developed the AVG brand as planned and missed out on many opportunities. The deadline was over but Mobifone had only paid 95% of the acquisition. On March 13, the Ministry of Information and Communication said Mobifone had yet to pay the remaining 5% so that AVG could unilaterally end the deal. Mobifone may face a fine of over VND711bn (USD31m). AVG has faced continued difficulties since it was established. In 2015, it accumulated a loss of more than VND1.6trn (USD70m), 45% of its charter capital. When proposing to buy 95% of AVG's shares, Mobifone omitted the financial difficulties. It also didn't follow the bidding procedures in choosing consultants for the case. The results and numbers, therefore, are inaccurate. The acquisition hasn't been approved by the prime minister but the Ministry of Information and Communication already gave Mobifone the green light to proceed. The ministry also gave the exploitation rights over four channels to AVG and Mobifone without holding an auction. In addition, it had asked the Ministry of Public Security to give opinions on various issues that are not under the Ministry of Public Security's authority. The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Government Office must also take responsibility for their inconsistent opinions on this case. dtinews.vn |
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Amazon, Alibaba entry into The news that Amazon, the world’s biggest online retailer, is arriving in March has stirred up the retail community.  Tiki has received hefty invetsment Amazon, the world’s leading e-commerce player, is planning to enter the Vietnamese market. The VECOM’s chair Nguyen Thanh Hung said Amazon will also support Vietnamese enterprises in exporting online through the platform. In July 2017, Amazon officially launched Prime Now, the within-a-day delivery service in A report from the Meanwhile, Euromonitor predicted that the growth rate in home appliance e-commerce would be 40 percent in the 2015-2020 period, with turnover reaching VND20.99 trillion by 2020. The retail industry in the The offline retail industry was stunned when Amazon acquired Whole Foods at the record high price of $13.7 billion. Amazon has never spent such a big amount of money on a takeover deal. Analysts believe the competition will be stiff when Amazon begins operating in Tiki has received a hefty investment, Shopee is marching forward in midst of victory, Lazada has resources from Alibaba, and Cho Tot has new ambitions. Alibaba’s network has a strong position in
JD.com, the biggest rival of Alibaba, is entering the region through Central Group took over Zalora A report from iPrice said that eight out of 10 top e-commerce firms in Kim Chi , VNN |
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BUSINESS IN BRIEF 15/3 Lotte Card wholly acquires Techcom Finance  After receiving the approval from the Vietnamese government, Lotte Card has recently signed a purchase contract to acquire 100 per cent of Techcom Finance from Techcombank to become the first South Korean credit card company to enter the Vietnamese finance market, according to newswire Vneconomy. The deal’s value has yet to be disclosed, however, previously, the The Investor estimated that the deal could be valued at VND1.7 trillion ($74.67 million). Lotte Card’s purchase is considered a move to break into the $26.55-billion consumer finance market, which has been showing signs of rapid development. Previously, in September 2017, the two parties signed a stock purchase agreement for the deal. Techcom Finance, formerly known as Vietnam Chemical Finance Joint Stock Company before the 2015 acquisition by Techcombank, carries a charter capital of VND600 billion ($26.5 million). According to the bank's report, in 2017, Techcom Finance earned VND28.7 billion ($1.26 million) in revenue and VND22.5 billion ($998,538) in pre-tax profit. Lotte Card was established in 2002 and offers credit cards, facility leasing, and financial services. The company, through its subsidiaries, also opens travel agency, insurance agency, and telemarketing services. Entering StoxPlus reports that the Vietnamese consumer finance market is the most attractive in the region, with high growth potential and profit margins. At present, the sector is dominated by FE Credit (VPBank), Home Credit, and HDSaison. In 2016, Home Credit earned VND1.23 trillion ($54.03 million) in profit, FE Credit VND2 trillion ($87.8 million), and the two remaining companies (Home Credit and HDSaigon) earned hundreds of billions of dongs in profit. Along with Lotte Card, numerous domestic and foreign investors are actively seeking to enter the consumer finance market through M&A deals. According to the latest movement, in January this year, Shinhan Financial Group announced that subsidiary Shinhan Card completed the acquisition of Prudential Vietnam Finance Company Ltd. In addition, two other Japanese investors are also negotiating to purchase 49 per cent of the stakes in two different Vietnamese financial institutions. Military Bank has launched its consumer lending brand Mcredit with the support of its Japanese counterpart Shinsei Bank. At the end of last year, Shinsei Bank purchased a 49-per-cent stake in Mcredit, the consumer finance arm of Military Bank. Afterwards, MCredit was renamed MB Shinsei Consumer Finance Limited Liability Company. Korean groups planning Thua Thien-Hue tourism complex The business groups of KMH, Glostar, and OCC Company of the At a working session with Thua Thien-Hue provincial leaders on March 12, on behalf of the Korean business delegation, Mr Park said that Korean businesses want to build a culture, sports, and hotel complex at Chan May-Lang Co EZ, and a cultural house and a system of tour boats using renewable energy on a river in Hue City. The Korean investors’ initial hopes are that the province will create favourable conditions for the construction of a resort at Chan May-Lang Co EZ, including a film studio for the biopic of Vietnamese marksman Hoang Xuan Vinh, winner of the historic gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, said Nguyen Van Cao, chairman of Thua Thien-Hue provincial People’s Committee, spoke highly of the Korean investors’ ideas for developing tourism and commercial activities in the province, saying that the People’s Committee will authorize local agencies to work with the Korean investors to research and implement the necessary investment procedures so that these projects will come to fruition in the near future. Two commercial companies in The training facilities in southern Vietnam, which are set to open within this month, will offer three-month programs for workers to learn how to process cattle properly, Radio Australia said on March 13. Growing demand for Australian cattle has prompted In 2016, The department banned two unnamed Australian exporters and an unapproved facility under ESCAS is designed to ensure that exported Australian livestock are handled in accordance with international animal welfare standards and to provide a mechanism to deal with animal welfare issues when they occur. The Australian Embassy told VnExpress International back then that Since then Last year, the country imported more than 262,300 live cattle, and nearly 42,000 tons of beef and buffalo meat, valued at more than US$410 million, official government data shows. Explaining the reason for the imports, Tong Xuan Chinh, an official from the agriculture ministry, said Vietnamese people’s diets have changed drastically in recent years, and they're now eating more beef and buffalo meat. Average consumption per capita has doubled to 5-6 kilograms of beef and buffalo meat per year in the past decade, but the cattle industry has been unable to keep up with the pace. Local supplies of beef and buffalo meat only meet 80% of the current demand. Imported beef, mainly from Many local consumers favor imported products thanks to their reasonable prices and food safety concerns that have plagued the Vietnamese food market in recent years. Beef imported from 70 Hong Kong businesses seeking trade ties in A group of 70 Hong Kong businesses operating in the fields of finance, education, architecture, law, garments, electronic components, and footwear will visit The event will be held to coincide with a working visit of the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of Hong Kong to The exchange is seen as a gateway for Trade between In terms of investment, up to March 20, 2017, Hong Kong was the sixth biggest foreign investor in FPT - one of Smaller-scale Vietnamese IT firms also plan to invest in other regions of According to FPT Chairman Truong Gia Binh, For FPT, the Japanese market accounts for more than half of its global revenue. The firm has over 400 Japanese customers, including 50 of the world’s biggest businesses. FPT has maintained annual growth of 30 percent in the market. The Vietnam Software and IT Services Association is encouraging the trend, which is hoped to lay a foundation for turning Talking about advantages for Vietnamese IT companies when investing in Japanese market, Binh said similarities in culture and strong diplomatic and socio-economic ties between the two countries help Vietnamese operate in the market. Vietnamese, Lao provinces seek to boost cross-border trade Optimal measures to facilitate cross-border trading of agricultural products and materials through Lao Bao-Densavan international border gate between Vietnam’s central Quang Tri province and Savannakhet province of Laos were discussed at a workshop held in Dong Ha city of Quang Tri on March 13. Building common standards to ensure transparence of procedures and costs at the border gates along the East-West Economic Corridor and guide books on taxation in agricultural production and cross-border investment and business were on the table at the event, which was jointly held by Quang Tri and Savannakhet provinces, and the Mekong Institute. Also, the participants pointed out factors that affect the circulation of agricultural products through the border gate, including the volume of goods, non-tax measures, cross-border cooperation, customs clearance procedures and transport infrastructure. Nguyen Quan Chinh, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Quang Tri province, spoke highly of the Mekong Institute’s study to promote cross-border trade and recommendations made by the participants at the workshop. He said the study and recommendations will help the two governments build proper mechanisms and policies to boost economic activities along the East-West Economic Corridor. The supporting industry for According to the Among the five, The country has 20 automobile assembling firms, with 84 Tier-1 part suppliers and 145 suppliers of Tier -2 and 3. Meanwhile, Nguyen Thi Xuan Thuy, IIPS representative, said that due to the small scale of As a result, automobile assembly firms choose to use imported parts, creating a vicious cycle that remains unsolved, she stressed. To untie the vicious cycle, Thuy proposed creating a larger market scale through importing completely built-up units (CBUs) in the first years and forcing manufacturers to find domestic spare parts with cheaper prices, thus stimulating the local supporting industry. Businesses should also choose advantageous spare parts and products so as to gain assess to the ASEAN production chain, she added. Nguyen Duong Hieu, Chairman and General Manager of LIDOVIT Trading and Industrial JSC, suggested local producers invest in upgrading their technology, and integrate management systems to better manage their production and approach the market. He said that management agencies should provide local part suppliers with specific requirements of foreign firms so they can prepare to meet their standards. Delegates also suggested that the Government set up a website for businesses in the parts industry so they can update their information, which would make it easier for downstream producers, including foreign ones, to find parts suppliers. The seminar was held by the HCM City Department of Industry and Trade, the Board of Management of Saigon Hi-Tech Park and HCM City Export Processing and Industrial Zones Authority. The MIIT is among the biggest tourism expos in the world, consisting of hundreds of seminars and press conferences. The Vietnamese space at the three-day event features stalls operated by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), Vietnam Airlines and locally-well-known travel companies, such as Viettravel and Saigon Tourists. Vietnam Airlines is displaying its Dreamliner Boeing 787 – 9, which will be used for the carrier’s Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manh said cooperation between the VNAT and other Vietnamese representatives at the event plays an important role in introducing Vietnamese tourism to foreigners. The VNAT sees According to the VNAT, the number of Russian tourists to Over 2.86 million foreigners were estimated to visit The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism said it aims to serve between 15 and 17 million foreigners and 78 million domestic travellers this year, with total revenue expected to hit 620 trillion VND (27.28 billion USD), up 21.35 percent on year. Electronics industry needs development: seminar The consumer electronics industry has developed strongly in recent years but a lot more needs to be done to ensure further development. “Electronics is one of the key industries with the deepest level of international integration, but the industry is still only focused on assembling, processing and after-sales service,” Nguyen Phuong Dong, deputy director of HCM City’s Department of Industry and Trade, said. Delivering a speech at a seminar in “Relevant authorities would like to connect electronics enterprises by offering more incentives to encourage linkages.” Bui Thi Ninh of the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Union of Electronics Enterprises in “The industry has the largest number of workers and earns a large amount of foreign currency. Dr Truong Thi Chi Binh, deputy chairwoman and general secretary of the Viet Nam Association of Supporting Industries (VASI), said: “To participate in the global supply chain, Vietnamese electronics enterprises must first meet safety demands and technical requirements and limit hazardous content in their products. “Quality, environment and energy-efficiency are the general requirements. Corporate social responsibility and sustainable development are appreciated.” VASI could actively support enterprises by providing consultancy, training, information, and databases and connecting them with international markets, she said. Japan bank mulls PetroVietnam plan The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) is considering funding the Block B&52/97 project of the Viet Nam Oil and Gas Group (PetrolVietnam) with loans without a government guarantee. General Director of PetroVietnam Nguyen Vu Truong Son recently worked with JBIC representatives on the financial arrangements for the project. According to PetroVietnam, the project, worth nearly US$10 billion, is one of the two largest gas projects in The Block B&52/97 project’s oilfield development report was approved by contractors and the State appraisal council, while its environmental impact assessment report was ratified by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The quantitative risk assessment report was also submitted to the Ministry of Industry and Trade. As scheduled, the contract will be awarded in June 2018, and the signing of Engineering Procurement Construction and Installation (EPCI) contracts for the project will be done in July. The Block B&52/97 project includes two sub-projects. The first aims to develop the Block B oilfield, with PetroVietnam owning maximum capital in the project (42.896 per cent). Other investors are PetroVietnam Exploration and Production Corporation (26.788 per cent), Mitsui Oil Exploration Company (MOECO) of The second is to build the Block B-O Mon gas pipeline having a total length of 430km. PetroVietnam, PetroVietnam Gas Corporation (PV Gas), MOECO and PTTEP have invested in this project. The Block B&52/97 project is expected to bring ashore 5.06 billion cu.m of gas per year within 20 years, meeting the gas demand of power plants in the south. It is expected to contribute some $18 billion to the State budget. Cement consumption on the rise The country’s cement consumption in the first two months of the year posted a year-on-year increase of 85 per cent to reach 18.55 million tonnes. According to statistics of the Department of Building Materials under the Ministry of Construction, cement consumption in the period had surged both in local and export markets. The department attributed this to a halt in cement production in In February alone, cement consumption reached 7.62 million tonnes, increasing by 38 per cent compared to the same period last year and meeting 23 per cent of the annual target. Cement sold in the domestic market rose by 11 per cent over the corresponding period last year to 5.02 million tonnes. The country exported 2.6 million tonnes of cement in February, increasing 30 per cent from last year. Cement exports in the first two months of the year reached 5.5 million tonnes, representing a year-on-year increase of 121 per cent. Cement prices were stable last month. Hai Duong attracts FDI worth $185mn The This was revealed by the provincial Department of Planning and Investment. In the reviewed period, eight FDI projects worth over $32.1 million were granted new licences, and nine existing projects were allowed to add a combined capital of $153.45 million. To become an attractive destination for foreign investment in future, the province will focus on improving the business climate, accelerating administrative reforms, publicising and bringing about transparency in all administrative procedures, such as investment, enterprises, natural resources, environment, construction, transport, electricity, tax and customs. Nguyen Manh Hien, secretary of the provincial Party Committee, said in 2018 the province would continue to improve infrastructure to attract investment in industrial zones and clusters, prioritise the development of industries producing hi-tech, clean and industrial products that have competitive advantages, as well as support industries. In addition to this, Hai Duong has also invested in building new infrastructure for some industrial parks to speed up the implementation of many projects, such as the North-South road and other essential transportation routes and the Hai Duong Thermal Power Plant, Hien said. Hai Duong currently has 370 projects with total FDI investment of nearly $7.43 billion. The This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue during a reception in Ha Noi on Monday that he had hosted for Henry Keswich, chairman of the Jardines Matheson Group. Jardines Matheson is a multi-sectoral and multi-national group that has been present in At the reception, Keswich expressed his interest in the equitisation and divestment of Vietnamese SOEs, hoping to participate in the field. He also pledged to help According to The State will own full stakes only in fields related to national security, defence and special public-utility services, he said, adding that the Government has issued a list of SOEs that must be divested and equitised until 2020. The Government is also focusing on dealing with weak banks and balancing credit and non-credit services of banks, he said. He also said the Government would work to ensure macro-economic stability and create a favourable business environment in conformity with international standards and practices. He asked the group to pay attention to developing existing fields such as milk products, automobiles, machinery, construction, real estate and finance and insurance. According to State earned VNĐ49.2 billion from IPO of VTRI The State earned VND49.2 billion (US$2.16 million) through the initial public offering of the Viet Nam Textile Research Institute (VTRI) on Monday at an average auction price of VND21,749 per share. At the auction, 20 eligible investors participated in the IPO to buy more than 14 million shares. The highest bid volume was for the entire lot, while the lowest volume was 1,000 shares. The lowest auction price was equal to the offered price, and the highest was up to VND30,000 per share. As a result, there were eight winners, including two organisations and six individuals. The average auction price was VND21,749 per share, 73 per cent higher than the offered price, with the total value of the shares sold being VND49.2 billion. The payment to buy the shares has to be made between March 13 and March 22. The refund period is from March 14 to March 19. Besides 2,263,000 shares (equivalent to 45.26 per cent of the charter capital) sold during the IPO on March 12, the VTRI will offer 2,263,000 shares to strategic investors, while the remaining will be sold to employees. The State will not hold shares in the VTRI. According to the approved plan, after the equitisation, the VTRI will be named the Viet Nam Textile Research Institute JSC, with a charter capital of VND50 billion. Its head office will be located at As for its business result, the VTRI posted a revenue of VND57 billion last year, down 25 per cent compared with the average revenue of the previous three years. Its profit was VND761 million, down by half of that of 2016. The total assets of the institute at the end of 2017 was worth VND41 billion. In terms of land, the VTRI is managing and using plots of land at Meliá Hotels International signs three new properties Meliá Hotels International, the leading Spanish hotel group, announced the signing of three new properties in All three properties will be managed by Meliá Hotels International. With the region’s rising affluence, improved infrastructure, and increased flight connectivity, there is an enormous potential in the growing “bleisure” market in According to Bernardo Cabot Estarellas, senior vice president, Asia-Pacific of Meliá Hotels International, In addition to our three properties in As the financial and business hub of the country, All three hotels enjoy convenient access, just six kilometres from With these three new properties extending the group’s presence in the In 2018, Meliá Hotels International maintains its robust momentum in Spotify launches music streaming service in Vietnam Spotify, the world’s leading music streaming subscription service, was launched today in With a worldwide community of over 159 million music fans, Spotify offers both a free ad-supported service and an upgraded ad-free subscription service. Users can listen to music for free or alternatively upgrade to Spotify Premium for only VND59,000 ($2.6) per month. With a catalogue of over 35 million songs all available to both free users and subscribers, Spotify comes to “We are incredibly excited to launch Spotify in “Thanks to our huge music catalogue of over 35 million songs, truly personalised recommendations, and the best playlists curated by music experts and fans, Spotify makes discovering the music you love easier than ever,” she added. With the launch of Spotify In addition, Spotify has personalised discovery features including Daily Mix, Release Radar, and Discover Weekly, so Vietnamese users can explore different songs from their favourite genre. Vietnamese users can download the app via the Android or iOS app store. Following the launch in Minh Phu to pay dividend by stock to boost charter capital Minh Phu Seafood Corporation (MPC) has decided to pay dividend by stock despite shareholders' request for cash to boost charter capital. At the shareholders' meeting took place on March 9, shareholders proposed to pay dividends in cash instead of stocks. However, Le Van Quang, MPC’s chairman and general director, said that the company’s charter capital has been at VND700 billion ($31 million) since 2016. Minh Phu intends to pay dividends by stock and bonus stock for key people in order to raise capital to VND1.4 trillion ($62 million). Thereby, MPC./'; expects to issue 68.4 million shares to pay dividend at the rate of 1:1 and an additional 1.5 million shares as bonus for key people. Quang also said that MPC’s shares will be listed on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HOSE) from June 2018. The company has just been listed on the UPCoM on October 16, 2017. In order to raise capital, Minh Phu intends to issue 60 million shares for strategic investors. Quang said that several foreign investors are interested in MPC’s public offering, some of whom want to purchase up to 35-65 per cent. The total charter capital is expected to be VND2 trillion ($88.1 million) after the outlined issuances and offerings. This year, MPC will target to reach $800 million in export-import turnover, 63,000 tonnes of shrimp in gross export volume, VND18.2 trillion ($0.8 billion) in gross revenue, and VND1.1 trillion ($48.5 million) in pre-tax profit. However, Quang said that Minh Phu will do their utmost to exceed these targets and reach an export turnover of $1 billion. In the first month of this year, MPC recorded a profit of VND40 billion ($1.8 million), which is a positive signal because this company has always been in the red in January. MPC expects to expand Minh Phu Ca Mau factory by 30,000 tonnes per year in the third quarter of this year. The total investment is VND1 trillion ($44 million), including 30 per cent from MPC and the rest from loans. CapitaLand On March 11, CapitaLand Vietnam hosted the “Feng Shui and Astrology 2018” seminar with the presence of the world’s leading expert on Feng Shui and Chinese metaphysics, Dato’ Joey Yap. capitaland Previously, the Vietnam-based arm of CapitaLand successfully hosted the seminar for two consecutive years, 2016 and 2017, which later received lots of positive feedback from homebuyers. Chen Lian Pang, CEO of CapitaLand Vietnam, asserted that, "We (CapitaLand Vietnam) acknowledge the role of Feng Shui in the decisions of a customer when purchasing a residential project, as Feng Shui represents the close connection between people and their living space. Hence, the ancient Chinese art is closely intertwined with the architecture of residential projects.” CapitaLand Chen further added that, "By inviting the internationally acclaimed Feng Shui pundit, Dato’ Joey Yap to co-host the seminar, we (CapitaLand Vietnam) expect to spread knowledge about the ancient art and science of Feng Shui on the Vietnamese market, bringing the practical perks Feng Shui has to offer to residential projects." In the Feng Shui seminar, the world-renowned consultant addressed key points, such as the energy generated by the Year of the Dog, the recent "hearsay" that this lunar year would bring a time of doom and gloom when markets would crash, leading to an inevitable recession, and speculations that sectors such as IT, oil and gas, telecommunications, and agriculture, as well as education would produce great business opportunities in the year ahead. Over the first two months of 2018, the Vietnamese stock market ranked first among the fastest growing markets in the world, followed by the stock markets of By the last stock transaction in February, the VN-Index hit a new record of 1,120 points, equivalent to 14 per cent growth over only two months, setting the stage to be one of the most impressive performing markets in the world this year. Likewise, over the twelve months of 2017 and the first two months of 2018, the VN-Index saw 70 per cent growth, nearly surpassing the record set in March 2007. Previously in the second half of 2017, the Vietnamese stock market was deemed to be one of the most investment-worthy markets due to surging profitability and capital attraction. According to newswire Bloomberg, by the end of 2018, the VNIndex was forecast to reach 1,210 points in a recent survey of 10 strategists by the New York-based news station. Thang Uong, manager of a $1-billion portfolio at Manulife's fund in As concluded in a recent market analysis by RongViet Securities (VDSC), running a moderate trading volume, the VNIndex would likely rise by 17-19 per cent, while in case the VnIndex improves its ranking among Asia's stock markets, it could potential expand by 45-67 per cent. By the end of 2017, Previously, the VNIndex was ranked the world's third and Asia’s best-performing market due to its smooth economic growth, the "green" business performance of various firms, including giants like Petrolimex, Vietnam Airlines, and Vincom Retail, as well as the inundating volume of traded shares worth roughly $1.1 million by foreign funds. Cold chain supply is an important base for the agriculture sector, contributing to ensuring the quality of food and agricultural products from farm to table. However, local agriculture experts as well as local enterprises believe the cold supply chain for The workshop focused on wasting less food and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from food loss through a strengthened cold chain. Carrier is a part of UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp. This was the fourth World Cold Chain Summit organized by Carrier since its inception in 2014 but the first to focus on cold chain development efforts in one specific region. “With new technologies and practices for a more efficient cold chain, significant progress can be made to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, improve cross-border economic activity, and help reduce hunger,” said Mr. David Appel, President of Carrier Transicold & Refrigeration Systems. “We are proud to convene and engage with experts across private and public sectors to collaborate on developing actionable strategies to help reduce food losses in The summit asked food supply chain stakeholders, academics, and policymakers to collectively identify significant opportunities in the Vietnamese food supply chain, diagnose root causes leading to losses, and evaluate different cold chain solutions for “Of all the perishable food produced in the world today, only 10 per cent is refrigerated,” Mr. Appel went on. “There is a huge opportunity to cut food waste and improve food distribution by implementing cold chain technology. But to do so effectively, we have to understand local needs, and that’s why we’re focusing this year’s “We believe that it’s not only possible to green the cold chain, but that by better managing food supply with cold chain technology, we can reduce food loss and waste, feed more people, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the supply of food,” Mr. Appel said. “The goal for the 2018 World Cold Chain Summit is to develop a roadmap to reduce food loss and waste in F88 to open pawn shops in HCMC in Q3 F88 will open its first pawn shops in The company had nearly 40 pawn shops in Vietnam's north as at February, in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Vinh Yen, Thanh Hoa, Bac Ninh and Bac Giang, serving hundreds of customers each day. Lending totaled nearly VND600 billion ($26.3 million) last year, in 50,000 contracts. With a goal of having 300 stores by 2020, F88 has now achieved 13 per cent of its plan. It recently launched its first artificial intelligence (AI) equipment for product valuation in its collateralized loan service. Customers can accurately estimate the value of their assets with the AI equipment to avoid being put at a disadvantage when borrowing money from banks or financial institutions. This also differentiates F88 from other pawn shops in the market. Mr. Tuan said that valuations are the greatest risk in the pawn shop model. “If you don’t meet standards and make a loan higher than the value of the collateral, you will lose money if customers don’t return to reclaim their assets,” he explained. According to Mr. Tuan, the company has nearly 300 employees. Most of its mid- to high-level personnel have been recruited from large banks and financial institutions in After receiving investment from Mekong Capital in January 2017, F88 became the first pawn shop chain in VNN |
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Government News 18/3 Prime Minister sends congratulation to Chinese Premier  Chinese Premier Li Keqiang Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on March 18 sent a congratulatory message to Li Keqiang on his re-election as Chinese Premier. Li was endorsed as Chinese Premier at the first session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) on March 18. President: press greatly contributes to national achievements  President Tran Dai Quang visits Vietnam News Agency's booth at 2018 National Press Festival. President Tran Dai Quang lauded great contributions of the press to the country’s achievements in 2017 and the first months of 2018 while addressing the closing session of the National Press Festival in In the context of the fourth industrial revolution, domestic press agencies have made all-out efforts to improve both quality and quantity, the President said. Apart from covering major events and the implementation of tasks for economic, cultural and social development, national defence and security, and external affairs in a timely manner, the press circle has constructively participated in the combat against corruption, wastefulness and signs of ideological, ethical and lifestyle degradation, and sabotaged wrongful and distorted allegations by hostile forces, he noted. The leader expressed his hope that the Vietnamese revolutionary press will carry forward its leading role in the ideological and cultural front, better orient public opinions, and connect the Party and State with people. Themed “Vietnamese press accompanies the nation in renewal,” this year’s three-day event attracted 59 units from the Vietnam Journalists’ Association (VJA) and its branches, journalism training institutes, and companies specialising in press equipment, with a total of 73 booths. A highlight at the festival was the four thematic displays - “The press with Party building,” “The press with National Assembly and voters,” “The press with the building of an integrated, development-facilitating and action-oriented Government,” and “Ethics of journalists.” The festival also featured a forum on the press’s role in Government building, along with numerous exchanges, seminars, photo and painting exhibitions, and art performances. On this occasion, the organisation board granted awards to outstanding press research works for the first time, besides traditional prizes. The Vietnam News Agency won the first prize for its attractive and special booth. The festival was jointly held by the VJA, the Hanoi People’s Committee, the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Information and Education Commission, the Ministry of Information and Communications, and Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.  Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Van Khoa (R) and Adama Ouane, Director of the International Francophone Organisation. Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Van Khoa on March 17 welcomed Adama Ouane, Director of the International Francophone Organisation (OIF), who is on a working visit to Vice Chairman Khoa highly spoke of the OIF’s role in international and regional issues, thereby showing the the organisation’s development, especially in promoting educational cooperation and expanding the Francophone community in the world. He thanked the organisation for its cooperation with and support to the city in recent times, saying that southern hub is maintaining French-language teaching in schools and universities. About 4,000 school students and 5,000 university students in the city are studying French, he added. Khoa proposed the OIF continue its help in training and improving skills of teachers in French at local education establishments. The organisation was also asked to help restore French architecture works in order to protect and preserve typical culture of the Francophone community in HCM city. OIF Director Ouane, for his part, said His current visit to On the occasion of the 48th anniversary of Francophone Day (March 20), a Francophone festive day 2018 was held by the The event drew the participation of about 5,000 students and learners of French-language programmes and teachers in French, and representatives from consulate generals in the city of the Francophone community. The event included cultural and art activities, games, booths introducing learning programmes of schools using French language from primary to tertiary levels, along with others featuring cuisine, culture and arts of the Francophone community. Vietnamese Embassy in  The Vietnamese Embassy in Germany said it is working with the Vietnamese Consulate General in Frankfurt and local authorities to solve the recent death of a Vietnamese student in Germany (Illustrative photo: VNA) The Vietnamese Embassy in A female Vietnamese student, born in 1997 in Hai Phong city, was found dead in Mitte, According to The student had just arrived in VNN |
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Socail News 18/3 15 years of community football program in Thua Thien-Hue  The recent success of Funded by the Football Association of Norway, the “Football for All in As its name suggests, the “Football for All in The program has received an investment of US$2 million from the Football Association of Norway. Over the past 15 years, the FFAV has built a network of 200 grassroots football clubs involving 17,000 children between 6 and 15 years old. The program won in the NGO and Individual category at the Dream Asia Awards in 2017. This June, for the second time, the FFAV and 48 other delegations from around the world will come to Nguyen Hoang Phuong, FFAV director, said “As the Norwegian government’s funding will stop at the end of this year, it will be a great challenge for us to maintain and expand the program across Tran Quoc Tuan, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Football Federation, has encouraged the expansion of “From this model, we have sent a number of teams to conduct surveys of school football in other provinces like Lang Son, Cao Bang, and Quang Tri,” Tuan added. In 2015 the Ministry of Education and Training signed a joint agreement with the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to realize the plan. Director of the General Department of Sports and Physical Training Vuong Bich Thang said a comprehensive review of school and community football models will be conducted this year towards formulating the best way to expand the Hue model nationwide. Building The city is the gateway to world heritages in He suggested that Nguyen Canh Son, General Director of the Ariyana Da Nang Company, said after the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week, that MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events) may bring revenue for “Can Victims of Son My massacre remembered in US The Vietnam Peace Commemoration Committee (VPCC) organised an array of activities in the About 70 people gathered at the The same day, Professor Howard Jones, a VPCC member from At the same time, the 475-page English book was also introduced by the VPCC at On March 17 afternoon, the VPCC screed a 95-minute film at George Washington University, featuring acceptance of more than 125 US soldiers of the cruelty they committed or witnessed at the massacre. The killings that occurred on March 16, 1968 in My Lai hamlet (now Son My, Tinh Khe commune), the central Some 504 unarmed civilians in Tinh Khe commune were slaughtered, mostly elderly villagers, women and children. Hundreds of houses, along with thousands of heads of cattle and poultry, and all food, were burned and destroyed that day. Founded in September 2014, the VPCC seeks to tell the truth and learn the lessons of the Vietnamese students surpass Chinese peers to top regional education ranking A new report shows Vietnamese students perform best academically in The “Growing Smarter: Learning and Equitable Development in East Asia and the Pacific” report by the World Bank ranks students according to a weighted average of scores from tests that students have taken since 2000 for Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), and since 2003 for Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The average performance in To strengthen its findings, the World Bank cited 2013 data from the Young Lives initiative, which closely follows cohorts from birth through secondary school. It show that when they start primary school, Vietnamese children have cognitive skills and abilities that are similar to peers in three comparator countries. By third grade, however, Vietnamese students are way ahead of their low- and middle-income peers in math. At ages 10 and 12, the average Vietnamese student performs better than all but the top students in Last year, The scores puzzled foreign experts as Floating school built for overseas Vietnamese pupils in Cambodia The Consulate General of Vietnam in Funded by the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs under Chairman of the Association of Vietnamese-Cambodians in Pursat Le Hoang said there was no school in the area in the past. He said with delight that now the Vietnamese expats here can send their children to school and use the facility to hold community activities. On the occasion, a Vietnamese company presented four tonnes of rice to disadvantaged overseas Vietnamese and Cambodian families in the locality, while staff at the Consulate General of Vietnam in Battambang supported health check-ups at Long Hai Pagoda, a pagoda of the Vietnamese expats in Victims of Son My massacre remembered in US The Vietnam Peace Commemoration Committee (VPCC) organised an array of activities in the About 70 people gathered at the The same day, Professor Howard Jones, a VPCC member from At the same time, the 475-page English book was also introduced by the VPCC at On March 17 afternoon, the VPCC screed a 95-minute film at George Washington University, featuring acceptance of more than 125 US soldiers of the cruelty they committed or witnessed at the massacre. The killings that occurred on March 16, 1968 in My Lai hamlet (now Son My, Tinh Khe commune), the central Some 504 unarmed civilians in Tinh Khe commune were slaughtered, mostly elderly villagers, women and children. Hundreds of houses, along with thousands of heads of cattle and poultry, and all food, were burned and destroyed that day. Founded in September 2014, the VPCC seeks to tell the truth and learn the lessons of the Foreign lands, people through Vietnamese photographers’ eyes An exhibition showcasing the lands and people in foreign countries through the lens of Vietnamese photographers opened in Works on display include 140 photos taken by 80 Vietnamese photographers in 35 different countries and territories throughout the world. The photos, selected from nearly 1,770 entries sent to the VAPA, capture the natural beauty, architectural sites, daily lives, cultural practices and portraits of people in foreign countries. The event is among the VAPA’s efforts to create a photo database of countries around the world, while tightening the solidarity among Vietnamese people and their international friends. At the ceremony, the VAPA presented certificates of merit to its outstanding members in acknowledgement of their excellent work performance in 2017, as well as their significant contributions to the development of Vietnamese photography. Ban Flower Festival 2018 honours traditional cultural values The Ban Flower Festival 2018 kicked off in the northern mountainous Speaking at the opening ceremony, Nguyen Van Binh Chairman of the Communist Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission and head of the Steering Committee for Northwestern Region, said the annual festival bolsters the cultural development in the region, thus helping the province become a key destination on the northwestern tourism route. The festival aims to honour and preserve traditional cultural values of ethnic groups and strengthen national unity, as well as promote local landscapes and people to international friends, he added. Aside from the opening ceremony held in the May 7 Square, the festival will feature a number of activities including art performances and exhibitions on local tourism products, among others. The highlight of this year will be a fashion show on traditional costumes of Dien Bien’s ethnic groups, which is expected to draw the participation of many local artisans, in a bid to introduce traditional culture of ethnic groups in There will also be a pack-bike competition where participants push pack-bikes carrying food from the The annual Ban Flower Festival helps affirm the tourism trademark of Dien Bien and promote ban flower (scientifically known as Bauhinia Variegata), which has become a symbol of the land and people of Dien Bien and the northwest region in general. The flower often blossoms in March-April. President Ho Chi Minh’s stay in A seminar was held in The seminar attracted nearly 200 delegates who are Vietnamese and Russian scientists, scholars, activists, representatives of social organisations and students. Speeches delivered at the event recalled the life and career of President Ho Chi Minh, especially the period when he lived in Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manh stressed that President Ho Chi Minh selected Petrograd to begin his path for national salvation, creating a foundation for the fruitful relations between The seminar helps bring young people of the two countries closer and educate them about the friendship, he said. The seminar also featured an exhibition displaying objects on President Ho Chi Minh and other Vietnamese leaders. Requiem for Vietnamese fallen soldiers held in Thailand A requiem to commemorate Vietnamese soldiers who laid down their lives to defend national sovereignty was held at Khanh An pagoda in At the ceremony, overseas Vietnamese (OVs) recalled the nation’s glorious history and paid tribute to those who sacrificed their lives to safeguard the country, especially 64 naval soldiers who were killed while protecting Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef in The requiem for Vietnamese martyrs in Udon Thani province is held annually by OVs in This is the third time the OVs in Việt Việt The game was held at the Việt Nam Youth Football Training Centre in Hà Nội. This was the last test of coach Mai Đức Chung before leaving for Earlier, Chung and his players honed their skills in a four-side international tournament in Int’l Francophone Day marked in Hanoi Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc highlighted The Vietnamese official praised the community’s achievements in various cooperation fields, contributing to addressing global challenges in terms of security and development. He underlined the closed-knit relationship between The country is willing to serve as a bridge for the strong development of the French language in Adama Ouane, Director of the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF), expressed his delight at the continuously growing relationship between the OIF and The OIF treasures and continues fostering cooperation with Vietnam, particularly in French teaching, promoting cultural diversity, and implementing the Francophonie Economic Strategy via triangular cooperation, digital technology application, participation in the UN’s peacekeeping force, and climate change adaptation. During the event, Belgian Ambassador to Vietnam Jehanne Roccas, Chairman of the Group of Francophone Embassies, Delegations and Institutions (GADIF), presented awards to Associate Professor Dr. Trinh Van Minh from the Vietnam National University – Hanoi; and Dr. Tran Thi Nguyen Ny from the Ho Chi Minh City Medicine and Pharmacy University for their outstanding contributions to the development of the French language in Vietnam as well as the cooperation between Vietnam and the OIF. VNA, VFF join hands in producing TV programme The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee on March 16 signed a cooperation agreement to produce and air a television programme entitled “Strength of Great Solidarity” on the VNA’s TV Channel Vnews in the 2018-2021 period. Addressing the signing ceremony, VFF President Tran Thanh Man noted with pleasure the close coordination between the VNA and VFF over the past years, contributing to popularising the Party and State’s policies and laws among the community, thus strengthening the national solidarity bloc. The launching of the “Strength of Great Solidarity” programme is expected to help enhance communications on fostering the national solidarity bloc and give more information about the Party and State’s policies and laws as well as VFF plans to the public. Man proposed that the VNA, especially the Vnews channel, to focus on issues such as the voice of people from all walks of life, outstanding figures in various fields, new-style rural area building and smart city, and activities to support the poor. For his part, VNA General Director Nguyen Duc Loi said that the VNA is the official organ of the Party and State, providing source news to the domestic press and 40 news agencies around the world, and supplying reference reports and information to Party and State leaders. With 60 different press products, the VNA’s coverage and capacity meet information demands in all fields, including activities of the VFF, he said. The general director also suggested that the VFF provide timely and full information for the VNA, especially Vnews channel, to help it produce high quality press products. According to its 2018 plan, the VNA will produce 2-4 editions for the programme each month with a duration of 15 minutes each. The VNA currently boasts a network of 63 representative offices nationwide and 30 representative bureaus worldwide. With more than 60 media products by more than 1,000 reporters and editors out of its 2,400-strong staff, the VNA is now the media office having the largest number of products and forms in the country: bulletins, photos, TV programmes, dailies, weeklies, monthlies, magazines, pictorials, books, e-newspapers and information programmes on mobile platforms. VNN |
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BUSINESS IN BRIEF 19/3 Banks offer preferential credit packages to businesses  Banks have launched credit packages with preferential interest rates, aiming to assist capital sources for businesses and further boost domestic production. The Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam (BIDV) has introduced a new credit package worth VND20 trillion (US$892.8 million), with a preferential interest rate from now until mid-2018. Accordingly, borrowers can enjoy an annual interest rate of 6.5 per cent for short-term loans and from 7.2 per cent for long-term loans. Besides, customers who seek to do business would join many preferential programmes from other services, such as internet banking and insurance. Since the beginning of this year, BIDV successfully implemented two preferential packages worth VND25 trillion to support manufacturing businesses. Meanwhile, Southeast Asia Joint Stock Commercial Bank (SeABank) has also launched a new programme, which provides preferential loans to corporate customers. Borrowers could receive up to VND1.5 trillion at an annual rate of 7.5 per cent for loans in Vietnamese dong and 3 per cent for loans in US dollar. Based on financial needs, the bank will provide the best consultancy services to help enterprises improve the efficiency of capital. In fact, many Vietnamese enterprises, especially small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are still facing long-standing difficulties in accessing loans. According to banking and financial expert Can Van Luc, most SMEs have a low management capacity and outdated technology, they lack transparency in information and feasible business plans, and do not have adequate assets for mortgages, making them ineligible for banking loans Credit institutions are hesitant to lend SMEs money for the same reasons. Luc noted that these problems were compounded by complex banking procedures and a shortage of appropriate loan packages for SMEs. Hoang Thi Hong, director of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Development Fund under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, said it was necessary to develop a database about SMEs for credit institutions to use while evaluating. In addition, capital-raising channels should be diversified, rather than largely dependent on banks, for instance, while raising capital from the securities market, Hong said. State Treasury mobilises nearly US$1.5bn from G-bonds The State Treasury of Viet Nam has so far successfully mobilised VND34 trillion (US$1.49 billion) via Government bond (G-bond) auctions. This accounts for more than 75 per cent of the total bonds planned to issue in the first quarter of this year. According to the latest report of Bao Viet Securities Company (BVSC), in the auction last week alone, the State Treasury offered for sale a large volume of 20-year and 30-year G-bonds worth VND4 trillion. At the auction, 99 per cent and 96 per cent of the 20-year and 30-year bonds, respectively, were bought at the interest rates of 5.1 per cent and 5.39 per cent, down 0.1 and 0.01 percentage points against the previous auction, respectively. According to BVSC, the success of these auctions comes from the abundant liquidity in the banking system after Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) holidays. Thanks to the good liquidity, the interest rate of dong loans in the inter-bank market last week decline sharply by 0.29 to 0.49 percentage points for most terms against the previous week. Specifically, the overnight rate dropped to 0.91 per cent against more than 3 per cent before Tet. The rates for one-week and two-week loans also reduced to 1.17 and 1.44 per cent, respectively. The National Financial Supervisory Commission has predicted that the G-bond market in 2018 will see modest changes against last year, thanks to the economic growth of more than 6.7 per cent and inflation of below 4 per cent. The value of G-bonds issued in 2018 is estimated at some VND180 trillion, with the focus being on long-term maturity and keeping the interest rate at low levels. G-bonds worth VND159.9 trillion and having an average maturity of 13.52 years, up 4.81 years against 2016, were issued last year. The bonds had an average annual interest rate of some 6.07 per cent, down 0.2 percentage points against 2016, the Ministry of Finance said. VN, Dutch businesses have shown interest in This was said by Dutch Agricultural Counsellor in Viet Nam Arie Veldhuizen at a conference in Ha Noi on Wednesday to connect Vietnamese and Dutch agricultural businesses. The conference was organised by the Netherlands Embassy in Veldhuizen said Dutch companies, such as De Heus, Friesland Campina and PejaViet According to an assessment of the Netherlands Embassy in The growth in agriculture is not only attributed to the efforts of Vietnamese enterprises but also Viet Nam’s Government, which is showing increasing concern about the development of chain goods and has been investing in modern machinery and technology to increase the value and quality of products, Veldhuizen said. However, many opinions suggest that the agricultural sector of The According to Veldhuizen, to develop the agricultural sector towards the value chain, it is important to link businesses together. As businesses of many countries meet, they can explore and exchange new opportunities for co-operation in future. Vietnamese firms urged to work to win WB, ADB bids Vietnamese businesses should actively seek information and grasp the development and investment strategies of banks to win bids for projects financed by the World Bank (WB) and Asian Development Bank (ADB), said representatives of the two banks on Thursday. The information was released in Ha Noi at the workshop entitled “Winning Contracts in the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank Financed Projects” co-hosted by the two banks and the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI). Achim Fock, Portfolio & Operations Manager in the World Bank office in There are currently 47 projects in various sectors, with the largest investment being related to infrastructure such as construction, water supply and drainage and transport. It is expected that in the 2018-20 period, the WB will lend Head of Project Administration Unit of ADB in Viet Nam Steven Schipani said the ADB would focus more on transport, energy and water supply this year. Capital would focus on the transport sector, he said, but would not be small for other sectors. The total capital of all ADB projects in Viet Nam as of March 2018 was 59 projects with a total capital of US$7.5 billion, of which $3.5 billion had not yet been disbursed, so Vietnamese companies would have many opportunities to join ADB-financed projects, Steven said. At the workshop, World Bank’s representative introduced new features in the bidding framework that is applied by both the WB and the ADB. The new policy framework will minimise risk by providing more options and tools, increasing efficiency by offering tailored procurement mechanisms that are applicable to all types of tender. The banks’ core procurement principles include fairness, transparency, efficiency, fit for purpose, value of money and integrity. "For the first time, the two Banks will allow any contract award decisions to be based on criteria other than lowest price, including quality and sustainability and has significantly improved the approach to resolving procurement-related complaints," Achim said. According to Luu Hong Giang, deputy general director of Bach Dang Construction Corporation, which has participated in many projects funded by the WB and ADB, in comparison with foreign companies, Vietnamese enterprises have an advantage because they are active in soliciting the labour force. However, it is common for domestic bidders to be unable to participate in large scale projects administered by the two banks. "We still have limited financial capacity, construction and administration," said Giang. In addition, the evaluation criteria of the previous technical dossier are not clear and detailed, so many businesses struggle to compile bidding dossiers. "However, at the present, with the new procurement policy framework, these problems are basically handled. Domestic contractors can fully compete with foreign contractors when taking part in international biddings," said Giang. Steven said that enterprises seeking bids must understand the requirements of bidding documents and ensure they meet such requirements. With large WB and ADB contracts, businesses can set up joint ventures or use subcontractors, considering individual consultancy services to gain experience and build capacity profiles. He said it was important to ask the investor for feedback after being rejected for a bid, in order to learn from mistakes and draw experiences to succeed in the future. "Vietnamese enterprises need to be more active," Steven stressed. Chairwoman of VCCI’s Science and Technology Council Pham Thi Hang said the improvements in the bidding mechanism were completed with significant contribution from the Viet Nam Party and State, allowing private enterprises to access ODA capital resources and learn more about financial institutions and the processes of WB and ADB procurement. Ben Tre pomelo, coconut GI certified Green-skin pomelo and green Xiem coconut, specialties of the Mekong Delta This was announced by the provincial authorities at a ceremony held in Ben Tre on March 15. The People’s Committee of Cuu Long ( For green Xiem coconut, the geographical area for GI certification includes Chau Thanh, Cho Lach, GI is also applicable to pomelo grown in At the ceremony, NOIP director Dinh Huu Phi said the GI for green-skin pomelo and green Xiem coconut would be the basis for enterprises and farmers to develop their market and protect the quality and origin of the products. He said the GI certification was just the beginning and that in the process of production and business, Ben Tre would face many challenges, especially small-scale production, limitation in production co-operation, unstable quality of product and weak level of joining in the value chain. Vo Thanh Hao, secretary of Ben Tre Province’s Party Committee, said after receiving the GI certificate, the province would focus on choosing seeds to preserve and improve the quality of the two products. The province will promote propaganda and publicity for the people, producers and traders. They will become aware that the GI is the common property of the province and of the nation. Therefore, individuals and organisations must be responsible in preserving the GI tag and in developing the two products. At the same time, the province will build model gardens and organic gardens, connect production and businesses and boost trade promotion through a system of management tools for GI to develop the value chain, strictly manage trademarks, build codes for tracing the origin and create trust for consumers. The province has also scheduled the registration of GI abroad, especially in key export markets, to develop trade promotion activities and increase exports of the two products. Green-skin pomelo and green Xiem coconut are considered the major plants in According to the provincial Department of Industry and Trade, the GI registration is expected to boost the value of the green Xiem coconut in the domestic market and help expand exports to foreign markets such as the Small in size with a green skin, each coconut has an average of 258ml of water. Its water is sweeter and different from others in terms of nutrition and health benefits. The pomelo, which got its name as its skin remains green even when it is ripe, is much sought after in the market for its great taste. The fruit has thin skin, few seeds and pink flesh. The GI recognition is expected to help Ben Tre expand the market for pomelo and raise the income for local farmers. Work starts on five RoK-invested projects in Binh Phuoc A groundbreaking ceremony for five projects invested by businesses from the At the event, the provincial People’s Committee handed over investment licenses to the RoK companies - Hankuk Carbon, River Runs, Misung Industrial, Young Sung, Hankuk Advanced Materials. These firms rent 111ha in the complex and have registered to invest a total of 80 million USD in the projects which will produce carbon and glass fiber, and fishing tools. Hankuk Carbon CEO Moon-Soo Cho vowed to ensure construction progress of the project on schedule and in line with the country’s law. Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Huynh Anh Minh welcomed the Korean investors’ selection of Binh Phuoc to build plants producing high-tech materials such as carbon fiber. He committed to creating favourable conditions for the investors and requested them complete the projects on schedule. The Becamex – Binh Phuoc industrial and urban complex sits on a site of 4,633ha, nearly 2,448ha of which is used for industrial areas and the remaining for residential areas. Spanning Chon Thanh town and Nha Bich, Thanh Tam and Minh Thanh communes, the complex is invested by the Investment and Industrial Development Corporation (Becamex IDC) at a total cost of 21 trillion VND (933 million USD), expecting to attract upwards 5 billion USD. The RoK was the second largest foreign investor in In terms of accumulative investment, the country ranked first among 125 countries and territories investing in Kon Tum seeks investment The central highland Deputy director of Kon Tum Department of Planning and Investment Nguyen Dinh Bac told baodautu.vn that his province would advertise its potential to domestic and foreign investors while encouraging them to pump investments in a wide range of sectors, including hi-tech farming, urban infrastructure, and the pharmaceutical and tourism sectors. Earlier, the provincial People’s Committee published a list of 108 projects, calling for investments until 2020 at a total investment capital of VND84.73 trillion (US$3.71 billion). Some 27 projects are involved in the agro-forestry sector, 26 in the industry sector and 34 to specialise in trade, services and tourism sectors, besides the 21 in urban infrastructure development. Among the projects is a 1,000-ha Ngoc Linh ginseng growing project, expected to cost VND2trillion, in Tu Mo Rong District; a 200-ha hi-tech farm, worth VND400 billion, in Kon Tum City, and the Tan Canh solar plant, valued at VND2.3 trillion, in Dak To District. Others include the infrastructure development of Bo Y Industrial Zone, capitalised at VND7.9 trillion, and a VND-1 trillion urban and tourism complex, covering 380ha in Kon Tum City, and the Dong Bac urban area, expected to cost VND3 trillion. As of February 2018, the province has lured only eight foreign-invested projects, worth $82.3 million, ranking 55th among 64 localities nation-wide, the latest report from the Ministry of Planning and Investment’s Foreign Investment Agency revealed. Local authorities have vowed to take measures to remove barriers against investors, in line with the government guidelines. Vietnamese businesses unite in Russian market Vietnamese businesses in Nearly 30 Vietnamese businesspeople gathered a meeting held by the Vietnamese Businesses’ Association in Russia (VBA) on March 17. VBA President Le Truong Son suggested Vietnamese enterprises in With their determination and efforts, Vietnamese businesses have gained a foothold in the Russian market, he noted. Duong Hai An, General Director of Volga-Viet Company, a pioneer investor in agricultural production in Russia, said Russia’s farming sector holds a lot of potential. Other VBA members said services, retails and cuisine are promising sectors for Vietnamese businesses. New trend and growth models in the footwear industry will be the main topic of discussions at the Vietnam Footwear Summit 2018 in According to the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (Lefaso), the event is expected to help local businesses grasp international footwear development trend, apply new materials and information and technology (IT) to slash costs and meet environmental requirements. Provided with sufficient information from foreign experts, Vietnamese footwear producers will be able to pen vision and development strategies. The event will also give local firms a chance to meet with customers from 20 countries worldwide. Vietnam, Australia forge cooperation in economy, trade, investment Minister for Trade and Industry of New South Wales Niall Blair said the Australian state wants to step up cooperation with Their meeting took place in For his part, Minister Anh highly values potential of the Australian market, especially The two ministers introduced a number of leading businesses which want to seek business opportunities in their respective countries such as the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam), the Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), the Vietnam National Coal-Mineral Industries Holding Corporation Limited (Vinacomin), the Vietnam National Shipping Lines, Sovico Holdings and VietJet Aviation JSC to the Vietnamese side, and Sunrise Group to the New South Wales side. Stressing the state’s cooperation potential in the field of coal, Anh suggested the Australian side introduce Vinacomin to coal suppliers in He proposed The minister called on Minister Blair agreed with his Vietnamese counterpart’s proposals, and pledged to inform them to relevant Australian agencies in order to intensify cooperation activities between the two sides. At the working session, the ministers also discussed cooperation opportunities in the sphere of aviation, including collaboration between VietJet Air and airports and airlines in Singaporean businesses interested in food industry, agriculture in Vietnam Many Singaporean firms are interested in investing in the food industry, agriculture, and dining services in It was according to Andy Yun, Secretary General of Singapore Manufacturing Federation representing more than 3,000 members operating in automation, biology, construction, heavy industry and more, during the second Yun described Nguyen Van Than, Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, led a delegation of over 100 Vietnamese firms, many of them are start-ups, to the event. He said many Singaporean enterprises actively connected with Vietnamese ones at the event, proving that bilateral cooperation potential is huge. Accounting for over 97 percent of the total, Vietnamese SMEs contribute nearly 40 percent of the gross domestic product, 33 percent of industrial production value, 30 percent of export value and attract more than half of the workforce, he said. Minister at the Vietnamese Embassy in Singapore Dinh Hoang Linh said the exchange is part of celebrations of the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and the fifth anniversary of strategic partnership. Statistics showed that Two-way trade has grown 12-15 percent annually over the past years. In 2017 alone, two-way trade between Prospects for According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, According to the IMF’s Global Economic Outlook 2018, the global economy is likely to maintain a growth rate of 3% this year. The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) will benefit But to increase exports, Nguyen Hoang Thuy, Trade Counselor in In the sector’s restructure plan until 2020, the Ministry will focus on improving productivity, quality, efficiency, and competitiveness of farm produce to achieve sustainable growth. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong said, “We call for close coordination between In 2018, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development hopes to earn US$41 billion in export turnover, of which the farming sector will contribute more than US$21 billion, seafood about US$9 billion, forestry products US$8.5 billion, and other sectors US$1.5 billion. Honor aims to break into The new phone series, which are named Honor 9 Lite and Honor 7X are priced between VND5 million and VND7 million ($219 and $306) and mark Honor’s first venture into the booming Vietnamese market. The Huawei-owned smartphone brand did not hide its ambition to become The brand calls itself a “young, fun and innovative partner of young Vietnamese consumers,” targeting the price-conscious and trendy millennials in the ASEAN’s fast-growing economy. Following the trend, Honor makes sure to emphasise the prowess of its smartphone cameras: competitive dual-lens 13MP + 2MP cameras on both the front and back of the phone. “ To boost its growth in Honor phones are also available for sale on top e-commerce websites such as Lazada, Shopee or Tiki, with flash sales to attract the first customers. Upon entering According to market research firm GfK, 13.6 million smartphones were sold in Cuu Long Pharmaceutical swimming upstream While Vietnamese enterprises in general and pharmaceutical firms in particular tend to increase the foreign ownership limit (FOL), Cuu Long Pharmaceutical JSC (Pharimexco), a member of F.I.T Group, goes against the stream by decreasing the FOL to 32.57 per cent. Vietnam Securities Depository (VSD) issued the announcement permitting Pharimexco to decrease the FOL from 49 to 32.57 per cent. This shows Pharimexco’s commitment to be faithful to Rhinos Asset Management (RAM). Earlier in February this year, Pharimexco completed the $20-million sale of convertible bonds in a private placement to an investment fund managed by Rhinos Asset Management (RAM) from As per the agreement, after one year, if all convertible bonds were converted into ordinary shares, which would mean RAM will hold approximately 18 million shares worth VND25,000 ($1.10) each, around 24 per cent, to become a large shareholder of the company. Along with the convertible bond sale, early this year Pharimexco permitted a representative of RAM to join its board of directors. Furthermore, the pharmaceutical has offered RAM to purchase over 25 per cent of voting shares. The deal would take place without a public tender. According to Nguyen Van Sang, chairman of the Board of Directors of Pharimexco, since the firm became a member of F.I.T Group, the company has been working to become the leading pharmaceutical firm in Another large project is a cancer treatment medicine factory, which is a co-operation with State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC). The factory will pioneer producing cancer treatment medicine in Pharimexco’s long-term development plan shows its determination to become the leading pharmaceutical firm in Since Pharimexco became a member of F.I.T Group, the company has been working to become the leading pharmaceutical firm in In 2017, Pharimexco reported VND775.8 billion ($30.08 million) in revenue and VND74.9 billion ($3.29 million) in after-tax profit, signifying a slight on-year increase in revenue and decrease in after-tax profit. The acquisition of Euvipharm, a pharmaceutical company owning one of the most modern factories in Notably, the deal was completed in early 2017, however, until June the same year, Euvipharm maintained operations, meaning Pharimexco could not write down any profit from the firm in the first six months of the year. Furthermore, in 2017, Pharimexco went into great expenses to rebuild Euvipharm’s sales channel. Last year, the firm’s assets soared from VND845 billion ($37.1 million) to VND1.22 trillion ($53.59 million), up 44.5 per cent on-year, while equity increased by 20.6 per cent to VND791.8 billion ($34.78 million) from VND656.6 billion ($28.84 million). However, the firm had been carrying a debt of VND429 billion ($18.84 million) as of December 31, 2017. At present, F.I.T Group owns 71.72 per cent of Pharimexco, after completing the purchase of an additional 1 million shares in late March 2017. Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine is working with GE Healthcare and T.D Medical Company to foster a new generation of digitally-attuned radiologists, radiographers and clinicians in The university, which opens its new Advanced Imaging Training Centre today will offer technical and hands-on training with GE’s Enterprise Imaging Software such as Centricity TM Universal Viewer and Advanced Visualisation. Centricity TM Solutions for Enterprise Imaging delivers comprehensive reading across hospitals, reporting and collaboration across care pathways to help improve clinical efficiency and drive enhanced patient outcomes. The opening of the centre is a milestone for the university and signifies a step up in the future of healthcare in In addition, training will be open to qualified clinicians from across the country who are looking to upskill themselves through specialist and master programmes, and Continuing Medical Education (CME) courses. “In the last few decades, the landscape of radiology has changed dramatically. Advances in imaging technology have made medical images increasingly detailed and informative. The traditional concept of practicing radiology with film is gradually becoming outdated," said Professor Ngo Minh Xuan, MD., PhD, rector of Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine. "Qualified radiologists and advanced diagnostic imaging training courses are particularly needed in GE Healthcare’s Centricity TM Universal Viewer features a single image repository across 2D and 3D studies generated by X-Ray Systems, Computed Tomography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Ultrasound and more, across all providers in the healthcare system. Workload management tools and access to images from multiple care areas from a single desktop increases clinical collaboration and productivity. It allows clinicians to fuse MRI images with other scans and improve diagnostic accuracy. Another powerful benefit is the processing of dynamic or functional scans to show changes caused by a disease over time, providing a complete view of the patient’s medical history. Radiologists, clinicians and radiographers will be able to learn and practice the processing and interpreting of complex cases. “ Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine is a public medical school in ProPak Vietnam 2018 returns next week ProPak Propak Vietnam 2018 is the ideal business platform for Vietnamese food, drink, and pharmaceutical manufacturers and suppliers to upgrade technological capabilities, enhance competitiveness in the market, and stay abreast of industry trends. This is also a prominent gateway for industry leaders to learn from and network with peers from around the world, exchange professional knowledge and know-how, as well as discuss potential business partnerships. Consistently attracting robust international participation, ProPak Vietnam 2018 will feature more than 420 exhibitors from 29 different countries and regions, and this figure is likely to continue to increase by the show date. Notable among participating countries are the major manufacturing and exporting hubs, such as A vast array of top-of-the-range equipment, innovative technologies, and solutions will be on full display across the 10,000 square metres of the exhibition space. The four main areas of focus include processing and packaging equipment and machinery, packaging materials and accessories, processing and packaging services, as well as quality control and training. The exhibition has grown through the years and is a positive reflection of “ProPak Vietnam 2018 is the largest edition since its launch in 2005. The exhibition has grown through the years and is a positive reflection of He added that, “As Vietnam’s economic performance continues to strengthen, we expect to see a similar growth for ProPak Vietnam in the coming years, further solidifying its position as the event of choice for food, drink, and pharmaceutical processing and packaging technologies.” ProPak Vietnam 2018 will take place alongside Plastics & Rubber Vietnam 2018 in Bosch showcases latest automation technology at Propak Vietnam 2018 Bosch Rexroth, the Drive and Control division of Bosch At Booth F30 at Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC) in Bosch Rexroth’s latest advancements, from Open Core Engineering to new IoT Gateway, a technology which makes it easy for manufacturers to add connectivity to existing machines and equipment, serve as a highlight of the show. Further “connected” exhibits and demonstrations feature the new high-speed, high-precision VarioFlow plus plastic chain conveyor systems, Nexo tightening systems, new Active Cockpit production floor data visualisation system and more. The following are some exhibited products and demo highlights. Smart factory technology will be presented with an appearance by Rexroth‘s ActiveCockpit, interactive communication platform for the manufacturing industry. As an interactive communication platform, ActiveCockpit processes and visualises production data in real time. ActiveCockpit networks IT applications such as production planning, quality data management, and e-mailing with the software functionality of machines and plants. The information is the basis for decisions and process improvements. The IoT Gateway makes it easy to connect to Industry 4.0 environments without intervening in the automation logic. The precisely coordinated combination of control hardware and software for implementing IT applications collects sensor and process data, transmits it to MES (Manufacturing Execution System), cloud applications or local machine state monitoring systems, for example, and enables process data analysis. OpenCore Engineering combines PLC-based engineering and IT automation. This integrated approach is made possible by the Open Core Interface, the significant expansion of our solutions for machine automation. With the Open Core Interface, Bosch Rexroth is providing a software interface that is unique as it permits enhanced access to the control core, offering numerous programming languages and allowing the integration of smart devices into automation systems. In addition, individual real-time control functions can be independently created. Cabinet-free automation technology—Decentralised Servo drives IndraDrive Mi: IndraDrive Mi enables machine manufacturers to integrate all electrical drive components directly into the machine. This saves space and reduces wiring effort by up to 90 per cent. The latest in high-precision tightening technology—Bosch Rexroth’s Nexo cordless nutrunner. Nexo offers a direct measuring system for accurate torque and angle detection. Combining economical operation and safety critical tightening capability, Bosch Rexroth’s Nexo nutrunner can handle the most demanding applications and is suitable for both large and small scale production. Its decentralised intelligence is located directly onboard the tool which enables operation without cable connections or the need for an external controller. By integrating the control of the tightening process, the highest level of reliability is possible—even in wireless dead zones. With a wide range of load and speed capabilities,Rexroth's linear motion system is scalable from small laboratories to large warehousing or aircraft assembly operations. Bosch Rexroth’s linear motion technology: EasyHandling—Linear Module System—a complete platform for the easy design, construction, and commissioning of Cartesian motion robots (also known as linear robots). It combines open, user-friendly programming environments with precise and reliable linear componentry to create the most accessible, easy-to-use Cartesian motion robot. Modular plastic chain conveyor VarioFlow plus is a flexible, modular plastic chain conveyor system used for moving high volume packaged goods and other consumer goods, such as packaged foods, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare products. VarioFlow plus chain conveyor system is optimised for quick assembly and convinces by particularly low-noise, economical operation with which multi-axis control has never been easier. Rexroth’s Open Mechatronics Demo demonstrates this by utilising Open Core Engineering to control a multi-axis Cartesian system. Schneider Electric’s Easy UPS 3S coming to Early this year, Schneider Electric, the global specialist in the digital transformation of energy management, automation, and power protection, rolled out a compatible UPS set, Easy UPS 3S, offering robust electrical specifications. The 10-to-40kVA uninterruptable power supply (UPS) is easy to install, easy to use, and easy to service – making business continuity easy for small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs). The Easy UPS 3S is an exceptional combination of an optimised footprint design and advanced product features, protecting critical equipment in many environments from damage due to power outages, surges and spikes. The 10-40kVA uninterruptable power supply (UPS) is easy to install, easy to use, and easy to service—making business continuity easy for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Easy UPS 3S is an exceptional combination of an optimised footprint design and advanced product features, protecting critical equipment in many environments from damage due to power outages, surges, and spikes. This unit delivers up to 96 per cent efficiency in double conversion mode and up to 99 per cent efficiency in energy-saving ECO Mode, taking the industry standards for the 10-40kVA UPS to a new level. Customers also benefit from the start-up service option to ensure the Easy UPS 3S is properly and safely configured for optimal performance, reliability, safety, and peace of mind. “Easy UPS 3S addresses a market need we see for a solution that offers best-in-class power availability, reliability, manageability, quality, and convenience for small and medium-sized businesses, data centres, and manufacturing facilities,” said Pedro Robredo, vice president, Secure Power, Schneider Electric. “With this new 3-phase offer, Schneider Electric is now able to meet customer needs and partner requirements in a wide range of industries and applications. With this 10-40kVA UPS, our customers will benefit from easy installation, configuration, management, and maintenance, as well as enhanced efficiency.” The Easy UPS 3S is properly and safely configured for optimal performance, reliability, safety, and peace of mind. This new offer is rugged, with a wide input voltage window and strong overload protection all in a compact and lightweight footprint, and it has been designed and tested following rigorous Schneider Electric procedures—making it an excellent fit in both the data centre space and in light industrial environments. It rolls into position quickly and installation is straightforward. It features an intuitive display interface for easy configuration and monitoring, and customers can monitor and manage the UPS status remotely through Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure™ IT cloud-based and on-premise software suites. The flexibility, versatility, and competitiveness of Easy UPS 3S, including its short delivery time and wide variety of applications, make it easily adaptable for any small and medium-sized enterprise. VNN |
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Social News 19/3 A requiem was held at Tu An pagoda in The event was chaired by Venerable Thich Tu Nhon – head of Tu An pagoda, attracting the attention of Buddhist dignitaries and followers, representatives from the Vietnamese war veterans’ association in Berlin-Brandenburg, and nearly 100 Vietnamese people living in Participants offered incense and prayed for the fallen soldiers. Venerable Thich Tu Nhon said that the requiem is organised annually to show the Vietnamese community’s deep gratitude to the fallen combatants. The Gac Ma battle took place on March 14, 1988. Last year, a memorial site dedicated to the 64 martyrs was inaugurated in Cam Hai Dong commune, Cam Lam district of the central The highlight of the site is a monument featuring the naval soldiers holding hands in an “eternal circle” to safeguard the national flag symbolising the national sovereignty on Gac Ma reef. The work was built with money contributed by workers and public servants nationwide through trade union organisations under a programme launched by the  AO victim children are provided with vocational training The The It is a symbol of international solidarity for peace and friendship. The village was built with cooperation of six countries – the The construction was funded with over 2 million USD from the Friendship Village International Committee and the Vietnamese Government. After 20 years of operation, the village welcomed over 6,500 war veterans, former youth volunteers who are AO/dioxin victims and 700 children of the second and third AO victim generations. The veterans and former youth volunteers receive treatment and nursing services and have chances to join cultural and sport activities as well as visits to different places and convalescences. Meanwhile, almost children adopted by the village are living with disabilities, especially intellectual disability due to the toxic chemical. Along with rehabilitation, they are provided with education and vocational training such as IT, embroidery, tailoring and making fabric flowers. Many of them have managed to find jobs and earn money. The most important thing is that they can integrate into society without a complex about their disabilities. Each year, the Friendship Village International Committee provides financial assistance for the village. The village has become a venue for international friends who wish to meet and assist the victims. With its efforts and achievements over the past 20 years, the village was honoured with the first class of Labour Order and certificates of merit from the Government and the Party Central Committee’s Commission on Information and Education. In the coming time, the village aims to become a model in humanitarian and charitable activities, a destination of friends at home and abroad as well as a symbol of solidarity, peace, friendship, cooperation and reconciliation. Exhibition features anti-war-in-Vietnam campaigns of US veterans A special exhibition titled “Waging Peace – American Soldiers and Veterans opposing the War in Jointly held by the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO), Peace and Development Foundation, and the US-based organisation Veterans for Peace (VFP), the event is displaying 80 posters, photos, and newspaper articles on past campaigns to end the war in At the exhibition, Nguyen Van Manh, HUFO Vice Chairman and General Secretary, said A large number of US veterans have returned to The exhibition lasts until April 15. The National Hydro-Meteorological Service (HMS) under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has played a central role in supporting According to HMS Deputy Director Tran Hong Thai, his agency has provided quality instructions for possible extreme weather events for these countries, helping them produce more accurate and timely weather forecasts and give early warnings of natural disasters. With its active contributions to the disaster prevention in the region, The country has also helped promote connectivity among member countries of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) for sustainable economic development in the region, Thai said. He emphasised the need for the service to promote international cooperation in preventing and mitigating natural disasters. Participants to the workshop focused their discussion on how to improve the ability of hydro-meteorological agencies in forecasting and warning; forecasting process, scenarios that are likely to occur and the worst scenarios; analysis of forecasts; among others. After the workshop, which ends on March 23, the HMS will coordinate with the WMO in holding a training workshop weather forecast between March 26-30. Bac Giang steps up investment promotion The Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Linh recently asked local departments and sectors to hasten administrative procedures to attract both domestic and foreign investors to the locality. The Department of Planning and Investment was asked to study new policies on investment attraction, and propose measures to increase the quality of projects. The management board of industrial zones was directed to strengthen responsibility and urge investors to speed up construction on industrial zone infrastructure, and work with districts in ground clearance to create favourable conditions for investors. Linh also asked the Department of Construction to work with Bac Giang city and districts to inspect and supervise the granting of construction licenses, enhance its responsibility of managing construction order and solve violations. In the first two months of 2018, Bac Giang attracted 40 domestic-invested projects with total registered capital of 498 billion VND (21.8 million USD) and 15 foreign-invested ones worth 30 million USD. More 121.3 million USD was also poured into eight existing projects in the period. Currently, there are 1,400 projects in the locality, of which 1,062 projects worth more than 78.7 trillion VND are invested by domestic businesses and 338 are foreign direct investment projects worth more than 3.9 trillion USD. Fireman dies in accident, another injured A fireman of Hà Nội’s Fire Prevention and Fighting Police Department died after suffering multiple injuries in an accident, the department said on Monday. Colonel Trần Ngọc Dương, deputy director of the department, said another fireman who was seriously injured was being treated at On Sunday afternoon, a rescue truck of the fire department with seven firemen was pressed to service to rescue the victims of a crash between a coach and a truck near Vạn Điểm-Đỗ Xá toll booth on Pháp Vân-Cầu Giẽ Expressway. On the way, the rescue truck, which was going from Hà Nội to Ninh Bình, collided with a 45-seater coach, with the registration number 29B-078.43, coming from the opposite direction. The accident took place near Thường Tín toll booth in Thường Tín District’s Văn Bình Commune. The victims, including five persons from the coach, two firemen with minor injuries and four firemen with serious injuries, were rushed to Besides the officer with a broken collarbone, all others have been discharged from the hospital. The victims stranded in the accident on Pháp Vân-Cầu Giẽ Expressway were rescued. The The winner will represent Đà Nẵng in the national final, which is scheduled to be held in May in the The VUG event saw the participation of eight universities around Đà VUG will officially kick off in the northern city of Launched in 2013, VUG is one of the largest sporting events for students in futsal and freestyle dance. This year, the event is expected to attract 80 universities and colleges in six cities and provinces across the country. Russians vote across Viet Nam  A family enter the polling booth at the Russian embassy in Hà Nội, on March 18, 2018. Hundreds of Russians living in Việt Many Russians began showing up at the Russian embassy in Hà Nội in the morning to cast their ballots for one out of eight presidential candidates, one of whom is the current President Vladimir Putin, who is running for a fourth term. Two tourists from “It’s good that we were able to vote,” they said. An officer of the Russian Trade Representation in Việt “I chose the one who can guard the country,” she said. “I hope that The three polling stations at the Russian embassy in Hà Nội and the consulates in HCM City and Đà Nẵng City would open from 8am throughout to 8pm Sunday, said the Russian Ambassador in Việt Nam, Konstantin Vnukov. Early voting before election day had been also carried out at another four locations in Vũng Tàu, Nha Trang, Mũi Né and Phú Quốc, which are home to a large number majority of Russian expats and tourists. “So far the number of Russian citizens casting their votes is tenfold compared to previous elections,” Vnukov said. “It demonstrated that the Russians care a lot for the future of their country.” There is not an official record of the number of Russians living in Việt High-tech shrimp breeding brings higher profits More than two years ago, Đặng Thanh Tân, a farmer in By the end of 2015, after studying shrimp breeding models nationwide, Tan decided to renovate his farm by building a green house and spreading out a layer of canvas at the bottom of the pond. Tân said that the high-tech shrimp farming model requires breeders to build a pond with an appropriate area (2ha), as well as additional ponds assisting the main one. Several years ago, the shrimp he raised in the traditional pond yielded low productivity as the shrimps were affected by unfavourable weather conditions and attacked by diseases. Now he uses probiotics instead of antibiotics so that shrimps have better resistance against diseases and are of a better quality. “The biggest advantage of high-tech shrimp farming is a closed breeding process. Breeders can control the breeding environment so that they can prevent disease risks since shrimps are released to the pond until they are grown up,” he said. “I can release only 50-70 shrimp per sq.m to a traditional pond but up to 150-200 shrimp per sq.m to a high-tech pond. The risk of death stays very low. Each kg has 40-50 shrimps,” he said. Thanks to new technology, Tan is able to cut down on production spending. He built a separate water treatment area covering the same area as the breeding pond (2ha). On the same area, his model helps save money compared to other models, including saving water thanks to the water treatment system which helps improve biological safety and reduces energy costs thanks to a special air pumping system. With the traditional method, breeders have to feed shrimps. Tan uses an automatic shrimp feeding machine which helps prevent food being wasted in the water and reduces labour. Shrimps fed by this method also grow faster. Last year, after three seasons, he harvested 50 tonnes of shrimp products worth over VNĐ8 billion (US$348,000). The total profit gained was estimated at more than VNĐ3 billion ($130,500). Tân said that he would multiply the high-tech shrimp farming model and apply additional technologies to his farm. The high-tech shrimp breeding model requires big investment but brings about high profits, controls diseases and addresses environmental problems. Its production is really sustainable, said Nguyễn Tiến Thành, standing deputy secretary of Party Committee of Ninh Bình Province. He encouraged local shrimp breeders to switch to high-tech farming for higher profits. Typhoon Damrey affected houses to rebuild in central region The central Quảng As planned, the first five of 80 resilient houses will be built for households which suffered damage from the typhoon in the province this year. The project aims to support the building of 300 resilient houses in three The major beneficiaries of the project are the poor and near-poor families whose houses were heavily damaged by the recent Typhoon Damrey. They also will be provided with the necessary knowledge and resources to repair and rebuild their houses to ensure that new houses can withstand future typhoons and floods. Typhoon Damrey, which was the twelfth to hit Việt “This project will help the typhoon-hit families to have safer houses after Typhoon Damrey”, said Đoàn Thị Tuyết Nga, Director of the Department of International Cooperation under the VNDMA. Home is not only where the heart is, but also the biggest asset of local people. Building resilient houses is very important to save lives and mitigate the property losses. “Helping vulnerable people to recover is one of the mandates of UNDP,” said UNDP Deputy Country Director, Akiko Fujii. She explained that the housing recovery and rehabilitation project will ensure the safety of communities and help them enhance their resilience against future disasters. "The Korean government is happy to join this effort to support Vietnamese people affected by Damrey in the central region by contributing US$1 million to the house repair project. As a friend and close development partner of Việt Director of the Disaster Management Department, Việt Nam Red Cross, Nguyễn Thu Hà said: “The support of UNDP and the Ha Tinh border guard busts drug smuggler from Laos The border guard force in the central The arrest was part of an operation in which the local border guard has worked with the General Department of Vietnam Customs’ anti-smuggling inspection department and Vietnam Coast Guard High Command’s drug crime prevention office. The arrested man was Thao Cu Mua, 31, from the Mong ethnic minority group in Mua admitted that he transported the drug into The case is under investigation. AkzoNobel and artists complete Fresco for the Future AkzoNobel has collaborated with professional artists and amateur art enthusiasts to paint a brilliant range of 30 dynamic 3D frescoes under the project “Fresco for the Future” in Canh Duong fishing village in the central AkzoNobel is a global paint and coatings company and the manufacturer of signature paint brands Dulux and Maxilite. Starting on January 31, 2018, the project features diverse themes of history, culture, natural protection, human life, entertainment, and more. Following the devastation caused by the Doksuri storm that ravaged the fishing village in October 2017, the frescoes help bring colour to the streets and to people’s lives as well as contributing to boost the development of the local economy. In the coming years, these frescoes will bring a new look helping to make Canh Duong an attractive tourist destination in Quang Binh. The frescoes help bring colour to the streets and to people’s lives as well as contribute to the development of the local economy. “The idea of this project was formed when our team saw the first fresco village in Tam Thanh, Therefore, we decided to go ahead with this project,” said Nguyen Viet Dung, director of GIUN9 Art Centre. “However, we ran into some difficulties because a lot of storms hit The artists painted these frescoes with the premium external paint brand Dulux Weathershield—an innovative decorative paint product with a wide range of colour, which not only helps beautify the wall but also provides optimal protection from the harsh effects of extreme weather and climate change. In order to complete this project in a very short span of time, the group of 15 artists from many provinces of AkzoNobel “AkzoNobel utilises its own key strength—protection and colours—to energise the communities and make their lives more livable and inspiring. The programme of renovating civil construction under storm-resistant standards shows our efforts to contribute to the sustainable development of Quang Binh province,” she noted. Sakura blossoms on display at VN-Japan cultural festival this weekend Some 50 sakura trees of different species, above 2.5m high each, and 10,000 branches of sakura blossoms will be displayed during the 2018 Vietnam-Japan Cultural Exchange Festival in downtown The event, which will take place at Ly Thai To Park by Experienced artisans from The event will include various cultural activities, such as the introduction of the Japanese tea culture, chess, Kendama folk games and Japanese cuisine near Hanoi Children’s Palace, besides a Yosakoi dance performance by 17 teams on The event will also host various Vietnamese traditional arts such as ca tru (ceremonial singing), hat xam (blind busker’s singing) and folk dances. Further, the Japanese cooks will demonstrate the preparation of traditional food, including ramen noodles, soba noodles, takoyaki cake and sushi. Binh Duong leader congratulates Phu Cuong Diocese on Saint Joseph’s Day Vice Chairman of the Binh Duong province People’s Committee Dang Minh Hung on March 19 visited the Diocese of Phu Cuong in Thu Dau Mot city and congratulated its Bishop Joseph Nguyen Tan Tuoc on the Hung praised positive contributions made by Bishop Joseph Nguyen Tan Tuoc, priests and Catholic followers in building and developing the province in the past years. He hoped that the dignitary will continue his efforts to keep the work up and further the patriotic emulation movements, making contributions to the nation’s development and solidarity. For his part, the Bishop thanked the local authorities for creating favourable conditions for local Catholic followers to practice their religion. Phu Tho ready for Hung Kings Temple Festival 2018 The According to Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Ha Ke San, who is also leader of the organising committee, the festival will be hosted by Phu Tho at the Hung Temple Complex in Viet Tri city and surrounding communes while four other provinces including Thai Nguyen, Quang This year, the province will continue making efforts to popolarise Xoan singing and Hung Kings worshipping rituals, which were recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage of humanity, he noted. To prepare for the event, the organising committee has been set up with sub-committees and inter-sector inspection teams responsible for monitoring and examining the preparation and businesses in the festival’s areas, he said. Holy places and stairs leading to the Hung Temple Complex have been repaired and renovated while tour guides will be arranged to instruct tourists how to practice rituals, according to the complex’s director Nguyen Duy Anh. The complex’s management board will work to ensure visitors’ safety, he added. A series of exciting festive activities will be held during the five-day festival, including a book fair, “chung” (square cake) making contest, exhibition, cultural camp, art performances and particularly Xoan singing. The annual festival takes place on the death anniversary of the Hung Kings, founders of the nation, to pay tribute to the Vietnamese ancestors. Vietnamese legend has it that Lac Long Quan, son of Kinh Duong Vuong, married Au Co, daughter of King De Lai. Au Co gave birth to a sack containing 100 eggs from which 100 children were born. The couple then decided to separate to populate the land, so half of the children followed their mother to the highlands and the rest went with their father to the sea. The first child went with mother Au Co to Phong Chau, now Phu Tho province. He then became King Hung and founded the first nation in the history of Ruling the country for 18 generations, the Hung Kings taught the people how to grow wet rice. They chose To honour the Hung Kings, a complex of temples dedicated to them was built on The worshipping rituals of the Hung Kings are closely related to the ancestral worship traditions of most Vietnamese families, an important part of people’s spiritual lives. The worshipping ritual of the Hung Kings was recognised as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012. VNN |
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Former NA official urges support of wealthy people who can help VN’s development “Let’s support the rich who are talented and whole-hearted, who can help the country’s development,” said Dr. Nguyen Sy Dung, former vice chairman of the National Assembly Office, about Vingroup, the largest private economic group in Vietnam.  Dr. Nguyen Sy Dung - 2017 saw the rise of the private sector. Which private firms impressed you the most? The strength of the national economy will depend more and more on private enterprises. TH True Milk has good quality and reliable agricultural products. Sungroup is known for its entertainment and tourism works. Hoa Phat operates well in various fields. VietJet Air is dynamic, but I do not have enough information about this business. - You said you are most interested in Vingroup. In your opinion, what has this group contributed to our society? First of all, I must say that Vingroup is part of We can also talk about infrastructure works developed by Vingroup like Thirdly, Vingroup has been able to make the most of talented people, the country's most valuable resources. The talented people here include overseas Vietnamese and foreigners who work for Vingroup. For example, former Vice President of GM is now General Director of Vinfast. This is not really noticeable, but in my opinion it is particularly important. Vingroup not only attracts talented people but it creates an environment for the talent to develop. Phi Anh is a very talented young man. At the age of 26 only, he was assigned as the director of the animation project named VinTaTa, which is invested in heavily by Vingroup. Utilizing talent is the great task of Vingroup. - With nearly 5,000 employees, on average, each Vingroup staff member is generating VND1.6 billion (nearly $80,000) of revenue per year, which is not a small number at all. What do you think about this?  Vingroup's VinMec offers free medical services for the poor worth VND1.5 trillion. Yes, Vingroup has contributed to increasing labor productivity, creating jobs and paying high salaries for nearly 50,000 workers. This has great social effect. With its large ecosystem and value chain, this group is likely to indirectly create jobs for tens of thousands of others. The fifth contribution of Vingroup is creating a competitive driving force among big enterprises and corporations. Vingroup has been actively creating new standards in its operating fields, benefiting its customers, and through this, improving the effectiveness of the national economy. - If you are the chief of a provincial Party Committee, then which firm will you offer the red carpet treatment for its investment? It seems that every locality is trying to attract Vingroup’s investment. Let’s see, if Vinfast operates at 100% capacity, then Hai Phong will have more than VND20 trillion of tax revenue from this project. - There is also the opinion that Mr. Pham Nhat Vuong mainly invests in the business to serve the rich, and the poor do not benefit from his wealth. What do you think about it? For businesses, choosing the right market segment is a matter of life and death. I think Vingroup has the right strategy because the middle class is developing very fast in Vingroup is the largest private taxpayer in In addition, I know that Vingroup has extracted thousands of billions of VND from its fund to do social and charity work. It’s a matter of whether they want to talk about it or not. - Are you afraid that your appreciation of Vingroup may cause someone to think about you in the wrong way? I have no relationship with Mr. Vuong or Vingroup. Except for a free water music show in the For more than half a century, the boycott against the rich has led our society to a dead end. Today, the time is ripe for us to change our behavior. Please support the rich who are talented and whole-hearted for the purpose of developing our country. Only then will our country soon become rich and prosperous! - Thank you! Minh Tuan, VNN |
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Government News 19/3 NA Standing Committee wraps up 22nd session  Minister of Justice Le Thanh Long The 22nd session of the National Assembly Standing Committee closed in Minister of Justice Le Thanh Long and Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh took the floor and answered questions. Minister Chu Ngoc Anh answered questions regarding the efficiency of adopting scientific research results in real life, control of technology export-import in production and services, and technological adoption in service of socio-economic development. He said the Party and State have paid due attention to the application of high technologies in agricultural production. He said eight chain factories will be inaugurated this year to facilitate technological transfer in agriculture. Joining the question-and-answer session, Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh said the ministries of Industry and Trade, Agriculture and Rural Development, and Science and Technology will work closely together to launch chain models and rearrange market planning and production. About concern over the import of outdated technologies, Minister Anh said the ministry will issue decrees and directives guiding the enforcement of the amended Law on Technological Transfer. For his part, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong pointed to policy, work performance, and scientific and technological application as the three main causes affecting the development of agriculture, of which scientific and technological application is decisive and crucial to the competitiveness of the country’s farm products. Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said He called on the State to issue practical mechanisms to make firms really become a centre of creativity and innovation. Concluding the meeting, NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan said the Standing Committee piloted some changes in this question-and-answer session, which enabled more interactions between legislators and ministers in dealing with the issues raised. She asked the government, the Council of Ethnic Affairs, the NA committees and agencies to promptly prepare quality bills to submit to the NA Standing Committee for consideration during the 23th and 24th session scheduled for April and May. OVs in  Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan (L) speaks at the meeting Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan has urged Vietnamese expats in During a meeting with the Vietnamese community in The southern hub is calling for investments in 127 key projects, including those in building smart hospitals, developing high technologies and infrastructure, and flood prevention, he said. He affirmed his current visit to Speaking in the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Nguyen Quoc Cuong reported the development of the Vietnamese community in Many Vietnamese people achieved prominent achievements in the field of invention and innovation, thus contributing to the homeland’s development as well as the relations between the two countries, he noted. At the meeting, OVs shared experience in simplifying investment procedures, thus facilitating Japanese firms’ operation in Representatives from young Vietnamese entrepreneurs in Nhan is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other officials of the Japanese Government; have working sessions with representatives from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Tokyo and Tsukuba universities, and organisations and enterprises working in the high-tech field.  The meeting between city leaders and the enterprise community was organised on Saturday. Speaking at a meeting between city leaders and the enterprise community on Saturday, Nguyễn Thành Phong, chairman of the municipal People’s Committee said, “Enterprises will be checked only once a year and leaders will reduce 30 per cent of their meetings to be able to go into the field and help enterprises handle difficulties,” “The city will try to cut half of the current time for investment procedures and this year, the administrative reform index of the city will rank in the top ten of the country,” he added. To create more favourable conditions for the enterprise community, Phong also revealed that a task force to handle land and ground compensation will be set up to assist enterprises. “Programmes of connecting banking and enterprises, investment stimulation; the establishment of a project development fund and a financial support fund for public-private-partnership will be promoted.” The chairman also pledged that policies to implement special mechanisms for the city will make enterprises stronger and will “not hinder nor become a burden for the business community,” he added. At the meeting, Lê Thị Thanh Lâm, deputy general director of Sài Gòn Food Company and representative of the Food Association, asked the relevant authorities to instruct the education sector to receive safe products from the association. “Our association will provide technical supervision for parents to check the quality of food for children at the school, which can not be done now,” she said. Lê Hoàng Châu, chairman of the city Real Estate Association, commented that HCM City should consider that the average area for each person to rent in the city be 15 sq.m as in Hà Nội, not 20 sq.m as the Construction Department has just suggested. Trần Việt Anh, chairman of Nam Thái Sơn Corporation, said “Neighbouring provinces such as Bình Dương, Đồng Nai, Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu and Long An are trying to improve their infrastructure and services in logistics by strongly investing in road systems, seaports and storage,” he said. Trần Anh Tuấn, deputy chairman of the HCM City Computers Association mentioned how to promote startup enterprises. “Big companies and professional associations should have more of a role and contribution by guiding and assisting startup enterprises,” he said. At present, The private sector is still the major driver of the development of the city with GDP growth at 8.15 per cent. Each year, the city contributes 27-28 per cent to the national State budget and the city improved the business environment to attract US$10 billion through FDI during 2016 – 2017. This year, the city will deploy the project “Smart city 2017 – 2020 with vision to 2025” with four solutions: building a sharing database and developing an open data ecosystem; setting up the city’s socio-economic development prediction and stimulation centre; establishing a smart city operation centre; constructing an information safety and security centre. The city plans to co-operate with the HCM City Business Association to organize the “HCM City Economic Forum” in October.  Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan hopes for more Japanese investmentin high-quality infrastructure in the city. Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan hoped that the Japanese Government and businesses will continue support and investment in the city, especially in high-quality infrastructure. He expressed his wish at his meetings on March 19 with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hiroshige Seko, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Keiichi Ishii and President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Shinichi Kitaoka, as part of his trip to the East Asian nation. Speaking highly of the Vietnam-Japan relations as well as the ties between He noted that Japanese support in infrastructure is crucial to HCM City, a city which is expected to be home to 15 million people by 2030 and contributing 22 percent of the national gross domestic product, as transport and water drainage facilities are hampering the city’s development. After the two countries become strategic partners, they have seen thriving cooperation in various fields, he said, adding that Can Tho and Nhat Tan bridges are vivid illustrations of the tight collaboration. Lauding The same day, Nhan went to Congratulations to Wang Yi on promotion as State Counselor  Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh on March 19 cabled a message of congratulations to Wang Yi on his reappointment as Chinese Foreign Minister and promotion to State Counselor. His promotion was approved by the National People's Congress of China the same day. Vietnam-US Society President receives US guest  VFW Senior Vice Commander-in-Chief Vincent “B.J” Lawrence President of the Chien briefed the guests about people-to-people diplomacy activities of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations and the VUS and the humanitarian support programme between the two countries, especially the recovery from the consequences of war-era landmines, issues regarding Agent Orange/dioxin victims, and the search for remains of missing US servicemen in Vietnam. He reviewed important milestones in Lawrence, who is in In 1991, the VFW sent representatives to the delegations of the It also sends delegations to Vietnamese, Cambodian customs bolster cooperation  At the high-level talks between the General Department of Vietnam Customs and the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia on March 19. The General Department of Vietnam Customs and the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia agreed to enhance cooperation at high-level talks between the two customs bodies in They reached consensus on pushing the negotiations between the two finance ministries on mutual support in customs sector to create legal foundation for bilateral collaboration. Along with simplifying administrative procedures, they will work together to fight smuggling, trade fraud, drug trafficking and other illegal trade activities in border localities via improving information exchange mechanisms. At the event, they stated that the two customs bodies have carried out a line-up of bilateral cooperative activities to facilitate two-way trade. They regularly met to update customs procedures as well as exchange information about passengers and goods items through the border gates. Also, they joined hands to crack down smuggling and trade fraud for imports and exports. Statistics from the General Department of Vietnam Customs showed that Vietnam-Cambodia trade rose 29.7 percent year-on-year to over 3.79 billion USD in 2017. Party chief congratulates re-elected President V. Putin  Vladimir Putin is re-elected as President of Russia. General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong sent a congratulatory message to Vladimir Putin on his re-election as President of Russia. Vladimir Putin is set for another six years in power after winning a record election performance with 76.66 percent of the vote held on March 18.- President greets outgoing UAE Ambassador  President Tran Dai Quang (R) greets outgoing UAE Ambassador. President Tran Dai Quang on March 19 received Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Vietnam Khalid Ibrahim Abdulaziz Shohail Al-Qahtani, who came to say goodbye before ending his tenure. Praising the diplomat’s contributions to enhancing the bilateral friendship and multifaceted cooperation during his four-year tenure, the President highlighted his efforts in linking the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the UAE Chamber of Commerce and Industry to organise several business forums between the two countries, particularly the Dubai – Vietnam trade forum in Hanoi in November last year. Quang said he believes the two sides will continue implementing their agreements as well as boosting the exchange of business delegations and trade promotion activities. The Vietnamese leader expressed his delight at progresses made in The UAE is the 7th biggest trade partner of Quang noted his expectation that the outgoing diplomat will continue contributing to the For his part, Khalid Ibrahim Abdulaziz Shohail Al-Qahtani thanked The UAE highly values upbeat outcomes of its cooperation with VNN |
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Social News 21/3 Quang Tri seizes more than 50,600 ecstasy pills  Quang Tri provincial Border Guards in coordination with Lao border defence forces have arrested five Lao citizens who trafficked more than 50,600 ecstasy bills into Vietnam. The five Lao people were caught red-handed at 2.30pm on March 19 at A Xing village, Sa Muoi district , Salavan Province in Laos, around 3km from La Lay border gate. The seized exhibits included 50,600 ecstasy bills, 1 kilo of methamphetamine, one K59 gun with 8 bullets and two cars. They initially confessed that they transported the drugs from Thailand to Laos and then into Vietnamese Kon Tum, Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Quang Binh and Quang Tri provinces for distribution. Quang Tri border guards handed the drug smugglers and exhibits over to Salavan police for further investigation. Educational cooperation helps promote Vietnam-India ties: workshop Cooperation in education-training is an important factor helping improve the quality of the Vietnam-India relationship in the long-term, heard a networking seminar and Indian education fair held by the Indian Embassy in Vietnam on March 19. India’s education system has made great strides over the past two decades and the country has become a leading education centre in Asia, participants at the event said. The workshop brought together policy makers, educators and businesses from Vietnam and India. Many well-known universities of India also came to enroll Vietnamese students. Vietnam now ranks fifth globally in the number of overseas students in the US and second in the Republic of Korea (RoK), Japan and Australia. In India, there are about 500 Vietnamese students studying under different educational cooperation programmes between the two countries. Vietnam and India agreed to step up education cooperation during the State visit to India from March 2-4, 2018 by President Tran Dai Quang. President Quang thanked India for increasing scholarships to Vietnamese students, researchers, academic professionals and government officials, especially through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme, the Mekong - Ganga Cooperation (MGC) framework, as well as the projects under the fund of Quick Impact Projects (QIPs). He appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s offering of 1,000 fellowships to students and researchers from the ASEAN member states for studying integrated PhD programmes in the Indian Institute of Technology. Prime Minister Modi offered to organise customised courses in areas of interest to Vietnam through the ITEC programme. RoK donates 10,000 tons of rice to central and Central Highlands regions The Republic of Korea (RoK) Government, through ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR), has provided 10,000 tons of rice worth around VND393.4 billion to 10 central and Central Highlands provinces which were seriously affected by storm Damrey late last year. The rice was shipped from the RoK to Vietnam via Cam Ranh port in Khanh Hoa province and Da Nang port in Da Nang City. Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoang Van Thang said at the hand-over ceremony in the district of Dai Loc in Quang Nam province on March 21 that people in remote areas still face with numerous difficulties despite Government support to deal with storm consequences. He said the Ministry will direct localities to receive and allocate the rice to needy people. Last year, central and Central Highlands provinces suffered great losses caused by storms and floods. Storm Damrey left 123 dead and missing, 342 others injured, destroyed crops and damaged thousands of houses. Ministry to improve grassroots health facilities The Ministry of Health is conducting field trips to 29 health stations in 10 provinces and cities’ communes and wards to survey activities, facilities, personnel and finance in an aim to improve the quality of health care services for local residents. The survey is part of the implementation of the Government’s resolution on improving grassroots health facilities in the country. Health stations are in charge of medical treatment and prevention of epidemics as well as non-communicable diseases. On Monday (March 19), the ministry visited two health stations Thạnh An in Cần Giờ District and Bình Chiểu in Thủ Đức District in HCM City. Minister of Health Nguyễn Thị Kim Tiến said the results of the survey of health stations in remote and urban areas would be used to help improve healthcare services. The ministry wants better health services for people with health insurance, Tiến said, adding that patients in the future will be able to use grassroots services instead of higher-level medical services that are often overcrowded with patients. This will also save patients time and money in transport costs. Each ward has dozens of patients that now go to district-level hospitals for treatment, she said, adding that patient overcrowding is unavoidable at these facilities. The current funds for all health stations in the country are limited, and, as a result, there is a shortage of medicine and lower-quality health care services, she said. Tiến said the health station in Bình Chiểu Ward has only basic medicine covered by health insurance funds, which leads patients to choose other medical facilities. Dr Lê Bá Kông, head of the health station in Bình Chiểu Ward, said the station has basic medical equipment including an X-ray machine and testing machine. There is only one general practice doctor at the health station in Cần Giờ District’s Thạnh An island commune, home to 5,000 people. The station lacks medicine, especially for patients with chronic heart diseases. It does not have basic medical equipment such as X-ray machine and ultrasound machine. Tiến has instructed the city Department of Health first to require hospitals at city-level to provide assistance to the Thạnh An island commune’s health station. In the upcoming time, the ministry will use this station as a pilot case on how to manage health care for each resident under a model called family medical practice. The station will be among four in the city to carry out the model. The Department of Health said it would give the Thạnh An health station an X-ray machine but that a facility to house the machine must be built. A sufficient number of oxygen containers for emergency aid will also be given. The department has worked with health centres and the People’s Committee in Cần Giờ District to review the needs of Thạnh An commune and meet the ministry’s requirements. More medicine will also be given to the health station, and a project on traditional medicine will be set up at the station. Thủ Đức District Hospital will offer voluntary training in IT application for the health station’s staff. Exhibition hounours Hungarian composer An exhibition entitled "Let the Whole World Rejoice" to introduce Hungarian musician Zoltan Kodaly opened at the National Library of Vietnam on March 20. The exhibition is co-held by the Hungarian Embassy in Hanoi and the National Library of Vietnam featuring posters introducing the musician Kodaly’s works and life. The exhibition is a rare chance for local people to learn more about one of the most outstanding Hungarian personalities of the 20th century. "Kodaly was a great son of Hungary who made his remarkable contribution to the great foundation of Hungarian music, and a teacher who is admired by music lovers and learners in Viet Nam and in the world for bringing the Kodaly method to music training and education," Nguyen Ngọc Anh, the library’s deputy director said at the exhibition opening ceremony. Kodaly (1882-1967) was a composer, ethnomusicologist, music pedagogue and linguist. His internationally acknowledged concept of music education is the basis for general music teaching in Hungary and also plays an important role in the training of professional musicians. His ideas on music education are usually mentioned under the name Kodaly Method, a serious reform of existing music education methods and one rooted in the historical, social and cultural circumstances of Hungary of that time. The Kodaly Method is recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. "We aim to popularise our musicians to Vietnamese people,” said deputy head of mission Karolyi Marton. Visiting the exhibition will help you encounter and get insight on how the Kodály principles that have influenced pedagogy and musical education worldwide, namely: musical education from a young age, the pleasure in learning music and the teaching of musical material in the context of the mother-tongue folk song." Three books about musician Kodaly are also displayed at the library on this occasion. Rounding out the exhibit are pictures, music pieces, articles by and about him, as well as his own memoir, research and manifesto. The exhibition will run until March 25 at 31 Trang Thi Street, Hanoi. Cuisine programme marks Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties A “Vietnamese and Japanese cuisine introduction” programme will be held at the Children Palace, Hanoi from March 23-25, as part of activities to celebrate 45 years of bilateral ties this year. The event features 21 food stalls categorised in three zones: Vietnamese food, Japanese food and a common zone showcasing tea brewing. Visitors to the programme will be able to taste dishes from Vietnam and Japan like ramen, soba, yakisoba, sushi, pho (noodles served with beef or chicken in a hot bow of broth), bun thang (rice vermicelli served with shredded chicken, pork and fried egg), chung cake, nem ran (spring roll) and banh cuon (rice pancakes wrapped with meat), among others. Also, an exhibition of 30 sakura trees and 10,000 sakura branches at Ly Thai To Garden by Hoan Kiem Lake from March 23-26 will be held. Other cultural events include chess, Kendama folk games and Yosakoi dance performance, and Vietnamese traditional arts like ca tru (ceremonial singing), hat xam (blind busker singing) and folk dances. Educational cooperation helps promote Vietnam-India ties: workshop Cooperation in education-training is an important factor helping improve the quality of the Vietnam-India relationship in the long-term, heard a networking seminar and Indian education fair held by the Indian Embassy in Vietnam on March 19. India’s education system has made great strides over the past two decades and the country has become a leading education centre in Asia, participants at the event said. The workshop brought together policy makers, educators and businesses from Vietnam and India. Many well-known universities of India also came to enroll Vietnamese students. Vietnam now ranks fifth globally in the number of overseas students in the US and second in the Republic of Korea (RoK), Japan and Australia. In India, there are about 500 Vietnamese students studying under different educational cooperation programmes between the two countries. Vietnam and India agreed to step up education cooperation during the State visit to India from March 2-4, 2018 by President Tran Dai Quang. President Quang thanked India for increasing scholarships to Vietnamese students, researchers, academic professionals and government officials, especially through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme, the Mekong - Ganga Cooperation (MGC) framework, as well as the projects under the fund of Quick Impact Projects (QIPs). He appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s offering of 1,000 fellowships to students and researchers from the ASEAN member states for studying integrated PhD programmes in the Indian Institute of Technology. Prime Minister Modi offered to organise customised courses in areas of interest to Vietnam through the ITEC programme. Hanoi’s support centre important to regional weather forecast service Ata Hussian, an officer from the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) spoke highly of WMO’s support centre in Hanoi, saying it has played an important role in supporting supply of weather forecast services in the region. Vietnam has participated in the Severe Weather Forecasting Demonstration Project (SWFDP) since 2010 and was selected by the WMO to base one of its Regional Forecasting Support Centres (RFSCs) in Hanoi, he told the Vietnam News Agency on the sidelines of the “Regional training workshop on severe weather forecasting and delivery of warning services” which is underway in Hanoi from March 19-30. RFSC-Hanoi also provides satellite-based products daily delivering forecast services on heavy rain and extreme winds for Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines and most recently, Myanmar for short range (1-2 days) and medium range (3-5 days), he noted. According to Hussian, the WMO organizes annual training courses on severe weather forecasting methods, from satellite or radar-based “nowcasting” to medium-range forecasting based on numerical prediction. The organization has provided training and technical support as well as acted as a contact point for data sharing between SWFDP members to improve the forecasting service quality in the region. He added that the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources’ general department of hydro-meteorological forecasting will aid this effort by improving the sector’s capacity in the coming years, increasing investment in infrastructure and reports from RFSC-Hanoi.- Literature, art works spotlight Vietnam-Laos solidarity A large number of literature and art works featuring the solidarity between Vietnam and Laos were honoured at a ceremony in Vientiane on March 20. In early 2017, the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army launched a campaign encouraging the creation of literature and art works depicting Vietnam-Laos fighting solidarity. The event aimed to celebrate the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Solidarity Year 2017. The organising board received 479 entries in literature work, songs, propaganda posters, and news photos from 185 Lao authors. And, the Lao authors earned four A prizes, 8 B prizes, 12 C prizes and 16 consolation prizes. Speaking at the ceremony, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Trong Nghia, Deputy Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army described the time-honoured relations between Vietnam Laos as a special, reliable relationship and a valuable asset of both nations. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, the two countries’ people always stood shoulder by shoulder and supported each other in the nation-building and development process, he stressed. Nghia urged the General Departments of Politics of the two countries’ armies to coordinate in building a plan for publishing the award-winning works. For his part, Major General Vantyhong Kongman, Deputy Director of Laos’s General Department of Politics highlighted the significance of the campaign, saying that it helped young people of the two countries to understand more about the Vietnam-Laos special relationship in general and the fighting solidarity between the two armies. Project helps farmers in Son La increase incomes The outcomes of a project to increase incomes for farmers via agricultural restructuring in mountainous areas (SFIRIA) was reviewed at Tay Bac University in the mountainous province of Son La on March 20. The project was part of the cooperation agreement between Japan’s Kasama city and Son La province, under the auspices of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The project, carried out between March 2016 and March 2018, aims to improve living conditions and livelihoods of farmers in rural areas of the province. Under the project, 30 households in Tay Hung village (Muoi Noi commune, Thuan Chau district) and Tham village (Chieng Sinh ward, Son La city) were provided with local resources in order to increase added values and improve the quality of agricultural products. Le Xuan Thang, Secretary of the Party Cell of Tay Hung village, said the village has 12 households joining the project. They were trained on how to build agricultural production models and seek consumption markets by setting up stands at the village’s communal house. In the coming time, they will help other families do the same. In Tham village, vegetable growing areas developed under the project have been certified as safe vegetable production areas. The involving households have better incomes and living conditions thanks to stable consumption. Leo Van Long, head of Tham village, said villagers now are familiar with using organic fertilizers and growing vegetables in net houses, therefore reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. All households in the village have escaped from poverty, with annual average income reaching 120 million VND (5,300 USD). Symposium seeks ways to preserve Nguyen dynasty’s royal tombs Sustainable preservation of the Nguyen dynasty’s royal tombs in the complex of Hue imperial relic sites must be made in companion with the protection of natural landscapes in Huong River’s upstream area. The information was heard at an international symposium jointly held by the Hue Monument Conservation Centre and Japan’s Waseda University in Hue city, the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on March 20. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, noted that natural landscapes are significant to the UNESCO-recognised complex of Hue monuments, of which Huong River has become a special element to connect the complex. Thus, the landscapes around Huong River must be utilised in an appropriate way, he added. According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dang Van Bai, managers should prioritise natural landscape protection in the master plan on the complex management. Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Satol Shigheru from Waseda University said that technical development will help the locality safeguard the historical environment. The complex of royal tombs and Huong River’s upstream area hold great tangible and intangible cultural values like agricultural products, perceptions, beliefs, religions and festivals, which are all grafted to Huong River. Participants at the event shared research results on the values, characteristics and potential of the cultural and eco-historical landscapes of the Nguyen Dynasty’s royal tombs and Huong River’s upstream area in order to find the best solutions to protecting landscapes at the complex of Hue monuments. Japanese cherry blossom exhibition to be held in Hai Phong A Japanese cherry blossom exhibition will take place in the northern city of Hai Phong from March 23-25, as part of activities to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties. Speaking at a press conference on March 20, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Culture and Sports Tran Thi Hoang Mai said that about 7,000 sakura branches, transported from Japan by air, will be exhibited, together with several types of Vietnamese flowers. On March 24, a seminar discussing investment and tourism promotion cooperation between Hai Phong and Japanese enterprises will be held as well. The event aims to effectively implement the city’s cultural diplomacy, strengthen mutual understanding between the two countries’ people, and boost bilateral cooperation in investment and tourism. Deputy Director of the municipal Trade, Investment and Tourism Promotion Centre Pham Hung Hung said that these events are to promote Hai Phong’s potential and strengths to Japanese people, call for Japanese investments in hi-tech agriculture, health, education, environmental protection and tourism, and introduce the image of Japan’s land and people to locals. Cà Mau households to be resettled More than 5,600 households in erosion-prone areas in the southernmost province of Cà Mau need to be relocated by 2020 but local authorities are struggling to find capital and land, according to the provincial People’s Committee. U Minh, Trần Văn Thời, Đầm Dơi, Phú Tân, Năm Căn and Ngọc Hiển districts have a high number of households living in erosion-prone areas that need to be relocated. In addition, several resettlement areas funded with the province’s budget have not been operating effectively as the resettled households have not been able to have a stable livelihood. Many of these resettled households have returned to live in the erosion-prone areas. Dư Bé Ba, chairman of the U Minh District People’s Committee, said the province should have policies that would provide a stable livelihood for resettled people in zoned areas. U Minh District plans to call for investment in building a 5-7ha resettlement area in Khánh Tiến Commune’s Vàm Tiểu Dừa area that will be worth nearly VNĐ100 billion (US$4.4 million). If this resettlement area is built by 2020, the district can resettle hundreds of households in coastal areas. The district will create conditions for relocated households to stabilise their livelihoods by providing vocational training and jobs for them, Ba said. Lê Văn Sử, deputy chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said the province had paid attention to relocating households in areas affected by natural disasters but the relocation process was still slow and ineffective. The lack of investment capital and land are the major reasons for the slowness and ineffectiveness, according to Sử. In addition, many relocated households are poor and do not have a stable job so it is difficult for them to ensure their livelihood in resettlement areas. The provincial People’s Committee has ordered agencies and departments to resolve difficulties in existing resettlement areas. It has told the district People’s Committees to review and classify poor households so that plans to support them can be drawn up. Activities held nationwide for Youth Month 2018 A wide variety of practical activities have been held across the country in response to the 2018 Youth Month and in celebration of the 87th anniversary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (March 26). The youth union of Da Nang city Police Department held a ceremony to honour ten outstanding youth police officers. They made great achievements in their work and contributed to numerous scientific and technological research topics. Quang Tri provincial Youth Union has launched a volunteer campaign to support local people in administrative procedures on every Saturday during the month. It has received an enthusiastic response from youths. A youth festival was held in Thua Thien – Hue province, featuring over 1,000 local officials, youths, and students. In addition, 15 Secretaries of youth unions at the grassroots level in the province joined a competition, for seeking the most outstanding secretaries. Quang Nam provincial Youth Union collaborated with Vietnam Rubber Industry Group to hold a ceremony to inaugurate a clean water project at Thanh My start-up youth village in Nam Giang district. More than 500 youths and students in Tuy Hoa City, Phu Yen Province have actively participated in the ‘Green Sunday’ programme which was launched by the provincial Youth Union and contributes to environmental protection in the locality. Overloaded traffic infrastructure results in congestions in HCMC Many reasons are the cause of traffic jam in Ho Chi Minh City; yet basically, above all, the already weak infrastructure of the city has been overloaded. Overloading makes traffic controlling, construction works difficult and not get positive results as expected. Worse, traffic construction works become old-fashion compared with “hot” social development due to overloading. Lately, spending for traffic construction makes up a big sum in HCMC. Logically, spending for building a flyover or a tunnel to tackle gridlocks is up to some hundreds of billions of Vietnamese dong each. For instance, An Suong Tunnel in District 12 connecting Truong Chinh Street with National Highway 22 opened to the traffic in the middle of March with the cost of VND500 billion (US$22 million), in a bid to alleviate congestion and lower the number of accident. The construction of an interchange at My Thuy Roundabout to eliminate daily traffic snarls for bustling Cat Lai Port took up VND837 billion for the first stage. As per the municipal Department of Transport’s report, the city has 32 traffic construction works waiting for fund. These are constructions which have to be done by 2020 to tackle “hot traffic spots” include the roads in the height through districts Tan Binh, Phu Nhuan and Binh Thanh costing VND17,500 billion or in districts 12 and Thu Duc with estimated cost of VND15,405 billion; road in the height connecting Tan Son Nhat Airport and Hoang Van Thu Street in districts Tan Binh, Phu Nhuan and Binh Thanh worth VND3,288 billion. In addition, there are some roads in the belt road No.2 such as the road connecting the National highway No.1 to Nguyen Van Linh Street in District Binh Chanh; from Phu Huu Bridge to intersection Binh Thai – Hanoi Highway in district 9 and from Binh Thai intersection to Go Dua Intersection in Thu Duc District. Asides from that, maintenance and constructions of the smart traffic controlling center are worth VND6 trillion, bus rapid transit (BRT) No.4 along Pham Van Dong Street worth over VND1.6 trillion and buying new bus fleet are waiting for funding. City leaders beefed up efforts to attract more funding for construction of roads and maintenance work but it could not meet the demand. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Party Committee meeting took place last year, Party Chief of Ho Chi Minh City Nguyen Thien Nhan said that the city was being in a lack of roads. As per the planning project approved by the Prime Minister in 2010, one square kilometer of urban land must have 10km road. However, at present, the city has 1. 98 kilometer road per one square meter land accounting for 20 percent. At this speed, it takes 167 years for HCMC to achieve urban traffic standard. Also as the project by 2025, the city’s population will be 10 million; yet, currently, it is 13 million. With the current development, more people will flock to the city to work and live in the future. In 2017, HCMC spent over thousands of billions of Vietnam dong building flyovers and road expansion; yet traffic condition has not improved basically. Moreover, HCMC chopped down 100 trees including old trees in Gia Dinh park for building flyovers and road expansion. Furthermore, HCMC has spent tens of thousands of billion Vietnam dong on road and flyover construction in Cat Lai Port to lessen traffic jam there. Nevertheless, the efforts to diminish traffic congestion have been unrewarded because the number of container vehicles increased by 15 percent annually with 15,000 vehicles travelling in and out the port of now. Not only the two above-mentioned sites but also all districts in the city have seen the hike of population along with rising travelling demand. Congestion in Nguyen Tat Thanh Street in districts 4, 7, and Nha Be into downtown areas or in Sai Gon River tunnel and Chanh Hung Bridge are examples. Losses due to traffic jam is a huge sum that city leaders should be taken into account, said economic experts. Ben Tre man fined $439 for posting fake news to Facebook Inspectors from the Department of Information and Communications in the Mekong delta province of Ben Tre decided to issue an administrative fine of VND10 million ($439) on a local man for publishing a false new to his fan page on social media, said Deputy Director of the department Trinh Van Thinh, yesterday. 29-year-old Nguyen Minh Chanh in Phu Tan District who manages ‘Tin tuc Ben Tre” (Ben Tre News) fan page posted the news in which a four-year-old child had been cut off his head on March 14. According to his statement with policemen, on March 14, his friend named Minh told him about the incident and then he posted it to his fanpage and followed by 30,000 people. He violated the government’s edict No. 174/2013/ND-CP in the field of post and services, IT because he spread wrong news to the social media. A day after, Chanh continued to update the news confirming that the news was true by Nguyen Dinh Chieu hospital’s confirmation. At present, responsible agencies asked him to remove the fan page because it violated regulations. VNN |
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VEAM to list 1.33 billion shares on HSX Vietnam Engine and Agricultural Machinery Corporation (VEAM), which currently holds a 30 per cent stake in Honda Vietnam, a 20 per cent stake in Toyota Vietnam, and a 25 per cent stake in Ford Vietnam, will list 1.328 billion shares on the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HSX).  The firm's Board of Directors and will submit this proposal to the annual shareholders’ meeting, which is expected to be organised on April 29. Previously, in November 2017, the firm received the securities registration certificate from Vietnam Securities Depository (VSD) to list 1.328 billion shares. VEAM currently holds a 30 per cent stake in Honda Vietnam, a 20 per cent stake in Toyota Vietnam, and a 25 per cent stake in Ford Vietnam, which bring hundreds of millions of dollars in profit every year. In August 2016, it put 167 million shares, equalling 13 per cent of its charter capital, on sale at the initial public offering (IPO) with the initial price of VND14,290 ($0.64) per unit. Being considered the largest IPO of the year, it expected that after the sale VEAM’s charter capital will increase to VND13.28 trillion ($595.5 million), equalling 1.33 billion shares. Accordingly, the state will hold 51 per cent of the charter capital with 678 million shares, and strategic shareholders will hold 36 per cent, equalling 478 million shares. However, in reality, 89.5 per cent of the offered shares were sold for the average price of VND14,291 ($0.65) apiece. VEAM acquired VND2.14 trillion ($93.96 million) from the deal. Established in 1990, VEAM specialises in manufacturing agricultural machinery, components, and assembling automobiles and motorbikes. The company has 20 subsidiaries nationwide, including Song Cong Diesel Limited Company, Southern Vietnam Engine and Agricultural Machinery Company Ltd., and An Giang Mechanical JSC. In addition, the company currently holds a 30 per cent stake in Honda Vietnam, a 20 per cent stake in Toyota Vietnam, and a 25 per cent stake in Ford Vietnam, which bring massive profits. Notably, in 2016, it acquired VND7.96 trillion ($349.5 million) from Honda Vietnam, VND1.82 trillion ($79.9 million) from Toyota Vietnam, and VND272 billion ($11.9 million) from Ford Vietnam. Furthermore, it owns numerous sizeable land plots in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Haiphong, Dong Nai, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau, among others. Besides, VEAM leads the domestic engine and agricultural machinery market with a market share of 15-25 per cent. According to its 2017 financial report, VEAM earned VND2.54 trillion ($111.5 million) in net revenue from the business and services sector alone, up 6 per cent on-year. However, its after-tax profit in 2017 was VND546 billion ($23.97 million) because profits from its joint venture companies were not yet to be included. VIR |
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Government News 21/3 Cao Bang prepares for Vietnam-China border defence exchange  Deputy Minister of National Defence Nguyen Chi Vinh at the working session with Cao Bang authorities Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh has requested military units in the northern border province of Cao Bang to well prepare for the fifth Vietnam-China border defence friendship exchange programme. During a working session with the local authorities on March 20, Vinh also asked the military units to coordinate with Cao Bang province to complete infrastructure facilities serving the event. He emphasised the need for the province to further promote people-to-people diplomatic activities in the border areas between the two nations. The border defence friendship exchange programme will take place in Cao Bang’s Phuc Hoa district and China’s Longzhou district. It will comprise numerous activities, including a welcome ceremony for the two countries’ defence delegates, seminars, cultural and sport exchanges; a ceremony to salute demarcation markers, joint patrol on the border river; and a ceremony to launch a centre for cultural exchange and tourism promotion at the Ta Lung international border gate. People living in the border localities of Vietnam and China will also receive free health check-ups and medicines, and take part in cultural activities before the programme. In the meantime, Cao Bang will continue instructing relevant units to promote the communication work to help local people understand more about the significance of the event, while stepping up the construction progress of facilities and maintaining political security and social order in the locality. Vietnam, Malaysia eye stronger audit cooperation  State Auditor General of Vietnam Ho Duc Phoc (R) receives Deputy Auditor General of Malaysia Khalid Khan. (Source: vov.vn) Vietnamese State Auditor General Ho Duc Phoc and Deputy Auditor General of Malaysia Khalid Khan have discussed ways to enhance cooperation and develop information technology in the audit sector. At a working session in Hanoi on March 20, Phoc said the State Audit of Vietnam (SAV) conducted over 200 audits relating to the management and use of public financial resources and assets each year. The SAV is focusing on IT development to serve the audit work, with an IT development strategy until 2030 being devised, he said, adding that the agency wants to learn from the NAD’s experience to build the IT development strategy. Applauding Malaysia’s National Audit Department (NAD)’s support and sharing of experience, Phoc suggested the two agencies step up cooperation in training and exchange of professional experience, especially in operation and IT audits. Mentioning the 14th Assembly of the Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI 14) slated for September 2018 in Vietnam, Phoc informed his guest about Vietnam’s preparations for the event and called on the NAD in its capacity as ASOSAI 13 Chair to assist Vietnam in organising the meeting. For his part, Khalid Khan noted with pleasure the partnership between the NAD and the SAV, expressing his hope that the bilateral cooperation will be enhanced in the time ahead. The NAD will increase support to and cooperation with the SAV, he pledged, saying he believes that the collaboration will benefit both sides. The NAD will also do its utmost to help its Vietnamese counterpart to successfully host ASOSAI 14 and assume the post of the ASOSAI Chair during 2018-2021, he promised. The same day, Khalid Khan had a working session with Vietnamese Deputy Auditor General Doan Xuan Tien to discuss Vietnam’s preparations for ASOSAI 14. Looking into the meeting’s agenda, they agreed that major events will take place from September 19-22, with the opening ceremony scheduled for September 19. The Hanoi Declaration is expected to be part of the meeting’s programme. As the official document of ASOSAI 14, the declaration will deliver the assembly’s important messages as well as commitments and actions of ASOSAI to the region and the world in the audit sphere. Apart from reflecting the commitment to completing the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs) and handling challenges to the global environment, the document stresses the materialisation of the ASOSAI strategic plan for 2016-2021. On this occasion, the NAD shared its experience in organising symposiums. The two sides are scheduled to deliberate technical matters and the celebration of 40 years of the ASOSAI Charter on March 21. President Tran Dai Quang congratulates President Vladimir Putin  President Vladimir Putin President Tran Dai Quang on March 19 sent a congratulatory letter to Vladimir Putin on his re-election as President of Russia. Earlier, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong cabled a message to congratulate the re-elected President. Vladimir Putin is set for another six years in power after winning a record election performance with 76.66 percent of the vote held on March 18. Hanoi seeks tourism cooperation with Slovak region  Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Van Suu (R) and Governor Juraj Droba of Slovakia’s Bratislava region (Source: http://www.hanoimoi.com.vn) Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Van Suu and Governor Juraj Droba of Slovakia’s Bratislava region on March 20 discussed cooperation potential between the two sides, especially in the field of tourism. Suu recalled the visit of Slovak Deputy Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini to Vietnam in 2017, in which he expressed his wish for stronger cooperation with Hanoi. The visit has helped to expand cooperation between the two localities, he added. As Hanoi is undergoing rapid urbanisation, the city wants to expand cooperation with Bratislava region in various fields, including economy, culture, social affairs, diplomacy, tourism and urban development. The official proposed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Hanoi and Bratislava, creating a premise for closer cooperation in the future. Vietnam and Slovakia should also promote tourism cooperation, along with trade exchanges and economic development, he stressed. In reply, Juraj Droba said Slovakia and Bratislava region in particular are paying heed to Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements over the past years, as well as potential for bilateral cooperation in different fields. The visit aims to establish a framework to deepen cooperative ties between the two localities, especially in tourism, he said. Droba also suggested the two sides arrange a student exchange programme, thus helping their citizens to enhance cultural exchanges.- Seminar features Vietnam-Czech Republic relations  A seminar featuring Vietnam’s achievements and Vietnam - Czech Republic ties was held in Prague on March 19 by the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) A seminar featuring Vietnam’s achievements and Vietnam - Czech Republic ties was held in Prague on March 19 by the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM). In his speech, Vietnamese Counsellor in the Czech Republic Tran Vinh Bac briefed on Vietnam’s achievements during more than 30 years of Doi moi (renovation), especially in socio-economic development and international cooperation in 2017. He highlighted the thriving bilateral relations, saying that the two countries have maintained traditional political ties through many mutual high-ranking visits. Economic-trade and investment cooperation has been expanded, with two-way trade hitting 1 billion USD for the first time in 2017. The diplomat voiced his hope that the two nations will foster bilateral cooperation in the future, especially in tourism, labour, education and university training. For his part, Josek Skala, Vice President of the KSCM, said Doi moi is a valuable lesson for the party’s members. He said the two countries should address issues of mutual concern such as trade balance and visa procedure simplification, thus enhancing bilateral cooperation in the coming time. At the seminar, participants discussed cooperation and investment opportunities for Czech businesses in Vietnam, spotlighted in a recently-published book on Vietnam’s market. Emerging challenges and measures to foster Vietnam-Czech relations, as well as the East Sea issue were also on the agenda. Participants agreed that the East Sea disputes need to be solved peacefully in accordance with international law. An exhibition featuring 30 photos and documents on Vietnam’s sea and island sovereignty, landscapes and people was also held on this occasion. Vietnam, Russia seek to boost cultural collaboration  Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manh The Vietnamese Embassy in Russia held a round-table seminar on Vietnam – Russia cultural cooperation in Moscow on March 20. In his opening speech, Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manh said the two countries are holding a series of cultural activities such as “Russian Cultural Days” and “Week of Russian Films” in Vietnam and vice versa. Both sides have also educated young people about bilateral ties and facilitated the exchange of delegations in culture and communications, particularly the upcoming signing of the cultural cooperation programme for 2019-2020. Participants agreed that Russian culture has taken root in the hearts of generations of Vietnamese people. Though less popular following the collapse of the Soviet Union, it has become more popular recently. Professor Grigory Lokshin, an expert on Vietnamese studies from the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Far Eastern Studies suggested the two countries’ ministries and agencies further strive to make the two peoples closer. Former Director of the Russian Centre of Science and Culture in Hanoi Elena Zubtsova proposed stepping up communications collaboration to raise mutual understanding. A number of books about Vietnam and translated versions of well-known Vietnamese literary works were also introduced at the event. Elena Chimenheva, a Vietnamese language teacher for Russian cultural officials, said many Russian people want to learn Vietnamese language now, hoping that there will be more Vietnamese school books for foreigners so students could read many Vietnamese cultural works and enjoy painting exhibitions. International media praise late Prime Minister Phan Van Khai Australian media outlets have run several articles on former Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai after he passed away on March 17. In its article on his death, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) assessed Phan Van Khai as “an architect of Vietnam's economic rise”. Meanwhile, the The Australian newspaper stressed that the former PM was a great contributor to Vietnam’s economic growth and the country’s first prime minister to visit the United States after the end of the war. “Khai oversaw Vietnam's fastest and most stable economic growth during his nine years in office from 1997 to 2006. He signed a bilateral trade agreement with the US in 2000 and oversaw Vietnam's entry into the World Trade Organisation in 2006,” the article wrote. Earlier, when Khai was hospitalised, several Australian newspapers posted articles recalling his two visits to Australia. In 1999, the Sydney University - Australia’s first university - conferred a degree of Doctor of Science in Economics upon the former PM for his contributions to Vietnam’s economic and political democracy. Germany’s Deutsche Welle newspaper also reported on Khai’s death and gave readers a brief biography. “He was prime minister for nine years beginning in 1997 and ushered in an era of reform that saw Vietnam transform itself into one of Southeast Asia's fastest-growing economies,” the newspaper said. Former Politburo member and former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai passed away at 1:30 on March 17 at Cu Chi, Ho Chi Minh City, aged 85. Phan Van Khai was born on December 25, 1933 in Cu Chi district, Ho Chi Minh City. As one of the high-ranking Party and State leaders in the first phase of the country's Renewal and nation-building cause, PM Khai was active and determined to build the institution under the spirit of renewal to utilize the capacities of all economic sectors, especially the private one, together with opening door to the world and integrating internationally. During his nearly two working terms, fundamental laws in the first phase of the Renewal and door-opening process were built. The Government chaired by PM Khai left its working-term marks by the issuance of the Business Law, the annulment of hundreds of licences, the involvement in many tough talks to negotiate Vietnam's admission to the World Trade Organization (WTO), and more. The Party and State have presented PM Khai the Golden Star Order and the 55-year Party Membership Badge (2014), in recognition of his dedications to the country's revolutionary cause. VNN |
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VN master painter’s work auctioned in France A silk painting by master Nguyen Nam Son (1890-1973), one of the leading artists in modern Vietnamese fine art, will be auctioned by the Aguttes company at Drouot auction sale centre in Paris, France, on March 26.
Titled Thon Nu Bac Ky (Peasants of Tonkin), the painting, ink and colour on silk, measures 65 by 52.5cm, with the painter’s signature on the upper right and lower left and its title on the lower left. The painting is expected to be sold for 35,000-50,000 euros. The painter, real name Nguyen Van Tho, was a co-initiator of the Indochine Fine Arts College in Hanoi with Victor Tardieu (1870-1937). Working as a painter for nearly six decades, he left behind 400 works on various materials, 20 of which are on silk. According to Aguttes, the painting has spent the last 50 years with the family of a private collector in Hanoi. It is said the painting was completed in 1935. It appeared once at an art fair called "Salon de la Sadeai" in Hanoi in 1936. At the same fair, Nam Son exhibited three other silk paintings. The Thon Nu Bac Ky was also mentioned in archives held by Nam Son’s family. Besides this, his signature, seal and a sentence appear on the left corner of the work in Han Chinese, translated as "This painting was drawn by painter Nguyen Nam Son, residing by Hoan Kiem Lake”. According to researcher Ngo Kim Khoi, the whole painting is a transition from the colour green to turquoise, featuring three female peasants carrying bananas on a pole, wearing typical costumes of women in the northern plains. “Though he did not specialise in silk painting, the audience can see delicate lines on the painting,” said Khoi. “The colours seem to go through the texture of the silk background.” The same technique can be seen in his silk painting, titled Ve Cho (Return from Market), drawn in 1927, which was exhibited once in Paris. The painting Ve Cho may be the first silk painting in modern Vietnamese fine arts because Nguyen Phan Chanh, who is considered the pioneer of modern Vietnamese silk painting, did not learn the technique of drawing on silk until 1928 in Yunnan, China.
At the same auction on March 26, works by other Vietnamese painters such as Le Pho (1907-2001), Vu Cao Dam (1908-2000), Le Thi Luu (1911-1988) and Mai Trung Thu (1906-1980) are displayed. The most expensive estimate of the sale may belong to a work by French painter Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947), which is expected for 500,000-600,000 euros. The runner-up will be Le Pho, with two works: Mau Tu (Maternity) ink and water colour on silk, 59.5 by 48cm, and Thieu Nu Ben Hoa Hong (Young Woman by Roses), the same material, 41 by 32.2cm. Both paintings by Le Pho are expected to be sold at the same price of 150,000-200,000 euros. The event will take place at 2.30pm Paris time on March 26. VNS |
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