Vietnam, Cambodia vow to accelerate cooperation

At their working session during a visit to Cambodia led by MPI Minister Vo Hong Phuc from Jan. 10-14, the two sides acknowledged that in 2009 the MPI provided training courses for 30 cadres of the Cambodian Planning Ministry under the MoU signed in Hanoi last March.

Besides, the two ministries organised exchange programmes for their staff to discuss and share experiences on professional information and legal documents on planning.

The PMI pledged to provide the Cambodian ministry with equipment and personnel training to manage and operate website on the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam development triangle in the Kingdom.

While in Cambodia , Minister Phuc paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Hun Sen. As a Chairman of Vietnam’s coordinating committee on the development triangle, Minister Phuc met with Cham Prasit, Trade Minister and chairman of Cambodia ’s coordinating committee, to discuss measures and implementation of economic development cooperation programmes among the three countries.

Singaporean PM highlights VN's development

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam is the fastest growing country in ASEAN, having full power to take off and make more achievements in the future, visiting Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said. 

At a reception hosted by State President Nguyen Minh Triet on Jan. 13, PM Lee Hsien Loong shared Singaporean development experiences with the Vietnam ’s State leader and gave positive remarks on Vietnam ’s development potential. 

State President Nguyen Minh Triet described PM Lee Hsien Loong visit’s to Vietnam an important event that contributed to lifting the two countries’ relations to a new height. 

He welcomed and spoke highly of agreements reached between the two PMs Nguyen Tan Dung and Lee Hsien Loong’s talks and said that the two sides need to accelerate the implementation of the Vietnam-Singapore Connectivity Framework Agreement. 

Vietnam and Singapore agreed to boost cooperation in human resource training and urban planning together with increasing ties between the two enterprises, PM Lee Hsien Loong said. 

He further said that after President Triet’s visit to the “lion country” last November, more Singaporean businesses have looked for investment opportunities in Vietnam . 

On the occasion, DBS Bank, Singaporean largest bank, has been granted licence to open its first branch in Ho Chi Minh City with a capital of 15 million USD and a duration of 99 years.

Vietnam’s Deputy PM visits northern Lao provinces

Vientiane (VNA) – Vietnam ’s Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung made a tour of Luang Namtha and Oudomxay provinces, northern Laos , during his visit to the neighbouring country from Jan. 12-13.

Deputy PM Hung attended an inaugural ceremony of the Luang Namtha friendship culture palace. The project presented by the Vietnamese northern province of Vinh Phuc was built at nearly 1 million USD.

While in Oudomsay province, Deputy PM Hung burnt incense at the Laos-Vietnam combating alliance monument, visited and presented gifts to the Vietnamese government-funded ethnic boarding school.

Deputy PM Hung said Vietnam has constantly enhanced cooperative ties in all areas with Laos . 

He stressed the two countries’ future priorities will be given to bilateral cooperation projects, especially on education and investment.

Quang Binh to turn potential into driving force for development

Quang Binh (VNA) – Chairman of National Assembly Nguyen Phu Trong has urged the central province of Quang Binh to turn its forest and marine economic potential into a driving force for development.

Chairman Trong made the statement at a working session with the provincial authorities during his field trip to the province on Jan. 12-13, serving document building to submit to the 11 th Party Congress.

During the meeting on Jan. 13, Chairman Trong and provincial officials discussed issues relating to development in the locality.

Chairman Trong said the province should learn other localities’ experience in solving the relationship between industrial and agricultural development, choosing high-tech and eco-environmental protection areas and avoiding selection of only industry for the aim of economic restructuring. 

According to the NA Chairman, along with developing marine economy, Quang Binh needs to defend sea sovereignty and security. Economic development should be combined with the improvement of ethnic groups’ living conditions, he said. 

The top legislator urged the province to continue strengthening the political system, leaders’ capacity and Party cells’ combat capacity while maintaining solidarity and unity in the Party and consensus among people.

During the two-day working visit, Chairman Trong and his entourage called on the coastal commune of Bao Ninh, Dong Hoi city, and the mountainous commune of Truong Xuan in Quang Ninh district. 

They also made field trips to several specific economic models.

Senior ASEAN officials meeting closes

Da Nang (VNA) - A meeting of senior ASEAN officials (SOM) wrapped up in Vietnam ’s central city of Da Nang on Jan. 13. 

This is the first conference that took place under the chairmanship of Vietnam . The country takes its turn as Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2010. 

Representatives from all 10 ASEAN member countries reviewed the preparations for the forthcoming ASEAN ministerial meetings and reached consensus on the agenda, action programmes and documents to be presented to ministers. 

At the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Retreat, FMs are scheduled to discuss and give opinions to the building of the ASEAN Community and the bloc’s external relations. 

The third conference of the ASEAN Political and Security Community (APSC) Council will focus on discussions of new developments in the APSC’s cooperation and implementing a master plan on building the APSC. 

A meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council will consider documents on the high-level group regulation on connecting ASEAN and issues of the Committee of Permanent Representatives. 

ASEAN senior officials put forward proposals on a number of issues on ASEAN cooperation and its external relations and finalised documents to be presented to ASEAN FMs for consideration. 

Assistant to Vietnamese FM and Head of senior ASEAN officials Pham Quang Vinh, who is also the chair of the meeting, affirmed the importance of the ASEAN FM meeting in defining orientations for ASEAN cooperation in 2010. 

He also shared his view with his ASEAN colleagues on a number of Vietnam ’s priorities to promote ASEAN cooperation and linkage during its one-year term as ASEAN Chair. 

He took the occasion to highlight SOM’s well preparedness and affirmed that Vietnam will closely work with other ASEAN members to successfully implement this year’s targets. 

The conference also heard Vietnam ’s arrangements on ASEAN FMs’ land trip from Thailand to Laos through the Lao Bao border gate to former imperial city of Hue and then Da Nang in Vietnam to attend the three meetings. 

This will be the first land trip of ASEAN FMs on this occasion to promote the idea of connecting ASEAN and promote sub-Mekong region cooperation and its potentials. 

On the evening of Jan. 13, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem, in his capacity as ASEAN Chair, hosted a banquet in honour of other ASEAN FMs. 

Deputy PM and FM Khiem will also chair the third APSC meeting, a special meeting of the ACC and the ASEAN FMs Retreat in Furama resort of Da Nang city on Jan. 14.

Vietnam attends Japanese Communist Party’s congress

Tokyo (VNA) – Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Nguyen Phu Binh has attended the 25 th congress of the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) in Shizuoka prefecture. 

The Jan. 13 congress drew the participation of 1,100 delegates from all parts of Japan and representatives of 19 diplomatic corps in Japan . 

JCP Chairman Kazuo Shii reviewed Japan ’s socio-economic development and major changes in the world to put forth policies and tasks for the party. 

On the sidelines of the congress, the Vietnamese diplomat held meetings with Chairman Shii and other leaders of the JCP during which he highlighted the practical content of the party’s report. He took the occasion to convey Vietnamese Party and State leaders’ congratulations to the congress. 

The JCP leader also wished the 11 th congress of the Vietnamese Communist Party a success.

Implementation of Politburo’s instruction on democratic regulations reviewed

Hanoi (VNA) – A national conference was held in Hanoi on Jan. 13 to review the 10-year implementation of the Politburo’s Instruction on the building and implementation of democratic regulations at the grassroots level. 

Addressing the conference, Politburo member and permanent member of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV)’s Central Committee’s Secretariat Truong Tan Sang said that the Politburo (VIIIth tenure) on Feb. 18, 1998 issued Instruction No 30-CT/TW on the building and implementation of democratic regulations at the grassroots level. 


He emphasised the importance of the Politburo’s instruction which has been welcomed by all levels and branches and implemented effectively in various social activities. 


The issuance and implementation of the instruction is a new progress in expanding democracy, bringing into full play people’s mastery and conforming with the requirements of national construction and defence in the new period of national industrialisation and modernisation and international integration, said the senior Party official. 
Ha Thi Khiet, CPV Central Committee’s Secretary and head of the Central Steering Committee on the implementation of democratic regulations at grassroots level, said that all branches and levels have recorded practical results in implementing the instruction over the past decade. 

Almost all communes, wards, towns, States agencies and many businesses have built and issued regulations that clearly stipulate the content and forms of exercising democracy and bringing into play the mastery of people in all activities, she said. 


The awareness of democracy and the exercise of democracy by Party Committees at all levels, State agencies, administrations, the Fatherland Front and mass organisations and Party members, officials and public employees have been obviously improved, Khiet added. 


Democracy has been supported and implemented by the people, she said, adding that the motto “people know, people discuss, people do and people check” has been reflected in difference fields at grassroots level and the mechanism “the Party guides, the State manages and people master” have proved effective. 


The practice of the instruction have helped promote socio-cultural and economic development, maintain security and order at grassroots level, thus contributing to improving the quality of Party organisations and organisations in the grassroot political system. 


All administrative agencies, communes, wards and towns, and all companies and businesses having trade unions are striving to issue and effectively practice democratic regulations at grassroots level by the end of 2010. 


The conference drew lessons and good methods to bring the instruction into reality.

Vietnam’s first Buddhist pilgrimage tour on horizon

HCM City (VNA) – Vietnam ’s first ever Buddhist pilgrimage tour will be launched on January 15 with stops planned for 10 pagodas located in the southwestern region, according to the tour organiser.

The tour is part of a larger pilgrimage programme which was arranged by monks and nuns from the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, who will also act as tour guides for the programme.

Trinh Thuy Quynh, Director of the Viet Pilgrimage Tourism Company – an affiliate of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Economic-Financial Department, said the programme will include thematic tours.

The tours will provide participants with opportunities to have an insight into various Zen sects, Tinh Do Tong (Pureland Buddhism), Mat Tong (Esoteric Buddhism), and others.

Tourists will contemplate valuable treasures of the religion, study popular practice and continuance methods under the guidance of pagoda head monks, attend dialogues on Dharma, and experience the religious life as monks and nuns at pagodas.

The programme will also include visits to pagodas and monasteries entering Vietnam ’s Buddhism Record List and ancient and famed pagodas scattering across the country, including Truc Lam Monastery, Xvayton pagoda, Thien Truc pagoda, and Dau pagoda.

Gov’t leader listens to voters from key port city

Haiphong (VNA)- Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has pledged best available conditions for the northern port city of Hai Phong to develop its economic projects in response to requests raised by voters from its Tien Lang district. 

Dung smoothed Hai Phong voters’ worries about rural development during his visit on January 13 that rural and agricultural issue has been placed high in the Government’s development strategy for rural industrialisation and modernisation. 

Not just words but also in action, he okeyed the northern largest port city’s proposal to build belt dykes for sea encroachment, which should include a coastal traffic system. 

“The Government will provide the best available conditions for Hai Phong city to speed up the construction of an expressway and a railway leading to Hanoi capital as well as the Lach Huyen seaport and the coastal highway in connection with the central province of Thanh Hoa,” Dung said.

ASEAN Foreign Ministers visit Hue

Thua Thien-Hue (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem, ASEAN General Secretary Surin Pitsuwan and Foreign Ministers of ASEAN visited the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on Jan. 13.

The visit is part of ASEAN Foreign Ministers’s activities in Vietnam to attend the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting Retreat, which will open on Jan. 14 under the chairmanship of Deputy PM Khiem.

Receiving the delegation at the Thai Hoa Palace in Dai Noi (Royal Citadel) of the former imperial city of Hue , Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Ngoc Thien introduced his guests to Hue ’s potential and its famous landscape. He expressed his wish that cooperation in investment, culture, healthcare and education between Thua Thien-Hue and ASEAN would be promoted.

On behalf of the delegation, Thai FM Kasit Piromya expressed his hope that ASEAN member countries would strengthen cooperation for their common and respective benefits.

The same day, the delegation left Hue for the central city of Da Nang to attend the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting Retreat.

Catholics join nation in patriotic movement

Hanoi (VNA)- Catholics have taken an active part in all patriotic movements launched by the Vietnam Fatherland Front, especially the “Day for the Poor”, said the Committee for Solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics (CSVC). 

The committee made the statement at a year-end review in Hanoi on January 13, during which it has decided to push up social and charity activities for 2010. 

The CSVC called on followers to promote a new cultural lifestyle in their residential quarters and join with the nation in discharging national socio-economic targets in line with a motto “living the gospel amidst the nation”. 

Catholics should actively take part in all patriotic movements launched by the Vietnam Fatherland Front, focusing on the Day for the Poor, and take care of disabled, abandoned and street children, it urged. 

The committee made public a target to set up its own fund for disabled children with assistance from kind-hearted donors. 

CSVC President Father Nguyen Cong Danh said Catholics nationwide have paid practical contributions to various aspects of social life such as economic development, poverty reduction and administrative strengthening. 

He highlighted Catholics’ charity activities last year, raising over 200 billion VND (roughly 10.8 million USD) for the Fund for the Poor.

Finnish Parliament Speaker visits Quang Ninh

Quang Ninh (VNA) – Speaker of Finland ’s Parliament Sauli Niinisto and his entourage paid a visit to the north-eastern province of Quang Ninh on Jan. 13. 

Deputy Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Thanh briefed the Finnish delegation about the province’s socio-economic development achievements and its potential. 

Quang Ninh strives for an industrial province by 2015, he said, adding that the province is making efforts to ensure social security and create favourable environment for economic development and investment attraction. 

Speaker Sauli Niinisto praised Quang Ninh’s development achievements in all sectors, expressing his wish that the friendship between Finland and Vietnam in general and Quang Ninh province, in particular, will be closer. 

The Finnish delegation also made a tour of and voted for Ha Long Bay to be one of the world’s new seven wonders. 

Speaker Sauli Niinisto then left Hanoi to wrap up his visit to Vietnam.

Dong Chiem parishioners not suppressed: official

Hanoi (VNA) – A senior official of Hanoi ’s outlying district of My Duc has refuted rumors that parishioners of the Dong Chiem Parish had been suppressed for illegally constructing a cross on a mountain peak. 

“The local authorities had not cracked down on parishioners of the Dong Chiem Parish,” My Duc District People’s Committee Deputy Chairman Nguyen Van Hau said during his talks with the Vietnam News Agency, adding the information was distorted.

Hau provided factual developments of the case which began with Priest Nguyen Van Huu, the Dong Chiem Parish’s religious practice board and a number of parishioners illegally erecting the cross on the top of Che Mountain in Dong Chiem hamlet, An Phu commune in My Duc district on March 3 and 4, 2009.

“The construction violates the Land Law,” the district official said, reasoning that Che Mountain does not lie in the land compound of Dong Chiem Church as it is managed by the An Phu Communal People’s Committee.

“Additionally, the act of construction of the cross without permit from authorised agencies constitutes it as a breach of the Ordinance on Belief and Religion,” Hau noted.

Since the case took place, the My Duc district authorities have promptly undertaken necessary procedures in line with laws, the local official emphasised.

He said the local authorities had tried to seek ways to solve the case through a series of talks with Priest Nguyen Van Huu and parishioners in the period between March and December 2009 but failed to receive cooperation from any of them.

On November 27, 2009, the My Duc District People’s Committee issued an announcement requesting that Huu and the Dong Chiem Parish’s religious practice board mobilise parishioners to self-dismantle the cross illegally constructed on the top of Che Mountain before December 4. However, they ignored the request intentionally, the official said.

On January 6, 2010, the Dong Chiem hamlet authorities carried out the dismantling of the illegally-installed cross although the work was hampered by several extremists and parishioners due to their poor awareness of laws.

Hau said the committee has issued warnings against five members of the Dong Chiem Parish’s religious practice board who directly engaged in buying materials in service of the illegal construction of the cross and mobilising parishioners to take part in the work.

The committee on January 9, 2010, announced its warning against Priest Huu for instructing the board to embroil parishioners in acts in violation of laws. Huu hindered and showed no willingness to cooperate with the local administration to stabilise the situation. He also drew parishioners from other parishes to Dong Chiem to conduct illegal religious activities, according to Hau.

A remote, mountainous locality of My Duc district, An Phu has a population of over 6,800, mainly the Kinh and Muong people, who rely mainly on farming for their livelihood.

Recently, the living conditions of An Phu residents have been improved remarkably thanks to the State investment, which has been pumped into the development of livestock breeding and the growing of hybrid rice varieties.

Thousands feared dead in Haiti earthquake

Hanoi (VNA) – Hundreds, possibly thousands of people have been buried beneath the rubble of a 7.3 magnitude earthquake, which hit the Caribbean country of Haiti on January 12, an official from an international aid organisation in Haiti has reported. 

The country’s worst quake in two centuries also destroyed the presidential palace in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince and several major buildings, including a large hospital and the headquarters of the United Nations as well as knocking out power lines. 

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is very worried for the people in Haiti as well as the UN’s staff in the country, who were badly shaken by the major earthquake . Meanwhile, Brazil’s Prime Minister, Lula da Silva said he was anxious over the safety of more than 7,000 peacekeeping troops currently serving in Haiti. 

After the quake struck, US President Barack Obama, issued a statement saying that Washington is ready to help Port-au-Prince deal with the devastating earthquake. 

Other countries and territories such as Canada, France, the Dominican Republic and other Latin American countries also expressed strong concerns over the massive damage and pledged to send aid to support the country as soon as possible.

Scholars win over 6 mln USD of Australian study awards

Hanoi (VNA) – A group of 48 Vietnamese scholars and professionals have been selected to receive Australian scholarships worth 6.7 million AUD in total (6.2 million USD), said sources from the Australian Embassy. 

The embassy said in the Jan. 13 press release that the Australian Endeavour Awards will help the awardees to study, research and join professional training in Australia in 2010.

Twenty six scholars were presented with their awards at a function held at the Australian Ambassador’s residence in Hanoi on the same day. The other 22 scholars will be awarded later at a similar event in Ho Chi Minh City .

The embassy said the Australian Endeavour Awards are selected on merit through an international competition. Vietnamese candidates won three prestigious Prime Minister’s Australia Asia Endeavour Awards, from a total of only ten in the world. 

“Vietnamese applicants have performed exceptionally well, receiving the highest number of awards of any Southeast Asian country. Vietnam won the most highly competitive postgraduate awards, surpassing candidates from much larger countries,” it said. 

The Endeavour Awards also provide opportunities for Australian to undertake research and professional development with Vietnamese organisations and institutions. Later this year seven Australians will take up Endeavour Awards for research and collaboration in Vietnam .

Former senior official stands trial

Hanoi (VNA) – A former government official was put on trial in Hanoi on Jan. 13 for costing the State billions of dong while being involved in an information technology modernisation project. 

Former Deputy Chairman of the Government Office Vu Dinh Thuan and 22 collaborators have been prosecuted on charges of “abusing positions and/or powers while performing official duties” and “taking advantages of one’s influence over persons with positions and powers to seek personal benefits.” 

All of them were involved in a project widely known as “Project 112”, to modernise information technology systems in government agencies. 

According to the indictment prepared by the Supreme People’s Procuracy, from 2003 to 2006, Thuan, who was then the project’s director, violated the state’s regulations while signing contracts for the project. His actions cost the State more than 4.6 billion VND. 

Of the amount, Thuan was claimed to have pocketed 275 million VND. 
Twenty lawyers will defend Thuan and the others and the trial is expected to last for two weeks.

Committee warns of bird flu returning

Hanoi (VNA) – Three more outbreaks of bird flu have been reported in the northern province of Thai Nguyen and in the southernmost province of Ca Mau province since the start of this month, killing more than 300 birds.

This indicates that the avian flu season has begun, the National Steering Committee on Avian Influenza Control and Prevention said at a meeting in Hanoi on January 12. 

By January 12, only these two provinces had reported outbreaks of bird flu within 21 days. Undre Health Ministry regulations, if a province has no new outbreak for 21 days, it is considered to be free from bird flu. 

At the meeting, Hoang Van Nam, the Acting Director of the Animal Health Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), warned that there is a serious risk of bird flu reoccurring in previously hit areas as poultry trading and transporting increases in the run up to Tet (Lunar New Year) festival.

Additionally, the cold weather harms the health of poultry and facilitates and spreads the H5N1 virus, he said. 

To cope with the epidemic, the MARD has approved a plan to vaccinate all poultry in 2010 in April and May and again in October to November. 

The vaccinations will ensure that flocks of poultry are immune, which will help to limit H5N1 infections in humans.

Senior ASEAN officials meeting opens in Da Nang

Da Nang (VNA) – A meeting of senior ASEAN officials got underway in Vietnam ’s central city of Da Nang on January 13 with representatives from all its 10 member countries and the ASEAN Deputy General Secretary Sayakane Sisouvong in attendance.

They discussed the preparations for the three forthcoming ASEAN ministerial meetings, which will begin on January 14 under the chairmanship of Vietnam ’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem.

The events include the third meeting of the ASEAN Political and Security Community, a meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council and the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Retreat.

The Foreign Ministers and the ASEAN General Secretary flew from Thailand to Laos and then travelled overland to Da Nang in Vietnam to attend the three meetings, the first duties of the year for Vietnam , as the country takes its turn as ASEAN chair.

The itinerary aims to promote the East-West economic corridor, an important economic undertaking for ASEAN. The corridor starts in Mawlamyine, a coastal city in Myanmar, passes through Thailand, Laos and on to central Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue provinces ending in Da Nang in Vietnam.

14th Hennessy concert for classical music buffs

Hanoi (VNA) – Classical music lovers will have the chance to enjoy a great concert at the Hanoi Opera House on January 22. 

The 14 th Hennessy concert will include the talented Korean-American violinist Sarah Chang, pianist Andrew von Oeyen and others. 

The artists will perform several classical masterpieces written for violin and piano by composers such as Johann Brahms and Cesar Franck. In particular, a concerto written by Christopher Theofanidis for violin and piano dedicated to Sarah Chang will be played during the concert. 

The annual event is jointly held by the Art Performance Department and the Asia Pacific arm of Moet-Hennessy.

Parents lack knowledge on child injury

Hanoi (VNA) – The country still has a lack of education and communication campaigns designed to help raise adults’ knowledge on child injury prevention, said officials involved in the field. 

Nguyen Trong An, deputy director of the Department of Children Protection and Care under the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA), said that the home was supposed to be the place where children are best protected, but 80 to 90 percent of child injures occur there.

“Many parents lack knowledge in dealing with child injuries, making the situation even worse,” he said.

For example, it is popular among parents to use toothpaste, chicken eggs or boa’s fat on burns to ease the pain, An said.

But in actual fact, all these substances might make the burns worse, he said.

Nguyen Tuyet Lan, a doctor at Hospital E in Hanoi , said that she had witnessed many parents using incorrect methods when applying first aid to their injured children. 

“When children bleed, many parents blow on the injury without knowing that it increases the possibility of infection,” Lan said.

A handbook on preventing child injuries for parents was delivered to a selection of rural homes as part of a MoLISA project. However, the content of the handbook was general while some areas need specific knowledge.

Poor children are at a higher risk of injury than more privileged children while education and communication campaigns on child injuries remain lacking.

He suggested publishing material on child injury prevention to deliver to parents and broadcasting the same content on radio programmes for rural communes.

In 2008, there were more than 46,000 child injury cases, of which 7,300 died.

There is a need to build a national target programme on accidental injury prevention, said Tran Ngoc Lan, deputy director of the Department of Preventive Health Care and Environment.

To deal with accidental injuries, it requires the cooperation of all sectors and all levels from central to grassroots, she said.

If such a programme is started, it will be easier to mobilise support from international organisations and the flow of information will be exact and synchronised, Lan said.

Nhat Tan peach blossoms to welcome Tet in south

Hanoi (VNA) – Hanoi ’s flower village of Nhat Tan will send south some 3,000 branches of peace blossoms, the favourite home decoration of Hanoians during Lunar New Year Festival (Tet), during Tet this year. 

Nguyen Thi Binh, Head of the Farmers’ Association of Nhat Tan ward - the cradle of the blossoms – said, although the number of branches is “modest” compared to the south’s demand, most of growers find it hard to transport peach blossoms over a long distance. 

An owner of 250 bonsai peach trees in Nhat Tan ward, Tran Tuan Viet said he had declined a lot of orders placed by customers from southern cities and provinces also due to the difficulties regarding transport. 

Viet has to date had 40 bonsai peach trees leased in advance for the festival with rentals ranging between 2.5 million VND and 12 million VND. 

The sale prices would be 500,000 VND - 1 million VND higher than the hire charge of each tree, Viet added.

Largest satellite television trademark makes debut

Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Satellite Digital Television (VSTV), a joint venture between Vietnam Television and France’s Canal + Group, on January 12 officially launched its satellite television service trademarked K+. 

K+, the largest trademark of its kind in Vietnam at present, will broadcast nearly 60 channels covering various fields such as entertainment, film and sports. 

The joint venture has produced its own television channels bearing the K+ trademark and most K+ channels have been tailored to serve the local audience with Vietnamese subtitles or dubbed in Vietnamese.

Action needed to cut traffic deaths

Hanoi (VNA) – Deaths caused by traffic accidents in 2009 fell by only 0.7 percent compared to the previous year, far lower than the target of 5 percent.

This figure was released at the national Traffic Safety Conference, which took place on Jan. 12 in Hanoi .

According to statisticS by the National Traffic Safety Committee, in 2009 there were more than 12,400 traffic accidents, killing 11,516 people and injuring more than 7,900.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai asked relevant ministries to seek breakthrough initiatives to reduce traffic accidents.

“The losses caused by traffic accidents are serious and huge. Thus, traffic safety practices must significantly reduce the number of deaths and injuries,” he said.

He also emphasised the importance of heightening people’s awareness of traffic laws, calling on relevant ministries to focus on communicating such laws to all people.

The management of transport vehicles and the construction of modern transport infrastructure were also included in the measures to ease traffic jams and prevent accidents.

Compared to figures in 2008, the number of traffic accidents in 2009 decreased by 390, but the number of serious traffic accidents actually increased.

The main causes for serious accidents were traffic lane violations, speeding and careless passing.

Traffic jams in Hanoi and HCM City have become a big concern for the cities’ citizens.

Islamic Cham ethnics in An Giang hold 2nd congress

An Giang (VNA) - The second congress of Islamic Cham ethnic community in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang was held at the Nekmah Mosque in Tan Chau town on Jan. 12. 

Representatives from the Government Committee for Religious Affairs and local authorities joined more than 100 Islamic followers at the event. 

The participants agreed that from now until 2015, the Islamic Cham community will continue to organise religious courses combined with the dissemination of law to its believers. 

The community will seek funding to support Cham students pursuing graduate and post-graduate study both in and outside the country, and hold more Vietnamese-Cham bilingual courses at local schools and mosques. 

At the congress, the delegates elected a 16-member representative board of the Islamic Cham community for the 2010-2015 term, with MuSa Haji re-elected as its head. 

An Giang province is now home to over 15,000 Islamic Cham people who conduct religious practice at 27 mosques in seven districts and towns. 

Over the past five years, a total of 1,813 houses were built for poor Cham families in An Giang, with financial support sourced from hunger eradication and poverty reduction Programmes 134 and 135.

Miss Vietnam in Europe crowned

Hanoi (VNA) – The final round of Miss Vietnam in Europe has crowned Nguyen Ngoc Kieu Khanh from Germany the winner.

Showcasing her voluptuous body, Khanh beat 34 contestants to take the prize.

The first runner-up was Nguyen Mai Anh, Miss Vietnam of the Czech Republic , followed by Nguyen Phuong Loan from Germany .

This year’s Miss Vietnam in Europe pageant was held by the Our Common House Association in Germany . This is the first event to mark Vietnam Year in Germany and the 35 th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Germany .

The event was held with the aim of introducing Vietnamese beauty and culture to Europeans while strengthening solidarity within the Vietnamese diaspora community.-Enditem

European classical duo to perform

Hanoi (VNA) – European classical duo, Clara Cernat and Thierry Huillet, will perform at the Hanoi Opera House January 13.

The couple will play songs composed by Gabriel Faure, F Chopin, Camille Saint-Saens, Claude Debussy and Huillet himself.

The concert was organised by the French Cultural Centre L’Espace in Hanoi . On January 15, the duo will also perform at Idecaf in HCM City .

Before forming the duo in 1996, the Romanian Cernat was declared one of Europe ’s Eight Great Talents at the European Talent Awards in 1994.

French pianist Thierry Huillet has also won the prestigious First Grand Prize at the Robert Casadesus International Piano Competition in Cleveland , the Busoni competition in Italy , and the Tokyo International Music Competition.

Aid to child heart patients in Quang Ngai

Quang Ngai (VNA) – The Quad Personnel Consultant company of the United States on January 12 announced a 5,000 USD aid package to help children suffering from congenital heart defects in the central province of Quang Ngai. 

The company’s Chairman, Ronald Ostermilller, presented the money to poet Thanh Thao, who leads a fund-raising campaign to sponsor free operations for the disadvantaged children, at a new year meeting with local authorities and companies operating in Dung Quat oil refinary. 

Thao himself donated 1,000 USD to the campaign.

BUSINESS

Harvard professor: Vietnam capable of building soft power

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam is capable of building soft power thanks to its current advantages and chances, Professor Joseph Nye of the US Harvard University has said. 

At a seminar on soft power in international relations hosted by the Foreign Ministry on Jan. 13, Professor Joseph Nye suggested Vietnam make up its own story to draw attention from international community and to build up confidence in regional and world’s countries. 

According to the professor, Vietnam’s taking over ASEAN Chairmanship in 2010 is an opportunity for the country to affirm itself as a country having policies on sustainable development and paying due attention to climate change. 

The Southeast Asian country can also take the lead in service supply for rural areas, using Internet for development, paying due attention to education and applying advanced technology for development, he said. 

Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said the seminar is an opportunity for Vietnamese scholars and diplomats to exchange ideas with the father of the soft power theory, who placed 6 th among the most influence scholars in 2008 in the world.

Jetstar Pacific airlines committed to flight safety

Hanoi (VNA) - The Jestar Pacific Airlines (JPA) on January 13 pledged to fulfil all required steps on craft maintenance and recruit more foreign experts on technical quality to ensure flight safety. 

It was a positive response to the conclusion made by inspectors from the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV), criticising the JPA’s violation of maintenance regulations. 

The joint-stock company said getting informed of the CAAV’s preliminary conclusion, it has instantly taken a series of measures to ensure flight safety and improve the quality of craft maintenance. 

JPA added it has rushed in reviewing, scrutinising and evaluating the maintenance work in line with Maintenance Management Organisation Exposition (MMOE) guidelines. 

The company has appointed a foreign expert as Deputy Director of Technical Quality to help the Vietnamese Technical Director in the transition period. Additionally, the technical quality department staff has been strengthened with a number of experienced engineers and foreign experts under the CAAV’s demand. 

JPA also committed to fully following recommendations and requirements raised by the CAAV in the inspectors’ conclusion. 

“With all measures on flight safety being and will be taken by the company and under the tight supervision and regular monitoring by the CAAV, the JPA guarantees high safety for all flights it conducts,” it concluded.

Construction of VN-Singapore IP starts in Hai Phong

Hanoi (VNA) – The construction of a Vietnam-Singapore industrial park (VSIP) started in the northern port city of Hai Phong on January 13 in the presence of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong. 

Addressing the breaking-ground ceremony, the Vietnamese PM expressed his belief in the success of the 1-billion-USD project. He lauded contributions made by Singaporean investors to Vietnam ’s economic development over the past years and affirmed that Vietnam will create favourable conditions for investors from the state island. 

The Hai Phong-based VISP is expected to create thousands of jobs for the locals and will be a driving force for the socio-economic development of the city in particular and the whole Red River Delta in general, the PM said. 

Dung asked the project’s owner to apply advanced technologies, protect the environment and ensure lives of those people who have to move to new places for settlement. 

Previously, three IPs of the same kind were built in the southern province of Binh Duong and the northern province of Bac Ninh. 

The IPs are good symbols of the bilaterally successful cooperation, Singaporean PM Lee said, adding that those projects have combined Vietnam ’s potentials with foreign experiences and financial resources. 

The new IP covers an acreage of nearly 1,600 hectares, in which 500 hectares are slated for industrial factories and the rest of almost 1,100 hectares for the development of urban area. 

At present, Singapore is one of the Vietnam ’s leading partners with the two-way trade turnover hitting 12 billion USD in 2008. The country now boasts 780 investment projects in Vietnam with a combined registered capital of over 17 billion USD.

Beer market to increase by 15 percent this year.

Hanoi (VNA) – Domestic beer producers will churn out roughly 2.7 billion litres of the drink this year to meet the rising demands of local consumers, according to an estimate by the Sai Gon Alcohol, Beer and Beverage Corporation (Sabeco). 

Sabeco, which currently accounts for roughly 35 percent of domestic market share, also anticipated that the consumption of beer in the domestic market would see a growth rate of roughly 15 percent in 2010 and in the next few years. 

However, it also warned that the next three years would be hard for domestic beer producers as special consumption tax on beers, excluding draught beer, would reduce from 75 percent to 45 percent, The tax on draught beer, meanwhile, would increase to 45 percent from the current 40 percent. 

“This will be a chance for high-quality beer products made by foreign beer producers to enlarge their market share,” Sabeco said. 

Currently, local beer producers mainly concentrate on the draught beer market. 

Vietnam has a lot of potential for beer producers as consumption in the country currently averages out at 14 litres per capita a year, much lower than around 40 litres in Indonesia and 160 litres in Germany , experts have said. 

According to Japan ’s Sapporo beer producer, Vietnam is Asia’s third-largest beer market after China and Japan . 

The domestic beer market has an annual growth rate of between 9 percent and 11 percent and is witnessingstrong competiion among many well-known brands, including Sai Gon, Hanoi , Tiger and Heineken. 

Vietnam has more than 300 beer and alcohol production facilities, with key producers including Sabeco and Vietnam Brewery Limited Co. 

Sabeco alone this year has planed to produce 1 billion litres of beer, compared with last year’s 907 million litres of which 900,000 litres will be for export. 

Some foreign beer brands like Budweiser, Kronenbourg, SABMiller and Bitburger have also entered the local market.

Vietnam: attractive market for Japanese investors

Bangkok (VNA) – Vietnam , Indonesia and Singapore are emerging as attractive markets for Japanese investors, said Vice President of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce (JCC) in Bangkok Fukujiro Yamabe. 

Yamabe said that Thailand is no longer the most attractive investment destination in the region because the government has yet to prove its leadership in addressing prolonged political instabilities and standstills in many controversial projects at the Map Ta Phut Industrial Park. 

The ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) has been creating favourable conditions for Japanese businesses to operate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) market as six economies, including Brunei , Indonesia , Malaysia , the Philippines , Singapore and Thailand applied zero import tariff as of January 1, he said. 

Except Thailand , other countries in the bloc and India have seen good results in foreign investment attraction, he added. 

According to Yamabe, Japanese investors plan to increase investment in ASEAN in the coming years in order to tap the region’s potentials. 

Japan is now the leading foreign investor in Thailand with a total registered investment capital of 54.63 billion Thb (1.65 billion USD) in the first 11 months of 2009, representing a sharp fall compared to 97.64 billion Thb of the same period in 2008.

Sell-off drives down VN-Index

Hanoi (VNA) – Share sell-off took stock prices lower on Jan. 12 as the VN-Index slid 3.25 percent to 498.31 points, with 51.58 million shares changing hands, netting a turnover of 2.31 trillion VND (124.9 million USD).

The southern market saw 170 stocks fall while only 16 stocks rose, all of which were penny chips. “It’s a negative sign for the market when small caps advance while big caps fall,” said Luong Bien Nhan Quyen, an analyst from Kimeng Vietnam Securities.

A market correction would likely follow and the VN-Index will probably fall to 486.6 –supportive mark, forecasted Quyen.

On the Hanoi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index continued declining by 3.65 percent, ending Jan. 12’s trade at 170.57 points. Value of day trade totalled 989.84 billion VND (53.5 million USD) from a volume of 27.60 million traded shares. The northern market on Jan. 12 received 4.5 million shares from the floating of Tran Anh Computer, the 261 st stock to be listed on the market to date. The listing of the computer services provider lifted the total market volume to 3.6 billion shares, valued at a total of 36.73 trillion VND (2 billion USD).

Foreign investors continued to be net-buyers in both stock exchanges, picking up 3.62 million shares for a net value of 68.22 billion VND (3.7 million USD). 

In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Mark Mobius from Templeton Asset Management, said Vietnam had attracted foreign investors as it was among the so-called frontier markets that looked “particularly cheap”.

Vietnam Airlines flies new route

Hanoi VNA) – The national flag carrier, Vietnam Airlines, today launched its new direct flight route from Hanoi to Osaka in Japanon Jan. 12. 

The airline plans to operate five flights a week using Airbus A321 planes on the new route. 

The carrier decided to bring the route into operation to meet the demand of customers as Japan Airlines stopped its Osaka-Hanoi route on Jan. 12. 

According to Vietnam Airlines (VNA), it is an important step to expand its market in Japan . 

Director of the airline’s representative office in Japan , Nguyen Quoc Tuan, said Vietnam Airlines was determined to open the route with a desire to enhance commercial, investment and tourism activities between the two countries. 

He said with an extensive flight network, Hanoi hoped to become a hub for visitors heading to Cambodia and Laos . 

With this launch, the total number of flights per week operated by the airline to Japan will increase to 31. 

The flights will operate out of Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat airports to the Japanese cities of Tokyo , Osaka , Nagoya and Fukuoka . 

Statistics released from the carrier showed that it accounted for half of the total direct flights between Vietnam and Japan in the first nine months of last year.

Craft exports lack promotion

HCM City (VNA) – The handicraft sector should participate in more international trade promotions if they want to increase exports, an industry expert said at a conference on Jan. 12 in HCM City . 

Dang Quoc Hung, deputy chairman of the Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of HCM City (Hawa), said local firms should take the initiative in participating in international trade fairs and exhibitions, which could help them promote their trademarks and find new customers 

Companies must prepare well when participating in international fairs including having staff who can communicate with foreign visitors, aid Phan Thi Hoai Phuong from the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 

Local firms usually lack experience in decorating and arrangement of their stalls at international fairs, according to Pham Hong Son, a trade promotion officer from the Vietnam Handicraft Exporters’ Association. 

He said they should seek help from consultants to make their stalls more attractive. 

Export earnings from the sector last year were estimated at under 1 billion USD, still low compared to the sector’s potential. 

The lower earnings were mainly due to the global economic downturn and a lack of trade promotions. 

“There is an increasing demand for handicraft products globally, and more countries are interested in importing products made of bamboo,” said Tran Quoc Manh, also a deputy director of Hawa. 

He called on the sector to invest in staff who could create new ideas rather than just wait for orders and make products following the designs from buyers. 

Since most firms in the sectors are small- and medium-sized, firms should cooperate with each other to raise their competitiveness as well as developtrade promotion to reduce costs. 

Vietnam ’s handicraft products are sold in 80 countries and territories, with Japan , the EU, Russia and Southeast Asia as the main importers.

Steel pipe exports to US to rise,

Hanoi (VNA) – Domestic steel pipes producers are hoping to increase exports of steel pipes with a diameter of less than 10 inches to US, saying the market offers great potential due to high demand and low supply. 

Industry insiders said that demand for steel pipes in the US is huge, with not many countries and territories, including Taiwan , mainland China and Vietnam , manufacturing the product. 

The director of the Son Ha International Joint-Stock Co, Le Vinh Son, said that his company expects to export roughly 2,000 tonnes of steel pipes monthly to the US during the next two years. 

Vietnam Steel Association vice chairman Nguyen Tien Nghi said that Hoa Phat, Viet Duc and SeAH Steel are among Vietnamese companies currently manufacturing steel pipes. The latter two began exporting steel pipes to the US late last year, with annual export revenue totalling several million dollars. 

However, authorities also producers that Vietnam was also among six countries which faced complaints from US steel pipe producers over alleged dumping. 

Us trade authorities have yet to investigate steel pipes imported from Vietnam, as total steel pipe imports from Vietnam make up only 2.55 percent of the US steel market. According to US rules, if the percentage abruptly climbs to 3 percent, they would launch an anti-dumping probe. 

But sources from steel pipe manufacturers believe that Vietnam ’s steel pipe exports to such a huge market as the US would be extremely unlikely to break the 3 percent threshold.