Harjoko is on a trip to Vietnam to attend the 7th ASEAN Chiefs of Defence Forces Informal Meeting (ACDFIM-7).

Minister Thanh extended his belief that the visit would contribute to the success of the meeting as well as solidify traditional ties between the two countries and that he considered it an opportunity for the two sides to continue their exchanges and agreements as well as to implement bilateral cooperation on national defence between the two armies.

For his part, Harjoko expressed the hope that national defence cooperation between the two armies would continue to develop and prosper.-Enditem

Japan parliament passes record 1 trillion USD budget

Tokyo (VNA) -- Japan ’s parliament has passed a record 92.3 trillion JPY (over 1 trillion USD) budget for the next fiscal year beginning in April, aiming to shore up the country’s fragile economic recovery.

The budget was approved by the House of Councillors at a plenary session on March 24. It cleared the more powerful House of Representatives early this month with the approval of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) and its two junior coalition partners.

The Japanese government is planning to issue a record 44.3 trillion JPY in bonds to fund its budget in light of its tax revenues dropping to 37.4 trillion JPY.

Under the budget, spending on social welfare will rise 9.8 percent from the 2009 fiscal year to 27.27 trillion JPY, while expenditures for public works projects will drop 18.3 percent to an allocation of 5.77 trillion JPY, the lowest apportionment in more than 32 years.

Following the passage of the budget, the ruling coalition of the DPJ, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the People's New Party (PNP) will ratify a number of key statutes by the end of March, including those to make provisions for family allowances and to dispense with fees for senior high schools.-Enditem

Writers’ conference for Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam

Vientiane (VNA) – A delegation from the Vietnam Writers Association led by its chairman, poet Huu Thinh, attended the third Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Writers Conference, which took place in Vientiane on March 24.

Laos ’ Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Somsavad Lengsavad and Minister of Information and Culture Mounkeo Oraboune and Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Ta Minh Chau were present at the event.

The conference heard letters of congratulations sent by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Cambodian Prime Minister Samdec Hunsen.

Speaking at the conference, Lengsavad spoke highly of contributions by the three countries’ writers in strengthening the close ties among their nations. He said he wished writers would create more quality works, and help the people of the three countries--especially young generations--understand more about the tradition of solidarity among their nations.

On behalf of the Vietnamese delegation, poet Huu Thinh promised that Vietnamese writers would try their best, together with their Lao and Cambodian colleagues, to create new spiritual values, helping deepen the literature of the three Indo-Chinese countries.

The conference reviewed the activities of the three associations and exchanged experiences and orientations for development in future.

At the conference, the third annual Mekong Literary Awards were presented to 10 writers from the three countries.

Vietnamese award winners included Ngoc Tu (Thoong B.C) with memoir series “Bao Rung” (Forest Hurricane), Pham Quang Dau with a novel titled “Mot ngay la muoi nam” (One day is ten years) and Thang Sac (Nguyen Chien Thang) with a novel entitled “Chu Tu, con la ai” (Uncle Tu, who am I).-Enditem

Lao Deputy PM receives Vietnam Party delegation

Vientiane (VNA) – Lao’s Deputy Prime Minister Thongloun Sioulith received Vice Director of the Commission for External Relations under the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Pham Xuan Son on March 24.

The four-day visit by a Vietnamese Party delegation, starting on March 23, is being made on the occasion of the 55th founding anniversary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP).

Deputy Prime Minister Thongloun Sioulith, who is also Lao Foreign Minister and Director of the LPRP Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations, stressed that the visit contributes to strengthening the friendship, solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two states, two parties and two peoples in general as well as the two commissions in particular.

For his part, Son briefed the Lao Deputy PM on the outcome of the recent visit by a Lao delegation headed by Hiem Phommachanh, Vice Director of the LPRP Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations.

Apart from taking a tour of Vientiane, the Vietnamese officials will pay working visits to Luong Prabang province.-Enditem

Hue conference highlights ‘intelligent’ IT

Thua Thien-Hue (VNA) -- As many as 200 scientists from around the world gathered at the 2nd Asian Conference on Intelligent Information and Database Systems, which opened in the central city of Hue on March 24.

Co-hosted by Hue University and the Wroclaw University of Technology of Poland, the conference received more than 400 reports sent in by information technology (IT) experts.

The reports focus on intelligent information systems, artificial intelligence, intelligent technologies in IT and biology, intelligent calculation, intelligent software and intelligent social networks.

Associate Prof. Dr. Nguyen Phuc Khanh, Vice Director of the Science and Technology Department under the Ministry of Education and Training, said this was a chance for Vietnam to acquire the world’s IT achievements.

Vietnam has made progress in IT development and is ahead of some other countries in this field, Khanh said, adding that Vietnam has seen a number of IT advances applied to its socio-economic development.

The annual conference will run until March 26.-Enditem

Top Malaysian general visits Vietnam

Hanoi (VNA) – The Chief of Defence Forces of Malaysia, General Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Azizan Ariffin, is on an official visit to Vietnam .

The visit is made at the invitation of Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Khac Nghien.

Right after a welcoming ceremony in Hanoi on March 24, the two army officers held talks, discussing issues to contribute to enhancing solidarity and mutual understanding between people and armed forces of both countries for the purpose of peace and friendly cooperation in Southeast Asia and the world at large.

They also briefed each other on the political, socio-economic and defence-security situation in each country and issues of common concern.

The same day, the Malaysian defence forces chief and his entourage paid a courtesy visit to Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh.-Enditem

Australian sculptor introduces imaginary culture in Hanoi

Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (VME) will host an exhibition titled “Notes on an Imaginary Culture” of Australian sculptor Clare Martin, who has thus far opened two exhibitions in Vietnam .

Clare has prepared for her third show during an artist residency at VME since 2008 and later in Australia , using mainly recycled materials, such as aluminium cans, to depict an imaginary journey of discovery of an unknown ethic group with new and strange customs.

As an artist rather than an ethnographer, the Australian sculptor was influenced by an exhibition titled “We have eaten the forest” about French ethnographer Condominas, designed by Musee Orsay, and the book “A contribution to understanding Katu culture” by Dr Luu Hung of VME, as they showed her so clearly what an ethnographer’s task was.

The “Notes on an Imaginary Culture” will run from March 24 till April 16.

A resident in Canberra , Australia ’s capital city, Clare has travelled and worked extensively in Vietnam since her first visit to the country in 1991. She took part twice in the Hue Sculpture Symposium in 2006 and 2008 and featured her experience of Vietnamese culture in an exhibition in Australia in 2006.

The Australian sculptor currently works at the Australian National Capital Artists studios in Canberra and frequently uses recycled materials in her works, which mainly focus on museum installation, such as the Geller Collection, the Museum of Domestic Tension and Heterotopia. She is a member of the Australian National Association of Visual Artists.-Enditem

Japan helps Vietnam better ethnic people’s livelihoods

Lam Dong (VNA) – A Japan-funded project with a total funding of 3.83 million USD was officially launched on March 24 in Lam Dong province with a view towards improving local people’s livelihoods through tourism.

The project, financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), seeks to get residents living in or near the Bi Doup – Bui Ba National Park involved in eco-tourism services.

With the overall objective of bettering the residents’ lives, the project will provide training for local people to qualify them as guides and instruct them to launch tourist services such as home-stays and gong performances.

It will also provide the locals with plant seeds and training on farming practices as well as harvest and post-harvest techniques that are environmentally friendly and sustainable.

The programme is expected to not only better protect natural resources in the Bi Doup – Nui Ba reserve through developing co-management between the park authorities and local people, but also improve the living standards of people in the project site in Lac Duong district, who mainly come from the Cill and Lach ethnic minorities.- Enditem

Vietnam, Ukraine reach customs deal

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Ukraine have signed an agreement on cooperation and mutual administrative assistance in customs matters.

The deal was reached during Deputy Finance Minister Do Hoang Anh Tuan’s visit to Ukraine on March 22 and 23.

At the talks between a high-ranking delegation from the Vietnamese Ministry of Finance and the General Department of Vietnam Customs and the delegation of the State Customs Service of Ukraine, both sides noted that the signing of the agreement is an important advance, reflecting the cooperation spirit and commitment of the two governments and customs agencies.

The two sides also signed a memorandum of understanding on the exchange of customs statistics on two-way trade, which is part of the newly-signed agreement.

While in Ukraine , the delegation held working sessions with the Vietnamese embassy and the Kiev-based Vietnam Business Association to seek solutions to remove hurdles in Vietnam-Ukraine trade.-Enditem

HCM City gets DNA testing centre

HCM City (VNA) -- The Criminal Science Institute and police have set up a DNA testing centre in the city, the country’s second of its kind.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Truong Duc Khai, deputy director of The Criminal Science Institute’s Biological Legal Assessment Centre, said the centre, which opened at the HCM City Criminal Science sub-institute in District 1 March 23, will provide evidence for civil and criminal cases and paternity tests.

Members of the general public with need for DNA testing can call on the sub-institute to get instructions in using and collecting samples for tests.

The test results would be available in a day in case of criminal investigations and one to two weeks in case of paternity tests, Khai said.- Enditem

Vietnam – France’s key partner in ASEAN

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam is a key partner of France in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the new French Ambassador to Vietnam Jean Francois Girault said.

He stressed the two countries’ same interests in a number of regional and international issues and similarities in historical, cultural and linguistic values while meeting with reporters in Hanoi on March 24.

The diplomatic said he was impressive by the vitality, dynamics, optimism and friendliness of the Vietnamese people.

Ambassador Girault affirmed that he will spare no effort in his capacity to promote bilateral cooperation in the prioritised areas of sustainable development and technology renewal, management and science training for Vietnam ’s development demand, and bilateral economic-trade ties.

Ambassador Girault is both a veteran diplomat and an expert on the Mid-East. He used to be the French ambassador in Syria and Iraq .

France is the largest investor and donor of the European Union in Vietnam.-Enditem

Overseas Vietnamese wishes to help the poor

Hanoi (VNA) – Nguyen Thanh Liem, an overseas Vietnamese in the US says he plans to put his collection of valuable items on auction to help poor people in his home country.

His collection has been accumulated over the 30 years he worked as a hairdresser and provider of costumes and props to Hollywood ’s movie stars.

He used to own seven antique shops and at present he has 100 cars, 300 motorbikes and thousands of costumes and props.

His collection which includes photos of popular American actors, actresses, artists, costumes and props, ancient stamps and money, as well as books on the cinematography, has been on display at his home in Ho Chi Minh City .

Liem plans to build a museum named Hollywood in Vietnam.-Enditem

Vietnam to build national space centre

Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam will build a National Space Centre to maximize the application of space technology in service of the nation’s socio-economic development.

With Japan ’s assistance in design, construction of the 400 million USD facility will start within this year at Hanoi ’s Hoa Lac Hi-tech Zone, according to the Vietnam Science and Technology Academy , which oversees the project.

By its completion in 2018, the centre will entail a satellite assembly, integration and test facility, a satellite signal transmission station, a research center, a space museum and an observatory, said the project manager, Dr. Pham Anh Tuan.

In the future, the Centre plans to undertake technological transfer in order to self-manufacture earth-observing satellites, which are able to watch over the country’s sovereign territory in any weather condition, said the project manager.

The National Space Centre is the cornerstone of the “Strategy on Research and Application of Space Technology to 2020” approved by the Government in 2006.

The strategy aims to lay out a national policy and a legal framework for research and application of space technology along side policies to ensure the provision of human resources and investment for the work.

It also sets the target to develop initial infrastructural facilities for space technology, including a station to receive and process satellite images, and a network of satellite-based positioning stations.

Additionally, the strategy looks forward accepting the transfer of technologies relating to small-sized satellites and building corresponding ground control stations.

Vietnam has begun applying space technology since the 70s and 80s particularly in hydro meteorology, communications, and remote sensing and gained productive results.

However, in the absence of a national policy on space technology research and application, infrastructure and human resources in the field remain insufficient and research and application activities have been done in a dispersed manner, lacking inter-branch coordination.

To boost space technology research and application, experts suggested that the State establish an agency in charge of all related activities, including training a contingent of qualified staff, building technical infrastructure, and provide mechanisms and incentives to invite local and foreign experts to partake in projects in the field.-Enditem

Contest eyes climate change

HCM City (VNA) - World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) Vietnam and the Sai Gon Tiep Thi (Saigon Marketing) newspaper have invited photo and video entries in a competition about climate change to mark Earth Hour 2010.

“We are asking people to be creative in thinking about what climate change means to them and how they view this global threat. We all have a different perspective, and the effects will affect each of us differently,” explained Jonathan De Luca, Communications Officer of WWF Vietnam.

Judges will be looking for entries that focus on Earth Hour, address the effects of climate change or depict positive actions that can be made in Vietnam .

Photos and videos will be judged based on the message expressed and on the quality of the submission.

The winning photos and videos will be published in Sai Gon Tiep Thi, and on WWF website displayed. They may also be used in future Earth Hour campaigns to raise awareness on climate change.

Prizes include electronic products from LC and Canon for the top four photo submissions and best three video submissions with total prize money of 100 million VND (5,000 USD).

Vietnamese interested to enter can send photos to: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and upload video submissions to Youtube then email the link by April 4. Contest results will be announced by mid April.-Enditem

Planners sketch child-friendly city

HCM City (VNA) - A plan of action to make Ho Chi Minh City child-friendly is the goal of a two-day workshop that began on March 23.

Participants from HCM City ’s Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, UNICEF and concerned departments and agencies are drawing up a two-year project to be finished by the end of 2011.

The project will collect data on child survival and development, child protection and resource allocation to establish evidence-based policies that deal with urban issues for children in HCM City , according to Ly Phat Viet Linh, the UNICEF’s programme officer.

The project will improve the capacity of local people and authorities to respond to emerging issues such as children affected by HIV/AIDS, migration and child protection through various interventions, including information sharing and communication activities.

It will also promote a protective environment for children and deal with urban issues for children in HCM City, such as obesity, child mental illness, autism and childhood injury.

The project will this year focus on collecting and generating strategic information on key issues, especially those that could help decision-makers in policymaking and implementation.

It will also provide support to monitor the implementation of national health and nutrition policies and new technical guidelines.

A specific strategy and action plan for micro-nutrient deficiency prevention and control in HCM City during the year is also part of the plan.

Promoting breast-feeding practices through private clinic systems, improving the quality of education through effective application of child-friendly school approaches and providing support to test the model of solid waste treatment in urban slums are other activities during the year.

The project is estimated to cost more than 1.5 million USD, with the city budget contributing 22,500 USD and UNICEF the remaining.

“Improving understanding about the situation of children, in particular immigration and child poverty in the city, is crucial to deal with emerging issues and challenges facing the city,” said Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nhung, deputy director of HCM City Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs.

It is also important to enhance capacity in order to formulate adequate polices that improve the well-being of all children, she added.- Enditem

Stars make noise to end trafficking

Hanoi (VNA) – Top local and foreign singers will share the stage during a series of concerts to raise awareness of human trafficking which will kick off on March 27 in Hanoi .

The singers, including local stars Anh Khoa, Ha Anh Tuan, and Phuong Vy, the Republic of Korea ’s megastar boy band Super Junior, and Australian pop star Kate Miller-Heidke, will perform at a massive free concert entitled MTV Exit Live in Hanoi ’s My Dinh National Stadium.

The concert, which is under the MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) campaign, is aiming to raise awareness and increase prevention of human trafficking and exploitation.

After Hanoi , the show will tour Ha Long Bay for another performance on April 3, then head to Can Tho on April 10.

American band The Click Five, recipients of the Knockout Award at the MTV Asia Awards, will headline the final show, which will be held in the Military Zone 7 Stadium in HCM City on April 17. As avid supporters of MTV EXIT’s initiative to end human trafficking, the band are thrilled to return to Southeast Asia once again to lend their voices to this urgent cause.
The MTV Exist show in HCM City is expected to attract more than 25,000 people.

Footage from the concerts will be used to produce a series of television programmes aired nationally on YanTV, the campaign’s official music channel. “We are thrilled to announce the MTV EXIT Live in Vietnam concert tour,” said MTV EXIT’s director, Simon Golf. “The power and influence of music is a great force for change. By holding this concert tour across the country, we are harnessing this power, using it to inform and mobilise young people in the fight against human trafficking.”

Produced by the MTV Europe Foundation in partnership with the US Agency for International Development, and the Australian Government’s Agency for International Development, MTV EXIT has held 15 concerts to raise awareness about human trafficking across Asia over the past two years, including events in Thailand , Laos , Cambodia , Nepal , Taiwan and the Philippines .

For ticketing information please go to www.mtvexit.org or www.hoahoctro.vn.-Enditem

Artworks shed light on domestic violence

Hanoi (VNA) – An exhibition entitled The Last Mask featuring the photos, masks and stories of 24 women who have experienced domestic violence is on display in Hanoi .

The 49 photos taken by photographer Jamie Maxtone-Graham portray the women who are all members of clubs set up by the Centre for Studies and Applied Sciences in Gender, Family, Women and Adolescents (CSAGA).

The Last Mask project was conceived by Paul Zetter of Ensemble Creative, a long-time creative partner of CSAGA, as a way of helping women to find creative expression for their stories and experiences that seek to engage, not alienate, new audiences so a better understanding of domestic violence and the issues around it can be built up in society.

Over three days in January, a group of 24 women from the clubs told stories, sang songs, played theatre games and made masks helped by a group of young artists.

When the masks were complete, photographer Jamie Maxtone Graham then took portrait photos including the masks so that the women made up one chain of experience, solidarity and togetherness.

“Like their stories, these women are all unique but they have this thing they share and are united in it – both in their experience of domestic violence and in their admission of it. That admission, that is the really difficult work,” said the photographer.

Some, as people can see, conceal their faces behind their masks. Perhaps they can tell why or people can guess. Some peer out a bit from behind, half hidden, partially revealed. And then there are the women who are not concealed in any way.

“This was a fairly quick project made with a group of highly committed, creative people from four different countries, 24 amazing Vietnamese women who have experienced often extreme gender violence and a very small budget,” said project designer Paul Zetter.

“We hope it brings people together in a space where they feel safe to reveal what’s really important to them,” he said.

The exhibition will run until Friday, at 45 Trang Tien Street , Hanoi. -Enditem

Erosion eats away rest of damaged An Giang highway

An Giang (VNA) -- Erosion from a recent landslide that swept away 50m of Highway 91 in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang is now threatening the remaining stretch of the road.

According to Nguyen Thanh Tam from the provincial Department of Transport, the landslide, which occurred in Binh My Commune next to the Hau River , swept 10m off the 11m wide road into the river, followed by sudden erosion early on March 22 morning when the road was empty.

But the damage could be worse than initially thought after several large cracks in the road had put nearby houses at risk of falling into the river, said Cao Van Be from the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

Officials swiftly enclosed the eroded part of the road and redirected traffic along other routes in Chau Doc district. Tam said work on a 120m-long temporary bridge have began to replace the eroded section of the road. Local authorities had also started arranging resettlement for households threatened by erosion along the river.

Last month, two landslides occurred in Binh My and Phu An communes that swept away more than 500sq.m of land. Seven landslides in nearby Tien Giang province have also been reported since the beginning of the year.-Enditem

Ambassadors join cooking contest

Hanoi (VNA) – The ambassadors of Italy, Germany, Brazil, Sweden and Belgium will join a cooking contest at Mediterraneo restaurant on April 3 in the capital city of Hanoi.

The best cook will be voted by the participating guests and all prizes will be put on auction for charity.
The event is sponsored by Piaggio, VinaPearl, Metro, Melia Hotel and The Warehouse.-Enditem

VTC to broadcast this summer’s World Cup

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam Digital Television (VTC) will broadcast live 64 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa this summer, the company announced at a press conference on March 23.

VTC, who won the right to broadcast the 2006 World Cup in Germany, continues its programme to bring live football on high-definition VIP channel in cooperation with Japanese partner Dentsu Alpha.

As scheduled, VTC will send 30 reporters and technicians to cover all the matches from stadia across South Africa.
Dentsu Alpha is a member of the Asia-network of Dentsu that has been granted official broadcasting rights by FIFA.-Enditem

Vietnamese girl wins British scientific prize

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese girl Nguyen Thao Nguyen, who is a final-year chemicals major at the University of Southampton of the UK has won the first prise and Roscoe Medal at the “Set for Britain 2010” competition.

The Saigon Gia Phong daily says Thao won the award of the p hysical sciences area for her project on Porphyrin-DNA as scaffold for nanoarchitecture and nanotherapy that would help in strengthening functions of medical equipment in treatment of skin cancer by laser beam.

Nguyen has earned a master degree in chemicals at the University of Oxford . She won first prize for her research project of the University of Southampton in 2008 and a prize for young scientist of the British Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council in 2009 (EPSRC).

“Set for Britain” is an annual contest, which aims to encourage, support and promote Britain's early-stage and early-career research scientists, engineers and technologists.-Enditem

Safari park to add wild touch to city’s birthday anniversary

Hanoi (VNA) – Hanoi ’s first safari park will be opened at the Bao Son Paradise park in Hoai Duc district on March 27 together with five other entertainment facilities to celebrate the 1,000 th birthday anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

The zoo will put on display many rare animals of Africa such as white lions, white and yellow tigers, hyenas, pumas, dinosaurs and giraffes. The park also imports different kinds of birds, parrots and reptiles to entertain the visitors.

Asides from animals imported from Africa , the Bao Son Paradise park has also received a number of rare species of monkey and bird that are listed in the Red Book, as gifts from the Wild Animal Rescue Centre No. 1.

The safari park is one of the six new entertainment facilities that are to be launched on March 27 to contribute to festivities on the occasion of the 1,000 th birthday of the capital city.

The five other facilities include an ocean world, a modern 4D cinema, a 2,000-seat convention hall, a restaurant and theatre and a tennis course.

So far, most of the 34 entertainment facilities within the park have been completed, welcoming thousands of tourists, local and foreign alike, every day.

Construction of the Bao Son Paradise park started in 2005 with an estimated investment of 1.7 trillion VND (90 million USD). The tourism complex serves as a place to preserve old architecture works of Vietnam and Hanoi and promote the fine cultural values as well as the unique natural beauty traits of Vietnam .- Enditem

Press Highlights March 24

Current Events

· Party Secretary General Nong Duc Manh and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong receive the Chinese National People’s Congress delegation (All dailies, page 1).

· State President Nguyen Minh Triet hosts a reception for the Russian Defence Minister (All dailies, page 1).

· Fatherland fronts of Vietnam and Laos increase cooperation (All dailies, page 1).

· National Assembly launches site connecting deputies and the public (Nhan dan, page 1).

· Building confidence, solving unconventional security issues together (Quan doi Nhan dan, page 1). Interview with Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Khac Nghien, Deputy Minister of Defence on the 7 th unofficial meeting among ASEAN armies’ commanders in chief.

· A bridge spanning Spratly archipelago (Quan doi Nhan dan, page 1). The season for bringing goods to the island sets in from March.

· Hanoi actively prepares for 16 th ASEAN summit (Ha Noi Moi, page 1).


Socio-economic Affairs

· Activities in celebration of the World Water Day and the 60th birthday of the World Meteorological Organisation (Nhan dan, page 8).

· Responding and adapting to climate change (Nhan dan, page 8). The Hanoi-based Vietnam National University opens the international conference of inter-governmental committee on climate change.

· Standard Chartered assists eye-care for Vietnamese kids with a funding of 630,000 USD (Nhan dan, page 7).

· Vietnam capable of approaching foreign investors, said Ambassador of the European Commission to Vietnam , Sean Doyle (Quan doi Nhan dan, page 8).

· UK wants to increase investment in Vietnam to 3 billion USD (Quan doi Nhan dan, page 7).

· Promoting initiatives and education programmes for sustainable development (Ha Noi Moi, page 8). An extended meeting of partners of the UN International Decade of Education for Sustainable Development held by the National Commission for UNESCO of Vietnam.

· Vietnam is a priority destination for Spanish enterprises (Lao dong, page 6).

· RoK band, Super Junior, to perform in Vietnam (Lao dong, page 5).

· “Captions of an imaginary culture” (Lao dong, Ha Noi page). An exhibition of Australian sculptor Clare Martin at the Vietnam Museum Ethnology.

· Ambassadors join in cooking contest in Hanoi (Lao dong, Hanoi page).

· There are a lot more heritages that are worth being honoured,” said General Secreatry of the National Commission for UNESCO Pham Sanh Chau.

· A Vietnamese postgraduate student wins first prize of a science competition “Set Britain 2010” in the UK (Sai gon Giai phong, page 3).

· Network security becomes hot issue (Sai gon Giai phong, page 7). Vietnam now has over 23 million Internet subsribers. Almost all enterprises and organisations run their own networks and websites to promote their images and this is, according to experts, a fertile land for cyber attackers.

· Aviation industry speeds up (Thanh nien, No. 82, page 3). Vietnam ’s aviation industry has a quite bright outlook this year as many local and domestic airlines take off to a good start so early on and the market is expected to expand by 10-15 percent against last year’s growth rate of 8.4 percent.

· Vitranss 2: over 166 billion USD needed for 396 transport projects by the year 2030 (Thoi bao Kinh te [Economic Times], No. 70, page 6). JICA just completed a comprehensive study on sustainable development of Vietnam ’s transport system Vitranss 2 after two years.

· Manpower shortage in nuclear power sector predicted in the near future (Thoi bao Kinh te, No. 70, page 13). Vietnam expects to build its two first nuclear power plants with total designed capacity of 2,000 MW, which are slated to start operation by 2020. By that time, Vietnam will need around 2,000 university graduate employees. However, the country now is only capable of training over 100 engineering graduates each year.

· Lloyd’ Register: Vietnam has made huge headway in ship-building (Sai Gon Tiep thi [Sai Gon Marketing], No. 31, page 4. Marine Senior Vice President of Southeast Asia region, Nigel Worsley, said ships built in Vietnam can compete with those assembled in China in term of quality. A number of foreign ship owners said there is almost no difference between ships built in Vietnam and those in Europe .

· US dollar and gold borrowing rates offered by banks go in opposite directions (Thanh nien, No. 82, page 7). While borrowing rates for US dollars tend to rise, those for gold inch down towards zero percent.


International Events

· Regarding Google’s withdrawal from China (Nhan dan, page 8).

· New START agreement comes to a gridlock due to differences in NMD issue (Quan doi Nhan dan, page 8).

· Thailand political chaos yet to find a solution (Ha Noi Moi, page 8).

· Anti-diarrhoea Rotarix vaccine contains A/H1N1 flu virus (sai gon Giai phong, page 8).- Enditem

 

 

BUSINESS

 

 

 

2.5 billion USD in FDI disbursed in first quarter

Hanoi (VNA) - FDI disbursement was estimated at 1.4 billion USD in March, bringing the total in the first three months of this year to 2.5 billion USD, a year-on-year increase of 13.6 percent.

According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment’s Foreign Investment Agency (FIA), in the period, the country licensed 139 new projects with a combined registered capital of over 1.9 billion USD, equivalent to rises of 59.1 percent in the number of projects and 59.5 percent in registered capital compared to the same period last year.

Also, 41 existing projects gained additional capital totalling 215 million USD, signifying year-on-year boosts of 51.3 percent and 5.2 percent respectively.

In total, FDI attraction in the first quarter reached 2.14 billion USD, or 29 percent of last year’s figure.

The southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau continued leading the country in FDI attraction with 902.6 million USD. It was followed by Ho Chi Minh City with 448 million USD and the central province of Quang Ngai with 340 million USD.

Among 25 countries and territories investing in Vietnam since the beginning of the year, the US ranks first with 980 million USD, followed by the Republic of Korea , 585 million USD and Singapore , 147 million USD.-Enditem

Surprise jump in CPI this month

Hanoi (VNA) – The nation’s consumer price index (CPI) in March rose 0.75 percent over the previous month and 9.46 percent year-on-year, helping the first quarter CPI jump 8.51 percent against the same period last year.

The General Statistics Office (GSO) reported that 10 out of 11 commodity groups recorded increases of between 0.15 percent and 1.38 percent, but post and telecommunication services dropped by 0.2 percent as a result of promotions and discount programmes.

Housing and construction materials increased the most sharply during the month with 1.38 percent, followed by food and restaurant services with a 1.03 percent increase, transportation services rose 0.92 percent, commodities and services were also up 0.56 percent and entertainment, tourism and cultural services racked up a 0.5 percent rise. Garments and footwear placed last on the list with an increase of only 0.15 percent.

The March bump is unusual compared with the last five years, which saw only slight rises or decreases, said Deputy Head of the GSO’s Trade and Pricing Department Nguyen Duc Thang.

He attributed the jump to the increase in the prices of coal, electricity, oil and gas and steel after the traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) while the prices of other essential commodities remained at their previous high levels.

Oil and gas price hikes pushed up the cost of transportation services and goods between 10-20 percent, he noted.

He went on to say that the leap in the price of electricity by one-third contributed to the upward pressure on the prices of steel (by 200,000VND-900,000 VND per tonne), urea fertiliser (300-500 VND per tonne) and cement (100,000 VND per tonne).

Additionally, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV)’s adjustment of the exchange rate between USD and Vietnam dong has ratcheted up input costs for many local production sectors that depend on imported material and equipment.

Economic experts have emphasised the necessity for the State to get involved in price adjustments to keep the economy on an even keel, and protect consumers against increases in the prices of essential commodities.

In March, the price of gold in the country rose by 1.21 percent from February and the US dollar price climbed 1.28 percent over the previous month.-Enditem

Construction group HUD Holdings makes debut

Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Housing and Urban Development Holdings Group (HUD Holdings) made its debut in Hanoi on March 24.

The group is made up of five construction businesses, namely the Housing and Urban Development Corp, the Hanoi Construction Corporation (Hancorp), the Vietnam Building Glass and Ceramics Corp (Viglacera), the Bach Dang Construction Corp, and the Vietnam Water Supply Sewerage and Environment Construction Investment Corp (Viwaseen).

The group will play an important role in directing the country’s urban and housing development strategy, helping stabilise and regulate the real estate market.

HUD Holdings is expected to achieve its strategic goal of building 8-10 million sq.m. of residential housing through 2015.

Addressing the debut ceremony, Construction Minister Nguyen Hong Quan stressed that the group needs to build a development model in accordance with the demands of the current reality in order to build the capacity of its members in all aspects.

This is a foundation for HUD Holdings to carry out large-scale projects in and outside the country, Minister Quan said.

HUD Holdings General Director Nguyen Dang Nam took this opportunity to present 5 billion VND in support of the Fund for the Poor.-Enditem

Seminar seeks to boost tourism in Central Vietnam

Gia Lai (VNA) – A seminar seeking ideas to promote cooperation in the tourism industry among the Central Highlands and southern Central provinces took place in Pleiku city on March 24.

It is high time that the provinces had stronger links and jointly tapped the region’s tourism potential, said participants at the seminar entitled “Linking up for tourism development in Central Highlands and Southern Central provinces ”.

They agreed that the provinces should design plans, including the creation of tourism products, link tourist sites and cooperate in event organisation and human resource training for the industry.

In addition, it is vital to build an inter-provincial transport system and cooperate with northern and southern provinces as well as with Cambodia and Laos ’s neighbouring provinces in opening tours, they said.

The provinces, home to abundant tourism potential, have attracted a great number of domestic and foreign visitors over the past years. -Enditem

Chiang Mai Initiative comes into effect

Hanoi (VNA) – The Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation (CMIM) Agreement officially came into effect on March 24, according to the Ministry of Finance.

The 120-billion USD agreement was signed by the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of ASEAN member countries, China , Japan , the Republic of Korea and the Monetary Authority of Hong Kong ( China ) last December.

The agreement is a multilateral currency swap contract between ASEAN+3 countries to increase their response to rising risks and fluctuations in the global economy.

CMIM provides financial support through currency swap transactions to its participants facing difficulties in balance-of-payments and short-term liquidity.-Enditem

Khanh Hoa to host ASEAN finance meetings

Hanoi (VNA) – The central coastal province of Khanh Hoa will host the 14th ASEAN Finance Minister’s Meeting, the ASEAN Bankers Council Meeting and relevant conferences from April 5-8.

The Prime Minister has agreed that the Ministry of Finance and the State Bank of Vietnam will prepare for these meetings as part of the ASEAN Year 2010 in Vietnam.-Enditem

Germany to grant 7 mln EUR for wastewater treatment

Can Tho (VNA) – The German government will provide 7 million EUR to a project to improve wastewater management and treatment for industrial zones in Vietnam .

The news came during an initial meeting to kick off the research project AKIZ that aims to promote wastewater treatment measures for industrial zones in the Mekong delta province of Can Tho on March 24.

The province’s Tra Noc Industrial Zone has been chosen to be the first place to apply the recommendations on wastewater and sludge treatment, reuse and harness to produce energy.

AKIZ is a joint research project by scientists from the Institute of Environmental Engineering and Management at the University of Written and seven universities and institutes of Vietnam . It was started last year and will be completed by 2014.

During the period, there will be six sub-projects, mainly on studies and evaluations of wastewater’s environmental impacts, measures to abstract toxic substances, harness energy from wastewater and apply modern technologies for sludge treatment.

Covering on an area of 290 hectares, the Tra Noc Industrial Zone has a total of 166 projects and so far 128 of them have been operational across the board, from leather and footwear production, veterinary medicines, construction materials, mechanical engineering, manufacturing, fertilizers, chemicals, food and seafood processing industries.

Everyday, around 12,500 cu.m of wastewater is discharged directly from the industrial zone to rivers and canals without being treated, seriously damaging the surrounding environment.- Enditem

Vietnam - attractive beverage market for investors

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has emerged as one of the world most potential market for beer with great attraction to foreign investors, said the latest report in food and beverage of the Business Monitor International (BMI).

BMI, a wholly independent, London-based company, specialized in the analysis of global emerging markets since its foundation in 1984, forecast that the alcoholic drink sales in Vietnam will increase by 50.6 percent from now to 2013 with the revenue is expected to increase 16 percent a year.

According to the report, consumption of beer made up 98 percent of alcoholic drinks sales in 2008 and the figure is forecast to increase 50.7 percent this year and soft drink is expected to rise by 37 percent.

Many foreign beverage companies are seeking ways to enter Vietnam or raise their market share there, said the BMI.

Denmark ’s Carlsberg has announced its plan to acquire 50 percent of stake in central Vietnam ’s Hue Brewery Company after it increased its shares at the Hanoi Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Company (Habeco) from 16.07 percent to 30 percent.

Meanwhile, the Coca-Cola plans to invest about 200 million USD in Vietnam in the next three years.

Crown Holdings Inc. of the US , the world’s third largest metal packaging producer, also plans to invest 25 million USD in installing a production line of cans for soft drinks in the southern province of Dong Nai .

Additionally, PepsiCo, Diageo, San Miguel, SABMiller, S&N, Heineken, Budweiser, Kronenbourg and Bitburger strengthened their market shares by investing in new technology and production lines.

In the race to gain more market shares, local beverage companies, including the Saigon Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Corporation (Sabeco), which holds 35 percent of the market share, and Habeco are exerting efforts to expand businesses and raise competitiveness.

According to the Vietnam Alcohol, Beer and Beverage Association, the beverage sector is forecast to grow 15 percent this year. If the forecast become true, the sector will have the highest growth rate among the country’s industries.

Vietnam beverage products have been exported to Japan , Indonesia and the Republic of Korea . Especially, fruit juices and nutritional drinks gained remarkable market share in the Netherlands , the US , the UK and Canada.-Enditem

EU sued for extension of anti-dumping duties

Hanoi (VNA) – The European Union (EU) has been sued for its extension of the anti-dumping duties on leather capped shoes from Vietnam and China .

The Vietnam trade mission in the EU and Belgium-Luxembourg said the lawsuit was filed at the European General Court by the Federation of European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI).

Last December, EU members approved the European Commission (EC)’s proposal to extend anti-dumping duties for another 15 months on Vietnam and China ’s leather capped shoes as of January 2010.

In its petition, FESI stated that the EU’s decision was based on an inappropriate investigation and a flawed analysis of the facts, saying that the measures only succeed in hurting European businesses and consumers.

"The decision to go ahead with this action has only been taken after long and careful consideration, it is not something we do lightly," said FESI President Horst Widmann.

EU imposed anti-dumping tariffs on leather capped shoes imported from Vietnam and China since October 2006.-Enditem

Vietnam to host Asian audit officials in August

Hanoi (VNA) – For the first time, Vietnam will host the 42 nd session of the Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (AOSAI) Governing Board in August, said a state audit official.

The country’s host of the important event manifests the State Audit of Vietnam (SAV)’s rising prestige in the region, SAV chief Vuong Dinh Hue said, adding that this will be a chance for the country to play a larger role in designing ASOSAI’s strategies as well as implementing measures for sustainable development set by the organisation.

According to the official, the upcoming session will discuss methods of cooperation between ASOSAI and the European Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (EROSAI) as well as essential issues relating to auditing activities in the region.

Also, the board members will share experiences and seek ways to boost cooperation in training of human resources within the organisation and with other countries.

Established in 1979, ASOSAI boasts 45 members. Vietnam joined the organisation in January, 1997 and was elected to ASOSAI Governing Board at its 11 th Assembly in Pakistan in October, 2009. -Enditem

Steel prices rise on higher production costs

Hanoi (VNA) -- Construction steel prices have gone up to between 12 million VND – 12.8 million VND a tonne, about 600,000 VND higher than three months ago under the pressure of higher prices of many production inputs including electricity, fuel and coal.

The Vietnam Steel Association (VSA) on March 22 suggested the Government restrain import of rolled and other kinds of rolling steel that domestic factories can produce with high quality.

Vietnam imported nearly 6 million tonnes of steel last year. At present, the country has a surplus of 700,000 tonnes of cold-rolled steel and nearly 500,000 tonnes of hot rolled steel, according to the association.

“If the Government limits the import of these two kinds of steel, we can reduce the trade deficit by nearly 700 million USD and ensure the 12 percent growth targeted by the steel industry this year”, an unnamed association official said.-Enditem

Fares to climb for Hanoi- HCM City Express

Hanoi (VNA) -- The Vietnam Railway Corporation will increase the price of tickets on the Hanoi- HCM City Express by between 4 and 10 percent from April 29 to May 4 and from June 1 to August 15, the peak travel periods in the country.

The price hikes will focus on air-conditioned carriages. Ticket prices for hard seats and non air-conditioned carriages will remain unchanged. - Enditem

Da Nang becomes top destination for IT investors

Hanoi (VNA) – The central city of Da Nang has emerged as an attractive destination for investors in information technology (IT), said experts.

Ha Huy Hao, the Juniper Networks Country Director to Vietnam , said this view takes into account the city’s good infrastructure and services, and incentive policies for investors in the sector.

Da Nang’s IT sector is catching attention from US, Japanese and Singaporean investors, said Pham Kim Son, Director of the city’s Department of Information and Communications, in addition to 20 IT on-going projects in the city.

The National Steering Committee on Informatic Application last year ranked Da Nang first among cities and provinces nationwide in term of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) index.

The city’s IT sector grew by 25 percent annually in the past three years. Even during the world economic crisis, the rate of occupancy in the city’s software parks was still relatively high, according to statistics by the local Department of Information and Communications.

That is the reason why Juniper Networks, a world leading network infrastructure provider, made the decision to invest 10 million USD in building a next generation network (NGN) lab in Danang. The lab is said to be larger and more modern than the firm’s two labs built earlier in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City .

According to a draft master plan on developing IT parks in Vietnam by 2020, three IT parks will be established in Da Nang . Two of them have already been completed while the third one is in the phase of site clearance -Enditem

Property giant HAGL sets sights high

HCM City (VNA) - Shareholders of the HCM City-listed Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group, which has interests in property, hydropower development and rubber farming, have approved the management's plans to set higher turnover and profit figures for this year.

At its annual shareholders meeting on Marhc 19, the company announced it targeted a net profit of 2.01 trillion VND (104.6 million USD) on a turnover of 5.76 trillion VND, up 56 percent and 25 percent respectively from last year.

This year, the group will begin work on three new apartments projects in HCM City that will have more than 1,500 units – Hoang Anh Incomex, the second phase of Phu Hoang Anh, and Hoang Anh Tan Phu – and continue work on seven others that are already under way.

It will also begin construction of a 165,000-sq.m office block-shopping mall in the city, according to chairman Doan Nguyen Duc.

In other plans, the company will plant 12,000ha of rubber trees in Vietnam , Laos and Cambodia this year, targeting to plant 51,000ha of rubber in the three countries by 2012. It had completed planting on 12,000ha by the end of last year.

Two of HAGL's hydropower plants, each with a capacity of 42MW, are expected to go on stream in the second quarter while work will begin on three others.
Shareholders also approved the payment of 10-percent cash dividends for 2009 and an issue of bonus shares at the rate of two shares for every share owned.

This year the company will also convert 1.45 million convertible bonds it issued last October into common shares.- Enditem

Food group buys up rice to stabilise prices

HCM City (VNA) – The Vietnam Food Association has announced that it is to increase its target of stockpiling rice from 1 million tonnes to 1.5 million tonnes.

“The price will be set in accordance with the market and will satisfy the winter-spring crop guarantee of a minimum 30 percent profit for farmers,” said vice chairman of the association Pham Van Bay.

According to Bay, the completion of the winter-spring crop harvest in the Cuu Long (Mekong) River Delta has seen rice prices jump to between 4,200 VND to 4,500 VND (0.22 to 0.24 USD) per kilogram.

He said that businesses had collected around 790,000 tonnes of the 1 million tonnes required. However, a lack of storage facilities and a gloomy export market have slowed purchase.

Bay, however, was still optimistic about the rice export market after competitor countries such as Indonesia and Bangladesh suffered from poor harvests.

The association has asked its members to continue to stockpile rice and launch a website with up-to-date market information and support for farmers.

As of March 18, the country had signed contracts to export 3 million tonnes of rice, a drop of 12 percent against the same period last year, according to the association.

Of the signed contracts, the country has shipped nearly 1 million tonnes worth 465 million USD, a reduction of 25.9 percent in volume and 12.8 percent in value against the same period last year.

However, things are looking up now as several importers negotiate purchases of more rice from Vietnam and export prices show an upward trend, according to the association.

Over the past two months, rice exports were implemented mostly via government-to-government contracts.

However, rice exporters have now begun to get commercial contracts, the association said.
Several markets like Indonesia, Bangladesh are also planning to import rice from Vietnam, it added.-Enditem

Economic data fails to lift shares

Hanoi (VNA)- Despite the release of positive economic data, the VN-Index continued its down-ward trend on March 23, losing another 0.99 percent to end the day at 506.53.

Over 64 percent of codes on the HCM Stock Exchange declined, with Viettinbank (CTG), Vietcombank (VCB) and property developer Vincom Co (VIC) among the few high-profile advancers. Other gainers were mostly penny stocks.

Overall trading increased slightly, however, to 44.8 million shares, worth a combined 1.8 trillion VND (94.2 million USD). Telecommunications cable producer Viet-Han (VHG) led the southern market, with 2.6 million shares changing hands.

Real estate developer Long Hau (LHG) listed 20 million shares on the HCM City market on March 23. LHG shares hit their ceiling price of 48,000 VND on their first day of trading, with a volume of just 1,000 shares.

On the Hanoi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index also closed off 0.85 percent to 166.97. The volume of the day’s trades reached 29.8 million shares, worth 939.3 billion VND (49.2 million USD).

Losers outnumbered gainers by 154-82 while Kim Long Securities Co (KLS) continued to be the most heavily-traded share with nearly 3.6 million traded.

The northern bourse on the same day also welcomed a new listing of 1.5 million shares of Song Da Electrical Engineering Co (SDE). SDE closed off 6 percent up from its opening price to 30,000 VND (1.57 USD) on a volume of 74,300 shares.

Foreign investors returned to being net buyers on both bourses responsible for a net buy of 866,830 shares, worth a combined 63 billion VND (3.3 million USD).-Enditem

Piaggo introduces manlier scooter

Hanoi (VNA) - Piaggio Vietnam has launched a new scooter for men, the Vespa S, marking its second model since operations began last year.

The new model comes in four basic colours and will cost around 67.5 million VND (3,552 USD).

Piaggo Vietnam Factory, locating in the northern province of Vinh Phu, has a total investment of 30 million USD.

The factory is expected to produce 100,000 units a year at maximum capacity.-Enditem

Lower gas import duty urged

Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Gas Association has recommended the Ministry of Finance cut the import tax on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from the current 5 percent to 2 percent to force domestic LPG traders to drop their retail prices, said the association’s chairman Nguyen Si Thang.

Thang said that the current 5 percent tax rate was bought in a decade ago when a tonne of LPG cost 200 USD. Today, a tonne of LPG cost boughly 790USD.

Thang explained that the 5 percent tax rate was considered reasonable when the country had to import all its LPG but now, it import only half of the LPG demand.
Meanwhile, domestic LPG producers still price their product in line with the import LPG plus the 5 percent import tax.

“This means the price of LPG on the domestic market is too high and unreasonable, affecting consumers’ interest,” Thang explained.

If the approval is ratified, domestic LPG traders will have to cut their retail prices to match the drop in the price of imported LPG, helping consumers to enjoy a more reasonable price frame, Thang said.

The country consumes an average of 950,000 tonnes of LPG percent, with roughly 50 percent of the total produced domestically at the country’s only LPG plant in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau province. The country imports the remainder mainly from neighbouring China .

PetroVietnam forecasts that the country’s LPG demand will rise by more than 50 percent to 1.2-1.3 million tonnes per year by the end of 2010. It said additional demand will then double to 2.4 million tonnes per year by 2020, with domestic supply covering roughly 1.8 million tonnes of the total.-
Enditem

Ministry orders dealers to freeze petrol prices

Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Finance has ordered petrol retailers not to increase petrol and oil prices over the next few days.

In Official Letter 3500/BTC-QLG, the ministry called on retailers to closely monitor movements in world petrol and oil prices, while continuing to cut transport costs. The ministry also asked retailers to ensure there was enough petrol and oil for domestic consumption.

If retailers wish to raise petrol and oil prices, the ministry said they must first get official approval from the ministries of Finance and Industry and Trade.

Dealers must also reduce domestic retail prices if world oil and petrol prices fall, the ministry said.

The ministry’s letter was issued after oil and petrol retailers intimated that they wanted to increase prices to cut losses because world oil and petrol prices had risen.-Enditem

(MOFA)