|
Businesses speed up gold bar trading abroad
Hanoi (VNA) – Some Vietnamese gold trading companies are targeting Cambodia and Laos as potential markets for the gold bar trading business in the context of the sluggish domestic gold market due to the State limit of gold imports and exports.
In late June, the Sacombank Jewelry Company (SBJ) opened its subsidiary company in Phnom Penh with a chartered capital of 3 million USD and introduced its Than Tai Sacombank-branded gold bars to this market.
According to SBJ General Director Nguyen Ngoc Que Chi, Cambodia is a potential market with abundant gold reserves. Cambodia ’s recent discovery of an 8.1 million tonne gold mine opens up opportunities for the SBJ Cambodia to purchase materials and produce internationally-standardised gold bars on the spot.
In addition, Cambodia, which consumes 6-7 tonnes of gold each year, equivalent to one sixth of the level in the Vietnamese market, has yet to produce gold bars domestically, thus creating a good chance for Vietnamese businesses, she said.
Laos is also a promising market targeted by Vietnamese gold traders. Nguyen Thanh Long, General Director of the Saigon Jewelry Company (SJC), said his company has submitted to the Government a plan to open a gold bar production facility in Laos . Once getting the Government approval, SJC will invest 900,000 USD to build the facility.
“In fact, SJC gold bars have been sold in this market but the opening of a workshop and printing the company’s name in the Lao language on products will help further promote the SJC brand,” he said.
The company also plans to expand its gold bar production to Cambodia in 2011, he added.
Two other jewelry companies namely Phu Nhuan (PNJ) and Agribank (AJC) are conducting surveys in the Lao and Cambodian markets.
Ho Huu Hanh, Director of the State Bank of Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh branch, welcomed the businesses’ new move, saying that it is a good strategy as Laos and Cambodia are new markets with increasing gold bar consumptions.-Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mexico – potential market for Vietnamese tra fish
Hanoi (VNA) – Mexico has been the largest market of Vietnam ’s tra and basa fish in the Middle and Southern America , according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors (VASEP).
In the first six months of this year, Mexico imported 17,000 tonnes of tra fish worth 37.3 million USD, ranking fifth among importers of Vietnamese tra fish after the US , Spain , Germany and the Netherlands .
Tra fish and shrimps are two major export items of Vietnam to Mexico . However, shrimp exports make up a small proportion with only 45 tonnes exported for 402,000 USD in the first six months of the year.
VASEP said that before 2006, Mexican people did not know much about Vietnamese tra and basa products, and now those products are easy to find in many supermarkets and big markets like Walmart, Costco, Chedraui, Superama, and Sorianna.
The achievements were attributed to efforts by enterprises in searching and expanding markets. Active enterprises included Hung Vuong Corp, Bianfishco, Thimaco, CL-Fish, Navico, Thufico, Bien Dong Seafood and Ocean Food Corp.
Vietnamese enterprises found many favourable conditions in doing business in Mexico with stable import volume, fast and simple payment methods, low cost for transport and reasonable requirements for products’ quality and techniques.
As a result, the number of Vietnamese exporters of tra fish to Mexico increased to 54 enterprises in 2009 from 24 in 2004.-Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VN seeks business opportunities in Argentina
Buenos Aires (VNA)- A trade promotion delegation from the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and a group of Vietnamese enterprises paid a working visit to Argentina on August 9-10 to seek partners from this South American nation.
Speaking at the Argentina-Vietnam Business Forum, Pham Ngoc Canh, head of the delegation and deputy head of MoIT’s American Market Department introduced Vietnam’s economic achievements over the past two decades, advantages of business environment in the country and the Investment Law in 2006.
Despite a sharp increase in two-way trade turnover, it remains modest and far from matching with the two countries’ potential, Canh stressed.
Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Van Dao underlined the importance of the exchange of visits by both countries’ businesses, considering it as a bridge for strengthening economic relations between the two geographically distant countries.
Raúl Loeb, deputy chairman of Argentina’s Chamber of Commerce for Asia and the Pacific expressed his delight at the increasing number of Vietnamese businesses eyeing the Argentinian market, adding that his country’s businesses are keen to export their farm produce such as wheat flour and soybeans to Vietnam.
According to the official statistics, two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and Argentina increased significantly from 11.52 million USD in 1999 to more than 653.2 million USD in 2009.-Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tay Ninh asked to facilitate investment attraction
Tay Ninh (VNA) – The southern province of Tay Ninh should focus on personnel training and administrative reform in order to create a favourable environment to attract investors, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
While working with the local leaders on August 11, the Government leader praised efforts made by the provincial authorities and people to overcome difficulties and attain certain achievements in all aspects.
The PM, however, pointed out several shortcomings that the province should surmount in the future, including unsustainable economic development, lack of long-term and stable orientations for agricultural production, small-sized and labour-intensive industries as well as out-dated technologies.
Tay Ninh province should concentrate on fulfilling all targets set for 2010, including the effective disbursement of investment sources, and successfully organising Party congresses at all levels, he said.
In the next five years, the province needs to call for investment in eight industrial zones, build programmes for processing industries and apply advanced sciences and technologies in agricultural production and seafood, he added.
In the 2005-2010 period, Tay Ninh recorded an average GDP growth rate of 14 percent and per-capita income of 1,390 USD per year. Its poverty rate reduced to 1.5 percent.
The province sets a target of maintaining its average annual GDP growth rate at over 14 percent and increasing per-capital income to 2,970 USD per year in the next five years.-Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Combating desertification needs concerted efforts
Ninh Thuan (VNA)- The implementation of the National Action Programme to Combat Desertification (NAPCD) requires concerted efforts from relevant ministries, sectors and administrations at all levels, a government official has said.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Hua Duc Nhi, made this statement at a meeting of the national steering committee for combating desertification, which was organised in the central province of Ninh Thuan on August 10 to review five years of the performance of NAPCD.
Combating the degradation of land and mitigating effects of drought must be combined with developing sustainable livelihood and involve the participation of local people and administrations at all levels, the deputy minister said.
Nhi, who is also head of the steering committee, noted that administrations at all levels and sectors have been fully aware of the important role of the fight against desertification in the nation’s socio-economic development process.
Many programmes, projects and initiatives were already launched in the four prioritised regions – the northwest, the central coast, the Central Highlands and the Mekong Delta – while five groups of solutions of NAPCC have also been thoroughly deployed, he said.
The deputy minister hailed Ninh Thuan – a ‘hot’ spot of desertification – for efforts and achievements the province has made in implementing NAPCD over the past years.
At the meeting, participants focused discussions on a wide range of issues related to the programme, including legal foundation, personnel training, technical infrastructure for researching, surveys on the real situation of desertification, the building of a database on desertification and a drought map for the southern central and Central Highlands regions, and enhancing international cooperation in this field.
They urged the steering committee to renew its operations and step up the combination of the NAPCD with projects designed to prevent and control natural disasters and cope with climate change.
The participants also requested targeted cities and provinces must integrate combating the degradation of land and mitigating the effects of drought into their socio-economic development plans.-Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Japan helps restore reservoirs in Quang Ngai
Quang Ngai (VNA) – The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will provide 135 billion VND (roughly 698 million JPY) in non-refundable aid to help restore seven small-sized reservoirs in the central province of Quang Ngai .
An agreement to this effect was singed by head representative of JICA office in Vietnam Motonori and Vice Chairman of the Quang Ngai provincial People’s Committee Truong Ngoc Nhi in Hanoi on August 11.
The project, which will be implemented from January, 2011 to October 2012, aims to minimise the risk of breaking dam and ensure stable water supply for over 800 hectares of agricultural land in the province while strengthening capacity of water management agencies.
The project will not only help increase agricultural productivity but also bring about safety for the community, Motonori said, adding that the restoration will use designs of Japanese standards and managing methods which are suitable with Vietnam ’s regulations.
At the signing ceremony, Dao Xuan Hoc, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development stressed on the significance of the Japanese government’s support, which he said helps improve irrigation capacity of reservoirs, reduce the risk of waterlogged cases in lowlands, contributing to hunger elimination and poverty reduction as well as ensuring safety for people living in the lower region.
Nguyen Xuan Hue, Chairman of Quang Ngai provincial People’s Committee committed to ensuring the process and quality of the project.
Earlier on the same day, Japanese Ambassador Mitsuo Sakaba and Hue signed an exchange of diplomatic.-Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Int’l pharmaceutical expo comes to HCM City
Hanoi (VNA) – Over 100 enterprises from 20 countries and territories will attend the 10 th Saigon medi-pharmaceutical expo in Ho Chi Minh City from August 18-21.
This year, Vietnamese businesses will display their products at half of the 250 pavilions with well-known brand names like Dong Thap Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company, Hau Giang Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company, 3/2 Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company, Phuc Vinh Oriental Medicine Company and Roussel Vietnam Company.
A number of companies from Hungary , Japan , the US , New Zealand and Hong Kong will attend the expo for the first time.
A series of seminars to introduce Vietnamese pharmaceutical markets, the country’s regulations and policies regarding its health sector as well as updated technologies in global pharmaceutical production will take place within the framework of the expo.
According to the Ministry of Health, the Vietnamese pharmaceutical market recorded an average growth rate of 20 percent while other ASEAN member countries stayed at 13 percent growth during the past ten years.
A total of 39 foreign projects have invested in the sector, of which 27 have got underway with registered capital of 300 million USD, the ministry said.
Only 98 out of 178 medicine producers nationwide can meet the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), the ministry said, adding that the country meets only 50 percent of demand and has to import vitamins and medicines for heart disease and cancer.
Thus, the exhibition is seen as a valuable opportunity for domestic businesses to exchange experiences and learn pharmaceutical production technologies from nations across the world while expanding cooperative relations and attracting investment, the ministry stated.-Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gov’t gives rice for drought-hit provinces
Hanoi (VNA)- The Prime Minister has asked the Finance Ministry to grant 7,100 tonnes of rice from the national reserve for four drought-hit cities and provinces to overcome the consequences of the disaster in 2010.
Under the decision, the central province of Quang Nam and the southern province of Binh Dinh will receive 3,000 tonnes of rice each, the central city of Da Nang will get 600 tonnes of rice while 500 tonnes of rice will be granted to the central province of Khanh Hoa.-Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Innovation Day for HIV/AIDS Prevention opens
Hanoi (VNA)- The Ministry of Health and the World Bank (WB) launched the 2010 Innovation Day for HIV/AIDS Prevention with the theme “Community initiative: Preventing AIDS” on August 11 in Hanoi.
It is an activity supported by the WB to collect effective ideas to limit the spread of HIV in the community, contributing to restricting the effects of HIV/AIDS on the socio-economic development of the country.
The organisation board will provide start-up funds for prize-winning innovative ideas to bring them into practice and create opportunities for individuals and units to meet and share experiences in issues of concern.
The participating ideas will focus on five main themes, including models of behaviour change communication; efficient community-based intervention for HIV/AIDS prevention; preventing HIV/AIDS spread from mothers to children; care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS; and mobilising resources from communities and HIV-infected people in preventing the epidemic.
It is expected that 40 prizes will be awarded, each worth about 10,000 USD, said the organisation board.-Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vietnam, Thailand miss trade opportunities
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Thailand have yet to fully capitalise on their advantages and increase export earnings from one another.
Thai Ambassador to Vietnam Pisanu Chanvitan made the remark at a press briefing on Thailand’s Trade Fair, which is scheduled for August 12 in Hanoi.
The ambassador cited the fact that Vietnam, while topping ASEAN member countries in exports of aquatic products, has not yet secured a niche for its products in Thailand, which has a great demand for the item.
“It takes only four hours to transport aquatic products from Quang Tri province in Vietnam’s central region to Thailand. But, as the transport cost is high so prices of Vietnam’s aquatic products are much higher than similar products Thailand imports from the south Asian country of Bangladesh,” the Thai ambassador said.
Vietnam should move to reduce transport costs so its aquatic products can be more competitive and become popular in the Thai market, he said.
The diplomat also referred to another fact, that Vietnam is importing a large quantity of beef from Australia and New Zealand, while its neighbour Thailand, is a big exporter of high-quality beef at competitive prices.
In 2009, Vietnam and Thailand traded more than 6 billion USD in goods with Vietnam registering an import surplus. Having similar items such as foods and fruits makes it hard for Vietnamese products to find a niche in the Thai market. However, there are still chances for Vietnamese goods as their prices are lower than their Thai counterparts.
At the press briefing, the Thai diplomat reported that many Thai businesses are investing in Vietnam’s central region, mainly in seafood processing, real estate and tourism.
The two countries are also working on the launch of a high-quality bus service to transport Thai tourists to Vietnam’s central area, he said, expressing hope that Vietnam will lessen the timing required for immigration procedures at central border gates to facilitate this tourist programme .-Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PM extends condolences to China over landslide
Hanoi (VNA)- Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on August 11 sent a message of condolence to his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao, over the devastating landslide in China’s Zhouqu county, Gansu province.
The disaster has caused severe loss of lives and materials in China.-Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vietnam's nonlife insurance market gathers steam
Tokyo (VNA) - The Japanese economic daily, Nikkei on August 11 carried an analysis saying that Vietnam's nonlife insurance market is attracting more and more corporate and individual customers, and the intensifying competition may spur a realignment among insurers.
It quoted the Vietnamese Ministry of Finance’s statistics that nonlife insurance premium revenue in the country is projected to increase by 15 percent to 15.7 trillion VND (70 billion JPY) in 2010.
Sales of insurance policies for corporate customers -- the core segment of the market -- are being driven by construction, fire and cargo insurance. The number of construction projects is surging in the Southeast Asian country, as the government is promoting the construction of infrastructure. Sales of fire insurance policies are rising along with the increase in foreign direct investment.
Also expanding is the retail nonlife insurance market, where many of the products are for auto insurance, including that for motorbikes, and medical coverage.
The growth is being driven by rising sales of cars and the increasing number of wealthy and middle-class people who want more extensive coverage than just public health insurance. Strong growth in the housing market is also fueling sales of insurance to individuals.
Bao Viet Insurance Corp. and BIDV Insurance Co. (BIC) started selling fire insurance policies for condominiums this spring. The policies are offered along with mortgage loans by the London-based HSBC Group and the Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam (BIDV), with the former partnering with Bao Viet and the latter with BIC.
Vietnam International Assurance Co. (VIA), which is partly owned by Japan's Tokyo Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., is the largest foreign player in Vietnam. It plans to start offering fire insurance for condominiums this month and is considering partnering with a major local bank.
Nikkei noted that the country's nonlife insurance market has been growing at a robust pace, but the competition is getting heavy, making it difficult to generate profits. It is estimated that in 2009, only about 30 percent of all nonlife insurers in the country profited from underwriting insurance policies.
An official at a foreign insurer was quoted by Nikkei as saying that given the size of the market, some firms may go through a realignment, reducing the total number to about 15 in five to 10 years.
There are currently 29 domestic and foreign nonlife insurance companies in Vietnam.-Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Early warning system to avoid anti-dumping suits
HCM City (VNA) – The Vietnam Competition Administration Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade on Aug. 11 held a seminar in Ho Chi Minh City to introduce a new early warning system of anti-dumping cases to enterprises.
The seminar aims to help Vietnamese enterprises to actively avoid anti-dumping cases by accessing information on anti-dumping cases against Vietnamese products, and assessing the risks at major markets through the website: www.canhbaosom.vn or www.earlywarning.vn
Vietnamese exporters meet with many difficulties caused by foreign anti-dumping and anti-protection lawsuits.
So far, Vietnamese enterprises have faced 31 foreign anti-dumping and anti-protection lawsuits, with many cases coming from the US and the EU. The warning system will focus on these two large markets and five major export items of Vietnam : seafood, leather and footwear, garment and textile, wooden products, and electrical wires and cables.
The system was set up under a project financed by the Danish-funded Global Competitiveness Facility (GCF).-Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cambodia asks Thailand to postpone border meeting
Bangkok (VNA) – Cambodia has asked Thailand to postpone indefinitely the General Border Committee (GBC) meeting scheduled for August 27-28 in Bangkok .
Thai defence spokesman Col Thanathip Sawangsaeng said on August 11 that as scheduled, the meeting will be jointly chaired by the Defence Ministers of the two countries.
According to the spokesperson, Cambodia 's decision to postpone the GBC meeting might be a result of the border tension over the Hindu Preah Vihear temple.
Earlier, on July 29, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's (UNESCO) World Heritage Committee (WHC) decided to reschedule its discussion on Cambodia 's management plan for the Preah Vihear temple to its 35th annual meeting in Bahrain in 2011.
Prior to the WHC decision to postpone its discussion, Thailand threatened to walk out of the WHC meeting if the panel considered the Cambodian plan since the Thai side had not yet looked into details of the plan.
Thailand and Cambodia have historically laid claim to the site, which is located on a mountain top on the Thai-Cambodia border. The disputed area of 4.6 square kilometres has not been demarcated.
The International Court of Justice’s judgment in 1962 said the temple, which was built in the 11 th century, was situated in territory under the sovereignty of Cambodia.-Editem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Political bureau works with Party committees
Hanoi (VNA) – The Party Political Bureau had working sessions with the Party committees of Can Tho city and Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Long An and Tien Giang provinces to give comments on draft documents and personnel plans for the municipal and provincial Party congresses (term 2010-2015).
The working sessions took place from August 9-11 with the participation of politburo members Nguyen Minh Triet, State President; Ho Duc Viet, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Head of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee’s Organisation Commission; and Le Thanh Hai, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee.
President Nguyen Minh Triet praised the preparation of documents and personnel plans of the municipal and provincial Party committees and agreed with their personnel plans.
President Triet hailed important achievements in socio-economic and cultural development including party-building work, political systems, and the security and defence obtained by the Party committees and people of Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Long An and Tien Giang provinces and Can Tho city during the 2006-2010 term.
The economic structure has been developed in line with industrialisation and modernisation, with industry and services making up the largest proportion. Can Tho city registered a GDP of 2,000 USD per capita, while Khanh Hoa province was over 1,500 USD.
These localities also saw developments in the socio-culture, security-defence, party-building work, and the implementation of the campaign, “Studying and following the moral example of President Ho Chi Minh”.
President Triet urged the five localities to look into their weaknesses, raise the spirit of criticism and self-criticism while assessing and analysing their shortcomings and then setting goals and targets for development in the upcoming term.
He also asked the local Party committees to continue implementing political and ideological work among the Party, people, officials and workers.
They need to focus on mass mobilisation and religion-related work and improve the quality of the campaign, “Studying and following the moral example of Ho Chi Minh”, he added.
Also, the local Party committees and authorities need to accelerate poverty reduction works, concentrate on socio-cultural development, and pay attention to the training and development of human resources and personnel planning, particularly training for female personnel.-Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hai Phong’s tourism week marks Hanoi’s birthday
Hai Phong (VNA) – The northern port city of Hai Phong will organise the first Culture, Sports and Tourism Week from Sept. 28 to October 2 in response to the grand ceremony of the 1,000 th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.
The city’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Department said the week, which is expected to be held annually, aims to encourage service and tourism businesses to expand production and diversify and raise the quality of their products.
The week will include the second lion dance contest, a gastronomic festival, an artefacts, drinks and tourism exhibition, water puppet shows, folk games and other traditional art performances, the department said.-Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First crude imports feed VN’s first oil refinery
Quang Ngai (VNA)- A crude oil tanker from Azerbaijan arrived at Viet Thanh bay on August 11 to supply raw materials for the Dung Quat oil refinery in the central province of Quang Ngai .
It is the first shipment under a deal signed by the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) with the SOCAR Company of Azerbaijan and the BP Group.
Under the deal, SOCAR will supply Dung Quat refinery with 65,000 cu. m. of crude oil by mid-August and BP, another 65.000 cu.m. by late August.
Crude imports will be blended with crude pumped from the Bach Ho oil field in southern Vietnam ’s waters for cheaper inputs and better outputs.-Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MSG maker compensates Dong Nai farmers
Dong Nai (VNA) – Taiwanese-owned monosodium glutamate maker, Vedan, has agreed to pay more than 119 billion VND in compensation to farmers in two districts of the southeastern province of Dong Nai affected by pollution caused by Vedan.
According to the document sent by Vedan General Director Yang Kun Hsiang to the provincial People’s Committee on August 11, Vedan proposed to transfer 50 percent of its compensation to affected farmers in four communes of Long Thanh and Nhon Trach districts within seven days as of August 11 and the rest from Jan. 10-14, 2011.
Vedan has also agreed to pay 45.7 billion VND to affected farmers in HCM City and 53.6 billion VND to those in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province.
Also on August 11, the provincial lawyers’ delegations continued offering legal help to affected farmers in the two districts in filing their suits against Vedan. More than 1,200 documents on the issue have been sent to the court.
In September 2008, Vedan was caught discharging untreated waste water into the Thi Vai river by environment police and inspectors, who estimated that 100,000 cu. m of untreated waste water had been dumped directly into the river a month, starting in 1994 when Vedan began operating.
Research by the Institute of Environment and Natural Resources of HCM City National University found Vedan’s waste water had polluted 80-90 percent of water in the Thi Vai river which runs nearly 80 km through HCM City , Dong Nai and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces.
Up to 2,700 ha of fish farms along the banks of the river had been affected badly, including 2,100 ha in Dong Nai and the remaining 600 ha in HCM City and Ba Ria-Vung Tau, the institute said.-Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
China boosts tourism in HCM City
HCM City (VNA) – A seminar to promote China ’s tourism in Ho Chi Minh City , themed “China-Vietnam Friendship Year, joining hands for tourism development”, was held on August 11.
Addressing the function, attended by tourism officials from China ’s Guangdong , Guangxi and Yunnan provinces, Chinese Consul General in HCMC Xu Ming Liang affirmed the significance of the development of tourism cooperation between Vietnam and China .
Increased bilateral ties have contributed to boosting travel between the two countries, he said.
Chinese tourists have accounted for a large number of visitors to Vietnam for years, Liang said, adding that thanks to improved living conditions, more and more Vietnamese people now have a chance to tour China .
The deputy head of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), Nguyen Manh Cuong, emphasised the importance of the Vietnam-China friendship year 2010, which helps lift bilateral relations to a new height, including cooperation in tourism.
The year is expected to increase understanding between the two tourism sectors and offer chances for tourism enterprises of both countries to meet each other and set up business links.
According to La Quoc Khanh, Deputy Director of the HCM City Culture, Sports and Tourism Department, his city welcomed 140,000 Chinese visitors last year and is expected to receive nearly 200,000 tourists from the neighbouring country in 2010.
Khanh added that China now ranks sixth out of 10 leading markets of the city’s tourism sector.
China is also one of the three favourite destinations of the city’s dwellers. It is expected that 60,000 of the city’s residents will visit China this year, Khanh said.-Enditem
11 provinces join WB-funded water project
Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved a list of 11 provinces which will take part in the first phase of an urban water supply and drainage project funded by the World Bank.
The provinces include Quang Ninh and Ninh Binh in the north, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Nam, Quang Tri, Lam Dong and Dak Lak in the central and Central Highlands regions, and Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc and Kien Giang in the south.
The first phase has a total investment of 200 million USD, of which 150 million USD will be sourced from the WB’s International Development Association (IDA) and the remaining will come from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).
The PM also asked the Ministry of Planning and Investment to work with the WB on the second phase of the project, expected to be implemented in the fiscal year of 2013.-Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VN-Index down in red lighting on bourses
Hanoi (VNA) — The VN-Index declined by another 2.34 percent on August 10 session at 461.67 points, with 86 percent of codes on the HCM Stock Exchange lighting up in red by the end of the day.
Despite the slumping share values, the overall value of trades rose by 34.4 percent over August 9’s total to 1.6 trillion VND (84.2 million USD), on a volume of 56.5 million shares. Sacombank (STB) was the most-active share, with 2.15 million changing hands.
On the Hanoi Stock Exchange on August 10, the HNX-Index also shed 2.85 percent to close at 137.85 points. The value of trades totalled 952.8 billion VND (50.1 million USD) on a volume of 38.5 million shares.
Market oberservers noted that about 350 billion VND (18.4 million USD) was injected into the market in the final 15 minutes of the session, helping cushion the market fall.- Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rubber exporters enjoy windfall
HCM City (VNA) — Vietnam exported 324,000 tonnes of rubber worth 893 million USD in the first seven months of the year, according to the Vietnam Rubber Association.
The figure represented a 3.4 percent decrease in volume but 85 percent increase in revenue since rubber prices rose last year, the association's general secretary, Tran Thuy Hoa, said.
The average export price in the first seven months was 2,744 USD a tonne, 92.7 percent higher than in the same period last year, according to the VRA.
Global prices increased between January and April due to a recovery in demand from many industries and a fall in supply, she said, though prices edged down in May and June.
Global consumption of natural rubber is expected to be 10.43 million tonnes this year, 8 percent higher than last year, she said.
With output unlikely to rise significantly this year, prices are forecast to rise again in the remaining months of the year, she said. They are hovering at 3,038 USD a tonne now.
China is the largest buyer of Vietnamese rubber, accounting for two-thirds of the country's total rubber exports. Of last year's exports of 1.2 billion USD, 800 million USD was to China .
Of Viet Nam 's 216 exporters, 125 trade with China , mostly across the border.
Thus, when authorities there curtailed rubber imports in April, Vietnamese exports plunged for the next two months, Hoa said, pulling down overall exports inordinately.
In June, exports to China resumed after authorities loosened the ban.
To avoid a similar scenario in future and depending too much on that market, rubber exporters have begun to explore other markets, she said.
As a result, exports to several markets like Malaysia , Taiwan , Germany and Russia have shot up this year.
The EU is considered a lucrative market though very difficult to penetrate since it requires high quality while most Vietnamese rubber products are of medium quality. — Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Students visit national park
HCM City (VNA) — A group of 50 students aged 12 to 15 visited Cat Tien National Park in Dong Nai province last weekend as part of a year-long programme organised by the HCM City-based non-profit organisation Wildlife At Risk (WAR) in coordination with Khan Quang Do (Red Scarf) magazine.
During the visit, the students had first-hand experience of releasing rehabilitated wildlife to their natural habitat.
The trip is part of a year-long nature conservation and wildlife protection programme that aims to promote environmental and wildlife preservation and ends in May. Fifty endangered animals, including eight monitor lizards, two wild cats, a loris and a group of turtles, were released into the forest during the trip following a period of rehabilitation in the Cu Chi Rescue Centre.
Nguyen Chuong, deputy director of the centre, said the animals had been rescued from illegal traders or donated by pagodas in the southern provinces of Ben Tre and Kien Giang and HCM City .
The pagodas often take care of animals, especially turtles, which are given to them by Buddhist followers who use them in praying ceremonies.
The animals were in good health and able to survive in a natural habitat, Chuong said.
Participants who are members of clubs for teenagers such as Em Yeu Thien Nhien (I Love Nature) Club and Phong Vien Nhi (Little Reporters) Club and Guong Mat Tuoi Hong (Teenagers' Faces) Club also took a walk through the forest, watching wildlife at night and visiting the Cat Tien Bear Sanctuary. — Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Youth to take part in tiger conservation talks
HCM City (VNA) — More than 140 young people in HCM City and Hanoi have applied to take part in an international conference on tiger conservation to be held in Russia 's Vladivostok next month.
The Youth Tiger Summit on September 12-18 is a sideline event of the World Wild Life Fund (WWF) meeting that will be held in St Petersburg .
Members of governments from all 13 countries where tigers exist will attend the meeting. They include Bangladesh , Bhutan , China , India , Indonesia , Cambodia , Laos , Malaysia , Myanmar , Russia , Thailand , and Vietnam .
Representatives from the World Bank's alliance Global Tiger Initiative, non-governmental organisations, and private institutions will also participate.
" Vietnam is a tiger habitat, but the population of the animal is endangered here," said Le Thanh Binh, director of the Biodiversity Conservation Department under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
"We hope the youth will actively work with WWF and us to send an emergency message to the public about tiger conservation," she added.
Tran Minh Hien, director of WWF Vietnam Country Programme, said that youth aged 18 to 25 have applied for the two envoy spots.
"We appreicate their concern and enthusiasm in protection of this rare species," she said.
A shortlist of 14 young people was made last week by WWF Vietnam and the Biodiversity Conservation Department. Nine out of 14 people are from Hanoi and the remaining are from HCM City .
The selection board will conduct three-round interviews and tests of the candidates before choosing the final two people.
All expenses of the trip will be covered by the organising board. The area around Vladivostok in eastern Russia is home to the Amur tiger.
At the Youth Tiger Summit, young people will visit a tiger habitat and trails, and receive first-hand information about the state of the wild population and conservation measures.
They will also work to write a Youth Declaration on tiger conservation, which will be presented to the heads of government at the tiger meeting via a video conference between Vladivostok and St Petersburg on September 17. — Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
City to host medical equipment expo
HCM City (VNA) — More than 250 local and international companies will take part in the fifth international exhibition on medical equipment and pharmaceutical products in HCM City from September 22-25.
The PharmEd and Healthcare Viet Nam 2010 will be held at the HCM City International Exhibition and Convention Center in Tan Binh district.
The four-day event will showcase medicines, pharmaceutical ingredients, pharmaceutical production equipment and technology, pharmaceutical packing equipment, and equipment and technology for image diagnostics.-Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TA1108.008 President Ho biopic to hit big screen
Hanoi (VNA) — A feature film on the life of President Ho Chi Minh is set for release on August 19 to mark Vietnam 's August Revolutionary Day and National Day (September 2).
The biopic, titled Vuot Qua Ben Thuong Hai (Crossing the Shanghai Port), is made by the Viet Nam Cinematography Association's Film Studio and its Chinese partner, Zhoujiang Film Studio.
Based on a screenplay by Vietnamese writers Ha Pham Phu and Le Ngoc Minh and Chinese author Jia Fei, it portrays the life of Nguyen Ai Quoc, as the late President called himself then, in Hong Kong and Shanghai in 1933 and 1934.
It recounts his time as a revolutionary in Hong Kong before he moved to Vladivostock , Russia , to continue his career.
Trieu Tuan, the film's director, said the film highlights Ho Chi Minh, the greatest leader in Vietnam 's modern history and his remarkable work that led to the country's freedom.
"Through our film, we hope young audiences understand the spirit and revolutionary cause of the leader in Vietnamese history," he said.
Many of the film's scenes were completed in China 's Hengdian Film Studios in Zhejiang province. The crew also filmed in Hue , Da Nang , Quang Nam and Nghe An.
Young actor Minh Hai of the Vietnam Drama Theatre, who was chosen from among dozens of candidates to play the role of Nguyen Ai Quoc, said he improved while filming.
"I'm very proud of to be playing the young Ho Chi Minh. Besides its historical and political implications, the film is also about the hero of Vietnamese youth," said Hai, adding that he spent all of his ability for the role.
Hai and his colleagues did extensive research by going through books and documents about the President before and during the filming.
The film's post-production work was done in China .
Vuot Qua Ben Thuong Hai will be screened in cinemas in Hanoi , HCM City and Nghe An province. Later it will be broadcast on the Chinese Central Television's channel CCTV6. — Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nation wins golds at karate champs
Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam won two gold medals at the AKF Junior and Cadet Karate Championship in Hong Kong last week.
Tran Hoang Yen Phuong and Nguyen Van Su won golds in the junior female 53kg and junior male 68kg categories, respectively.
It is the first time Su has won international honours. Phuong on the other hand won a bronze medal at the World Women's Karate Cup in Paris in June.
Viet nam 's Tang Thi Hoa also won a gold medal in the women's 59kg category and two bronzes in the cadets' events.
Vietnam finished the tournament, which ended on August 8, in fourth place, behind Iran , Japan and Kazakhstan . — Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KIPA, HCM City cooperate in science, technology
Hanoi (VNA) – The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology (HDST) on August 10 singed a minutes of cooperation with Kipa group of the Korean Invention Promotion Association.
The cooperation programme will mainly focus on the research of information, the introduction and consultation of technology.
Accordingly, the HDST’s research centre for applications and services of science-technology will provide Kipa with information in an effort to get the group’s supports in searching for new technologies based on subjects of studies and projects carried out in developed countries worldwide, especially the Republic of Korea .
The programme will help Vietnam have access to updated technologies, improve product quality and the effectiveness of production. Kipa will also assist the country train human resources in the consultation and transfer of technology.
An opening ceremony of a showroom of technology transfer and information on cooperative programmes between Ho Chi Minh City and nations across the world as well as initiatives and new technologies in numerous fields also took place in the city on the same day.
The showroom is part of cooperation programme between the HDST and Kipa, said Le Hoai Quoc, the HDST’s Deputy Director.
“We believed that the partner will work with Vietnam to seek for new technologies and introduce suitable and cheap technologies for domestic businesses,” he said.-Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vietnam to export puffer fish
Hanoi (VNA) -- The Government has given the green light for Vietnam to begin exporting puffer fish for the first time.
Fishermen and seafood processors in the provinces of Kien Giang and Khanh Hoa, where waters are rich in puffer fish, have been selected to become the first exporters on a pilot basis under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The fish poses risks since it contains toxins that can be harmful to customers, and Vietnamese fishermen have heretofore lacked the skills and techniques to process the fish, said Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Luong Le Phuong.
The Government banned exploiting, processing and trading in puffer fish in 2003 after a number of deaths caused by improper processing. But the fish has high commercial value if safely processed to clear all toxins, Phuong said.
Puffer fish are used not only for food but to produce pharmaceutical products in Japan , the Republic of Korea , and other markets, he said.
Importers from Japan , the RoK and China have all expressed interest in buying the fish from Vietnam , he added.
Under a three-year ministry plan, an estimated 800-1,000 tonnes of processed fish would be exported annually at 5 -10 USD/kg, earning a turnover of 4-10 million USD each year.
The business was expected to generate jobs for 600-1,000 workers.
Kien Giang and Khanh Hoa would each choose two qualified businesses to work with RoK's Poseidon Seafood Co – the sole partner allowed to import puffer fish from Vietnam under the initial period – to classify and process puffer fish for export.
The deputy director of Kien Giang province's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nguyen Ngoc Phuong, said a training course began on August 9 for workers of the two chosen export companies in the province, with experts from the National Agro-Forestry and Fisheries Quality Assurance Department and Poseidon Seafood Co.
"Workers will be equipped with essential knowledge and techniques, from classifying different kinds of puffer fish to preserving and processing the fish to clear out all poisonous substance," she said.
Apart from the two chosen companies, all other individuals and businesses would continue to be banned from exploiting, processing and trading in puffer fish to ensure consumer safety, Phuong said.
Duong Van Mun, a fisherman in Kien Giang's Kien Luong district, said he was very happy to know that fisherman would be allowed to sell puffer fish.
"Whenever catching puffer fish, we used to throw away or process the fish into cattle feed at a very cheap price, but now we can expect to get a better profit," he said.
The pilot project also has a budget of 45-50 billion VND (2.3-2.6 million USD) funded from State and provincial sources and investors.
Minister Phuong said strict control and supervision would ensure safety and hygiene, from the catch to transport and processing of the fish.
There are an estimated 40 different varieties of puffer fish in Vietnam with a potential estimated catch of over 37,300 tonnes per year, according to the ministry.-Enditem
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
US’s NGO calls for aid to Vietnamese AO victims
Washington (VNA) - The Vietnam Agent Orange Relief & Responsibility Campaign, a non-governmental organisation in the United States , has called on Americans to aid Vietnamese AO victims and to contribute urgently needed funds for grass roots organising activities in the US in support of the victims.
In the call titled "Time to Act Now" released on August 10, the Agent Orange Day launched by the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/dioxin to raise fund for AO victims, the New York-based Vietnam Agent Orange Relief & Responsibility Campaign also called on Americans to go to www.vn-agentorange.org and sign an orange card, which will be delivered to US congressmen, in support of comprehensive Agent Orange legislation.
Merle E. Ratner, Co-coordinator of the Vietnam Agent Orange Relief & Responsibility Campaign, told US-based Vietnam News Agency's reporter that her organisation was working with communities across the US and with their representatives in Congress to develop legislation to comprehensively address the human needs of the victims in Vietnam and in the US .
She said the legislation, if approved, will address the need for health, rehabilitation and urgent care for Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange, cleanup of all the toxic hot spots in Vietnam , medical care for affected children and grandchildren of US veteran Agent Orange victims and health care for affected Vietnamese Americans.
The NGO's coordinator added that her organisation would continue to take part in an international corporate campaign to assure that Dow Chemical, Monsanto and 35 other corporations knowingly made Agent Orange for soldiers to spray on the Vietnamese people and land under the orders by the US government, pay to take care of the victims they have created.
According to the NGO, millions of AO victims in Vietnam are living with and dying from diseases and birth defects left behind from the US ’s spraying of Agent Orange and other chemicals during the Vietnam War. This legacy of the war, more than 35 years ago, also sickens and kills US veterans and their children and grandchildren.-Enditem
|
