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Vietnam, China step up defence ties
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam ’s Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh has expressed his hopes that the Vietnamese and Chinese Defence Ministries will step up the exchange of information and consolidate mutual understanding and trust.
At a reception given by the Chinese Defence Minister, Liang Guanglie, in China on August 24, Deputy Minister Vinh praised China ’s support for the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+) scheduled for this October in Hanoi .
Minister Liang welcomed the ADMM+ and said that he hoped the forthcoming conference will become a forum for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other regional countries to deal with non-traditional security challenges and nurture more cooperation and mutual trust.
Both host and guest discussed Vietnam and China ’s relationship, particularly in defence.
Minister Liang proposed boosting cooperation between China and Vietnam in every field and consolidating bilateral ties to mark the 60 th anniversary of their diplomatic ties.-Enditem
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FAO believes in effective cooperation with VN
Rome (VNA) – The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) believes in a comprehensive and efficient relationship with Vietnam , said the incoming chief representative to the country, Yuriko Shoji.
In a recent interview granted to Rome-based Vietnam News Agency correspondent on the FAO’s priorities within the FAO-Vietnam relationship and her plans for her term of office in the country, Yuriko Shoji highlighted the cooperative relationship between the FAO and the Vietnamese Government.
Food security issues in Vietnam are quite complex and challenging, she said, noting that the Southeast Asian nation has a fast growing economy and is one of the world’s leading exporters of food.
However, she said, Vietnam faces climate change and environmental and biosphere protection issues, particularly challenges to fishing and forestry.
Yuriko Shoji commended Vietnam on its successes in putting the “One UN” pilot programme into action.
She said that she believed the FAO and other UN agencies work well together but that there should be stronger links between the FAO and Vietnam and between the FAO and other UN bodies.
On Vietnam ’s role within the FAO framework and the nation’s contributions to the South-South cooperation, Yuriko Shoji, who has more than 20 years of experience working with UN agencies and will be the FAO’s first female chief representative to Vietnam , praised Vietnam ’s fast development in recent years.
She said she hoped that Vietnam , a leading nation in many regional and global fields, will share its experiences with other developing nations in the region and the world at large.
She emphasised the importance and necessity of South-South cooperation as Vietnam has a wealth of experience in development, an abundant workforce and a large pool of knowledgeable staff.
She pledged to facilitate Vietnam sharing its experiences through the South-South cooperation programme.-Enditem
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Dang Thuy Tram’s diary published in French
Paris (VNA) – The French version of “The Diary of Dang Thuy Tram” was published by French publisher Philippe Picquier on August 20 with the title “Dang Thuy Tram – Notebooks found during 1968-1970.”
In an article announcing the publication in France’s Le Nouvel Observateur (New Observer magazine), the author, Didier Jacob, talked about the journey of martyr Dr Dang Thuy Tram’s handbooks, which were discovered by a US secret agent after he survived a battle during the war in Vietnam.
The author described Dang Thuy Tram as an enthusiastic girl who was willing to sacrifice herself for her motherland.
He said that the French version provides more information about the US war in Vietnam , which is usually presented in a one-sided manner by the American media.
The diary was translated by Jean-Claude Garcias, who previously lived in Vietnam for two years. It took him 2-3 years to read and translate it into French.
Currently, Jean-Claude Garcias is translating another Vietnamese book into French which tells the story of a child who lives in the Mekong Delta, which is expected to become available to French readers next year.-Enditem
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Metropole Hanoi wins PATA gold award
Hanoi (VNA) – The Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi has won the Pacific-Asia Travel Association’s (PATA) 2010 gold award in the heritage category.
The award honours the hotel for the standard of refurbishment in one of Southeast Asia ’s most treasured properties, turning the legendary Metropole Hanoi into the Sofitel groups leading hotel.
The hotel was refurbished with modern facilities throughout, during its five year restoration, between 2004 and 2009. However, it still retains the original 1901 architecture.
Last year, the hotel was placed on the Conde Nast Traveller magazines gold list and was voted as one of the world’s 500 best hotels by the readers of the magazine Travel & Leisure.-Enditem
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Foreign investment hits 11.57 billion USD
Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam has attracted more than 11.57 billion USD in foreign direct investment (FDI) since the beginning of this year, a year-on-year drop of 12.3 percent.
Of the figure, 10.79 billion USD came from 658 newly-licensed projects, up 41 percent year-on-year in value, and 787 million USD from 143 operational projects, down 85.8 percent in terms of capital compared to the same period last year.
In August alone, the country licensed 125 projects with a combined registered capital of 2.47 billion USD and permitted six others to add 72 million USD to their existing investments, reported the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
As many as 850 million USD of FDI were disbursed in August, bringing the total amount so far this year to 7.25 billion USD, a year-on-year rise of 3.6 percent, according to the FIA.
During the January-August period, the FDI-invested sector earned 23.96 billion USD from exports and spent 22.37 billion USD on imports, year-on-year rise of 26.6 percent and 43.6 percent, respectively.
Vietnam expects to attract between 22-25 billion USD in FDI this year.-Enditem
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Vietnam trademarks compete for Golden Star prize
Hanoi (VNA)- As many as 200 Vietnamese trademarks and products are competing for the Vietnamese Golden Star prize 2010 and the chance to promote their trademarks on both domestic and international markets.
The awards ceremony will take place in Ho Chi Minh City on September 2 when the nation is celebrating the National Day.
The Vietnamese Young Entrepreneurs Association Vice President, Nguyen Manh Cuong, said at a press briefing in Hanoi on August 25 that there will other events to promote Vietnamese trademarks along with the awards ceremony such as a “Vietnamese Golden Star” parade for children in difficult circumstances and a flower-decorated convoy marching named “Vietnamese Golden Star-Vietnamese Trademark Promotion”.
Young people will have a chance to talk with young businesspeople during the event through a seminar.
The prize has been an annual event since 2003 and aims to promote Vietnamese trademarks on both domestic and international markets. It is one of leading trademark promotion campaigns in Vietnam .
So far, 1,127 trademarks and products have won the prize.
Many of the prize winners have managed to increase their revenues between 150 and 200 percent as well as expand exports and take a firm foothold on foreign markets.--Enditem
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Binh Phuoc helps Cambodian province repair road
Binh Phuoc (VNA) – The southern province of Binh Phuoc has helped Kampong Cham province of Cambodia repair a 13-km section of National Highway No. 7.
A handover ceremony was held in Kampong Cham province on August 25, the Binh Phuoc provincial People’s Committee said.
The road, linking Ta Vat border gate in Loc Thinh commune, Loc Ninh district, Binh Phuoc province and Ton Le Cham border gate in Kravien commune, Memot district, Kampong Cham province, was constructed at a cost of 2.5 billion VND.
The upgraded road has helped people travel more conveniently while increasing trade ties between the two provinces in particular and the two countries in general, according to the two provincial officials.
Recently, Binh Phuoc province has sponsored dozens of billion VND to help Lao provinces of Kratie, Muldukiri, and Kampong Cham upgrade traffic and electric systems and in the agricultural sector.-Enditem
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Norwegian intellectuals present gifts to Vietnam
Hanoi (VNA) – Two Norwegian intellectuals have presented a statue of the late President Ho Chi Minh and a book on Vietnam to the country on the celebration of the 65 th anniversary of August Revolution (August 19) and National Day (September 2).
A presentation ceremony was held in Norway on August 18 by the Vietnamese Embassy.
Well-known Norwegian artist Olav Orud used black gypsum and sculpted a life-size bust the same size as the bronze statue of Uncle Ho the artist exhibited in Hanoi in 2001. The bronze statue is now displayed in the Henrik Ibsen museum in the Norwegian capital city of Oslo .
On this occasion, James Godbolt, a lecturer from Vestfold University handed over his book titled, “ Vietnam ’s movements in Norway ” to Vietnamese Ambassador Ta Van Thong.
Ambassador Thong thanked the sculpture artist and lecturer for their warm affections to Vietnam . The two intellectuals actively donated to Vietnamese movements during the 1970s.-Enditem
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Vietnam’s seafood sector eyes UAE market
Hanoi (VNA) – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is considered a favourable market for Vietnamese seafood exporters which have seen their shipments to the market increase in recent years.
According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors (VASEP), Vietnam exported around 600 tonnes of seafood to the UAE in 2003 and 2004 and doubled the volume in the next year. The growth was maintained in the following years, resulting in 10,800 tonnes of seafood exported in 2008.
After a standstill of 6,400 tonnes of seafood shipped in 2009, the country’s export to the UAE obtained its biggest growth this year.
According to the Vietnam General Department of Customs’ report, the UAE imported over 9,100 tonnes of seafood worth 21.5 million USD from Vietnam in the first seven months of this year, up by 41.6 percent in volume and 36.3 percent in value against the same period last year.
Of the exports, tra fish was the main product, accounting for about 8,600 tonnes.
The growth in export of seafood to the UAE is a positive signal due to the market’s ease on technical standards and import tax exemption in the context of the sector facing difficulties in its major importing markets, according to some Vietnamese seafood exporters.
About 68 Vietnamese businesses nationwide have to date been engaged in exporting seafood to the UAE.-Enditem
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Asia joins hands in natural disaster control
Thua Thien-Hue (VNA)- As many as 60 experts from 20 Asian countries gathered at a meeting in Thua Thien-Hue province on August 25 to evaluate the impact of natural disasters in the region.
Neil R. Britton, a senior expert on natural disaster risk management from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), said his bank has given top priority in natural disaster control to anti-natural disaster programmes, calling for financial assistance and tightening cooperation among social organisations and non-government organisations.
From 1987 to 2009, ADB disbursed over 9.6 billion USD in aid to Asian countries to cope with natural calamities, including 19 percent in relief aid, 45 percent in control programmes and 36 percent in resettlement.
The biggest development bank in the continent has funded 11 relevant projects worth over 428 million USD for Vietnam during the above-mentioned period.
The three-day workshop under the co-sponsorship of Hue Economic University , the University of Delhi, India, and the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Belgium , is part of the Microdis project, short for ‘micro analysis of disasters’.
The project aims to strengthen prevention, mitigation and preparedness strategies in order to reduce health, social and economic impacts of any natural disasters on communities in Asia .
The continent is predicted to be the most vulnerable to climate change. Droughts, floods and rising sea water levels are threatening the lives of millions of people in the region.
Southeast Asia is called a hot spot of storms in the world as over 10 storms wreck havoc in the region annually.
During the past three decades, Asia was hit by 85 percent of natural disasters in the world and suffered 75 percent of damages caused by natural disasters to the world.--Enditem
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HCM City reviews overseas Vietnamese work
HCM City (VNA) – The Party Political Bureau’s resolution 36 on Overseas Vietnamese work has created an essential and strong change in the public awareness that “Overseas Vietnamese are an inseparable part and resource of the Vietnamese community”.
This was said by Luong Bach Van, Vice President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front’s Ho Chi Minh City chapter at a conference in the city on August 25 to review six years’ implementation of resolution 36.
The biggest achievement of the Overseas Vietnamese work in Vietnam ’s largest economic hub was to gain the support of the administrations and mass organisations at all levels for the work, the HCM City chapter said.
As home to the country’s largest number of Overseas Vietnamese and big projects invested by Vietnamese expats, HCM City has considered the Overseas Vietnamese work as a responsibility of its entire political system and local people.
Since the Overseas Vietnamese Liaison Association was established in September 2006, it has to date set up its branches in the city’s 24 inner and outlying districts and even communes and wards.
HCM City has published a monthly bulletin called, “The fatherland with Overseas Vietnamese” with 1,000 copies and a handbook for overseas Vietnamese.
It has also launched the website: www.alov-hcmc.org.vn to provide updated information on the state’s policies related to the Overseas Vietnamese work and recently put into operation a centre to provide support for young expats and students studying abroad on their return to the homeland.
While noting what HCM City has done for Overseas Vietnamese, Van also pointed out that the city remains passive in its Overseas Vietnamese work as it has not yet taken the initiative in inviting talented expats to come back to take part in building the city during the international integration process.-Enditem
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Estonia seeks to expand ties with Vietnam
Hanoi (VNA) – Estonia wants to strengthen and develop its friendship and cooperation with Vietnam , especially in the economy, IT, culture, tourism and education, said President Toomas Hendrik Ilves.
President Ilves was speaking to the newly-appointed Vietnamese Ambassador to Estonia , Doan Ngoc Boi, following the presentation of his credentials on August 25.
The Estonian leader applauded Boi’s opinions on measures to promote bilateral relations, including the increased exchange of visits at all levels, rapidly building a legal framework to facilitate economic cooperation and stepping up coordination at regional and international forums.
Boi promised to work closely with concerned agencies of both nations to advance the Vietnam-Estonia relationship, particularly in the fields of economy, trade, culture, education and IT.-Enditem
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Aid on way to Mindulle storm victims
Hanoi (VNA)- The Vietnam Red Cross has prepared money and goods worth over 4.3 billion VND to aid storm victims in the central coastal region after tropical storm Mindulle hit the region on August 24, killing seven.
According to the National Hydro-Meteorological Forecast Centre, storm No 3 has weakened into a tropical low and will continue bringing rainfall from Thanh Hoa to Nghe An provinces and expand to the southern region of the Northern Delta. The provinces should stay alert, especially taking precautions against flash floods and landslides in the mountainous districts.
The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has also resumed flights and added four more flights on August 25 between Nghe An’s Vinh City and Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The airline had to cancel 14 flights on August 23 and 24 due to the storm which seriously affected Nghe An, Quang Binh, Ha Tinh, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang and Quang Ngai. One victim died and two went missing in Hanoi Tinh province. Quang Tri province estimates damages at 4.5 billion VND and in Da Nang city, a fishing boat has been declared missing, along with 10 fishermen.
In the hardest-hit province of Nghe An, the storm killed 6 people and injured 43 others, unroofed 31,500 houses and collapsed 295 others, with about 8,400 ha of crop likely to be lost as well. The total loss is estimated at 590 billion VND.
To deal with the disaster, Thanh Hoa province has evacuated about 18,000 people in the coastal districts including Tinh Gia, Quang Xuong, Hau Loc, Hoang Hoa and Nga Son to the mainland.-Enditem
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PM receives Japanese economic minister
Hanoi (VNA)- Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on August 25 received Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Masayuki Naoshima on his working visit to Vietnam.
The Prime Minister welcomed Minister Naoshima and his delegation to the ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting in Vietnam, expressing his pleasure that the cooperative ties in economy, trade and investment between the two countries are developing positively despite the global economic turndown.
Minister Naoshima said that as a strategic partner with technical experience in constructing nuclear power plants, Japan wishes to cooperate with Vietnam in this field in the future.
Prime Minister Dung spoke highly of the safety of Japanese technology in this field and said he wished the two countries would soon discuss the signing of an agreement to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
Minister Naoshima said that Japan would consider stepping up the second session of the Vietnam-Japan Dialogue Forum in market economy, supporting Vietnam in farm produce quarantine, providing official development assistance for infrastructure building projects and helping Vietnam to use energy efficiently.
The same day, the Japanese minister was received by Truong Tan Sang, a Politburo member and permanent member of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee.
Sang confirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy of developing cooperative ties with Japan, adding the country will consider cooperation with Japan in nuclear energy.-Enditem
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Political bureau works with local committees
Hanoi (VNA) – The Party Political Bureau held working sessions with the Party committees of northern provinces of Hai Duong, Vinh Phuc and Phu Tho provinces to give comments on draft documents and personnel plans for their upcoming provincial Party congresses (term 2010-2015).
The working sessions took place on August 19 and 25 with the participation of Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, politburo members Pham Gia Khiem, Deputy Prime Minister, and Ngo Van Du, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Head of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee’s Office.
General Secretary Manh praised the preparations of documents and personnel plans of the provincial Party committees and agreed with their personnel plans.
He hailed important achievements in socio-economics and works on party-building and building of authority and political systems obtained by the Party committees and people of Hai Duong, Vinh Phuc and Phu Tho during the 2005-2010 term.
These localities saw high economic growth and improvement in people’s living conditions as well as the maintenance of political security and social order.
The General Secretary also alerted the localities to the quality of growth, the competitiveness of their local products, as well as development gaps between urban and rural areas.
He urged the three provinces to look into their weaknesses and raise the spirit of criticism and self-criticism while assessing and analysing their shortcomings and achievements.
In setting goals and targets for development in the upcoming term, the General Secretary asked the Party committees to closely follow major tasks, including raising the Party’s capacity and combative spirit, mobilising all resources to make breakthroughs in local socio-economic development and continuing to implement the national renewal process while maintaining the socialist orientation.
The Party leader also stressed that in order to obtain fast and strong development in the future, the localities should pay more attention to personnel training, especially high quality human resources, which is considered as a strategic plan in both the short and the long terms.
He also addressed Party committees on Party building work and building of authority systems and mass organisations. They should focus on raising officials and Party members’ knowledge on politics, lifestyles and morals and pay attention to the training of young and female personnel.-Enditem
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Prime Minister launches VNA’s VNEWS channel
Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung asked the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) to continue its leadership in reflecting current events and issues inside and outside the country quickly and accurately with its own television channel that he launched on August 25.
Following a two-month test run, the channel officially made its public debut with its name “VNEWS” saying it all, just news.
VNEWS marks an important milestone in VNA’s roadmap to operate as a communications consortium. It also heralds VNA’s 65 th founding anniversary (Sept. 15).
“This is a significant event in the nation’s press and communications activities as it affirms VNA’s role in the new circumstance and in serving the Party’s leadership and instruction and the State’s management and execution, and meeting the people’s needs for information,” he said.
PM Dung affirmed that the Party and the State will continue to support and assist VNA in accomplishing its assigned tasks successfully.
He asked relevant ministries, central agencies, provinces, cities, economic groups and enterprises to provide VNA with official information promptly and accurately as required so that the newswire agency can inform the local and foreign public officially and quickly.
PM Dung said he hopes that with its established tradition and the launch of its own TV channel, VNA will continue performing well in its role as the strategic information centre of the Party, the official news agency of the State and the trusted spokesman of the Government.
VNA Director-General Tran Mai Huong said VNEWS will broadcast throughout the day with constantly updated current events and latest news in all fields including political, economics, cultural and social.
Tasked as one of VNA’s key information units, the channel will, through its special programmes such as “Feedback”, “Breaking News” and “Reporters’ Prism”, broadcast information that reflects and defends the Party and State’s viewpoints and at the same time rejects and corrects false information and wrong opinions against the Party and State, noted the VNA senior official.
Huong expressed hope that by applying cutting-edge technologies and utilizing the father company’s strength, VNEWS will become one of the reliable conduits to receive and disseminate information from Party and State leaders, as well as from government ministries, sectors and businesses to viewers inside and outside the country.
With almost 1,000 reporters and sub-editors present across the country and in nearly 30 countries around the world and a variety of press publications of all media types, VNA is poised to develop into a strong national communications group in the development trend of the modern press.
VNEWS broadcasts will be on the VCTV, HTV-BTS, HCTV, SCTV, Nacencom, and IPTV on the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Corporation’s MyTV.
The channel will be present on Kplus (K+) – a satellite digital television network under the logo “TTXVN”, on cable TV systems run by different provinces and cities, and on digital TV service packages.
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State President visits Laos localities
Pakse (VNA) – State President Nguyen Minh Triet and his entourage left Vientiane on the morning of Aug. 25 and visited Louang Namtha and Champasak provinces of Laos .
Lao State President Chummaly Sayasone held a farewell ceremony for the Vietnamese guests, affirming that the official visit by President Triet strengthened the special friendship and solidarity between the two Parties, States and people of Laos and Vietnam .
President Triet expressed his pleasure at the fine development in relations between the two countries over the past, which opened up many opportunities for economic, trade and investment cooperation. He repeated his invitation to President Chummaly Sayasone to visit Vietnam soon.
Earlier the same day, President Triet visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos , meeting the embassy’s staff and representatives of Overseas Vietnamese in Laos .
President Triet praised Overseas Vietnamese for their solidarity and contributions towards the homeland as well as their joining hands with Lao people in the past national liberation and the present national development.
President Triet and the high-level delegation of Vietnam visited Louang Namtha, northern Laos , visiting local cultural and education establishments.
Meeting with Louang Namtha Party Secretary and Governor Phimmason Leuang-khamma, President Triet expressed his hope that Louang Namtha would look for economic cooperation with Vietnamese localities and should take the advantage of the border to develop a strong border economy.
On this occasion, President Triet presented Louang Namtha with 10 billion VND (520,000 USD) and 30 sets of computers. Some businesses included in the delegation presented 150,000 USD to help local poor and disadvantaged families.
In the past, Vinh Phuc and Phu Tho of Vietnam helped Louang Namtha build cultural houses, broadcasting stations, hospitals, boarding schools and junior secondary schools.
The same day, President Triet and his entourage visited Champasak in southern Laos , one of the country’s most dynamic provinces.
President Triet praised the province’s economic, cultural and tourism potential and hailed the economic cooperation with central and southern localities of Vietnam , especially Ho Chi Minh City , stressing that this cooperation has been a bright point in Vietnam-Laos cooperation.
At present, there are 18 projects worth over 1 billion USD of Vietnamese enterprises operating in Champasak. The Lao province has cooperation ties with 13 localities of Vietnam and is expecting investment in development of agriculture, industrial crops, transport, tourism, education and training.-Enditem
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Vietnam, Laos proud of traditional friendship
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Laos can be absolutely proud of their traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation as these ties have stood the test of time and through the ups and downs in history, said a Vietnamese senior official.
National Assembly Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu made the remark at his reception in Hanoi on August 25 for Lao Justice Minister Chaleun Yiapaoheu and his entourage, who are here for a six-day working visit.
The Vietnamese NA official showed his pleasure that based on mutual trust, the two countries’ ties have been unceasingly growing in a practical and efficient manner in all fields and in both bilateral and multilateral scopes and hoped this visit would contribute to step up and broaden the ties further.
The Lao minister said he made the visit with the aim of continuing to foster and promote the special solidarity, traditional friendship and all-sided cooperation between the two countries.
He informed his host of the results of his working session with the Vietnamese Justice Ministry, referring to the signing of a cooperation agreement that looks to contribute to the course of building law-governed states in each country.
He asked his host to send his best regards and finest congratulations to General Vo Nguyen Giap on his 100 th birthday.-Enditem
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Vietnam-China Youth Festival opens
Guangxi (VNA) - The Vietnam-China Youth Festival opened in China ’s Guangxi province on August 25, which expects to attract more than 7,000 Chinese delegates along with 3,000 Vietnamese youths in activities spanning eight Chinese cities over five days.
Speaking at the ceremony, Chen Jiwa, Vice Secretary of the Communist Party Committee of Guangxi expressed the belief that the festival will contribute to strengthening friendship, mutual understanding and trust between the two countries’ youth and people.
Lam Phuong Thanh, Permanent Secretary of Central Committee of Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, said that under the framework of the 60 th anniversary of Vietnam-China diplomatic ties and Vietnam-China Friendship Year 2010, the event is an important foundation to enhance cooperative relations and promote traditional friendship between the two nations.
With the theme, “Vietnamese and Chinese youths join hands to foster friendship”, the Vietnamese delegation will visit relics that are associated with Vietnam ’s revolutionary history, join activities to protect the environment and attend exchanges with local young people and seminars on young people’s business start-up to foster cooperation between the youth of the two countries.
Festival activities will take place in Liuzhou , Guilin , Beihai, Quinzhou, Fangcheng Port , Baise, Chongzuo and Nanning.-Enditem
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PM sends condolences to China on air crash
Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on Aug. 25 sent a message of condolences to his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao over great losses in lives and property caused by the serious plane crash that occurred in Yichun city.
The crash killed at least 42 of 96 passengers while the plane was attempting to land at Lindu airport of Yichun city in northeast China ’s Heilongjiang province late on August 24.
Also on Aug. 25, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem sent a message of sympathy to Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang over the deaths of eight Hong Kong citizens, who were killed in a hostage crisis in the Philippines on Aug. 23.-Enditem
Search for next top model gets under way
HCM City (VNA) -- More than 500 aspiring female models aged 18-25 auditioned on August 24 for a TV reality show Vietnam 's Next Top Model at Tan Binh district's White Palace .
The audition will continue on August 25 and 26 until 15 contenders are shortlisted for the semi-final.
This is the show's second audition after a similar event last week in Hanoi , which attracted up to 1,000 contestants from 30 northern and central provinces . Nine were selected for the semi-final.
Twenty-four semi-finalists will stay in HCM City for two months at the beginning of next month during which they will be mentored intensively in professional modelling by leading industry experts.
The contenders then will go through a series of challenges including photo shoots, modelling on the catwalk and make-up sessions, after which they will be eliminated until the last contestant is standing in a finale to be transmitted live on national television VTV3 at the end of the year.-Enditem
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Sacombank Securities to set up overseas firm
HCM City (VNA) -- Sacombank Securities (SBS), listed on the HCM Stock Exchange, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Lao Development Bank to set up a joint venture securities company in Laos .
The joint venture, called Lanexang Securities Public Company Ltd (or SBS-Lao), will open in time to function in Laos 's first stock market scheduled to open later this year.
The new company will provide a new investment channel for investors of both countries, officials said.
SBS's parent company, Sacombank, opened a branch in Laos in late 2008.-Enditem
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Trade deficit passes 8 billion USD
Hanoi (VNA) -- The trade deficit hit a record 8.15 billion USD in the first eight months of the year, an increase of 700 million USD compared with last month's figure, the General Statistics Office (GSO) said on August 24.
Excessive imports helped push the total to 18.3 percent of the year's total export turnover.
The country imported products worth 52.68 billion USD in the first eight months, a rise of 24.4 percent over last year. The domestic sector accounted for 30.3 billion USD of the imports, an increase of 13.2 percent, while the foreign direct investment sector imported 22.37 billion USD worth of goods, a rise of 43.6 percent.
Import turnover in August was 6.9 billion USD.
Imported commodities with the highest import turnover included materials for industrial export production such as mechanical machines (14.9 percent); electronics, computers and accessories (31.5 percent); clothes (26.6 percent); textile and garment materials (38.1 percent), and metals (79.9 percent).
Imported automobiles and fertiliser decreased by 30.5 percent and 10.8 percent, respectively.
The general export turnover was estimated at 44.52 billion USD during the period, an increase of 19.7 percent compared to the same period last year. The domestic sector contributed 46 percent, or 20.56 billion USD, of the turnover, while the remaining 23.96 billion USD was imported by foreign invested companies.
GSO's Acting Director of Trade Department Le Minh Thuy said that August exports were slower, decreasing 0.5 percent in comparison with last month. However, the export of gold contributed significantly to the export turnover in helping to keep the total turnover steady.
"If we did not count gold exports, the trade deficit in the first eight months would be 9.8 billion USD instead of 8.15 billion USD, and would make up 22 percent of the total export turnover," she said.
Commodities that experienced a significant increase in export turnover included steel, 220 percent (466 million USD); rubber, 89.3 percent (543 million USD); chemical products, 83.9 percent (185 million USD); transportation and accessories, 83.0 percent (458 million USD); and electric wire and cable, 72.2 percent (347 million USD).
Other industries that experienced export turnover included textiles and garments (17.8 percent), wood and wood products (36.1 percent), rubber (89.3 percent), footwear (18.8 percent), electronics and computers (30.2 percent); and mechanical machines and accessories (61.2 percent).-Enditem
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Ministry insists on new Hanoi road artery despite controversy
Hanoi (VNA) -- The Ministry of Construction on August 23 affirmed that the country's national administrative centre would not be moved to Ba Vi, but noted that it was still necessary to build the Thang Long traffic axis despite the objections made by the city's People's Committee.
In the Committee's document 6496/UBND-XD concerning the future development of the capital, the committee stressed that the national political and administrative centre should be located in Ba Dinh district, where it has historically existed.
The committee recommended that the country's political centre should not be relocated to Ba Vi district, 65km northwest of Hanoi, which would negate the creation of the Thang Long axis that would connect Hoang Quoc Viet Street, Highway 21 and West Lake with the Ba Vi area.
Under the country's current economic condition in general and of the city in particular, funds raised should be invested in many other practical projects for the city, the committee said.
As planned, the traffic system to Ba Vi District would include the 10-lane Lang-Hoa Lac and 12-lane Tay Thang Long highways. The plan also calls for the construction of three urban railways that would provide additional transportation options between the city centre and its western area.
During the press meeting the same day, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Dinh Toan said that since the master plan was submitted to the National Assembly for discussion on June 15, the relocation of the country's political and administrative centre was not further mentioned in the master plan. Toan said that there was not enough available funds to house the country's ministerial headquarters and agencies in Ba Vi district.
Headquarters would be relocated in close proximity to each other, but this does not mean that the centre would be there, Toan added.
However, the ministry insisted that the construction of the Thang Long axis would have three functions. First, it would help ease traffic pressure in the western parts of the city including Xuan Mai, Hoa Lac and Son Tay urban areas.
Secondly, beneath the axis, a water pipeline from the Da River to the inner city would supply clean water to city residents. Waste water treatment lines and underground electric cable systems would also be built. Along the axis, cultural and entertainment centres would also likely be constructed.
Deputy Minister Toan claimed that construction of the axis would not benefit any one group or individual.
Toan said that the Prime Minister would make his final decision on the future of the project soon.-Enditem
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Report reveals alarming rise in work-related fatalities
Hanoi (VNA) -- The number of on-the-job fatalities jumped in the first six months of the year, the latest national report reveals.
The rise occurred despite efforts to promote work-place safety standards.
The Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Ministry report shows that 266 workers were killed and 525 seriously injured in more than 2,610 occupational accidents to June 30.
Total material losses were estimated at almost 56.8 billion VND (2.8 million USD) with 64,225 work days lost.
The number of occupational accidents was more than 33 percent higher than the first six months of last year with deaths 27 percent higher and serious injury 107 percent higher.
Most of the deaths and injury were recorded in economic zones, on construction sites or in mines.
HCM City , Quang Ninh, Dong Nai and Hanoi maintained the dubious record of the most work-related accidents.
The number of deaths in Hanoi increased to 19 and in southern Binh Duong province to 16.
Typical of the accidents was an explosion at a mine in Hong Linh commune, central Ha Tinh province, on April 13 where two workers were killed and three injured.
Three workers died and 15 others were seriously injured when a boiler exploded at the Vinh Kien Food Processing Joint Stock Company's factory, the Minh Hoa commune, southern Kien Giang province on May 9.
One death and one injured after a manhole explosion in La Nga commune in southern Dong Nai province on August 23.
Ministry officials blamed both employers and employees for the growing toll.
Employers ignored safety and hygiene regulations and the need to upgrade the working environment while a lack of expertise made risk assessment and measures to curb any danger exacerbated risk.
Awareness of the need for work safety among employees was low.
Official reports also reveal that notification of work accidents is still tardy - just 61 of 425 were promptly reported to the ministry and only three enterprises were subjected to legal action.
A shortage of inspectors is blamed for the poor reporting.
Ministry figures show that Vietnam has only 470 inspectors and they have responsibility for administration; work safety and hygiene, child labour and gender imbalance.
The ministry estimates that at least 1,000 inspectors are required.
Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Bui Hong Linh said the relevant local authorities must strengthen their examination of small-to-medium enterprises, especially in the construction, electricity and mining industries.
Local officials should check the enforcement of the labour safety and hygiene regulations among employers, he said.
These included training courses for workers; improving their work environment and supplying safety clothing, especially those who work with dangerous equipment and tools in a harmful environment.
The ministry is now writing a national programme for labour safety and hygiene for 2011-15.
The draft will soon go to the Government.-Enditem
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Ministry proposes increasing the poverty line nationwide
Hanoi (VNA) -- The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs is proposing to raise the poverty line in both urban and rural areas.
According to a proposal that has been submitted to the Prime Minister, the new poverty line for people in urban areas would be a monthly income of 500,000 VND (26 USD)) and for rural areas 400,000 VND (21 USD)). The current poverty line is at VND260,000 (13.6 USD)) in urban areas and 200,000 VND (10.5 USD)) in rural areas.
Ngo Truong Thi, deputy director of the Social Protection Department of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, said the poverty line had to be regularly readjusted.
Every year, the ministry re-evaluates the poverty threshold, said Thi. Adjustments to the poverty line can change the number of people eligible for the government's social welfare policies.
Thi said the nation's poverty reduction programmes had gained positive results, but keeping people out of poverty was difficult.
The new poverty line, if applied, would increase the number of poor households in the country from 11 percent to 15 percent, rising to about 3.3 million households.
The proposed change to the poverty line has taken into account people's basic spending needs, prioritise poor people in remote and mountainous areas and be comparable with poverty lines across the region and around the world.
Thi said budget allocations for poverty reduction programmes, based on the new poverty line, would be increased by 5.7 trillion VND (300 million USD) from next year. Funds allocated for the programme from 2006 to 2010 totalled at 43 trillion VND (2.3 billion USD)).
The proposed poverty line, if approved by the Government, will be considered the minimum level. Localities can adjust their own figure to a higher level in a way that suits the local conditions.
Currently, there are nine provinces and cities applying a poverty line that is higher than the national standard. These provinces and cities, which enjoy higher living standards than in other parts of the country, include Binh Duong, Da Nang , Dong Nai, Khanh Hoa, Vung Tau, Binh Phuoc, Long An provinces and HCM City and Hanoi .
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung said the poverty reduction programme must help poor families to secure good jobs rather than simply handing out welfare payments.
Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Trong Dam affirmed that the programme would not only ensure poor households of both basic spending on foods but also accommodation, health care and education.-Enditem
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Logistics centre built in southern region
HCM City (VNA) -- Damco and Thai Binh Shoes Logistics on Aug. 24 signed a contract to build an integrated logistics centre in Binh Duong province, which is expected to open in April next year.
With total capital of more than 4 million USD, the 26,000-sq.m centre will support Damco's strategy as it looks to strengthen its network presence in Vietnam.-Enditem
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ASEAN economic meetings begin in Da Nang
Da Nang (VNA) – The 42 nd ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting (AEM-42), the 4 th ASEAN Economic Council Meeting and other related meetings began in the central city of Da Nang on August 25.
Attending the meetings are the General Secretary of ASEAN Surin Pitsuwan, and economic ministers from ten ASEAN countries plus their partners, including China , the Republic of Korea , Japan , the EU, India , Russia , Australia and New Zealand .
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung stated that 2010 is a transitional year in the process of building the ASEAN Community with its three main pillars of politics-security, economics and socio-culture, and the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) has seen several important developments.
“The AEC’s commitment to integration and key economic cooperation programmes has step by step become a reality. A common market and a united economic bloc have been formed, based on the harmonising of domestic trade regulations and an increased ability to regulate macroeconomic policies amongst ASEAN member states,” he said.
The creation of the AEC has reflected ASEAN’s strongest and most consistent commitment to regional economic integration so far, he added.
According to PM Dung, the growth of ASEAN over the past few years has been helped by the successful linking up of regional economies. An ASEAN free trade area (FTA) on goods, services and investment has also been firmly shaped.
Several major cooperation programmes such as the ASEAN one-stop-shop customs mechanism and the programme to facilitate trade, services and investment have ushered in the prospect of a clear and united ASEAN business environment.
In addition, an overall plan to connect ASEAN countries together, that the association is currently putting together, will support efforts to create deeper and wider ASEAN economic links by enhancing the region’s transport infrastructure, telecoms, information technology, institutions and exchanges between the regions peoples. This will lay the foundations for expanding connectivity throughout the whole East Asian region with ASEAN at the centre.
PM Dung said that during its integration into the global economy, ASEAN has created a number of close ties by setting up FTAs with its partners and to date, the bloc has almost completed establishing a network of FTA zones that includes 16 East Asian nations, with the AEC at its core.
He went on to add that the implementing of the Chieng Mai Initiative on Multilateralisation (CMIM) Agreement and the establishment of the ASEAN credit and investment insurance fund will contribute to the region’s financial stability, economic recovery and ensure a steady growth.
The PM said that ASEAN has seen many important successes but in the context of fluctuating regional and global economies, the bloc needs to reach a consensus towards a common direction, which is based on consistent principles that will benefit the whole community.
He suggested that the meetings focus on seeking out practical and creative measures to enable the plans on Building the AEC to be carried out by 2015.
PM Dung noted that ASEAN should pursue balanced and sustainable development policies, while ensuring the harmonious combination of economic growth objectives and a stable macro economy, social development and effective responses to global challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, epidemics and economic instability.
The association should also strengthen its existing economic cooperation framework with its partners to promote economic linkages and create the foundation for a wider regional structure with ASEAN playing a “central role”, he said.
The bloc is urged to pay attention to more specific and far reaching measures to speed up the narrowing of the development gap between regional countries and areas.
Vietnam ’s government leader said he hoped that at these meetings, the economic ministers from ASEAN and its partner countries will discuss more effective ways forward and measures that will enable the bloc to reach its regional integration objectives.
In the spirit of openness and creativeness, and with each member nation’s vision and political determination, the meetings will contribute to a successful ASEAN in 2010 and in the future, he concluded.
Established in 1967, ASEAN currently groups Brunei , Cambodia , Indonesia , Laos , Malaysia , Myanmar , the Philippines , Singapore , Thailand and Vietnam.-Enditem
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Agriculture sees annual growth of 3.8 percent
Hanoi (VNA) – The agriculture sector is striving to reach an annual GDP growth rate of 3.5-3.8 percent during the 2010-2015 period.
At the sector’s patriotic emulation conference in Hanoi on August 24, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Diep Kinh Tan said that the sector should focus on building a modern and sustainable agricultural sector which is capable of producing high quality and competitive commodities in large volumes, while ensuring the nation’s food security.
The sector plans to achieve an annual production growth of 4-4.5 percent and an increase in export turnover of 6.5-7 percent to 21 billion USD per year. It will attempt to increase forest coverage to 43 percent, realise a seed crop output of 47 million tonnes, including 40 million tonnes of rice, and an annual seafood output of 4 million tonnes. Farmers per-capita incomes are also expected to reach 20 million VND per annum.
According to the deputy minister, agriculture is the economic sector to suffer the most from climate change, disasters, epidemics and international competition, while the amount of useable land and number of workers are diminishing.
To reach this target, Tan said that the sector has put forward a number of solutions on science and technology, marketing, human resources development and investments in technical infrastructure and production.
During the 2006-2010 period, the agriculture and rural development sector made many important achievements in rice, other industrial crops, animal husbandry and seafood production, earning between 50-200 million VND, even billions of VND, per hectare per year. Its added value rose by 3.4 percent per year compared with the Government’s target of 3-3.2 percent.
Also in the reviewed period, Vietnam exported almost 25 million tonnes of rice worth more than 10 billion VND and ensured its food security. The nation exported more than 20.6 billion USD of seafood and its forest coverage has risen from 38 percent in 2006 to 39.8 percent in 2009.
From 2006-2009, the sector approved 160 ODA projects totalling almost 1.42 billion USD, of which non-refundable aid made up 45 percent.
A number of Vietnam ’s agro-forestry and fisheries trademarks are now firmly established in domestic and foreign markets such as Mekong Delta tra fish, Vinh Long province’s Nanh Chon rice, Dien Bien rice, Nam Roi grapefruit and Buon Ma Thuot coffee.-Enditem
State agencies urged to use digital signatures
HCM City (VNA) — Representatives from state agencies, enterprises and providers of public digital-signature authentication services at a workshop on August 24 discussed the importance of having digital signature technology to enhance e-transaction security.
The workshop, held by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Information and Communications in HCM City, urged agencies and companies to use digital signatures in e-commerce and e-government.
"One of the solutions to ensure data security in e-transactions is the use of digital signatures," said Tran Huu Linh, deputy head of the Department of E-Commerce and Information and Technology.
"An unsecured network is one of the obstacles hindering the development of e-commerce among enterprises," Linh said.
The e-transaction market will continue its upward trend as e-government begins to be applied and as the number of internet users is predicted to increase to 45-50 million users by 2012. Within the last year, the Ministry of Information and Communications granted public digital-signature authentication licenses to the Viet Nam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), Military Telecom Group (Viettel), BKAV Network Security Company, NacenComm Technologies Joint-Stock Company and FPT Information System Corporation.
A master plan to develop e-commerce for the 2011-15 period approved by the Prime Minister last month targets official recognition from foreign digital-signature authentication organisations by 2015. — Enditem
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Domestic steel prices rise
Hanoi (VNA) — Steel prices increased from August 23, while experts expected the prices to continue rising next month.
Nguyen Tien Nghi, deputy chairman of Vietnam Steel Association, said some steel producers had announced increased prices because of higher prices of pig iron and scrap metal.
Prices jumped from 600 USD to 620 USD per tonne for pig iron and 350 USD to 380 USD per tonne for scrap metal.
The devaluation of the Vietnamese dong versus the dollar US was another reason for the price increase, Nghi said.
Steel bars and wire rods produced by the HCM City based Viet Nam Steel Corporation (VNSteel) increased by 200,000-300,000VND (10.25-15.38 USD) per tonne to 14.98-15.2 million VND (768.2-779.5 USD) for steel products.
Steel produced by the Pomina Steel Corporation (Pomina) also increased by an average 330,000 VND (16.9 USD) per tonne to 14.7 million VND (753.8 USD).
Nghi said steel was one of the commodities that was the most difficult to set a long-term forecast for, especially at the moment because steel makers had to import 70 percent and 47 percent of pig iron and scrap metal, respectively, for domestic production. The domestic price of steel products would continue to increase in the coming time if the prices of material for steel production surge further on the world market, he said.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade expected that the world iron ore price might increase because India intended to increase the export tax rate for iron ore to 20 percent to restrict exports.
The domestic increase in prices began in July after four previous reductions in previous months.
Nghi said the association expected sales of steel this month to decline to 350,000-400,000 tonnes of steel against the sale at 460,000 tonnes in July due to the impact of recent storms. — Enditem
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Developer signs multiple hotel management deals
HCM City (VNA) — The Vietnamese-American Hotel and Resort (VAHR) Ltd. signed three management agreements on August 24 with a major hotel operator for the The Ritz Carlton, JW Marriott and Outrigger hotels, all US-headquartered.
VAHR was established as a wholly-owned subsidiary of American company ITC Spectrum LLC to develop the Vinh Hoi Bay Golf Resort Project, which covers 325ha, 25km north of Quy Nhon city in Binh Dinh province.
The Outrigger Vinh Hoi Bay Resort and Spa with 210 rooms and 46 villas will start construction in mid-2011, and is expected to open for business at the end of 2013.
The 100-villa Vinh Hoi Bay , the Ritz-Carlton Reserve, and the 320-room JW Marriott Vinh Hoi Bay Resort&Spa are expected to begin construction in early 2012 and be completed in 2014.
The centerpiece of the 325ha-development will be an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones II of California .
Beside the three hotels in the first phase, residential villa communities, a retail centre, and another culture and entertainment centre, as well as a tropical garden will be constructed.
The later phase of the development will feature three additional hotels and residential properties, as well as a horse race course and marina, according to Canh D. Tran, chairman and CEO of the Vietnamese-American Hotel and Resort Co.
In another development, Bitexco Group has begun a 900,000 USD plan to apply enterprise-resource planning solutions from German-based SAP for the operation and management of the 68-floor Bitexco Financial Tower in HCM City , the country's highest building, which will open in October.
Global CyberSoft ( Vietnam ), in co-operation with its strategic partner, BayanTrade ( Philippines ), will develop the plan over a four-month period.
The modules include financial services and accounting, real estate sales, real estate management, maintenance and document management systems.
All modules are customised to maximise the effectiveness of the tower's functional operations. — Enditem
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Industrial zone attracts more local investors
Hanoi (VNA) — Domestic investment in the HCM City Export Processing and Industrial Zone (HEPZA) was twice that of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the first seven months of the year, reports the zone's management authority.
Domestic investors provided about 235 million USD for 35 projects while their money for 19 existing projects added another 62 million USD.
FDI was about 136.3 million USD for 27 projects.
HEPZA Authority deputy director Nguyen Tan Phuoc explained: "The FDI decrease resulted from the global financial crisis and the authority's new investment policy which discourages labour-intensive projects that do not utilise technology."
But domestic enterprises had taken advantage of the opportunity to expand their investment and improve existing projects.
About 2.1billion USD has been injected into export processing and industrial zones during the past five years.
Of this, domestic investment has totalled 1.32 billion USD.
Licences have been granted or implemented for almost 1,200 projects in HCM City 's export processing and industrial zones so far this year.
Domestic investors have financed 710 projects and FDI 447.
In the next five years, HCM City will bring into operation a further seven industrial zones to add to the existing 15 operational industrial parks and export processing zones, including Dong Nam, Phuoc Hiep and Bau Dung.
HEPZA Authority said that the most challenging factor in attracting FDI was external infrastructure, transport systems, limited land, rental prices and a shortage of electricity.
HCM City targets to reach FDI of 8.4 billion USD for 2010. — Enditem
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Global fund offers to save critical biodiversity hotspot
Hanoi (VNA) — The global Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund is again seeking applications from Cambodia , Laos , Thailand and Vietnam for funds to conserve the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot.
A biodiversity hotspot is defined as biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of biodiversiy threatened by humans.
Scientists recognise Indo-Burma as one of 34 such hotspots.
CEPF says it supports high numbers of species, and its ecosystems provide fresh water, protection against natural disasters, and other essential services for hundreds of millions of people.
The invitation to apply for funds is made to non-governmental organisations, academic institutions, community groups and other civil society organisations working in the region.
The money is to help them design and implement projects with a particular emphasis on protecting threatened species, managing priority sites and reconciling biodiversity conservation and development objectives.
BirdLife International will manage the grants.
Applications were previously called in 2008 and 2009 with 180 received and almost 70 supported.
Funded projects included a grant to Vietnam NGO Education for Nature Vietnam , to strengthen public participation in tackling the illegal trade in wildlife, and a grant to Cambodian NGO Save Cambodia's Wildlife, to empower local communities for biodiversity conservation along the Sesan and Srepok Rivers .
"The CEPF grant portfolio includes many important and innovative projects, which address some of the highest conservation priorities in the region," said BirdLife International, Indochina , Programme Manager Jonathan C. Eames.
"This third and final call for proposals will be highly targeted, in order to address outstanding investment gaps."
The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund is a joint initiative of l'Agence Française de Deloppement, Conservation International, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the World Bank.
A fundamental goal is to ensure civil society is engaged in biodiversity conservation.
CEPF began a 9.5 million USD, five-year investment plan in Indochina in June 2008 with BirdLife International acting as its Regional Implementation Team.
Guided by a strategy developed with the participation of stakeholders, CEPF investment in the region focuses on two biodiversity corridors: the Northern Highlands Limestone (in Vietnam and parts of southern China ); and the Mekong River and Major Tributaries (in Cambodia , Laos and Thailand ).
The CEPF strategy, or ‘Ecosystem Profile', can be found at www.cepf.net. Further information and summaries in English, Khmer, Lao, Thai and Vietnamese can be found at www.birdlifeindochina. org/cepf. — Enditem
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Greener theme for vegetarian food festival
HCM City (VNA) — A three-day Vegetarian Food Festival will be held for the first time in HCM City at District 1's September 23 Park.
Apart from restaurants, around 80 stalls will feature packaged vegetarian-food producers under the theme For the Sake of Health and the Environment.
The festival starts with a Colours of Vegetarian Food cooking contest on August 26 afternoon, which will be followed by an evening of performances to officially kick off the event.
Other activities include a presentation on the benefits of vegetarianism and a forum on modern vegetarian trends by nutritional and environmental experts who will guide guests on how to prepare healthy, tasty vegetarian meals.
Guests can also show off their cooking skills in the Get in the Kitchen with Celebrities cooking show.
On the occasion of a Buddhist filial piety festival, which falls in the seventh lunar month, the festival also celebrates mothers with a concert and a flower-lantern evening to pray for parents' well-being.
Organised by the HCM City 's Association of Enterprises, the festival aims to not only raise public awareness about the importance of vegetarian food to a healthy environment, but also to encourage the public to reduce meat consumption.
The raising of cattle, for example, contributes to global climate change because of the large volume of methane, a greenhouse gas, released by the animals. The organisers said they expected to hold the festival on an annual basis. — Enditem
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Shares track Wall Street, plunge to one-year low
Hanoi (VNA) — Two benchmark indices on the Vietnamese stock market on August 24 sank to their lowest points since the beginning of the year, piercing through the psychological landmarks of 440 in HCM City and 130 in Hanoi .
On the HCM Stock Exchange, the VN-Index lost a whopping 3 percent over August 23's trades to close on August 24 at 434.42.
Meanwhile, on the Hanoi exchange, the HNX-Index dropped by 3.63 percent to close at 124.4, which is the lowest closing number since May 6, 2009.
About 90 percent of shares declined on August 24 across both bourses, including 233 in HCM City and 284 in Hanoi out of the total 583 shares. More than 300 codes dropped to their floor prices in the day.
Although the consumer price index (CPI) increased by 0.23 percent in August, investor continued to worry about inflation in September, which is likely to be caused by a hike in fuel prices and the depreciation of the dong against the US dollar.
An overnight decline on Wall Street also spurred August 24's poor performance.
However, bottom-catching investors actively participated in the day's trading that lifted both the market's volume and value on the two bourses.
On the HCM City exchange, trading volume doubled, topping 46.74 million shares, while the value of the day's trades rose by 88 percent to 1.15 trillion VND (59.8 million USD).
On the Hanoi bourse, the market volume increased by 80 percent to 34.8 million shares worth a combined 773.7 million VND (40.1 million USD), which was an increase of 65 percent from the previous session's value.
The slump of blue chip stocks were attributed to the domestic market's poor performance on August 24.
Sacombank (STB), the most active stock on the southern bourse with a volume of 1.53 million shares, slid by 1.26 percent to close at 15,700 VND (0.81 USD).
PetroVietnam Construction (PVX) was still the most active share nationwide with more than 5 million shares changing hands, but the stock dropped by 4.42 percent and closed at 21,400 VND (1.11 USD).
Foreign investors returned to being net buyers after purchasing 14 billion VND (725,400 USD) in shares on the HCM City bourse. On the HaNoi exchange, foreign investors were net sellers after they unloaded 255,000 shares worth 4.5 billion VND (235,300 USD). — Enditem
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Prospects bright for Da Nang office leasing segment
Da Nang (VNA) — The increasing number of enterprises in Da Nang could increase demand for office space in the central city, says a report released by real estate service firm Savills Vietnam.
The report says the number of new enterprises established in Da Nang has risen steadily for more than five years now. It quotes the city's statistics office as saying 2,100 new enterprises were licensed in 2009, an increase of 23 percent compared to the previous year.
Overseas Vietnamese own almost 60 companies in Da Nang with 500 million USD in registered capital and this has had an impact on the local office market, according to the company's Q2 report.
Currently, there are 21 office buildings with a total area of over 66,000sq.m with the addition of the Lilama L7 SJC building. This marks an increase of approximately three percent over the first quarter.
Da Nang 's office buildings are concentrated in the two districts of Hai Chau and Thanh Khe. The former, being the administrative centre, accounts for 80 percent of the total supply.
Most existing office buildings are in the medium range and managed by the local developers themselves.
In the second quarter of this year, average rent was 11 USD per square metre per month, a six percent fall over the previous quarter.
Since it has a much larger supply, Hai Chau district is considered to have performed better than Thanh Khe although the latter boasts higher occupancy rates.
Savills anticipates that approximately 94,000 square metres of office from about 14 projects will enter the Da Nang market over the next five to seven years.
More than two-thirds of the office space entering the market will be situated in Hai Chau, followed by Son Tra district.
Two new villa projects come online during Q2: Dune Residence with 15, and Vinpearl Da Nang with 39.
Currently, there are eight villa projects of more than 600 villas for sale, mostly located along Da Nang Beach in Ngu Hanh Son district.
Two new apartments-for-sale projects entered the market in the second quarter, bringing the total in this segment to 11 projects with 2,300 units.
To date, Indochina Tower and Da Nang Plaza are the only two projects that have completely sold out. The apartments-for-sale market is concentrated in four districts: Hai Chau, Thanh Khe, Ngu Hanh Son and Son Tra.
The apartments are being sold at 750 – 3,000 USD per sq.m while the villas cost from 800-3,900 USD per sq.m. — Enditem
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Competitiveness report in 10 economic areas to be published
Da Nang (VNA) – The Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Competition Management Department (CMD) will for the first time announce the Competitiveness Report in 10 economic areas in late September or early October this year.
The information was released by Tran Phuong Lan, Head of the CMD’s Competitiveness Law Desk, on the sidelines of a ceremony to launch ASEAN’s two new publications, namely t he ASEAN Regional Guidelines on Competition Policy and the Handbook on Competition Policy and Law in ASEAN for Business, in the central city of Da Nang on August 24.
The selected areas include aviation, banking, insurance, petrol distribution, telecommunication, cement, steel, chemical fertilizer, cattle-feed and dairy.
According to Lan, these areas are selected because they usually see unsound competitiveness lawsuits or contain unsound competitiveness factors.
The announcement of the Competitiveness Report will provide enterprises with new concepts in business and investment as well as ways to approach to new markets from the angle of the Competitiveness Law, she said.
The CMD will conduct competitiveness researches and supervisions in other economic areas to announce their competitiveness reports annually, he added.
Vietnam ’s Competitiveness Law was approved by the National Assembly in December 2004 and officially took effect on July 1, 2005 with focus on preventing monopoly and handling unsound competitiveness cases, thus facilitating the equal participation in the market among businesses as well as protecting customers’ interests.-Enditem
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Thailand sends ambassador back to Cambodia, resumes ties
Hanoi (VNA)/NNT) – Thailand has restored its ambassadorial-level relationship with Cambodia after the latter announced ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has resigned as an advisor to the Cambodian Government, reported the National News of Thailand (NNT).
According to Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has instructed Thai Ambassador to Cambodia Prasas Prasasvinitchai to return to Phnom Penh to resume his duties from August 24 onwards.
The order was made after former Prime Minister Thaksin has resigned from the post of economic advisor to the Cambodian Government. With Cambodia ’s confirmation on the issue, Bangkok no longer has any reason to recall its ambassador from the neighbouring country, said Minister Kasit.
Meanwhile, Phnom Penh is also preparing to send its Ambassador to Thailand You Ay back to Bangkok . Kasit expressed his appreciation for Cambodia ’s cooperation to maintain and improve healthy ties with each other.
Bangkok recalled its ambassador to retaliate Phnom Penh after the latter refused to extradite the ousted Prime Minister to Thailand as requested in November 2009. Phnom Penh then countered Bangkok by summoning its ambassador back as well.-Enditem
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Argentinean businesses interested in doing business in Vietnam
Buenos Aires (VNA) – The Vietnamese embassy in Argentina on August 24 hosted a get-together with 60 local enterprises who are interested in doing business in Vietnam .
They were coming from mining, tourism, law consultant, transport, confectionary, electric and electronic import and export, food, seafood, chemical, rubber, pharmacy, leather and machinery industries.
Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Van Dao reaffirmed trade development priority in Vietnam ’s foreign policy.
He also said the Vietnamese embassy is willing to support Argentinean enterprises to seek partners and learn about import-export demands as well as related issues of the Southeast Asian country.
Vietnam-Argentina bilateral trade value has seen increases over the last 15 years, reaching 653.2 million USD in 2009, including 53.39 million USD worth of Vietnam ’s exports.
Vietnam exports footwear, rubber, garment, agro products, agricultural machinery, mechanical instruments, handicrafts, electronic appliances, wood, sports and plastic products to Argentina while importing soybean, animal feed, fruit, seafood, wine, material leather, wood, chemical and pharmaceutical products from the Latin American country.-Enditem
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One death, 10 missing in Mindulle storm
Hanoi (VNA) – The tropical storm Mindulle, which wrecked havoc the northern central region of Vietnam , left one death and 10 other missing by the morning of August 25.
According to the Flood and Strom Prevention and Control Steering Committee of the northern central provinces ’ report, the death victim is nine-year-old Nguyen An Khanh of Nghe An province who was drowned during the storm while 10 missing people are members of a Da Nang fishing boat.
The storm also injured 20 people, including five in Nghe An province, one in Ha Tinh province, three in Quang Tri province, and 11 in Thua Thien-Hue province.
Midulle pulled down 24 houses in Nghe An, Quang Binh and Quang Tri provinces and unroofed 4,112 houses in Nghe An, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue provinces.
The storm also sank seven vessels in Thanh Hoa and Nghe An provinces and damaged 11 others in Thanh Hoa and Quang Tri provinces.
About 24,960 ha of rice, more than 7,300 ha of subsidiary crops and 306 ha for aquaculture breeding were flooded.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat has asked localities to continue searching missing people, help families of victims and local people soon return to their normal lives.
National Hydrometeorological Forecast Centre Director Bui Minh Tang said Mindulle would deliver rain falls of between 200-400mm in central-coastal provinces from Thanh Hoa to Quang Binh.
The meteorologist warned of possible flash floods and landslide in the highlands and tides of between 3-5m along the coast from Hai Phong to Thanh Hoa.
Rivers in provinces from Ha Tinh to Quang Tri were expected to continue rising and would be 0.5m above the first-alarm level.
The National Flood and Storm Control Steering Committee sent two teams to affected provinces of Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Binh and Quang Tri to direct the response.
Mindulle was forecast to travel north-west at 20-25kph and directly effect central provinces from Quang Binh to Thanh Hoa and the northern delta.
It was then expected to hit provinces from Thai Binh to Ha Tinh weakening into a low.
The tropical low is forecast to be at 20.4 degree north and 103.9 degree east at the Viet Nam-Laos border at 2pm of August 25.-Enditem.
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42 people killed in China plane crash
Hanoi (VNA) – A passenger plane with 96 people on board crashed during landing at Lindu airport of Yichun city in northeast China’s Heilongjian province late August 24, killing at least 42 people.
According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the accident happened near the runaway of Lindu airport of Yichun at 9:36 pm, some 40 minutes after it took off from the provincial capital Harbin due to thick fog.
Ninety-one passengers, including five children, and five crew members boarded the ERJ-190 jet of the Henan Airlines, CAAC said.
Early in the morning of August 25, Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang led a team of transportation, health, work safety, and security officials to Yichun city to overcome the consequences and investigate the cause of the crash.-Enditem
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