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World opinions on 17th ASEAN Summit
Hanoi (VNA) – The 17 th ASEAN Summit and related summits, including the East Asia Summit (EAS), which were held in Hanoi from Oct. 28-30, got special interests and applause from the world opinions.
At a recent press briefing in Moscow , Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksey Borodavkin said that ASEAN was an effective model for linkage and cooperation.
The Russian Deputy FM further said that Russia has always considered relations with ASEAN as an important direction in its foreign policy in Asia-Pacific region and the country would continue participate in regional cooperation and linkage, as well as expand the market for goods, technologies and investment to ASEAN countries.
He said that economic, trade and investment cooperation was one of important fields in cooperative ties between Russia and ASEAN.
In the Republic of Korea (RoK), the Yonhap News Agency and major dailies, including Iongang Ilbo, DongA Ilbo, The Korea Herald and Korea Times on Oct. 29 and 30 carried news on the 17 th ASEAN Summit and related summits, stressing that President Lee Myung-bak’s proposal on setting up a mechanism on organisation of RoK-Mekong foreign ministerial meeting would help narrow the development gap among ASEAN member countries and strengthen economic cooperation between ASEAN and the RoK.
The RoK Presidential Spokeswoman Kim Hee-Jung said that the RoK pledged to increase its scholarships to ASEAN countries and expand the Korean Library project in regional countries in order to boost bilateral cooperation in all fields, especially in culture. This was a part of the new Asian initiative, which was announced by President Lee Myung-bak during his Indonesia visit in 2009.
Meanwhile, the New Zealand radio on Oct. 31 cited Prime Minister John Key as saying that the recent Hanoi EAS was positive meeting with discussions focusing on economy. Participating leaders all expressed wishes to see progress in the establishment of the East Asia FTA.
The Indonesia ’s Jakarta Post has also published an article by Awidya Santikajaya, an expert in international relations at the Johns Hopkins University of the US , said that together with ASEAN and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC), EAS has been one of key mechanisms forming the Asia-Pacific structure.
The article said the Hanoi EAS has an important significance as EAS members officially invited Russia and the US to take part in this mechanism.
Awidya Santikajaya said in his article that after founding in 2005, EAS was defined a block led by ASEAN and was linked to ASEAN summits. ASEAN has been considered as one of the most stable structures of regional cooperation of developing countries. With a population of about 600 million people, political, economic and strategic position of the Southeast Asian region have constantly promoted, attracting international interests.-Enditem
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India simplifies visa procedures for ASEAN citizens
New Delhi (VNA) - The Indian Government has agreed to streamline visa procedures for citizens from Vietnam , Laos , Cambodia and the Philippines , said the Financial Times of India on Oct. 31.
Citizens from the four ASEAN nations will be granted immigration visas to enter India at the border.
The decision will come into force as of January 1, 2011.
In addition, India has finalised a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on developing tourism cooperation with ASEAN countries.
Around 3 million Indian people visit ASEAN countries each year and there are 380 flights between India and ASEAN countries every week.
On India-ASEAN trade relations, the newspaper quoted Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as saying at the 8th ASEAN-India Summit in Hanoi that ASEAN is a nucleus for the economic links that should be established in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Indian PM also said he hoped that the necessary procedures for implementing the India-ASEAN trade agreement on the exchange of goods will be completed soon.
Besides, the signing of cooperation agreements on services and investment will give fresh impetus to the two sides’ common goal of promoting comprehensive economic cooperation.-Enditem
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VN Airlines to launch HCM City –Yangon route
Hanoi (VNA)- The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines (VNA) has announced that it will open a direct air route between Ho Chi Minh City and Yangon , Myanmar on Nov.15.
VNA will conduct three flights per week on the route every Monday, Friday and Sunday by Airbus A320. A two-way ticket applied for each passenger from Vietnam to Yangon during the promotional period from Nov.15 to Dec.25 will be 1,95 million VND (99,45 USD).
Earlier in March, VNA launched direct flights between Hanoi and Yangon which serve passengers every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.-Enditem
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ASEAN traditional medicine conference opens
Hanoi (VNA) – The 2 nd ASEAN traditional medicine and pharmaceutical conference opened in Hanoi on Oct. 31.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan affirmed that like many other governments, of other ASEAN countries, Vietnam has inherited and preserve traditional medicine while safely and sustainably developing the pharmaceutical sector.
Also present at the conference, ASEAN General Secretary Surin Pitsuwan told participants to reach consensus in building technical standards for traditional medicine, a diversified and vast field for all ASEAN members.
The 2 nd ASEAN traditional medicine and pharmaceutical conference is aimed at combining the traditional medicine in the national medical system towards a feasible model in the ASEAN community.
The conference will run until Nov. 2 to discuss personnel training, combining traditional medicine with modern one, and growing herbs for production of traditional medicine.- Enditem
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VN makes most prominent contribution to ASEAN
Hanoi (VNA) – Successfully organising the 17 th ASEAN Summit and related summits has demonstrated Vietnam ’s most prominent contribution to the association over the past year and proved that it is a proactive, enthusiastic and highly responsible member of the association.
From Oct. 28 to 30, the 17 th ASEAN Summit and related summits took place hectically in Hanoi , with 40 important diplomatic events and the participation of the top leaders of Southeast Asian countries and their eight partners.
Acting with determination and concerted efforts to realise the building of the ASEAN Community by 2015, the 17 th ASEAN Summit adopted concrete and consistent measures for effective and timely implementation of the set programmes and plans, on the basis of the ASEAN Charter.
At this summit, the endorsed plans and statements of action not only highlighted a “culture of execution” in the association but also underscored the practicality and people-centred vision of ASEAN’s cooperation and dialogue relations.
Prominent among these plans was the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity which looks to enhance infrastructure, institutional and people-to-people connectivity in ASEAN.
Together with that, a series of declarations was adopted, namely the ASEAN Declaration on Human Resources and Skills Development for Economic Recovery and Sustainable Growth, the Hanoi Declaration on the Enhancement of Welfare and Development for ASEAN Women and Children, and the ASEAN Declaration on Cooperation in Search and Rescue of Persons and Vessels in Distress at Sea.
Part of ASEAN’s concerted efforts to build the people-centred Community, these initiatives, all proposed by Vietnam have gained high consensus from the association’s members.
If solidarity and close intra-bloc integration have shaped ASEAN’s strength, external relations will help the association secure increased cooperation and effective assistance from the outsiders to achieve its set goals.
Realising that, the association has preserved a policy of stepping up external relations and deepening existing dialogue ties and cooperation in a higher quality and more practical manner, and at the same time, ensuring ASEAN centrality in an evolving regional architecture.
As a result, the 17 th ASEAN Summit and related summits saw the presence of UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon and the top leaders of China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, Russia, Australia, and New Zealand.
Also, intensive discussions were held between ASEAN and its partners to seek ways and means to further their dialogue relations and cooperation.
At this summit ASEAN decided to elevate its ties with the UN towards special partnership and its dialogue relations with the RoK to strategic partnership.
In another important event, the East Asia Summit (EAS) has for the first time seen the attendance of the US Secretary of State and Russian Foreign Minister.
The diplomats, as representatives of their Presidents and as “special guests of the Chair”, came to prepare for their countries’ official participation in the EAS from 2011.
These activities not only marked changes in the quality of ASEAN’s cooperation with its partners but also provided countries inside and outside the region with opportunities to discuss measures to further boost bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
Taking this opportunity, representatives of the countries along the Mekong river, Japan and the US met and worked on moves to be taken to assist the development in the Mekong subregion, especially regarding infrastructure, environmental and water resources protection, and response to climate change.
Leaders of Indonesia , Malaysia and Thailand held a triangle development conference while the UN organised its summits with Australia and New Zealand .
Noteworthy in the 17 th ASEAN Summit and related summits was the signing of numerous cooperation documents as they created a legal foundation for ASEAN to intensify intra-bloc connectivity and cooperation as well as its ties with other partners.
The success of the 17 th ASEAN Summit and related summits was greatly attributed to Vietnam ’s careful logistical preparations.
The success of the 17 th ASEAN Summit and related summits was proof of the Vietnamese diplomatic sector’s competence in organising international standard diplomatic events and it showed how Vietnam is dynamically, proactively and steadily integrating into the world.-Enditem
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Methadone used as treatment for drug addicts
Nam Dinh (VNA) – As many as 1,100 drug users in the Red River Delta province of Nam Dinh will be treated with methadone – which is used to gradually replace heroin.
The information was released at a meeting to start the implementation of a project on the issue in Nam Dinh province on Nov. 1.
The 10 billion VND project will be divided into two phases with drug addicts being treated at four establishments in Nam Dinh city, Xuan Truong and Giao Thuy districts.
The project will receive funding from the World Bank and LIFE-GAP project, a cooperative project between the Ministry of Health and the US Centre for Disease Control.
By August 2010, about 4,000 people were detected as HIV positive in Nam Dinh province, 1,700 of whom developed AIDS. Of the total, 78 percent were drug users.
Currently, the province has more than 6,600 drug addicts, including 1,833 under management.-Enditem
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Earthquake and tsunami warning systems upgraded
Hanoi (VNA) – The Institute of Geophysics under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology is implementing a project to upgrade an earthquake observation network to cover the entire country and islands.
The project aims to raise the number of seismic stations from 24 to 36 by 2012. The stations will be equipped with automatic seismographs and earthquake data will be transmitted to the institute through satellites and the Internet.
In the meantime, the institute has also collaborated with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of National Defence and other relevant agencies to build a tsunami warning system, with around 100 disaster warning towers in coastal localities and islands in Vietnam .
Since April this year, eight earthquakes measuring between 2.3-4.7 on the Richter scale have occurred in Vietnam , with the epicentre of the 4.7 magnitude earthquake located under the sea and being not strong enough to cause a tsunami.
These earthquakes were recorded by national seismic stations and data was processed by the institute.-Enditem
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Vietnamese, Lao Presidential Offices boost ties
Hanoi (VNA) – President Nguyen Minh Triet has expressed the hope that the Vietnamese and Lao Presidential Offices would continue regular contacts, exchange experiences and mutually assist each other in activities serving the Vietnamese and Lao State leaders.
While receiving visiting Head of the Lao Presidential Office in Hanoi on Nov. 1, President Triet said he hoped that the two offices will also draw lessons from shortcomings in each office’s activities.
The State leader congratulated Phongsavath Boupha on his appointment as Head of the Lao Presidential Office and said Phongsavath Boupha’s visit would make important contributions to enhancing the traditional relationship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos .
Phongsavath Boupha informed the President of the result of talks between the two offices, emphasising the wish to tighten the two offices’ relations to serve the two State leaders’ visits.
Earlier, on the morning of Nov. 1, Head of the Vietnamese Presidential Office Nguyen Van Chien held talks with his Lao counterpart Phongsavath Boupha in Hanoi .
The two sides reviewed their cooperation fields and discussed ways to increase the efficiency of each office’s activities and joint coordination in serving the two State leaders’ activities.-Enditem
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Photo exhibition on My Son opens in France
Paris (VNA) - A photo exhibition themed, “ My Son, a thousand years of culture” by French photographer Xavier Nory is open to visitors in Paris from Oct. 30-Nov. 15.
With 79 photos on show, Xavier Nory wants to depict the unique beauty of the old tower sculptures at My Son, which was discovered in 1898 by Frenchman M.C Paris . It is the most grandiose and specific religious vestige of the Champa people who built the complex more than 1,000 years ago. In December, 1999 along with the old city of Hoi An, the tower and temple at My Son were recognised as world cultural heritages by UNESCO.- Enditem
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ADB helps improve farm produce safety in Hanoi
Hanoi (VNA) – The Asia Development Bank (ADB) will help Hanoi to carry out a project on improving farm produce safety and developing the biogas sector in Hanoi from now to 2015.
The project, Quality and Safety Enhancement of Agricultural Products and Biogas Development Project (QSEAP) with a capital of over 6 million USD, will get a loan of more than 5 million USD from the ADB.
The project is aimed at the sustainable production of vegetables and tea, providing jobs for the agricultural sector, as well as improving farm workers’ health and productivity, and developing biogas for daily use.
The project will help zone off areas for organic agricultural production in five communes in Hanoi , build infrastructure for these areas and provide training in safe farming and processing skills to farmers and businesses.-Enditem
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Conference on OVs to be held in Hanoi
Hanoi (VNA) – A conference to review the six-year implementation of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Politburo’s Resolution No. 36 on the affairs relating to Overseas Vietnamese, will take place in Hanoi on November 4.
The information was unveiled by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Thanh Son, who is Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (COVA), at a press briefing in the capital city on November 1.
According to Son, the conference also aims to put forward major directions and policies for the work in the next stage as well as specific measures and mechanisms to implement the resolution, in preparation for the upcoming XIth National Party Congress.
The conference will discuss the building of policies and laws that meet legitimate interests of OVs and implement the policy of national unity, the protection of Vietnamese citizens abroad as well as measures to promote the strength of the Overseas Vietnamese community and combat activities that are against the interests of the community and the nation.
To celebrate the event, an arts programme will be held in the evening of November 4 with the participation of many singers from within the country and abroad.
According to COVA, nearly 4 million Vietnamese people are living and working in 103 countries and territories throughout the world.
Around 500,000 Overseas Vietnamese, including 300 experts and intellectuals, return home to work annually and thousands of others come back for investment and business opportunities.
To date, OVs have invested in over 3,200 projects in the homeland with a total investment of nearly 5.7 billion USD.
Overseas remittances to Vietnam increase by 10-15 percent per year, reaching 6.8 billion USD in 2009.-Enditem
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Government office head visits Shanghai
Hanoi (VNA) - Minister, Head of the Government Office Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended the closing ceremony of the Shanghai World Expo 2010 and visited the city from Oct. 29-Nov. 1 as a guest of the Chinese Government.
During the trip, Phuc attended a High-level World Expo Forum, jointly held by Shanghai World Expo’s organising committee, the United Nations and International Exhibitions Bureau (BIE), and called at a number of Chinese businesses in Shanghai .
The minister also met with Chairman of the Shanghai municipal committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Feng Guoqin and the Vietnamese Consulate General’s staff and representatives of Vietnamese students and business people in the city.
At the meeting with Feng, Phuc congratulated the Chinese Government and the city’s authorities on their successful hosting of the Shanghai World Expo 2010 and thanked them for their support for Vietnam joining in the event as well as the opening and operation of the Vietnamese Consulate General.
He applauded recent fine developments in cooperative relations between Ho Chi Minh City and Shanghai , and urged Shanghai to expand cooperation to other major cities of Vietnam .
The minister also requested Shanghai step up cooperation in the economy, trade, investment, tourism and human resources development with Vietnam and encourage Chinese companies to develop infrastructure projects in the neighbouring country.
For his part, Feng thanked Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Phuc for their attendance at the World Expo 2010 opening and closing ceremonies respectively, saying that this demonstrated Vietnam ’s support for China ’s hosting of important international events.
He promised to entrust Shanghai ’s agencies to work together with relevant ministries, agencies and localities of Vietnam to implement Phuc’s proposals to beef up the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two nations.-Enditem
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Vietnamese experts meet to remember Algeria
Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam-Algeria Friendship Association on Oct. 31 held a meeting for Vietnamese experts who used to work in Algeria on the occasion of the 56 th National Day of Algeria (Nov. 1).
About 300 former Vietnamese experts attended the event.
Cherif Chikhi, Algerian Ambassador to Vietnam affirmed that the Algerian government and people always remember the important contributions of Vietnamese experts over the past 30 years, seeing them as the most vivid manifestation of a traditional friendship which was founded and fostered by the two countries’ leaders and peoples during the struggle for independence.
The experts shared memories of their stay in Algeria , where they considered as the second homeland. With a spirit of diligence, modesty and eagerness for learning, Vietnamese experts successfully fulfilled the assigned tasks and were highly appreciated by the host country.
Since the first group of health staff was sent to Algeria in 1980, there have been more than 1,000 Vietnamese experts working in the country so far.
At present, Vietnamese experts continue to travel to Algeria to support the Algerians in oil and gas mining, the East-West highway tunnel construction and many other fields.-Enditem
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Russian region eager for cooperation with VN
Moscow (VNA) – Primorie region of Russia is willing to conduct joint projects with Vietnamese enterprises in light industry, agriculture and seafood, affirmed Primorie Governor Sergey Darkin, who accompanied President Dmitry Medvedev during his visit to Vietnam on Oct. 30-31.
He also said that Primorie authorities are ready to provide land for production and necessary infrastructure for promising Vietnamese enterprises as well as help them distribute their products to the central region of Russia .
According to the governor, Primorie region and Vietnam posted a two-way trade value of 25 million USD in the first half of 2010.
Primorie mainly exports cement and construction materials to Vietnam while Vietnamese goods account for 80 percent of Primorie imports of food and food products.-Enditem
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Medvedev’s visit to VN brings rewards
Hanoi (VNA) – Russian media has highlighted the positive results of President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to Vietnam .
Russia ’s TV channels, including NTV, CTV, REN TV and STS have affirmed that Russia is boosting its mutually beneficial relations with Vietnam – a strategic partner in Southeast Asia . They also underlined Vietnamese people’s hospitality and loyalty.
The News newspaper ran an article on Nov. 1 saying that Russia and Vietnam are planning to raise bilateral trade from 2 billion USD this year to around 10 billion USD in 2020. The article underscored prospects of bilateral cooperation in energy, investment, banking and other fields.
Meanwhile, the Independent newspaper said that Russian President Medvedev’s official visit to Vietnam and attendance at the ASEAN-Russia Summit affirmed Russia ’s policy of promoting bilateral and multilateral cooperation with ASEAN.
The Russian newspaper said the result of President Medvedev’s visit to Vietnam and the signing of cooperation agreements within the framework of the visit provide new progress in the Russia-Vietnam strategic partnership.
The Kommersant newspaper said that Vietnam has become a strategic partner of Russian in Southeast Asia , particularly in energy, defence and technology.
Vietnam has also become a bridge for Russia to further enhance its all-around cooperation with other ASEAN nations, said the paper, adding that President Medvedev will also attend the East Asia Summit in 2011.
The Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper ran an article on Russia-Vietnam relations, describing the relations as warm as Hanoi ’s weather. The Russian President affirmed strategic partnership policy with Vietnam , said the paper.
The capital city of Hanoi warmly welcomed Russian President Medvedev and the agreements signed within the framework of the visit are bringing the relationship between Russia and Vietnam , and Russia and ASEAN to new heights, concluded the paper.-Enditem
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Crowds greet Russian President at Friendship Palace
Hanoi (VNA)- President Dmitry Medvedev was given a standing ovation by thousands of Russian alumni as he appeared at the door of the fully-packed hall of the Friendship Cultural Palace built by the former Soviet Union in Hanoi during the 1980s.
In his greeting speech, the Soviet-trained academician Dao Trong Thi, a senior lawmaker and President of the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association, described relations between Vietnam and Russia as having stood the test of time.
“To the mind of the Vietnamese people, ‘Russian spirit’ and ‘Russian characteristics’ symbolise kindness, sincerity, generosity and courage”, said the Director of the National Assembly Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children.
He emphasised that in a changing world, Vietnam and Russia a bonded to each other by many common interests.
For his part, the Russian president confided that he felt quite surprised and touched in his heart at the warm welcome given to him, especially when the crowds from the corridor to inside the hall could both speak and understand his mother tongue.
Medvedev, child of a Soviet-era professor who trained generations of Vietnamese students, said the event recalled his childhood when his house was always warmed up with Vietnamese voices.
“My dad loved Vietnamese students very much for their industriousness and hardworking attitudes. They visited my home very often and sang and danced with him,” recalled the Russian President.
He emphasised that the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Russia which was cultivated since the wars for national salvation, would be respected forever and constantly developed by the governments and people of the two nations.
“Almost 30,000 Russian alumni and the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Association will serve as a key bridge to connect the two nations,” Medvedev said.
In reply to questions raised by students interested in Russia study, Medvedev informed them of two projects, a joint-venture university in Vietnam and a bilateral agreement on personnel training.
He made it clear that negotiations on the university project were underway while discussions on the agreement were expected to kick off soon.
The meeting lasted longer than planned and the Russian leader called it an “unforgettable experience” which would contribute to everlasting relations between the two countries.
Medvedev was in Vietnam for an official visit at the invitation of President Nguyen Minh Triet.--Enditem
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Natural disasters have big impact in October
Hanoi (VNA)- Natural disasters left 173 dead or missing and injured 168 others in the month to October 21, reported the Statistics General Department.
Damages were estimated at over 8.5 trillion VND, of which the central province of Ha Tinh alone suffered 5.2 trillion VND in losses from typhoon Megi.
The other two hard-hit central provinces of Quang Binh and Nghe An were reported as suffering damages worth some 1.9 trillion VND and 1.2 trillion VND, respectively.
In an effort to help victims recover, the Prime Minister has ordered the disbursement of 660 billion VND from the State hedge budget and free supply of 11,000 tonnes of rice from the national rice reserves for disaster-hit areas.
In general, relief aid from various sources totalled almost 700 billion VND, over 14,000 tonnes of rice, over 153 tonnes of instant noodles, 58,000 boxes of mineral water bottles and many other daily necessities.
Weather forecasters have warned of further complicated developments of natural disasters during the rest of the year, asking responsible agencies to stay alert and strictly follow the Prime Minister’s recent urgent guidelines on storm and flood control.--Enditem
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Asian remote sensing conference opens in Hanoi
Hanoi (VNA) – The 31 st Asian Conference on Remote Sensing (ACRS) kicked off at the National Conventional Centre in Hanoi on November 1, drawing the participation of over 600 scientists and managers from the region and North America .
The five-day event is being organised by the Vietnam Association of Geodesy, Cartography and Remote Sensing (VGCR), and the Institute of Geography , in conjunction with the Asian Association on Remote Sensing (AARS).
The annual event is aimed at helping scientists and managers exchange the most updated information regarding remote sensing, space, geographic information systems (GIS) and other applications; and discuss the development of technology and the expansion of the infrastructure for geographic information, contributing to sustainable regional development.
The conference also aims to find ways to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change and natural disasters while enhancing cooperation between countries, managing agencies, organisations and scientists.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Permanent Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Van Duc said natural disasters such as the floods, volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunami recently hit many countries in the Asian region, including Vietnam , Thailand and Indonesia and caused serious damages to both people and the environment.
Being aware of the issues, all scientists desire to contribute to the provision of forecasting and warning for natural disasters, he added.
With over 400 reports presented, the conference is expected to touch upon applications of remote sensing, geographic information system ( GIS), global positioning system (GPS) and other applications related to geospatial technologies.
An exhibition on remote sensing technologies is taking place within the framework of the event with the participation of 16 businesses, from countries including Malaysia , Singapore , China and Japan.-Enditem
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Vietnam, Germany strengthen people-to-people ties
Berlin (VNA) – A delegation from the Vietnam-Germany Friendship Association (VGFA) led by its President Hoang Van Huay paid a working visit to Germany from October 19-31 to foster the people-to-people ties between the two countries.
During the visit, the delegation worked with German partners and associations of the Vietnamese community in Germany , including the Germany-Vietnamese Association, KAS, FES and RLS institutes, the Kinderhilfe Association, the association in support for Vietnamese women and young people (VIFI), the Vietnamese Association in Berlin-Brandenburg and the Vietnam Business Association in Germany .
The delegation also paid courtesy visits to the leaders of Hessen State ’s Parliament and attended an exchange of Vietnamese students and a ceremony to complete the “Hessen meets Vietnam ” project.
At the meetings, the Vietnamese side highlighted the VGFA’s activities, especially charitable and humanitarian projects.
The two sides exchanged experiences in boosting people-to-people diplomacy and discussed cooperation in translating Vietnam ’s literary works into the German language and vice versa.
They agreed to strengthen the exchange of information and expand humanitarian projects addressing the consequences of war, boost economic development and open vocational training centres in Vietnam.-Enditem
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Hanoi signs cooperation deals with Ile de France
Hanoi (VNA) – Hanoi and the French region of Ile de France have signed a number of cooperative agreements for the 2011-2015 period, covering urban-regional planning, public transport, water supply and waste treatment.
The agreements also aim to step up bilateral cooperation in other fields such as tourism, preservation of cultural heritages, socio-economic development and vocational training.
These deals were signed in Hanoi on Nov. 1, following talks between the city’s People’s Committee Chairman Nguyen The Thao and President of the Regional Council of Ile de France, Jean-Paul Huchon.
Thao said Hanoi will deploy the freshly-inked cooperation agreement on regional and urban planning immediately after the city’s construction master plan is approved by the government.
He applauded the Ile de France-backed water supply, drainage and waste treatment project in the craft village of Kieu Ky in Hanoi ’s suburban district of Gia Lam.
The mayor also promised to support and create favourable conditions for businesses from France, and Ile de France in particular, to invest in public transport, socio-economic development and heritage preservation projects.
Thao said he believed that the delegation’s ongoing visit, which takes place at a time when the two localities are celebrating 20 years of cooperation, would open up a new page in bilateral relations, thus contributing to the Vietnam-France friendship.
Huchon affirmed the administration of Ile de France considers cooperative ties with Hanoi a typical, practical and effective model.-Enditem
VN’s resorts ranked as top destinations in Asia
Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam ’s five resorts and hotels were listed among top 20 best resorts and hotels by the US ’s Conde Nast Traveler Magazine.
These hotels and resorts that won the magazine’s Readers Choice Award included the Life Heritage Hoi An, the Nam Hai (Nam Hai hotel), the Evason Ana Mandara & Six Senses Spa, the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi and the Park Hyatt Saigon .
The Life Heritage Hoi An, the Nam Hai (Nam Hai hotel), the Evason Ana Mandara & Six Senses Spa are in the list of top resorts in Asia while the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi and the Park Hyatt Saigon are among top hotels in the region.
This year’s award drew almost 26,000 votes with five items covering food, place, architecture, the room and service quality.
The list of best resorts in Asia also covers five resorts of Bali ( Indonesia ) and Thailand.-Enitem.
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SeABank receives ASEAN Business Award
Hanoi (VNA)- The Southeast Asia Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SeABank) was the only representative bank in Southeast Asia to receive ASEAN business awards ( ABA ) for its achievement in innovation on Oct. 31.
ASEAN- ABA 2010 drew 65 outstanding enterprises with 110 nominees to various categories including innovation, growth, employment and corporate social responsibility. Among eight winners this year, Vietnam has two awardees, including the Thu Duc Housing Development Company.
ASEAN- ABA was first held in 2007 on the occasion of ASEAN’s 40 th anniversary to honour outstanding and successful ASEAN enterprises that have contributed to ASEAN’s economic growth and prosperity.-Enditem
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Military officials visit Portugal, Czech
Hanoi (VNA)- A high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese Defence Ministry led by its deputy minister Sen. Lient. Gen Nguyen Huy Hieu paid working visits to Portugal and Czech Republic from Oct.24-30.
During its stay in Portugal, the Vietnamese delegation held talks with its Portuguese counterpart headed by Marcos Perestrello, Secretary of State for National Defence and Maritime Affairs and had working sessions with the ministry’s relevant agencies.
In the Czech Republic, the delegation held talks with Michael Hrbata, Czech Deputy Minister of Defence and had working sessions with the General Staff of Czech Armed Forces and Strategic Development Department under the Ministry of Defence.
The Vietnamese delegation also visited a naval base of rescue coordination centre in Lisbon of Portugal and had working sessions with technical and defence-material supplying establishments in Czech.
The visits contributed to promoting bilateral friendly and cooperative ties in defence, inquiring into cooperation opportunities in the field and relevant issues of mutual concern.-Enditem
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New rice export contracts halted
HCM City (VNA) -- Members of the Vietnam Food Association (VFA) have been warned not to enter into addtional rice export contracts this year due to dwindling stockpiles.
The nation's rice exports totalled nearly 5.6 million tonnes in the first 10 months of the year, earning 2.35 billion USD, according to VFA vice chairman Pham Van Bay.
Rice exporters were well on their way to reaching the year's target of 6.5 million tonnes for the entire year, Bay said.
They have also already signed contracts to export up to 6.8 million tonnes of rice this year but had only 1.1 million tonnes stockpiled in reserve as of October 15.
To slow the pace of exports, the VFA has increased the floor export rice price four times in the past two months, to 445 USD per tonne for 25-percent broken rice and 475 USD per tonne for 5-percent broken rice – 75 USD per tonne higher than rice prices in July 2010.
Pham Quang Dieu, an economist with the Vietnam Market Analysis and Forecasts Joint Stock Co, called these price levels suitable in light of falling in a number of Asian countries (including leading rice exporter Thailand ) and growing demand in markets from the US to Indonesia , Bangladesh and the Philippines .
He agreed that Vietnam 's rice reserves and anticipated yields were insufficient to meet higher demand.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Diep Kinh Tan said the nation would harvest 40 million tonnes of rice in 2010.
"Without major changes in weather conditions, Vietnam should be able to export an additional 1 million tonnes of rice before the end of the year while ensuring domestic food safety," said Tan.-Enditem
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Bitexco dedicates nation's tallest tower
HCM City (VNA) -- The Binh Minh Import Export Production and Trade Co (Bitexco) on Oct. 31 inaugurated the country's tallest building to date in HCM City , towering 262 metres.
Bitexco chairman Vu Quang Hoi said the 68-storey Bitexco Financial Tower (BFT), bordered by District 1's Ngo Duc Ke, Hai Trieu and Ho Tung Mau streets, offed grade A+ space with facilities for the most demanding tenants.
Advantages of the 270 million USD tower, whose design is said to be inspired by the lotus flower, include a helicopter pad on the 50th floor.
The building is also built to withstand earthquakes that measure up to eight on the Richter scale.
Around 40 percent of BFT's 37,000sq.m. of office space are under procedures for lease to tenants and contracts are expected to be signed in a month. The chairman said he hoped up to 90 percent of the space would be leased out over the next 12 months.
Architect Carlos Zapata, whose works include the Cooper Square Hotel in New York and the Soldier Field in Chicago , designed the tower, while the US-Korean Hyundai E&C was its main contractor.
Bitexco was set up in 1985 as a textile and garment firm, and it has since developed itself into a group with diverse activities including real estate, hydropower, mining and investment.-Enditem
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Report finds illegal logging rampant in country
HCM City (VNA) -- Illegal deforestation activities are widespread across the nation, says the latest report from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's General Forestry Department.
Since the beginning of this year, 2,463 illegal logging cases have been found nationwide. In actions taken in several cases, 44 forest rangers have been injured and four people killed, according to the report.
Local authorities should immediately act to educate and come up with necessary solutions to end the illegal exploitation, said Ha Cong Tuan, deputy head of the department.
He was speaking last week at the National Conference on Forestry Management and Protection in the Central Highland province of Gia Lai .
Tuan also called on the local authorities to bring illegal cases to court.
"In the long term, localities should properly use land and forest resources as mentioned in the socio-economic master plan," he said.
The situation of illegal forest exploitation was particularly bad in the northern provinces of Bac Kan , Lang Son and Thai Nguyen; the central provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Nam and Khanh Hoa; and the Central Highland province of Dak Lak , the conference heard.-Enditem
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Province builds bio-tech centre
HCM City (VNA) -- The Centre for Bio-technology Research and Application complex now under construction in southern Dong Nai Province is expected to be one of the leading centres of its kind in Southeast Asia , according to Nguyen Quan, deputy minister of Science and Technology.
Expected to be completed within the decade, the 227-ha complex is being built in Xuan Duong Commune in Cam My district.
The building cost of 1 trillion VND (50 million USD) is sourced from the province's budget and investors.
The centre is about 10 kilometres from HCM City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Highway and Long Thanh International Airport , which is currently being built, and 15 kilometres from Ba Ria – Vung Tau province.
The province is seeking more investors for the complex, according to the project management board.
From 2010 – 2015, infrastructure such as roads, telecommunications, electricity supply, administrative areas and dormitories will be built.
From 2015 – 2020, state-of-the-art facilities for biotech research and application in agriculture, food, medicine and environment will be built.
The centre will work with local and international organisations to develop human resources as well as biotechnology research and exchange in the province.
In addition, in an effort to save money, the centre plans to cooperate with other biotech centres to prevent duplication of similar work or research.
It plans to create linkages among various hi-tech zones from universities and institutes in and outside the province and other countries.
In recent years, Dong Nai province conducted biotech research and applied those findings to the fields of agriculture, forestry and aquaculture.-Enditem
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HCM City gets tougher on illegal motorbike racing
HCM City (VNA) -- Drivers who participate in illegal motorbike racing on city streets will be fined and possibly criminally prosecuted under new city regulations, according to the HCM City People's Committee.
Col Vo Van Nhuan, head of HCM City Traffic Police, said the police and relevant agencies would work with bike mechanics to put an end to the modification of engines that make them more powerful and dangerous.
The motorbikes also often have their brake systems removed and have loud horns and noisy exhaust pipes during the races.
Nhuan said police would keep records of the racing and encourage vendors at night to keep local police informed of any illegal races.
The city People's Committee chairman, Le Hoang Quan, has urged districts to be as vigilant as Binh Thanh district in breaking up gangs of illegal motorbike drivers who threaten public safety.
The Traffic Safety Committee has lauded Binh Thanh district's effort in stopping illegal racing, an activity that the city has had little success in curbing in recent years.
Binh Thanh district police, Hang Xanh Traffic police and other police units recently entrapped 550 illegal drivers by using cars to set up blocks at a main road and several alleys.
Drivers whose bikes were seized at the time will not receive their bikes back until they present a letter of intent from their family in which they promise that their children will not race illegally.
Police will also hold meetings in communities to speak publicly about the violators' activities, prior to returning their bikes. Nhuan said more vigilance by police units was required, but that other city agencies should co-operate to help stop the illegal activity.
Families should teach their children about traffic safety and a healthy lifestyle, he added.-Enditem
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Rubber exports increase 92 percent in first 10 months
Hanoi (VNA) -- The rubber industry earned 1.67 billion USD from 600,000 tonnes of exports since the beginning of the year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
This was an increase of 7.7 percent in volume and 92 percent in value, the ministry said.
About 90,000 tonnes were shipped in October alone.
Director of the ministry's Information Technology and Statistics Department Nguyen Viet Chien attributed the increased value to high prices.
Since early 2010 the average export price has been about 2,770 USD per tonne, a year-on-year increase of 84 percent, Chien said, adding that the jump was due to high demand.
"While the demand for rubber in the world market has strongly increased, the supply from main exporters such as Thailand and Indonesia has decreased due to bad weather conditions," he said.
General secretary of the Vietnam Rubber Association Tran Thuy Hoa said the goal of 1.3 billion USD for the whole year had been reached.
"This year, the industry is able to get revenue of 2 billion USD," she added
Vietnam currently exports rubber to various markets, including China , Malaysia , the Republic of Korea , Germany and the US .
To boost exports, the association continues to encourage companies to improve quality and expand their markets to the EU and Asia.-Enditem
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Photos highlight Russia's beauty
Hanoi (VNA) -- Audiences can take a photographic trip to Russia at the Glimpse on Russia exhibition on show at 45 Trang Tien street in Hanoi .
The exhibition features about 100 photographs highlighting the beauty of the Russian landscape, architecture and the people. Part of the exhibition celebrates the long-standing cooperation and friendship between Russia and Vietnam .
Veteran photographer Pham Tien Dung from the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) has more than 10 photos displayed at the exhibition. He says he took the photos while studying and working in Russia .
"I was inspired by the peaceful landscapes and upright people in Russia ," he says. "Russian and Vietnamese people have a strong attachment to each other that is difficult to explain."
The one-week long exhibition is jointly organised by the VNA, Russian ITAR-TASS Agency and the Russian Embassy.-Enditem
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New TV show dramatises great escape
HCM City (VNA) -- A television series on the life of Vietnamese revolutionaries in Con Dao Prison will be filmed this month by the Vietnam Film Studio (VFS) and HCM City Television (HTV).
The 30-part series, Cuoc Vuot Nguc Than Kyø (Perfect Gaolbreak), is based on a screenplay by Dinh Thien Phuc. It cost 10.8 million VND (500,000 USD).
The series' film production manager is Vuong Duc, the director, Vu Xuan Hung, and the cameraman, Vu Quoc Tuan.
The story is about the life of Vietnamese revolutionaries sent to Con Dao Prison during 1948 and 1950 while the war of resistance against the French colonialists was at its height.
It recounts a gaolbreak of a group of prisoners led by Hoang Bach, a revolutionary who was sentenced to 20 years.
Located on Con Dao Island, Con Dao Prison is known as the "Hell on Earth" where more than 200,000 prisoners, including leading Vietnamese revolutionaries, were jailed and nearly 20,000 died in atrocious conditions under the French and US-backed Sai Gon regimes.
Today, many cells and areas of the prison are preserved in memory of the country's national heroes.
"Through the film, we wanted to spotlight Vietnamese revolutionaries' remarkable spirit and work in achieving the country's freedom," Hung said.
After casting the roles, Hung and his crew will begin filming in Con Dao Prison later next month and then in HCM City .
To complete the film, Hung and his staff have conducted research on the prisoners.
"We wanted to help young audiences understand the spirit and revolutionary cause of Con Dao prisoners in Vietnamese history," he said. Post-production work on the film will be completed in February.-Enditem
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German cinema on show in Hanoi
Hanoi (VNA) -- A week of international award-winning German films from the 1999-2009 decade kicked off on Nov. 1 at the Hanoi Goethe Institute.
Among the screenings will be Policewoman (2000), Head-On (2004), Go for Zucker (2004), Longing (2006), The Lives of Others (2006) and Jerichow (2008).
The Lives of Others, directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, was released at the same time as the screenplay was published. It is set in 1984 East Berlin . An agent of the secret police, monitoring the conduct of a writer, who is also his lover, finds himself becoming increasingly absorbed in their lives. It won the 2007 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It had earlier won seven Deutscher Filmpreis awards – including best film, best director, best screenplay, best actor, and best supporting actor – after setting a new record for having received 11 nominations.
It also won the Bavarian Film Prize and the German Film Prize. At the Locarno International Film Festival it won the People's Choice Award, while in France it won the Cesar for Best Foreign Film.
The movie will be shown on November 6 at 7.30pm.
Head-On, which drew widespread attention for focusing on Turkish immigrants, was the fourth film by German/Turkish director Fatih Akin, and marked his international breakthrough.
It was awarded the Golden Bear, the German Film Prize and the European Film Prize. It will be screened on November 3 at 7.30pm.
The film week is part of the celebrations to mark Germany Year in Vietnam . Every two months a decade of German cinema history will be featured. Each film, in its own right, was talked about, shocked and impressed, and epitomised the era both in East and West Germany , according to organisers.
"In November we focus on the new millennium, the time of the reunification of divided Germany , with all its problems," organisers said.
The films will have English subtitles and Vietnamese dubbing. Free tickets can be picked up at 56-58 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street.-Enditem
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Disabled children put lacquer art on show
Thua Thien - Hue (VNA) -- An exhibition of lacquer paintings done by children suffering mental disorders has opened in Hue City .
The Tri Tuong Tuong Tren Son Mai (Showing Imagination through Lacquer Paintings) exhibition displays 51 paintings featuring traditional and iconic Vietnamese images like the Muc Dong (Buffalo Boy), Trau va Ruong ( Buffalo and Paddy Field) and Me Que (Mother in the Countryside).
The children from Hue 's Trinh Truc Gia Centre for Disabled People have surprised viewers with their creativity and use of joyful colours.
The exhibition will remain open at 1 Le Hong Phong Street until November 25.
Proceeds from the sale of the paintings will be donated to the Trinh Tuc Gia Centre.-Enditem
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Vietnam wins silvers at world Karate Championship
Hanoi (VNA) -- Vietnam walked away with two silver medals from the 20th World Senior Karate Championship which closed in Belgrade , Serbia , on Oct. 31.
Despite high expectations, national No 1 kata (performance) artist Nguyen Hoang Ngan lost 0-5 to Yohana Sanchez of Venezuela in the women's kata final.
After her 3-2 win over five-time world champion Rika Usami of Japan in Oct. 28's semi-finals, Ngan was widely expected to take the title since Usami was said to be the strongest contender in the event.
However, all predictions proved to be wrong when Sanchez, whose personal best was third place at the world championship in 2004, defeated Ngan for her first ever world title.
Ngan knew that silver was not her personal best, as she had previously grabbed many gold medals in high-ranked tournaments.
Usami and Croatian Mirna Senjug shared third place.
Earlier Ngan and her teammates Nguyen Thanh Hang and Do Thi Thu Ha were ousted 0-5 by Japanese trio Inoue Kazuyo, Kimura Yoko and Sakai Fumi in the team event
The teams from Italy and Spain took the bronze medals.
Vietnam 's only male competitor at the championship was Nguyen Ngoc Thanh who was knocked out in the second round in the under-67kg category.
The next event for the Vietnamese athletes will be the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou , China , next month.
Ngan and her teammates are shouldering a heavy burden to bring home a gold medal for Vietnam . As a whole, the country expects to pocket at least six golds in the continent's biggest sport festival.-Enditem
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U19s win International Cup
Hanoi (VNA) -- The Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper's International Football Championship Cup stayed in Vietnam for the second time after Vietnam's U19 team defeated the Thai U21 2-1 on Oct. 31 in HCM City.
Despite being considered weak compared to their rivals, the host proved that they could not be defeated by starting the match with effective attacks from the very first seconds.
Nguyen Hai Huy's opening goal proved their power in the first half. His 16.50m straight shot made more than 10,000 spectators, including national head coach Henrique Calisto, burst into happy and uninterrupted applause.
But Thailand were still a tough opponent throughout the tournament. Their forward trio of Sokjoho, Hongthong and Anan forced the Vietnamese players to work very hard to protect their net.
Thai tactics included rotating their positions in an aim to stretch the Vietnamese defence to level the score. However, this effort proved fruitless as they consistently had to back off to help their teammates thwart threatening counter-attacks from the Vietnamese side.
Goalie Buu Ngoc worked hard to keep the Thais to one goal after miscommunication between his teammates allowed a close-range shot by Meesawad to be converted into the second goal of the match.
The sudden loss confused the Vietnamese players to such an extent that Thai halfback Jungreed nearly scored a second goal a few minutes later. But Ngoc continued with his heroics to block many other Thai shots throughout the match. He was later voted as the best player of the match.
In the 78th minute, Vietnam scored their second goal in a rapid counter-attack. Van Quyet, who played in the shadows for much of the match, passed the ball across the box to a waiting Minh Tuan. His shot was punched out but the ball ricocheted to Van Thanh who scored with ease.
In addition to the cup, the team was awarded 300 million VND (15,000 USD).
In the earlier match, the U21 Thanh Nien Newspaper team beat U21 Malaysia 1-0 to secure third place.
Substitute striker Hoang Nhat Nam scored the only goal of the match from a free kick in the 82nd minute. The score would have been higher if Huu Phat had not missed a penalty a short time earlier.
This was the fourth year the tournament was organised with international teams. Vietnam 's first victory was in 2007 when they defeated Thailand 1-0 in the final.-Enditem
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ASEAN photos, films awarded in Hanoi
Hanoi (VNA)- The Ministry of Information and Communications, in collaboration with the Foreign Ministry, the Vietnam News Agency and Vietnam Television on Oct.31 held an awarding ceremony for the 2010 festival of photos, reportage and documentary films on the country and people of ASEAN community in Hanoi.
Attending the event were Minister of Information and Communications Le Doan Hop, representatives of ASEAN countries and international organisations in Hanoi.
Among 22 awarded documentaries, reportages and 14 photos, three first prizes went to Cong viec o nong trai (Working in farm) photo by Zaw Zaw Tun from Myamar, Mekong ky su (Mekong chronicles) by author groups from Ho Chi Minh City Television Film Studios, and Chiec kim khau (Needle) film by Anderson EE from Malaysia.
The awarded works were selected from 600 photos and photo collections, about 70 documentaries and reportages, according to the organising board.
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Hanoi attracts 800 million USD in foreign investment
Hanoi (VNA)- Foreign investment in Hanoi is estimated at 800 million USD in 2010, 1,5 times higher than last year, according to the Hanoi Statistics Office.
Of the 350 projects invested in Hanoi this year, 300 were newly-licensed projects with a combined registered capital of 500 million USD and 50 projects having additional funding with a total registered capital of 300 million USD.
At present, Hong Kong ( China ) is the leading investor with its investment accounting for 37.1 percent of the total registered capital. It is followed by the Republic of Korea (RoK) and Japan .
Meanwhile, the RoK is taking the lead in terms of the number of projects with 67 projects. Japan ranks second with 25 projects.-Enditem.
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