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Can Tho turns on TV festival
Can Tho (VNA) - The 30th National Television Festival kicked-off on Dec. 20 in the southern province of Can Tho, showcasing the best television works produced by both State-owned television stations and private studios.
The seven-day festival this week will offer more than 700 entries in 10 genres including trailers, that will be making their first appearance at the festival.
"It's good news that trailers will be shown at the festival for the first time. Trailers will make a big contribution to advertising television shows," said Ha Nam, deputy head of the organisation board.
Judges, chaired by Deputy Head of the Cinematography Department Le Ngoc Minh, have already started reviewing the multiple episode category (10-30 episodes), that includes Vietnam Television Film Centre's Silver Swamp, Vietnam Multimedia Corporation's Perhaps Because of Love, and Tran Gia Studio's At the End of the Rainbow.
For the first time, individual prizes for television series will be presented, including Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Cameraman.
The organisation board will also present 35 Gold Awards, 48 Silver Awards and 120 certificates of merit.
Four workshops and two exhibitions will be included as part of the festival. The workshops will discuss how to improve television programmes on ethnic people, children and digital technology television.
Representatives from foreign television broadcasters such as Australia's ABC; China's CCTV; the Republic of Korea's KBS; Japan's NHK and the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) will attend the seminars.
"This festival will focus on workshops which will be of great help to local television stations. We aim to improve the quality of television programmes in the future," said Vu Van Hien, general director of Vietnam Television.
The opening ceremony will broadcast live on VTV's channel 1 on Dec. 20. - Enditem
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Italian Company to receive ship made in Vietnam
Hanoi (VNA) - Bach Dang Shipbuilding Industry Corporation is to hand over a 4,500-cubic-metre ethylene carrier vessel named "King Arthur" to Italian shipowner Mediterranea Di Navigazione on Dec. 21.
This is the first in a series of four vessels the Vietnamese firm has built for the Italian company.
The carrier is the first of its kind made in Vietnam. It is 104 metres long, 16.4 metres wide and 8.4 metres deep. It has a draft of 7.2 metres.
The Bach Dang corporation is focusing on completing a range of products for delivery this year, including a 6,500-tonne cargo ship, a 1,700 TEU (20-foot equivalent unit) container ship. It is also building other ships for domestic and foreign buyers.- Enditem
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Test laboratory joins Asia Network Forum
HCM City (VNA)- The State-run Quality Assurance and Testing Centre No 3, or Quatest 3, has become a member of the Asia Network Forum (ANF), an Asian forum for quality assessment bodies.
In a statement released at a ceremony held to receive the Labour Order, First Grade,last week, the quality certification agency said its membership was approved at an ANF general council meeting in Tokyo in November.
It was the result of the centre’s active participation in the ANF's technical activities related to its evaluation and certification services for electronic, electrical, and telecom products, Quatest 3 said.
ANF currently has five other members – Japan Quality Assurance, Korea Testing Laboratory, China Quality Certification Centre, Electronics Testing Centre of Taiwan and TUV SUD PSB Singapore.
Quatest 3 has established relations with other conformity assessment agencies like UL (the US), Nemko (Norway), NDV (Japan) and Kriss (the Republic of Korea).
Its activities aim to facilitate firms' operations by improving the quality of their products and productivity through testing, inspection, certification,and calibration services.
It also serves as a conformity assessment agency in testing, inspection and certification for products imported into Vietnam.
"We will try our best to develop solutions expected to be recognised world-wide and to better support enterprises and Government agencies to make their products better known in local and international markets," said Tran Van Dung, director of Quatest 3. — Enditem
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Congratulations to Catholics, Protestants on Xmas
Hanoi (VNA) – President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Huynh Dam on December 20 sent a letter of congratulations to Catholic and Protestant dignitaries and followers nationwide on the occasion of Christmas 2010.
In his letter, Dam said “as a part of the national great unity bloc, the Catholic and Protestant communities in Vietnam have always preserved and promoted the tradition of patriotism.”
They have always marched together with the nation, actively participating in patriotic campaigns and emulation movements, especially the “All people unite to build cultural life in residential areas” and “Day for the Poor” campaigns, contributing to the national construction and defence as well as the cause of renewal, industrialisation and modernisation of the country.
On the same day, a delegation from the Hanoi authorities led by Chairwoman of the municipal People’s Council Ngo Thi Doan Thanh visited the Hanoi Catholic Solidarity Committee and parishioners on the occasion of Christmas.-Enditem
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Credit growth slows to a crawl in December
Hanoi (VNA) - Credit growth at commercial banks has slowed this month due to high interest rates that now range at 17-20 percent per year for dong-denominated loans.
Vietcombank's credit growth has been frozen for about a month, said Vietcombank general director Nguyen Phuoc Thanh.
"We are vigilant against companies which try to obtain loans by any means because it implies weak competitiveness and financial capacity," commented Thanh.
Eximbank general director Truong Van Phuoc predicted the trend of sluggish credit growth would continue through the end of the month.
Lending interest rates began rising in November after the central bank hiked the prime rate from 8 to 9 percent and began to further deregulate the interest rates commercial banks could charge.
Stiff competition among banks to attract capital has also ignited a deposit interest war, putting further pressure on lending rates. However, to stem the inflationary tide of high interest rates, the State Bank of Vietnam pressured commercial banks to accept a curb on deposit interest rates, now under a mandatory cap of 14 percent.
Lending interest rates should also hover within a range of 11-14 percent, a level high enough to discourage inefficient business operations but not so high as to cause difficulties for enterprises and the economy, said Thang Long Securities Co general director Quach Manh Hao.
The central bank earlier this month estimated that credit growth in the commercial banking system would reach the target for the entire year of 25-27 percent. — Enditem
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Inflation, forex fluctuations expected to stabilise
HCM City (VNA) - There will be less risk of inflation and high interest rates next year and the difference between official and open market foreign exchange rates will be narrowed, according to Le Xuan Nghia, Deputy Chairman of the National Committee for Financial Supervision.
The Government will give top priority to tackling infation and foreign exchange problems next year, he said on the sidelines of a Dec. 18 seminar on opportunities and risks in the stock market in 2011.
Once the inflation problem is solved, the interest rate issue will cool down and the stock market will grow in a more stable manner, Nghia said.
"An increased interest rate (on deposits) usually means a decrease in stock market investment. Higher gold prices and a stronger US dollar (in Vietnam) have also made investors more cautious, not to mention macroeconomic impacts," he said, explaining why Vietnam's stock market fell while others elsewhere grew.
He was confident that the world's economic recovery in 2011 will be stronger, that the "dark clouds" above Egypt, Ireland, Spain and Italy will lighten and the Asian economy will continue to develop rapidly, supporting Vietnam's economic growth.
Nghia also said Vietnam's stock market has positive factors to attract investors, including the average Price to Earnings (P/E) ratio of around seven and eight compared to the regional average of 17.
However, he agreed speculation plays a role in improving liquidity, drawing medium and long-term investors.
"Foreign investors have an important role in Vietnam's stock market and they are good at economic analysis, thus they will see that medium and long term investment in this country will be more attractive than in other regional markets," he noted.
Over the last three months, foreign indirect investment increases by about 10 percent each month, Nghia said. — Enditem
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Meeting of Paris-based businesses of VN, Cambodia, Laos
Paris (VNA) – The Vietnam-Cambodia-Laos (VCL) Business Club in Paris held its fifth meeting in Paris on Dec. 19 with the participation of 86 entrepreneurs.
Participants discussed plans to boost trade and investment cooperation between the three Southeast Asian countries with their French partners.
They agreed to increase exchange of information on finance, marketing and human resources.
Vietnamese commerce counsellor to France Pham Xuan Yen briefed the meeting on Vietnam’s economic situation and trade relations with France in 2010.
At present France has almost 200 investment projects in Vietnam with a combined capital of nearly 3 billion USD, ranking 9th among foreign investors in the country.
French businesses are involving in transport, telecom, hotel, tourism, agro-forestry and fisheries in 24 cities and provinces in Vietnam. Those projects helped generate over 24,000 jobs for local people.
Yen expressed his hope that the VCL Business Club would further boost activities to promote trade and investment with Vietnamese enterprises.-Enditem
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Vietnam-UK trade, investment ties expected to boom
London (VNA) – The year of 2011 will see a boom in trade and investment cooperation activities between Vietnam and the UK, the trade counsellor of the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK and North Ireland has said.
An The Dung has a reason to make the remark as two-way trade turnover between the two countries is estimated to record an impressive growth rate of 15 percent this year, particularly in the context of unstable economic situation in many other countries.
Dung said the bilateral ties between Vietnam and the UK have been developing rapidly over recent years, adding the signing of a joint statement of promoting the two countries’ relationship as strategic partnership in September this year is a boost to their cooperation comprehensively, particularly in some key areas, including trade and investment.
According to Dung, two-way trade turnover in the first 10 months of 2010 increased by 18.6 percent to 1.3 billion GBP, exceeding the whole last year’s record of 1.26 billion GBP.
In the first ten months of 2010, the UK imported from Vietnam 1.03 billion GBP worth of commodities and exported to the Asian country 235.8 million GBP, year-on-year increases of 15 percent and 37.7 percent, respectively. In the two remaining months, the two-way trade turnover is expected to add 200 million GBP more to bring the year’s figure to 1.5 billion GBP (2.4 billion USD).
The EU country imports from Vietnam footwear, garment and furniture with high values. In addition, it has a high demand for Vietnamese farming products such as coffee and cashew nut, seafood, plastic and rubber products.
By the end of 2010, almost all of Vietnam’s export staples, except footwear, have recorded high growth rates in the UK market: cashew nuts with 38 percent, plastic products with 24.6 percent, furniture and timber products with 19.3 percent, and garment with 5.4 percent.
The UK sells to Vietnam its electric equipment and generators, industrial machines and equipment, pharmaceutical products, and steel.
According to Dung, Vietnam will be able to earn more from exporting some staples such as coffee, cashew nut, rice, plastic and rubber products if its businesses improve their product quality and promote marketing.
With such records, the UK is one of leading European Union economic partners of Vietnam, after only Germany.
Regarding investment, Dung said UK businesses see Vietnam as one of the six new favoured-emerging markets (CIVETS), including Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey and South Africa.
According to a recent survey of 520 globally-operating businesses by the UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) and the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Vietnam for the third consecutive time is named as one of top destinations for investors in the next five years.
Vietnam maintains its high ranking only after the BRICS economies, as 19 percent of the questioned companies see Vietnam as number-one destination for investors, as compared with 20 percent for China and 18 percent for India.
Dung said next year the embassy’s trade mission will pay more attention to providing information on the UK market and barriers to Vietnamese businesses, adding a handbook on the UK market will be published soon.
The embassy will also coordinate with the UKTI to organise at least a fact-finding tour to Vietnam for UK businesses and help Vietnamese businesses to take part in an international exhibition of plastic products in London in September 2011.-Enditem
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Hanoi’s youth union wins regional award
Hanoi (VNA) – Hanoi ’s Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union has been honoured with the ASEAN Ten Accomplished Youth Organisation (TAYO) Award.
The award ceremony was held in the framework of ASEAN Youth Day, which was co-organised by the Committee for ASEAN Youth Cooperation and the Philippines ’ National Youth Commission in Manila from Dec. 18-21.
The Hanoi ’s Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union was awarded for its outstanding achievements in environmental protection, culture and education, vocational training, adolescent health, voluntary work, social welfare development and business.
The ASEAN TAYO is held annually with a view to honour prominent Youth organisations in the Southeast Asian region.-Enditem
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Ministry agrees to cut import tax on gas
Hanoi (VNA) - The Ministry of Finance has cut import tax on gas from 5 percent to 2 percent to stabilise the domestic gas market.
The new tariff came into effect on Dec. 17 and gas retailers PV Gas, Petrolimex Gas, Sai Gon Petro Gas, Vinagas and Gia Dinh Gas immediately cut their retail price by 8,000 VND (0.38 USD) on 12kg canisters.
The move comes at the end of a year when the price of gas in Vietnam rose seven times so far this year. Before the cut, retail prices for canisters ranged from 330,000 VND (15.71 USD) to 360,000 VND (17.14 USD) depending on the brand.
The Vietnam Gas Association originally proposed the tax cut after rises in the world's gas price led to similar increases on the domestic market.
Gas world prices have risen about 200 USD to roughly 1,000 USD per tonne this month.
The gas association's chairman Nguyen Sy Thang said dependence on imports makes doing business difficult for gas traders. Without tax cuts, domestic gas prices will continue to rise.
The country currently imports roughly 60 percent of its total gas needs.
Thang also said that the import tax rate of 5 percent had been set by the Ministry of Finance when the world gas price was 200 USD per tonne but with prices now at 1,000 USD per tonne, the previous tax rate was too high.
Earlier this month, the country's largest gas provider PV Gas offered discounts of 5,000 VND on 12kg canisters to stabilise the domestic gas market. The price cut was made possible by domestic supply from the Dung Quat Oil Refinery.-- Enditem
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Premature baby given clean bill of health
Hanoi (VNA) -- Doctors at Bach Mai General Hospital discharged a prematurely born baby after three months of care on Dec. 20.
The 700-gramme baby was rushed to Bach Mai Hospital on September 11 after her mother went into labour just 28 weeks into her pregnancy. Emergency surgery at a district hospital in central Nghe An province failed to save the 28 year old woman who died of septicaemia.
The baby now weighs 3.1 kilos and could drink bottled milk like any other baby, doctors said.
Earlier this month, doctors at the National Obstetrics Hospital saved a 500-gramme new-born, the smallest premature baby to survive in Vietnam.-Enditem
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Cold snap sends up veggie prices
Hanoi (VNA) - Bitter cold spells in recent days have badly affected agriculture, leading to a shortage of fresh vegetables and an increase in retail prices in Hanoi .
The volume of available vegetables has reduced significantly in the last two days at the North Thang Long and Kim Nguu wholesale markets.
Nguyen Van Chuc, a wholesaler, said the weather is to blame for the bad harvest and the subsequent shortage of vegetables.
The price of vegetables has surged by 20-30 percent compared with that before the cold spells, Chuc said.
At present, the price is at 4,000 VND per tuber of kohlrabi, 8,000 VND per bundle of water dropwort, 6,000 VND per bundle of watercress, 5,000-7,000 VND per kilo of cabbage and 7,000 VND per kilo of tomatoes.
Vegetable prices have also increased by 5-10 percent in supermarkets.
Most vegetable traders expect the price to increase due to high demand for the Lunar New Year.
Meanwhile, meat and seafood retailers said prices have remained unchanged but are likely to rise for the same reason.- Enditem
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Vietnam’s exports to US rise sharply
Washington (VNA) – Two-way trade between Vietnam and the US in the first ten months of the year reached almost 15.3 billion USD, an increase of 20 percent over the same period last year, according to statistics from the US Department of Commerce.
Of the figure, Vietnam ’s export value was 12.3 billion USD, a year-on-year rise of 20.3 percent, ranking 26 th among exporters to the US .
Garments and textiles lead amongst Vietnam ’s major export items to the US , making 5 billion USD, a year-on-year increase of 16 percent and followed by wooden products and furniture with 1.5 billion USD, up 32.8 percent and footwear, 1.35 billion USD, up 23.3 percent.
Farm produce ranked fourth among Vietnam ’s leading export items, earning 719,500 USD, up 35.5 percent and seafood, 666,700 USD, up 20.7 percent.
Also under the reviewed period, Vietnam ’s imports from the US were worth 2.97 billion USD, an increase of 19.2 percent over the corresponding period last year.
Vietnam mainly imported vehicles, wooden products, machines, steel, food and animal feed.-Enditem
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