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Vietnam’s Army Day marked in Germany
Berlin (VNA) – The Vietnam War Veterans Association in Berlin and Brandenburg, Germany, has held a ceremony to mark the 66 th anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army (Dec. 22).
Addressing the function, Colonel Pham Duy Phe, Vietnamese Defence Attache to Germany , highlighted the history of the Vietnam People’s Army over the past 66 years and affirmed that in the new situation, the army would continue to develop and fulfill the tasks assigned by the Party and people and protect the national territorial integrity.
On this occasion, the Vietnamese Embassy decided to present a certificate of merit to the executive board of the Association of Vietnamese War Veterans in Berlin and Brandenburg for their contributions to community-based activities over the past time, especially in 2010.
The association has raised funds to help soldiers in Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago and flood victims in central region of Vietnam .-Enditem
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An Giang to have new fish oil refining factory
An Giang (VNA)- Vietnam’s Sao Mai An Giang Group and Belgium’s Desmet Balesstra Group on Dec. 22 signed a contract to provide equipment for a fish oil refining factory in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap.
Covering an area of over 23,000 sq. m, the 15 million USD factory, which will go into operation by the end of 2011, will have a capacity of 100-200 tonnes per day and generate 2,000 jobs.
The fish oil products will be extracted from tra and basa fish fat which are provided by existing seafood processing plants in the Mekong Delta region.-Enditem
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VN, Customs Union members look to FTA signing
Moscow (VNA) – Government officials, economists, researchers and businessmen of Vietnam and members of the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan gathered in Moscow on Dec. 21 to discuss economic, trade and investment ties between the two sides, looking to early signing of a bilateral free trade agreement.
Addressing the workshop themed “FTA between Vietnam and the Customs Union members – a useful tool for increase of bilateral trade relations,” Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Bui Dinh Dinh stressed the importance of the Vietnam-Russia strategic partnership and the traditional relations between Vietnam and Kazakhstan and Belarus .
Trade and investment between Vietnam and the three countries are at modest level and not yet match with politic ties, he said, calling for further development and expansion of economic cooperation and trade between the two sides.
Participants discussed measures to promote bilateral economic, trade and investment relations and ways of providing information, looking to the signing of a bilateral FTA, which serves as a legal basis for development of economics, trade and investment between Vietnam and the three Customs Union member.
They agreed that increase of economic and trade relations between Vietnam and each member of the Customs Union will help the four countries continue to further develop and come to the formation of the Vietnam-Customs Union free trade area.
The first session of the research to support a FTA between Vietnam and the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan took place in Hanoi on Oct. 11, which was described as an important start to allow the parties to implement the next steps for the signing of the agreement.
The bilateral agreement is expected to open a free trade area, covering over 20.2 million sq.km with 253.5 million population and GDP of 1.5 trillion USD.-Enditem
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Universities urged to teach ethics, values
HCM City (VNA)— Pedagogy universities and colleges should offer courses in ethics and values as well as more professional training, speakers at a HCM City workshop said on Dec. 21.
At the workshop, Nguyen Thi Ha Lan of Hong Duc University in central Thanh Hoa province said teaching of values was very important in the educational sector, especially at the kindergarten level.
If teachers did not receive the proper training in this area, they could be cruel to students, even causing physical injury, Lan added.
Nguyen Thi Hang Phuong of N-T Foundation in Hanoi, a research centre that specialises in children's psychology, said the centre had seen and treated many students who were afraid to return to kindergartens.
More programmes at pedagogy universities and colleges should emphasise that their students' behaviour will often mirror the conduct of the teacher.
Lan said authorities of local education offices and leaders of kindergartens as well as nursery schools should promote the teaching and application of values.
She said the ministry and local education and training departments should also offer more refresher training courses for existing teachers to improve their skills.
Dr. Mai Thi Lien Giang of Quang Binh University said the ministry should ask pedagogy universities to review and amend training programmes, and offer more courses in values and ethics.
Currently, Vietnam has 52 educational institutions nationwide that train kindergarten teachers, but programmes vary considerably from one place to another.
Some content in the training programme was still not practical, Giang said.
Nguyen Tuyet Lan of the National College of Pedagogy in Nha Trang City, added that the number of poor qualified lecturers at some pedagogy universities and colleges made it difficult to train teachers.
Another speaker, Dr.Vo Phan Thu Huong of Sai Gon University, suggested that pedagogy universities and colleges invite experienced lecturers in teaching kindergarten education.
She said that Vietnam should learn from Japan's training of kindergarten teachers.
In addition, the State should create policies to encourage kindergarten teachers to work with experts in research and development of kindergarten education, she added. —Enditem
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HCM City remains leading tourism centre
HCM City (VNA)- The southern economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City is also the nation’s leading tourist attraction with an estimated 3.1 million foreign arrivals in 2010, representing a year-on-year increase of 20 percent.
The city also said farewell to some 1.8 million Vietnamese at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport on out-bound tours or overseas business missions, representing a 2.5-fold rise over the previous year.
Domestic holiday makers taking services from HCM City-based travel agents also increased 30 percent.
As a result, the municipal hospitality industry earned some 41 trillion VND (almost 2.1 billion USD) in service revenues, representing an increase of 17 percent year on year and surpassing the yearly target by three percent.
The HCMC Service of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Deputy Director, La Quoc Khanh, said the city has taken a vanguard role in launching tourist promotion campaigns, which culminated in a programme named “HCM City-100 tips”.
The city has also invested in a programme on river way tours and held art performances as added value services.--Enditem
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US professors praise Vietnamese students
Washington (VNA) – Professors from the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) under the Indiana Bloomington University of the US have praised the intelligence and desire of studying of Vietnamese students at the university.
Vice Dean David Reingold has recently told Vietnamese Deputy Ambassador to the US Nguyen Vu Tung that a number of Vietnamese students are always top of the international students in the school.
There are more than 40 Vietnamese studying at the university, which is collaborating with the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training to sponsor the Vietnam Young Leaders Awards programme. The programme aims to facilitate young talented public employees to study and improve public administration skills.
During his meeting with the Vietnamese students at the university, Tung spoke highly of the activities of the Vietnamese Students Club in Indiana State to organise the traditional New Year festival for all students in the state and promote Vietnam’s image to international friends.-Enditem
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Street children in 10 localities receive timely assistance
Hanoi (VNA) – Street children and those at high risk of becoming street children in 10 provinces and cities have received timely assistance, said an official of the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA).
At a conference to review assistance for street children project 2010 held in Hanoi on Dec. 22, Deputy Head of the MoLISA’s Children Care and Protection Department Hoang Van Tien said almost all targets of the project have been fulfilled. The project has provided consultations as well as educational and medical care assistance to street children and potential high-risk group, he said.
The project has attracted almost 15,370 children in entertainment activities to integrate into the community, he added.
The delegates also pointed out shortcomings in the implementation of the project, focusing on the lack of funding for dissemination work and vocational training.
To raise the efficiency of the project in 2011, around 6 billion VND will be used to assist children in education, healthcare, vocational training and loans and child rights clubs will continue operation to bring into play children’s rights in the community.-Enditem
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Southern region boosts Cambodian trade
Tay Ninh (VNA) – Developing import-export and investment between Vietnam ’s key southern and southeastern regions and Cambodia was the theme of a seminar held in Tay Ninh province on Dec. 22.
Representatives from the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam and the Bilateral Trade Department of Cambodia and enterprises of the two countries attended the seminar.
The seminar was held to create opportunities for enterprises of the two countries to develop business with markets on each side.
Participants agreed that they had not yet taken full advantage of their market potential to boost exports and cooperation towards nearby markets.
They also agreed that Vietnam ’s key southern and southeastern regions and Cambodia were mutually attractive markets.
Vietnam ’s southern economic region has advantages in infrastructure, including airports, ports, highways, and many large industrial parks. Meanwhile, Cambodia is an “open” market with enormous potential.
Enterprises in the southern and southeastern regions have invested in rubber production, telecoms, banking and expanding supermarket systems in Cambodia .
Vietnam ’s southern and southeastern regions cover 10 provinces, with three provinces – Tay Ninh, Long An and Binh Phuoc – sharing a common border with Cambodia . Those provinces have four international border gates, six main border gates and 15 sub-border gates.
Vietnam-Cambodia import-export turnover increases 30 percent annually.
In 2009, the figure was 1.33 billion USD and is expected to hit 1.7 billion USD in 2010. Of the 2010 value, the key southern economic region contributed 62.32 percent.
They exported construction materials, electrical appliances, electronics, cosmetics, foodstuff and beverages, and imported farm produce, rubber latex and flour.
However, Vietnamese enterprises said there have been disadvantages in infrastructure at border areas as well as in information on trade and investment between the two sides.
They highlighted the need for investment to improve infrastructure at border areas, boost trade promotion of their products and conduct seminars and fairs to boost exports to Cambodia and step by step to bring products to Thailand and Laos through Highways 6 and 7.-Enditem
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Top ten events in information, communications
Hanoi (VNA)- The project, “To promptly turn Vietnam into a power nation in information technology and communications ” was selected as one of the top ten events of the year in information and communications.
Other events announced by the Ministry of Information and Communications in Hanoi on December 22 included a national target programme, “To make information accessible to residents of mountainous and remote areas, border communities and islands”, and the National Assembly approval of the Post Law.
Among the top ten list were: telecommunication businesses leading the nation in tax payments, a move to tighten management of internet and games online businesses, information security identified as urgent and vital to institutions and businesses, a biggest ever international book fair, the first ASEAN Community festival of pictures, documentary and feature movies, the first-ever press fair held in Paris, and Vietnam winning first prize at an international writing contest held by UPU.
The Ministry of Information and Communications described the project on IT and communications power, which was approved by the Prime Minister this year, as a strategic project, creating a foundation for development of the information and communications industry.
A project on information development in remote and mountainous areas, islands and border areas aims to narrow the gap of benefits in this field between rural and urban people. The project is scheduled to benefit 3,000 villages, including 1,700 remote villages, in the most disadvantaged 250 districts, from 2011-2015. The project offers assistance in personnel training, investment in grassroots hardware foundations and supply of audio-visual equipment for target families.--Enditem
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Christmas bells set to ring throughout Hanoi
Hanoi (VNA) – Whether the weather is cold or not, Christmas is coming and about 40,000 Catholic and Protestant followers in Hanoi are eagerly awaiting their biggest annual church festival.
Father Chu Duc Minh at St Joseph ’s Cathedral in the heart of Hanoi has been busy preparing for Christmas Eve Mass, the most important event of the Catholic Christmas season, while watching over the decoration of a fir tree, the cave where Christ was born, and other places in and outside the church.
Father Minh revealed that choir service on Christmas Eve this year will be performed both inside the main hall and at the grand seminary courtyard so all followers can join in and sing along with the choir.
Maria Duong Thien Nga, a follower at the Cathedral Church parish, recalled that in the past Christmas was celebrated mainly in the religious community, but the focus has changed.
“Christmas becomes a community celebration and it is held merrily in many public sites nowadays,” Nga said.
Though not a Catholic follower, Phan Thuy Ha, a resident in Ly Thuong Kiet street , was enthusiastic about the approach of Christmas.
Ha said on the occasion she always had a fir tree decorated with rows of gold and white lights to welcome the new year.
Though there is two days more to go Christmas, a festive atmosphere has been evident in the main streets, buildings and hotels in Hanoi for weeks.
Sofitel Plaza Hanoi has completed the making of a fir tree assembled from balloons while Sofitel Metropole Hanoi has turned on 5,000 light bulbs to greet its customers and passers-by.-Enditem
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VN, Laos, Cambodia combat transnational crimes
Khanh Hoa (VNA) – More than 100 chief judges and judges from the Supreme People’s Courts of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia and their border provinces are attending a two-day conference that opened in the central coastal city of Nha Trang on Dec. 22.
The conference, the first of its kind, is being held under the initiative of the Vietnam Supreme People’s Court (VSPC) in order to share experiences and put forward solutions to enhance cooperation in combating cross-border crimes.
At the first session, themed “Increasing the effectiveness of cooperation in crime prevention and control” and chaired by Chief Judge of the Lao Supreme People’s Court Khammy Saynhavong, participants were briefed on the complicated situation of drug and social order crimes and human trafficking.
According to deputy judge of the VSPC criminal court Hoang Thi Kim Oanh, among more than 1,580 cases of women and children trafficking detected in Vietnam in the 2004-2009 period, women and children trafficked to Cambodia made up 11 percent of the cases and to Laos , 29 percent of cases.
VSPC Deputy Chief Judge Dang Quang Phuong said that the signing of bilateral and multilateral cooperation treaties among the three countries in combating crimes remained slow, which he said failed to reflect the goodwill and wishes of concerned parties in the negotiation to sign the judiciary assistance agreement.
The conference agreed to enhance cooperation among the three countries’ courts in combating and trials of transnational crimes.
They emphasised the need for local border courts to share experiences and organise fact-finding tours and seminars on professional skills for judges and courts’ cadres.-Enditem
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Seminar discusses int’l conventions on human rights
Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and the Australian Agency for International Development jointly held a seminar on international conventions on human rights and implementation mechanisms in Hanoi on December 22.
The event was part of a technical cooperation programme on human rights between Vietnam and Australia , which started in 2006.
In his opening remarks, MoFA Deputy Minister Bui Thanh Son thanked Australia for its active cooperation and support in disseminating the contents of the international conventions on human rights.
Son said that the Vietnamese Party and government define that man is not only the objective but also the momentum for national development as well as the focus of the country’s socio-economic policies.
Therefore, Vietnam always attaches importance to joining international treaties on human rights in order to represent its commitments and attention to ensuring the implementation of human rights, he stressed.
Deputy Minister Son and Australian Deputy Ambassador to Vietnam Vanessa Wood said the seminar offered a chance for representatives of relevant agencies to share information and experiences, strengthening the close coordination between ministries and agencies as well as between central agencies and news agencies in ensuring Vietnamese citizens’ basic rights.
Participants at the event discussed the issue of democracy and human rights in international relations, especially relations between Vietnam and the US , Canada , the EU and the Vatican ; and the Vietnamese State ’s viewpoints and policies on human rights.
Such issues as international conventions on human rights and Vietnam ’s participation, international human rights mechanisms, and the role of the press in promoting and protecting human rights were also put on table.-Enditem
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Vietnam, RoK review extended relations
HCM City (VNA) – Relations between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) have been greatly extended and deepened for peace, stability and development cooperation for the two peoples.
This statement was made by the President of Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam-RoK Friendship Association Vu Van Hoa at a ceremony to mark the 18 th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam- RoK diplomatic ties, in HCM City on Dec. 22.
The two countries lifted diplomatic ties to a comprehensive cooperation relationship in 2001 and to a strategic cooperative partnership in 2009, Hoa said.
At the event, the RoK’s Consul General in HCM City Kim Sang Yoon stressed that the two countries’ relations had made great progress over the past 18 years.
He said the RoK has successfully assumed the Chair of the Group of 20 (G20) and Vietnam , the Chair of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year. He said this helps not only to raise the two countries’ status in the world arena but also bolster their cooperation.
President Hoa and the RoK Consul General noted that the RoK’s direct investment into Vietnam is increasing, reaching nearly 23 billion USD as of November this year, up 250 times compared with 1992.
The two countries have exchanged about 500,000 tourists each year and there are nearly 100,000 Vietnamese living in the RoK and the same number of the RoK people living in HCM City, they said.
At the grassroots level, HCM City and RoK’s localities have regularly conducted a large number of exchanges for businesses, scholars and students as well as a wide range of cultural, sporting and charitable programmes.-Enditem
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Former int’l director awarded friendship medal
Hanoi (VNA) – The former General Director of ActionAid int’l organisation in Vietnam Ramesh Singh was awarded the Friendship Order by the Vietnamese State President at a ceremony on Dec. 22.
The honour was presented for his active contribution to strengthening friendship between Vietnam and ActionAid as well as promoting Vietnam ’s development.
Ramesh Singh said it was an honour to him to receive the noble distinction and spoke highly of Vietnam ’s outstanding achievements in poverty eradication over the past two decades. He also thanked the Vietnamese Government, especially heads of the friendship organisations and provinces who have enthusiastically supported him during his working time in Vietnam .
During his term in Vietnam from 1997 to 2000, Ramesh Singh actively contributed to the establishment of partnership relations and projects funded by ActionAid regarding health care, education, credit and agriculture, which have helped boost poverty eradication, create jobs and improve people’s life.
Between 2000 and 2004, as ActionAid’s General Director, he continued to assist Vietnam to deal with numerous int’l issues including trade victims, int’l integration and support of Agent Orange.
ActionAid, founded in 1972, aims to fight poverty worldwide.-Enditem
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Chinese firms support the poor in Binh Duong
Binh Duong (VNA) – The Chinese Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, Xu Mingliang, on Dec. 22 handed over 410 million VND to the “Fund for the Poor” of the southern province of Binh Duong .
The money was contributed by 23 Chinese companies and individuals who are doing business in the province, in response to the Consul General’s appeal on the 60 th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations and the Year of China-Vietnam Friendship 2010.
Xu said a large number of Chinese businesses are investing in Vietnam and many of them are operating in Binh Duong as the province is located next to the southern economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City .
Binh Duong province has also shown good performances in administrative reforms and created favourable conditions for business and production activities, the diplomat added.
Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Hoang Son thanked the Chinese companies for their donations and briefed them on the province’s socio-economic development.
Son said he hoped that besides the current 80 Chinese-invested projects capitalised at 232 million USD, more Chinese businesses would invest in the province in the years to come.
The chairman also pledged to continue to care for and create better conditions for foreign investors to effectively do business in Binh Duong province.-Enditem
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Vietnam sets national record at regional students’ Games
Chiang Mai (VNA) – Vietnamese javelin-throwing athlete Nguyen Truong Giang won a gold medal and broke the national record at the 15 th ASEAN University Games (AUG), held in Chiang Mai city, Thailand from Dec. 14-23.
Giang broke his own national record of 69.04m with a throwing distance of 72.05m. Silver and bronze medals went to two Thai competitors.
This is the first time Giang, a third-year student from the Ho Chi Minh City Sports and Physical Education University, has taken part in the AUG.
Also on December 21, Vietnam martial artists won six gold, a silver and a bronze medal in taekwondo and pencak silat events.
By the end of the day on Dec. 21, Vietnam had won 16 gold, 10 silver and 8 bronze medals, ranking fourth in the medal tally, following Thailand , Indonesia and Malaysia.-Enditem
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Nearly 1,400 delegates for XIth Party Congress
Hanoi (VNA) – The XIth National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) will open at the National Convention Centre in Hanoi on January 12, 2011 and is expected to last for nine days.
The information was released by Pham Xuan Son, Deputy Head of the CPV Central Committee’s Commission for External Affairs, in Hanoi on December 22, at a conference preceding the event to inform diplomatic corps and international organisations in Vietnam .
This is an important political event of the Vietnamese Party, State and people, Son said, adding that it is expected to draw the participation of nearly 1,400 delegates who represent more than 3.6 million Party members in 54,000 grassroots Party organisations.
Besides a strong contingent of local journalists, more than 150 foreign reporters from international news agencies will cover the event, he said.
The congress will discuss and approve a political report by the CPV Central Committee (tenth tenure), a report reviewing the 20-year implementation of the platform on national construction in the transition to socialism, and a detailed draft report that sumps up the implementation of the 2011-2010 national socio-economic development strategy.
It is also expected to give approval to the platform on national construction in the transition to socialism (revised and supplemented in 2011), the 2011-2020 national socio-economic development strategy as well as the amended Party Statute.
The congress will elect a new CPVCC for the 11 th tenure of 2011-2015, the highest body of the CPV leadership between the two congresses.
The entire Party members and Vietnamese people of all strata, including those living abroad – actively contributed comments to draft documents to be submitted to the XIth National Party Congress.
On the basis of the high consensus and determination of the whole Party, people and army during the discussion and formulation of the Congress’s documents, the CPV defined the theme of the XIth National Party Congress as follows: “Continuing to strengthen the Party’s leadership and combative capacity, promoting the aggregate strength of the entire nation, stepping up the renewal comprehensively and creating a foundation for Vietnam to become a modern industrialised country by 2020”.
In the next five years, Vietnam strives to attain a GDP growth rate of 7-8 percent per year with a per-capita income reaching 2,100 USD in 2015, 1.7 times higher than that of 2010.
According to Son, the CPV affirms its intention to continue using Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh thoughts as its ideological foundation.
Vietnam is consistent in the path of national development towards socialism and implementing a foreign policy of independence, self-control, peace, cooperation and development; multilateralisation and diversification of relations; taking the initiative in international integration; and becoming a friend, a reliable partner and a responsible member of the international community for the interests of the nation and for a rich and powerful Socialist Republic of Vietnam.-Enditem
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Party Central Committee concludes 14th meeting
Hanoi (VNA)- The 14 th meeting of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, 10 th tenure, wrapped up in Hanoi on December 22, following 10 days of sitting.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh said that with a high level of responsibility, the meeting discussed and endorsed recommendations to the draft documents to be submitted to the XIth National Party Congress, which were put forward by Party congresses at all levels, National Assembly deputies, the Fatherland Front, mass organisations, officials, Party members, the people and overseas Vietnamese.
The suggestions cover a wide range of fields with different scopes, contents and levels, but all are earnest and reflect the thoughts, concerns and findings about the country’s renewal and development process amid new conditions, demonstrating their sense of identity with the Party and the nation and their wish for the Party to be cleaner and stronger and see the country develop rapidly and sustainably, Manh said.
He went on to say that the meeting considered opinions that more clearly and deeply express assessments of the country after 25 years of renewal, 20 years of implementing the 1991 Platform, 10 years of implementing the socio-economic development strategy and five years of implementing the Xth National Party Congress Resolution.
The meeting looked into strengths and shortcomings in leadership, and performance, lessons of experience, the country’s current situation and emerging issues that need to be addressed.
It also adjusted a number of points in the targets, tasks, policies and major solutions, especially in human resource, social progress and equality, building new rural areas, environmental protection, natural disaster prevention and control and response to climate change.
Regarding the Party building work, the meeting endorsed many ideas that mainly focused on the relationship between improving the Party’s leadership and combative capacity and building a clean and strong Party, as well as continuing to step up the implementation of the “Studying and following the moral example of Ho Chi Minh” campaign and renovating the Party’s personnel work and leadership modes in line with new development requirements.
The delegates reviewed and assessed mechanisms and models on corruption prevention in order to put forward more practical and effective solutions and policies in the future.
With these amendments and supplements, the draft documents to be submitted to the Congress have been completed, representing the immense intellectual ability of the entire Party and people.
Regarding personnel nomination to the CPVCC, 11 th tenure, the conference made careful consideration of the results reached during the previous meeting and approved a list to be introduced at the 11 th National Party Congress.
The CPVCC also decided the time of convening the 11 th Congress and adopted its draft agenda and working regulations to be submitted to the Congress for approval.
General Secretary Manh affirmed that with the results reached during this conference, the CPVCC presented a high sense of responsibility, held fast to principles as well as basically completed the 10 th tenure’s programmes and undertook considerable preparations for the 11 th National Party Congress under the Party statutes.-Enditem
Guangzhou military art troupe performs in Hanoi
Hanoi (VNA)- An art troupe from China’s Guangzhou military zone on Dec. 21 made a performance in Hanoi to mark the 60 th anniversary of Vietnam-China diplomatic ties and Vietnam-China Friendship Year.
The artists performed 13 outstanding items of dance, song and circus that won prizes at China’s seventh national dance festival.
The event is part of activities to strengthen mutual understanding and contribute to promoting peace, stability and development in the region.-Enditem
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Three enterprises win int’l quality award
Hanoi (VNA) – Three Vietnamese enterprises have won the International Asia Pacific Quality Award (IAPQA) by the International Asia Pacific Quality Organisation.
The Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality (STAMEQ) announced the winners on Dec. 21.
They were the Viglacera Ha Long Joint Stock Company from the northern province of Quang Ninh, the Phu Nhuan Jewelry Joint Stock Company (PNJ) from Ho Chi Minh City and the Long Hau Joint Stock Company from southern Long An province.
The STAMEQ also announced a list of 96 enterprises winning the National Quality Award, including 11 golds and 85 silvers.
A ceremony to hand over the IAPQA and the national awards is scheduled to be held on Dec. 26.-Enditem
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Vietnam to promote community archaeology
Thanh Hoa (VNA) – Vietnam is really able to develop community archaeology, said Vietnamese and foreign archaeologists at a seminar held in the central city of Thanh Hoa on Dec. 20-21.
At the seminar titled “Archaeology for the interest of community – experience exchange’, the first of its kind in Vietnam, the participants discuss the way to promote community archaeology towards bringing at first benefits to local people at archaeological sites and then encouraging them to join in the protection and preservation the sites’ value.
Scientists stressed that community archaeology requires a long-term commitment and harmonious collaboration of archaeologists, culture managers, local authorities and people.
Scientists from Japan, China, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, the US and Italy shared their experiences in conducting community archaeology. Most of the scientists stressed that the preservation of an archaeological site must be relied on local people and it is necessary to help them understand the value of the site and protect it.
The seminar also discussed the future of community archaeology in Vietnam and the responsibility of scientists, managers and community.-Enditem
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Auto registration fees to surge
Hanoi (VNA) -- The registration fee for passenger vehicles with fewer than nine seats will be increased in Hanoi and HCM City early next year from 15 percent to 20 percent of the vehicle's purchase price, under an expected decision from the Ministry of Finance.
Outside of Hanoi and HCM City , registration fees would be set between 10 and 20 percent, depending on the local economic situation.
The increase was necessary to discourage the rapid growth of personal vehicles, blamed for snarling traffic in the nation's major cities, as well as significantly raise revenue stream for the State budget.
Automobile registration fees were an important source of State revenues, the ministry said, generating 7 trillion VND (359 million USD) annually, or about 2.5 percent of the nation's total budget.
Nguyen Ngoc An, a salesman at an auto showroom on Hanoi's Au Co street, predicted the fee surge would further inflate the price of a new car, already high due to heavy import and excise taxes.
Auto sales have surged significantly in the country in recent years amid robust economic growth. According to data published by the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association, 17 automakers in the country sold a combined 99,978 vehicles in the first eleven months of this year.
The nation imported 46,940 complete-built vehicles worth 856.4 million USD during the period, according to the General Department of Customs.
The Ministry of Finance earlier this month shaved tariffs on imported vehicles, effective January 1. Under the new tariff regime, vehicles with fewer than nine seats and an engine capacity of 1.8-2.5 litres would see import taxes lowered by 1 percent to 82 percent. Meanwhile rates for vehicles with larger engine sizes would fall by 6 percent to 77 percent.-- Enditem
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Procedures simplified for marriages to foreigners
Hanoi (VNA) -- Both local and foreign nearly-weds are set to enjoy simplified administrative marriage procedures as of early April next year thanks to a new Government resolution.
The resolution, approved early this month, stipulates that those who are going to marry foreigners will be able to shorten their marriage registration time.
They will be able to continue with their procedures immediately after posting the banns of marriage to relevant authorities, including the departments of justice and local authorities, instead of waiting for seven days as before.
Only one person will be required to be present when submitting the marriage certificate, and procuration and leave of absence letters for the absentee will not be compulsory in this case.
According to the Government Office's Administrative Procedure Control Department, this step was not necessary as the legal issues were certified in the interview process.
Legal papers, including copies of permanent or temporary residence cards and general information on careers and the homeland of nearly-weds will also be eliminated.
All foreign-related marriage banns procedures would be solved within 20 days after all required papers had been registered. If the banns needed to be verified, the procedures would be completed within 30 days, the decree said.
Local nearly-weds will receive their marriage certificates three days after registration and five days in case verification is needed.
Nguyen Thuy Quynh, who is married to an American, said that it took them eight months to get their marriage certificate.
"We got married six years ago and the procedures were quite complicated and time-wasting. We still had to go from place to place to get the necessary documentation, even though we had been instructed carefully," she said.
Quynh said that her friend who got married to an Australian editor, was luckier as ‘she finally got the certificate after around five months'.-- Enditem
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Foreign buys shore up market
Hanoi (VNA) -- Heavy buys by foreign investors helped reheat a cooling market in HCM City on Dec. 21, lifting the VN-Index to a close of 481.78 points, a gain of 0.73 percent over the previous day.
Foreigners bought a total 14 million shares on the HCM Stock Exchange on Dec. 21, besting their one-day record for the year set a week earlier on December 17. Their net buys hit a six-month total of 9 million shares, worth a net of 204.2 billion VND (9.7 million USD).
The buys were enough to rescue the Index from a decline earlier in the session.
The volume of trades on the southern market reached 67.9 million shares, worth a total of 1.7 trillion VND (81 million USD). Saigon Securities Inc (SSI) was the most-active share, with a volume of 5.4 million.
On the Hanoi Stock Exchange on Dec. 21, the HNX-Index continued falling, shedding 1.76 percent to close the day at 115 points.
Trades were worth 961.4 billion VND (45.8 million USD) on a volume of 53 million shares, with PetroVietnam Securities Co (PSI) posted the heaviest volume of 7.7 million shares.
Foreign investors were net sellers on this market by a tiny net of just 20,600 shares, worth a net of only 473 million VND (22,523 USD).-Enditem
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Work starts on wind plant
HCM City (VNA) -- The Trung Nam Wind Power Joint Stock Company on Dec. 21 began construction of the wind observation station for its wind-power plant in Thuan Bac district in the central province of Ninh Thuan .
The station will collect wind data for use in the plant's design.
The province People's Committee had approved construction of the 200MW plant in Loi Hai and Bac Phong Communes last September.
The plant will cost around 500 million USD. -Enditem
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Overpass project approved
Hanoi (VNA) — The Ministry of Construction on Dec. 21 gave its stamp of approval to a 10-kilometre-long, four-lane overpass project from Vinh Tuy Bridge to Nga Tu So intersection in southwest of Hanoi .
The plan will now be submitted to the Office of the Government for final approval.
The overpass, which would be built by Vincom Joint Stock Company, is aimed at solving traffic congestion in the area, said Deputy Minister Nguyen Dinh Toan.
Toan said it had been included in Hanoi 's General Construction Planning. It had also been approved by the National Assessment Board and was awaiting prime ministerial approval.
The ministry said construction would have to follow regulations relating to the Law on Bidding as well as building plans covering Ring Road 2 running between the bridge and the intersection.
Chairman of Vincom management board Le Khac Hiep said the company would start detailed planning after the project was given the green light.
Hiep said it had enough financial resources to undertake the work.
The road from Vinh Tuy Bridge to Nga Tu So Intersection has been the scene of many traffic jams since its opening in September last year.
In March, the municipal Transport Department proposed building six flyovers costing a total of 32 trillion VND (1.6 billion USD) to ease Hanoi 's traffic congestion.
Department director Nguyen Quoc Hung said all roads in the city had been overloaded while it was difficult to implement land clearances to enable new roads to go ahead.
Hung said flyovers would be built at O Cho Dua-Voi Phuc on Ring Road 1, Vinh Tuy Bridge-Buoi on Ring Road 2, at Mai Dich-Thang Long Bridge, Hanoi Station-Xa Dan-Pham Ngoc Thach-Road 70, Tran Duy Hung street-West Lake, Giang Vo street-Thanh Xuan district.
Pham Huu Son, general director of Transport Engineering Design Incorporate (TEDI) said the flyovers could resolve transport flow problems and that it would not cost much for land clearances.
However, the issue has drawn much concern from specialists who said that the construction could destroy the city's urban landscape.
Head of Hanoi Construction Planning Institute, La Thi Kim Ngan, agreed with the idea, but wondered about preserving the Old Quarter.
Tran Vu Duc, deputy director of the city's Planing and Investment Department said the construction should be built on roads that had been overloaded.- Enditem
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