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Germany funds project for disabled people in Thanh Hoa
Thanh Hoa (VNA) – German Terre des Hommes has funded a project on gender equality education and care of disabled people’s reproductive health in northern Thanh Hoa province.
The 44,778 EUR project is being conducted in 54 communes of six districts and cities with the aim to improve living conditions of people with disabilities, especially women, and children.
In three years (2011-2013), the project will set up teams to provide knowledge and advice on gender equality and how to care for disabled people’s reproductive health in order to raise awareness on domestic violence, gender equality, HIV/AIDS and sexual transmitted diseases for women with disabilities.
It also provides vocational training for disabled people so that they can ensure their living and integrate into the community.
According to statistics, there are 172,000 people with disabilities in Thanh Hoa province./.
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VN congratulates Lao National Party Congress
Hanoi (VNA) – The Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee has sent a congratulatory message to the 9 th National Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP), affirming support and belief in the Lao revolutionary cause.
The CPV Central Committee on behalf of the Vietnamese Party and people expressed its pleasure with the great, comprehensive and historically significant achievements recorded by the Lao fraternal people after 25 years of the renovation process and five years of implementation of the 8 th Congress Resolution, saying they unceasingly increased the Lao revolution’s strength and raised the prestige and position of Laos in the international arena.
“The successes reaffirm the correct and creative policy of the LPRP, a party unyielding to all difficulties and challenges, striving for the goal of national independence, for a strong and rich country and people’s happiness, for peace, national independence, democracy and social progress in the world,” the message said.
The 9 th national congress of the DPRP is an important event of the Lao Party, State and people, marking a new stage of development of the Lao revolution, mapping out guidelines to continue increasing the national great solidarity bloc and unity in the entire Party. It raises the role and the capacity of the leadership, organises the successful implementation of the renovation process, striving to bring the country out of underdevelopment by 2020, creating a premise for industrialisation and modernisation of the country as it develops strongly towards socialism.
“Being a close friend and comrade of the Lao party and people of tribes, we always provide support and strongly believe that under the leadership of the DPRP, the Lao fraternal people will continue to obtain new and greater achievements in their national renovation, successfully implementing the Resolution of the 9 th National Party Congress, and building Laos into a state of peace, independence, democracy, unity and prosperity,” it affirmed.
In its message, the CPV Central Committee described the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, fostered by the late President Ho Chi Minh, the late President Kaysone Phomvihane and generations of leaders of the two parties, states and peoples as an element of the success of the revolutionary cause of each country.
“The Vietnamese Party, State and people will spare no effort to join hands with the Lao Party, State and people to treasure and bring the special relations to a new height, for the benefit of people in each country, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world,” the message said.
The CPV Central Committee took this opportunity to expressed its deep gratitude to the Lao Party, State and people for their valuable support and assistance to their Vietnamese counterparts during the struggle for national liberation, reunification in the past as well as during the doi moi (renewal) process, and the present national construction and defence./.
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Scratch champion to perform in Hanoi
Hanoi (VNA) — Three-time DMC World DJ Championship holder, DJ Craze will entertain audiences during his one-night show in the capital city of Hanoi on March 19 night.
The Nicaraguan-American DJ, who plays hip hop, Miami bass, dubstep and drum'n'bass, is the only solo DJ in history to have consecutively claimed the World DMC Champion three times from 1998 to 2000.
His other major awards include the USA DMC Championships, World ITF Scratch Off Championships, ITF Western Hemisphere Scratch Off Championships, Winter Music Conference Scratch Off Champion, East Coast DMC Championships, East Coast Rap Sheet Championships and Zulu Nation Championships.
Craze was voted as "America's Best DJ" by Time magazine in 2001.
The 34-year-old has toured throughout the world, performing in Jamaica, Australia, Japan, Iceland, France, and the country of his birth, Nicaragua.
Craze is also a world-renowned producer, releasing successful drum'n'bass records and hip hop inspired productions.
His performance in Hanoi is expected to attract about 1,500 audiences.
The show is part of the Heineken Green Planet series of music events, and will start at 8pm at the 18th floor of the Capital Tower building, 109 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hanoi.
Free tickets can be obtained by registering at www.heinekenmusic.com.vn./.
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Vietnam snatch bronze in Asian Judo Championship
Hanoi (VNA) - Nguyen Lan Linh and Le Ngoc Van Anh pocketed a bronze from the Asian Judo Championship which concluded in Thailand on March 14.
Linh and Anh took their medal in the women's junokara (duo performance).
In the men's competition, SEA Games champions Nguyen Thanh Tai and Nguyen Ngoc Son failed to make the top three.
The debut tournament has drawn more than 40 countries and territories competing in the nage no kata (a combination of hand, hip and foot techniques), katame no kata (a combination of fifteen techniques), kime kata (self-defence technique), juno kata and kodokan goshin jujitsu (modern self-defence-oriented style)./.
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Thrifty use urged to avoid power outages
HCM City (VNA) — Economising on household electricity consumption will help HCM City avoid shortages this summer, a power-utility official has said.
Le Van Phuoc, general director of the Electricity of Vietnam's HCM City Co (EVN HCMC), said if domestic users could reduce usage by 10 percent, the City grid could save around 2 million kWh a day, ruling out the need for power cuts.
As ofMarch 15, EVN HCMC had not resorted to power cuts due to shortages, he said.
But it has been forecast that demand can reach 48.4 million kWh a day this month while EVN can only supply 46.9 million kWh.
The shortage could increase to 2 million kWh a day in April and May before dropping to 350,000 kWh in June.
Phuoc said EVN HCM City has contingency plans for power management and distribution when there are shortages of 2 to 10 percent, with priority given to major Government agencies, hospitals, and traffic signs.
For commercial and household users, power cuts will be uniform and transparent with announcements made in advance.
Even in case of serious shortages, no consumer will suffer outages for more than twice a day and four times a week.
Addressing a with EVN HCMC last week, the Committee secretary, Le Thanh Hai, said the municipal Party company should ensure sufficient supply to the manufacturing, business, tourism, and service sectors and domestic consumers.
He also called on citizens to economise on power consumption and urged Government agencies to reduce usage by at least 10 percent.
Electrical power savings in HCM City have been increasing year on year, partly due to more energy-efficient use of electricity, said Huynh Kim Tuoc, director of HCM City Energy Conservation Centre at a Marc h 15 press briefing on power consumption during the 2005-10 period.
Three years ago, the city consumed 900kWh of electricity per 1,000 USD GDP growth, but last year that figure fell to under 700kWh.
Between 2005 and 2010, the city saved nearly 6 per cent of electricity consumption, equivalent to 900 million kWh or a savings of 900 billion VND (43 million USD) annually. Tuoc said the city saved 786 million kWh last year.
Currently, each day the city faces a shortage of 2 million kWh of electricity.
For the five-year period, the average electricity use of each individual was 1,800kWh, a 2.3-fold increase compared with figures from the rest of the country. The amount, however, fell in 2009 and 2010.
About 40 percent of power in the city is consumed for industrial production, and about 30 per cent for household use.
In the future, power consumption will primarily be from buildings and transport projects such as the metro system.
Tuoc also noted that metro routes would each need a capacity of 140 MW of energy. The future metro system in the city would require huge amounts of energy, he added.
For the 2005-10 period, electricity consumption by industry fell as a result of companies using more advanced technology in production.
Power for household use, however, is expected to increase as living conditions of residents improve.
During the next five years, the city plans to save 3-5 pe cent of the city's electricity, based on a sustainable development strategy for the city.
In order to save 600 million-1 billion of kWh of electricity each year from now, the city will disseminate more information to residents and the business community about the importance of energy conservation.
It also plans to limit projects that waste power and will encourage investors to fund energy-efficient projects./.
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Badminton champs in Hanoi attracts many players
Hanoi (VNA) – As many as 206 male and 96 female badminton players will compete at the International Ciputra Hanoi-Vietnam Challenge 2011 from March 29 to April 3.
This announcement has been made by head of badminton section of Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Duong Thi Lien.
They come from domestic and foreign teams such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Chinese Hongkong, Chinese Taipei, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Russia, South Africa and Nigeria.
Malaysia alone send 62 athletes, Chinese Taipei, 38.
At the same event which has the endorsement of the World Badminton Federation and Asia Badminton Confederation held last year, it drew 260 athletes from 15 teams.
According to Lien, there are many players taking part in this event. It means this event begins to have a large attraction.
"This year, badminton players are preparing for the qualifying round of London Olympics 2012 so partaking many events will not only help athletes gain skills and experience but also help them add points to secure places to Olympics," said Lien.
Nguyen Tien Minh, Vietnam's top badminton star and world No 8 will not participating in the competition as he is now competing on bigger tours. However, the host will show off a squad of youngsters such as Pham Hoang Nam, Le Ha Anh, Vu Thi Trang, Thai Thi Hong Gam.
In preparation for this event, Hanoi Badminton Federation invited 60 domestic and nine international referees to run the tourney.
As planned, the draw will be conducted on March 22 by the Asian Badminton Federation. It will be based on the latest ranking table of the World Badminton Federation.
The annual event has a top prize of 15,000 USD awarded in the men's and women's singles and doubles and mixed doubles categories./.
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National Tourism Year to open on April 1
Da Nang (VNA) – The National Tourism Year-Phu Yen 2011 under the theme “Beach and Island Tourism” will open in the southern central province of Phu Yen on April 1.
At a press briefing on March 16, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism said the 2011 National Tourism Year will highlight the south central coastal region with 30 cultural, sports and tourism events in co-hosting provinces and cities, including Da Nang , Quang Nam , Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan.
The event is timed to coincide with the 400 th founding anniversary of Phu Yen province.
Phu Yen Tourism Year 2011 is expected to offer chances for domestic and foreign visitors to discover the uniqueness of islands and beaches in the region as well as to promote island, beach tourism in Vietnam .
The event is also aimed at helping develop regional provinces and cities’ socio-economy./.
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US senators call on colleagues to repeal 2008 Farm Bill
Washington (VNA) - Six United States senators signed in a letter dated March 15, calling upon colleague to cosponsor S.496, a bill to rescind a provision in the 2008 Farm Bill which, if improperly applied through regulation, would inhibit a Vietnamese fish import.
The signatories, including John McCain, John Kerry, Tom Coburn, Jeanne Shaheen, Mike Crapo, and Scott Brown, wrote in the letter that: "There is neither a safety reason to block the import nor any economic benefit for the country in doing so" because the "costly and duplicative federal regulations aimed at gaming our foreign trading system at the expense of American consumers and taxpayers."
The letter writes: "The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is currently engaged in a proposed rulemaking process for implementing a new catfish inspection authority required by the 2008 Farm Bill. The rule is likely to capture Vietnamese pangasius, which would shift these catfish prducts from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s jurisdiction to USDA. Vietnamese companies would be forced to put into place processes the USDA deems 'equivalent' rather than use the FDA hazard analysis and critical control points system. That would impose an effective short and medium term ban on imports and a long term unnecessary new cost on imported catfish."
According to the six U.S. senators, "If the USDA definition of catfish captures Vietnamese pangasius, that action would result in a market advantage for some American catfish producers at the expense of American importers."
The six senators stressed, "We need to pass this legislation (S.496) or we set a horrible precedent of inviting producers currently regulated by FDA to call for USDA inspections in order to gain a similar market advantage. That would have negative market and trade consequences and would likely invite similar gamesmanship among our trade partners - all while increasing costs to taxpayers and consumers."./.
Vietnamese citizens in Japan safe from radiation
Tokyo (VNA) – None of 84 Vietnamese citizens who were evacuated from areas hit by the recent quake and tsunami in Japan suffered from radioactive contamination, according to a preliminary result.
The radiation checks were conducted after the Vietnamese arrived in Tokyo by experts from the Fuji Denki Company, one of leading firms on radiation monitor in Japan .
The Vietnamese citizens, including trainees at the Sanshi Kijouju plant some 40km away from the Fukushima Nuclear Plant No 1, were taken from the cities of Fukushima , Sendai and Morioka to Tokyo on March 16 by working groups of the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan .
About 20 of them stay at friends’ houses or move to southern prefectures, while the remainders were arranged to take shelter at the Nissin Kutsu shrine and provided with food and necessities by the Vietnamese Embassy. The embassy pledged to create conditions for those who want to return to Vietnam as soon as possible.
Addressing a ceremony at the shine to spray for quake and tsunami victims and safety for those who are still in the disaster-affected areas, Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Phu Binh expressed his thanks to Yoshimizu, the shrine’s head monk, and Kunihiko Kito, a representative from the Bao Viet Securities Japan, and other Japanese friends for their help to the Vietnamese citizens.
Besides, the Vietnam Youth and Students’ Association in Japan has provided clothes and food to the evacuees.
Also on the same day in Vietnam , the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PVN) donated 100,000 USD to Japanese earthquake and tsunami victims.
PVN Chairman Dinh La Thang handed over the donation to Ambassador Tanizaki Yasuaki./.
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Int’l yacht festival opens in Binh Thuan
Binh Thuan (VNA) – The Vietnam International Yacht Festival (VIYF) 2011 under the theme “Ship, Sea, Sand and Sun” opened at Mui Ne, Phan Thiet city in the southern province of Binh Thuan on March 17.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan stressed that the festival, the first ever held in Vietnam , will open up new opportunities for the country to further develop sea tourism and yacht building technology. He added Binh Thuan needs to boost international dialogues, economic exchange as well as set up a plan to attract foreign investment and fully tap its potential and strength.
During the festival, which will last till March 20, many activities will take place, including a scientific seminar on building Vietnam’s marine trade mark, performance of international yachting teams, and discussions on yacht building technology./.
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Nghe An to open more border gates to Laos
Nghe An (VNA) – The central province of Nghe An plans to open two subsidiary border gates to Laos to boost trade, socio-economic and cultural cooperation.
The border gates are Thong Thu in Que Phong district, which borders Laos ’ Hua Phan province and Cao Veu in Anh Son district, bordering Bolykhamxay province.
The opening of the two border gates also helps facilitate the development of joint projects in infrastructure and trade between Nghe An province in particular and Vietnam in general and Laos.
Nghe An province has effectively cooperated with Laos ’ border provinces over the last years.
The province also plans to receive students from Laos ’ Hua Phan and Bolykhamxay provinces for vocational training./.
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Italian NGO helps people with disabilities
Thua Thien-Hue (VNA) – More than 120 young people with disabilities in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue have benefited from a project funded by AIFO, a non-governmental organisation from Italy.
The AIFO-funded project has been carried out in Huong Tra and Phong Dien district since 2008 until present to provide vocational training to disabled young people.
The project has also granted more than 200 million VND in loans to generate jobs for people with disabilities and equip, educational and rehabilitation facilities for those people.
AIFO has been involved in providing development and humanitarian assistance to disabled people in six provinces and cities of Phu Tho, Hai Phong, Nghe An, Da Nang, Binh Dinh and Thua Thien-Hue./.
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Vietnam ready to share difficulties with Japan
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam , as a close friend of Japan , will do its utmost to share difficulties with the disaster-struck country, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
PM Dung made the statement while visiting the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam on March 17 to extend condolences to the Japanese Government and people over their huge losses caused by the powerful earthquake and massive tsunami which rocked the country on March 11.
Right after the disaster, the Vietnamese Party, State and people have kept close watch on the situation in Japan and very admired the composure and resilience of the Japanese people, he said.
The Government leader affirmed that Vietnam is ready to send health officials to Japan to help the country overcome the consequences of the disaster, adding that the Vietnam Red Cross has appealed for local residents’ donations as well as spiritual support for the Japanese people.
On the occasion, PM Dung thanked the Japanese government and people for their active assistance for the Vietnamese community in Japan over the past days.
“The Vietnamese Party, State, Government and people strongly believe that, with its tradition of resilience and solidarity plus the support of the international community, Japan will soon surmount difficulties to continue developing,” he stressed.
Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Yasuaki Tanizaki thanked and highly valued the Vietnamese government and people’s timely assistance. He affirmed that the Japanese people will unite to overcome the disaster in the earliest time.
He promised that the embassy will coordinate with authorised agencies in Japan to ensure the safety of Vietnamese citizens who are living and working in the country.
On the same day, the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam opened a funeral record from March 17-23, except Saturday and Sunday.
In the first day, many ministries, agencies, organisations and individuals come to offer condolences to the Japanese government and people over the serious losses caused by the earthquake and tsunami, especially families of dead people.
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Drought hits major coffee, rice hubs
Hanoi (VNA)- A long spell of dry weather is battering the coffee-rich Central Highlands and, along with salinity, is causing a problems in southern provinces, the nation’s rice bowl.
Drought was reported to have hit the Central Highlands provinces of Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak and Dak Nong for several months, damaging some 4,200 ha of coffee. In addition, over 4,500 ha of rice were hit by drought, of which over 1,200 ha were totally damaged. Over 1,000 ha of subsidiary crop fields are parched.
Chief of the Central Highlands weather forecast station, Pham Vu Tuan, said the dry season this year is likely to be complicated as the average rainfall was low in 2010. The underground water level in this dry season continues to dry up by 4-5 m compared with the previous year’s level.
Meanwhile, droughts, along with salinity, have been biting deeper inland in southern provinces, seriously reducing the water supply capacity of reservoirs in hydropower plants and causing dire shortages of fresh water for daily life and production.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has asked for the Government’s first phase grants of almost 460 billion VND (22.08 million USD) to be made available to the Central Highlands to cope with drought./.
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Seminar talks biodiversity vision until 2020
Hanoi (VNA)- The Vietnam Environment Administration held a seminar entitled “The United Nations Decade on Biodiversity 2011-2020” in Hanoi on March 17.
At the event, the delegates discussed priorities of the Convention on Biological Diversity and Vietnam ’s orientations as well as issues in biodiversity planning and preservation.
Dr. Pham Anh Cuong, Deputy Director of the Biodiversity Preservation Department outlined activities of preserving biodiversity from now until 2020, saying that these activities must draw the participation of community and socio-political organisations in localities.
Dr Cuong also informed participants about outcomes of the tenth meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biodiversity (COP10) that took place in the Japanese central city of Nagoya with 16,000 delegates from 193 parties and partners taking part.
COP10 aims to complete negotiations for the new Strategic Plan on Biodiversity for the next 10 years and visions to 2050.
Issues relating to the access to biodiversity and sharing of benefits, climate change, finance, economic tools were debated at the conference./.
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12th National Assembly set for final session
Hanoi (VNA) – The ninth and last session of the 12 th National Assembly will open on March 21 at the Defence Ministry’s Meeting Hall in Hanoi .
During their eight working days, deputies will focus on examining a report on the National Assembly’s performance in its 12 th term from 2007 to 2011, said Tran Dinh Dan, Head of the National Assembly Office at a press briefing in Hanoi on March 17.
The deputies will also hear working reports during the 2007-2011 term by the State President, the Government, the Prime Minister, the Chief Judge of the Supreme People’s Court, and the Procurator of the Supreme People’s Procuracy.
Nguyen Sy Dung, Vice Head of the National Assembly Office, said these reports were due to deal with what had been done, difficulties that still existed, experiences and lessons learnt, along with proposals to help raise the effectiveness of the State’s important institutions.
At the session, deputies will discuss and approve four laws, including the Law on Independent Audit, the Law on Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking, the Law on Supplements and Amendments to some Articles of the Civil Procedure Code, and the Capital Law.
The session’s agenda will include discussions of supplementary reports on the outcomes of the implementation of the country’s socio-economic development plan and the State budget in 2010 and the country’s socio-economic and state budgetary performance in the first months of 2011.
The legislators were due to look at reports on management and use of the social insurance fund, on the enforcement of the law on gender equality in 2010, and on plans to use a sum of 3.5 trillion VND to reinvest in Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group./.
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Lao Party opens national congress
Vientiane (VNA)- The 9th National Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) opened in Vientiane on March 17, with participation of 576 delegates representing over 191,700 Party members.
Party General Secretary and State President Choummaly Sayasone delivered the Party’s political report, emphasising solid unity among the people, solidarity within the Party, and increasing the Party’s role and leadership competence in the renewal process.
The report hailed great socio-economic achievements in the recent past despite global economic crisis.
“The past five years saw Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of 7.9 percent annually, average per-capita income of 8.35 million Kip (surpassing the annual target), stability in macro-economy as well as progress in poverty reduction programme,” the report said.
Laos has undergone great changes over the past 35 years, especially in 25 years of renewal, achieving a firm political system that can ensure sustainable development, the congress heard.
The report unveiled the Party’s goal to lift Laos out of underdevelopment and backwardness by 2020, paving a foundation for national industrialisation and modernisation.
Its 2011-15 plan calls for an annual GDP growth rate of 8 percent, per-capita incomes up to 1,700 USD by 2015 while the poverty rate will be down to 19 percent.
Other targets include the accomplishment of the UN Millennium Goals for sustainable development in all fields and harmony between economic development and environmental protection. The report highlighted investment in material infrastructure in preparation for industrialisation and modernisation during the years to come.
The report also highlighted its economic policy shift from the natural to a commodity-based economy geared to a socialism-oriented market economy. The focus is put on poverty reduction while food security, increase in forest coverage and effective use of natural resources are also in the spotlight.
Laos is to pursue its unswerving external policy of peace, independence, friendship and cooperation, attaching importance to relations with socialist countries, promoting special friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam; promoting traditional relations with China in the spirit of good neighbourliness, best friendship and comprehensive and long-term partnership.
Laos also plans to strengthen cooperation with neighbouring countries with common borderlines and increase participation in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the basis of mutual benefit and mutual assistance in line with the ASEAN Charter.
The report concluded with an emphasis on strengthening the Party leadership and improving the quality of political and ideological work./.
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ASEAN Chair experience helps int’l integration
Hanoi (VNA) – The ASEAN Chair experience of Vietnam will facilitate the nation’s cooperation in ASEAN as well as in regional and international integration, affirmed a diplomatic official.
Deputy Foreign Minister Dao Viet Trung made the statement at a workshop to review the nation’s experiences as ASEAN Chair 2010, in Hanoi on Mar. 17.
Trung highlighted the achievements of Vietnam while taking the ASEAN Chair in 2010 and stated that the country fulfilled the role excellently, contributing to speeding up the process to build the ASEAN Community, boosting solidarity in the bloc and regional linkages, operating the new apparatus of the ASEAN Charter and boosting relations between ASEAN and its partners.
He said through those achievements, Vietnam ’s position in the international arena has improved markedly.
Trung also affirmed that the success of Vietnam as the ASEAN Chair in 2010 was a result of efforts and high determination by the whole Party, State, ministries, sectors, localities and people./.
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OVs help spur HCM City’s development
HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City has persuaded more Vietnamese expats to return home to help in spurring its wide-ranging development.
At a conference to launch its work for 2011, the HCM City Committee for Oversea Vietnamese Affairs reported that there are 138 OV professors, associate professors, Ph.Ds, and researchers working in various projects and programmes in the city, which is Vietnam’s biggest economic hub.
By the end of 2010, more than 2,500 OVs registered for doing business in the city with a total charter capital of nearly 37 trillion VND.
The municipal authorities had granted licences to 117 OV-invested projects capitalised at 275 million USD, including 10 projects worth nearly 158 million USD in the Hi-tech Park.
In 2010, OVs’ remittances to Ho Chi Minh City hit 4 billion USD.
Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Hoang Quan said OVs have made sizeable contributions to the city’s annual average GDP growth rate of 11.2 percent over the past five years./.
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Japan launches multilingual quake website
Tokyo (VNA) – A multilingual website offering earthquake and tsunami information was launched on March 17 in Japan .
The site at http://equinfojp.net was designed in ten languages – Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Indonesian and Thai.
The site, established by the Tohoku Area Pacific Offshore Earthquake multi-language support centre, which was set up by the NPO (Non-Profit Organisation) based in Otsu, Shiga prefecture in western Japan aimed to provide updated multilingual information on the earthquake and tsunami as well as gather information about foreign residents in the disaster area.
At present, the centre uses some 15 volunteers to post all sorts of information – from everyday tips to ways to respond to nuclear disasters.
Apart from the site, the centre also established hot lines in the four languages of English, Chinese, Portuguese and Spanish and plans to expand the number of languages./.
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Vietnam, Cambodia boost legislative ties
Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam National Assembly will make all-out efforts to preserve and develop the traditional relations between Vietnam and Cambodia , a senior legislator said.
NA Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong made the commitment at her reception for a delegation from the Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians Group (CVFPG) in Hanoi on March 17.
The CVFPG delegation, headed by its President Men Sam On, who is also Permanent Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia , is on a visit to Vietnam at the invitation of the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Parliamentarians Group (VCFPG).
Phong expressed her delight at the development of friendship and cooperation between the two countries as well as between the two legislative bodies, saying it brought practical benefits for both, especially in economy, trade, agriculture, industry and post and telecommunications.
She spoke highly of the role performed by the two parliamentarians groups and their operations while suggesting the two legislative bodies continue exchanges of visits as well as experiences, and work closely with each other at inter-parliamentary forums in the region and the world.
Phong thanked the Cambodian Parliament and people for their support to Vietnam , mentioning the 31 st ASEAN Inter-parliamentary Association (AIPA-31) that the Vietnam NA hosted as an example.
Men Sam On stressed that the close ties between Cambodia and Vietnam have assisted each country in its own cause of national construction and defence.
She affirmed that the CVFPG will continue to partner with VCFPG in bolstering the relations between the two countries and their legislative bodies.
The CVFPG will help support Vietnamese enterprises and the Vietnamese community in Cambodia , the Cambodian official said.
She congratulated Vietnam on its successful organisation of the 11 th National Party Congress and performance of the ASEAN Chair and AIPA-31 Chair in 2010 and expressed hope to learn from Vietnam’s experiences in the field for hosting the AIPA-32 successfully./.
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