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VNA, Prensa Latina sign accords
Havana (VNA)- Vietnam News Agency (VNA) has signed a general agreement on multimedia cooperation with the Latin American press agency Prensa Latina (PL) in Havana before a VNA delegation concluded a five-day visit to Cuba on July 7.
The agreement, signed by VNA General Director Tran Mai Huong and PL President Luis Enrique Gonzalez, highlights the first-ever bilateral commitments to the exchange of TV products for broadcasting of the VNA television channel and PL audio-video programmes.
Another accord signed on this occasion was the agreement on printing and publication of the Vietnam Pictorial in Cuba and Latin America .
Signatories were Vietnam Pictorial Editor-in-chief Nguyen Thang and PL Vice President in charge of publication, Maite Mareno.
The signing of these accords was the outcome of talks between the VNA and PL leaders, where host and guest emphasised their ambitions to become powerful groups in mass media.
For his part, the VNA General Director expressed willingness to share experiences in all fields, from human resource development to diversification of products, and provide technical assistance to the PL.
Huong highly spoke of PL’s assistance in personnel training, printing and publication for the Vietnam Pictorial under the VNA as a big contribution to promoting Vietnam ’s image to people in remote Latin America .
The PL President replied with thanks to the VNA for its recent assistance. Gonzalez warmly welcomed VNA goodwill in sharing experience which he described as a motivation for his agency to stay on the right track in the current information era.
The two sides exchanged experience in publishing an English language newspaper which is on the test run in Cuba while the VNA has been enjoying 20 years of experience in publishing the popular English daily with the largest circulation in Vietnam – the Vietnam News.
They reached a consensus that the two newswires should work together to improve their service quality to contribute to strengthening traditional relations between Vietnam and Cuba .
Cooperation should focus on news coverage of progress made in the renewal process underway in each country, as well as coordination of action and mutual support between the two countries in international forums, they emphasised.
During its stay, the VNA delegation was received by the Deputy Director of the Commission of Ideology of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee, Angel Arzuaga.
The VNA chief, Tran Mai Huong, had a working session with the National Information Agency of Cuba (AIN), visited the International Press Centre and called at the Vietnamese Embassy./.
Press Highlights July 7
Current Events
· Vietnam attends the third conference of the Forum on Nuclear Cooperation in Asia (Nhan dan, p8).
· Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee sends a message of congratulations to the Lao Front for National Construction on the occasion of its on-going 9 th Congress (Nhan dan, p8).
· Vietnam, Thailand cooperate in developing tourism (Nhan dan, p8).
· Defence Minister Phung Quang Thanh receives Chinese Ambassador (Quan doi Nhan dan, p1).
· Vietnamese Embassy in Slovakia opens (Quan doi Nhan dan, p8).
Socio-economic Affairs
· Vietnam continues perfecting the National Rural Clean Water Supply and Sanitation Strategy (Nhan dan, p1).
· Report on Vietnamese rural economy 2010 released ( Nhan dan, p1).
· Press agencies cooperate in helping AO/dioxin victims (Nhan dan, p1).
· National Children Palace Festival opens (Nhan dan, p8).
· Orientations for exports in the last half of this year (Nhan dan, p8).
· Over 312 million USD for transport development in the Mekong Delta ( Nhan dan, p2).
· 74,000 foreign guest workers in Vietnam (Lao dong, p1).
· Vietnam expects to export 7 million tonnes of rice this year (Lao dong, p3).
· Vietnam welcomes 2.966 foreign visitors in the first six months of this year (Lao dong, p3).
· HCM City starts constructions of five-star Majestic hotel (Lao dong, p3).
· 250,000 VND in aid for workers with monthly income of less than 2.2 million VND (Sai gon Giai phong, p1).
· Minimum salary to be applied in business sector (Quan doi Nhan dan, p1).
· Jrai-Vietnamese dialect electronic dictionary made public (Quan doi Nhan dan, p8).
· Switzerland finances a project on improving public services in the agriculture sector (Quan doi Nhan dan, p4).
· A series of projects to improve lakes’ environment in Hanoi launched (Hanoi Moi, p1).
· First 1,000-bed general hospital to be built in Hanoi (Hanoi Moi, p1).
· Festival displaying specialities of the three regions opens in the central coastal province of Phu Yen (Hanoi Moi, 7).
· Air transport businesses are requested to increase capital (Dau tu [Investment], No. 80, p3). A draft decree amending and supplementing some articles of Decree 76/2007/ND-CP, to be submitted to the Government, said that airlines must meet higher requirements in both capital and infrastructure.
· New export markets needed (Dau tu, No. 80, p5). Without changes in commodities for exports, Vietnam will not see remarkable changes in its export markets in the near future.
· FDI businesses in Ho Chi Minh City increase investment and charter capital (Dau Tu, No. 80, p10).
· Vietnam’s vegetable and fruit exports enjoy trade surplus of 180 mln USD (Thoi bao Kinh te Viet Nam [Vietnam Economic Times], No. 160, p6).
· Vietnam’s rice attracts international consumers (Thanh nien [Youth], No. 187, p7). In the context of global rice exporters’ instability, Vietnam is manifesting its role as a stable rice supplier.
· Exploiting industrial design market (Dau tu, No. 80, p13). Vietnamese businesses are neglecting the domestic industrial design market which is dominated by large foreign counterparts.
International Affairs
· US Senate rejects vote on US’s military role in Libya (Nhan dan, p8).
· UN Security Council to discuss Middle East situation in July (Nhan dan, p8).
· ASEAN, China boost connectivity (Nhan dan, p8).
· Alert on illiteracy in the world (Sai gon Giai phong, p8).
· WTO: China acts illegally (Sai gon Giai phong, p8).
Puea Thai Party announces new Government’s priorities (Quan doi Nhan dan, p8)./.
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Corrupt official gets seven years in jail
Hanoi (VNA) — The Hanoi People's Court on July 6 announced the sentences for Bui Tien Dung, former General Manager of Project Management Unit 18 (PMU18) and eight accomplices for embezzlement at the Bai Chay Bridge Construction Project.
Dung was sentenced to seven years in jail for "abusing positions and power while performing Government duties" and seven other defendants were found guilty of the same crime including Nguyen Vu Nam (nine years); Nghiem Phu Son (seven years); Le Minh Giang (six years); Nguyen Cong Dung (six years); Nguyen Huu Minh (four years); Nguyen Huu Long (five years) and Tran Duc Hung (three years).
Only Do Kim Quy, who was charged with "using assets illegally acquired by others", was sentenced to two years' probation.
In 2007, PMU18, which operates under the Ministry of Transport, formed the epicentre of a major corruption scandal which has remained unresolved for the last three years. Top officials were accused of spending public funds for personal purposes, with former General Director of PMU 18 Bui Tien Dung sentenced to 13 years in jail for gambling and offering bribes.
In 2009, Dung and his accomplices were further accused of "deliberately acting against the State's regulations on economic management, causing serious consequences" and "abusing positions and power while performing official duties."
Dung was then sentenced to three years in jail after the People's Procuracy recommended a sentence of four to six years.
Dung will now have to serve a total of 23 years./.
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Grandmaster Liem enters world top 30
Hanoi (VNA) — Vietnamese chess Grandmaster Le Quang Liem has jumped from 49th to 27th place in the world rankings due to stunning victories over the last two months.
Following successes in the Capablanca Memorial and the French chess league, Liem's Elo ranking rose from 2,687 to 2,715, which was enough to make him an International Super Grandmaster and the first Vietnamese to earn the title.
Liem also jumped from third to first place in the World Chess Federation (FIDE) rankings for players under the age of 20.
"The ranking does not surprise me because I have been calculating my points through tournaments since the beginning of the year. However, it is a landmark in my career because I will have more opportunities to compete at higher level tournaments in the future," Liem said.
He will be competing at the Super Grandmaster tournament in Dortmund, Germany, from July 19 to August 1, where he made a big bang to take the second place last year.
The 20-year-old will later take part in the Chess World Cup in Russia.
In October Liem will participate in an invitational tournament in the US where he will face five other masters in a two-leg round-robin event.
The HCM City-born chess master has decided to delay his banking studies at Sai Gon University to devote more time to chess. He is also looking for a trainer to improve his rankings.
Magnus Carlsen of Norway leads the world rankings with an Elo rating of 2,821. Viswanathan Anand of India is second with 2,817 points and Levon Aronian of Armenia is third with 2,805 points./.
More than 7m people sign for the dole
Hanoi (VNA) — More than 7.4 million people have registered for unemployment insurance since the policy was adopted two years ago.
Speaking at a press briefing, representatives of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs' Employment Department said as of December last year, the country's unemployment insurance fund reached 4.8 trillion VND (240 million USD).
The total fund for 2009 and 2010 was over 8.3 trillion VND (415 million USD). According to figures from the department, as of February this year, about 225,700 laid-off workers registered to get unemployment benefits, while 177,000 received allowances equal to 60 percent of their average monthly salary in the last six months they had worked.
As of last December, the department disbursed 550 billion VND to benefit laid-off workers.
The Unemployment Insurance Law came into effect two years ago.
The fund includes 1 percent of an employee's salary, 1 percent of businesses wage fund plus a contribution from the State equal to 1 percent of the wage fund.
According to the General Statistics Department, the unemployment rate fell during the first six months this year.
The rate was estimated at 2.58 percent, while the figure last year was 4.1 percent./.
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Press agencies join efforts to help AO victims
Hanoi (VNA) – Many domestic press agencies signed a cooperation agreement with the “Life is Beautiful” programme in Hanoi on July 6, in a bid to provide support to the Vietnamese Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin victims.
They are the Vietnam Television’s Department for Foreign Service (VTV4), Nhan dan online newspaper, Dan Tri newspaper, Tien Phong online newspaper and Hanoi Moi newspaper, which will serve as a bridge linking 5.3 million people living with disabilities nationwide with benefactors.
Broadcast on VTV4 channel since 2009, “Life is Beautiful” programme aims to raise public awareness and funds for the disabled and AO/dioxin victims in the country.
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UK Prince thanks VN’s President for wedding gift
London (VNA) – UK Prince William and Princess Catherine Middleton (now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge) have sent a letter of thanks to Vietnamese State President Nguyen Minh Triet for his generous present to their Royal Wedding that was celebrated on April 29.
The letter says: “Catherine and I would like to extend our deepest thanks to you for your extremely generous gift of the lovely and unusual painting.”
“It was so kind of you to think of us in this way, and we were truly delighted that you should wish to celebrate our marriage through such a wonderful gift,” the Prince said.
“Your thoughtfulness and kindness have touched us both and we are humbled and honoured by your generosity,” he added.
President Triet sent a lacquer painting by painter Thanh Chuong to the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton.
Chuong had two exhibitions in the UK in 1995 and 2001 and his works are loved by the British people./.
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Festival features three regions’ cuisine
Phu Yen (VNA) – A festival showcasing delicious and special dishes of all three regions of the country opened in Tuy Hoa city, the central province of Phu Yen , on July 6.
Twenty one participating units from 12 cities and provinces have brought thousands of dishes, both traditionally and modernly, to the festival.
As part of the National Tourism Year South Central Coast – Phu Yen 2011, themed “Sea and Islands Tourism”, the four-day festival offers an opportunity for tourist organisations from the northern, central and southern regions of the country to promote their tourism products and help local people study the cuisine culture of each region.
This is also a chance for Phu Yen province to promote its image as well as special dishes to domestic and foreign visitors./.
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74,000 foreign employees work in Vietnam
Hanoi (VNA) - More than 74,000 foreign employees from 65 countries are living and working in Vietnam , according to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.
At least 58 percent of them are from Asian countries and 28.5 percent from EU countries.
Nguyen Dai Dong, director of the ministry's Employment Department, said starting from August 1 organisations that have demand for foreign workers must register their recruitment demand with the local Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs so that localities will be able to manage the workers./.
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Vietnam-France ties see impressive developments
Paris (VNA) – The relations between Vietnam and France have seen impressive developments over the past three years, said Vietnamese Ambassador to France Le Kinh Tai.
Ambassador Tai made the remark during a farewell banquet for foreign guests at the Vietnamese Embassy in Paris before he finishes his term of office in this country.
The developing bilateral relationship was marked by the Vietnam visit by French Prime Minister Francois Fillon in November 2009 and the France visit by Vietnamese Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc in February this year, he said, adding that these visits opened up new prospects for the partnership between the two countries in various fields, especially in economics.
The ambassador emphasised outstanding projects which he said are “good and effective symbols of the development of cooperative ties between the two countries, including Vietnam Airlines’ fleet development project by 2020 with a proposal to buy France ’s Airbus A380 planes and projects to build the first metro route in Hanoi and the Hanoi University of Science and Technology.
They are the projects that created a momentum for building the Vietnam-France strategic partnership, he said.
The ambassador affirmed France ’s position as a “gateway” for Vietnam to enter European countries and Vietnam ’s position as a “bridge” linking France and Southeast Asian nations.
The Vietnamese diplomat thanked ambassadors and diplomats for their effective assistance over the past 40 years in the framework of sub-regional cooperation as well as social and charitable activities.
He affirmed that the Vietnamese community in France is one of the important communities in Europe, which has been acting as an important bridge between Vietnam and France .
On the occasion, the ambassador informed his guests of a decision by the two countries’ leaders to select 2013 as the Vietnam Cultural Year in France and the French Cultural Year in Vietnam as part of activities to celebrate the 40 th anniversary of Vietnam-France diplomatic ties./.
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Safe water programme devised for 2011-2015
Ha Noi (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung has assigned the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development and Planning and Investment to devise a national safe water and environment hygiene programme for the 2011-15 period.
The 2006-2010 national safe water and environment hygiene programme has basically achieved set targets with more than 52 million people getting access to safe water by the end of 2010, 13.2 million people more than the figure of late 2005.
In addition, almost 32,000 schools and kindergartens have access to safe water and sanitation systems representing an annual rise of 2 percent to 84 percent by 2010.
Safe water and sanitation systems are now available at all schools and medical clinics in the Mekong delta provinces of An Giang, Vinh Long, and Long An and southernmost Ca Mau province./.
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Hanoi to build first 1,000-bed general hospital
Hanoi (VNA) – The Hanoi People’s Committee is carrying out procedures for speeding up the construction of the first 1,000-bed general hospital in the outlying district of Me Linh to reduce pressure on the city’s major hospitals.
At a meeting in Hanoi on July 6, Deputy Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Van Khoi asked the Department of Construction to quickly establish a working group in charge of bidding with representatives from relevant departments and agencies being its member
Covering an area of 17 hectares, the project is divided into two phases at an estimated cost 3.5 trillion VND (159 million USD), with 500 beds in the first phase to be ready in three years. The second phase will start in 2015./.
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Smog covers inner Hanoi as experts debate the cause
Hanoi (VNA) - Smog has filled the air in central Hanoi during the past three days, but experts cannot agree on its origin or cause.
Le Thanh Dung, who lives with her family on Kim Ma street in Ba Dinh district, said that even after she closed all the windows and doors on the night of July 5, "we still felt our eyes smart, and our small daughter kept coughing".
Pham Thu Trang, a resident of Thanh Xuan district, said she also encountered smog with a burnt smell when she went out on the same night.
Trang added that on July 4 she went to her hometown in Thanh Tri district and saw local farmers burning dozens of piles of straw along the sides of the roads.
"The smoke from the burnt straw was so dark that I had to turn on my motorbike's headlight even though it was eight o'clock in the morning," she said.
Trang guessed that the smoke from their fires traveled over to central Hanoi .
Pham Van Khanh, deputy director of the Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and Environment, agreed that the smog was indeed caused by burnt straw in certain suburbs of the city.
This phenomenon has occured several times in the past 10 years, especially in hot weather, he said, and not only in Vietnam but also in Japan and Australia .
"The heat prevents smoke from drifting upwards and instead it moves laterally, staying low to the ground," he said.
But some other experts believe the smog is a product of environmental pollution, caused by photochemicals in the atmosphere.
Chairman of the Thanh Tri district People's Committee Nguyen Quang Hieu said that most of the farmers in his district used straw to make fertiliser and did not burn it.
If the smog were caused by burnt straw, he said, it would cover tree leaves and household appliances with soot.
Hanoi 's many tall buildings prevent air circulation, but harmful exhaust fumes from vehicles and industrial zones were behind the photochemical smog.
Nguyen Huu Hai of the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecastsing agreed with Hieu's reasoning.
Hot air enters the country from the west at the height of 3,000 metres and pollutants collect underneath, said Hai.
This harmful smog could cause optical and cardiovascular diseases, he said.
"Families can turn on fans or air-conditioners to blow away the smog, but in the long term we should treat exhaust fumes to improve the air quality," said Hai./.
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Vietnam now boasts 15 world heritages
Hanoi (VNA) – The recent recognition of Vietnam ’s Ho Dynasty Citadel by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage brought the number of world natural, cultural and documentary heritages possessed by Vietnam to 15.
Of the three world natural heritages, Ha Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh was honoured as a wonderful masterpiece of nature with 1,969 islands.
With an outstanding landscape, the 1,553 sq. km bay was officially placed on the list of the World Natural Heritage by UNESCO in 1994. Six years later, it was recognised as a World Natural Heritage by the organisation for the second time for its geological and geomorphological values.
Boasting a unique beauty of limestone mountains, the Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park in the central province of Quang Binh was included in the list of World Natural Heritage in 2003 for its geological and geomorphological values. It was also being proposed for inscription into the list for a second time, in terms of biological diversity.
Covering an area of 2,350 sq. km, Dong Van Stone Plateau in the northern province of Ha Giang is home to 45 geomorphological heritages, 33 tectonic heritages and numerous fossils in the sedimentary stone strata. The plateau was honoured by UNESCO in 2010.
To date Vietnam had ten world cultural heritages, including five tangible cultural ones – the imperial city of Hue, the capital of the Nguyen Dynasty which was recognised in 1993; Hoi An Old Quarters, a busy trading port between the 16 th century and the 19 th century and My Son holy land, the central prayer and worship ceremony place of Cham Pa reigns in the central province of Quang Nam recognised in 1999; Thang Long Royal Citadel, constructed by Vietnam’s dynasties which won the recognition in 2010; and the only stone citadel in Vietnam – the Citadel of the Ho Dynasty, which was recognised in 2011.
Five world intangible cultural heritages were Hue Royal court music recognised in 2003, the cultural space of gongs in the Central Highlands region in 2005, the Bac Ninh love duet folk music and the ceremonial singing in 2009, and the Giong festival in 2010.
Hue Royal court music was often played in royal festivals under the Nguyen Dynasty between the 17 th century and the 19 th century.
The cultural space of gongs in the Central Highlands was a special activity closely tied to community cultural rituals and ceremonies of ethnic groups in Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Lam Dong provinces.
Meanwhile, with the diversified tunes and singing contents, love duet singing, often performed on the occasion of lunar New Year in villages, reflected the colourful life and outstanding cultural features of Kinh Bac people.
The ceremonial singing was an traditional genre of music featuring female vocalists who sang while playing music on bamboo tablets. It was especially popular in the 15 th century.
The Giong festival was held annually in several parts of northern Vietnam , most typically in the Phu Dong and Soc Temples in Hanoi , to commemorate Saint Giong, one of the immortal quartet in Vietnamese legends.
Vietnam also had two UNESCO world documentary heritages, including 82 stone stelae engraved with names of doctorate holders during the Le and Mac dynasties (1442-1779) in the Temple of Literature .
The stelae were placed on the lists of the World Documentary Heritage in Asia-Pacific in 2010 and the World Memory in 2011.
Another heritage was the wood blocks used for rudimentary printing during the Nguyen dynasty era (1802-1945).
Apart from their historical values, the blocks were also artistically and technically precious, since they marked the beginning and development of wood-block carving and printing in Vietnam . They entered the list of the World Memory in 2009./.
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Hanoi to relocate Old Quarters residents for preservation
Hanoi (VNA) – Hanoi will need around 40.6 ha of land and almost 4.3 trillion VND to relocate residents from the Old Quarters in Hoan Kiem district for a conservation project.
At a meeting to discuss the scheme in Hanoi on July 6, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Van Khoi said the scheme is intended to improve urban environment in the Old Quarters and facilitate the preservation of Hanoi’s ancient streets.
Located in Hoan Kiem district’s 10 wards, the ancient streets now have a total population of around 66,660 people or 840 people per hectare. Under the scheme approved until 2020, 26,200 people will be relocated.
Under the first phase of the scheme, around 7,200 people will move from the Old Quarters to the newly-built Viet Hung residential area in Long Bien district./.
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Asian coast guards boost cooperation
Hanoi (VNA) – Delegates from 18 regional countries and territories gathered in Hanoi on July 7, discussing the agenda for the 7 th Meeting of Chiefs of Asian Coast Guards.
They exchanged views on their programme and documents and initiatives to be submitted to the meeting, which was scheduled for October this year in Vietnam .
Vietnam proposed a number of measures, including the one on human resources training to boost cooperation among regional countries’ maritime law enforcement agencies.
Lieut. Gen. Pham Duc Linh, Head of the Coast Guard Department of the Defence Ministry, said the 7 th Meeting of Chiefs of Asian Coast Guards provided an opportunity for Vietnam to contribute to boosting cooperation among Asian maritime law enforcement agencies for security and safety at sea and for peace, security and stability in the region and the world.
He added that the Vietnam coast guard force was ready to participate in joint activities, including joint patrols to fight transnational crime, establish a hotline to solve problems at sea, engage in search and rescue, and exchange visits and information in the field.
Participants to the event were from Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam./.
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VN veterans visit old battlefields in Laos
Vientiane (VNA) – A delegation of war veterans from the Transport Regiment 410 of Vietnam’s High Command 959 is visiting old battlefields in Laos , where they had fought during the war.
The visit, from July 3-12, was made to mark the 34 th anniversary of the signing of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Cooperation Treaty (July 18, 1977-2011) and the 64 th anniversary of Vietnam ’s Wounded and Fallen Soldiers’ Day (July 27, 1947-2011).
During the visit, the delegation had an exchange with the Lao Veterans’ Association on July 6. The association’s Vice Chairman, Sivan Utthachac, said he was pleased to receive Vietnamese voluntary soldiers, who had stood side by side with the Lao people in the transport front, providing food and weapons for the Lao battlefields.
The Pathet Lao soldiers and Lao people always keep in mind the Vietnamese volunteers’ merit and commit themselves to maintain the development of the Laos-Vietnam relationship, he said.
On behalf of the Vietnamese veterans, Colonel Pham Trong Thi said the Vietnamese veterans would never forget the pure and faithful love between Vietnam and Laos and would do their utmost to help future generations understand more about this special relationship, helping foster the friendship and solidarity between the two nations.
The Vietnamese veterans also had an impressive exchange with the Xieng Khoang Club of Fellow-Countrymen.
They will visit old battlefields in Savannakhet, Khammouan and Bolikhamsay provinces where they served during the war./.
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Global Art VN launches children’s painting contest
HCM City (VNA) – Global Art Vietnam in coordination with the Ministry of Education and Training on July 7 launched a painting contest, “My world – My future” for children aged 4-16.
The contest was designed for competitors in the country and abroad to express their wishes about the world in the future, to encourage their creative capacity and boost exchange with foreign friends.
A qualifying round will be held from Aug. 15 to Oct. 15 at schools and cities and provinces.
About 1,500 competitors will be selected to draw at the final round to be held in Ho Chi Minh City in November.
The contest had been held since 2004 in Malaysia , Thailand , Indonesia , China , Singapore and India , attracting thousands of competitors from 20 countries around the world./.
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VN’s life expectancy rises, problems remain
Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam is the 13 th most populous nation in the world but its human development index and population quality only ranked 108 th among 177 countries, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said.
The UNFPA also warned that low population quality is blocking Vietnam ’s development and the nation is facing the risk of lagging behind.
The nation’s human development index has improved but remained lower than many regional countries and far behind industrialised nations, said the fund.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation predicted that Vietnam ’s population would stabilise at 115-120 million people with average life expectancy being 71.3 in the mid-21 st century.
The General Statistics Office said that the country’s ageing population would make up 10 percent of the total in 2017.
At present, Vietnam ’s healthy life expectancy is 58.2, which ranks it at 116th place out of 174 countries. With the country’s average life expectancy being 72.2, this means each person suffers 14 years of poor health on average, putting great pressure on the health service as well as on the elderly themselves.
According to the 2009 population and housing census, the number of the elderly living in rural areas was 3.5 times higher than in urban areas and 43 percent of the elderly keep working – most are working in agriculture with low and unstable incomes.
The nation has only five establishments providing care to the elderly and only 40 percent of general hospitals have gerontology faculties.
The problem of an ageing population is posing a great challenge to the national strategy on population an reproductive health as well as the system of social welfare policies in both short and long teams./.
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VN, Germany discuss local government reform
Da Nang (VNA) – Vietnamese and German experts and managers gathered at a workshop in the central city of Da Nang on July 7 to study theoretical and practical issues in the process of local government reform in Vietnam and Germany .
Representatives of relevant ministries and agencies of Vietnam and German also attended the two-day event, which was jointly held by the Institute of State and Law and the Hanoi Office of the German KAS Institute.
The workshop aimed to help the Vietnamese delegates learn about Germany ’s experience in order to promote local government reform.
At the event, the experts and managers reported about issues around local government reform in Germany ; general practices of local government reform in Vietnam in recent years of innovation and trends and issues in local government reform.
The workshop was part of the research on overseas experience in reforming local government undertaken by the Institute of State and Law to satisfy the requirements of sustainable development, stability of the State and society in Vietnam in the future.
The event will close on July 8./.
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Hanoi metro due for operation by 2016
Hanoi (VNA) – A pilot metro rail line in Hanoi is expected to start service by 2016, with the first survey drill for the project set to begin on the evening of July 7, at the Hanoi station.
The pilot 12.5km-long metro line linking Nhon, in Hanoi’s Tu Liem suburban district and the Hanoi railway station in the inner district of Hoan Kiem, includes a 8.5 km elevated section and 4km underground section from Thu Le to Hanoi station.
The Nhon-Hanoi line is an important transport project not only for Hanoi , but also for the whole country, contributing to reducing traffic congestion and to sustainable development, Marie-Cecile Tardieu-Smith, economic counsellor of the French Embassy in Hanoi , told reporters in Hanoi on July 7.
Success of the pilot line will facilitate implementation of other metro lines in Hanoi , she said.
The 1 billion USD project received financial support from major donors such as the French Economic, Finance and Industry Ministry, the French Development Agency, the Asian Development Bank and the European Investment Bank.
Alain Bechereau, from French consultancy Systra, said soil testing was required before construction of the underground tunnels and his company aimed to define technical designs for underground line stations and tunnels of the metro line, as well as select appropriate machines for the construction and choose international bidders.
Work on construction of depots was scheduled for November, while work on the elevated section was to begin in February, 2012 and the underground section in November 2012, according to the consultant.
The project started last September, with work on the train depot in the presence of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on the occasion of the millennium anniversary of the capital city.
There will be 12 stations along the line which is designed for a maximum speed of 80 km per hour and capable of carrying over 900 passengers per train. It will take passengers about 20 minutes to travel the whole length of the line.
The soil testing was witnessed by Nguyen Van Khoi, Deputy Chairman of the Hanoi Municipal People’s Committee and Marie-Cecile Tardieu-Smith, the French Embassy’s economic counsellor./.
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VN congratulates Thailand on election success
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam congratulated the people of Thailand on the success of the House of Representatives election on July 3, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.
“This is an important political event for Thai people”, Nguyen Phuong Nga said on July 7 at a regular press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
As a neighbouring country with friendly ties with Thailand, Vietnam always hopes for stability and development in Thailand for the interest of Thai people as well as for peace, stability and cooperation in the region and the world, Nga said./.
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VN, Japan localities cooperate in environment
HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam and Osaka city of Japan have agreed to promote bilateral cooperation in economics, environment and water management following their memorandum of understanding for the 2011-2015 period.
Under the MoU, signed in HCM City on July 7 by Deputy Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Tai and Osaka Mayor Kunio Hiramatsu, the two sides will share experiences and seek cooperation opportunities for projects on environmental protection, water supply, flood mitigation, liquid waste treatment and solid waste management, as well as cooperation in human resources.
Deputy Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Tai spoke highly of cooperation between Vietnam and Japan as well as between localities of the two countries.
He stressed the city’s needs to cooperate with foreign partners, including those from Japan, to address issues it is facing such as traffic congestion, flooding and environmental pollution.
Mayor Kunio Hiramatsu affirmed Osaka ’s willingness to cooperate and help HCM City with flooding issues and environmental protection.
He said he believed in further development in cooperation between the two cities, saying that they should promote cooperation in other fields apart from flood mitigation, water supply, environment and transport, as well as promptly implement detailed cooperation in the signed areas./.
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BUSINESS
Markets stall on investor over-caution
Hanoi (VNA) — Shares on both national stock exchanges slumped on the July 6 trading session, ending a two-day rally.
"The stock market is still at very low levels of market value," said Hoa Binh Securities Co analyst Nguyen Phuc Thinh. "The value and volume of trades at this stage depend mainly on a few blue chips."
Economic information and Government policies have been supportive for investment, Thinh said. "But caution has been the top priority of investors."
He called for more specific actions from State agencies to help boost the securities market.
On the HCM Stock Exchange, the VN-Index slid by 0.63 percent from July 5's close to end the day at 428.30 points. The value of trades, however, rose 37.6 percent over the previous day to 518 billion VND (25.2 million USD) on a volume of nearly 22 million shares.
During the three most recent sessions, demand has been more positive, Thinh noted, so there has been no major sell-off.
Blue chips struggled, with six of the 10 leading shares by capitalisation losing 0.3-2.6 percent of their value. Decliners outnumbered advancers overall by 173-49.
Saigon Securities Inc (SSI) was the most-active share, with 1.4 million traded, but SSI shares lost 0.6 percent to close at 18,000 VND per share.
On the Hanoi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index dipped by 1.17 percent to 73.44 points, with nearly half of all codes on the northern bourse losing ground. The value of trades reached just 258.4 billion VND (1.3 million USD) on a volume of 22.5 million shares.
Kim Long Securities (KLS) saw the highest trading volume nationwide with over four million shares changing hands.
Foreign investors were sellers on the southern bourse by a modest net of just 1.5 billion VND (72,800 USD). However, they were net buyers in Hanoi, picking up a net of 5.7 billion VND (276,700 USD) worth of shares./.
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Old Majestic to get big upgrade
HCM City (VNA) — Saigontourist Holdings Co broke ground for a project to expand the 85-year-old Majestic Hotel in HCM City 's District 1 on July 6.
The expansion includes two 24 – and 27-story towers with four basements as well as 353 guest rooms located on a nearly 6,000sq.m area.
With an investment of 1.9 trillion VND (92.2 million USD), the company will turn the existing Majestic Hotel into a new hotel complex with 538 guestrooms when construction is completed by the end of 2014.
Tran Hung Viet, general director of Saigontourist, said the project would not change the existing French-style Majestic Hotel, which was built in 1925 and recognised by the Vietnam National Administration for Tourism (VNAT) as a 5-star hotel in 2007.
Ho Anh Tuan, deputy minister for culture, sports and tourism, said the new hotel complex would help prolong guests' stays and spending while they visit HCM City and Vietnam in general.
Nguyen Thi Hong, deputy chairwoman of HCM City People's Committee, said the project would enhance the competitiveness of HCM City 's tourism industry and at the same time speed up the city's re-structuring of its economy.
Saigontourist, with over 100 subsidiaries operating in hospitality, entertainment and other tourism-related services, attained total revenue of an average 500 million USD annually in the last five years./.
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Buyers now shop for value
HCM City (VNA) — Vietnamese consumers, compared to other Asian shoppers, are more inclined to seek promotions as inflation causes more people to become price-sensitive, according to the latest edition of the Nielsen Shopper Trends Study released on July 5.
Vietnamese shoppers are the most prolific promotion buyers in the Asia-Pacific, Nielsen survey shows. Promotions and convenience continue to be the key drivers of store traffic.
Vietnam has the most promotionally focused shoppers, with 87 percent open to buying promotions compared to a regional average of 68 percent.
Nielsen found that 56 percent of Vietnamese shoppers actively search for promotions while shopping, compared to 38 percent regionally. This is due in part to the rising costs of everyday consumer goods.
With inflationary pressures showing no signs of abating, Vietnamese consumers are adjusting to rising everyday costs by noticeably changing their shopping behavior.
Under the survey, 60 percent of Vietnamese consumers in HCM City and Hanoi said their household purchasing power had fallen due to rising prices.
Consequently, consumers said they are cutting back by reducing spending on entertainment activities such as dining out and leisure traveling.
As consumers adjust to higher prices, certain changes in shopping habits can be seen as well, such as reducing the number of shops visited or the quantity of products per trip, buying more on promotion or visiting shops close to home to save on petrol expenses.
Consumers are moving to relatively bigger pack sizes for frequently used categories, such as laundry, shampoo, fish sauce and bouillon granules, in an effort to stretch their budgets.
Darin Williams, managing director of Nielsen Vietnam , said location continued to be the main factor in deciding where people shop.
Retailers should be aware that shoppers are increasingly looking for promotions and are more willing to change brands they buy and where they shop to find them.
He said retailers were well-advised to adopt more innovative promotions, point-of-sale displays and other tactics to attract and retain shoppers.
Private label market share – which changed very little over the past year – could stand to gain in several categories as shoppers look for other ways to save money without sacrificing quality.
"Those stores and brands that find the right combination of convenience, value and quality will be better able to ride out this challenging environment," he noted.
Despite some changes in shoppers' behavior, one factor remained unchanged. Vietnamese shoppers still shop at different channels depending on what they are searching for.
Traditional markets are used for fresh foods, while snacks, personal care products and dairy products tend to be purchased in supermarkets and traditional grocery stores.
Where before most consumers planned their purchases and remained disciplined while out shopping, today consumers are buying more at the spur of the moment when it comes to Fast-Moving Consumer Goods.
Thirty-five percent of consumers said they "walk up and down the aisles and pick the items they want," compared to 8 percent who simply "grab and go."
Vietnamese consumers also seem to be more loyal to brands in several categories, most notably dairy, alcohol and personal care.
More than 45 percent of shoppers said they would look elsewhere for a brand they know or with which they are familiar.
In contrast, more than 50 percent of shoppers indicated they would substitute their regular brands of carbonated soft drinks and snacks with another if alternate brands were less expensive or sold on promotion.
Nielsen Shopper Trends is an annual study on consumer shopping behavior that is conducted in the country's major cities, HCM City, Hanoi, Da Nang and Can Tho./.
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Fruit, vegetable exports up by a third
HCM City (VNA) — Vietnam exported 302 million USD worth of vegetables and fruits in the first six months of the year, up 32.5 percent against the same period last year, according to the General Statistics Office.
In June alone, exports reached 50 million USD.
The demand for Vietnamese vegetables and fruits in regional markets like China and Indonesia has increased sharply this year.
Even markets that have strict import standards like the US , the Republic of Korea (RoK) and Japan have been buying more kinds of fruits from Vietnam since the beginning of this year.
Local experts say this is because the quality of Vietnamese fruits has improved.
The US has allowed the import of rambutan while RoK has opened its doors to Vietnamese dragon fruit.
Recently, a group of experts from New Zealand visited Vietnam to inspect preparations for exporting fresh mango early next year onwards.
Taiwan is expected to resume imports of Vietnamese dragon fruit in the near future, according to the Plant Protection Department.
Vietnam has exported 750 tonnes of dragon fruit to the US so far this year, which is 90 percent of the annual figure for last year.
Japan imported 200 tonnes of dragon fruit from Vietnam in the first six months of the year, up 70 per cent against the same period last year.
Vietnamese exporters have also shipped 40 tonnes of dragon fruits to the RoK this year.
Dragon fruit exports to the US , Japan and the Republic of Korea are expected to reach a total of 2,600 tonnes this year, double that of last year.
Besides the increase in volume, fruit exports have also increased in value.
The export price of rambutan fruits to France is now 6.1 USD a kg, up 0.1 USD per kg against the same period last year.
The export price of dried coconut has also increased by 100 USD-180 USD a tonne to 2,500-2,800 USD a tonne.
Exports of fruits and vegetables are estimated to increase strongly in the third quarter of this year as it is the harvest time of many fruits and vegetables, according to exporters.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade estimates that export of vegetables and fruits could reach 500-550 million USD this year.
During the first six months of 2011, Vietnam also imported 122 million USD of vegetables and fruits, a decline of 5.8 percent against the same period last year./.
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Switzerland finances public service project
Hanoi (VNA) – The Swiss Government will sponsor 11.231 million USD to the second phase of the Program on Public Services Provision Improvement in Agriculture and Rural Development (PS-ARD) in northern Hoa Binh and Cao Bang provinces.
An agreement to the effect was signed in Hanoi on July 5 by representatives of the two provinces and the Swiss Government.
The second phase of the programme has been deployed in 2010 and will last through 2015 at an investment capital of 14.169 million USD.
The programme is intended to enhance communal level capacity building in making socio-economic development plans and better efficient and effective decentralized public service delivery systems and processes in agriculture and rural development./.
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HCM City boosts economic ties with German state
HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City and the German State of Bavaria have many potentials to further promote bilateral economic cooperation, especially in the fields of transport, environment and human resources training.
This issue was raised at a meeting between Standing Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, Nguyen Thanh Tai and Bavarian State Minister of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport and Technology, Katja Hessel in HCM City on July 6.
Tai said that the HCM City wants to learn Bavarian State’s experience in economic development and solving existing problems such as traffic jam, flood, environmental pollution, shortage of high-quality human resources and restructuring of management apparatus to match the city’s development.
He added that with the best environment to attract foreign investment for the socio-economic development, the city is willing to create the most favourable conditions for German and Bavarian businesses to invest as well as transfer their experience and technologies.
Katja Hessel said that Bavarian businesses could cooperate with HCM City in dealing with environmental pollution, developing transport infrastructure and training human resources.
She also said Bavaria highly valued cooperative ties with Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City in particular.
Last year, two-way trade between Vietnam and Bavaria reached 538.7 million EUR.
Hessel is leading a 24-member delegation, including representatives of 18 businesses from Bangarian State to HCM City to study its investment environment, as part of their visit to Vietnam from July 5-10./.
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Nation attracts over 400 FDI projects in real estate
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam attracted over 400 FDI projects worth more than 42.8 billion USD in the field of real estate in the first half of this year, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
These figures indicated a slowdown in the real estate market, which is attributable to the government’s monetary tightening policy to reduce inflation. As a result, foreign property developers weighed up pouring their capital into the Vietnamese market more carefully, especially medium-sized businesses.
However, experts said that businesses with strong economic potentials and clear business strategies are likely to win the market during this period.
The market also witnessed a number of merger and acquisition deals, an inevitable trend due to the consequences of exceedingly fast growth of real estate over the past time.
These deals are forecast to continue growing in both quantity and value in the future./.
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Senior staff restructuring overcomes crisis
Hanoi (VNA) - Economic challenges in the post-global financial crisis period had forced many businesses to restructure their management apparatus with an aim of gaining new energy capable of driving firms to surmount current difficulties.
The biggest recent changes in high-ranking staff were noticed in the fields of finance and technology. Gtel, Microsoft, Lenovo, FPT, VTC, VDC, “giants” in the information technology, all had new managing directors.
The newly appointed chief executive officer of Microsoft Vietnam , Jamie Harper had worked with Microsoft for 12 years and had significant experience in newly emerging markets.
These staff developments were also reflected in domestic technology companies.
The Corporation for Financing and Promoting Technology (FPT) changed its management team, from chief executive officer (CEO) to deputy general director and key branding personnel.
State-owned enterprises like VDC and VTC were also expected to add to the new contingent of rejuvenated and skilful managers.
Big changes were also seen in the finance sector, from the banks such as HSBC, SeABank, TienPhongBank, VietinBank, to investment funds, securities companies and insurance companies such as BIC, Lien Viet, Manulife, SHS, VISecurities.
HSBC’s changes showed its message of needing managers with experience in a Vietnamese business climate, to realise its strategy of “A global bank understands locality” while many other financial institutions have replaced key positions because of inadequate business performance.
Nguyen Van Dao, General Director of Samsung Vina, said that the financial crisis came to Vietnam later than to other countries, appearing in 2009, while the biggest difficulties came in 2011. When the market encountered difficulties, companies were put under pressure to boost sales and restructure management.
Meanwhile, Tim Baxter, General Director of DHL Vietnam, said that it was very difficult to find high-ranking managers in a young market like Vietnam , especially in specific fields. DHL always faced a shortage of qualified workforce because of its clients’ demands.
Professor John H. Behzad, a US strategic consultant on financial services, technology management and training, warned at recent talks with Vietnamese firms that the biggest challenge for businesses was the shortage of a skilled workforce in industry and poor experience in governance.
According to the expert, staff competitiveness would draw out other competitiveness involving finance, customers and partners. He also suggested businesses take an advanced step in order to set up global firms./.
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VN takes part in creative expo in Indonesia
Jakarta (VNA) – Vietnamese businesses operating in creative industrial sectors are showcasing their products at the fifth “Creative Product Week” (CPW) expo in the Indonesian capital city of Jakarta from July 6-10.
This year, CPW highlighted creative products in information technology, such as music tapes and discs, films and software, and in publishing, printing, packaging design, advertising and fashion.
With traditional cultural and artistic products, Vietnamese booths, prepared by the Vietnamese Embassy in Indonesia , were seen as one of the most attractive among those of other ASEAN countries.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono underlined the significance and contributions of the annual event to Indonesia ’s economic sectors, especially the creative industry.
The expo drew some 800 companies from 14 creative industrial sectors. Transactions during the exhibition were expected to reach 50 billion Rp (roughly 6 million USD), up 25 percent from last year’s 40 billion Rp.
In 2009, Indonesia’s creative products registered 104,710 billion Rp in export values, accounting for 5 percent of the country’s total exports and registering an average growth of 2.9 percent in the 2006-2009 period./.
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VN benefits from Japan’s investment experience
HCM City (VNA) – Japan will assist Vietnam in attracting finance and advanced technology to serve the country’s sustainable development.
This was signalled at the July 7 trade exchange between more than 150 Vietnamese businesses and Japanese partners who came to Vietnam to study the market and seek cooperation opportunities.
The event was organised in Ho Chi Minh City by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) Ho Chi Minh City chapter, in partnership with authorities from Japan ’s Osaka city.
The participating Japanese businesses operate in auto manufacturing, producing plastics, electronic and educational facilities, poultry meat processing, information technology, design and computer graphics and handicrafts.
Between 2010 and now, trade ties between Vietnam and Japan made great progress, marking the cooperation in sustainable socio-economic development between HCM City and Osaka city, said Naritada Ito, head of the Japanese delegation.
Naritada Ito proposed that Vietnam simplify administrative and customs procedures that hindered foreign investment and inputs, in order to join the group of leading regional economies.
Japan is now one of Vietnam ’s leading trade partners and its largest investor./.
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Vietnam’s interest rates drift downwards
Hanoi (VNA) – After maintaining high levels for several months with a peak of 25 percent per year, lending interest rates have gone down thanks to a number of favourable factors.
Interest rates that orient lending interest rates, such as the government bond interest rate, fell to 12 percent per year and the inter-bank interest rate dropped to 14.5 percent per year for a 7-day term and 15 percent per year for a one-month term.
In addition, banks have lowered deposit interest rates to 16-18 percent per year, instead of 19.5-20 percent as in previous months, under the State Bank of Vietnam ’s credit tightening policy.
With these moves, bank lending interest rates have been successively reduced by 0.7-1 percent per year, standing at 17.3 percent on average at State-owned commercial banks and 19.7 percent in joint stock banks.
Several large banks have launched more lending packages or applied preferential lending policies for small and medium-sized enterprises, such as Maritime Bank with a decrease of 0.5 percent in its lending interest rate for businesses that meet the bank’s financial standards.
The Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade (Vietinbank) has offered garment, footwear and mechanical manufacturing businesses interest rates 2.5 percent per year lower than normal rate for VND loans and 0.5 percent reduction for USD loans.
Despite modest declines, the current lending interest rates have created opportunities for many industries which are operating in moderation due to lack of capital, including agro-seafood processing for export, to access bank capital.
Many seafood businesses said that high interest rates were one of the basic reasons for pushing production costs of Vietnam ’s frozen shrimps higher than those of regional countries by 1-1.5 USD per kilo, causing disadvantages for local businesses competing with ASEAN rivals.
According to the State Bank, the production sector’s outstanding debts in the first six months of the year rose 10.79 percent compared to late 2010, accounting for 83 percent of the country’s total outstanding debts. Of this, agricultural and rural credits increased by 24.96 percent and export credits were up 25.77 percent.
It was unlikely lending interest rates would fall significantly in the near future, due to difficulties in mobilising capital sources, said economic expert Bui Kien Thanh, adding that the market needed capital regulation from the State Bank to reduce lending interest rates./.
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