Illustrative image (Source: VNA) Binh Duong (VNA) – Chairman of the People’s Committee of southern Binh Duong province Tran Thanh Liem has pledged all possible support to investors, including those from the Republic of Korea (RoK).  During a meeting on August 16 between representatives of the Binh Duong People’s Committees and RoK enterprises, Liem said the province will rally resources for socio-economic infrastructure regarding transport, water supply, electricity and environment protection while expanding industrial zones, providing qualified workforce for firms and building social houses for workers. Binh Duong is committed to accelerating administrative reform and developing high-quality services to meet demand for industrial and urban development, he said, adding that attention will also be paid to ensuring political security and social safety and order. … [Read more...]

Vegetables grown with hydroponic technology at the Bac Giang Science and Technology Application Centre. — Photo baobacgiang.com.vn The northern province of Bac Giang plans to spend VND1.5 trillion (US$66 million) to develop high-tech agriculture areas growing or rearing the locality’s key products such as vegetables, flower, mushrooms, tea, lychees, citrus, chickens and pigs. Twenty per cent of the investment will be sourced from the State budget, with the rest mobilised from banks, enterprises, organisations and individuals. As many as 35 hi-tech areas will be formed, aiming to raise high-tech agricultural product value to 30-32 per cent of the total value of the agriculture sector by 2030. Bac Giang also targets two or three enterprises in the province being recognised as high-tech agricultural firms. Specifically, the province will establish 17 hi-tech areas for vegetable farming with a … [Read more...]

  Minister of Construction Tran Hong Ha (Photo: VNA)   Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of Construction Tran Hong Ha admitted that there remain many shortcomings in urban planning while fielding questions raised by National Assembly (NA) deputies at the ongoing 13th session of the NA Standing Committee on August 16. Opening the question and answer (Q&A) meeting, NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan underlined outstanding problems in construction planning, urban architecture and urban land use issues, stressing that they need to be addressed in a synchronous and effective manner. Deputies said most urban areas face environmental pollution, poor water drainage and waste treatment, not to mention serious traffic jams, lack of relaxing space and violations of construction planning. They urged the minister to present solutions to the problems and questioned about the … [Read more...]

An employee of the Ha Noi Tax Department accepts an application from a resident. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoang Hung A strong focus on the application of information technology has helped the Ha Noi Tax Department increase its risk analysis capacity and improve the tax examination and inspection procedure. This was stated by Nguyen The Manh, head of the Ha Noi Tax Department. According to Manh, since the beginning of this year, the Ha Noi Tax Department has sent over 1,300,000 notices to firms informing them of late tax filing. The department has collected a total of VND7.1 billion in tax arrears, down 9 per cent compared with late December 2016. During the first seven months of this year, the Ha Noi Taxation Department carried out inspections of over 11,400 firms, completing 62.8 per cent of the yearly plan, up 98.6 per cent over the same period last year. The department also announced there were some … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – Bui Minh Trang, chief inspector of HCM City’s Health Department, said various violations had been detected at cosmetic surgery clinics, such as false advertising and employing surgeon not certified to perform plastic surgery, resulting in several fatalities in recent months. The Viet Thanh Beauty Clinic. — Photo: VNN In addition, many clinics hired non-professional staff, he said. An American man died while having cosmetic surgery at a clinic on Su Van Hanh Street in District 10 on July. The man, identified as Edward Hartley, 53, went to the clinic for surgery to remove loose skin around his hip. He was given an anesthetic at 4pm, but started showing signs of circuit obstruction. Doctors conducted emergency procedures but failed to revive Hartley. The municipal Health Department has concluded … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – A seminar to introduce a life skills programme used in preschools and primary schools, called POKI, was held on Tuesday in HCM City at the city’s Department of Education and Training’s office.   Illustrative image -- File photo The programme helps prepare young people to become global citizens of the 21st century, according to the organisers, the Viet Nam Schools Connect Company (VSC) and the Scientific Institute of Human Resources Management (HMIS). About 354 preschools and elementary schools from 24 cities and provinces, mostly in northern Viet Nam, use the programme in their curriculum. The programme fee is VND50 – 60,000 (US$2.2 – 2.6) per student per month.    “We hope to receive support from the department to expand the programme to other schools,” … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – A smashing 27 gold and 20 silver medals were awarded to the best performers under 35 from 19 art troupes across the country who took part in the National Young Talents Contest for Artistes of Traditional Operas in the central province of Thanh Hoa. Psychological depth: Many of the artists have incorporated their own creativeness in the roles and inspired the audiences. – Photo sankhau.vn Duong Thi Mai Linh from Nam Dinh Cheo Theatre and actor Nguyen Doan Thien Sinh from Ninh Binh Cheo Theatre were awarded the titles of Young Potential Artiste. Deputy culture minister Vuong Duy Bien said at the ceremony on Monday, “I hope arts troupes, especially the ones in remote areas, will employ more young artistes, who will decide the future of Vietnamese traditional operas,” he said. “The … [Read more...]

VietNamNet Bridge – Travel firms have reported an increasing number of tour bookings for the upcoming three-day holiday for National Day, starting September 2, with beach trips receiving the highest number of bookings. Growing popularity: Tourists at My Khe Beach in Da Nang City. – Photo: VNA/VNS Beach resorts at Da Nang, Nha Trang, Phan Thiet and Quy Nhon cities as well as Phu Quoc and Con Dao islands are popular among local and foreign tourists. Three-day sea tour packages for two people have sold well, including bookings to Da Nang-Hoi An, priced from VND3.29 million (US$145) per person; Quy Nhon-Hon Kho Island for VND2.69 million (US$118) per person; Ha Long Bay for VND3.4 million (US$150) per person; and Free & Easy tours to Phu Quoc Island for VND 5.65 million (US$250) per person, according to Le Cong Nang of … [Read more...]

The Dinh Vu Polyester Fibre Plant is scheduled to restart production soon after a prolonged suspension of operations. Workers pack polyester fibre for export at Ha Nam Textile Company in Chau Son Industrial Park. The demand for polyester fibre of Vietnamese enterprises has been growing 10 percent to 15 percent annually. The Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam), holding 75 percent of the capital at the 325-million USD plant, held a meeting recently with the Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex) to discuss a fibre consumption solution for the plant. Vinatex Chairman Tran Quang Nghi said that the fibre consumption of the plant was not only a matter of cooperation, but also of responsibility. Vinatex has always affirmed its support for the plant by consuming its fibre products. Vinatex general director Le Tien Truong said that the demand for the polyester … [Read more...]

Australia's main scientific agency said on Wednesday it believed with "unprecedented precision and certainty" that a missing Malaysia Airlines aircraft crashed into the sea northeast of an area scoured in a fruitless two-year underwater search. FILE PHOTO - A woman leaves a message of support and hope for the passengers of the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 in central Kuala Lumpur March 16, 2014. The agency's assertion is based on satellite pictures taken two weeks after Flight MH370 went missing on March 8, 2014, with 239 people on board, on a flight to Beijing from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. But the Australian government rejected the conclusion of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), issued in a report on Wednesday, saying it was not specific enough. The disappearance of the Boeing 777 has become one … [Read more...]

The Prime Minister has signed decisions to apply disciplinary measures on four former leaders of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) and the central province of Ha Tinh, whose violations are linked to the serious environmental incident caused by Formosa Ha Tinh in the four central localities. Vo Kim Cu In Decision 1199/QD-TTg, Nguyen Minh Quang, former MoNRE Minister in the 2011-2016 period, received warnings. Meanwhile, Nguyen Thai Lai and Bui Cach Tuyen are no longer former MoNRE Deputy Ministers for the 2011-2015 tenure under Decision 1201/QD-TTg and Decision 1202/QD-TTg. Under Decision 1200/QD-TTg, the PM decided to strip Vo Kim Cu off the position of former Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ha Tinh province in the 2005-2010 tenure and former Chairman of the Ha Tinh People’s Committee in the 2010-2015 tenure. The mass fish deaths were first reported on April 6, 2016 … [Read more...]

Amazon.com Inc is rolling out U.S. pickup points where shoppers can retrieve items immediately after ordering them, shortening delivery times from hours to minutes in its latest move into brick-and-mortar retail. FILE PHOTO: An Amazon pickup location is seen at the University of California in Berkeley, California, U.S. August 14, 2017.  The world's largest online retailer has launched 'Instant Pickup' points around five college campuses, such as the University of California at Berkeley, it said on Tuesday. Amazon has plans to add the program to more sites by the end of the year. Shoppers on Amazon's mobile app can select from several hundred fast-selling items at each location, from snacks and drinks to phone chargers. Amazon employees in a back room then load orders into lockers within two minutes, and customers receive bar codes to access … [Read more...]

Construction steel at a business in HCM City. — Photo vietstock.vn Domestic steel consumption in the first seven months of 2017 rose 14.5 per cent from the same period last year to 5.14 million tonnes, the Viet Nam Steel Association (VSA) said. VSA said that by the end of July, steel inventory was 530,306 tonnes, reducing 19 per cent from the previous month. Construction steel output last month was 780,000 tonnes, increasing 24 per cent from the corresponding period last year and 7 per cent higher than the previous month. Export of construction steel reached 541,377 tonnes, posting a year-on-year increase of 75 per cent. According to the association, in recent years, many local steel producers have yielded high revenue and profit, although steel consumption has witnessed difficulties. Viet Nam is considered one of the largest steel producers in ASEAN since 2015. Hung Nghiep Formosa … [Read more...]

The dollar held on to big gains on Wednesday before minutes of the U.S. Federal Reserve's latest meeting, while European shares followed Asian stocks higher. Dollar banknotes are seen in this picture illustration taken June 13, 2017. Relative calm in the standoff between the United States and North Korea also lifted investors' appetite for riskier assets. Metals markets were buoyant, with the price of zinc, used to galvanize steel, hitting its highest in a decade on Chinese infrastructure demand. European shares rose half a percent in early trade. The Fed releases the minutes of its July policy meeting at 1800 GMT, after European markets have closed, and will be pored through for clues to how the debate over the policy outlook is developing. The U.S. central bank kept interest rates unchanged last month and said it expected to start winding down … [Read more...]

The Pagoda – the Heart of the Khmer Community We followed a Khmer friend, Thach Ri Con, to his place in Tra Vinh, on the occasion of the Khmer traditional New Year’s festival – Chol Chnam Thmay. The place we went to first was not his home but a pagoda called Xoai Xiem Moi. Thach Ri Con bowed down in front of the head monk, Thach Nhut, his former teacher, showing his deep respect and gratitude to the old monk. Thach Ri Con said pagodas are the most sacred and important places for Khmer people who have been a part of them throughout their lives. As most Khmer follow Buddhism, pagodas have become extremely sacred and important in their lives. Photo: Nguyen Luan/VNP Some pagodas were built several centuries ago, which are recognised as national cultural and architectural relics such as Ang, Met, … [Read more...]

President of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) of Thailand Pornpetch Wichitcholchai (L) meets with ational Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – President of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) of Thailand Pornpetch Wichitcholchai left Hanoi on August 16, concluding his four-day official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan. During his stay in Vietnam, President Wichitcholchai held talks with NA Chairwoman Ngan, paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and met with the Vietnam-Thailand Parliamentary Friendship Group. At these meetings, the two sides expressed their delight at the development of Vietnam-Thailand relations in recent years with the regular exchange of high-ranking delegations.   [Parliamentary friendship group hopes for stronger Vietnam-Thailand … [Read more...]

The State Bank of Vietnam annually assigns a credit growth quota for each bank to control lending and achieve money supply and inflation targets set by the National Assembly. Nghiem Xuan Thanh, chair of Vietcombank, recently noted his bank had reached 13% growth in the first half of 2017, which is only 3% points shy of its annual 16% allotment by the SBV. Vietcombank, said Mr Thanh, therefor submitted a formal request to the SBV asking the allotment to be increased to meet with the rising appetite for capital of the business community. Mr Thanh noted Vietcombank is optimistic about achieving credit book growth of its allotted 13% this year through introduction of new products like student loans and used car loans, plus tapping into stable, efficiently managed small to medium sized businesses. Our lending focus, he noted, has changed to quality above quantity of … [Read more...]

Vo Kim Cu (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Prime Minister has signed decisions to apply disciplinary measures on four former leaders of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) and the central province of Ha Tinh, whose violations are linked to the serious environmental incident caused by Formosa Ha Tinh in the four central localities. In Decision 1199/QD-TTg, Nguyen Minh Quang, former MoNRE Minister in the 2011-2016 period, received warnings. Meanwhile, Nguyen Thai Lai and Bui Cach Tuyen are no longer former MoNRE Deputy Ministers for the 2011-2015 tenure under Decision 1201/QD-TTg and Decision 1202/QD-TTg. Under Decision 1200/QD-TTg, the PM decided to strip Vo Kim Cu off the position of former Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ha Tinh province in the 2005-2010 tenure and former Chairman of the Ha Tinh People’s Committee in … [Read more...]

Ho Thi Kim Thoa was dismissed from the position of Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade under a decision issued by the Prime Minister on August 16. Ho Thi Kim Thoa Decision No. 1203/QD-TTg said that Thoa’s next task will be assigned by the Minister of Industry and Trade.  The Party Central Committee’s Secretariat decided to relieve Thoa of her membership in the Party Civil Affairs Committee at the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) during a meeting chaired by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on August 8, 2017. At the meeting, the Secretariat also proposed the Prime Minister dismiss Thoa from the post of Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade.  It made the decision after considering the proposal of the Party Central Committee’s Inspection Commission and opinions of relevant agencies. Earlier, the Inspection Commission issued a warning against Thoa for “serious … [Read more...]

Both Viet Nam and Cambodia have strong economic growth prospects and face risks posed by their financial systems. However, Viet Nam’s institutions are stronger, according to Moody. — Photo vietbao.vn Viet Nam and Cambodia share several economic characteristics, but Viet Nam’s larger, more diverse economy has the greater capacity to absorb shocks, said a Moody’s report released on Tuesday. The credit rating agency’s conclusions are contained in the report titled “Governments of Cambodia and Viet Nam – Viet Nam’s economic diversity supports stronger credit profile, despite higher Government debt than Cambodia’s”. According to Moody’s, both nations have strong economic growth prospects and face risks posed by their financial systems. However, Viet Nam’s institutions are stronger. Continued robust growth, and broad economic and financial stability should … [Read more...]