Defenses week 13

The meeting was the first in four decades that came amid tense relations between the United States and China. Taiwan's national security chief David Lee met White House national security adviser John Bolton earlier this month, the island's foreign affairs ministry said in a statement on Saturday. The official Central News Agency said the meeting was the first since the island and the United States ended formal diplomatic ties in 1979. China considers Taiwan a renegade province, to be reclaimed by force if necessary, and the meeting is likely to anger Beijing further with Sino-U.S. relations already tense. The diplomatic temperature has risen in recent weeks amid an escalating trade war, U.S. sanctions and China's increasingly muscular military posture in the South China Sea, where the United States also conducts freedom-of-navigation patrols. The rare meeting will be viewed by Taiwan as a sign of support from the Trump administration. Tensions have also risen between Taipei and … [Read more...] about Taiwan and US security officials hold rare meeting amid China tension

Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hoà Bình speaks at the 2019 Đắk Lắk investment promotion conference held on March 10 in the province. VNS Photo Việt Dũng Viet Nam News Xuân Hiệp & Việt Dũng ĐẮK LẮK — Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hoà Bình has urged the Central Highlands region to build a Vietnamese coffee brand capable of competing with rivals at home and abroad. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the seventh Buôn Ma Thuột Coffee Festival on Saturday night, Bình said the region should aim to become a “world famous coffee destination”.  The area is known for its basaltic land with huge rubber and coffee plantations, he noted. “The Central Highlands region has great advantages and potential for coffee plantations and exports.” Đắk Lắk Province’s coffee products, with the … [Read more...] about Central Highlands province opens coffee festival, calls for investment

Tales of heroism, devastation and horrifying injuries emerged Tuesday after New Zealand's smouldering White Island volcano exploded, killing an estimated 13 people. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said five people had died and eight more were presumed dead after Monday's eruption, while dozens of injured had been airlifted to hospitals across the country. Among the 47 people caught on the island during the sudden eruption were tourists from Australia, the United States, Britain, China, Germany and Malaysia, as well as local tour guides. Amid questions over why tourists were allowed to visit the volcano, police announced a criminal investigation into the circumstances of the deaths and injuries. Ardern praised the crews of four rescue helicopters for landing on the island soon after the eruption. "Those pilots made an incredibly brave decision under extraordinarily dangerous circumstances in an attempt to get people out," she told reporters. Intensive care paramedic Russell Clark … [Read more...] about Heroism, devastation after deadly N. Zealand volcano eruption

As scheduled, Former U.S President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama visit the Southeast Asian country from December 8 to 11 in the framework of visits to some Asian nations. They visited Vietnam to talk about the Girls Opportunity Alliance under the Obama Foundation which help to fight against illiteracy amongst juvenile girls and women from the grass root by creating chances for them to grasp and pursuit their dreams through education. In the reception, Chief Nhan welcomed the former US President’s visit affirming that the visit has shown former US President and his wife’s deep concern to the bilateral relation generally and Vietnam’s growth particularly. Since the two countries have normalized the diplomatic relations, leaders of Vietnam and the US have paid more visits especially General Secretary of the Communist Party Nguyen Phu Trong’s first visit to the US in 2015 and Barack Obama’s official visit to Vietnam as the President of the US in … [Read more...] about HCMC Party Chief Nhan receives former US President Barack Obama

The Vietnamese national women’s football team have been promised more than VND10 billion (US$438,569) and a number of valuable items including a car and motorbikes in rewards following their successful title defense against Thailand at the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in the Philippines on Sunday. The Vietnamese women toiled in 120 minutes at Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila before they could edge past Thailand, with the gold-winning goal scored in the 92nd minute. The minimal victory won the Vietnamese women the sixth gold medal in SEA Games women’s football so far, with the other five clinched in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009, and 2017. Following the triumph, Vietnam's Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien, who is also the president of the Vietnam Olympic Committee, decided to reward the team with VND1 billion (US$43,148). Likewise, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), Hung Thinh Corporation, and Le Van Kiem, chairman of Long Thanh Golf Investment … [Read more...] about Vietnam to reward SEA Games women’s football champions with big bucks