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Political
News Headlines 1/7
President
bids farewell to outgoing
President Truong
Tan Sang hosted a reception in
Ambassador Antony
Stokes spoke highly of the vigorous development of Vietnam-UK relations in
various fields.
In particular, on
the basis of their strategic partnership, both nations have achieved good
results of cooperation in the field of trade, economics, science and
technology and crime prevention.
The British Council
pays special attention to education cooperation with the Southeast Asian
nation by providing scholarships for Vietnamese students and supporting
childcare projects, Antony Stokes told his host.
He expressed desire
to further boost education cooperation with
The British
diplomat said he hopes that the Vietnam-UK strategic partnership will grow
and flourish in the time to come for mutual benefit.
President Sang
hailed the ambassador’s efforts to foster the two countries’ relationship and
extended his thank to the British government for providing ODA and funding
Top
legislator welcomes WFUCA President
National Assembly
(NA) Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung has appreciated the role, position and
enormous contribution of the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres and
Associations (WFUCA) as well as the Vietnam Union of UNESCO Associations’
initiatives.
NA Chairman Nguyen
Sinh Hung received the President of the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs,
Centres and Associations (WFUCA) George Christophides and representatives
from the Vietnam Federation of UNESCO Associations (VUFA) in
At the meeting,
VUFA Chairman reported to NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung on his organization’s
operational accomplishments over the past 20 years.
From an
organization with dozens of official members, the VFUA has had nearly 10,000
members so far including over 100,000 official members nationwide.
The organization
has made practical contributions to the nation’s goals of education, science,
culture, and socio-economic development. The VUFA is also rated as one of the
leading organizations of the non-governmental UNESCO movement in the Asia
Pacific region and the world.
WFUCA President
George Christophides praised VFUA activities, saying that his organization
will boost exchange and cooperation between
NA Chairman greatly
valued WFUCA’s noble mission and tremendous contributions to nurturing the
friendship between peoples, protecting global peace, enhancing national
cooperation and developing areas of culture, education, science, information
and communication.
Hung also acknowledged
the contributions and achievements of the non-governmental UNESCO movement in
the world that President George Christophides is a representative.
He commended the
VUFA for its initiatives in building new codes of conduct and relations and
asked it to further promote the image of
The same day,
Deputy Prime Minister cum Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh also met with
George Christophides, who is also
Minh highlighted
the WFUCA’s assistance, noting that the Foreign Ministry will give further
support to the VFUA to help it enhance its role.
FM Minh asked
the WFUCA to assist the VFUA, especially in promoting
He also affirmed
Both side should
push up delegation exchange to promote mutual understanding and all-around
cooperation, Minh added.
HCM City signs pact with Rhone-Alpes Region
A comprehensive
cooperation agreement was signed between
The Agreement on
Cooperation between HCM City and Rhone-Alpes Region in the 2014-2017 period
highlights four priorities between HCM City and the Rhone-Alpes Region,
including the development of a sustainable economic partnership, development
cooperation, cooperation on training, cultural exchanges and training of
young staff.
Addressing the
signing ceremony, Quan said the renewed agreement on bilateral cooperation
indicates the two sides' efforts to enhance cooperation and match the
potential of both Rhone-Alpes Region and
In December 2012,
They included a
cooperation agreement between
On Thursday, Quan
opened the "HCM City Days in
The northern
province of Nam Dinh held a ceremony on June 30 to mark 60 years since its
capital city of Nam Dinh was liberated (July 1).
At the event, local
people recalled the milestones of their resistance war against the French
forces. After occupying Nam Dinh, French colonialists built the city into a
major industrial zone, with the largest garment and textile manufacturing
sector in northern
On July 1, 1954,
Nam Dinh was the first northern city to enjoy freedom before the Geneva
Agreement was signed, putting an end to colonialism in
Addressing the
ceremony, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, Pham Hong Ha stressed
that Nam Dinh city always holds an important strategic position in the
development of the southern Red River Delta region and Nam Dinh province in
particular.
From 2008 to 2013,
the city recorded annual economic growth of over 14%.
Last year, the
city’s average income per capita reached VND39.4 million (US$1,900).
Meanwhile, its poor household rate decreased to 3.1%.
Source: VNA/VOV/ND/VNS
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Thứ Hai, 30 tháng 6, 2014
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EVENTS SCHEDULED FOR JULY
1-10 (daily updated)
Photo
Exhibition “The Unravelers: Adventures with Mathematics”
Exhibition: 01 – 31
Jul 2014
L’Espace
24 Tràng Tiền, Hà
Nội
Reflecting the
poetic side of mathematics, the exhibition is an initiative of Jean-François
Dars, Annick Lesne and Anne Papillault which is drawn from a collection of
photographs & articles by great scientists during their stay at IHES
(Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques). The scientists look back on their
discipline, scientific thoughts and their own life. Among them, in
particular, is Professor Ngo Bao Chau.
Free entrance.
Mozart
Cycle 2014 at L’Espace
09 and 10 Jul 2014,
8pm
L’Espace
24 Tràng Tiền, Hà
Nội
You are invited to
the classical concert titled Mozart Cycle 2014 at L’Espace this July.
The concert is a
collaboration between The Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra (VNSO) and
L’Espace with the participation of conductor Kim Xuan Hieu and horn soloist Ta
Tien Dat.
Program
Overture “Idomeneo”
KV.366
Horn concerto No.3
in E Flat Major KV.447
Symphony No.38 in D
Major “Praha” KV.504
Tickets:
Ticket price:
120000 VND
Special price for
members of L’Espace and students: 60000 VND
Tickets are
available at L’Espace from 09 Jun.
Floor
Killer – The 4th National Recreational Dance Championship
05 and 06 Jul 2014,
11 am – 8.30 pm
7 Nguyen Van Linh,
Long Bien,
The 4th national
recreational dance championship FlOOR KILLER is the annual tournament featuring
the 6 most developing Hip Hop genres in the world: Breaking, Hip Hop,
Locking, Popping, Waacking and House. This contest aims at professional and
amateur dancers from
This year, the
youth will be over enthusiastic with the strange, attractive and unique
performances of the dancer from
Uwe Donaubauer is a
German Hip Hop champion and graduated from the FRK Dance Academy Austria as a
Hip Hop, Breakdance and Locking instructor. From 2007 –
2013 he has
participated in numerous competitions in Europe and
Louis Becker is one
of the best-known B-Boys in
Free entry.
Contact:
Mr. Nguyen Viet
Thanh, Big Toe
Email:
liontbigtoe@gmail.com
Screening
of “Augustine”
Fri 04 Jul 2014, 8
pm
L’Espace
24 Tràng Tiền, Hà
Nội
You are invited to
the screening of “Augustine” (
For more
information about synopsis, please see L’Espace website (in French) or refer
to the Vietnamese version of this post.
Language: French
with Vietnamese subtitle.
Tickets:
Ticket price: 40
000 VND
Special price for
members of L’Espace and students: 20 000 VND
Tickets are
available at L’Espace.
2013 Welsh
Music Prize Winner Georgia Ruth to Perform in
Tue 01 Jul 2014, 8
pm
HCMC Conservatory
of Music
The Welsh harpist,
singer-songwriter and her band will play in
Week of Pines,
George Ruth’s debut album was out barely a year ago in May 2013 and
immediately received enthusiastic praise from critics, hailing the album for
its “mixture of soft pop and reimagined traditionals.” It was commended by
The Independent as “a dazzling debut, rich with sweet pain and joy” and
Georgia Ruth is named “one of the British folk discoveries of the year” by
The Guardian.
Inspired by Georgia
Ruth’s recent return to
This was
beautifully described on the website of the Arts Council of Wales, “from the
motorik drive of the title track, to the darker Eno-like string arrangements,
the stark joyfulness of a Welsh sea shanty accompanied by wheezing reed
organ, or the more wistful folk ballads: this is a varied and intriguing
collection of songs.
“Having grown up
with dad’s Merchant Navy sea stories (he once met Jacques Cousteau onboard
the Calypso), a sea shanty was somewhat inevitable” This one, ‘Codi Angor’,
was popular amongst the Welsh sailors in the
‘Dovecote’ – with
its clanging bells and mists – maintains the theme, but on a more abstract
level: this is the leaving of old love. ‘Winter’, with its slow-march rhythm
and redemptive lyrics, brings the album to a fitting close.”
“Week of Pines is a
record about joyfulness, and coming home. And reclaiming things presumed
gone. And grace, after making mistakes, that element of forgiveness and calm
has been integral to this record.”
Tickets
Ticket prices:
300.000 VND, 200.000 VND, 80.000 VND for students
Please call 098 987
4517 or 0903 041 959 for ticket booking and delivery.
Exhibition
“Letting Go”
Opening: Thu 03 Jul
2014, 6.30 pm
Exhibition: 03 – 09
Jul 2014
There are many ways
to liberate one’s spiritual life. This is as important as the metabolism
process. But the methods are very different; some people can focus his or her
energy in doing something else in a hobby or a certain interest. The majority
will try to release their energy for entertainment or some useless time
killing activities.
Painting is one way
of liberating human beings but can still remain energy. Artist Le Huu Hieu
has the starting point as an architect. He chose one way to release his
energy but he can still get his mentality focused in the joy of creating
artworks.
His first solo
exhibition contains 18 oil-on-canvas paintings in medium size; there are also
different experimentations with acrylic, using gold and silver on canvas. It
shows us the beauty in the patience for the passion of arts. With the
language of surrealist art mixing with expressionist, the artist doesn’t just
paint his own mental state but also expresses the consciousness of a certain class.
This class is considered to be “The Youth of their times”. There is fear and
amazement in front of the pressure of time and work. All the fallen angels
with wild dreams combine with the temporality and wicked humor in the social
stories where they are in.
A very interesting
is that the exhibition was passionately supported by a reputed website on the
events, art and culture in
On the occasion of
“Letting go” exhibition by a brand new young artist with the art world, we
are cordially presents the attendance of many reputable professional artists
as well representatives from governmental fine art organizations such as:
artist Thanh Chuong (Vietnam Fine Arts Association), artist Luong Xuan Doan,
artist Le Thiet Cuong, artist Vi Kien Thanh (Bureau Chief of the Fine Arts
Department). We would like to also call for the attention of organizations,
individual units to be more actively engaged in the art contribution and
sponsor for young artists. To commensurate with the policy implementation
“Culture and Art as the motivation and purpose” for the prosperous
development of the country!
About the artist:
Le Hieu
Le Huu Hieu
Born in September
2nd 1982
Hometown: Xuan Yen
– Nghi Xuan – Ha Tinh
Education: Civil
Engineering University majored in Architecture (2006)
Present:
independent architect
Talk of
Gary Thomas : Experimental Filmmaking and Animation in the
Wed 02 Jul 2014, 4
pm
Big Hall, Goethe
Institut
Goethe-Institut
56-58 Nguyễn Thái
Học
Ba Đình, Hà Nội
You’re invited to a
talk with British Council film advisor Gary Thomas on experimental filmmaking
and animation in the
Gary Thomas was
previously the Head of Moving Image for Arts Council England, leading on
policy and strategy development for arts distribution, broadcasting and
visual arts. He subsequently founded Animate Projects to run the Channel
4/ACE Animate TV scheme, which he developed to become a commissioning agency
producing content for online/digital, cinema, broadcast and galleries. His
productions/commissions include Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s short A Letter to
Uncle Boonmee which won the Oberhausen Grand Prix and formed part of the
development of the Cannes Palme d’Or winning feature project Uncle Boonmee
Who Can Recall His Past Lives.
Free entrance.
Screening
of “Astérix et Obélix: Au Service de sa Majesté”
L’Espace
24 Tràng Tiền, Hà
Nội
You are invited to
the film screening “Asterix and Obelix: God Save Britannia” (
For more
information about synopsis, please see L’Espace website (in French) or refer
to the Vietnamese version of this post. Language: French with Vietnamese
subtitle.
Tickets:
Ticket price: 40
000 VND
Special price for
members of L’Espace and students: 20 000 VND
Tickets are
available at L’Espace.
VNN
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Social
News Headlines 1/7
The HCMC Steering
Center of the Urban Flood Control Program (SCFC) has asked the HCMC People’s
Council to pass a dozen of major projects for implementation this year and
next at a total cost of VND1.86 trillion (some US$87.3 million) to control
flooding in the city.
SCFC made the
request at a meeting with the HCMC People’s Council on June 26. The projects
will help address flooding in districts 1, 2, Tan Binh and Thu Duc.
The spending will
go to upgrading the drainage systems on Mai Thi Luu Street in District 1; Bau
Cat, Truong Cong Dinh and Ba Van streets in Tan Binh District; Go Dua Street
in Thu Duc District; Thao Dien, Quoc Huong and Xuan Thuy streets in District
2; and building a rainwater regulation lake of 4,000 square meters in Tan
Binh District.
SCFC said to
effectively control flooding in a 108-square-kilometer river basin area in
downtown HCMC, the city has spent big on 14 projects to improve drainage in
this area and 47 out of 58 flood-prone sites have been solved.
HCMC spent nearly
VND1.58 trillion (nearly US$75 million) coping with flooding in 2011-2013.
However, the city’s chairman Le Hoang Quan told a seminar last March that
flooding in this city had not been resolved as effectively as expected.
As a consequence,
many streets in districts 6, Tan Binh and elsewhere are still submerged when
heavy rains occur. Therefore, the center plans to build over 30 large lakes
in suburban areas and hundreds of smaller lakes in inner-city areas as well
as dredge canals to mitigate flooding.
A delegation from
the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) led by Chancellor Gene Block
will visit Vietnam and work with the Vietnam National University in HCMC from
June 28 to July 1 to forge scientific ties between the two institutions.
Both schools will
ink an agreement on June 30 in biomedical science and educational science.
Moreover, the two sides will suggest to the governments of
Professor Gene
Block will host the talk “Developing a
Since 2008,
scientists from the
After that, the two
sides have jointly carried out new programs on biomedical science and
educational science.
The Health
Department of northern mountainous Cao Bang province and the Luxembourg
Agency for Development Cooperation on June 25 inaugurated a new health centre
in the Dam Thuy commune, Trung Khanh district.
The centre, spread
over an area of 950 sq.ms, was built with an investment of more than 2.2
billion VND (104,000 USD), from
It is expected to
provide better healthcare to about 5,000 people, mostly from the
The healthcare
centre is part of
Under the project,
the construction of other 11 healthcare centres, worth 26.8 billion VND (1.25
million USD), is scheduled to finish next month in the two provinces.
Sustainable
development forum for youth opens
A forum aimed at
empowering Vietnamese youth to share initiatives and solutions on sustainable
development and environmental protection was opened in the central
In his opening
speech, Director of the British Council in Vietnam Chris Brown voiced his
hope that participants will become environment ambassadors with specific
actions, expanding spillover effects on the community.
The forum, themed “
Be Active Citizens ”, attracts 40 outstanding young people selected from 400
profiles nationwide, focusing discussions on climate change and natural
disasters, energy saving, green economy, bio-diversification, vulnerable
groups and climate change.
The five-day event
is held within the framework of the active citizen programme launched by the
British Council in 2009. The programme has been implemented successfully in
38 countries around the world, attracting the participation of 530,000
youngsters and bringing great value to 15 million people.
Conference
seeks to improve resource management in Asia
Domestic and
foreign experts discussed ways to increase the effectiveness of resource use
and management at a regional workshop hosted by the central city of
The event is part
of the ongoing Integrated Resource Management in Asian Cities: Urban Nexus
project implemented by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ)
with financial support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic
Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Participants
reviewed the progress of realising urban nexus initiatives in participating
cities and the sharing of experience in the field. They also mentioned the
importance of State management to the urban nexus and discussed next steps of
the project.
Participating in
the project,
The city’s
representatives voiced hope that Asian cities will further enhance advanced
technology transfer and sharing of management experiment to heighten the
efficiency of managing and using resources towards a sustainable
Many said the
Pacific-Asia region faces rapid urbanisation which causes serious impact on
the resources, especially water, energy and food.
The majority of
regional cities are managing separately their sectors, which makes them
unable to optimise collaboration.
Ten cities in six
Asian countries, including
The restructuring
of rice farming in the Cuu Long (
Le Van Banh, head
of the Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute, said though the rice
cultivation area and output increase every year farmers remain poor.
The main goal of
restructuring the rice sector should be to improve farmers' incomes so that
they continue to farm, he said.
Deputy Minister of
Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quoc Doanh said besides yields it was
also time to focus on improving the commercial value of the rice varieties
grown.
The country exports
the grain at around US$400 a tonne, but needs varieties that can fetch $600
and even $1,000, according to Doanh.
The delta is the
country's important rice producer, but the rate of certified rice seeds used
is only 35 per cent.
Since the rest are
uncertified, the quality of exported rice and output are adversely affected.
The ministry had
begun a research and agricultural extension programme focusing on creating
high-quality rice varieties that would improve export value and farmers'
incomes, he said.
Participants in the
seminar said the production and trade of rice faced many limitations like low
quality of exports, low competitiveness, and small scale of cultivation and
trade.
The delta's
provinces were not closely linked and there was little application of modern
technologies in rice processing, they said.
Le Duc Thinh,
deputy head of the ministry's Department of Cooperative Economy and Rural
Development, said the average land holding per household in the delta was
0.87ha.
Of the delta's
total rice area, low-quality varieties accounted for 45 per cent and
medium-quality ones for 35 per cent.
Traders bought
around 90 per cent of the rice grown in the delta, he said, meaning farmers
did not make much profit.
Nguyen Do Anh Tuan,
deputy head of the ministry's
It also sought to
usher in advanced farming techniques and technologies to increase yields and
values, attracting foreign investment in agriculture, developing new export
markets, and increasing the output of high quality rice for exports, he said.
Nguyen Quoc Viet,
deputy head of the Southwest Region Steering Committee, said the delta
planned to stabilise paddy output at 24-25 million tonnes a year from now
through 2010.
The region has
1.6-1.8 million hectares under the grain, but plans to grow higher value
crops like corn and soybean on 112,000ha of low-yield rice fields in 2014-15.
As of the end of
last month 87,000ha had been switched to corn, dragon fruit, and lime,
according to the Plant Cultivation Department.
Farmers
cash in on tiger shrimp
The model to
establish large-scale fields to breed black-tiger shrimp in the Cuu Long (
Early last year,
the Dong Hai District Agriculture and Rural Development Bureau in
Under the model,
farmers are given financial support and farming techniques under the
Vietnamese Good Agriculture Practices (VietGap) standards.
Under a new
cultivation method, farmers change the water a fewer number of times in
shrimp ponds.
Duong Minh Doan,
who owns 2.6ha of land on a large-scale shrimp field, said participating
farmers had a bumper harvest last year.
"My family
made a profit of VND180 million (US$8,600)," he said.
Farmers earned a
profit of between VND60-80 million ($2,900 – 3,800) per ha a year.
The breeding period
for each black-tiger shrimp crop lasts about three months.
Vo Ngoc Can, who
breeds 2.8ha of black-tiger shrimp under the model, said he had consolidated
pond banks to prevent water leakage, and improved water quality, including
the content of pH and salinity.
"I use
probiotic products in shrimp ponds once every 15 days to improve water
quality," Can said.
River water is
taken into the ponds when there are high tides, he said.
Water in shrimp
ponds was released into the river only when it was necessary, with the
instruction of agricultural officials, he said.
Nguyen Truong Han,
head of the Dong Hai District Agriculture and Rural Development Bureau, said
the large-scale shrimp field model had been expanded to four of Dinh Thanh
Commune's five hamlets, with a total of 200ha.
Dong Hai District
plans to develop large-scale shrimp fields on a total area of 260ha, focusing
on Dinh Thanh and Long Dien Tay communes.
"With high
profits from the model, farmers have developed large-scale shrimp fields to a
total of more than 380ha so far," Han said.
The new farming
model has also helped protect the environment as farmers have reduced the
amount of dredging of mud in shrimp ponds, which they had discharged into the
environment.
Passion
fruit switch could taint supply
More farmers in
Ha Van
"If I
replanted my coffee trees, I would have to spend about hundreds of millions
of dong and wait for a few years to have a coffee harvest," he said.
"Passion fruit vines take a shorter period to bear fruit."
It takes about six
months for passion fruit vines to produce fruit.
Mature passion
fruit vines have four major harvests a year and yield 80-100 tonnes per ha a
year.
Passion fruit has
been planted in the Tay Nguyen (
Pham Hung Vy,
deputy head of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural
Development's Plant Cultivation Bureau, said when passion fruit was planted
for the first time in the province, the department planned to develop only
200ha of the fruit.
However, it has
contracted with Phu Thinh and Tia Sang Co-operatives to supply passion fruit
seedlings for farmers in order to control the quantity and quality of
seedlings, Vy said.
However, the price
of passion fruit has increased and passion fruit farmers have earned high
profits, he said.
The rapid increase
of passion fruit area will lead to a threat of disease outbreaks, he said.
Passion fruit vines
can become infected with powdery mildew and bacterial blight.
Many farmers
grafted passion fruit seedlings by themselves, increasing the risk of
disease, Vy said.
Most farmers who
grow passion fruit beyond the zoning area are not trained in growing
techniques.
Farmers that have
chopped down perennial trees to replant passion fruit trees have also
affected the province's cultivation structure.
The total area of
passion fruit in the province has increased to nearly 1,000ha, mainly in Dak
Glong and Dak Rlap districts, according to the department.
Meanwhile, passion
fruit processing plants in Dak Nong can buy only 200ha of passion fruit, said
the department.
Nguyen Van Xuyen,
director of the Dak Nong –based Nghia Duc One Member Co., Ltd, said his
company had bought passion fruit for at least VND20,000 ($0.95) a kilo in
previous months.
However, the supply
is abundant, and the company has reduced the purchase price, he said.
Traders are now
paying VND5,000-6,000 a kilo for the fruit.
Falling
rubber prices take their toll on local industry
Price falls and low
yields hit farmers and rubber workers in central
According to Nguyen
Duc Phong, chairman of farmer association in the province's Nong Truong Viet
Trung commune, there has been a critical collapse in the price of natural
rubber.
"One
kilogramme of fresh natural rubber cost at VND8,000, while the cost was
VND20,000 per kilogramme the same period last year," he said.
In addition to the
price falling, rubber trees in the commune, which is considered a hub for
rubber plantations in the central province, strong storms that struck
"We have a
total of 2,000ha of rubber trees and the storms ruined 80 per cent of the
total. The remaining trees are producing a very low yield," said Phong.
According to
statistics produced last year, each worker could harvest 50kg of fresh
natural rubber per day, compared with this year's maximum of 10kg per day, he
said.
Many rubber
plantation owners have said they want to get rid of the trees to use the land
to grow other industrial trees.
Tran Xuan Hau,
owner of a 120ha rubber plantation, said he had no choice but to replace the
trees as it would take another six years to harvest. He also said he could
not afford the cost of replanting the trees.
Hau is now among a
host of farmers looking to grow more profitable trees.
Phong said the
commune's authorities had organised several trips for farmers to learn about
different models in neighboring
"We found the
cultivation of dragon fruits and black pepper might be suitable for the land.
But we need to investigate the supply of water for pepper," he said.
Meanwhile, farmers
themselves are having to cut down the trees to grow cassava and watermelon
across 653ha. According to the farmers' association, watermelon has turned
out bumper crops and earnings for farmers.
At the commune,
there are 3,000ha of rubber trees managed by the local Viet Trung rubber
company. The company refused to comment on the price fall, but workers said
the collapse had created tough times.
Nguyen Thi Hong
Nhung, a worker in the Quyet Tien team of the company, said she could harvest
only 2kg of fresh natural rubber a day, much lower than an average of 60kg a
day she did last year.
"Harvesting
2kg a day equals to wage of VND600,000 (US$26) a month. Many of my colleagues
have quit to find a seasonal job as some of them were making even less than
me," she said.
The company has a
total of 17 teams of harvesters, with around 80 workers each. The majority of
workers have become redundant as a result.
In the meantime,
experts have recommended a halt to planting rubber trees in the province due
to heavy annual storms.
The upgrading of
Addressing a
ceremony on June 28 to announce the Prime Minister’s Decision on recognizing
Ninh Binh as a second-grade city under Ninh Binh province, Deputy PM Hai said
the city should make good use of its natural and historical heritage to
become a destination of choice for tourists, helping boost the comprehensive
development of Ninh Binh province.
To be recognised as
a second-grade city, the city should be a political, economic, cultural and
tourist centre as well as a transport hub of a region while meeting a number
of requirements such as a population of at least 800,000 for a centrally-run
city and 300,000 for a provincial city, fair infrastructure and at least 80
percent of urban labourers working in non-agriculture sectors.
Ninh Binh City is
the capital city of the province of the same name, which is home to such well
known tourist destinations as Bai Dinh Pagoda, the newly-recognised UNESCO
cultural and natural heritage site of Trang An, Cuc Phuong national park and
Tam Coc-Bich Dong site.-
Nearly
40,000 poor students benefit from EMW-funded programme
Close to 40,000
disadvantaged students in the central region of
Set up in 2004, the
Scholarship Programme to Enhance Literacy and Learning (SPELL) aims to
provide students with difficulties in
With its goal of
preventing students from dropping gout of school and improving learning
quality, the programme has supported children of the poorest households in
the seven central localities of Quang Binh, Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang, Quang
Ngai, Binh Dinh and Phu Yen.
After 10 years of
operation, SPELL has gained impressive results – a decline in the dropout
rate and an impressive pass rate that meets or exceeds the national average.
Many of SPELL scholarship recipients have won municipal, provincial and
national awards for their academic achievements.
Poor students will
have a bright future if they receive support, EMW Country Director Nguyen
Minh Chau said, adding they will help their families escape from poverty and
make the society prosperous.
“Their success is a
great encouragement for us to continue our work,” she noted.
In 2010, EMW set up
a university scholarship programme namely SPELL Goes to College (SGTC), which
has helped 130 disadvantaged students access university education.-
Khmer
pagodas hold summer classes for children
Many Khmer pagodas
in the southern
At Chot Pagoda in
Hung Hoi commune, Vinh Loi district, more than 100 children of all ages are
attending four classes held at different hours throughout the day.
Monk Thach Uong,
who is in charge of the classes, said the monks want to teach the children
not only the ethnic group’s language but also traditional customs and good
behaviours.
Eleven-year-old Lam
Thi Phuong Anh said the Khmer script is very difficult, but after a long time
of practicing, she can now write in a proper way.
The pagoda classes
are hailed by Tran Thi Hoa Ry, head of the provincial Committee for Ethnic
Affairs, who said they help Khmer children become aware of their cultural
root while contributing to preserving and developing the fine traditions of
the Khmer ethnic group in the southern region.
Bac Lieu province
is home to around 65,000 Khmer people.-
Children in
Ben Tre discuss their rights with local officials
Children in the
southern
The forum, held as
part of the month of action for children, focused on the theme of preventing
violence against and abuse of children.
Students from
primary and secondary schools in nine districts and towns as well as children
from social welfare facilities presented their opinions and messages
regarding issues of their interests such as beating or exploiting children,
and discrimination against disadvantaged kids.
The forum is held
with the aim of making children better aware of their rights and role in
society, as well as creating a chance for government officials and policy
makers to understand children’s wishes and needs, thus improving the building
and implementation of policies targeting children.
Over 500
volunteers join in ‘2014 Give Strength in Exam Season’ program
More than 500
volunteers on attending a departure ceremony themed ‘the 2014 Give Strength
in Exam Season’ program was held at Vinh Nghiem Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City on
June 28, aiming to support the provincial candidates to three cities
including Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat and Can Tho City for the 2014 University
Entrance Examination.
Over 10,000 free
accommodations and 420,840 free vegetarian meals will be supported to
candidates and their relatives at more than 120 pagodas and homes in Can Tho,
Da Lat and
520 volunteers will
be divided into three groups, including 330 volunteers in Can Tho city, 130
volunteers in Da Lat City and 60 volunteers in
In
Most volunteers are
students from colleges and universities.
The ceremony was
held by Central Buddhist Board.
Increasing
play areas being used for other purposes
At a recent forum
on held by the Department of Child Protection and Care, a student commented
that the play areas of children are being taken over by adults.
In fact, this can
be documented. The playground of building G at Nam Thanh Cong, in Dong Da
District, has been illegally occupied with houses, the rest being used as a
parking lot. Children there now play in the empty spaces of the lot, among
charcoal stoves and tea stands.
The same situation
is also seen at apartment blocks in Thai Thinh, Giang Vo and Trung Liet
streets with even smaller playgrounds.
A playground in
Ngoc Khanh Ward is built for children, but now, it has been turned into a
temporary market. Giang Vo Ward has nine playgrounds, but they have all been
taken over by tea stands and mobile restaurants.
Other playgrounds
designed for children, such as the one at
Many parents say
that they are satisfied with the playgrounds at schools, which offer large
spaces with greenery, but the schools close after lessons are finished.
Authorities have
recognised the problem. They intend to increase the area of playgrounds by
45% by 2020. However, this may be a difficult task, as allocation of funds
for such projects in municipalities faces many obstacles.
Authorities in
A number of taxi
companies, registered in other provinces, continue to operate in
In order to avoid
the laws, taxi firms register the number plates in
Ha Quang Vinh, an
inspector from the Hanoi Department of Transport, said they discovered 10
taxi companies have been using cars without the required licenses in
Deputy head of
Hanoi Department of Transport, Nguyen Hoang Linh, said in order to deal with
this problem, there are plans to make special licenses for taxis that are
allowed to operate in the city. If the project goes through, 17,000
registered taxis would be given a special badge to show their validity. The
project is expected to be implemented by the end of the year.
"The 'special
badge' will help management agencies decipher reputable cab companies from
those who are trying to get around the law by tricks. This will also make it
easier for customers to tell reliable taxi companies from bad ones,"
said Linh.
Some experts have
come out to say even this restrction is not strict enough, criticising the
inspection process and even the competency of authorities to uphold current
laws.
American professor,
Tobias B. Wolff, also a well-known lawyer, remarked that he was impressed by
the activities in
At at a meeting
with Vietnamese reporters held by the US Embassy recently, he said that
despite cultural differences, I have seen many shared experiences of the
Vietnamese and American people concerning the rights of the LGBT community
when I met Vietnamese people in
In
“Vietnamese people
who I have met all have an progressive outlook. They agree on an equal treatment
for the LGBT people.
Prof. Wolff said
that “ In spite of staying
“I am really
impressed by activities to boost the LGBT community’s rights in
The professor also
showed his regret on the National Assembly’s rejection of Article 16 on
rights of same-sex marriage of the draft Law on Marriage and Family. “If the
situation has not been changed, this will be a standstill in ensuring equal
rights for the Vietnamese LBGT community. However,
According to Prof.
Wolff, LGBT people should be brave to announce their real gender and be
patient to persuade the public for their recognisation of their rights.
More stories about
discrimination against the LGBT community should be told, including problems
each family and person faces.
He said that one of
the most difficulties for the LGBT community to announce themselves is the
fright to be discriminated and abandoned by their family.
He called on
parents to encourage their children if they belong to the LGBT community so
that they can be stronger.
Currently, 19 among
50 states in the
Ninh Binh
recognised as second-class city
A ceremony was held
on June 28 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Ninh Binh city's Liberation
Day (June 30, 1954) and to announce that Ninh Binh city, Ninh Binh province,
has been recognised as a second-class city.
The event was
attended by Politburo member Dinh The Huynh, who serves as head of the Party
Central Committee’s Commission for Popularisation and Education and President
of its Theory Council, as well as Minister of Public Security Gen. Tran Dai
Quang, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai and several leaders of
ministries and local branches.
Addressing the
ceremony, Deputy PM Hai praised the city’s efforts and outcomes, saying that
they have contributed to the achievements of Ninh Binh province and the
nation in general in the past.
He urged Ninh Binh
city to uphold its spirit of dynamism and creativity and to promote its
potential and advantages to accelerate economic restructuring, serving the
city’s comprehensive and sustainable economic growth. The city should be
active in international integration and tourism development, striving to
become one of the country’s key tourist centres.
The deputy PM
directed Ninh Binh city to focus on tasks on building the Party and a pure
political system and accelerating administrative and legal reform.
On the occasion,
the Ninh Binh Municipal People's Committee honoured 11 organisations and 18
individuals for outstanding achievements in the campaign on building Ninh
Binh city.
Source: VNN/VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/ND
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BUSINESS
IN BRIEF 1/7
Experts
advise on support industries
To develop its
support industries,
Vu Van Hoa,
president of HCM City Export Processing and Industrial Zones
Authority(HEPZA), said
He also blamed it
on the shortage of skilled human resources.
He called for
designating projects to develop support industries industrial parks as
"special important infrastructure projects," which are entitled to
various tax breaks.
"They should
be allowed to enjoy interest subsidies from the demand stimulus fund for land
clearance and compensation and building technical and social infrastructure
and standardised factories."
He also urged the
government to offer the same tax incentives for support-industries industrial
parks as those given to hi-tech enterprises – a 10% rate for 15 years.
Besides they should
be given import duty breaks, longer land lease periods, and financial
incentives, he said, while industrial parks should strengthen ties with
foreign business groups to attract investment in support industries.
The city is
building the
Hirotaka Yasuzumi,
managing director of JETRO (Japan External Trade Organisation)
"If
He blamed policies
that have failed to meet companies' expectations for the lack of support
industries in
Poor policies meant
companies are unable to raise funds or train human resources, lack
incentives, have no forum to compare notes with other companies in the same
sectors, and lack large markets, according to Yasuzumi.
Le Hoai Quoc,
president of the Sai Gon Hi-tech Park (SHTP), said attracting investment from
multinationals will enable the development of support industries.
The SHTP management
currently has a programme to develop support industries for hi-tech
manufacturing, with the first pilot project intended to create the
development of a supply chain for Intel's plant at the SHTP.
Similar projects
are also planned for subsidiaries of multinationals Nidec Group, Sonion,
Datalogic, and Jabil.
Doan Hong Tam,
deputy chairman of the
"We must have
appropriate conditions to meet Japanese tenants' requirements including power
infrastructure, clean water, telecommunications, skilled workforce, and legal
services."
Besides, to attract
Japanese investors, the city needs to offer a skilled and disciplined
workforce, support with personnel recruitment and training, comfortable
housing for professionals and workers.
Japanese firms also
expected Vietnam to simplify procedures of all kinds, including by having a
‘one-stop service' in Japanese at industrial parks, he added.
Vietnam
Airlines proposes VND22,300 per share in IPO
The national flag
carrier Vietnam Airlines propose to sell their shares at VND22,300 each at an
initial public offering.
The proposal was a
part of the groups’ equitization project which the Ministry of Transport
submitted Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on June 27.
According to the
project, the company’s book value is VND57,156 billion (US$2.68 billion).
The group’s charter
capital is expected to be VND14,102 billion. In the IPO, the State will hold
75 percent of the charter capital, 20 percent will be sold to strategic
investors, 3.47 percent will go under the hammer and the rest will be offered
to its staff.
The carrier shares
will be listed on the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange.
The Brazilian
Government has decided to temporarily lower import tax rates from 16 percent
to 2 percent on 240 types of machinery and equipment goods and 10 types of
information technology and telecommunications goods.
The import tax
reduction went into force on June 24, 2014 and will last until December 31,
2015, according to
Two-way trade
between
In the first five
months of this year, the two-way trade revenue between
Several Vietnamese
goods exported to
The two-way trade
between the two countries is expected to reach US$3 billion by the end of
2014.
HCMC
Industrial Zone to be built in Myanmar
Vice Chairwoman of
People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City Nguyen Thi Hong visited and worked
with Minister of Commerce of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Win Myint
in Yangon City on June 28.
The meeting is part
of the framework plan of the 2014 Ho Chi Minh City Expo, taking place in
At the meeting,
Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Hong expressed her determination and desire to
invest in fields such as high-tech agriculture, processing industry, jewelry,
hotel, tourism and exporting goods into
Currently, the
agricultural sector of
As result of, we
have a great investment potential in agriculture and wood processing
industry,
Minister Win Myint
said that
For the tourism
sector,
Earlier, Nguyen Thi
Hong visited and worked with Chief Minister of Yangon City Mr. Myint Swe to
discuss cooperation opportunities between Yangon and
Foreign Direct
Investment reached US$6.85 billion in the first half 2014, accounting for
64.7 percent over the same period last year, the Foreign Investment Agency
under the Ministry of Planning and Investment has reported.
The country had 656
newly licensed projects with total registered capital of US$4.85 billion as
of June 20, equivalent to 93.2 percent over the same period last year.
219 projects were
registered to increase US$1.99 billion investment capital, equal to 37
percent of the same period last year.
Disbursement of FDI
projects hit US$5.75 billion, up 0.9 percent year on year.
Forty one countries
and territories have invested in 43 provinces and cities across the country.
The
Central
destinations attractive to tourists
The flow of
tourists to major destinations in
Khanh Hoa province,
home to the popular beach resort city of
Of the figure,
foreign arrivals numbered over 411,000, up nearly 33 percent, with those
coming from
The province has
set its eye on attracting more Russian tourists while tapping into the
potential North East Asia market including
Meanwhile, Quang
Binh province reported a 144 percent rise to 1.8 million visitors in the past
six months. The surge was partly attributable to the crowd of pilgrims who
travelled to the locality to pay respect to General Vo Nguyen Giap at his
resting place in Vung Chua-Dao Yen area. An estimated 750,000 people visited
the tomb in the period.
Besides, improved
service quality and new tours to unique caves in the province also helped
attract more tourists.
The province is
well-known for various natural attractions, especially the ‘Kingdom of
Caves’, a complex of over 300 caves, found in the Phong Nha – Ke Bang
National Park, which was recognised as a World Natural Heritage Site by the
UNESCO last year.
With the opening of
Recently, the New
York Times named Quang Binh as one of the most attractive destinations in
B. Braun
looks to invest extra US$270 million
According to a
local source, B. Braun will expand its investment capital in
The expansion
includes a US$ 45.5 million medical equipment factory which is expected to be
completed within 2014, and another medical equipment plant worth US$97
million which is expected to become operational in 2016.
Moreover, B. Bruan
will also build a new pharmaceutical factory worth US$66.3 million. This
factory plans to cover 10,000 squares metres and is expected to start
operating in the fourth quarter of 2015. All the projects will be implemented
in Thanh Oai district,
“B. Braun has
commenced procedures to seek construction permits and land acquisition for
new projects,” said the source.
The investment
underlines
B. Braun has
maintained a presence in
B. Braun set up its
first Vietnamese production facility, an IV solutions plant in
Today, B. Braun
Vietnam is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the B. Braun achieved US$75 million
in revenue and created around 1,000 jobs in Hanoi, reported the source.
B. Braun is not the
only European pharmaceutical company to have increased investment capital in
Ocean
Hospitality cited among top 50 most effective businesses
Ocean
Hospitality-OCH has been listed in the top 50 most effective businesses in
The Company was one
of the top performers in the Vietnamese stock market over the last three
years, with capital mobilization of over VND500 billion and revenues in 2011,
2012 and 2013 surpassing VND200 billion and post-tax profits in excess of
VND20 billion.
Sven Albert Saebel,
OCH Director General said that with the leading experts’ assessment and
consultancy, the list of top 50 most effective businesses in Vietnam will
provide both local and foreign investors with useful and reliable
information. He emphasized that the results have acknowledged great efforts
by OCH staff who have brought the best services to customers.
In the future, OCH
will promote its advantages in hotel management and business, and develop
Givral trademark to contribute to the development of Ocean group as well as
the national economy.
Int’l
experts share institutional reform experience
International
experts shared experience with Vietnamese partners in institutional reform at
an international conference in
The conference
themed institutional reform for transformation, inclusion and sustainability
was held by United Nations University WIDER (UNU-WIDER) and the Central
Institute for Economic Management (CIEM).
Economic experts
focused their discussion on institutional reform and three major global
challenges of today's society- structural transformation, inclusion and
sustainability.
Participants agreed
that
According to the
Ministry of Finance’s report, 85% of equitized enterprises have gained
profits resulting in higher contributions to the State budget.
CIEM Director
Nguyen Dinh Cung said institutional reform, particularly SoE equitisation
still faces challenges and difficulties as a large number of SOEs retain a
monopolistic role in the market in key fields like electricity and petroleum.
Through the
conference, UNU-WIDER experts want to give a clear explanation for
development challenges related to transformation, inclusion and
sustainability in developing countries.
Promotions help business growth
Local enterprises
are increasingly launching sales promotion to limit inventory and stabilise
production, according to independent market watchdogs.
Analysts said that
tough economic times had forced producers to seek new ways to survive.
In addition to
supplying the market with products that have diversified designs, reasonable
pries and high quality, many producers have focused efforts to offer sales
that meet consumer demand.
Trade centres,
supermarkets and retail stores typify this trend. They have regularly
launched sales promotions that last two to three months, offering discounts
of up to 50 per cent or more, depending on the product.
The director of a
retail company in
Nguyen Khanh,
director of the Thien Hoa Group, agreed, saying his company had more sales
and had achieved high turnover with such promotions.
He said that many
promotions are launched during holiday periods.
Sales are offered
for high-demand products such as household appliances, accessories and
cosmetics, as well as for high-grade products with top brand names like Karen
Millen, Coast, DKNY, Swaroski, ICB, Nine West and Steve Madden.
Shops at Sai Gon
Tax Trade Centre have offered big discounts on name brands also.
Nguyen Thi Hong,
vice chairwoman of the HCM City People's Committee, said the city government
had also called on enterprises to participate in consumer support programmes
through sales promotions to stimulate demand.
Analysts said
consumers had welcomed the promotions, particularly during difficult economic
times.
City resident Phan
Thu Ha of Tan Binh District said her family "often hunts for sales
programmes where we can buy good quality products at low prices" in
order to reduce spending.
Vu Thi Kim Dung,
marketing director of Parkson Mall in
Deputy PM
says Quang Ninh should lead investment efforts
The
north-eastern
In his speech
delivered at a conference on promoting investment and improving provincial
competitiveness held on Saturday, Hai said the province should focus on
building modern infrastructure to make the fullest use of its potential and
advantages.
The province needed
to build a sustainable socio-economic development model along with ensuring
security and defence by 2020, adding that it should prepare to develop Van
Don district into the first exclusive administrative and economic zone in the
country, he added.
Special attention
must be paid to the transport system, including the road linking Ha Long City
with the
Nguyen Van Thanh,
Vice Chairman of the Quang Ninh People's Committee said the province has seen
improvement in its competitiveness, taking the fourth position out of 63
cities and provinces nationwide in term of provincial competitiveness index
in 2013.
It was a rise of 16
places from 2012, Thanh said, adding that
Quang Ninh has
granted investment licences to 39 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects
capitalised at more than US$1 billion and 205 domestic projects at nearly
VND114 billion ($5.4 million) over the past two years.
Its annual GDP
growth has reached more than 7 per cent over the two-year period, higher than
the national average. The province has always been in the top five localities
in terms of budget revenues.
Its GDP per capital
last year was $3,000.
It also revealed
that over 130 delegations of foreign investors, including conglomerates like
Las Vegas Sands, Texthong and Amata groups had recently conducted
fact-finding tours in the province seeking co-operation opportunities.
"These figures
were proof of the province's efforts in implementing reforms," said Pham
Minh Chinh, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, adding that it had
gained trust from investors and businesses operating in the region.
Chinh said the
province had set a target to become a stable and attractive destination for
investors with an aim to maximise capitals, technologies and management
experiences.
It has striven to
attract investment of $2.6 to $3 billion a year of which FDI would account
for over $1 billion.
Dau Anh Tuan, head
of the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Legal Department said,
according to its latest survey on investment attraction and competitive
capacity, the province has been one of the 12 that enterprises rate as
attractive investment destinations.
The interest of
companies to invest in
Le Khac Hiep, Vice
Chairman of the BIM Group which has operated in the province for over 20
years, told the conference that the province's authorities have always
supported businesses quickly.
Atsusuke Kawada,
chief representative of the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), spoke
highly of the province's potential as well as chances of investment in the
province in the time to come, and stressed on the importance of building
trust among the investors.
To do this, local
authorities should fully realise what they have promised to enterprises and
announce concrete indices on the quality of trade promotion activities, he
added.
Over 450
representatives of the local business communities attended the conference and
discussed co-ordinated marketing efforts aimed at increasing the investment
attractiveness of the province.
Talks among policy
makers, investors and economic experts were also held on the same day to discuss
optimal solutions for improving the quality of investment attraction and
competitive capacity for businesses.
Ginger
prices double to hit record-high
The price of ginger
has doubled, hitting a record-high, this year, according to head of a
Farmers' Association branch in
Tran Van Thanh, who
heads the branch for Hamelt 1 in the district's Hung Long Comumune, said the
price of ginger rose from VND40,000 (US$1.87) in February to VND80,000 per
kilo.
Vo Thanh Phong, a
member of the branch, said he began to plant ginger in 2002 on on 2,000sq.m
of land.
Although he did not
succeed initially, he studied farming techniques from books and experienced
farmers, expanding his ginger cultivation area to 7,000sq.m.
"Ginger
growers were very excited this year as prices surged to VND75,000-VND80,000
per kilo," he said.
Tran Van Tung,
another member of the branch, said that he now had 5.000sq.m under ginger
cultivation.
Tung said demand
had increased as ginger was a common ingredient in Vietnamese dishes, but
also used for its health benefits.
Farmers said the
price shot up because of a supply shortage, as this is not the peak season
for the fruit.
Traders are
visiting ginger gardens dirctly to purchase freshly harvested ginger and then
resell it to export firms, they said.
Nguyen Thi Lan, a
trader at the Thu Duc wholesale market, said main ginger supplies for the
However, some
traders in the market have suspended imports of ginger from
According to ginger
growers in the district's Hung Long commune, all products were being sold
immediately after harvest because farmers had no preservation methods.
Farmers said they
needed help with growing, caring and preservation techniques to improve
ginger productivity and quality.
Besides domestic
sales, Vietnamese ginger is exported to many markets, including
Property
market to recover in near future
The property market
expects to see more recovery by this year end and beyond due to positive
business results on the market in the first half of 2014, said experts.
According to a
recent report on the local real estate market in the first half of this year
released by the Ministry of Construction, the market had more positive
developments than the same period of last year with a strong increase in
transactions of small and medium-scale houses with medium prices. Some
developers that had stopped constructions temporarily have restarted their
housing projects.
The ministry said
supply of apartments in large cities like Ha Noi and
The report said
that in the first half of this year, Ha Noi had 4,000 successful transactions
on the property market, doubling against the same period of last year, while
HCM City also saw a positive situation in property transactions, especially
apartments with a price at VND15 million per sq.m.
Real estate
projects had seen 50 to 80 per cent successful transactions via property
trading floors, the report said.
Therefore, the
ministry said, the local real estate market at present still had many
challenges but it was really warmer.
However, the
recovery on the local property market would be slow in the future, said
experts.
According to Tran
Kim Chung, Deputy Head of Central Institute for Economic Management, the
local property market may not see change at present, but it has the potential
to get better and this can happen quite easily.
On the other hand,
the market will start a full circle of development if
Pham Duc Toan,
Director of EZ Viet Nam Company, said the property market has a short circle
and some instability. But in future, the local market would enter a new
circle with longer stability within 10 years. The market would be brighter
within the next 1-2 years.
Meanwhile, Neil
MacGregor, Managing Director of Savills Viet
The
Whilst
In addition, the
current investment trend is focusing on the following sectors: office, hotel,
and residential. Within the office sector, the
Leather,
footwear criteria to be set
The Viet Nam
Leather and Footwear Association (VLFA) has unveiled plans to develop product
quality and safety criteria to raise the industry's production standards.
The move aims to
offer a basis for producers to deliver better quality products and create a
level playing field between domestic and foreign players.
The VLFA General
Secretary Phan Thi Thanh Xuan told Industry and Trade newspaper that despite
According to the association,
the industry required 220,000 – 250,000 tonnes of leather each year, with
domestic suppliers supplying about 100,000 tonnes.
Xuan said there
were only a small group of testing centres in
"As a result,
footwear firms have to test their materials and products themselves to meet
importers' requirements," she said.
Nguyen Bich Thuy, a
representative from the Thuong Dinh Footwear Ltd Co, said the company usually
sent its samples overseas for testing before producing bulk orders.
If the testing
results failed to satisfy the client's requirements, the company would change
its materials, she said.
Another
representative for Ladoda Production, Service and Trading Leather Products
Company, said it spent US$10,000 on testing substances in products each year.
Head of the Viet
Nam Leather and Footwear Research Institute, Nguyen Hai Trung, said the
absence of a system for controlling the use of chemicals in leather products
meant domestic producers were being held to a double standard.
Currently, leather
and footwear products that were imported to
Head of Science and
Technology Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Nguyen Dinh
Hiep said most Vietnamese leather and footwear firms were being outsourced to
by foreign firms and were required to meet international standards.
A set of criteria
imposed by
Since 2007, the
European Union has adopted the Regulation on Registration, Evaluation,
Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals to improve the protection of human
health and the environment from risks posed by chemicals. The measure simultaneously
enhanced the competitiveness of the EU's chemicals industry.
However, when
developing such a set of criteria in
Leather and
footwear account for
Businesses
eye extra incentives to boost productivity
Domestic and
foreign businesses want incentives from the Government and local authorities
for better operations, according to a recent survey released at a seminar in
Ha Noi on Thursday.
Nearly 1,500 firms
that responded to the survey have expressed the hope that they would receive
tax incentives, financial support and opportunities to access loans,
according to Patrick Gilabert, a representative from the United Nations
Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).
The findings
revealed that with incentives, foreign businesses have operated more
productively, tended to use a large number of workers, achieved higher
productivity and made more investments than local peers.
In the survey,
foreign businesses gave high ratings to
At present,
incentives attracting FDI in
However, that is
not the decisive factor in volume and quality of foreign capital, according
to the report.
Therefore, the report
recommended,
The action would
help the nation to choose and manage FDI in sectors that the economy needed.
Deputy head of the
Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Dang
Xuan Quang, called for relevant agencies to work together to introduce
incentives suitable for international practices to attract more foreign
investors in Viet Nam.
The report was
studied in nine cities and provinces including Ha Noi, Hai Phong, Bac Ninh,
Vinh Phuc,
Breweries operating
in
Sapporo Vietnam Co
Ltd has approved a plan to send the production capacity of its plant in
southern Long An Province from 40 million liters to 100 million liters a
year, CEO Hirofumi Kishi said.
While it is
currently focusing on the
The Saigon
Beer-Alcohol-Beverage JSC, commonly known as Sabeco, has recently broken
ground on the Saigon – Kien Giang brewery project in the Mekong Delta
The VND600 billion
(US$28.24 million) plant, expected to produce 50 million liters of beer every
year, came just after the groundbreaking ceremony of a similar project in Can
Tho.
In HCMC, where
Sabeco is headquartered, the company has also planned to increase the
capacity of its Cu Chi facility.
With these new
expansions, Sabeco is expected to reach the milestone of producing two
million liters of beer a year, given its current capacity of 1.8 million
liters. The company will thus become the leading beer supplier in the
Southeast Asian country.
Vietnam Brewery
Ltd, which manages the popular brand Heineken, has already increased its
production from 150 million liters to 420 million liters per annum.
Still, the market
will soon welcome some newcomers.
Slovakia-based BTG
Holding is scheduled to put its first-ever
Nguyen Van Viet,
chairman of the Vietnam Beer and Beverage Association, said beer consumption
in the country is forecast to rise seven percent from three million liters in
2013, despite economic turbulence.
“Beer businesses
are in a fierce competition for market shares,” he commented. “If the seven
percent growth is really reached, it will be a great achievement given such a
competition.”
Vietnamese
breweries are facing yet another tougher challenge to avoid being defeated by
foreign players on home soil.
“The competition
pressure from international brands is truly challenging,” Sabeco general
director Pham Thi Hong Hanh admitted.
Although foreign
breweries have smaller market shares, their products have much higher
commercial values than the locally produced, according to industry insiders.
In the same product
segment, brands such as Heineken,
“Sabeco may post
larger sales than its foreign rivals, but it is understandable that the
latter can report bigger profits,” he remarked.
SeABank
funds Cat Bi Airport expansion
SeABank has signed
an agreement to provide VND500 billion (US$23.8 million) for the upgrade of
the Cat Bi International airport in Hai Phong port city.
The signing
ceremony took place on Wednesday and was attended by representatives from
Under the plan, a
three-kilometre runway, capable of receiving the Boeing B777, B767 and A321
aircraft, will be built. The project will also include a series of auxiliary
facilities. Construction, which began in March 2013, the project is scheduled
to be completed in 2015.
Generali
ties up with local Techcombank
Generali Vietnam
Life Insurance L.L.C and Techcombank have signed a bank-assurance partnership
agreement.
The partnership
between Techcombank – a leading bank in
SSI
launches trading app for iPhone, iPad
The Sai Gon
Securities Inc. (SSI) has announced the launch of its mobile trading app for
iPhones, iPads and other portable products.
Investors can do
stock transactions on their mobiles with this app from June 30.
SSI's Mobile
Trading is a stock trading application designed especially for the iPhone and
the iPad, with simple and easy-to-use functions such as watch list, placing
orders, margin trading, time conditional order, auto stop loss order, asset
management etc, said the company.
It added that
customers can use the app with wireless and 3G networks that are available
everywhere in
Investors owning
iPhones and iPads can download and install the tool by searching "SSI
mobile" in their App Store. Others having Android OS or Windows phones
can access it via http://mobiletrading.ssi.com.vn or http://mts.ssi.com.vn.
FDI
enterprises a driving force for many industries
Foreign-invested
enterprises play an important role in bolstering the growth of many sectors,
especially the processing and manufacturing industries, according to the
General Statistics Office (GSO).
At a press
conference on June 27 focusing on FDI enterprises’ operation in the 2000-2013
period, the GSO also affirmed that the foreign-invested sector has helped in
economic re-structuring and dealing with many social issues while furthering
the country’s integration into the global economy.
By the end of 2013,
there were 9,093 FDI enterprises operating in
The
foreign-invested sector provided jobs for more than 3.2 million workers
during the reviewed period, eight times the figure in 2000.
The GSO also
reported that FDI enterprises accounted for 30.5 percent of total financial
contribution to the State budget of all enterprises in the country and 45.4
percent of their total profit.
However, the office
noted that low added value is a weakness of the FDI sector as most
enterprises operate in assembling and sub-contracting, such as automobile
assembly and garment and shoe making.
Pham Dinh Thuy,
chief of the GSO’s Industrial Statistics Department, said while Vietnam has
pinned great hope on FDI enterprises for the transfer of technology and
professional skills, the situation so far has fallen short of expectation.
Thuy added that
many FDI enterprises also failed to fully carry out their commitments in
terms of environmental protection./
CMC Group
launches R&D Institute
CMC Group one
Thursday announced they were setting up an institute that would conduct
research in technology applications and develop high tech products and
services.
The research
conducted by the CMC Institute of Research and Development (CIRD) would also
help in improving the group's competitiveness.
The institute has a
charter capital of VND5 billion (US$247,000) and operating capital of VND100
billion. The capital would be mobilised from loans and donors.
Speaking at the
ceremony, Nguyen Trung Chinh, the group's General Director, said CMC has
clarified on the most important strategy to become a creative group.
According to
international standards, the turnover of creative activities would have to
account for 30 per cent of the companies.
Southern
province fulfills 96 percent of FDI attraction goal
Despite complicated
developments in the first months of 2014, the southern
Of the sum, about
343.9 million USD came from 37 new projects and the remaining was added to 32
existing projects, said the provincial Department of Planning and Investment.
Notably, 560
million USD of FDI was disbursed during the period, up 12 percent from a year
earlier and accounting for 56 percent of the annual target.
By June 15, there
were 1,433 licensed foreign invested projects in Dong Nai with a total
capital of over 25.2 billion USD. Up to 1,115 of them, worth 20.8 billion
USD, are valid.
Director of the
department Bo Ngoc Thu said that to achieve such outcomes, local authorities
have carried out a number of measures to attract investment and support
businesses.
Particularly, they
have provided timely assistance to those suffering from disturbances which
erupted during workers’ rallies protesting
Currently, all
affected enterprises have resumed their normal operation, she noted.
Vietnamese,
Norwegian firms expand factory
Executives of
With more
facilities and space, the second phase, worth 8 million USD, will raise the
plant’s output to 15,000 tonnes when operational in 2016.
At the signing
ceremony in
They also expressed
their belief that the signing of a free trade agreement between
The two sides also
highlighted the Vietnamese and Norwegian Governments’ commitment to
continuing to bridge the two business circles so as to create more effective
joint projects such as that between Sapa and BTG.
BTG General
Director Nguyen Quang Tien said the joint venture’s revenue grew 9.4 percent
while its pre-tax profit jumped 38 percent per year from 2011 to 2013.
Aside from serving
the Vietnamese market, Sapa BTG’s products are also exported to the North
America and
Source:VEF/VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/Dantri/VIR
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