Social News 27/4 HCM City keen to consolidate friendship with Laos The Party, authorities and people of Ho Chi Minh City have made efforts to forge friendship and cooperation with Lao localities, ministries and sectors. Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Dinh La Thang made the statement at an April 26 reception for Lao Party General Secretary and President Bounnhang Volachith as part of his official visit to Vietnam. The municipal Party Secretary expressed his belief that with sound leadership from the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party led by Bounnhang Volachith, the country would gain significant achievements, including implementing the Resolution of the Lao Party’s 10 th Congress as well as the five-year socio-economic development plan. Secretary Thang expressed pleasure at cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in all fields, highlighting the friendship and solidarity between Laos and the city. The city implemented cooperation projects with Lao localities, including on beef cattle farming in the Lao capital of Vientiane, he said. The Lao leader spoke highly of the development the city has made over past years. He also hailed cooperation between the city and Lao localities and expressed his hope that they will build on that momentum to expand cooperation in various fields. Coordinating board of ASEAN occupational safety network meets The 17th meeting of the ASEAN Occupational Safety and Health Network (ASEAN-OSHNET) Coordinating Board commenced in Da Nang city on April 26. The annual event is attended by more than 50 delegates from the 10 ASEAN nations, and representatives from the bloc’s partner countries (the Republic of Korea, China and Japan) and international organisations. Opening the meeting, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Doan Mau Diep said as they will face new arising challenges amidst global economic integration, the ASEAN-OSHNET Coordinating Board needs to devise stronger measures to enhance occupational safety and health. It should promote national programmes on occupational safety and health in the region and strengthen cooperation with international partners in the work. He stressed that Vietnam will play an active and responsible role to enhance occupational safety and health in ASEAN. At the meeting, the Coordinating Board approved an action plan on promoting occupational safety and health for the 2016 – 2020 period. Activities within the event, running until April 28, include a ceremony to honour businesses with outstanding performances in ensuring occupational health and safety, a ceremony in response to the World Day for Health and Safety at Work (April 28), and the third ASEAN-OSHNET Conference. ASEAN has a population of about 630 million with some 300 million people in the workforce. It is considered a dynamic and potential region in the world. However, there exists development gaps among the regional countries, and labourers in some nations lack necessary knowledge and skills. That fact requires more attention to occupational health and safety to boost the sustainable development of the recently-established ASEAN Community. Measures taken to ensure power supply in central region   The Central Power Corporation under Electricity of Vietnam (EVN CPC) has used several measures to ensure electricity supply during the dry season when demand for power is expected to rise in the central and Central Highlands regions. EVN CPC Deputy General Director Nguyen Thanh said since the end of 2015, the corporation instructed its member companies to coordinate with municipal and provincial Departments of Industry and Trade to list important customers and major events to outline a supply plan. Workers are available to tackle emergency cases and minimise blackout periods, he said, adding that communication efforts have been stepped up to raise public awareness of power saving. According to Thanh, electricity-saving programmes from the corporation helped save up to 2 percent of the total power output. However, he said, to meet increasing demand in the long-run, more comprehensive solutions are needed, with coordination between relevant agencies and renewable energy programmes. The corporation plans to invest more in power lines, particularly 110kV lines, from 2016-2020, Thanh said, suggesting that State agencies offer more incentives to encourage the development of new energy resources. The central and Central Highlands regions are expected to consume up to 47 million kWh of electricity per day during this year’s dry season, a 12.4 percent increase against the same period last year. The regions are grappling with drought due to impacts of El Nino, resulting in low water levels in local hydroelectricity stations. Total water in dams in the central, Central Highlands and southern regions now stand at only 3.29 billion cu.m, 1.84 billion cu.m lower than previous estimates. Planning work to focus on sustainable development Planning work should target sustainable development and climate change adaptation, suggested a seminar held by the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) and the Belgian Development Agency in Hanoi on April 25. According to the MPI, putting the Law on Planning into practice soon will create a consistent basis for planning work from national to regional and local levels, meeting demands for improvement in quality and transparency and making planning a management, execution and direction tool. Planning work should create favourable conditions to attract investment and make the best use of the country’s resources for sustainable development and climate change adaptation. Expats preserve culture via Vietnamese-language classes in Switzerland Oversea Vietnamese in Switzerland have organised Vietnamese-language classes as a way of preserving Vietnamese culture. In an interview with Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Switzerland, Dr. Hoang Van Khan, chairman of the Pacific Bridge Association, said the first Vietnamese-language class opened in 2005 with the assistance of the Vietnamese Ambassador, head of the Vietnamese delegation to the United Nations and World Trade Organisation and other international organisations in Geneva. A few years later, some Vietnamese oversea and the Pacific Bridge Association established the Au Lac Viet School. The school holds classes for both children and adults featuring courses in listening, speaking, reading and writing. The course aims to educate on Vietnam’s unique cultural features like the Trong Dong (Bronze Drum) symbol or historic lessons on ancestors’ construction and protection of the country’s sovereignty. Vietjet offers passengers hot-air balloon service in Hue Passengers flying to Hue city with Vietjet will have a chance to experience novel and unique Vietjet hot-air balloons on the free of charge basis during the 9th Hue Festival in Thua Thien-Hue province. Vietjet hot-air balloon is the only representative of Vietnam to participate in the international hot-air balloon demonstration 2016 with the participation from eight other countries, namely Britain, the Netherlands, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines. Passengers only need to bring "boarding pass" of Vietjet to experience freely this special mean of transportation on May 4 and 5 at the Ham Nghi field of Hue. Vietjet hot-air balloon with the dimensions of 25 meters high, 18 meters wide and flight distance of 5 km, maximum altitude of 150 m will be giving demonstration, performing flights serving visitors with panoramic view from altitude above the city of Hue. Vietjet is the first airline in Vietnam to operate as a new-age airline with low-cost and diversified services to meet customers’ demands. Currently, the airline boasts a fleet of 36 aircraft, including A320s and A321s, and operates 250 flights each day. It has already opened 50 routes in Vietnam and across the region to international destinations such as Thailand, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, China, Myanmar and Malaysia. It has carried more than 20 million passengers to date. German paper spotlights Vietnam’s development attainments Neues Deutschland, a German newspaper, ran an article on Vietnam’s achievements in national protection and development in its special issue for April 23 – 24 on the paper’s 70th founding anniversary. The article, written by Detlef Pries, recalls an important event in Vietnam seven decades ago – the first National Assembly election of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. The election in 1946, one year after President Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the independence of Vietnam, was of signifcance to Vietnam as well as national liberation movements throughout the world. After the South of Vietnam was liberated on April 30, 1975, Vietnam encountered new difficulties, including the consequences of war, US trade embargoes and risks of conflicts along borders, the story said. It adds that the “Doi moi” (reform) policy launched by the Communist Party of Vietnam in 1986 resulted in enormous achievements such as millions of people escaping from poverty and the country integrating into the world. Those accomplishments were greatly influenced by President Ho Chi Minh, who laid the foundations for modern Vietnam, Detlef Pries writes. WEF leader joins in exchange with young Vietnamese World Economic Forum (WEF) Managing Director Philipp Rösler met with young Vietnamese people and entrepreneurs in Hanoi on April 25. They discussed issues important to local youths, along with ways to create a national startup ecosystem. Rösler shared his career development experiences and gave advice to those who want to set up their own startups. Tran Thanh Huy, head of the Hanoi Young Startups club, said during the exchange, he learned about incentives to boost startups used in other countries. He hopes that assistance will also be provided for young Vietnamese to run businesses. Le Vinh Son, Chairman of the Hanoi Young Entrepreneurs Association, said the exchange with Philipp Rösler inspired local youth’s startup spirit. He noted that his association is planning a number of youth forums in the near future to support startup ideas. It will also sponsor feasible startup projects. The association wants local authorities to take pragmatic actions so that more young people launch startups, he added.- Hot weather sickens children, elderly people Children’s hospitals in HCM City are getting a large number of patients with respiratory ailments and diarrhoea due to an ongoing hot spell in southern region with temperatures rising up to 37 degrees Celsius. In the last few days the HCM City Children’s Hospital No.1 has been getting 6,000-8,000 patients daily, two-thirds of them with the two ailments, according to its general planning department. Trần Anh Tuấn, head of its respiratory department, said the number of in-patients with respiratory problems has risen by 30 per cent. Hoàng Lê Phúc, head of the digestion department, said in the last three weeks the number of patients with digestive disorders has also increased by 10 per cent. Some 16-17 have been hospitalised every week compared to 12 in the past, he said. Children’s Hospital No.2 reported an increase of 1,000 patients daily to 6,000-7,000. Around 190-200 children are treated for respiratory problems compared to 150 normally. The hot weather could lower children’s immunity to common illnesses due to perspiration and lack of water and electrolytes, Tuấn said. The sudden change in temperature between air-conditioned rooms and outside also make children vulnerable to illnesses, he said. The number of older patients with respiratory diseases, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular and other chronic diseases has also increased due to the abnormally hot weather. Thống Nhất Hospital in HCM City reported an increase in the number of such patients this month. The number of people with respiratory diseases and musculoskeletal disorders has risen by 10 per cent this month. People’s Hospital 115 in HCM City also reported a jump of 10 per cent in the number of patients from the average 3,500-4,000 a day. Nguyễn Đình Phú, deputy director of the hospital, said most come with high blood pressure, asthma and cardiovascular and digestive disorders. The University Medical Centre in HCM City receives an average of more than 5,000 patients daily. The number of patients rose by 10 per cent from before the hot spell and 6 per cent from the same period last year, Âu Thanh Tùng, head of the hospital’s examination department, said. The number of patients suffering from strokes ranges from 150 to 180, and is rising, he said. Deadline to register e-bikes may change The Association of Electric Bikes and Motorbikes has proposed to the transport ministry that they extend the mandatory registration for electric bikes to the end of this year. Under the association’s proposal, owners of electric bikes will have to register their vehicles before December 20 instead of July 1 as required by the current regulation. A representative from the association told Vietnamplus online newspaper that the deadline for registering electric bikes before July 1 would imperceptibly create opportunities for businesses to store electric bikes, increase the products’ prices and cause disorder in the market. He further explained that it was usually before July that students often flocked to buy electric bikes as a means to go to school for the upcoming academic years starting in September. This could lead to speculation of businesses to make a profit, he said. Also, this could help create conditions for students to have enough vehicles to go to school, he said. Last month, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, who is currently the prime minister, requested the Ministry of Public Security to tighten management over electric bikes. Focus will be on checking and punishing electric bike drivers for violating traffic regulations, particularly those riding without registration. Last June, the Ministry of Public Security issued a Circular which regulates the compulsory registration and issuance of number plates for electric bikes and electric motorcycles. The registration must be done before July 1. After the deadline, drivers of unregistered vehicles caught in traffic will receive stiff fines, from VNĐ300,000 to 400,000 (US$13.4 to $18). In addition, when electric motor vehicle owners violate traffic laws, they will be subject to other forms of punishment such as confiscation of registration papers and number plates that are not properly specified, suspension of driving licences, and even confiscation of vehicles. There are some two million electric bikes and electric motorcycles in Việt Nam, of which thousands are in Hà Nội. Strict punishment and better communication: two key tasks for safer agriculture products, officials The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has identified strict punishment and better communication as two key tasks to make food safer in Việt Nam, an official said. Nguyễn Xuân Dương, deputy head of the Animal Husbandry Department, said at a conference that the ministry had been strengthening inspection, detection and punishment over the use of banned substances in animal breeding. It was also important to introduce and encourage safe production models and reliable businesses for consumers to choose, he added. Dương said on Monday that inspections must be carried out regularly despite Việt Nam’s progress in controlling the use of banned substances in animal breeding, particularly since last year when concerns spread about the use of Sabultamol by breeders to make pigs leaner. “Việt Nam has large number of animal breeding households but not all of them are aware of safe breeding processes or able to change to a safer process,” Dương said He said that the country saw models that presented closed farm-store-kitchen chain, offering safe agriculture products including meat, eggs and milks in localities nationwide. More than 100 breeding farms and about 9,000 farming households nationwide have VietGAP (National Good Agricultural Practice) certificates, he said. Deputy Head of Pharmacy Management Department under Health Ministry, Nguyễn Tất Đạt called for specific actions including more communication to improve awareness for animal breeders and strict punishment for violators. “We should work together to boycott products that contain banned substances,” he said. Chief inspector of Agriculture Ministry Nguyễn Văn Việt said that in the last two years, domestic pharmacy firms imported over 9 tonnes of banned substances, of which over 6.2 tonnes were sold for illegal uses. He said that since the beginning of last year, ministry inspectors found 18 firms involved in using or trading banned substance in breeding after making unannounced inspections on 40 firms and farms nationwide. The violators were fined VNĐ2.6 billion (US$116,600). Agriculture Minister Cao Đức Phát said that by the end of this year, the use of banned substances in animal breeding must be stopped. Under Việt Nam’s revised Crimial Code effective since July, those who used banned substances in food production and processing would be jailed for up to 20 years and fined more than VNĐ1 billion ($44,840). The conference on the use of banned substances in breeding was organised by Lao động ( Labour) newspaper and the Animal Husbandry Department. No more cases of Zika virus reported in Vietnam No other localities in Vietnam have reported cases of Zika virus after the central Khanh Hoa province and HCM City declared the end of Zika virus outbreak at the commune and ward levels, according to the General Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health). However, it said to prevent the disease from spreading to the community, the Ministry of Health (MOH)  will further mobilise locals to kill mosquito larvae, increase examination and detection of new cases while coordinating with relevant departments and sectors to boost awareness of Zika virus and dengue fever prevention nationwide.   The MoH will also update relevant information and give warnings in its official website and mass media. German paper spotlights Vietnam’s development attainments Neues Deutschland, a German newspaper, ran an article on Vietnam’s achievements in national protection and development in its special issue for April 23 – 24 on the paper’s 70th founding anniversary. The article, written by Detlef Pries, recalls an important event in Vietnam seven decades ago – the first National Assembly election of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. The election in 1946, one year after President Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the independence of Vietnam, was of signifcance to Vietnam as well as national liberation movements throughout the world. After the South of Vietnam was liberated on April 30, 1975, Vietnam encountered new difficulties, including the consequences of war, US trade embargoes and risks of conflicts along borders, the story said. It adds that the “Doi moi” (reform) policy launched by the Communist Party of Vietnam in 1986 resulted in enormous achievements such as millions of people escaping from poverty and the country integrating into the world. Those accomplishments were greatly influenced by President Ho Chi Minh, who laid the foundations for modern Vietnam, Detlef Pries writes. 500kv electricity pylon collapse investigated The Ministry of Construction has asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade to co-operate in the inspection of a collapsed 500kv-electric pylon in the northern province of Bac Giang. According to the initial information from the National Power Transmission Corporation, gale force winds caused the collapse of the electric pylon in Yen Dung District on April 22. Luckily, the incident happened in a field and an automatic circuit breaker help to prevent damage. Nguyen Tuan Tung, Deputy Director of the corporation, said that the line of pylons were erected in July 2014 with a total investment of VND2.3 trillion (USD120 million). Public concerns were raised in the past that the pylons were badly constructed, some people cited how no nearby trees had been blown down despite the strong wind. Design problems at the pylon foundations had earlier been detected which the corporation had to fix. According to several local construction experts, this may be one of the reasons for the pylon’s collapse. Tung said that his corporation has instructed its workers to work 24-hours to complete the repairs as soon as possible. Adulterating animal feed could carry 20-year prison sentence From July 1 this year, any individual or organisation found to have used banned substances in animal feed will face fines of up to VND3 billion (USD142,800) or 20 years in prison. Nguyen Van Viet, chief inspector of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said these penalties were included in the revised Criminal Code which will take effect from July 1 this year. He also noted that Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Ministry of Public Security had uncovered many companies last year, using banned substances in animal feed. However, the current laws does not provide for criminal prosecutions for these violations. The National Assembly discussed the necessity of tightening control over the production of animal feed through the revision of the Criminal Code to include the prosecution against the violators. According to the revised Criminal Code, the offenders will receive fines of between VND50 million (USD2,300) and VND3 billion, have their business licence revoked or face up to 20 years in prison, depending on the level of the violations. Under the code, not only using but also transportation and trading of banned substances will face the penalties. The use of banned substances for animal feed production such as Salbutamol and Auramine O has considerably decreased in many cities and provinces. Now, the public sales of these substances in the market have also on the fall, Viet said. Since the Tet Holiday this year, no farms and slaughters in the northern region have been found using these substances. However, the situation has remained complicated in the south, focusing in HCM City and Dong Nai. PM approves building of airport in Lai Chau Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has accepted a proposal to build an airport in northern Lai Chau province and asked the Ministry of Transport and Ministry of National Defense to ensure the project proceeds on schedule, when working with provincial leaders on April 22. Secretary of the Lai Chau Provincial Party Committee, Mr. Nguyen Khac Chu, expects the government will provide directions and supporting policies for the province regarding improvements to infrastructure, including key projects such as the airport and a road connecting the province with the Hanoi - Lao Cai Highway. Lai Chau Airport is estimated to need investment of VND8 trillion ($358.7 million),with construction in two phases. Investment for the first period is VND4 trillion ($179.3 million). The airport will have dual purposes: national defense and civil use. The project roadmap must be considered by the Ministry of National Defense, the Prime Minister said. Minister and Chairman of the Office of the Government, Mr. Mai Tien Dung, said the airport will primarily cater to small aircraft and helicopters and be under the management of the Ministry of National Defense. The Office of the Government has asked the Ministry to quickly determine issues regarding management and use. The Prime Minister also asked that Lai Chau focus on tasks such as investment attraction, economic restructuring, enhancing product quality, and applying agricultural technology. RoK-Vietnam friendship association chairman welcomed in HCM City Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Dinh La Thang greeted Chairman of the RoK-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Association Kim Hack-yong on April 25. Secretary Thang hailed the contributions of investors from the Republic of Korea (RoK) to the city’s development, while emphasising potential for further cooperation between the RoK and the city. He affirmed to create favourable conditions for foreign investors, including those from the RoK. He said he believes Kim Hack-yong in his capacity will continue to make more contributions to lifting relations between the two countries, and between the city and the RoK in particular. Kim Hack-yong, for his part, affirmed he will continue making efforts to boosting friendship and cooperation between the two countries as well as his country and HCM City. He said he will lead a Korean business mission to inquire into opportunities for business and cooperation in HCM City in early 2017. He briefed the host of his association’s activities to support the Vietnamese community in the RoK and expressed his wish that the city’s leaders continue facilitating the operations of firms and citizens from the RoK to work and live in the city. Ill fisherman rescued at sea off Da Nang A fisherman in Bình Định Province was rescued at sea, 200 nautical miles off the Đà Nẵng coast. This was announced by the Maritime Rescue and Search Coordination Centre No. 2 (MRCC2) in Đà Nẵng yesterday. Phan Ngọc Quốc, 20, a fisherman from Bình Định Province’s Hoài Nhơn District, suffered serious bleeding in his digestive tract and fell into a coma while working in his fishing boat, BĐ 96415 TS, on Sunday. A maritime centre rescue ship found the victim and took him to Quy Nhơn City’s fishing port this morning (April 25), from where he was taken to hospital. Ornamental plant and pet festival to take place in Hà Nội The city’s first Ornament Plant and Pet Festival is to take place from Wednesday to May 5 in Vinhomes Riverside ecological urban area in the Long Biên District. The festival aims to strengthen the connection between the research, production and purchase activities of the country’s ornament plants and pets sector, which contributes to the new rural development program and the reconstruction of the agricultural sector. The festival features exhibitions and a creative competition on popular ornamental plants and pets such as trees, flowers, fish, and birds, as well as demonstrating highly-productive production models and contract-signing ceremonies among entrepreneurs, producers and consumers. The festival comprises more than 400 booths, 7,500 exhibiting products and 11,600 commercial products, with the participation of more than 1,000 craftspeople and gardeners from all over the country. Work begins on archive house for Vinh Nghiem pagoda woodblocks Construction started on an archive and exhibit house for a set of woodblocks, which are a UNESCO-recognised world documentary heritage, at Vinh Nghiem pagoda in northern Bac Giang province on April 25. The collection of 3,050 woodblocks are printed with Buddhist Sutras and made in the early 14th century by monks at the pagoda. They provide a wide range of information on the formation, development and ideology of Truc Lam Zen Buddhism, founded by King Tran Nhan Tong in the 11th century. The archive and exhibit house has a total area of 400sq.m and a total investment of nearly 30 billion VND (1.34 million USD). It is scheduled to be put into operation by February 2017. Lao Party chief meets Vietnam-Laos Friendship Assoc representatives Party General Secretary and President of Laos Bounnhang Volachith met delegations of the Vietnam – Laos Friendship Association (VLFA) and the Liaison Board for the Association of the Former Vietnamese Volunteer Soldiers and Experts in Laos, in Hanoi on April 26. Informing on Laos’ significant achievements since its renewal, Volachith said they have been made with cooperation as well as substantial and effective assistance of Vietnam, including the VLFA and generations of Vietnamese military experts and volunteer soldiers. Laos is determined to foster the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam, he stated. VLFA Chairman Vu Trong Kim and head of the liaison board Huynh Dac Huong vowed to nurture the bilateral relationship by educating young generations about the Vietnam – Laos special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation. They expressed hope that under the leadership of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party led by Volachith, Laos will reap more successes in its national construction and defence, and the Vietnam – Laos special friendship and all-around collaboration will ever be strengthened. President calls for more ethnic affairs-related efforts The government’s Committee for Ethnic Affairs and related agencies should pay attention to implementing relevant resolutions and directives of the Party Central Committee, the National Assembly and the Government on ethnic affairs, said President Tran Dai Quang. Speaking at a ceremony marking the 70th founding anniversary of the agency in Hanoi on April 26, President Tran Dai Quang praised efforts and achievements made by the sector over the last seven decades. He underlined the need to consistently pursue the principle of ensuring equality, unity and mutual respect, and strictly forbidding discrimination and division among ethnic groups. The State will implement comprehensive development policies and create favourable conditions for ethnic minority groups to promote their strengths, he stated, adding that the implementation of strategies and action programmes for ethnic affairs to 2020 should be closely connected to socio-economic development plans of each region and locality. It is necessary to continue modifying and perfecting policies and laws concerning this field, focusing on researching and proposing the development of a law on ethnic minority affairs , Quang remarked. The President asked sectors to mobilise resources for infrastructure development and new-style rural area building in mountainous and ethnic minority-inhabited areas, and outline appropriate plans for residential and human resources planning in the direction of industrialisation and modernization and sustainable development. He also stressed the necessity to enhance the role played by the Vietnam Fatherland Front, organisations and individuals in the implementation of ethnic works. On behalf of the Party and State, President Tran Dai Quang pinned the Independence Order, first-class, on the traditional flag of the sector. Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh also conferred the Labour Order , first class , on Minister-Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Affairs Do Van Chien, and Deputy Ministers and Vice Chairmen of the committee Ha Hung and Son Phuoc Hoan. Initiated on May 3, 1946, the committee has different names and tasks. It helps create unity among ethnic groups nationwide. The committee and relevant ministries and sectors have given advice to the Government and the Prime Minister on the issuance of policies, programmes and projects with the aim of comprehensively developing ethnic minority and mountainous areas in all fields, contributing to promoting poverty reduction, ensuring social security and new-style rural building movements. Thanks to judicious policies, the living standards of people in mountainous areas and those from ethnic minority groups have remarkably improved, and their trust in the Party and State have increased. Photos feature President Ho Chi Minh with NA elections Close to 200 photographs and materials featuring the late President Ho Chi Minh’s activities in response to the elections of deputies to the National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels, are on display in Hanoi on April 26. The exhibition is to popularise the election of deputies to the 14th NA and all-level People’s Councils for the 2016-2021 tenure, as well as to celebrate the 126th birth anniversary of the late President Ho Chi Minh (May 19 ). Visitors will enjoy a glimpse of the first NA election in 1946 (January 6) and elections of NA and People’s Councils since 1960, in the light of Ho Chi Minh Thought. Preparatory activities for the upcoming elections are also being showcased. The exhibition will last throughout this May. 47th session of NA Standing Committee comes to an end The 13th National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee concluded its 47th session in the morning of April 26 after one and a half days of working on a wide range of issues. In the closing speech, NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan said the committee assessed the outcomes of the 11th and also the last session of the 13th NA, gave opinions on the preparation for the 14th parliament’s first session, and approved a resolution on the benefits and conditions to ensure the activities of People’s Council deputies. The Standing Committee scrutinised the proposals, submitted by the Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court, relating to the costume and identification cards of judges, the salary and benefits for court staff members, and the numbers of judges at the high, middle and primary-ranking levels. It discussed the proposal for appointing Vietnamese ambassadors to some countries for the 2016 – 2019 term, and draft resolutions on the classification of administrative divisions and cities, Ngan noted. Before the session finished, draft resolutions on the classification of administrative divisions and cities were under consideration. The Government said in its report that the draft resolution on administrative divisions institutionalises the Party’s viewpoint. It precisely stipulates the conditions and criteria for establishing, dissolving and merging administrative divisions. The regulations encourage the merger of communal-level divisions. Meanwhile, the draft resolution on city classification prescribes classification criteria and procedures, the responsibility of central and local agencies in the work, among others, the Government noted. The NA Committee for Legal Affairs asked the drafting board to carefully prescribe statistical requirements so as to ensure the resolutions’ feasibility. NA Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu requested the construction and home affairs ministries, the Committee for Legal Affairs and relevant agencies to fine-tune the drafts on the basis of the opinions before they are submitted to the NA Standing Committee for approval.  Lao top leader visits HCM National Academy of Politics Lao Party General Secretary and President Bounnhang Volachith on April 26 visited the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (NPA) as part of his official friendly visit to Vietnam. At a working session with the academy’s officials, lecturers and students, the Lao leader said his visit aims to further enhance the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, which were fostered by Presidents Ho Chi Minh, Kaysone Phomvihane and Souphanouvong, and preserved by the two countries’ revolutionary soldiers and people. He thanked the academy for its assistance in training Lao officials, saying almost all those who received training at the school are now holding important positions in the country. These officials have served as a bridge promoting the traditional friendship and special solidarity, the guest noted. NPA Director Nguyen Xuan Thang said about 400 Lao officials study in the academy each year. After graduating, they have made noted contributions to national construction and development in their homeland as well as in bilateral relations. The academy will continue to regard the training of Lao leaders, managers and researchers as its most important political task, he said, promising to improve training quality and create the best possible conditions for the Lao members to fulfill their missions. Earlier, Bounnhang Volachith paid floral tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at his mausoleum and laid wreaths at the Monument to Heroic Martyrs in Hanoi. During his stay in Vietnam, the Lao leader held talks with Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and met with National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. The visit, which is made at the invitation of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Tran Dai Quang, is the first trip abroad by Bounnhang Volachith as Lao Party General Secretary and President for 2016-2020. RoK-Vietnam friendship association chairman welcomed in HCM City Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Dinh La Thang greeted Chairman of the RoK-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Association Kim Hack-yong on April 25. Secretary Thang hailed the contributions of investors from the Republic of Korea (RoK) to the city’s development, while emphasising potential for further cooperation between the RoK and the city. He affirmed to create favourable conditions for foreign investors, including those from the RoK. He said he believes Kim Hack-yong in his capacity will continue to make more contributions to lifting relations between the two countries, and between the city and the RoK in particular. Kim Hack-yong, for his part, affirmed he will continue making efforts to boosting friendship and cooperation between the two countries as well as his country and HCM City. He said he will lead a Korean business mission to inquire into opportunities for business and cooperation in HCM City in early 2017. He briefed the host of his association’s activities to support the Vietnamese community in the RoK and expressed his wish that the city’s leaders continue facilitating the operations of firms and citizens from the RoK to work and live in the city. Khanh Hoa youths turn hearts to nation’s sea, islands More than 1,000 youths in the central province of Khanh Hoa joined the “youths towards national seas and islands” festival held in Da Bac fishing port, Cam Ranh city on April 26. At the event, the youths presented 1,000 litres of diesel, 100 life jackets and 10 medical baskets to local fishermen, encouraging them in offshore fishing activities. In addition to 20 scholarships, each worth 500,000 VND (22.43 USD), fishermen’s children were given schoolbags, books and notebooks. Free medical check-ups and medicines were also provided for 500 fishermen. Meanwhile, the youths planted 100 trees at the Navy Zone 4 High Command as well as visited and presented gifts to relatives of Vietnamese soldiers who died during a battle to defend Gac Ma island. According to the Secretary of the provincial Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Nguyen Van Nhuan, the local youth have carried out a line-up of activities towards the nation’s sea and islands such as annually presenting 3,000 national flags to Truong Sa archipelago and raising 1.5 billion VND (67,275 USD) for the “Vi Truong Sa than yeu” (For beloved Truong Sa) fund. Speaking at the event, Vice Standing Secretary of the provincial Party’s Committee Nguyen Tan Tuan asked local young people to further their efforts to develop Truong Sa island district and safeguard national sovereignty. On the occasion, the provincial Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union launched fundraising for the “Truong Sa xanh” (green Truong Sa) fund. VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri