Kinhbac English

Social News 27/7

US pledges to assist Vietnam in humanitarian activities

The American Red Cross' Senior Vice President for International Operations Harold Brooks speaks in his meeting with Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu, President of the Vietnam Red Cross Central Committee in Hanoi.

The American Red Cross (ARC) will continue cooperating with and assisting the Vietnam Red Cross (VRC) in humanitarian activities, said ARC Senior Vice President for International Operations Harold Brooks.

In his meeting with President of the VRC Central Committee Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu in Hanoi on July 26, he said the upcoming cooperation between the two societies will focus on disaster response and issues relating to the environment and climate change in Vietnam.

For her part, Thu thanked the ARC for its humanitarian activities in Vietnam over the past time, suggesting ARC leaders and Harold Brooks in particular continue to assist these activities.

She asked the American side to maintain and expand its programmes and projects on minimising risks based on community, responding to climate change and enhancing disaster resilience and health care for people in urban areas.

The ARC was also urged to take care of the elderly, the disabled and victims of Agent Orange as well as improve the capacity for the VRC chapters at all levels.

Since 2002, the ARC has helped Vietnam carry out 14 humanitarian programmes and projects worth a total of 20 million USD in 22 cities and provinces across the country, mainly focusing on health care, assistance for the disabled, and disaster and climate change response.

On the occasion, the VRC Central Committee presented Harold Brooks with the “For the cause of the Red Cross” insignia.

During the Vietnam trip from July 26-29, the ARC delegation will visit the “Vietnam Forests and Deltas Climate Change Project” in the northern province of Nam Dinh and the “Red Cross and Social Work” model in neighbouring Ha Nam province.

Woman gets 15 years’ jail for fraud

The HCM City People’s Court today sentenced a 56-year-old woman to 15 years in jail for fraud and appropriation of property after a four-day trial.

Trương Thị Tuyết Nga, a resident of Gò Vấp District and a 2009 Mrs. Beauty pageant winner, has also been ordered to return US$3.1 million that she had appropriated through fraudulent means. She has so far paid $1.2 million.

According to the indictment, Nga asked for permission to build high-class accommodation and a plaza project on a piece of land in Bình Khánh Ward, District 2.

The project was not licensed because the land belonged to another scheme, but Nga still went ahead with her plan.

She signed contracts with different partners, saying she would use 30,000sq.m of the project with a total deposit of US$3.1 million. Instead, she used all the money for her personal purposes.

When her partners wondered why her project seemed to have few plans and why there was no description of the land, Nga said she would provide more details after they gave her more money.

Nga, meanwhile, used the land to borrow hundreds of billions of đồng with interest from a bank.

Overseas Vietnamese pay tribute to heroic martyrs

A requiem has been held at Thien Phuc Pagoda in the Polish capital of Warsaw to commemorate soldiers who laid down their lives to defend Vietnam’s sovereignty.

The service took place on July 24 on the threshold of the 69th War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27, 1947).

The Vietnam Buddhist Association in Poland and expatriates expressed their gratitude to the martyrs through Buddhist rituals such as offering incense and flowers and lighting lanterns.

At the event, the participants also voiced their support for The Hague tribunal’s ruling on the Philippines’ lawsuit against China’s unfounded territorial claims within the so-called “nine-dash line” in the East Sea. They believe that the verdict provides an important legal foundation for resolving disputes in the waters.

On July 25, the Vietnamese Embassy in Ukraine organised a ceremony to receive donations to the construction of a memorial site to the 64 soldiers killed while protecting Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago on March 14, 1988.

Addressing the embassy staff and representatives of Vietnamese associations in Ukraine, Ambassador Nguyen Minh Tri said the site, located in the central province of Khanh Hoa, aims to serve as a venue for the martyrs’ relatives and people nationwide to pay homage to the deceased. It will also help instill patriotism in younger generations.

The embassy raised 164 million VND (7,350 USD) at the event, and the sum will be sent to Vietnam’s authorised agencies as soon as possible.

Vietnam has nearly 1.2 million soldiers who fell in the wars defending the country and in international missions, according to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

Volunteer soldiers’ remains laid to rest in Tay Ninh province

A burial service was held at the Hill 82 Cemetery in Tan Bien district, the southern province of Tay Ninh on July 26 to re-bury the remains of 344 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers who laid down their lives on Cambodian battle fields during wartime and seven martyrs found in the locality.

At the ceremony, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Ngoc noted that millions of volunteer soldiers and local people sacrificed their lives during the struggles against French and US aggression, as well as post 1975 wars to protect the country’s southwest and northern borders.

The provincial authorities have joined hands with Cambodian localities in the search and repatriation of martyrs’ remains over the past number of years, he highlighted.

During the 2015-2016 dry season, the soldiers remains were found by the K70 search team of Military Zone 7 and the K71 team from the Military Command of Tay Ninh province.

Since 2000, local authorities and Military Zone 7 have retrieved 3,881 sets of martyrs’ remains through 15 phases of searching in Cambodia.

On the same day, a burial ceremony was also held in the southern province of Binh Phuoc to rebury 28 sets of remains of Vietnamese volunteers exhumed in Cambodia.

The province has found 2,552 martyrs’ remains, which included 289 retrieved in Vietnam and 2,263 in Cambodia.

President presents gifts to wounded soldiers

President Tran Dai Quang on July 26 visited and presented gifts to sick and wounded soldiers being cared at nursing centres in northern Ha Nam province on the 69th War Invalids’ and Martyrs’ Day.

The President expressed his deep gratitude to martyrs, invalids and their families for their great contributions and precious sacrifice in the struggle to defend the country’s independence.

The President affirmed that the Party, the State and people always remember and feel grateful for the contribution and sacrifice of generations of heroic martyrs and invalids and take responsibility for taking care of these people and their families.

In other related news, Director General of the Vietnam News Agency Nguyen Duc Loi visited and handed gifts to some martyrs’ families and invalids in Trieu Phong district, central Quang Tri province.

The delegation then visited and laid wreaths at the Road 9 War Martyrs Cemetery, which is the resting place of 10,000 fallen combatants.

On the occasion, localities nationwide took activities to commemorate heroic martyrs and take care of policy beneficiaries.

Southern Hau Giang province spent nearly 4 billion VND to organise visits and present gifts to families of people who rendered service to the nation.

In Ninh Thuan province, a meeting was organised to praise 35 individuals who stood out in the national revolutionary cause.

Central Ha Tinh province set aside 5 billion VND for gifts to 5,130 families of war martyrs and invalids and 23,800 gift packages to relatives of war martyrs.

Northern Tuyen Quang province also presented 8,550 gift packages to families of martyrs and invalids.

Party official greets WB Vice President

Politburo member and head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Mass Mobilisation Truong Thi Mai hosted a reception in Hanoi on July 26 for Victoria Kwakwa, who has been recently appointed as World Bank Vice President for East Asia and the Pacific.

Mai expressed her appreciation for Kwakwa’s policy consultation, her call for global funding for socio-economic development in Vietnam and for the technical assistance in economic reform in the country.

She informed the guest of the commission’s key priorities to improve the efficiency of mass mobilisation, and believed that Kwakwa will continue assisting Vietnam in socio-economic development and global integration in line with the Resolution adopted by the 12 th National Party Congress.

Speaking highly of Vietnam’s development potential, Kwakwa expressed her belief in the long-term prospects of the country on the back of the Party and State leaders’ strong determination and speedy reform in key areas.

She congratulated Vietnam on its achievements in its renovation process, especially in maintaining high economic growth, stabilising the macro-economy and ensuring social welfares and gender equality.

The WB will continue helping Vietnam access global funding for socio-economic development, policy consultation and technical assistance, towards gradually realising the goals adopted by the 12th National Party Congress, she said.

Hanoi’s health department launches hotlines

Hanoi’s Health Department launched three hotlines on July 23 to receive feedback from people and organisations.

Hotline 04 3998 5765 will receive feedback about general health issues, 04 3734 3622 will explain administrative procedures in the department’s one-stop section and 04 3990 2390 will accept feedback about the performance of the one-stop section.

Director of the Health Department Nguyen Khac Hien said the department hopes to get feedback via the hotlines so that they could improve their performance, offering friendly services to users and for the benefit of the people.

The department plans to offer online public services of level three in the next few months, in which administrative procedures will be publicised, and forms submitted, received and processed online. With online public services of level four, fees for services can be paid online.

In the first half of this year, the city’s health department granted more than 19,000 medical practice licences and almost 3,000 business licences to private healthcare providers.

The department also granted more than 7,000 licences for pharmacy practice and 6,400 business licences to drug stores.

748 sets of Vietnamese martyrs’ remains in Cambodia repatriated

As many as 748 sets of remains of Vietnamese experts and volunteers have been repatriated from Cambodia during the 2015-2016 dry season, as heard at the 15th meeting of the Vietnamese and Cambodian special task committees in Ho Chi Minh City on July 25.

The result was attributable to the close cooperation between the two countries, said Deputy Minister of Defence Lieutenant General Le Chiem, who is head of Vietnam’s special task committee.

He noted that Vietnam highly appreciates Cambodia’s special task committee’s guidance and efficient operation in the search and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese soldiers who laid down their lives during wartime in Cambodia.

Meanwhile, Seang Lapress, advisor to the Cambodian Government and deputy head of the Cambodian special task committee, expressed his belief that sound coordination between the two Governments will bring further positive results.

The retrieval of soldiers’ remains is difficult due to a lack of information. However, most of the remains are said to be located in Pray Veng, Kampong Speu, Tboung Khmum and Kampong Cham provinces.

In the coming time, the two sides will direct relevant authorities to carry out the search and repatriation of martyrs’ remains while seeking more information from local people.

Overseas Vietnamese in RoK protests China’s illegal acts in East Sea

The Vietnamese community in the Republic of Korea (RoK) staged a peaceful demonstration in front of the Chinese Embassy in Seoul on July 24 to oppose China’s illegal activities in the East Sea.

On behalf of the demonstration, Chairman of the association of Ly Hoa Son family’s descendants Ly Thua Vinh read a statement of the Vietnamese community in the RoK, which affirms Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos and raises objections to China’s recent illegal acts in the East Sea which violated Vietnam’s sovereignty and sovereign rights, threatened marine, aviation safety and regional security as well as infringed international laws.

The statement lauds the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)’s ruling on July 12, which rejected China’s claims for historic rights over waters within the so-called nine-dash line in the East Sea. Besides, it requests that China abide by international laws, including the UNCLOS 1982 and the Declaration of the Conduct of the Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

The demonstrators also handed over the statement, which was translated into Vietnamese, Korean and Chinese, to the Chinese Embassy in the RoK.

Kien Giang encourages Khmer teaching to ethnic children

Local authorities in the southern province of Kien Giang has opened 297 classes of Khmer language this summer, attracting 7,325 monks and children of the Khmer ethnic group, according to the provincial Board of Ethnic Affairs.

Most of the classes are located in Buddhist temples, with teachers being monks and the elderly in the Khmer community.

The provincial People’s Committee has allocated funding to support teachers of the classes and buy textbooks for learners.

According to the provincial Department of Education and Training, 35 local schools taught Khmer language as part of their curricula, benefiting 4,870 students in the 2015-2016 academic year.

Kien Giang is home to around 50,950 Khmer households with more than 216,850 people, making up 12.5 percent of the province’s population. Local Khmer ethnic mainly live on agriculture, and a majority of them reside in remote areas.

Besides Khmer language teaching, Kien Giang has been striving to offer improved education and training to the local Khmer ethnic group, with positive outcomes recorded.

The rate of school participation of ethnic children between six and 14 years olds was above 96 percent in the 2014-2015 academic year. The year also saw 100 and 98.7 percent of ethnic students completing primary and secondary education, respectively.

VSIP Quang Ngai to develop green city

VSIP Quang Ngai Ltd.Co said on July 25 it will develop a green urban area project in central Quang Ngai province worth over 1.2 trillion VND (54 million USD).

The VSIP Quang Ngai Urban Area, licensed in June last year, will cover 254.51 hectares. Of which 21,000 square metres will be zoned off for a park with a lake and an entertainment ward.

Once completed, the project is expected to provide 6,500 apartments, accommodating a 34,650 residents.

Site clearance was started in February this year.

Under the first phase of the project, the Thien My Loc residential area, VSIP Park and VSIP Plaza will be constructed and completed by the end of this year.

Ca Mau to raise villagers' incomes

The southernmost province of Ca Mau over the next five years plans to raise the incomes of workers at craft villages that make fishing nets, repair fishing boats, and produce dried sea shrimp and fish.

Expansion of fishing logistics services and ice production is also part of the plan for the coastal craft villages, according to a report in Tin Tuc (News) newspaper.

From now to 2017, Ca Mau will focus on weaving and repairing of fishing nets and other fishing tools, an activity that has been part of the area for hundreds of years.

However, the work has always operated on a small-scale without any overall plan.

The 2,500 people who knit and repair fishing nets and tools have low incomes, under an average of 3 million VND (136 USD) a month.

Ca Mau also has more than 50 establishments that make various kinds of dried sea shrimp and fish and provide jobs for 1,200 labourers.

Under the 2016-2021 plan, the province aims to increase the number of workers who make dried sea shrimp and fish to 3,000 by the end of 2017.

By then, the average income of workers is expected to reach 4 million VND (180 USD).

In 2017, the province will set up two co-operatives for dried shrimp and fish producers.

Ca Mau has several well-known dried shrimp and fish products, including Rach Goc dried shrimp, dried cream fish and dried anchovies.

Rach Goc dried shrimp was granted an official brand name by the National Office of Intellectual Property.

The Rach Goc Dried Shrimp Village in Ngoc Hien District produces dried shrimp from sea and fresh-water shrimp. The district has about 25 establishments that produce 25-30 tonnes of dried shrimp a month.

The establishments, which consume about 20 percent of the district’s shrimp output, provide jobs for about 250 labourers.

In Tran Van Thoi, U Minh and Phu Tan districts, about 300 families make dried cream fish.

The price of dried cream fish is 200,000-250,000 VND a kilo. Producers earn profits of 20,000-25,000 VND a kilo.

HCM City to build pedestrian bridges

Five pedestrian overbridges will be built in HCM City’s Districts 3, Gò Vấp, Phú Nhuận, and Bình Thạnh and on Highway 1A this year, according the city’s Urban Traffic Management Zone No.1.

Ngô Hải Đường, head of the city Road Transport Operation and Management Division, said the UTMZ would begin construction of an overbridge outside Bình Dân Hospital in District 3 this year at a cost of VNĐ7 billion (US$314,000).

It will be completed by July next year.

It will build two others on Hoàng Minh Giám Street outside Gia Định Park in Gò Vấp and Phú Nhuận later this year.

The last two will be located in Điện Biên Phủ Street in Bình Thạnh in front of the HCM City University of Technology and Highway No.1 in Thủ Đức District in front of the HCM City University of Economics and Law.

Đường said the department is planning to build another with funding from New Zealand on Điện Biên Phủ Street in Bình Thạnh in front of Hồng Bàng International University.

Authorities are taking many measures to ease congestion at the city’s main gateways, including construction of roundabouts and underground tunnels.

Work on a tunnel and bridge at the intersection of Đồng Văn Cống and Nguyễn Thị Định streets and the inner and outer ring roads, and on a roundabout in An Phú Ward, both in District 2, began last month.

The section of National Highway No 13 from Bình Triệu Bridge in Thủ Đức District to Bình Phước Crossroads will be widened.

An underground tunnel will be built later this year in the An Sương Section of Trường Chinh Street in District 12 to ease traffic during rush hour.

The roads leading to Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport are often blocked because of traffic jams.

A tunnel under Trường Sơn Street from the domestic terminal’s gate to Hồng Hà Street is planed.

To cost VNĐ760 billion ($34.1 million), it will be done in build–transfer mode.

450 units of blood collected in Quảng Trị

The charity blood drive “Giọt hồng đất lửa” (Red drops of blood on heroic land), held in the central province of Quảng Trị yesterday, collected nearly 450 units of blood.

The blood drive was organised by the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusions, in co-ordination with the Quảng Trị Red Cross Society.

The programme attracted nearly 500 youths and workers in the province.

Phùng Hải Thụy, from Đông Hà City, said this was the third time he donated blood, adding that he was happy to assist patients needing blood transfusions at medical stations.

The programme was part of the Red Itinerary 2016, and was made up of two teams. Plans called for one team to travel to different provinces and cities, from the southern province of Kiên Giang to Hà Nội, and another team to work in the northern provinces to seek blood donations.

The blood drive was kicked off on July 5. It is scheduled to end in Hà Nội this Thursday, with the two teams having traveled to 27 provinces and cities.

One unit of blood is equivalent to 250-350ml.

Đà Nẵng college launches open-air, outdoor library

The Đông Á College has launched an 8,000sq.m open-air library for students and the community – the first of its kind in this coastal city and the central region.

It’s also the first college in Đà Nẵng to offer a free reading space for the community in the 11,000sq.m newly constructed college.

The college has also opened a digital library for students in the 10-storey building.

The chairman of the private Đông Á College, Nguyễn Thị Anh Đào, said they aimed to develop the open library as a favourite destination of the local people, tourists and young people who want to read and borrow books.

The college has also introduced three bookcases with topics such as Việt Nam’s sovereignty over Hoàng Sa (Paracels) and Trường Sa (Spratly) archipelagos, safe food and environment and life skills in the open library.

Earlier this year, the college opened its first reading space, the Green & Brown Bookstore, with 10,000 books, comprising a library, a bookstore and a coffee shop on Trần Cao Vân Street.

The private college and William Angliss Institute from Australia have started a personnel training programme for the hospitality, tourism and culinary arts sectors for the 2016-17 period, as well as Japanese language training in co-operation with Route Inn Group from Japan.

The central city also plans to build the first public book park for the community in Sơn Trà and to design a book street to boost the reading habit among young people.

Seminar expounds on Confucianism in modern society

A seminar on July 25 in Ho Chi Minh City examined Confucian political thought and its contemporary relevance from a perspective that explored the intricate interplay between political ideal and reality.

The ideal conception of Confucian thought is not likely to work in the real world of today, said Dr Tran Ngoc Them from University of Social Sciences and Humanities, but it is still highly relevant.

Dr Them explained it is important to grasp how a non-ideal conception of order still tallies with the Confucian ideal.

In other words, the challenge is to maintain a proper interplay between ideal and reality that will lead to a much better understanding of the dynamics of political relationships and human rights respectively.

The event was held by the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, the East-West Research Centre and, Hawaii University, China Research Centre and Vietnam National University.

International symposium on formation of stars

As many as 150 scientists from 27 countries and territories on July 25 gathered in Quy Nhon City for an international symposium on the formation of stars in various space environments.

This is part of a program called “Meeting Vietnam” involving leading scientists from around the globe, including seven Nobel laureates.

The program looks at many aspects of the links between science and society, including the strengths, weaknesses, benefits, pitfalls and possible future directions.

The event was held by the Meeting Vietnam Center, the Ministry of Science and Technology and Binh Dinh provincial People’s Committee.

Vietnam attends World Festival of Children’s Performing Arts

The Vietnam National Drama Theatre will attend the World Festival of Children’s Performing Arts in Toyama, Japan on July 30 – August 4, at the invitation of the organizing board.

Vietnam will present the drama ‘Con ga trong’ (Cock), staged by People’s Artist Le Ngoc and directed by People’s Artist Anh Tu.

This drama for kids is created by Singaporean scriptwriter Chua Soo Pong.

The festival draws 24 art troupes around the world with 42 dramas for kids.

Nine art troupes from the host country, Japan will perform 16 dramas.

Two local projects win International Architecture Awards

A jury of Italian architects and critics has announced that two local projects are among the winners of The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies’ International Architecture Awards for 2016.

“This year’s awarded projects address critical architecture and planning concerns for advanced post-industrial cities,” said Christian Narkiewicz-Laine, who is the Chicago Athenaeum’s museum president, at the award presentation ceremony.

Toigetation is a local project designed by a team of architects, aiming to improve sanitation facilities in Son Lap School, Son Lap Commune, in the province of Cao Bang in Vietnam.

Cheering restaurant is the second winning local project, targeting a solution to the conflict between contemporary architecture and the context full of historical and cultural values, while reshaping the urban and architectural picture in Hanoi central area - where every square meter costs billions of dong.

Belly dancers shake their stuff at Hanoi event

A shaking, hip-wiggling belly dance competition took place on July 24 at the Hanoi Friendship Cultural Palace.

Around 100 people turned up to watch the fourth edition of the Unlimited Belly Dance Competition where talented dancers both young and old performed their best moves.

“It was absolutely excellent with many highly attractive performances,” exclaimed Russian jury member Nadia Nikishenko.

“The audience loved it and they had a great evening. It was extremely well-received.”

She said the youngest contestant was four years old and the oldest 65. Competitors came from as far away as Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, China, Ukraine, Malaysia and Russia.

Awards were presented for best contestants in nine categories.

Le Thi Bich Ngoc won in the young solo category while Dao Thu Ha and Bui Thanh Huyen claimed first place in fantasy and tribal solo, respectively.

Surgeons giving blood to save pregnant woman granted certificates of merit

Under the authority of Vietnamese Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, Vice Director of the Department of Health cum director of the General Hospital in the central province of Ha Tinh Nguyen Viet Dong yesterday awarded certificates of merit to three doctors giving blood to save pregnant woman.

Vo Thi Luong, 26, in Ky Anh District of Ha Tinh Province, was hospitalized in critical condition, half-conscious with pale skin and high heart rate. Additionally, the fetal heartbeat from her unborn child was weak and blood bled from her vagina profusely. Tests showed that her red blood cell is much lower than normal.

After giving her intravenous fluids and perform a caesarean to rescue her and her unborn child, surgeons realized that Luong suffered heavy blood loss during surgery and needed to be transfused with five O-typed blood units; however, there were only two blood units of such type left in the hospital while none of the patient’s relatives’ had the said blood type,

Dr. Nguyen Viet Tho, Dr. Lam Phuc Cong and Dr. Truong Ngoc Anh who have O-typed blood decided to to donate blood to rescue the pregnant woman.

The mother gave birth to a 2.1 kilogram baby boy.

Dr. Nguyen Viet Dong said that hundreds of medical workers of the hospital have also voluntarily given their blood to save many patients. If no-one gave their blood at that time Luong may be at risk.

On the occasion, the hospital called for its staffs to continue giving blood to save a life.

Implementation of conditional early release of prisoners

The Prime Minister has signed Decision No.1461/QĐ-TTg to approve a project on implementation of conditional early release of prisoners.

The project has been implemented from 2016 after regulations on conditional early release of prisoners in the Penal Code No.100/2015/QH13, the Criminal Procedure Code No.101/2015/QH13 and Resolution No.144/2016/QH13 came into effect.

The decision stated that the objectives for conditional early release are considered in accordance with Article 66 and Article 106 of the Penal Code No.100/2015/QH13. The conditional early release is implemented according to provisions in paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of Article 66 of the Penal Code No. 100/2015/QH13.

The Ministry of Public Security shall co-ordinate the Supreme People's Court and relevant agencies to implement the project on a quarterly basis.

Based on the evaluation results of the Evaluation Council, management bodies of criminal enforcement; prisons and detention centres under the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Defence shall submit dossiers related to conditional early release to the People's Procuracy at the provincial level before opening a session for conditional early release.

Exhibition introduces Thai culture, arts

Vietnamese arts lovers will have a chance to learn more about the quintessence of Thailand’s culture and arts through an exhibition held at the Vietnam Exhibition Centre for Culture and Arts in Hanoi from July 28 to August 1.

The exhibition will feature handicrafts from the four regions of Thailand including puppets, dried flower bags, batik fabric paintings, sculpture on fruits and vegetables, fresh floral arrangements and banana leaves installation.

The event will be attended by the Deputy PM of Thailand General TanasakPatimapagorn, among other delegates.

The exhibition, aims to promote the cultural characteristics of Thailand to international friends, particularly Vietnamese people.

In addition, the meaningful cultural activity contributes to strengthening the tight diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Thailand, as well as enhances the mutual understanding between the two peoples.

On the sideline of the exhibition, a wide variety of unique entertainment activities, seminars on Thai artistic forms and performances showcasing the skills of Thai artisans will also be held.

International cycling tournament to kick off

The VTV international cycling tournamentTon Hoa Sen Cup 2016 is scheduled to begin in Da Nang on August 24, according to an announcement at a press conference in Ho Chi Minh City on July 25.

The tournament, organised by Vietnam Television and the Hoa Sen (Lotus) Group, aims to open a series of sporting events celebrating Vietnam’s biggest holidays, such as the 71st anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19) and National Day (September 2).

The bicycle race consists of ten stages covering 1,300km. It passes through cities and provinces including Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Tri, Quang Binh, Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Nam Dinh, Hai Phong and finishes in Hanoi on September 2.

The tournament will attract the participation of 80 cyclists, 13 domestic teams and three foreign teams.

The six-day event provides a good opportunity for female Vietnamese cyclists to gain skills and experience for coming tournaments.

Additionally, the organising board will host many activities such as presenting 28,000 folders and 140,000 notebooks to poor students across the country. Hoa Sen Group will also present 120 bicycles to poor students overcoming difficulties along the bicycle race.

Contract signed on tourism development for Dong Van Krast Plateau

The Ha Giang provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the McKinsey & Company Vietnam has signed a VND53 billion (US$2.37 million) contract on tourism planning and development of the locality’s Dong Van Krast Plateau and Ha Giang city up to 2025.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Hanoi on July 25, Politburo member, Secretary of Party Central Committee (PCC) and head of the PCC's Economic Commission Nguyen Van Binh said that Ha Giang is home to many ethnic groups with traditional customs, culture, heritages and nationally recognised tourist attractions, including the Dong Van Karst Plateau Geo-Park.

These advantages give the province rich potential to develop tourism, making the sector a spearhead industry in the locality’s economic restructuring process, he said.

He expressed his hope that with its rich experience in planning, the contractor would closely co-ordinate with local authorities to work out a sound tourism plan for Dong Van Krast Plateau and Ha Giang city.

Binh, who is also Head of the Steering Committee for the Northwestern Region, lauded the local authorities for their initiatives in attracting domestic and international investors and major economic groups, which have significantly contributed to facilitating the socio-economic development in the province and the northwest region in general.

Exhibition on ASEAN Community to open in Hue

An exhibition of photos, reportage and documentary films on the ASEAN Community will be on display at an exhibition set to open in the central province of Thua-Thien Hue on July 26.

About 300 photos, and nearly 100 reportage and documentary films that were awarded and selected to the final round of several prestigious festivals held by Ministry of Information and Communications from 2010 to 2015 such as Photos, Reportage and Documentary Films Festival in ASEAN Community in 2010 (this year Viet Nam was the chairman of ASEAN); Photos, Reportage and Documentary Films Festival on Environmental protection and Climate change in ASEAN community in 2013; Photos, Reportage and Documentary Films Festival on ethnic in ASEAN Community in 2015.

The chosen works reflect the beauty of the countries and people of ASEAN nations, traditional culture in ASEAN countries, environmental protection, climate change, people in the ASEAN community and the high quality of arts.

The event will create a chance to tighten a cultural solidarity in the ASEAN community, marking an important milestone in ASEAN linkage process as well as achieved results after 49 years of unceasing cooperation of all member countries among which Vietnam is considered as a key factor in assuring ASEAN solidarity and unification.

The exhibition will be organized by the Centre for Press and International Communications Cooperation under the Ministry of Information and Communications.

The exhibition is scheduled to run until July 30.

Binh Thuan launches REDD+ action plan

Binh Thuan province on July 26 announced an action plan in realisation of the “Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation” (REDD+) initiative for the 2016-2020 period.

The central province is one of the six localities nationwide to pilot the UN-REDD+ Programme Phase II.

The 466 billion VND (20.7 million USD) action plan will be implemented in 41 communes of seven districts and townships across the province, focusing on managing and protecting 153,000 hectares of existing forests and planting 6,000 hectares of new forests.

It also aims to develop community-based forestry and improve all-level authorities’ State management on forest protection while promoting the effective management and use of forests and forest land, and supporting the livelihoods of locals who live on forest.

In order to make the action plan effective, Binh Thuan will step up communication campaigns to raise public awareness of forest interests and attract more investment in creating sustainable livelihoods for local people, especially ethnic minorities and those living in remote areas, said Mai Kieu, deputy head of the Steering Committee of the UN-REDD Binh Thuan Programme.

The province will develop materials areas nearby wood processing factories and combine forest development with bio-diversity conservation, he noted.

Binh Thuan is home to 350,000 hectares of forest land, accounting for 50 percent of its natural land area, with a forest coverage rate of 41.6 percent. It aims to raise the rate to 43 percent by 2020.

Forum promotes tourism among CLMV nations

A forum will be held to promote tourism among Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV), as heard at a press briefing in Hanoi on July 25.

The forum, slated for July 30 to August 1 in Myanmar will be organised by the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV) to boost cooperation in tourism and banking, thus raising effectiveness in economic affiliation among the countries.

The event will include a Tourism Ministerial Meeting, an exhibition showcasing the CLMV nations’ respective tourism products and the inauguration of a BIDV branch office and a Hoang Anh Gia La-funded five-star hotel in Myanmar.

The event is expected to be held every two years.