Social News 2/10 Vietnam ranks third at ASEAN Skills Competition   Vietnam won 10 gold medals, five silver and four bronze medals, ranking third at the 11 th ASEAN Skills Competition (ASC) that wrapped up in Malaysia on September 28. Malaysia ranked first with 24 gold, four silver and five bronze medals while Indonesia came second. Thailand and Singapore ranked fourth and fifth, respectively. Speaking at the closing ceremony, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi stressed the importance of skilled workforce for the development of countries in the region, adding that together with education, occupational skill is an essential element in attracting foreign investors and driving the growth of each country. The five-day competition, starting from September 24-26 drew about 280 young skilled workers, from 9 ASEAN member countries (Brunei did not join this year event) competing in 22 occupational skills and two performance skills. The biennial event provides an opportunity for the exchange of knowledge, expertise and experience among delegates from member countries. This “meeting of minds” is expected to synergise the individual efforts of member countries to enhance skills training and standards in the region. Singapore will host the 12th ASC in 2018. PM urges knowledge-based new-style rural building New-style rural areas should be built by famers who have knowledge, creativity, and startup spirit, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Speaking at a teleconference on new-style rural area building in Hanoi on September 30, the PM cited processing machines made by farmers to clarify his view. To carry out the new-style rural building programme in the next five years, ministries, agencies and localities should enable rural residents to access information and science-technology with heed paid to the number of internet users and businesses in rural areas, and e-commerce. New-style rural construction should be combined with rural economic transfer, suitable urbanisation, civilised urban area building, environmental protection and fresh water supply, especially in localities hard hit by climate change, he said, urging localities to continue diversifying capital resources for the work. The Government leader described new-style rural area building as a revolution and a political task that requires all-level Party Committees and authorities to raise their responsibility. A report released by the Central Steering Committee for National Target Programmes in the 2016-2020 period shows that as of mid-September, the country had 2,045 new-style rural communes or 23 percent of communes nationwide. The figure is expected to hit 50 percent by 2020. During the 2011-2015 period, more than 850 trillion VND (38.25 billion USD) was mobilised for the programme, of which only 11.6 percent came from the State budget. The programme is expected to need over 193 trillion VND (8.7 billion USD) in the next five years. To fulfill the target set by 2020, the committee suggested focusing on essential infrastructure, promoting production in combination with agricultural restructuring, protecting the environment and ensuring safety and security in rural areas. On this occasion, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc launched a nationwide emulation campaign on new-style rural area building for 2016-2020. Kon Tum, Champasak boost cooperation The Central Highlands province of Kon Tum and Laos’ southern province of Champassak held a high-level dialogue in Kon Tum city on September 30 to discuss measures to boost bilateral cooperation. The two sides agreed to create favourable conditions for businesses to study investment cooperation opportunities in the fields of their strength such as trade, tourism and mining. Champasak, other southern Lao provinces and Kon Tum recommended the two governments soon invest in National Road 18B in the form of Build-Operation-Transfer (BOT), with official development assistance capital from Vietnam. The Lao locality vowed to help Kon Tum’s transport businesses engage in goods and passenger transport along the northeastern Thailand – southern Laos –Vietnam’s Central Highlands and central coast route. It will also continue assisting Kon Tum in seeking and repatriating remains of volunteer soldiers and experts who died during the resistance war in Laos. Since a memorandum of understanding on bilateral cooperation was signed five years ago, the relations between the two provinces have continuously developed through the exchange of delegations, tourism promotion, and transport facilitation. With the coordination and support of the Champassak authorities and people, Kon Tum has repatriated the remains of 13 martyrs. Speaking at the dialogue, Deputy Secretary of the Kon Tum provincial Party Committee A Pot expressed his belief that the two provinces’ collaboration will reap greater achievements in the future, contributing to enhancing the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos. Meanwhile, Niphone Viengpaseuth, Deputy Secretary of Champassak’s Party Committee, thanked Kon Tum province and Vietnam in general for their assistance to Laos in the past struggle for national liberation as well as for the current national construction. Champasak is ready to make all efforts to maintain and cement the two countries’ special relationship, he stressed. Regional committees meet, sign communication deal with VNA The Steering Committees for the Northwestern Region, Central Highlands Region, and Southwestern Region met in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong on September 30 to review their three-month performance and seek stronger roles in regional development. Nguyen Van Binh, Chairman of the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission and head of the Steering Committee for the Northwestern Region, said the Steering Committees were formed in 2002-2004 when the domestic security faced a number of difficulties. So far, the committees’ tasks have been expanded beyond security and defence to socio-economic development affairs. Meanwhile, General To Lam, Minister of Public Security and head of the Steering Committee for the Central Highlands Region, said that during the past years, the committees have worked closely together in organising trade, investment and tourism promotion events along with social welfares programmes, attracting resources for the growth of the region. The committees have also kept a close watch on disaster prevention and control, drought combat, climate change impacts, forest management and environmental protection, as well as infrastructure development and production in the regions. However, along with achievements, the three regions have still faced a number of obstacles, including poor economic competitiveness and incomprehensive socio-economic infrastructure systems, together with difficulties in building trademarks for their agricultural products and tackling sabotage schemes of hostile forces, General To Lam stated. At the conference, the three Steering Committees signed a communications coordination agreement with the State-run Vietnam News Agency (VNA), with a view of strengthening communicating and popularising policies and laws of the Party and State to locals in the major regions. The move is expected to contribute to boosting socio-economic growth, ensuring security and order in the regions, and safeguarding the country’s sovereignty in land border as well as seas and islands. The three major regions, comprising 32 provinces and cities, have high potential for development as well as strategic location in security, defence and economy, but they are still the poorest areas of the country, said General To Lam. He stressed the significance of promoting the image of each region and encouraging locals in tapping full potential and advantages of each locality. He thanked press agencies, especially the VNA, the official news agency of the Vietnamese Government with a diversity of products and a wide coverage, for spreading updated information to all corners of the nation and the world. General To Lam expressed his belief that the deal will help the locals keep up with the socio-economic growths of the three strategic regions, while introducing the regions’ stability and development to people in the rest of the country. Meanwhile, VNA General Director Nguyen Duc Loi noted that in the recent three years, the agency has worked hard to bring policies and laws of the Party and State closer to locals in the three regions. The VNA has been reporting the socio-economic situation and cultural life of the regional people in an honest, objective, and timely manner, highlighting the regions’ advantages and disadvantages during the implementation of the policies, he said. All directions of the Steering Committees for the regions have also been informed to the public, contributing to the maintenance of security and defence as well as the implementation of ethnic and religious affairs of the regions, and the building of the local political system at all levels, said the VNA leader. Vietnam leaders congratulate Chinese counterparts on National Day Vietnam’s top leaders extended congratulations to their Chinese counterparts on the occasion of China’s 67th National Day (October 1, 1949-2016) and re-affirmed that Vietnam always treasures the ties with China. Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, State President Tran Dai Quang, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, sent their congratulatory messages to Party General Secretary and State President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang, and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Zhang Dejiang on the occasion. In the messages, the Party and State leaders congratulated the Chinese people on their attainments over the past 67 years and wished them to attain more and successfully realize the goal of building a socialist-oriented, modern, prosperous, democratic, civilized and harmonious State. They affirmed that the Party, State and people of Vietnam want to unceasingly cement and promote the traditional friendship between the two countries; deepen result-oriented cooperation; and elevate the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in a sustainable and healthy manner, with a view of bringing visible benefits for the two countries and people, and contributing to peace and stability in the region and the world at large. On the occasion, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh cabled a congratulatory message to State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Peace significant to promote human right Peace plays a crucial role in the protection and promotion of human right, President of the Vietnam Peace Committee (VPC) Uong Chu Luu said at a workshop in Hanoi on September 29. In Vietnam, human right and citizens’ political, civic, economic, cultural and social rights are recognised, respected, protected and guaranteed in concordance with the Constitution and the law, he stressed. Vice Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for External Relations Ngo Duc Manh said the Constitution 2013 – inheriting from the previous ones - has featured Vietnam’s thoughts on peace in the fullest manner in the light of international integration. It also institutionalises the country’s foreign policy that “Vietnam wants to be a friend of all countries in the international community striving for peace, independence, and development,” he cited. A new point of Constitution 2013 clarifies that peace and cooperation for mutual development must be based on international law, the UN Chapter and international treaties to which Vietnam is a member, he said. The document confirms Vietnam is a reliable friend and partner and a responsible member of the international community for national interests as well as for peace, independence, democracy, and social progress in the world. It also affirms that Vietnam condemns all unjust wars, hostile forces, terrorism and any behaviours undermining peace and cooperation between nations around the globe, he said. During the workshop, participants discussed the significance of peace to ensuring human right and threats to people’s right to peace as well as shared information on Vietnam’s international integration policy for peace and sustainable development, and the role of Buddhism and Catholicism in the field. Get-together marks China’s National Day A get-together marking the 67 th anniversary of China’s National Day (October 1) took place in Ho Chi Minh City on September 29. Speaking at the ceremony, Chairman of the municipal chapter of the Vietnam-China Friendship Association Duong Quan Ha said the healthy and sustainable development of bilateral ties meet the aspirations and interests of the two countries’ people. Over the past years, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO), the Chinese Consulate General and business community in Ho Chi Minh City have actively and effectively nurtured the friendship between the two nations, he said. Chinese Consul General to HCM City Chen Dehai spoke highly of VUFO’s role in people-to-people diplomacy, becoming an important bridge to foster Vietnam-China friendship. Chen said collaboration between Ho Chi Minh City and the Chinese city of Shanghai has been increasingly tightened, making positive contributions to promoting ties between the two countries. On the occasion, a photo exhibition featuring the late President Ho Chi Minh in relation with China opened. Lao officers honoured with friendship orders, medals A number of officers of the Lao Ministry of Public Security (LMPS) have been presented with Vietnam’s friendship orders and medals for their contributions to the friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries. The honour was handed over by the Vietnamese Embassy, on behalf of the State President, at a ceremony in Vientiane on September 29. Colonel Kiengkham Inphengthavong, Deputy Chief of the LMPS Office and former head of the LMPS’s representative agency in Vietnam, received the Friendship Order. Meanwhile, the Friendship Medals were granted to Lieut. Colonel Khamvon Sayachac, former deputy head of the representative agency, and Lieut. Colonel Seng Phila, an officer of the representative agency. Addressing the ceremony, Ambassador Nguyen Manh Hung said the distinctions acknowledged great contributions of the Lao officers and convey the hope of the Vietnamese Party, State and people that they will do more to consolidate and enhance the alliance between the two countries’ public security forces as well as the bilateral relationship. Kiengkham Inphengthavong promised that he will continue to work with his Vietnamese colleagues to preserve the Vietnam-Laos special solidarity and deepen collaboration between the two public security ministries. EU to increase cooperation with Mekong Delta region A delegation of the European Union has sought closer cooperation with the Steering Committee of the Southwest Region in order to increase socio-economic partnership between the EU and the Mekong Delta region. The delegation, led by Delphine Malard, First Counselor of the EU Delegation to Vietnam, had a working session with the steering committee in Can Tho City on September 30. Delphine Malard said she hopes there will be more opportunities for the two sides to work together in socio-economic development, including responding to climate change and sea level rise in the region. Vice Head of the Steering Committee Nguyen Trung Hieu spoke highly of the support and cooperation the EU has provided for Vietnam in general and the Mekong Delta in particular. He requested that the EU and its member nations continue their cooperation with the region in coping with climate change and sea level rise. Specifically, the steering committee asked for the EU’s help in training personnel in climate change adaptation and in conducting research in the field. HCM City strengthens ties with Cuba’s capital A delegation from the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council, led by its Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam recently visited the Cuban capital city of Havana to boost the friendship between the two cities. During her meeting with Vice Chairman of the Havana Council Joaquin Calero Mereros, Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam expressed her admiration of the achievements Cuba and Havana have gained in education and health care despite the embargo. She expressed her hope that with the sound leadership of the Party, Cuba will implement successfully the new socio-economic model, contributing to the nation’s development. For his part, Joaquin Calero briefed the guests on the development of the city, and expressed belief that Vietnam and Cuba will continue consolidating the long-standing friendship and solidarity despite the long distance between the two nations. During the stay, the HCM City delegation visited and presented 100 computer sets and 20 printers to the city and the local Uncle Ho primary school. They also laid wreaths at the monuments of President Ho Chi Minh and Cuban hero Jose Marti in the city and visited a number of other cultural, tourism sites. Vietnam Red Cross provides support for 74,000 disaster-hit households As many as 74,000 families affected by drought and saltwater intrusion in 2016 have received support from the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRCS), heard a conference in Hanoi on September 30. According to VRCS Vice President Tran Thi Hong An, in late 2015, strong El Nino hit Vietnam and caused serious drought along with saltwater intrusion over a large area, resulting in heavy losses in production and affecting the life of millions of people. The drought, the worse in a century in Vietnam, mostly influenced the southern central, Central Highlands, southeastern and Mekong Delta regions. In March this year, the VRCS and the National Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control jointly launched a five-month campaign to assist the affected. The campaign raised 93.6 billion VND (4.19 million USD), which was used for nine aid projects in affected regions. Residents in the disaster-hit regions were provided with cash, water tanks, water filtering equipment, and antiseptic soap. . The VRCS also used its emergency fund to provide 5.31 billion VND (238,414 USD) to people in 14 hardest-hit localities, helping supply clean water to nearly 18,000 households during the hardest time. On the occasion, the National Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control honoured five international organisations in recognition of their support, while the VRCS presented certificates of merit to 25 collectives and individuals, and Golden Heart certificates to 19 units. Young writers conference in Hanoi Representatives of Vietnam’s young writers have gathered at a conference in Hanoi. The literary event attracted 112 outstanding young Vietnamese writers, representatives of relevant organisations and veteran writers. The conference gave generations of writers a chance to share experiences, discuss special knowledge and writing methods, and prepare for future generation of writers. Poet Huu Thinh, Chairman of the Vietnam Writers Association, told attendees the event reflected the passion and confidence of young writers who have actively joined the literary life in recent years. “Life welcomes them and offers them the most favourable conditions, or ‘endless fields’ of inspiration, to create literary works which no previous generations could have created,” he said on September 28. “After 30 years of the doi moi (renewal) period, today young writers have young readers with different life experience, hobbies and tastes. These readers expect the writers of their generation to truthfully portray the characters and appearance of society.” The chairman also commended young writers’ efforts to create new outlooks on the world. He recommended they treasure the opportunities offered by the renewal period. He also said they should do so in a proactive manner which honours traditional foundations in order to discover the essence of human nature. Acknowledging their initial and encouraging success, Thinh said that in the future young writers should dedicate themselves to creating works adequate to the contemporary development of the country. Most representatives agreed that many young writers have succeeded and made a name for themselves in the past five years. These up and coming writers have participated in many important national events relating to politics and society. As a result, a large number of literary works have been produced and welcomed by readers, which continues to impact society. Writer Nguyen Binh Phuong, a member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Writers Association, said young writers should participate in social activities, update their knowledge, learn at least one foreign language, and acquire knowledge of various fields in order to become an independent and skillful author, capable of supporting the development of society. Italians impressed by Vietnam’s 30-year achievements Vietnam’s achievements after 30 years of reform attracted the attentions of Italian delegates at a recent workshop in Turin, the capital city of Italy’s Piedmont region. Vietnamese Honour Consul in Turin city Sandra Scagliotti told the Vietnam News Agency said the September 26 workshop aimed to introduce a new image of Vietnam which has recovered from its war-era pains to grow rapidly despite global economic uncertainties. Besides, the participants had an insight into the country’s traditional music and cuisine, and landscapes, she said. The workshop, which formed part of the Vietnam Day programme in Turin, also highlighted Vietnam’s investment and trade potential, as well as its competitive edge in regional and global economies. Within the framework of the Vietnam Day programme, there have been an exhibition showcasing Vietnamese traditional music instruments and a photo exhibition on the country. Turin city established pairing relationship with Ho Chi Minh City. In 2015, Italy was Vietnam’s 18 th largest export market and 15 th largest import market. It has become Vietnam’s third largest trade partner in the EU and ranked 28 th among 101 countries and territories investing in Vietnam with 66 projects valued over 391 million USD, with major groups like ENI, Piaggio, Ariston, Gattonini, Bonfigliotti and Datalogics. Vietnam’s vocational training meets German standards The Lilama 2 Vocational College in Long Thanh district, the southern province of Dong Nai has developed two occupational standards meeting the requirements of Germany. Tilo Jaensch, Director of the Vocational Training Department under Germany’s Potsdam Commerce Chamber granted the certificates to the college on September 29. The two standards on construction mechanics and industrial electronics will be applied at the college from October 2016 and in vocational training institutions nationwide in the following years. Director of the college Le Van Hien said the two standards were developed in accordance with German criteria, which are adaptable to the Vietnamese market. It took two years to compile the sets with the participation of German experts and 20 domestic firms, he said. To serve the application of these standards, the college has sent 40 trainers to Germany for capacity enhancement. Besides, German experts will directly join the teaching. The school has workshops equipped with state-of-the-art machines worth multi-million EUR funded by the German Government. Since 2010, Lilama 2 Vocational College has been selected to pilot the programme on renovating vocational training in Vietnam. School milk programme launched nationwide A school milk programme was launched nationwide on September 28, aiming at providing school-children with free milk to improve their health and physique. Themed “School Milk – For Vietnam’s Stature”, a live television programme connecting Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the central province of Nghe An was held by Vietnam Television in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Health and Vietnamese milk giant TH Group. Speaking at the event, Politburo member and President of the Central Committee of Vietnam Fatherland Front Nguyen Thien Nhan called for immediate actions to lift Vietnam out of the list of countries with the shortest average heights. He hailed the Vietnam Television and the Ministry of Education and Training for setting up the charity fund “School Milk – For Vietnam’s Stature” which facilitates pre-school and elementary children’s access to milk, and urged Vietnamese at home and abroad to make financial contributions to the fund. The “School Milk – For Vietnam’s Stature” programme, approved by the Prime Minister, targets feeding all pre-school children and elementary pupils in poor districts on milk by 2020, meeting 90-95 percent of their energy demand, and increasing the heights of school boys and girls by 1.5 and 2cm, respectively. It also highlights regulations on the origin of milk material, the process of production, distribution and use. The domestic dairy firm TH True Milk has committed 200 billion VND (9 million USD) to the programme from 2016-2021. As many as 60 countries worldwide have responded to World School Milk Day launched by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Of them, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the US, the UK and Thailand use pure fresh milk. Scientists hail RoK’s detox measure for AO/dioxin Scientists and environmentalists have highly rated the microbiological method of the Republic of Korea to detoxify soil contaminated with Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin sprayed by the US during the war in Vietnam. The method was presented at a workshop held in Hanoi on September 29 by the RoK’s Biological Company (BJC), Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST), Korea Institute of Toxicology (KIT), and Korea Rural Company & Agriculture Corporation (KRC). It was the result of a joint project conducted by the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment (VACNE) and the RoK partners with the goal of finding solutions to detoxify land in A Luoi district – a site of many fierce battles in the wartime in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue. The VACNE and Korean partners have analysed 86 soil samples contaminated with AO/dioxin in Thua Thien – Hue and experimenting with the RoK’s microbiological treatment method on the samples. Chairman of VACNE Nguyen Ngoc Sinh said they plan to ask for permission to test the method on two hectares of contaminated land at A Sho airport in A Luoi. Participants expressed hope that competent agencies at the central and local levels will create the best condition for the researchers to implement the microbiological measure in A Luoi district as well as other areas to protect public health. At the workshop, the VACNE and Korean partners signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on proposals relating to the treatment of land contaminated with dioxin in A Luoi. From 1961 to 1971, American troops sprayed more than 80 million litres of herbicides — 44 million litres of which were AO, containing nearly 370kg of dioxin — over southern Vietnam. As a result, about 4.8 million Vietnamese were exposed to the toxic chemical. Many of the victims have died, while millions of their descendants are living with deformities and diseases as a direct result of the AO/dioxin effects. Da Nang moves to promote urban resilience Authorities of Da Nang announced a strategy to promote urban resilience at a ceremony in the central city on September 28. The strategy, a joint effort between the municipal authorities and the US-based Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities Network (100RC) , proposes 36 actions to build citywide resilience, including plans for storm resistant housing, micro-insurance to provide financial security in the face of natural disasters, the revitalisation of community spaces, and strengthening the city’s Disaster Management Centre. “Resilient Da Nang” lays out four key visions in response to these challenges. They are a peaceful city, a dynamic city, a prepared city and a connected city. Accordingly, Da Nang is expected to a city free from fear and anxiety in places where residents live, work and recreate. It will also be a dynamic economy in partnership with people and businesses to meet the needs of a changing world. It will have infrastructure systems which can recover quickly from, and be well prepared for future challenges, and will be a city where knowledge is driven by meaningful information sharing. Da Nang is witnessing a rapid growth of transportation, services and tourism but facing challenges from natural disasters and rapid urbanisation process, said Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Ho Ky Minh. Local poor and near-poor households are meeting with unstable employment and insufficient access to health care, education, housing, and other services. For years, the city has been outlining plans and measures, and enhancing international cooperation to minimise damage caused by climate change, Minh said. Resilient Da Nang marks a vital milestone in the city’s development history, which helps it adapt to and deal with challenges in the future, he added. Lauren Sorkin, Regional Co- Director for Asia and Pacific of the 100RC said the 100RC programme will continue supporting Da Nang in realising urban resilience goals. The “100 resilient cities” network aims to help worldwide cities to develop plans and prepare their community for better coping with and recovering from shocks, tensions and disasters in the 21st century. In late 2013, Da Nang was selected as one of the first 33 cities to implement the programme’s foremost phase. Patriot Huynh Thuc Khang's 140th birth anniversary celebrated A celebration of the 140th birth anniversary of Huynh Thuc Khang, who was Acting President of Vietnam in 1946, was held in his hometown, the central province of Quang Nam, on October 1. Prior to the event, President Tran Dai Quang and other Party, State and provincial officials offered incense at the commemorative house dedicated to Khang in Tien Canh commune of Tien Phuoc district. In his speech at the ceremony, President Quang reviewed the life of Khang, describing him as a prime example of patriotism and the fighting spirit for national independence and freedom. Khang was born in the now Tien Canh commune on October 1, 1876. In 1904, he and other famous intellectuals then such as Phan Chau Trinh, Tran Quy Cap and Luong Van Can launched the Duy Tan movement, which promoted patriotism among people and struggled to demand the colonial administration make reforms for the sake of people. He was exiled to Con Dao Island by French colonialists in 1908 but continued patriotic activities after being released. After the August Revolution in 1945 succeeded, then President Ho Chi Minh invited him to serve as Minister of Home Affairs in the provisional Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, which is now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Khang was appointed Acting President in May 1946 when President Ho paid a visit to France. In this position, he consolidated the revolutionary administration while defeating sabotage plots of reactionary forces. He passed away on April 21, 1947 in Nghia Hanh district of central Quang Ngai province. At the commemoration, President Quang also highlighted Khang’s contributions in terms of literature and history. The late patriot collected a number of historical evidence testifying to Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes, and used to affirm that “there are not any countries having as sufficient evidence as our nation.” The State leader called for each official and Party member to follow Khang’s example and devote themselves to serving the Fatherland and people. EU to increase cooperation with Mekong Delta region A delegation of the European Union has sought closer cooperation with the Steering Committee of the Southwest Region in order to increase socio-economic partnership between the EU and the Mekong Delta region. The delegation, led by Delphine Malard, First Counselor of the EU Delegation to Vietnam, had a working session with the steering committee in Can Tho City on September 30. Delphine Malard said she hopes there will be more opportunities for the two sides to work together in socio-economic development, including responding to climate change and sea level rise in the region. Vice Head of the Steering Committee Nguyen Trung Hieu spoke highly of the support and cooperation the EU has provided for Vietnam in general and the Mekong Delta in particular. He requested that the EU and its member nations continue their cooperation with the region in coping with climate change and sea level rise. Specifically, the steering committee asked for the EU’s help in training personnel in climate change adaptation and in conducting research in the field. Binh Duong fosters ties with RoK The Binh Duong provincial chapter of the Vietnam-Republic of Korea (RoK) Friendship Association convened the first Congress for the 2016-2021 tenure in the southern province on September 28. Vice Deputy Director of the provincial Department of External Affairs Nguyen Thanh Toan was elected as the chapter’s Chairman who will lead a 19-strong executive board. As a member of the Central Committee of the Vietnam-RoK Friendship Association and the provincial Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations, the chapter is meant to foster friendship and understanding between Vietnamese and Korean peoples. Binh Duong and the RoK’s Daejeon city established friendly ties in 2005. The RoK is currently the third biggest investor in the province with 583 projects worth over 2.3 billion USD. The Congress set tasks of raising public awareness of the Korean history, culture and development as well as the bilateral friendship, solidarity and cooperation in the new period during its tenure. Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Dang Minh Hung expressed his belief that the chapter will continue upholding its role, contributing to tightening friendship between Vietnam and the RoK. Greetings to Khmer in Vinh Long, Soc Trang on Sene Dolta Festival A delegation from the Steering Committee for the Southwestern Region visited a number of Khmer pagodas and outstanding Khmer households in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang on September 28 on the occasion of their festival Sene Dolta. The delegation, headed by Nguyen Trung Hieu, deputy head of the committee, extended greetings and presented gifts to Khmer Buddhist dignitaries and followers at Som Rong, Khleang, Mahatup pagodas in Soc Trang cities, and Prek On Dok pagoda and the Pali school in My Xuyen district . Hieu hailed the Khmer community for their solidarity and contributions to the locality’s socio-economic development, poverty reduction and political security and social order safeguard, especially in ethnic minority areas. Most Venerable Tang No, vice president of the provincial Patriotic Clergy Solidarity Association highlighted great achievements made by local authorities, saying that thanks to policies of the Party and State, material and spiritual life of Khmer people was improved remarkably. Over 90 percent of Khmer families in Soc Trang have accessed electricity and hygienic water, Most Venerable Tang No said, adding infrastructure facilities for education and health care have also been constructed and upgraded. The same day, the Committee for Ethnic Affairs of Vinh Long province held a get-together of prestigious individuals in the local Khmer community to celebrate the Sene Dolta festival. Speaking at the event, Venerable Thach Chanh Nhenh, head of Ky Son pagoda in Tam Binh district, asked the provincial authorities to pay more attention to investing in infrastructure construction in Khmer communes, improving the quality of education and training, and human resources, and developing staff from ethnic minority groups. Head of the provincial Committee for Ethnic Affairs Thach Duong affirmed the local authorities will boost education and popularisation to encourage local people to promote democracy in grassroots, promote the role of community-based supervision while paying heed to solving the locals’ urgent matters and encouraging them to expand household economic models. The Sene Dolta Festival is one of the largest annual Khmer festivals, along with Chol Chnam Thmay (New Year) and Ooc Oom Bok, a festival to thank the Moon for good harvests. It is held from the 30th day of the eighth lunar month to the second day of the ninth lunar month each year, which falls on September 30-October 2 this year, during which Khmer people pay tribute to their ancestors and take part in community celebration activities with traditional songs and dance after a hard working year. The majority of Vietnam’s Khmer population lives in the southwestern region, who worship at more than 450 Khmer pagodas. Vietnam, Canada enhance military medical cooperation A defence attaché delegation from the Canadian Embassy in Vietnam, headed by Deputy Attaché Jean Jobin, visited Military Hospital 175 under Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defense in Ho Chi Minh City on September 28. At the hospital, the delegation learnt about the hospital’s operations, infrastructure, medical facilities and preparations for the deployment of a level-2 field hospital to join United Nations peacekeeping activities. Both sides discussed military medical and training cooperation agreed during the visit by Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Dion to the hospital early September. The delegation pledged to do every effort to bolster the two countries’ medical cooperation. Chairman of Japan Federation of Transport Workers’ Union greeted Chairman of the Japan Federation of Transport Workers’ Unions Toshihiko Sumino has expressed his wish to deepen exchanges with the Vietnam National Union of Communication and Transport Workers and the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL). During a meeting with VGCL Vice President Nguyen Van Ngang in Hanoi on September 28, Sumino hailed the long-standing relations between the Japan Federation of Transport Workers’ Unions and the Vietnam National Union of Communication and Transport Workers and those from other countries. He also expressed his wish to learn more from Vietnam. Ngang, for his part, said the Japanese side has assisted the Vietnam National Union of Communication and Transport Workers in protecting workers’ rights over the past years. He also wished for more support from Japan in the field in the foreseeable future. On the East Sea issue, the host called on the Japan Federation of Transport Workers’ Unions to back the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and other sea-related laws. The Vietnam National Union of Communication and Transport Workers and the Japan Federation of Transport Workers’ Unions set up their relationship in 1993. Vietnam co-chairs int’l seminar on fighting human trafficking Education and training play an important role in raising public awareness of human trafficking, heard a seminar on educating women and girls about human trafficking in Geneva on September 27. The seminar was co-hosted by Vietnam in conjunction with the Philippines, Indonesia, China, the US, Costa Rica and Australia, Germany and the World Migration Organization (WMO) on the sideline of the 33rd session of the UN Human Rights Council. The event saw the participation of over 80 delegates from 29 countries, international and nongovernmental organizations worldwide. As the keynote speaker at the event, Assistant to the Vietnamese Foreign Minister Duong Chi Dung acknowledged the significance of the UN Convention on Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, which encourage nations to build and refine their legal system. He affirmed that education will help equip women and girls with knowledge and measures to protect themselves, including skills enabling them to be independent financially. Talking about Vietnam’s efforts in combating human trafficking, Dung noted that the country has joined international conventions; regional, sub-regional and bilateral initiatives such as the UNTOC , the ASEAN Declaration against Trafficking in Persons Particularly Women and Children , the Bali Process , and the Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative against Trafficking (COMMIT). The country also issued laws and national programmes on preventing human trafficking. He highlighted the efficiency of models and initiatives taken by the Vietnam Women’s Union to combat human trafficking, including the House of Peace model which provides shelter, care and support to rescued victims. Participants to the event stressed the need for improving legal systems in countries and promoting regional and international cooperation in the fight against human trafficking, especially in the context of increasing cross-border migrant labour flows at present. The seminar is part of initiatives and contributions of Vietnam as a member of the Human Right Council in the 2014-2016 tenure. Hanoi promotes traditional trade villages The Hanoi traditional trade village tourism festival 2016 kicked off at the city’s Thang Long Royal Citadel on September 29. Speaking at the event, Deputy Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Ngo Van Quy said that traditional trade villages of the city are rich tourism sources which need to be promoted. The festival is an opportunity for the city to develop this attractive tourism, he added. This year’s event features nearly 250 booths from traditional handicraft villages and enterprises, tourism departments, cultural, sports and tourism departments of provinces, cities and travel companies in the northern region The festival includes the city’s famous traditional trade villages such as Van Phuc silk, Bat Trang pottery, Phu Vinh rattan and bamboo weaving, Ha Thai lacquerware, Dinh Cong silver inlay, Quat Dong embroidery and Ngu Xa bronze casting. Several activities will be introduced to spectators at the event, including water puppet shows, calligraphy, ca tru (ceremonial song), performances tug of war, and human chess, among others. Organised by the municipal Department of Tourism, the event runs until October 2. Many localities face environmental degradation: report Many localities nationwide experienced environmental degradation during the 2011-2015 period, according to a report released by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) in Hanoi on September 29. Air pollution increased at traffic intersections and construction sites, especially in big urban areas, the report said, pointing to increasing river water pollution and saltwater intrusion in the southwestern, southeastern and central coastal localities. Of note, the maritime environmental incident in the four central provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue last April caused serious socio-economic and environmental consequences, in both short and long terms. MoNRE Deputy Minister Vo Tuan Nhan said the protection of natural resources and the environment is one of the country’s fundamental development orientations in the 21 st century set by the Party, along with industrialisation, moderination and the development of a knowledge-based economy. However, he said, the economy’s dependence on natural resources, the rapid industrialisation without adequate attention to environmental effects, plus environmental impacts generated by international integration have hindered natural resources and environmental protection efforts. Against the backdrop, the Party and State have done their best to finalise relevant policies and laws to tackle various environmental issues and slow down environmental pollution, the official said. The ten-chapter report reviewed the country’s environmental quality from 2011 through 2015, and proposed solutions to environmental protection in the time to come. More Tibetan bears sent to rescue centre Two Tibetan bears which were illegally kept in captivity in southern An Giang province were given to the Hon Me Rescue Centre of southern Kien Giang province on September 29. This puts an end to the illegal bear breeding in An Giang, as those two were the last in the province. The two bears, one male and one female, were held in cage since March 2006. However, the owner claimed they were not used for bear bile farming. The owner voluntarily handed over the animal to authorised agencies. The Operations Director of Education for Nature Vietnam, Nguyen Thi Phuong Dung, said within one week, three illegally-bred bears were brought to rescue centres, including the one in Phuc Tho, Hanoi. This is a positive sign for bear protection in Vietnam, she said. Currently, about 1,200 captive bears need protection nationwide. Deputy PM urges intellectual property reforms Deputy Prime Minister Vu Ð?c Ðam has asked the National Office of Intellectual Property (NOIP) for radical reforms to better promote scientific and technological innovations in Vi?t Nam. “Simplified procedures could encourage more inventors to register for IP rights protections,” he said when visiting NOIP on Thursday. Organisations, individuals and business were concerned most about administration procedures and cost, he said. He asked the NOIP office to review current processing procedures and seek measures to reduce the time expended on each application. Ph?m Vi?t Thanh, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology and head of the National Office of Intellectual Property, said that from 2011-15 the office received more than 390,000 applications for IP right protection, of which, nearly 340,000 were solved and over 50,000  unsolved. Applications continue to increase both in quantity and in levels of complication, requiring more time to verify and assess, he said. “The number of unsolved applications is a result of insufficient infrastructure, staff and cumbersome procedures,” he said. He added that another difficulty is finance: application cost has remained unchanged for years and is much lower than in neighbouring countries. For example, in Vi?t Nam, inventors pay VNÐ 1.26 million (US$56) to have an invention assessed, but the rate in Malaysia is 4.7 times higher, in Philipines 1.3 times higher and in Singapore 32.8 times higher. Lê Huy Anh, Head of Patent No2 Division, said that the NOIP still requires written register applications but that it expects to receive e-applications by the end of this year. Head of Enforcement and Complaint Settlement Division Nguy?n Thanh H?ng said that under the Law on Intellectual Property and relevant legal documents, assessors must not directly contact applicants. “Few tiny mistakes in an application form must be informed by mail, which can take a few weeks for mistakes to be corrected. If allowed, e-mail can help save much time,” he said. Moreover, about 90 per cent of applications by foreign businesses or individuals are submitted not only in Vi?t Nam but also in other countries, pushing the need for stronger technology systems that help assessors connect and share assessment results. Deputy PM Ðam said that regulations on IP assessment cost must be in line with international practices but still affordable for domestic inventors. “To major foreign enterprises, they prioritise transparency, time saving and law enforcement, rather than the sum paid for IP assessment,” he said, noting that the NOIP should learn from the experiences of other countries for better performance. VNPT to help transform HCMC into ’smart city’ The HCM City People’s Committee on Thursday signed an agreement with the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group to develop HCM City into a smart city by 2025. VNPT will provide information and communications technology consultancy for the project. It will work with strategic partners to study plans for the project and offer concrete solutions, particularly with respect to the traffic system, healthcare services, education, public security, wastewater, environment, energy, and construction. It will be responsible for building the ICT infrastructure for the smart city. The project is urgent since the city needs quick and appropriate urban planning and management, Minister of Information and Communications Truong Minh Tu?n said. Information security should be a priority for a smart city, he said. People’s Committee chairman Nguy?n Thành Phong said a smart city would see the investment and business environment as well as the quality of life improve. It would also make urban management smarter, he said. The city would create favorable conditions for VNPT as well as other organisations and individuals to complete the smart city project, he promised. Metro line’s two-lane Sài Gòn Bridge completed The final span of the two-lane Sài Gòn bridge on the B?n Thành – Su?i Tiên metro line was connected yesterday in HCM City. The bridge is one of five bridges on the metro line that connects B?n Thành terminal in District 1 and Su?i Tiên Amusement Park in District 9. Spanning the Sài Gòn River, the new bridge, which connects District 2 and Bình Th?nh District, is located 38 metres from the existing Sài Gòn Bridge.     The metro bridge, 267.5 metres long and 11.1 metres wide, was built by the Sumitomo-Cienco 6 Consortium contractor. The other four metro bridges will be located above the Hà N?i Highway, R?ch Chi?c Canal, Ði?n Biên Ph? Street and Van Thánh Canal. Speaking at a ceremony yesterday in the city, Nguy?n Thanh Phong, chairman of the People’s Committee, said the first metro line was a key project financed by ODA loans from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). “The project aims to resolve traffic congestion at the city’s northeast gateway and contribute significantly to the city’s socio-economic development,” Phong told Vi?t Nam News on the sidelines of the ceremony.     Construction on the first metro line began in August 2012. The line will have a total length of 19.7km, including 2.6km underground, running through 14 stations, with three underground stations. The 17.1 km above-ground section of the line – from Ba Son terminal in District 1 to  Su?i Tiên terminal in District 9 – is expected to be operational in 2019. The route has a total investment of US$2.49 billion, funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the city’s reciprocal capital. Lê Nguy?n Minh Quang, head of the Management Authority of Urban Railway, said 11 stations were under construction, eight of which would be at platform level and three at the concourse level. Quang promised that more efforts would be made to complete overhead construction by 2019 and put the entire metro into operation in 2020. Akito Takahashi, senior representative of JICA Vi?t Nam Office, said: “The project is one of the most important projects for JICA to further strengthen the Vi?t Nam - Japan partnership.” Regarding metro line No 2 B?n Thành-Tham Luong, the project’s design and total investment are being adjusted and site clearance will be finished in June. The project comprises eight packages, with one including construction of an office building, which has been completed. In addition, the metro line No. 5 from the new C?n Giu?c bus terminal to Sài Gòn Bridge will be 20 km long. It has an investment of more than $1.6 billion. The dossier for metro line No. 5 will be submitted to the Government and the National Assembly for consideration later this year. Accident injures 14 workers in Qu?ng Ninh An accident occurred while setting off a mine for stone exploitation yesterday afternoon in C?m Ph? City in the northern province of Qu?ng Ninh, injuring 14 workers. One of those workers was seriously injured. The incident took place at the construction site of the Khe Chàm Coal Company. All the victims are being treated at the C?m Ph? Hospital. The accident is under investigation. Nguy?n Thành Vy, director of the hospital, said the hospital had assigned all its doctors and nurses to assist in providing treatment to the victims. The Qu?ng Ninh Department of Health assigned more doctors from Qu?ng Ninh and Bãi Cháy hospitals to help the C?m Ph? Hospital staff. IDECAF shows 5 French films in October Two feature films, two documentaries and an animation will be part of the monthly film screening programme at the Institute of Cultural Exchange with France (IDECAF) in October. Two films include Je fais le mort, a comedy written and directed by Jean-Paul Salomé, which was screened at the Rome Film Festival under the title Playing Dead, and Mon Ame par Toi Guérie (One of A Kind), a drama directed by François Dupeyron. Documentaries are Il était une forêt (Once Upon a Forest) by Oscar-winning filmmaker Luc Jacquet, and La cour de Babel (School of Babel) by Julie Bertuccelli. Le Roi et l’Oiseau (The King and the Mockingbird) is a 1980 traditionally animated feature film directed by Paul Grimault. It received the Louis Delluc Prize, an award for French film, in 1979. The films will be screened with Vietnamese subtitles at 3pm every Saturday. The venue is at 28 Lê Thánh Tôn Street in District 1. The entrance fee is VNĐ50,000 and VNĐ40,000 for students. Work hours must protect labourers Many enterprises have complained about the Labour Code, which restricts overtime for labourers to 200 hours per year. Many have claimed that the regulation has hampered the development of enterprises and cut income for labourers. The Labour Code, which took effect in 2012, stipulates that a labourer can work a maximum of 200 hours of overtime per year. In fields such as textiles and garments, leather, aquaculture processing, water and electricity supply and drainage and telecommunications, overtime is capped at 300 hours per year. The regulation aims to protect labourers’ health and curb the abuse of labour. However, many enterprises said that the regulation was no longer practical. Nguyễn Xuân Dương, CEO of Hưng Yên Garment Corporation said that employers and employees should be able to negotiate overtime, especially seasonal employees as jobs were only available when enterprises won contracts. This would help enterprises not violate the law and complete their orders, while labourers could earn more money, he said, adding that Vietnamese labourers working eight hours per day only earn about VNĐ4 million (US$173) per month. Chu Văn An, deputy director of Minh Phú Aquaculture Corporation said that enterprises had to pay at least 150 per cent of labourers’ wages on week days and up to 300 per cent of wages on holidays. Thus, they only offered overtimes when they had to. He said that enterprises had a dilemma. During bumper shrimp crops, his corporation could not say no to farmers, but would violate the law if labourers worked too much overtime. Dương said overtime in Taiwan was 46 hours per month and that in Malaysia was 104 hours per month on average while the average income of labourers reached $40,000 per year. Meanwhile, in Việt Nam, the income was quite modest – about $1,000 per year – but the working extra hours was limited. Figures from the Việt Nam Labour Federation showed that up to 75.5 per cent of labourers had to work overtime to cover their basic needs. Nguyễn Thị Hà, a migrant worker at Yên Phong Industrial Zone in northern Bắc Ninh Province said that her official wage was VNĐ5 million ($217) while rent and other expenses cost her VNĐ3 million ($130). She, and other workers, had to work three to four hours more per day to feed her family in suburban Ba Vì District. Currently, there were about 30,000 workers, mostly migrants, at the industrial zone. Workers in other fields are facing the same situation. Nguyễn Huy, excavator driver for a construction company at Hà Nội’s Võ Chí Công Street said that he was paid to complete his job in a certain time instead of a monthly wage, meaning he had to work at night to finish on time. Nguyễn Chí Hùng, deputy head of the management board of Hà Nội’s Industrial and Processing Zones said that most enterprises at these zones violated the law on overtime. Overtime had led to negative impacts. In the first eight months of this year, five strikes occurred at industrial zones as laborers were worked too hard. According to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs’ Labour Safety Department, extra working hours would make laborers debilitated. If they work 8 hours a day, they would be able to work for 30-40 years. Meanwhile, if they work too hard, their service length would be 20 years only. Labourers needed overtime because of their low wages. If their wages were increased, they would likely spend less time working, it said. Bùi Đức Nhưỡng, deputy head of the department said the department is considering increasing the overtime cap. Overtime limits may be increased to eight hours per week, or about 400 hours per year. The ministry would carefully consider all elements, including labourers’ health and enterprises’ benefits, before giving the final decision on the increase next month. Int’l songwriters to talk at Saigon Outcast Saigon Outcast will host an event on October 2 where international singers and songwriters from diverse backgrounds will share their stories about music. The event will feature John Will Sail from New Zealand, Clive Pendock from South Africa, Y Kroc from Việt Nam, Stewart Gatsi from Zimbabwe, and Brittany Petit from the US. The artists will speak about their works and musical journeys. There will be stories of love, confidence, loss and fear in their lives. The event will start from 5pm at 188/1 Nguyễn Văn Hưởng Street in District 2. Entrance fee is VNĐ50,000. Autumn art market at Indika Saigon Vin Gallery will host an Autumn Art Market where the public can meet artists working at the gallery at Indika Saigon on October 10. The market will feature original artworks, homeware, unique clothing, and handmade and craft items. There will be food and drinks available too. The Vin Space Art Studio will hold craft activities throughout the day. The free event runs from 10am to 4pm at 43 Nguyễn Văn Giai Street in District 1. Parisian techno star at The Observatory The French Institute in HCM City in collaboration with Heart Beat will present Antigone, a young Parisian musician at the forefront of the French techno scene, in HCM City on October 7. Antigone has released several EPs and albums which were warmly welcomed by French techno fans. He has been invited to perform at big music clubs in France as well as other countries. At the city’s show, he will perform along with resident DJs Christ Wolter from German and OKO from Ukraine. Visual artist Erol from Switzerland will offer visual effects for the event. The show will begin at 9pm at The Observatory, 5 Nguyễn Tất Thành Street, in District 4. Entrance fee is free until 11pm and VNĐ150,000 after 11pm. US artist to open public studio at Manzi After a short period setting up his studio at Manzi, American print and performance artist Sto Len will open it to visitors starting on Saturday to observe his practice, have a chat, get their own hands dirty and see his latest body of work produced both in Hà Nội and New York. Sto captures ’unexpected moments of beauty’ in the form of monoprints that use Japanese suminagashi (floating ink) marbling methods that he has tweaked over the last years to fit his own practice. Under his method, much is left to chance, and the process of going with the flow and seeing what happens is an essential aspect of the finished pieces. To create monoprints that will never be replicated in quite the same way, he prepares bodies of water from all kinds of sources, adds an assortment of paint and invites the surrounding space to add whatever speckles of dust, bugs or grit it can spare. He then lets all of it stew, waits, plays with the result, and eventually places a piece of paper on the resulting surface to visually capture the collaboration of the artist with whatever space he is producing in. In Việt Nam, Sto will continue his recent craft of printing on old maps and posters – a ‘collaboration’ that unsettles the seeming rigidity and authority of cartography and official information. Visitors are invited to experience his creative process fully and to return multiple times to witness the body of work grow and see what worked and what didn’t. On Sunday, Sto Len will conduct a workshop on monoprints for children. His studio will be open to public until October 21 at 14 Phan Huy Ích Street. Free entry. Silver screen Shakespeare comes to VN Some of the most famous motion pictures adapted from Shakespeare’s works will be screened in the capital city and HCMC every Saturday from October 8 to 29 as part of the global Shakespeare Lives programme launched by the British Council to celebrate 400 years since the death of the Bard of Avon. Vietnamese audiences will be delighted by the timeless Shakespearean tales through a fine collection of movies, including Romeo and Juliet (1968), Much Ado about Nothing (1993), Richard III (1995) and Hamlet (2015). The screenings will take place at TPD (the Centre for Assistance and Development of Movie Talents), 51 Trần Hưng Đạo Street, Hà Nội; and HCM City’s Hoa Sen University. Entrance is free, but audience members must register in advance with the British Council. Solutions proposed to deal with flooding, traffic gridlock The HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment has proposed a number of solutions to combat chronic flooding and ease traffic congestion in the city. The solutions were sent to the HCMC government on September 27 when heavy rain submerged 59 streets and many parts of the city. It flooded part of the aircraft parking area at Tan Son Nhat airport and forced many planes en route to the airport to divert to other airports due to low visibility. The city government should limit licensing residential projects in low-lying areas and spare at least 30% of those areas for greenery and open space, the department said in a report of solutions to revise zoning and land use plans in the 2016-2020 period. The department wanted property investors to build reservoirs to store rainwater and expand greenery space at their projects. Regarding measures for climate change adaptation and economic restructuring, the department said the city government should encourage residential areas to go up along metro lines so that people can easily use them and contribute to easing traffic gridlock. It is important to speed up construction of Thu Thiem Urban Area in District 2 and four satellite cities in districts 7, 9, Thu Duc, Binh Chanh and Nha Be, and further develop the northern part. Those solutions will help raise the efficient use of land and attract people to satellite cities, thus easing traffic jams in the downtown area, said the report. The department suggested allowing investors to pay for land use fees in different phases to reduce pressure on them. Flood control is one of the seven breakthrough programs that the city will implement in the next five years. As e-Government develops, cybersecurity a must Participants at a conference on governmental cybersecurity heard an urgent message yesterday: ensuring information security for each Governmental body is essential, especially as Việt Nam is developing an e-Government infrastructure. The conference on confidentiality and information security toward the implementation of e-Government in Việt Nam was held yesterday by the Government’s Cipher Committee, aiming to raise awareness and work toward a more robust approach to cybersecurity. E-Government – the use of information and communication technologies to improve the activities of public sector organisations – has proved effective and beneficial to citizens, businesses and organisations. The conference’s speakers warned, however, that the increasing convenience of e-Government brings with it a new set of difficulties to face. Threats to information security are becoming more serious, and they may be used as a tool against the State to attack important infrastructure, freeze Governmental activities or destroy the economy. Nguyễn Lê Phúc, deputy director of the Government’s Portal, said that a key concern while implementing e-Government is protecting personal information. The Government’s Office is developing a roadmap to apply national and international standardised information protection system and to promote the use of electronic signatures and specialised coding solutions. Some of the conference’s participants proposed that it was necessary to require all Governmental bodies to use code signings granted by the Government’s Cipher Committee in their electronic transactions. Information, particularly State-level confidential information, must be encoded, stored and transmitted under the management of the Government’s Cipher Committee. State employees, particularly whose work relates to confidential information, need to improve their capacity and responsibility. This is the first time that Government’s Cipher Committee organised such kind of conference. On Tuesday, the Việt Nam Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Press Club held talks on information security and threats to economy, warning about the increased risks of cyber attacks and information insecurity. General director of CMC Internet Security (CMC InfoSec) Triệu Trần Đức said that cyber war in Việt Nam was visible with attacks on banks and Vietnam Airlines. “As projects deploying ICT applications--like smart city or 4G services--become more prevalent, they will provide ample grounds for hackers unless radical information security measures are taken,” he said. “In the age of Internet of Things, your computers, mobile phones or even your washing machine and fridge could be subjected to malwares,” he said. The Internet of Things (IoT) is known as a system of interrelated computing devices, mechanical and digital machines, objects, animals or people that are provided with unique identifiers and the ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction. The Việt Nam Computer Emergency Response Team (VNCERT) detected 127,630 cyber insecurity cases in the first half of this year, of which, over 8,700 cases relate to phishing viruses, 77,160 cases relate to website defacement and 41,700 cases relate to malware. The number is four times higher than those detected in 2015 and 6.5 times higher than the 2014 metrics. Nguyễn Thanh Hải, Head of Information Security Department under Ministry of Information and Communications, said that awareness and understanding about information security are crucial in the fight against cyber crimes. Modern technology can help, but it was more important to have people master their technology effectively, he said, calling internet users, particularly businesses, to check and fix their systems regularly. The ministry is leading the implementation of the Law on Information Security, through which they will classify information into tiers demanding suitable protection measures. Gov’t directs Mekong Delta to focus on science With climate change and rising sea levels threatening it, the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta cannot rely on natural advantages for development but should focus on science and technology, a Government minister has said. Speaking at a seminar in Cà Mau Province on Monday, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Trần Hồng Hà said climate change is making the delta less fertile than in the past, affecting agriculture. The country’s largest rice, fruit and seafood producer has been affected by diminishing rainfall, more saltwater intrusion and less flooding in recent years. Nguyễn Văn Thể, secretary of the Sóc Trăng Province Party’s Committee, said the reducing floods are increasing saltwater intrusion in the delta’s coastal areas and alum in the Long Xuyên Quadrangle. However, the biggest concern is that in the first half of the year there was no rain and farmers could not farm and many had to leave the province to find work elsewhere, he said. “If the situation does not change, the delta will face a high threat of poverty.” Tăng Đức Thắng, deputy director of the Việt Nam Irrigation Science Institute, warned about an imminent threat of drought and saltwater intrusion this year because whenever the flooding is not intense these twin threats appear. Since 2010 saltwater intrusion has been occurring earlier than normal, he said. Instead of February, it has been beginning in December and lasting six months or more. The delta has seen coastal erosion and saltwater has intruded deeper inland in recent years, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The increased exploitation of water in the Mekong’s upstream areas, especially for electricity generation, has reduced the river’s flow. Nguyễn Tấn Dũng, the former prime minister, said the delta depends on the Mekong River, but the quantity and quality (silt, fish and other aquatic species) of its water have been declining rapidly. To deal with climate change and the construction of dams in the Mekong’s upstream, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment should soon issue a new climate change scenario to replace the one it issued in 2009, he said. It should include detailed forecasts for each region, sub-region and even each province in the delta, he said. The delta’s general zoning plan should be updated, with attention paid to the zoning of dykes, sluice gates and reservoirs, he added. Deputy Prime Minister Vương Đình Huệ said the delta should have two different solutions, one each with and without construction works, he said. Non-construction solutions involve updating climate change scenarios for the whole delta region, sub-regions and each locality, he said. Based on the scenarios, the delta would amend its zoning plans, he said. Construction work solutions include building sluice gates to prevent saltwater intrusion and retaining freshwater, he said. Technical solutions such as studying suitable plant and animal varieties should be focused on, he said. Huệ instructed the Ministries of Planning and Investment and Finance to research to allocate funds for programmes to respond to climate change in delta provinces in 2016-21. The provinces should update information about climate change and its challenges in their socio-economic development plans, he added. The delta has switched to growing cash crops on more than 78,000ha of infertile rice fields after a three-year restructure of its agriculture, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). The cash crops, including water melon, sesame, corn, soy bean and vegetables, offer 20-30 per cent higher profits than rice. The region has also expanded the area under the large-scale rice field programme from 2,000ha in 2010 to 250,000ha now. All 12 provinces and Cần Thơ city have approved restructure plans aimed at increasing agricultural production value. In Đồng Tháp, for instance, the restructure is helping farmers find steady outlets for their produce by co-operating with agribusinesses. The province’s average annual income last year increased 1.5 times from 2012 to VNĐ29 million (US$1,300). The delta has also developed several new agricultural models but the restructuring has yet to achieve significant results due to several obstacles like the small scale of farming.   Speaking at a seminar held in Đồng Tháp on Tuesday (Sept 27), Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyễn Xuân Cường said the restructuring has not been synchronous or consistent across the delta. Several provinces like Đồng Tháp Province have restructured early and drastically, achieving good results, but others have been laggards, he said. People living in the delta, especially in rural and remote areas, still face many difficulties, he said. Huệ said agriculture restructuring in the delta is an urgent need since it has to adapt to climate change and freshwater shortages. Its coastal provinces should rezone salt-water, brackish-water and freshwater agricultural production areas, he said. MARD should oversee and assist the region’s efforts to choose key agriculture produce and build brands for them, he said. All the provinces should link their production with market demand and make greater use of science and technology to improve quality, he said. At the seminar, Đồng Tháp, Tiền Giang and Long An provinces in the Đồng Tháp Mười (Plain of Reeds) sub-region signed an agreement to establish links among themselves for sustainable agriculture development. Đồng Tháp Mười, the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta’s flood plain, spreads over more than 700,000ha. The linkage, the first one of its kind in the delta and focused on rice, seafood and fruits, also aims to turn Đồng Tháp Mười into the country’s major agricultural area. The three provinces will also co-operate in agricultural production and restructuring, the management of water resources and infrastructure development, especially for transportation and irrigation. The tie-up will help farmers switch from small-scale to large-scale farming, reducing costs and increasing profits. Huệ said similar linkages would be established in the delta’s other sub-regions and the whole delta in future. They would boost co-operation in agriculture production and consumption, improving the value of agriculture produce, he added. VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri/VNE