Social News 31/10 Week in response to World Savings Day launched in Vietnam The launching ceremony of the week in response to World Savings Day 2016 took place on October 30 in Hanoi. The week, co-organised by the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee, the Vietnam Women’s Union and the State Bank of Vietnam, targets women, children and students, who play a significant role in promoting saving movements. President of the VFF Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan and representatives from national ministries and agencies as well as students and women chapters in the capital attended at the ceremony. Addressing at the ceremony, Nguyen Thien Nhan stressed corruption as the most wasteful, adding it is imperative to combat corruption and practice thrift. He requested departments and agencies, including the Vietnam Women’s Union, to continue taking initiatives and promoting thrift practice among people for a bright future of all Vietnamese. The event helped attendees gain better understanding of the role of saving and saving methods to poverty eradication and national economic development through discussions with guests from governmental organisations. It also consolidated public trust in the central bank’s financial system. At the event, the organising board handed savings books to 28 needy female students of the Women Institute and Banking Institute. The three ogranisors also held a workshop on saving – investment and consumption within the framework of the campaign and published 15,000 saving and financial management guidebooks to women in 63 provinces across the country. World Savings Day was established in 1924 in Italy to raise public awareness and foster saving activities in society, with financial savings as a driving force of socio-economic development. This year is the first time Vietnam has implemented activities to support this programme. OVs in France, Mongolia raise fund for homeland flood victims A total of 4,375 USD was raised by overseas Vietnamese (OVs) in France and Mongolia to support flood victims in central Vietnam. The fundraising was held by Vietnamese embassies in the two countries in response to a campaign launched by the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee. Of the total, OVs and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and diplomatic agencies in France contributed 1,900 EUR (2,087 USD). Speaking at a launching ceremony in Paris on October 28, Vietnamese Charge d’Affaires in France Dang Giang highlighted the significance of the activity, saying that it will help flood victims in the central region overcome consequences and stabilise their lives soon. The raising campaign in France will be continued in the coming time, representatives from the embassy said. Son La: $301 million to upgrade Highway 6   Work started on a project to upgrade a 110km section of National Highway 6 running through the northwestern mountainous province on October 29. As part of the World Bank–funded Vietnam Road Asset Management Project (VRAMP), the sub-project aims to upgrade the section connecting Moc Chau town with Son La City. The project has a total investment of 301 million USD, including 251 million USD from World Bank loans and 50 million USD from domestic capital. In addition to National Highway 6, VRAMP will also focus on upgrading and maintaining several key roads under the transport network in the northern key economic area, such as Highway 2, Highway 38, Highway 38B, Highway 39 and Highway 48. National Highway 6 is the main road connecting the Northwest Region and Hanoi. Once completed, Highway 6 will help shorten travel time between Hoa Binh and Son La, meeting the growing transport demand on the route and facilitating socioeconomic development and national defence and security for the Northwest Region in particular and the North in general. Vietnamese associations union in Europe convenes first congress Representatives from Vietnamese communities in 16 European countries gathered in Prague, the Czech Republic, on October 29 for the first Congress of the Union of Vietnamese Associations in Europe. Addressing the event, Vice President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Truong Thi Ngoc Anh conveyed congratulations of VFF President Nguyen Thien Nhan to the congress. She spoke highly of the initiative to form the Union and acknowledged efforts made by the union’s temporary executive board, which was elected in its meeting on May 10, 2015. Through the union, Vietnamese associations in Europe will be strongly developed in the future, she said, calling for support and direction of Vietnamese ambassadors in European countries for associations’ operations. Prime Minister Robert Fico of Slovak, which currently holds the rotating EU Presidency, sent a congratulatory letter to the Congress, which stressing integration efforts of Vietnamese communities in Slovakia as well as in Europe in general. The Congress approved the Union’s statutes and operation orientation from now to 2020, which focuses on strengthening solidarity, supporting overseas Vietnamese in Europe, and boosting friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and European countries. It elected a 29-meber executive board and Hoang Dinh Thang, Chairman of the Vietnamese Association in the Republic Czech, was elected as the Chairman of the Union. On the occasion, participants raised 10,800 USD to support flood victims in central Vietnam. Some 700,000 Vietnamese expats are living, studying and working in Europe, mostly in France with 300,000 people; Germany, 85,000; the Czech Republic, 65,000; Russia, 60,000; the UK, 50,000; and Poland, 35,000.- Bac Giang: Former experts, soldiers awarded Lao orders, medals Orders and medals of the State of Laos have been presented to nearly 600 Vietnamese people who used to be officials, experts and volunteer soldiers assisting Laos in its revolution. The 596 recipients, who are working and living in the northern province of Bac Giang, were honoured on October 29 for their support to Laos between 1945 and 1975. While 74 of them were presented with the first-class Issara (Freedom) Order, 218 others were awarded the Resistance Order (first class). The France Resistance Medal was granted to 11 people, and the US Resistance Medal went to 293 others. Vice Chairman of the Bac Giang provincial People’s Committee Lai Thanh Son said the distinctions illustrate the Lao Party and State’s recognition of the Vietnamese officials’ efforts and services in supporting the country’s revolution. Their contributions helped augment the special friendship, solidarity and all-round cooperation between the two countries, he added. Meanwhile, an envoy from the Lao Embassy in Vietnam said the presentation of the orders and medals show Laos’s appreciation for the Vietnamese Party, Government and people. The attainments of the former officials, experts and volunteer soldiers are important contributions to Vietnam-Laos relations. Book highlights Vietnam-China friendship A bilingual book titled “Evidence of China-Vietnam friendship” made its first debut at a ceremony in Hanoi on October 29. The book was compiled on the basis of books published by the Nguyen Van Troi Military Cultural School under the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army by researchers of China’s Guangxi Academy of Social Sciences. Major Bui Quang Vinh from the Nguyen Van Troi Military Cultural School said the school was founded in 1965 and ran for five years to educate children of officials who were fighting in battlefields, along with those of families rendering services to the nation. Due to the fierce war, the school was moved to Guilin in China’s Guangxi province. During their 20-month stay in Guilin, the school’s teachers and students received special spiritual and material support of locals. During 1965-1970, the school trained nearly 1,200 students of the fifth to tenth grade. To recall years when they were in Guilin, the school’s teachers and students published several books which were then compiled into the “Evidence of China-Vietnam friendship” book. Addressing the ceremony, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan, who once studied at the Nguyen Van Troi Military Cultural School, reminisced about his years in Guilin. He described the book as a valuable contribution to the friendship between Vietnam and China. Embassy in Japan holds fundraiser for flood victims at home The Vietnamese Embassy in Japan and authorities of Kanagawa prefecture launched a campaign to raise fund for flood victims in Vietnam’s central region on October 28. Addressing the ceremony, Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Cuong informed the participants about the recent storms in the central provinces as well as their havoc in property and lives of the locals. Calling for support to help flood victims in rebuilding efforts, the diplomat said the embassy has received suggestions for assistance from Japanese organisations and individuals. Kanagawa Governor Kuroiwa Yuji underlined the friendship between Japanese and Vietnamese people. Affected by many natural disasters like the earthquake and tsunami in 2011 and the latest earthquake in Kumamoto prefecture, Japanese people understand difficulties faced by the Vietnamese victims, he said. The Governor promised to call on Japanese people to raise fund for the Vietnamese during the “Vietnam Festival” programme in the prefecture from October 29-30. Earlier, Vietnamese embassies in other countries like Cambodia and Mexico also launched fundraisers for the flood victims. Up to 29 people were killed and went missing in the recent downpours and flood, and nearly 200,000 houses and infrastructure facilities were under water and damaged in Vietnam’s central region. Losses are estimated at trillions of VND. Programme enhances Hanoi-Seoul friendship Seoul artists are taking in a range of activities in Hanoi to mark the 20th anniversary of bilateral ties between the capital city and Seoul of the Republic of Korea (RoK). The “Seoul Days in Hanoi” programme, opened in the heart of Hanoi on the night of October 28, brings special cultural identities as well as the land and people of Seoul closer to Hanoians. Through art performances and a photo exhibition, it looks to increase mutual understanding and friendship between the two capital cities’ residents while strengthening the relationship between Vietnam and the RoK. Addressing the opening ceremony, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Le Hong Son highlighted the valuable support of the Korean Government and people to the development of Hanoi and Vietnam at large. Hanoi always attaches importance to further developing its friendship and cooperation with Seoul, looking to lift it to a new height, he stated. Later on October 28, a delegation of Seoul authorities led by First Vice Mayor Liu Gyoung Gee had a working session with representatives of the People’s Council and the People’s Committee of Hanoi. Liu said Hanoi and Seoul share many similarities and the two cities can learn from each other’s experience in sustainable development. The programme lasts until October 29. Vietnam and the RoK elevated their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership in 2009. The RoK is one of Vietnam’s leading partners in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI), official development assistance (ODA), trade, education-training, culture and social affairs. HCMC seeks essential programme funding HCM City is struggling to seek funds for projects in seven breakthrough programmes because of budget constraints, officials said at a meeting in HCM City. Reducing budget spending and mobilising investment from private resources were among the solutions discussed at the meeting on Wednesday. Trần Vĩnh Tuyến, vice chairman of the city’s People’s Committee, said the programmes were approved at the 10th meeting of the city’s Party Congress for the 2015-20 term. However, allocation of funds for each programme has yet to be specified, he said. The members of the People’s Committee and Party Committee will discuss the matter and make a final decision by the end of the year. Party Secretary Đinh La Thăng said the city would need about VNĐ1 quadrillion (US$45 billion) to carry out the projects. However, the figure might increase after discussion with departments and agencies, he said. As for the overall general budget, the city has proposed that it should be allowed to keep 21 per cent of its funds instead of 18 per cent, which was recently required by the central Government. The city currently is able to keep 23 per cent. Because it is a centrally governed city, HCM City must give a certain percentage of its revenue to the central government. The city is expected to collect VNĐ360 trillion ($16.2 billion) worth of revenue in 2017. Representatives from the city’s Department of Finance said departments and agencies, before calling for investment, must study the impact of the projects in the seven breakthrough programmes in the entire southern region, instead of only the city. Võ Văn Hoan, head of the Office of the People’s Committee, said the city must carefully study the list of projects in the breakthrough programmes calling for investment because ODA loans were less available than before. ODA loans are now usually short term and with high interest rates, he added. He said that HCM City should call for investment from all private resources, especially in the fields of health and education. Many projects that use city funds have been inefficient, while projects funded with private capital are more cost-effective, Hoan added. The city should carry out a pilot programme to call for private investment in one or two public schools and public hospitals to reduce budget expenditures, he added. Hoan also said that District 9 Hospital, for instance, was facing serious financial problems. The hospital managers want to demolish the hospital and build another facility. Hoan recommended that the city call for businesses to invest in the hospital, adding that any state-owned business with 49 per cent of capital must withdraw all the capital for equitisation. Trần Vĩnh Tuyến, vice chairman of the city’s People’s Committee, urged departments and agencies to report to the Department of Planning and Investment about the projects’ investment needs and how to mobilise funds. Hoan said the Department of Planning and Investment would report to the city about technologies used to develop the projects to ensure they are cutting edge for use in a “smart city”. The Department of Finance has been assigned to give advice on local and foreign investment to develop the projects. The People’s Committee and Party Committee are expected to issue resolutions for project implementation in the seven breakthrough programmes early next year. In addition, Trần Vĩnh Tuyến, vice chairman of the People’s Committee, also said that the city would stop investing in public cars and switch to car rentals for Government officials to reduce expenditures. Tuyến also noted that all public projects must apply new technologies to enhance project efficiency. “Application of outdated technologies to public projects in general is costly, which ends up being viewed as corruption,” Tuyến said.     Earlier, deputies of the 10th meeting of the city’s Party Congress approved the seven breakthrough programmes for human resource development, administrative reform, growth quality, competitiveness improvement, traffic congestion and flooding control, and cityscape rehabilitation. The programmes will benefit local residents and businesses because they deal with pressing issues like flooding, traffic congestion, seawater intrusion, air pollution and complex bureaucracy. Southeastern region’s wood exhibition opened in HCMC The Southeastern region's timber exhibition and economy, trade promotion fair was yesterday opened at Gia Dinh Park in Ho Chi Minh City. It is considered as a professional exhibition on timber and agricultural products, contributing to advertise and introduce the best products as well as seek business opportunities. The event attracted  400 pavilions showcasing timber, fine arts, interior decoration, the high- quality best agricultural- forestry- seafood products and the samples of traditional handmade and industrial trade villages of the nationwide provinces and cities. The fair will run until November 2. Maritime environmental incident in central region actively settled The Government along with the Prime Minister, ministries and localities have proactively got engaged in the settlement of Formosa-caused maritime environmental incident in the four central provinces, Minister – Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung was speaking at the press conference after the cabinet’s monthly meeting that opened in Hanoi on October 29. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development was entrusted to build a project defining and compensating damages for fishermen, while supporting them to buy boats and equipment for off-shore fishing activities, he said. The Ministry of Finance is responsible for partnering with the State Bank of Vietnam to propose efficient use and management of compensations pledged by the Taiwanese Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation as well as devise credit supporting policies to help fishermen recover or change jobs, and build insurance policies for locals in the affected region. The Ministry of Industry and Trade is requested to support the sale of seafood and ensure food safety and hygiene, in addition to protecting the brand names of Vietnamese seafood at international market. The Ministry of Health is tasked to build a project testing and verifying aquatic food safety and evaluating the impact of the incident on local health. The Government has sourced 3 trillion VND (135 million USD) in advanced from Formosa’s compensation to help locals stabilise their lives soon. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment announced that the sea water in the four central provinces has been safe for tourism and seafood breeding. Other ministries and localities are still inspecting responsibilities and violations of the involved units and individuals to handle according to law. Vietnam attracts Ukrainian tourists With beautiful beaches and historical relic sites, Vietnam has become attractive to international tourists, including those from Ukraine . The country is also home to numerous world-recognised attractions as well as rich culture and hospitable people, Vietnamese Ambassador to Ukraine Nguyen Minh Tri was speaking at a workshop in Kiev on October 28. More than 150 travel companies from the two countries got engaged in the event, which aims to increase the number of Ukrainian tourists to Vietnam and develop the bilateral tourism cooperation. Tri said the Vietnamese Embassy in Ukraine has closely partnered with tourism businesses to facilitate the traveling of Ukrainian people to Vietnam. A representative from the Victoria Tour, a prestigious travel company in Vietnam that reaps a lot of success in the Commonwealth of Independent States (SNG) and East Europe, introduced popular destinations in Vietnam as well as tours and services in the Southeast Asian country. Vietnam hopes to welcome 1 million Japanese tourists by 2019 Vietnam aims to attract 1 million tourists from Japan by 2019, officials said at a tourism cooperation forum held in Yokohama city on October 28. The forum and another on investment partnership between the two countries were organised by the Vietnamese Embassy and the administration of Kanagawa prefecture. At the events, officials from Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Planning and Investment provided participants, including representatives of travel and industrial businesses, with information about Vietnam’s investment climate in tourism, trade and industry. They also popularised Vietnam’s images to the local enterprises and people, noting a surge in the number of foreign tourists to Vietnam, from 3.5 million in 2005 to about 8 million in 2015, including nearly 671,400 Japanese. Meanwhile, officials of the Vietnamese provinces of Hung Yen, Quang Binh and Nghe An introduced their localities’ advantages and potential, along with incentives for Japanese firms to do investment. Representatives of Kanagawa also presented the model for developing this prefecture’s industrial parks in Vietnam, such as Thang Long 2 Industrial Park in Hung Yen. Governor Kuroiwa Yuji said Kanagawa will create the best possible conditions for its businesses to invest in Vietnam, especially in the prefecture’s industrial parks. These firms will be supported both before and after becoming operational in the Southeast Asian nation. Vietjet Air opens more domestic and foreign routes New-generation carrier Vietjet Air on October 30 launched two new air routes between Hanoi and Taipei city of Chinese Taiwan and between Hanoi and Hue city of the central province of Thua Thien-Hue. The launch ceremony was attended by Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Huynh Vinh Ai, officials of Hanoi and the central province of Thua Thien-Hue, and Chief Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural office in Vietnam Richard Shih Rui Chi, among others. The airline will conduct its flights everyday on the Hanoi-Taipei air route, with flight duration of about three hours. Meanwhile, the daily flight route between Hanoi and Hue city will begin on November 1, with each flight spending about one hour and ten minutes. The opening of the two new routes helped increase the total number of Vietjet’s routes connecting Hanoi with domestic and international destinations to nearly 20, contributing to the capital’s economic and tourism development. Vietjet Air now owns more than 40 A320 and A321 planes which make some 350 flights every day. Its flight network has covered almost all destinations in Vietnam and many others in Singapore, the Republic of Korea, China, Thailand, Myanmar and Malaysia. It has provided services for more than 30 million passengers so far. Hà Nội team take bows at Archers Championship Hà Nội triumphed at the National Outstanding Archers Championship in the southern province of Trà Vinh. The capital city’s team brought home 14 golds, 12 silvers and 13 bronzes. Vĩnh Long came in second with nine golds, 11 silvers and seven bronzes. The hosts Trà Vinh were third with four golds and three bronzes. The seven-day event included 114 archers from 17 provinces and cites such as Đà Nẵng, Hà Nội, Hải Phòng, Quảng Ninh, Sóc Trăng and An Giang. They competed in various categories of the one-string bow (recurve) and three-string bow (compound) for 36 sets of medals. According to Bùi Trường Giang, head of the archery section of the National Sports Administration, the event’s best athletes will be chosen to the national team to compete in coming international tournaments. What was a peacock doing on a HCM City rooftop? On Tuesday, residents on Trần Quốc Thảo Street in HCM City’s District 3 spotted a male peacock sitting behind a bush on the rooftop of an abandoned building. The group of young men tried to approach the bird, but to no avail. It flew to another building. (Yes, peacocks can fly.) “I wondered how it could feed itself and survive on the rooftop, because they can fly only short distances,” said one of the men. The head of HCM City’s Forest Ranger Division, Nguyễn Xuân Lưu, says the bird was a Vietnamese peacock protected under Government rules. Lưu says the bird probably escaped from a cage where it was being raised illegally by someone. If the district authorities find the bird, an appropriate fine will be imposed on the owner. Lưu said that residents inform the authorities and other agencies about illegal use of such protected animals, so they can be sent to the Wild Animal Rescue Centre in Củ Chi District for care before being released to their natural habitat.VNS Outstanding young civil servants honoured for significant contributions As many as 45 outstanding young officials and public servants were honoured at a ceremony held in Hanoi on October 29, in recognition of their significant achievements and innovation during their task implementation. Hosted by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee, the 2016 Outstanding Young Civil Servant Award winners were selected from 244 nominations submitted by 60 provincial youth unions and affiliated groups. Of the 45 winners, they included 33 officials, public servants and employees from State administrative agencies, two managers, six officers from the People's Police Force and four from the People's Army. Previously, after two editions of the awards in 2012 and 2015, there were 146 civil servants and employees honoured with the award. Praising the efforts and contributions made by young civil servants honoured at the event, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh affirmed that the Party, State and Government always pay special attention to the development and improvement of cadres, civil servants, and employees, determining it as one of the six key tasks of the overall programme on State administrative reform during 2011-2020. He asked the 45 individuals honoured to continue to be innovative, stay firm with the political stance and ethics, while actively improving capacity and following President Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style. He also urged relevant ministries, agencies, and governments at all levels to implement synchronous solutions to innovate training programmes and foster professional knowledge for their staff, in addition to clearly defining functions, duties, responsibilities and the authority of officials and public servants. The government official also suggested developing assessment criteria for civil staff based on the completion of their specific tasks, in line with strengthening discipline and promoting corruption prevention. * Earlier on the same day in Hanoi, a forum on the theme of Officials and public servants along with the development of a serving State was held with the participation of nearly 1,000 young civil servants and students. They shared their experiences in promoting their role and responsibility in advising and proposing innovative ideas to administrative reform and in the building of working style to facilitate effective public administration activities and construction of a serving State. First Unicorn, Lion and Dragon Dance Festival kicks off Thousands of locals and visitors flocked to the Nguyễn Huệ pedestrian street in HCM City to enjoy the first Unicorn, Lion and Dragon Dance Festival that kicked off on October 30. Twelve well-known troupes of the city paraded along the main streets in the downtown area and showcased their skills, with popular unicorn, lion and dragon dance performances. Visitors were also entertained with traditional games, martial arts and musical performances. The festival is expected to become an annual cultural event in the city. 2,289 students given scholarship by Learning Promotion Association Around 2,289 students were given scholarships with total amount of VND19.1 billion (US$855,680), said at a meeting held by the Learning Promotion Association in Ho Chi Minh City on October 30 to mark its 20th establishment anniversary. The association has promoted lifelong studying movement amongst people of all class and attracted nearly 782,000 members so far. It has also built learning centers in communes, districts with around 1 million learners. One of the association’s highlighted activities is that one poor student is supported by an individual or an organization during his/her studying process. Accordingly, the association has helped 2,289 students with the support from 540 individuals and organizations. Of 2,289 students, 1,365 students graduated from universities including 116 good students, two PhDs and 47 masters. The association also carried out the movement of saving money for studying, families fond of learning. On the occasion, 630 students from low-income families were given scholarships with total amount of VND1.8 billion (US$80,640). The Ho Chi Minh City Party Secretary Dinh La Thang and Deputy chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Huynh Cach Mang attended the meeting 24 candidates win 2016 HCM City Prudential essay contest ‘Prudential-Good Essay, Good Writing Contest’ 2016 came to an end and the organizers announced 28 winners on October 30 in the city-level contest. Nguyen Truyen Van Anh from Hoa Lu secondary school in District 9 won the first prize in the 6th and 7th grade category. Nguyen Khanh Ly from Nguyen Binh Khiem secondary school in Nha Be District won the the first prize in the 8th and 9th grade category. Students from secondary schools in 24 districts of Ho Chi Minh City participated in the district-level rounds of the 2016 “Prudential-Good Essay, Good Writing” contest in early Ocotber. 144 contestants were selected for the city-level competition that took place at Le Quy Don High School on October 29. The organization board also presented “Best Achievements Award” for the Department of Education and Training of Nha Be District, and “Best Movement Award” for the Department of Education and Training of District 3. Launched in 2000, The “Prudential-Good Essay, Good Writing” contest has attracted more and more students every year. The competition aims to encourage literature study, reading and writing good essay amongst students, help them to enhance their sensitivity and creativity of expression. The 2015 competition drew more than 150,000 students throughout the city. The writing contest has been organized in the Mekong Delta region since 2004. The contest is co-organized by the Prudential Life insurance company in Vietnam and Sai Gon Giai Phong newspaper with support from the education and training departments of HCM City, and the Mekong delta provinces and cities. Clip titled NA chairwoman visits hometown pure fabrication A video clip titled ‘57 vehicles follow one another taking National Assembly chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan for a visit to her hometown in Ben Tre province’ is pure fabrication. The clip spread on social networks including Youtube and Facebook on October 28 has been proven a made-up story as Ms. Ngan was running the second session of the 14th National Assembly at that time in Hanoi. Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper has learned about the clip and found that the convoy of vehicles was in fact taking leaders of the province, delegates from other provinces and cities, military officials and trainees to a defensive rehearsal in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang. They were on probation in Ben Tre province on October 27 and 28, when the media had been reporting the second session run by NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan. According to the work schedule on the NA website, Ms. Ngan attended the session on the two days. Chairman of the Ben Tre province People’s Committee Cao Van Trong who attended the session affirmed the presence of Ms. Ngan there. Activities mark 35th founding anniversary of Vietnam Buddhist Sangha The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) held a ceremony at Trung Hau Temple, Me Linh district, Hanoi to celebrate its 35th founding anniversary (1981-2016), attracting Buddhist monks, nuns, and followers from the northern provinces. At the ceremony, Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu, Vice Standing Chairman of the VBS's Executive Council delivered a message penned by Most Venerable Thich Pho Tue, Supreme Patriarch of the VBS to Buddhist followers from home and abroad. Addressing the event, Bui Thanh Ha, Executive Vice Chairman of the Vietnam's Government Committee for Religious Affairs stressed the important role of Buddhism to the country’s cultural and spiritual life in the past and at present. He called on Buddhist monks, nuns and followers nationwide to promote the 'Protecting the Nation – Comforting the People' motto of Buddhism while designing more practical programmes to popularise Buddha’s teachings. Ceremonies remembering the 35th founding of the VBS were also held in Long An, Quang Ngai and Quang Tri provinces. At these events, local outstanding individuals and collectives who have made significant contributions to Buddhist activities were presented with certificates of merit from the VBS and local authorities. PM offers incense to late Deputy Chairman of Council of Ministers Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc led a delegation of the government to offer incense to comrade Nguyen Van Chinh, late member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers (currently Deputy PM), Minister of Food, Chairman of the Vietnam Farmers’ Association and Secretary of the Long An provincial Party Committee, at his funeral in Ho Chi Minh City on the afternoon of October 30. On behalf of the government, PM Phuc extended his profound condolences to Chinh’s family members over his death. Writing in the book of condolences, the government leader noted that with 70 years as a Party member, comrade Chinh contributed his whole life to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation. Appointed to many leading positions of the country, both in the past resistance war and in the current national construction and protection, Chinh always fulfilled all tasks entrusted by the Party, State and people, PM Phuc said. He added that during the 1980s as the national economy was facing countless difficulties, Chinh, as Secretary of the Long An provincial Party Committee and then Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers, always maintained innovative thought, contributing to initiating the nation’s renovation cause. Later the same day, a delegation of the Government Office, headed by Minister Mai Tien Dung, offered incense to the late Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers. Deputy PM meets with fishermen affected by maritime environmental incident Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh on October 30 led a government mission to hold dialogue with fishermen and parishioners in Canh Duong and Quang Xuan communes of Quang Trach district, Quang Binh province, who were affected by the recent maritime environmental incident in the central region. Canh Duong has 2,130 households with 8,650 people, of which over 80% of them mainly earn their living by fishing. Currently, the commune has 744 vessels, including 243 offshore fishing boats. However, the recent maritime environmental pollution incident caused by Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Company has laid a negative direct impact on production and the life of 2,130 households in Canh Duong. Local authorities have announced compensation of damage by the incident for locals, according to guidance from higher levels, but there have been complaints made by people from Canh Duong who did not agree with some of the compensation rates. In particular, the level of compensation for damage to ships with a capacity of 90-250 CV is too low compared to those with a capacity of 50-90 CV, according to local fishermen, therefore they proposed the Government reconsider and amend compensation policy towards a more fair and equitable rate. Speaking at the meeting with Canh Duong locals, Deputy PM Binh acknowledged difficulties due to the incident for the life of Canh Duong fishermen in particular and for the four central provinces affected by the incident in general. He affirmed that shortly after the incident, the Party and the Government has directed relevant ministries and agencies to actively clarify the causes and perpetrators of the incident, forcing Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh to pay for their wrongdoings and provide compensation to remedy the damage. At the same time, the Government and the Prime Minister have instructed concerned ministries, branches and localities to urgently take measures to support fishermen to gradually stabilise their lives, including promulgating compensation rates for damage caused by the incident in the four central provinces. On behalf of the Government, the Deputy PM appreciated recommendations and suggestions from Canh Duong fishermen, while suggesting relevant authorities supplement compensation levels to ensure fairness and that all individuals affected are taken care of. The same day, Deputy PM Binh and the government delegation also visited and met with parishioners in Xuan Hoa parish, Quang Xuan Commune. He urged parish priests and dignitaries to continue to encourage parishioners, especially those in areas stricken by the incident, and cooperate with local authorities in the implementation of compensation for damages due to the incident. He also affirmed that the Party and State always create favourable conditions for religious activities and development, including the improvement of policies focused on religious activities. He announced that this year the National Assembly will consider and pass through the Law on Belief and Religion towards further ensuring the right to freedom of religion and belief for the people and in accordance with legitimate religious needs of religious dignitaries and followers, including the Catholic community. Former deputy head of NA dies Former Vice Chairman of the 11st National Assembly Trương Quang Được passed away at the age of 76 on Thursday after a long illness. The Communist Party of Việt Nam’s Central Committee (CPVCC), the National Assembly, the President, the Government, the Việt Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee and the CPV CC’s Military Commission made the announcement about his death on Saturday. Được who was born on February 10, 1940 in Cẩm Kim Commune in Quảng Nam Province’s ancient Hội An City, spent almost 60 years of his life in revolutionary activity and made outstanding contributions to the national revolution liberation. He held positions in the 7th, 8th and 9th Central Party Committee; was a member of the 9th Politburo, deputy of the 8th, 10th, 11th NA, and Chairman of the People’s Committees of northern Hải Phòng and central Đà Nẵng Cities. He retired in 2008 and was awarded  the Hồ Chí Minh Order, Labour Order-first class, and many other medals and orders. To recognise his contribution to the country’s building and development, the Party, NA, the President, the Government, the Việt Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee have decided to hold a State funeral for the former NA Vice Chairman. A State funeral will also be held for the former Vice Chairman of the Council of Minisers, Nguyễn Văn Chính, who died on Saturday  at the age of 93 in HCM City. Chính who was born in Bình Chánh District, HCM City, was a member of the Communist Party of Việt Nam for more than 70 years. He was awarded many top honors including the Hồ Chí Minh Order. He was credited for contributions to policies that helped improve the agricultural sector and farmers’ life. Vietnam Buddhist Sangha celebrates foundation Various activities were organised nationwide to celebrate the 35th founding anniversary of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) (November 7, 1981-2016). On October 30, the VBS Central Committee of Dharma Popularisation hosted a ceremony marking the anniversary in Trung Hau pagoda in Me Linh district, Hanoi, attracting Buddhist monks, nuns and followers from northern localities. Addressing the event, Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu, Vice Standing Chairman of the VBS’s Executive Council delivered a message from the Patriarch of the VBS to Buddhists across the country and abroad. In his speech, Deputy Head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs Bui Thanh Ha highlighted the vital role played by Buddhism in the cultural and spiritual lives of the nation . He called for greater contributions from Buddhist monks, nuns and followers in spreading the Buddha’s teachings. Previously, the VBS Executive Committee ’s chapters in the Mekong Delta province of Long An and the central provinces of Quang Ngai and Quang Tri also held celebrations. Organisations and individuals in Quang Ngai and Quang Tri were presented with certificates of merit for their contributions to Buddhism in their locality. VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri/VNE