Social News 3/11 Excavation of first tunnel of Metro Line No.1 complete   The excavation of a Metro Line No.1 tunnel connecting Ba Son and Opera House stations is complete The excavation of a 781-meter tunnel connecting Ba Son and Opera House stations of Metro Line No.1 was finished on October 31. The first tunnel stretches from the station at Ba Son shipyard to the station at the Opera House via Ton Duc Thang, Ngo Van Nam, Nguyen Sieu and Hai Ba Trung streets. This section had been excavated by a tunnel boring machine which is 70 meters long and weighs 300 tons since May 26. During the underground drilling, 3,900 reinforced concrete slabs were installed to prevent overlying landslides. The machine has been disassembled and transported back to Ba Son station to continue boring the second tunnel in parallel with the first one. Among four packages of the metro line project, package 1A to build a tunnel from Ben Thanh Market to the Opera House and Ben Thanh central station is 18% complete while over half of package 1B to build another tunnel between Ba Son and Opera House stations is done. In addition, the second package to build 17.1 kilometers of elevated track is 72% complete while the third package consisting of the purchase and installation of electrical systems, the rolling stock and rail is 22% complete. The metro line project is expected for completion and operation in 2020. However, the disbursement of capital from the central Government has been stuck, so HCMC has already made three cash advances to pay Japanese contractors to make sure the project can be done on schedule. The 20-kilometer metro line, which connects Ben Thanh Market in District 1 and Suoi Tien Park in District 9, will pass through districts 1, 2, 9, Binh Thanh and Thu Duc in HCMC, and Di An District of Binh Duong Province. The project, which includes 2.6 kilometers of tunnel, requires a total investment of US$2.49 billion, equivalent to over VND47 trillion. Art programme marks 100th anniversary of October Revolution An art programme entitled “October Epic” was held in Hanoi on November 1 evening to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Russian October Revolution (November 7), which is considered the greatest revolution in the 20th century. The event was attended by President Tran Dai Quang, a number of incumbent and former senior officials, and Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Konstantin Vnukov, as well as many Vietnamese alumni in Russia. A century ago, under the leadership of Vladimir I. Lenin and the Bolshevik Party, which was then developed to the Russian Communist Party, the working class in the Soviet Union, which is now the Russian Federation, made an uprising to overthrow the bourgeois and anti-revolution government, forming a socialist state - the first proletarian dictatorship state in the humankind’s history. The revolution significantly changed the global structure, opening a new era and lighting up the way of liberation of other nations in the world, including Vietnam. The Russia October Revolution also brought the Vietnam and Russia nations and people closer and formed their long-lasting friendship. Inspired by the revolution, the Vietnamese people gained great successes.  Addressing the opening ceremony, journalist Thuan Huu, member of the Party Central Committee and Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan (People’s) newspaper, highlighted the everlasting Russian October Revolution spirit, and the strong determination of the Party and people of Vietnam to head to socialism and build a country of prosperity and happiness. This is also a chance to celebrate the Vietnam-Russia friendship and look back on the revolution’s impacts to Vietnam, he said. The programme, jointly held by the Nhan Dan Newspaper and the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations, screened special reportages made by Nhan Dan and Vietnam Defence Television channels in Russia. Participants had a chance to exchange with Russian historical witnesses who told stories about the revolution and their memories about the Vietnam-Russia friendship, while enjoying special songs performed by both Vietnamese and Russian singers. Hanoi ready to connect Vietnamese, Finnish firms The capital city of Hanoi is willing to host networking events as well as investment and technology transfer promotion activities for Vietnamese and Finnish businesses. Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung made the statement at a meeting in the city on November 1 for Finnish Ambassador to Vietnam Kari Kahiluoto. Chung expressed his pleasure at the growing friendship and cooperative ties between the two countries and revealed that Hanoi is calling for domestic and foreign investments in waste treatment. Hanoi also aims to supply clean water for all rural areas from 2016 to 2020 and promote energy-saving programmes such as encouraging people to use renewable energy, upgrading the lighting system, and improving the air environment and lakes across the city, he added. Kahiluoto hoped Vietnam and Finland would cooperate in the fields of supplying clean water and producing renewable energy and electricity from waste. Chung said he will attend an event to grow 100 trees on November 25 as proposed by the Finnish Embassy on the occasion of Finland’s 100th Independence Day. Last branch of Go Vap overpass project opened to traffic The last branch, in the Pham Ngu Lao to Nguyen Oanh direction, of an overpass project in Go Vap District was opened to traffic on October 31, thus helping ease chronic traffic congestion there. The branch, 280 meters long and six meters wide, costs more than VND57 billion. In January, a branch of the overpass from Nguyen Oanh Street to Nguyen Kiem Street was opened to traffic after over four months of construction. The intersection of Quang Trung, Nguyen Oanh, Nguyen Kiem, Tran Thi Nghi, Pham Ngu Lao and Nguyen Van Nghi streets often sees severe traffic congestion. Therefore, the overpass is expected to reduce traffic jams there, making traffic easier between the north and the center of the city. Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam receives AFC President Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam hosted a reception in Hanoi on November 1 for Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, President of the Asia Football Confederation (AFC). Deputy PM Dam said that the AFC leader’s visit show the close relations of the confederation with member federations, including Vietnam, as well as its specific development strategies and policies. Over the past year, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has received support from the AFC in improving its profession, seeking measures to develop football activities, especially among the public and youngsters, and organising tournaments, he noted. He affirmed that the Vietnamese Government always creates optimal conditions for football activities. He added that the operation of the VFF is always independent in line with Vietnamese law and international practices. He also expressed hope that in the future, the AFC will continue assisting Vietnamese football development through financial aid, training courses for players, coaches and referees as well as help the country in improving management of both professional and community-based football activities. For his part, Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa held that Vietnamese football is on the way to integrate into international football, requiring stronger investment in all fields. The AFC will continue helping Vietnamese football to further develop through specific programmes, thus contributing to the growth of Asian football, he pledged. Novaland builds bridges in Dong Thap Real estate developer Novaland is working with the People’s Committee of Hong Ngu district in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap to build seven new bridges. The bridges, valued at a combined capital of 15 billion VND (657,000 USD), are expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2018. The flooding season in Hong Ngu district, which has an interlacing river and canal system, causes many difficulties for local residents, especially students going to and from school. The cooperation between Novaland and local authorities is part of a larger programme to replace poor-quality bridges and upgrade local transport infrastructure. In its 25 years of operation, Novaland has organised many programmes to support the community. Their programmes cover many fields, including health care, social welfare and education. In recent years, Novaland has poured hundreds of billions of VND to support poor areas, including building cultural centres and kindergartens in districts and houses for families who contributed to the country’s revolution. The group has also given scholarships to students living in difficulties. Novaland has developed many apartment building projects, mostly in HCM City. HCM City reviews 3-year enforcement of citizen reception law More than 135,000 complaints, denunciations and petitions from citizens have been filed to authorities at all levels in HCM City since the Reception of Citizen Law came into force in 2014.  The figure was revealed at a November 1 conference where the municipal People’s Committee reviewed the 3-year enforcement of the law. Thanks to the law enforcement, the role and responsibility of the city’s citizen reception committee and leaders of departments and all-level People’s Committees have been raised while the capacity of public servants has been improved. HCM City has completed its legal documents on citizen reception and settlement of complaints, denunciations and petitions.  The city has recorded an increase in the number of complaints, denunciations and petitions related to land compensation and resettlement, not to mention more complicated cases.  According to Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Thanh, deputy chief of the local police’s inspection force, about 23,000 people from HCM City and neighbouring provinces have gathered in group to lodge complaints and denunciations since 2014. Many people took advantage of these events to film and post on the Internet to disseminate false information. The local police has worked to prevent these acts and coordinated with relevant authorities to solve the cases and ensure social security. At the conference, Vice Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee Huynh Cach Mang asked the Government Inspectorate to propose appropriate amendments to the Reception of Citizen Law to make settlement of citizens’ complaints and denunciations more effective. Prime Minister assigns tasks to new Inspector General The people have pinned high hopes on inspection agencies, especially in the context that Vietnam is intensifying efforts to combat corruption and build an upright state apparatus, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.  The PM made the remarks at a working session with the Government Inspectorate in Hanoi on November 1, where newly-appointed Inspector General Le Minh Khai presented himself before key leaders of the agency.  Inspections should be focused on such areas as infrastructure construction, land and personnel-related affairs, he said, stressing the need to employ and manage officials publicly and transparently.  Each agency and official must seriously fight corruption and other bad deeds within the sector in order to build a healthy and united working environment, PM Phuc stressed.  While urging greater efforts to complete the settlement of pending cases during the remaining months of this year, PM Phuc said the sector should work as an advisor to the Party and the State, especially Party Committees and authorities at all levels, to trace the root causes of petitions.  The citizen reception and settlement of complaints and petitions must be conducted in a persuasive way, he said, highlighting transparency and objectivity in the inspection work.  It is a must to put forth mechanisms monitoring the operation of inspection teams, the PM said, adding that responsibility of organisations and individuals relating to adjustments of mechanisms and polices should be clarified.  Inspector General Khai said the inspection sector will step up institutional building, heighten disciplines and responsibility of public servants, and improve the efficiency of inspections, the settlement of complaints and petitions, and the fight against corruption.  Inspection activities should meet requirements of the reform process and serve as a tool to detect corruption and other bad deeds and protect interests of the State as well as legitimate rights and interests of the public, contributing to building a constructive and transparent government, he said. Vaccination appointment booking service launched in Đà Nẵng The Health Preventive Centre of central Đà Nẵng City on Wednesday launched a service which helps locals book vaccination appointments via websites and phone calls. People can access the centre’s website www.yteduphongdanang.vn or the city’s portal danang.gov.vn/web/guest/tra-cuu-du-lieu-xep-hang-tu-dong to book their appointments. Personal information such as the name of the person to be vaccinated, phone number, email, number of people to be vaccinated and vaccination requirements is required. The system will ask for verification and send instructions and electronic appointment booking confirmation via email. A text message will be also sent to confirm the booking. Appointments can be made from 7.30am to 10.30am and from 1.30pm to 4pm every five minutes. Locals can also call the city’s public service phone number 0236.1022 to book an appointment. Consultation tables will be set up at the centre to serve those who have scheduled vaccination appointments. Those who have made a booking must show the appointment confirmation sent via email or text message, or provide medical workers with their personal information used to sign in online. People must show up at the centre not later than 10 minutes after the booking time. If they reach late, they have stand in queue and wait their turn.  Four crew members of fishing boat rescued Four crew members of the fishing boat, BT 2102 TS, were rescued by the Việt Nam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (VNMSRC) on Wednesday after three days at sea. On Sunday, while fishing in the offshore area, more than 60 nautical miles from eastern Sóc Trăng Province, the helm of the fishing boat owned by Bến Tre Province-based Đào Văn Vui suddenly broke. Besides Vui, there were three other crew members on board. After two days of floating on the sea, because of the tropical depression and food shortage, the crew members’ health began to fail. On Tuesday night, the captain sent an urgent rescue request to the VNMSRC. Receiving the SOS signal, they commanded the rescue vessel, SAR 413, to search and rescue the BT 2102 TS fishing boat. The weather at the location of the accident was dangerous with violent sea and strong winds of level 7 to 9 (of 18). At 2h45 on Wednesday, the search and rescue force could approach the fishing boat, transfer food and water on board, provide medical care to crew members and tow the boat to Côn Đảo Islands safely. Russian experts: APEC 2017 elevates Vietnam’s position The APEC Economic Leaders Meeting, one of the most important politic-diplomatic events of Vietnam in recent years, affirms the country’s active international integration policy and promotes its prestige and position in the international arena, said a Russian expert. Associate Professor Oksana Novakova, from the Institute of Asian and African Studies under Lomonosov Moscow State University (MGU), made the comment at a roundtable held by the Russian Centre for ASEAN and Vietnamese Studies in Moscow on November 1. The APEC Year 2017 has also been considered as a catalyst for Vietnam to promote images of an active, hospitable and safe nation, she added. The “Doi moi” (reform) process, which officially begun in 1986, has turned Vietnam into a developing country with freer economic policies, Novakova said, adding that along with promoting economic cooperation, Vietnam has paid due attention to bolstering coordination with foreign countries to maintain regional security. The Russian expert also stressed that peace and development are major orientations in the country’s foreign policy. Meanwhile, Anna Aksenova, a lecturer of MGU, noticed that Vietnam is proving its proactive development with high average gross domestic product growth and Vietnam’s economic expansion has close connection with investment flows from foreign businesses. Notably, many key investors are APEC member economies which share a number of common benefits, she added. Regarding the Russia-Vietnam strategic partnership, Evgeny Kobelev, an expert from the Institute of Oriental Studies under the Russian Academy of Sciences, highlighted breakthroughs in economic and trade ties when Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) inked an agreement on the establishment of a free trade area. He expressed his hope that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s presence at the APEC 2017 Economic Leaders Meeting will give a new boost to the bilateral relationship. Talking with Vietnam News Agency correspondents, Vladimir Mazyrin, Director of the Centre for ASEAN and Vietnamese Studies, said that the roundtable aimed to introduce Vietnam and APEC, including the agenda of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week, Vietnam’s priorities in its capacity as the host country and cooperation fields between Vietnam and Russia for mutual benefits. This was the second time in 11 years that Vietnam is trusted to host the event, showing that that Vietnam and its economic achievements are appraised internationally, he said, underlining that joining APEC, the country has a chance to consolidate its influence and role in the Asia-Pacific. VNN