VietNamNet Bridge - The scientists who discovered the presence of African Swine Fever (ASF) in Vietnam work at the Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology at the Vietnam Academy of Agriculture.

Seafood businesses advised to boost official exports to China, HCM City enhances ties with French development agency, Van Don EZ to develop into dynamic economic hub, Chân Mây-Lăng Cô EZ lures $3.26b in investment

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam is one of the biggest rice exporters in the world, but it remains highly dependent on the Chinese market.

 Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien talked about priority tasks in 2019 to better manage the pharmaceutical market and to increase the quality of examinations and treatment.

 The central coastal city of Danang is striving to attract more tourists from Europe, especially overseas Vietnamese in Eastern European countries.

 The shortage of space to hold large-scale international fairs and exhibitions is putting Vietnam under pressure, especially as the number of foreign enterprises entering the country to expand their reach and market their products is on the rise.

 Taiwan will resume the issuance of Kuan Hung visas, or e-visas, to Vietnamese tour groups from March 20, after suspending them for over two months. Kuan Hung visa applicants will be subject to more stringent regulations.

 The HCMC government does not have a plan to completely ban motorcycles from entering the downtown area but will develop public transport and gradually limit motorbike traffic in inner-city areas.

 South Korea saw Vietnamese visitor arrivals in the first two months of the year surging 70% year-on-year at 69,000, partially backed by its relaxed visa policy, according to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) in Vietnam.

 Investigators from the Ministry of Public Security have proposed the Government Inspectorate instruct its units to provide documents related to the comprehensive inspection of projects at No. 8-12 Le Duan Boulevard.

 Mozart’s opera Die Zauberflote (‘the magic flute’) is one of HBSO’s most popular productions, and it is being revived for a single performance on March 31 at the Saigon Opera House.

 Hanoi Innovative Business Incubator of Information Technology and Vihago JSC on March 5 launched a transport service website and a mobile app, called Vihago, to help connect passengers with transport operators.

 HCMC has allowed the conversion of officetels for some projects in the city, allowing them to be used for other purposes, besides residences, to remove obstacles for enterprises, Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper reported.

 The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has told commercial banks to provide continued support for the rice sector in the Mekong Delta by offering loans to rice farmers and trading firms to beef up their rice production and consumption.

 After a year with many ups and downs in business, the shareholders' meeting season returned, with many prominent entrepreneurs revealing to retire early.

 The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has approved the environmental impact assessment report of a project to upgrade and expand the Dung Quat Oil Refinery, which is operated by the Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical Company (BSR). 

 The Government has issued a programme on practising thrift and fighting wastefulness in 2019, with one of the measures requiring cutting 10 percent of regular budget spending. 

 Deputy PM Truong Hoa Binh has asked the Government Inspectorate to look into complaints by local people about a new urban area north of the Cam River in Hai Phong City.

 HCM City authorities have instructed to tighten control over municipal official’s overseas travel using the state budget.

 Thanh Hoa Province authorities are planning to relocate 359 households who live in areas that are vulnerable to flash floods and landslides.

 An illegal tourism site has been built on forested land by the son of an environment official in Quang Nam Province.

 Thirty-seven train drivers for the Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro route in Hanoi have been sent to China for training courses as the line is scheduled to begin services in April 2019.

 Riyo Mori, Miss Universe 2007, will be a special guest in attendance at the “Son 3” concert, set to take place at the National Convention Centre in Hanoi on March 30-31.

 Da Nang city and Thua Thien – Hue and Quang Nam provinces will coordinate with the Vietnam General Department of Tourism to promote tourism at the 2019 International Tourism Exchange in Berlin (ITB), Germany, from March 6-10.

 The Olympic Run Day for Public Health 2019 will take place on March 24 morning, the Vietnam Sports Administration announced on March 6.