Vietnamese painter wins silver at A’Design Awards & Competitions

 Vietnamese painter Nguyen Thu Thuy has won the silver trophy of the International A’Design Awards & Competitions for her ceramic designs for Mirror House in Hanoi’s Thong Nhat Park.

Mitsubishi Vietnam to recall 918 vehicles

 Mitsubishi Vietnam said it will recall 918 vehicles over a faulty power relay that may overheat and cause the engine to stall while driving.

Hand-ground cha muc, a speciality of Ha Long

 VietNamNet Bridge – Visitors of Ha Long City can enjoy fresh seafood to appease their hungry stomachs, but they can also enjoy the local speciality of cha muc — fried ground squid cakes. 

Greater focus on cold chain logistics

 Cold chain logistics are being given more attention in Vietnam as new trade channels take off.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 18/4

Hai Phong port welcomes largest ever container ship, HCM City summit talks social enterprises, Vietnam firms advised to invest in Indian garment market, Pig farms disappearing

Narrow the gap between the rich and the poor

 VietNamNet Bridge – Nguyen Tri Hieu, a financial expert talks to Tien Phong (Vanguard) Newspaper on the importance for the country to create a level playing field to people from all social strata.

Vietnam must work on growth quality

 In the midst of the country’s rapid economic growth and its great demand for capital, Vietnam is in dire need of better policies to mobilise financial resources for further investment into the economy.

Social News 18/4

HCM City proposes road, railway to Cat Lai, More soft loans needed to support people with disabilities, Sketches on central - Central Highlands battlefield exhibited, Quang Tri joins national efforts to combat illegal fishing

The ‘grey’ areas of coastal Economic Zones

VietNamNet Bridge - It is expected that by 2020, coastal economic zones (EZs) will play a decisive role in developing the marine economy of Vietnam, making up 53-55 percent of GDP.

Vietnam to allow universities to set independent admission standards

VietNamNet Bridge - After many delays, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has decided that from 2018, it will not set floor marks, or minimum required standards, on students applying for universities. 

Could tungsten mines be the springboard for Vietnam’s auto industry?

Increasing the localization ratio and reducing production costs are vital issues for Vietnam’s automobile industry. As Vietnam is one of the worlds’s largest tungsten producers, it could be material that could help revive the auto industry. 

PPP expressway comes to a dead end

 After years of trying, Vietnam’s first pilot development of a public-private partnership transport project is at an impasse, making future ventures down this road uncertain for foreign investors until the issuance of a relevant law.

Coastal resort boom puts pressure on marine environment

VietNamNet Bridge - The massive development of resort projects in coastal areas has led to a breakdown in tourism planning, affecting marine resources and the environment, as well as the security of tourism destinations.

Xam singing makes a come back in Hai Phong

 VietNamNet Bridge – Xam (blind busker’s singing) is on the way to revitalisation in the northern port city of Hai Phong since more and more local people and tourists are coming to admire the traditional musical art.

Making use of the saline water all year round

 VietNamNet Bridge – Friend or foe? What was once deemed the enemy of the farmer, seems to have been given a reprieve as clever growers have thought up ways to welcome saline water.

Bringing waterway transport to its full potential

 One of transport sector’s current goals is to develop waterway transport to reduce pressure on road transport. Hoang Hong Giang, Director of Inland Waterway Department, talks about strategies for developing the sector.

Efforts underway to promote Vietnam's stock market

The Vietnam Economic Times interviewed Chairman of the State Securities Commission, Tran Van Dung just prior to the April 16-20 Investment Promotion Conference in South Korea.

Phu Quoc's major river polluted severely

 VietNamNet Bridge – Duong Dong, the largest river that supplies water for Phu Quoc Island in southern Kien Giang Province, is polluted with garbage and waste water.

Events in Hanoi & HCMC on April 16-22

 Events in Hanoi & HCMC on April 16-22 

Deputy PM orders strict fines for fake drugs

 Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has called for tough punishment for faking medicines and medicinal supplements which poses risks to human health.

AVC Women’s Beach Volleyball Championship slated for April 20

 The Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Women’s Beach Volleyball Championship will kick off in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on April 20.

Hung Kings Temple festival a panoply of cultural activities

 The annual Hung Kings Temple festival hosted by the northern midlands province of Phu Tho will be held from April 21-25 (6th to 10th day of the third lunar month) with an array of cultural festivities.

Myanmar State Counsellor’s Vietnam visit to tighten bilateral ties

 The upcoming visit to Vietnam from April 19-20 by Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi is expected to strengthen bilateral ties and tighten the Vietnam-Myanmar comprehensive cooperative partnership.

Thanh Hoa coastal forest swamped by rubbish

 Da Loc Commune protective coastal forest in Thanh Hoa Province has become a huge dumping site as large amounts of rubbish are being washed up on the beach. 

New house tax faces opposition

 A General Statistics Office of Vietnam economist Bui Trinh has opposed the Ministry of Finance's proposal to impose a tax on houses valued from VND700m (USD30,700).