Nations should look beyond mere economic gains at questions of sovereignty and excessive dependence when considering participation in China’s Belt and Road (BRI) initiative, experts said yesterday.

 The Nghinh Ong Festival in Can Gio is held annually around the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month.

 Seven out of every ten informal workers did not know about employment policies and more than 40 percent of freelance workers had never heard about voluntary social insurance, according to a survey.

 A Vietnamese delegation led by Ambassador Vuong Thua Phong, head of the Vietnamese mission to the EU, took part in the 4th International Our Ocean 2017 Conference in Malta on October 5-6.

 Vietnamese Trade Counsellor in Russia Duong Hoang Minh highlighted positive outcomes in the one-year implementation of the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union.

 Industrial production index up 7.9 percent in 9 months

 Community-based tourism has brought many changes to the lives of residents in Da Bac district, one of the most disadvantaged localities in the northern mountainous province of Hoa Binh.

 Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Pham Quang Vinh emphasised the role of regional mechanisms in promoting trust building and cooperation in peace, stability and development in the region.

 The Hanoi Association of Photographic Artists opened an exhibition showcasing 150 photos featuring streets of Hanoi and locals’ lifestyle from many different angles at Trang Tien street on October 6.

 The Party Central Committee (PCC) elected two additional members to the PCC Secretariat on October 6, the third working day of the PCC’s sixth plenary meeting in Hanoi.

 The Political Bureau has issued a warning as a disciplinary measure against the Standing Board of the Da Nang city Party Committee (2015-2020 term) for its serious rule violations and mistakes. 

 Vietnamese, French and Belgian artists will perform in a joint dance performance called “Urban distortions” in Ho Chi Minh City on October 14.

 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has vowed that Vietnam always supports and creates all optimal conditions for foreign investors, including Samsung, to run business in Vietnam. 

More than 250 representatives from 20 member economies of APEC and observer organisations on October 5-6 examined venues for events during the upcoming APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in central Da Nang and Quang Nam. 

 The fifth Latin American Film Week will take place from October 9-14 at the National Cinema Centre in Hanoi. 

 Veteran Vietnamese bodybuilder Pham Van Mach won a gold medal at the ongoing World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

 Member of the Party Central Committee and Transport Minister Truong Quang Nghia will take the position of Secretary of the Da Nang municipal Party Committee for the 2015-2020 tenure. 

Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) on October 6 increased its forecast for Vietnam’s GDP growth rate for the whole year to 6.8 percent, higher than the Government’s set target of 6.7 percent.

 A film week to celebrate the APEC Vietnam 2017 (APEC Film Week) will be held in Hanoi from October 11-16 and in the central city of Da Nang from October 12-16.

 Salary increases this year at both multinationals and major local companies have in general been higher than inflation rates, a survey by Mercer has found.

A Vietnamese delegation attended the third meeting in 2017 of the ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee (ACCC) and related meetings in Manila, the Philippines from October 4-5. 

VietNamNet Bridge - One of the unique features of the Hang Kenh communal house in the northern port city of Hai Phong is nearly 400 dragons carved on wood plates, each with a different appearance.

 Foreign investment capital continues to flow into the Vietnamese real estate market as foreign investors are actively acquiring suspended projects.

 Many historical sites in the centre of Hanoi have been used as parking lots, particularly in the Old Quarter.

After it opened in 2014, there were many doubts about the future of Noir, the HCM City restaurant operated by sight-impaired staff. However, after three years, the restaurant has continued to inspire.