French and Vietnamese artists exhibit installation art

 VietNamNet Bridge – An exhibition of installation art by Vietnamese artist Tran Trong Vu and his French colleague Christine Jean will take place at French cultural center L’Espace in Hanoi from May 12 to June 5, L’Espace has announced.

BUSINESS IN BRIEF 12/5

Vietnam to ease FDI operations, Vietnam misses many opportunities from WTO membership, Material shortage cripples shrimp processing factories, Saigon Port lowers target for 2016, plans divestment

Da Nang to install hundred cameras along streets

 VietNamNet Bridge – The trial installation of security camera systems in the central city of Da Nang has helped the city to discover and prevent hundreds of crimes.

Maps showing island sovereignty displayed in US

VietNamNet Bridge – A collection of 40 ancient maps, indicating the Hoang Sa Islands belong to Viet Nam, and two atlases were displayed for the first time at a conference: Conflict in the South China Sea at Yale university in Connecticut, the US

Vietnam's trade deficit with Thailand close to $1 billion in Q1

In the first quarter of 2016, when Big C was not sold to Thailand yet, the trade deficit between Vietnam and Thailand was already nearly $1 billion. This was the highest trade deficit between Vietnam and an ASEAN member.

People’s Artist in record books at 80

 VietNamNet Bridge – Eighty-year-old singer Tran Hieu has been recognised by Viet Nam Guinness Records as the country’s oldest People’s Artist.

Spiritual landmarks located in national sea, island areas

As seen throughout history, wherever Vietnamese citizens live, such places are also home to temples, pagodas or communal houses, without exception of the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.

Road seems to deliberately threaten protected forest in Kon Tum

Thousands hectares of forest in the central highlands province of Kon Tum are facing extinction as the local authorities are determined to construct a road that seems of little benefit to travellers.

The Reverie Saigon featured in international travel magazine

The Saigon Suite at The Reverie Saigon was listed in the’12 Penthouse Perches to Swoon Over’ by Travel + Leisure. The suite was listed amongst 11 other hotel suites from around the globe.

Vietnam will create a free trade area with 55 partners

 A large free trade area will be open between Vietnam and its 55 partners, including all G7 members and 15 members of the G20 group from now until 2020, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Ly Hoang Nam to meet No 1 seed in quarters of tennis tourney

 Vietnam's Ly Hoang Nam went through to the quarter-finals of the India F3 Futures tennis tournament after his opponent withdrew yesterday in Jassowal City.

War veteran writer presents historic documents to museum

 The War Remnants’ Museum in Ho Chi Minh City received several valuable historic documents from writer Colonel Dang Vuong Hung during a ceremony on May 11.

Vietnam, UAE target $10 billion in trade before 2020

 Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed the target of 10 billion USD in two-way trade turnover before 2020.

Drought, Thai sales of rice inventory pose problems for exporters

VietNamNet Bridge - Though the rice export increased in the first quarter over last year in the same period, rice exporters have been warned about big difficulties ahead.

Vietnam, Cambodia boost cooperation in fighting crime

Minister of Public Security To Lam and Cambodian Deputy PM and Minister of the Interior Sar Kheng have agreed to intensify information and experience sharing between the two countries in the fight against criminals.

PM seeks UAE investment in infrastructure, renewable energy

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has encouraged UAE firms to invest in renewable energy, hotel, tourism, infrastructure, seaport, aviation, real estate and farm produce production in Vietnam.

PM hosts WB Vice President for East Asia and Pacific

 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted a reception in Hanoi on May 11 for Victoria Kwakwa, Regional Vice President for East Asia and Pacific of the World Bank (WB).

Lao Prime Minister to visit Vietnam in mid May

 Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and his spouse will pay an official friendly visit to Vietnam from May 15-17.

Vietnam calls for more ASEAN-Pacific Alliance exchange activities

 Vietnam has called on the ten-member ASEAN and the Pacific Alliance (PA) to increase their exchanges in order to effectively deal with challenges hindering their affiliation like geographical distance and cultural differences.

BPhone, a year later, called ‘dud bomb"

VietNamNet Bridge - BPhone was brought into life in an impressive way, but the smartphone which was hoped to be ‘Vietnamese technological pride’ did not have an impressive performance in the last year.

PM appoints new head of border negotiation delegation

 The Prime Minister has assigned Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung to participate in a steering committee and negotiation delegations related to border and territory.

Vietnamese Prime Minister to pay official visit to Russia

 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will pay an official visit to Russia and attend the Commemorative Summit in celebration of the 20th anniversary of ASEAN-Russia Dialogue Relations there from May 16-20.

VN Prime Minister greets ASEAN ambassadors

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on May 11 hosted a reception for ambassadors of ASEAN member countries.

Australian-listed casino operator keen to join Lao Cai airport development

Donaco International Limited has expressed interest in joining in the development of Lao Cai airport in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai.

Cyclo drivers in Hoi An earn a respectable living after forming union

 VietNamNet Bridge – Drivers of xich lo (cyclos or pedicabs), a favourite form of transport in the UNESCO-declared World Heritage site of Hoi An in central Viet Nam, are doing quite well these days.