Children's helpline receives 1.5m calls

A State-run helpline known as Marvellous Key that provides 24-hour advice on child-related issues has received more than 1.5 million of calls from children and adults over the past 10 years, 69 per cent of which came from children.

They included 3,000 calls from children who were abandoned, trafficked, abused or psychologically harmed.

The findings were released yesterday under a report compiled by the Ministry of Labour, Invalid and Social Affairs' Department of Child Care and Protection at a meeting held in Ha Noi to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the helpline.

Children from northern provinces, especially mountainous areas, made the highest number of calls to the helpline, said Vu Van Dung, director of the department's Centre for Consultancy and Communications Service.

Children from Mekong Delta provinces made the least number of calls to the helpline, and children aged 15-18 were the most frequent callers, he said.

Calls were mostly related to relationships between parents and children, physical and psychological health, and reproductive health, he said.

The helpline was set up in 2004 with support from Plan International Viet Nam, and the free service is available for parents and children on 1800 1567.

In a related move, the meeting was also held to celebrate the 20th anniversary of a television programme for children which has been broadcast on VTV2 since 1994.

The 15-20 minute programme outlines State and Party policies on childcare and protection.

Students learn wildlife conservation

Thirty five students from different universities in HCM City are taking part in a summer camp at the Hon Me Wildlife Rescue Station that ends today.

The highlights of the five-day camp are feeding wildlife, planting trees at the rescue centre, and cleaning animal enclosures.

The students learnt about wildlife and saw first-hand the centre's rescue activities.

They also learnt and practised forest hiking, observing wildlife at night, using camera traps, and taking photos of wild animals.

ATM card forger caught red-handed

The High-tech Crime Prevention Police Department (PC50) under the Ha Noi police station has arrested Feng Hai Qiang, a Chinese national who used fake ATM cards to steal money from banks.

Major Nguyen Minh Quang of PC50 said Feng was part of a criminal gang of foreigners who forged ATM cards to steal more than VND100 million (US$4,760) from different banks. He added that the ring started their activities around a month ago.

Feng was caught red-handed on Wednesday while using fake ATM cards to withdraw money in Thanh Xuan Trung Ward in Thanh Xuan District, Ha Noi. He was found carrying 14 fake ATM cards of different banks and high-tech machines used to produce fake cards.

The police are investigating the case further, hunting for Feng's accomplices who are in hiding, and identifying the victims.

Ha Tinh resident drowns in Quang Ninh

A man died from drowning yesterday at Van Chay seaside in Co To district in the northern province of Quang Ninh Province.

The victim, from the central province of Ha Tinh, was working for the Quang Ninh Electricity Transmit Company.

Locals said the sea area has signs warning about big waves.

The victim was given emergency aid but did not recover.

Most students pass final exams

More than 99 per cent of 900,000 examinees nationwide have passed the national high school graduation examinations, the Ministry of Education and Training has announced.

The two-and-a-half-day examinations, which mark the completion of the students' 12 years of education, started on June 2.

It focused on four subjects. Two are compulsory (maths and literature) and students can choose between physics, chemistry, history, geography and foreign languages for the other two.

Health form required for Middle East travellers at airports

The Ministry of Health (MoH) announced on June 20 that all passengers flying from the Middle East will be required to fill in the medical declaration form as of July 1.

This is part of the MoH’s practical activities to cope with the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), which has caused the increasing number of fatalities around the world.

The medical declaration form will apply to those arriving from the Middle East at the three international airports Tan Son Nhat, Noi Bai and Danang.

The MoH also asked the Centres for Health Quarantine in Hanoi, Danang and HCM City to distribute sufficient medical forms to these passengers and provide free medical forms to airlines flying from and to the Middle East.

Health quarantine staff will have to examine passengers’ medical declaration forms under new regulations. If passengers show any symptoms of fever, coughing, or breathing difficulty, health workers should request them to stay in the isolated areas and timely report to relevant agencies.

World Health Organisation statistics show by June 16, as many as 701 people from 22 Middle East nations had been diagnosed with MERS-CoV, including 249 deaths.

Forestry firms get int'l nod

Two Vietnamese companies are the first in the country to be awarded the full certificate on forest management and chain of custody from the Forest Stewardship Council International (FSC) yesterday.

They are Dakto Plantation Single Member Limited Liability Company (Daktoplanco) in the Central Highland province of Kon Tum and Truong Son Forest Management Enterprise in the central province of Quang Binh.

Since 2007, these two state-owned enterprises have been selected as pilot sites for demonstration of the sustainable natural forest management and auditing for FSC certification under the German-Viet Nam technical corporation programme for the promotion of sustainable forest management, processing, trading and marketing of important forest products, implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH under the commission of the Federal Ministry for Economic Corporation and Development (BMZ).

According to FSC, sustainable forest management means a balance among economic development, environmental protection and social benefit. FSC certificate is considered a tool to accredit sustainable forest management based on international standards. It is a marketing tool for the forestry, timber processing and trading industry to penetrate the international markets and sell their products at high prices.

The programme supports the National Forestry Development Strategy (2006-2020), which targets that 30 percent of the production forest area will be FSC certified by 2020.

It is a challenge for the production forests to attain FSC certification. The implementation of sustainable forest management and preparation for the audit of FSC certification for the natural forests is a long and complex process, which is finished when a set of stringent standards consisting of 10 principles are fully met. Each principle contains a number of criteria and monitoring indicators.

The implementation procedure comprises a series of steps, including forest inventory, forest function zoning, biodiversity assessment and environmental and social impact assessments. In addition, there is also policy and stakeholder consultation, which involves local communities, until the final implementation under the supervision and evaluation of a FSC commissioned company. Throughout that process, capacity building for stakeholders, experience exchange and technical consultation from international and domestic experts are integrated.

Deputy chief of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's Forest Management Department Cao Chi Cong said sustainable forest management was both the government's target and a request.

In Viet Nam until December 2012, natural forests covered an area of 10.4 million hectares.

Evaluating climate change effects on Vietnamese kids

A seminar was organised in Hanoi on June 20 to discuss the negative impact caused by climate change and natural disasters on Vietnamese children.

Participants at the event, which was jointly held by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), stressed that children are among those most vulnerable to climate change.

Many children suffer from accidental injury, even fatality, in the wet season. Those who live in flood-prone areas are often affected by infectious diseases, malnutrition, and severe shortage of clean water. They also find it hard to access education and healthcare services.

A study will be carried out in three provinces and cities over five months, from May to September 2014, to develop a strategy incorporating children-related policy into climate change adaptation programmes.

The research is expected to raise public awareness of climate change response and natural disaster mitigation, especially among children.

Delegates proposed social welfare policies for vulnerable groups in climate change affected areas to help minimise risks and reduce poverty.

Efforts made to stop babies catching HIV from mothers

As many as 321,265 expectant mothers across the country received HIV pre-test counselling by the end of the first quarter this year, according to the HIV/AIDS Control Department under the Health Ministry.

HIV positive results were recorded in 420 cases among over 247,000 tested pregnant women, while 370 HIV-infected mothers were given preventive treatment to stop HIV transmission to their babies, the department said.

According to the World Health Organisation, early ARV treatment for HIV-infected expectant mothers, in combination with feeding the new-born babies with non-breast milk, can eliminate transmission of the virus between mothers and children.

However, the department also revealed that many women still have poor access to HIV-transmission preventive services. They have yet to actively reach medical services due to a lack of information and knowledge in HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

Social discrimination is also a barrier hindering them from accessing the service, added the department.

The Ministry of Health has chosen June as the intensive action month for preventing HIV transmission from mothers to babies. It has looked to ease pregnant women’s access to medical services to protect themselves and their children.

During the month, counselling and HIV tests will be provided in local health care stations in communes and wards to detect infected cases early for timely treatment, while ARV medicine will be supplied fully and continuously, said the department.

Samsung grants scholarships to students

Samsung group will grant 60 scholarships worth roughly VND50 million each to students from the Institute of Posts and Telecommunications Technology.

The initiative is part of an cooperative agreement signed in Hanoi on June 20, between the Institute of Posts and Telecommunications Technology and Samsung Group.  

Accordingly, students must meet the Samsung’s selection requirements under the regulations of the Samsung Talent Program. In addition, students are expected to get involved in training courses on Java/Android and Korean language. Graduates will be given an internship with Samsung for 1 year.

Moreover, Samsung will finance the construction of a mobile applications research and development lab at the Institute of Posts and Telecommunications Technology. The group will also carry out cooperative programmes on mobile technologies with funding of US$20,000 for each approved project.

Poverty reduction efforts leave poor behind: Oxfam

A survey released yesterday showed that many among Viet Nam's poor do not benefit from the national poverty reduction Programme 30A, which has been implemented since 2008.

The survey by Oxfam Viet Nam randomly polled 1,440 households in three among Viet Nam's poorest districts of Si Ma Cai (northern Lao Cai Province), Tuong Duong (Nghe An Province) and Ba To (central Quang Ngai Province) during the period of 2012 and 2013.

According to the survey, only 17 households said they had received some kind of payment as incentive to protect forests and generate livelihood from forest.

Under the 30A programme, participating households can earn VND200,000 per hectare per year to protect forests, and poor households can receive 15kg rice as supplemental assistance.

In Si Ma Cai District, the survey found that most communes had only sent around three people to work abroad and in many communes in Ba To District, that number was zero. This means many people do not benefit from the scheme to send workers abroad for poverty reduction.

While most of the budget from Programme 30A focuses on infrastructure transport projects, many residents reportedly said there should be more funding on infrastructure projects that generate clean water and support healthcare development.

For example, in Si Ma Cai District, between 2009 and 2011 only 18.18 per cent of the total budget for infrastructure (VND8.9 billion) was spent on projects that generate clean water.

Paul Schuler, from the University of California at San Diego and head of the research group for the Oxfam survey said the 30A programme lacks independent evaluation on its effectiveness in each beneficiary district.

The survey recommends that the programme should have a better monitoring and evaluation process, focus on infrastructure needs of residents instead of just focusing on roads and transportation projects, implement training and agricultural extension courses by local language, among others.

The national 30A programme was implemented in 2008 for 64 poorest districts. From 2009 to 2011, the State budget allocated a total of VND8.5 trillion ($405 million) towards the poverty reduction programme implemented under Resolution 30a.

VN plans tuna production chain

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development plans to create a production chain involving fishing, processing, and consumption of tuna.

The trial project aims to improve tuna output, quality, and value addition as part of efforts to industrialise and modernise the industry.

It will be carried out from 2014 to 2017 in the country's three leading tuna fishing provinces - Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, and Khanh Hoa.

To cost an estimated VND760 billion (US$36.1 million), it will provide soft loans to fishermen to upgrade their fishing boats or buy steel ones.

Authorities will manage the fishing by issuing quotas and licences, and encourage fishermen to set up co-operatives and other models of co-operation.

They will provide fishermen modern fishing and preservation technologies, with the project hoping to cut post-catch losses to less than 10 per cent.

Besides improving tuna logistics services, the project will also build a specialised tuna port in Qui Nhon city that will have a refrigerated warehouse and auction market.

Last year the country's tuna exports to 112 markets were worth more than $526 million, ranking third out of the country's major fisheries exports after tra fish and shrimp.

But the industry faces challenges like the stricter quality and origin requirements, international organisations and consumers' demand for sustainable exploitation, and fierce global competition, according to the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers.

Tuna fishing in the country remains small-scale, Vu Dinh Dap, chairman of the Viet Nam Tuna Association, says. Fishermen focus mainly on output and not on post-catch preservation.

According to the Phu Yen Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, most tuna fishing boats in the province are small and have inadequate equipment for fishing and preservation.

Students need financial skills

Financial education and money-managing skills should be an essential skill for students at secondary schools and higher levels, said deputy director of Save the Children Viet Nam, Doan Anh Tuan.

Speaking at a workshop on financial education for youth yesterday, Tuan said that Viet Nam's education programme concentrated too much on providing academic knowledge rather than equipping students with soft skills, including those related to money.

In 2009, the organisation started a project called Smart Start in HCM City which taught high school students - and teachers - how to manage, spend and save money efficiently.

Since the school year 2013-14, about 75,000 tenth graders in 182 high schools in HCM City accessed financial education classes which were added to the official education programme.

Project official Nguyen Hoang Khanh Tien said students started spending money from the age of 13.

A survey of 300 high-school students last year in Hai Phong City showed that 86 per cent were given pocket money.

More than 63 per cent said they were given less than VND500, 000 per month, 19 per cent received from VND500,000 to VND1 million and three per cent got more than VND3 million (the average monthly income of Vietnamese is VND3.3 million). Nearly 68 per cent of students said they spent on school equipment, travelling and food, 5 per cent said they spent on clothes, cosmetics and entertainment, 21 per cent said they saved most of it and six per cent said they spent without planning and asked parents for more if cash was running out.

Nearly 80 per cent of the students said that they had never made an expenditure plan and 77 per cent said they faced difficulties getting money for emergencies, Tien said.

She said she was concerned that teenagers had killed relatives to steal money to play games or to hear that a ninth grader in HCM City killed herself after losing VND600,000 from her class fund.

Vu Chu Quynh Van, a tenth grader in northern Hai Phong City's Thai Phien High school, said that one of biggest benefits of financial education classes was learning how to make an expenditure plan. She said this helped her develop a more reasonable pattern for saving and spending money.

Pham Thuy Hanh, a tenth grader from the city's Le Quy Don, said that after attending financial classes, she understood more about personal needs and desires, and realised that spending must be first based on real needs, not to satisfy desire.

The Smart Start project is funded by Citi Bank's Citi Foundation. It is also being carried out in Ha Noi and Can Tho City for both primary and university students.

Children in lowland provided with free swimming training

World Vision and a development programme in Hải Lăng district, the central province of Quang Tri are providing free swimming courses for primary students, in a bid to prevent child drowning in the locality, especially during flooding season.

As many as 630 children aged 10-12 in Hai Lang district have been taught swimming skills since the beginning of the programme in 2012.

This is part of a project on children’s health care worth over 84,000 USD per year.

In 2014 alone, the programme prioritised teaching children in the seven lowland communes of Hai Quy, Hai Xuan, Hai Thien Hai Thanh, Hai Duong, Hai Hoa and Hai Truong.

Nguyen Hung Manh from Hai Lang district’s Sports Centre said there are many drowning cases every year in Hai Lang district d ue to its low terrain.

During half a month, he has provided the children with necessary swimming skills and instructed them of what to do when drowning.

There are two coaches and around 30 children in each class. The children will be taught how to breathe, move arms when swimming and first aid techniques.

Beneficiary communes have also been provided with life-jackets, diesel engines for boats, loudspeakers, medical tools and foods in case of emergency during flood seasons.

Thanks to the programme, many children in Hai Lang district have learnt how to swim. Local people have also gained awareness on the importance of preventing drowning and the necessary skills to promptly save their children when in need.-

Talk makes East Sea security situation clear

The current East Sea security situation was the main theme of a talk held by the Vietnam National Museum of History on June 20.

Speaking at the event, attended by many people from different walks of life, Major General Le Van Cuong, former head of the Strategy and Science Institute under the Ministry of Public Security, elaborated on issues related to China’s illegal placement of the Haiyang Shiyou-981 drilling rig deep inside Vietnam’s waters.

He also raised several hypotheses on the plans and moves of the Chinese Government from now to August 15, and provided participants with information about Vietnam’s policies of solving the current tensions as well as the international community’s backing for Vietnam.

The talk aimed to raise public awareness of the East Sea situation, contributing to increasing patriotism, solidarity and responsibility among Vietnamese people, particularly the youth, in the struggle to safeguard the country’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes.

At the beginning of May, China illegally dispatched the rig as well as a large fleet of armed vessels, military ships and aircraft to Vietnam’s waters and positioned the rig at 15 degrees 29 minutes 58 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 12 minutes 06 seconds east longitude, 80 miles deep inside Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

Despite Vietnam’s protest, China expanded its scale of operation and moved the rig to 15 degrees 33 minutes 36 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 34 minutes 11 seconds east longitude, 60 nautical miles deep inside Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

China’s armed vessels have aggressively and consistently fired high-power water cannons at and intentionally rammed against Vietnamese public-service and civil ships, causing damage to many boats and injuring people on board.

Researchers reinforce Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa, Truong Sa

An international conference themed “Hoang Sa-Truong Sa: Historical Truth” was held in the central city of Da Nang on June 20, drawing the participation of nearly 100 leading Vietnamese and foreign researchers from various countries, including the US, Russia, France, India, Japan and the Philippines.

Opening the event, Associate Professor Doctor Pham Dang Phuoc, rector of Pham Van Dong University – one of the organisers – said the conference takes place in the context of escalating tension in the East Sea after China illegally positioned a drilling rig in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

China ’s move seriously violates Vietnam ’s sovereign right and jurisdiction, aiming to realise its groundless and ambitious “nine-dash line” claim, he said.

The act is a new escalation by China in infringing international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS), changing the status quo in the East Sea and going against the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

Participants at the conference focused on analysing the nature of the dispute concerning Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes, with various speeches, including those highlighting the role of international law in promoting cooperation, the scheme that China used to occupy Vietnam’s Hoang Sa archipelago, and the past, present and future of the “nine-dash line”.

Professor Carlyle A. Thayer, a former lecturer of the Australian Defence Force Academy and a specialist in Vietnam and Southeast Asia studies, said looking back to the 17 th and 18 th centuries, it is clear that Vietnam has remarkable evidence proving its claim over Hoang Sa archipelago.

In the 17 th century, the Nguyen lords recruited sailors for 5-18 boats, forming the Hoang Sa Flotilla operating about five months at sea for each voyage to conduct catching activities, draw maps and survey and fish out goods from sunken ships there, he noted. Subsequent Nguyen Kings maintained the flotilla.

King Gia Long (1762-1820) officially possessed the archipelago in 1816. Gia Long’s successor, King Minh Mang, continued the activities of surveying and drawing maps in the area, built a temple there in 1835 and planted a stone stele carved with sovereignty claim of An Nam Kingdom, noted Professor Thayer.

The final declaration of the 1954 Geneva Conference temporarily separated Vietnam into northern and southern parts along the 17 th latitude. Hoang Sa was then put under the management of the southern government of the Republic of Vietnam. In 1956, the Republic of Vietnam protested the Chinese occupation of An Vinh islands and supplanted the French forces in Hoang Sa the same year, he said.

He also affirmed that the argument that the Democratic Republic of Vietnam recognised China’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa archipelago in 1958 is totally wrong.

In fact, the late Prime Minister Pham Van Dong’s diplomatic letter did not mention territorial and sovereignty issues relating to Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes. It only acknowledged and approved China’s expansion of its territorial sea to 12 nautical miles and at the same time instructed Vietnamese agencies to respect the 12-nautical-mile limit declared by China, said Thayer.

He also held that the current dispute in areas around Hoang Sa must be settled on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS.

Thayer also stated that China’s claims of “undisputable sovereignty” in the East Sea actually amounts to an invasion, and its use of battleships and aircraft in the area is a major obstruction to the management of common values in the East Sea.

Meanwhile, Patrick M. Cronin from the Centre for a New American Security (CNAS) asserted that China is becoming more authoritarian with its claims in the East Sea.

Pictures taken in March showed that China has been conducting construction in Gac Ma Island which belongs to Truong Sa archipelago, where Vietnam and China fought in March 1988.

At the beginning of May, China even positioned its drilling rig deep inside Vietnam ’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, he noted, adding that Chinese ships also rammed Vietnam ’s coast guard vessels.

These actions clearly showed China’s perverse attitude in the East Sea as part of its carefully calculated wider plot, stated Cronin.

The US supports international law and opposes any attempts to solve disputes through force, he said.

Professor Jerome A. Cohen, President of the US-Asia Law Institute of the New York Law University, said China’s efforts to prevent the engagement of international mechanisms is creating conditions for neighbouring countries to unite, strengthen their defence cooperation and seek greater support from world powers.

China’s moves have caused escalating and dangerous tension in the region, he said, concluding that Beijing should reconsider its hostility and instead listen to the judgment of fair arbitrating institutions.-

Conference highlights Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa, Truong Sa

The use of legal and historical evidence in line with international law to solve sovereignty disputes related to Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago is important to maintaining peace, stability and ensuring free navigation in the East Sea.

This was affirmed by many domestic and foreign researchers, attending the “Hoang Sa-Truong Sa: Historical Truth” international conference held in the central city of Da Nang on June 20.

All acts of deliberate use of force by any countries to cause insecurity and violate sovereignty and territory of other countries with an intention of monopolising the East Sea is unacceptable, they said.

Participants said that China’s act of using force to invade Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago in 1974 and illegally occupy several islands in Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago in 1988 violated international law and the United Nations Charter.

Many also criticised China’s unlawful “nine-dash line” claim in the East Sea, which was promulgated in 2009, saying that this is extremely vague and totally illegal, and runs counter to provisions of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS), causing instability and tensions in the sea.

They also called on concerned countries to determine their waters in line with the provision in the 1982 UNCLOS, and take it as a basis to settle disputes in the East Sea.

Participants focused on analysing historical and legal evidence on sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes, statements on Vietnam’s history on the archipelagos as well as Vietnam’s acts to safeguard the country’s sovereignty in accordance with international law.

Dr. Tran Duc Anh Son from the Da Nang Socio-economic Research and Development Institute publicised more than 100 bibliographies and over 140 old maps by western countries proving Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa archipelago.

Degrees of foreign education institutes must be certified by education authorities

The Ministry of Education and Training has issued a document on recognition of foreign education institutes’ qualifications in the country.

As per the Ministry’s document, foreign education institutes’ qualifications is recognized in Vietnam only if foreign education institutes are operational legally and its quality is tested by Vietnamese education organization or a foreign country.

Vietnam will also recognize diplomas issued by internationally accredited education institutes in the system Vietnam is one of members.

Certificates of degree of foreign education institutes that are certified by education authorities of its own country will be accepted to use in Vietnam.

Public Security Minister requires tight management over weapons, explosive materials

Minister of Public Security, General Tran Dai Quang requested that police forces and relevant agencies strengthen management over the use of weapons and explosive materials to ensure social order and security.

Minister Quang, who is also a Politburo member, made the request at a video conference held in Hanoi on June 19 to review the two-year implementation of an ordinance issued by the National Assembly Standing Committee on the management of weapons and explosive materials.

In the past two years, more than 4,000 cases involving illegal use of weapons and support tools were detected, with more than 2,600 subjects arrested. About 1,300 cases were prosecuted and 550 cases were brought to trial.

During the period, the police force also urged people to voluntarily hand over 27,600 guns of various types; 78,100 bullets; 5,300 kilos of explosive and other support tools.

Minister Quang praised achievements of the police force and relevant agencies in the past two years that contributed to ensuring social order and national security.

He asked the police force to continue launching a crackdown on crime and requesting people surrender weapons and explosive materials to the police.

He said that in the future, Vietnam should expand co-operation with foreign countries to learn from their experience and technology and enhance State management over this significant issue.

Russia ready for Vietnamese Cultural Days

The Vietnamese Culture Days in Russia will take place from June 24 to July 1 in three cities of Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Yaroslav, Vietnamese Ambassador in Russia Pham Xuan Son revealed at a press conference in Moscow on June 19.

The event is part of the regular cultural co-operation between Vietnam and Russia, which will offer a chance for people from both sides to gain a deeper understanding of each other’s cultural identity and artistic beauty, said the ambassador.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh will lead 80 prominent artists to the event, which will feature Vietnamese Ao dai (long dress), traditional and contemporary music, martial arts, paintings and films, he said.

A round-table conference on cultural partnership and trade promotion between the two countries will also be held within the framework of the event, the diplomat added.

At the press conference, Ambassador Son also briefed reporters on the current socio-economic situation in Vietnam, its external policy, the development of Vietnam-Russia relations, as well as the dispute between Vietnam and China in the East Sea .

He reiterated that China illegally positioned its drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 well inside Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

Vietnam has persistently pursued dialogue and serious contact with the Chinese side at all levels to settle the case, however, China has kept on sending more ships and aircraft to areas around the rig, he stated.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese law enforcement authorities have practised the utmost restraint, using no battleships but merely civil vessels, he underscored.

In contrast, China has deployed more than 100 ships at the site, including many warships, intentionally ramming and firing high-power water cannons at Vietnam’s ships, causing damage to many and injuring people on board.

In particular, a Chinese ship on May 26 sank a Vietnamese fishing boat, he noted.

Ambassador Son emphasised that China’s acts seriously violate Vietnam ’s sovereignty and jurisdiction, infringing international law, and particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

He affirmed that Vietnam has adequate historical and legal evidence proving its undisputable sovereignty over Hoang Sa archipelago which it has held for decades.

He showed them examples of such evidence, noting that many international organisations and foreign government leaders also expressed their support to Vietnam as well as their solidarity with the country in protesting against China’s wrongful moves.

The diplomat also took the occasion to thank Russia for supporting Vietnam in the world arena, especially its objective viewpoints on the East Sea dispute, which call on all parties to settle the issue through peaceful measures without using or threatening to use force in conformity with international law.

Vietnam hopes the international community, including Russia, will continue supporting Vietnam in its efforts to ease tension and maintain peace, stability and security in the region, he said.

At the beginning of May 2014, China illegally dispatched the rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 as well as a large fleet of armed vessels, military ships and aircraft to Vietnam’s waters and positioned the rig at 15 degrees 29 minutes 58 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 12 minutes 06 seconds east longitude, 80 miles deep into Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

Despite Vietnam’s protest, China expanded its scale of operation and moved the rig to 15 degrees 33 minutes 36 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 34 minutes 11 seconds east longitude, 60 nautical miles deep inside Vietnam’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.

VNN/VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/ND