Controversy crops up over cable system near Son Doong Cave

The Quang Binh Province People's Committee defended the controversial cable car project scheduled to be built near the world's largest cave, Son Doong.

At a press conference held on November 4, provincial authorities said they had conducted over 10 studies with the input of many local and foreign engineers and scientists.

When asked whether a cable system might take away from the natural beauty of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Nguyen Huu Hoai, provincial chairman, touted the scenery of the area and said tourism could be a valuable way to lift many households in the poor region out of poverty.

He went on to say that forest protection would be a main priority in the development process.

Dang Minh Tuong, director of Sun Group, the project investor, said the cable system would be located outside Son Doong Cave.

"It will not be inside the cave, as many have thought. The final terminal will be 300m away from the cave's mouth. We'll also consult with relevant agencies to be sure that the project will not violate UNESCO conventions on preservation of cultural and natural heritage sites," he said.

The authorities and investors confirmed that adventure tours would not be affected, as 80 UNESCO-recognised sites around the world have similar cable systems.

They emphasised that the cable will improve the provincial tourism industry and create jobs for thousands of people. Moreover, the cable system will also help forest rangers protect the site from illegal loggers and fire.

Quang Ninh police nab smugglers

The Mong Cai City Police in the northern province of Quang Ninh yesterday temporarily detained Dang Thi Mai Lan, 36, for smuggling cigarettes.

Lan was caught in the act on Monday in Ka Long Ward, while transporting 2,060 packets of cigarettes of the Zenlong brand that is manufactured abroad.

Lan admitted to the police that she had bought the cigarettes in China.

On Wednesday, the Mong Cai Police also caught Nguyen Ngoc Anh, 40, who was illegally keeping smuggled goods in a store in Tran Phu Ward. The goods included 400 electric bicycle batteries, 50 speakers and 120 electromagnetic cookers, as well as some electric tools, worth a total of VND252 million (US$12,000).

While the goods had all been manufactured abroad, Anh did not have any papers to show their country of origin.

Hanoi hosts Vietnam Malaysia Int’l Chemical Congress

Over 200 delegates from Malaysia, Japan, and other Asian countries have gathered in Hanoi for the Vietnam Malaysia International Chemical Congress (VMICC) taking place from November 7-9.

With the theme of “Chemical Research for Sustainable Socio-economic Development’, the VMICC is aimed at providing an avenue for academia, scientists, researchers, educators and other chemistry professionals to present their latest research findings.

This year’s event is focused on chemistry for socio-economic development and improving quality of life.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Pham Cong Tac highly appreciated the theme of the congress and said he believed it would help boost cooperation between Vietnam and Malaysia in the field of chemistry.

President of the Chemical Society of Vietnam (CSV) Le Quoc Khanh in turn said chemistry cooperation with Malaysia plays a vitally important role in achieving sustainable socio-economic development.

For his part, Ong Eng Long, President of the Malaysian Institute of Chemistry said the organization has always been committed to supporting Vietnam in the development of chemistry.

At least one person died and two others were injured yesterday after being crushed by a steel beam that dropped from a crane at the construction site of a railway bridge in Thanh Xuan District.

The accident occurred at Thanh Xuan Station on the Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway project on Nguyen Trai Street.

Representatives from the Ministry of Transport and Ha Noi authorities have visited the families of the dead man and the injured victims, who are being treated at a military hospital.

Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Ngoc Dong said the ministry had decided to suspend the construction of the whole railway project.

The ministry asked relevant agencies to review and take measures to ensure the safety of workers and local residents.

The ministry also instructed relevant agencies, including the project contractor, consultant and management board, to work with authorised agencies to find out the reason for the accident and identify those responsibile.

City authorities will provide initial financial support for family of the dead and injured victims.

The Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway project will cost VND8.8 trillion ($419 million) using loans from the Chinese Government. The entire project measures 13km and will have 12 stations and a depot. It stretches from Cat Linh Street to Yen Nghia bus station in Ha Dong District.

The case is under further investigation.

Ha Noi hosts international medical convention

More than 700 health experts from 22 countries are attending the 24th Congress of the Association of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons of Asia that opened in Ha Noi yesterday.

The experts and surgeons will exchange information about medical techniques and their experiences.

"The event is a forum where doctors, surgeons and anaesthesiologists present new research and knowledge, and trends and techniques in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cardiovascular and thoracic diseases," said Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien at the opening ceremony of the four-day meet.

Tien added that the congress is a good opportunity for Vietnamese doctors to get updated information and advanced techniques, and for foreign colleagues to get to know more about the competencies of Vietnamese cardiovascular and thoracic doctors, opening up opportunities for future co-operation and development.

More than 300 scientific reports will be presented on various aspects of cardiovascular-thoracic issues, including congenital heart defects, heart valve disease and coronary heart disease, besides organ transplants, multi-vascular disease and vascular injuries, as well as rare diseases.

Cardiovascular-thoracic diseases and cancers are the leading causes of adult deaths in developing countries, including Viet Nam.

There are about 30 cardiovascular centres in Viet Nam that perform 10,000 surgeries such as for artificial hearts and lungs, and tens of thousands of other closed cardiac, pulmonary and vascular surgeries.

Domestic helper sentenced for theft

A 38-year-old woman was sentenced to 16 years in prison by the Tay Ninh People's Court for stealing property and falsifying state documents.

Doan Thi Cuc, from the central province of Quang Ngai, worked as a domestic helper for a couple in the southern province of Tay Ninh.

On June 13, when the wife was away and the husband was working, Cuc stole VND940 million (US$44,700) and AU$100 (US$86) from the couple's wardrobe and purse.

Cuc also admitted to the police that she used the identity card of another woman to apply for the job.

Customs workers arrested for graft

HCM City Police seized three customs workers for allegedly receiving bribes.

Nguyen Tien Loc, 52, and Le Ha, 56, worked at the Sai Gon Port Customs Office. Nguyen Thanh Lam, 45, worked at the Tinh Bien Border Gate Customs Office in the southern province of An Giang.

Saigon Industrial Foodstuffs Joint-stock Company allegedly paid Loc, Ha and Lam VND714 million ($34,000) to help them falsely declare boxes of rice noodles as cigarettes, bringing the company profits of more than VND81 billion ($3.8 million) from value-added tax.

Man seized for beating six-year-old

Binh Tan District Police in HCM City arrested a 28-year-old man for beating a six-year-old boy.

Nguyen Tan Si, from the southern province of Ben Tre, told the police that on September 4, he asked Tran Minh Hieu, his roommate's stepson, to turn off the TV but Hieu refused.

Thinking that Hieu was disobedient, Si threw Hieu so that his head smashed against an iron water pipe. Si also used a wood stick to beat Hieu.

Si said that he had beaten Hieu many times, but this time was the most serious.

Doctors from Cho Ray Hospital said that Hieu's arm and leg were broken; he also had a concussion.

Police confiscate unsafe animal organs

The central city's Environment Police, in co-operation with the sub-department for Veterinarians, seized 200kg of pig and cow organs at a meat processing house yesterday.

The processing owner in Cam Le district could not produce the necessary documents to identify the source of the meat or any proof of its quality.

The police also found the owner did not have certificates of veterinary hygiene or of satisfying required safety conditions.

The police decided to temporarily halt slaughtering activities at the processing house.

British Cyclist David Lloyd will embark on the toughest and most extreme of cycling challenges, ‘Everesting’.

The ultimate test of climbing for mountaineers is summiting Everest, the highest mountain in the world. For cyclists it is cycling the height of Mount Everest, 8,848 metres in one continuous cycling effort.

“Everesting” is a first for Vietnam and the peak to be conquered is Ba Vi Mountain in the national park west of Hanoi. David will have to cycle up and down 9 times. Ba Vi doesn't offer many views, which adds to the toughness; it is a 12 km tunnel of trees on a punishing gradient.

This incredibly challenging ride is being undertaken on December 13 to raise funds for Newborns Vietnam’s work to improve the survival rates of newborn infants in Vietnam.

The information was released at a press conference on November 5 held by Suzanna Lurban, a representative of British charity Newborns Vietnam, UK Ambassador to Vietnam Giles Lever and British Cyclist David Lloyd.

Especially, UK Ambassador to Vietnam Giles Lever will cycle with David on one ascent. “This is an incredible challenge. I am joining it for two reasons. First to show my support for Newborns Vietnam’s brilliant work, which is making a real difference to the life chances of babies in Vietnam; and second, to highlight the incredible efforts of the British and international cycling community in Vietnam to raise funds for this work.”, Lever said.

David Lloyd has been in Hanoi for three years as a British photographer and writer. He took up road cycling in Hanoi and started climbing Ba Vi regularly. In 2014, David placed second on general classification in his age group at Thailand's five stages Tour of Friendship. In Vietnam, he won the Laguna Lang Co triathlon and the Vietnam Mountain Marathon (42km) in Sapa.

Workshop shares experience to develop household economy

Experience to develop the household economy in rural areas was shared at a workshop in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang on November 5.

Jointly held by the province and the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU), the event was part of the ongoing Soc Trang - Mekong Delta Economic Cooperation Forum (MDEC).

It aimed at introducing excellent production models, finding measures to help women escape from poverty and connecting businesses with production households.

The VWU’s report shows that in the Mekong Delta, the household economy model quickly adapts to the market mechanism, contributing to increasing the efficiency of using natural resources and addressing unemployment in rural areas.

The union has provided assistance for over 665,000 households, helping 20,000 of them escape from poverty.

On the same day, another workshop on the life and career of agriculturalist Luong Dinh Cua, who was a pioneer in experimental agricultural science and provided farmers with innovative techniques to improve their harvests, took place within the framework of the MDEC – Soc Trang.

Seminar on President HCM in Guangzhou

A seminar to review the time Nguyen Ai Quoc, the then President Ho Chi Minh, lived and worked in Guangzhou province, China was held in Hanoi on October 6.

During his revolutionary journey to seek ways to liberate the nation, his time in Guangzhou from 1924 to 1927 was of great significance as he prepared the political, ideological, and organizational conditions for the establishment of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV).

On November 11, 1924, Ho Chi Minh, then known as Nguyen Ai Quoc, travelled to Guangzhou under the direction of the Communist International at the onset of revolutionary anti-colonial movements in Vietnam and neighbouring countries.

During his stay, he ran training courses for young patriotic Vietnamese on how to liberate their homeland. These trainees were later sent back to Vietnam to establish revolutionary youth organisations. The most successful individuals were chosen to prepare the creation of a political party to lead the movement of local proletarians.

At the same time, Nguyen Ai Quoc was also in charge of monitoring farmers’ movements in China and Southeast Asia and helped the Communist International closely follow national liberation movements in oriental countries.

During the seminar, participants clarified Nguyen Ai Quoc’s political and organisational preparations for the establishment of the Communist Party of Vietnam in 1930, which led the country to independence in 1945.

They also stated he also used his time in Guangzhou to lay the foundation for solidarity between revolutionary movements in Vietnam and other nations.

Conference on power science and technology opens

Scientists from research institutes and universities have joined representatives from power enterprises at the national conference on power science and technology 2014, which opened in Da Nang on November 6.

The three-day event receives nearly 100 scientific papers on the power sector’s key issues, from planning and a competitive electricity market to technological options for nuclear power.

The specialists also gave their opinions on optimising the operation of terraced hydropower plants on Se San river, wind power’s impact on local electricity grids, solutions to integrate solar energy into the general grid, and using technology software to improve management and customer services.

Nguyen Manh Cuong from the Institute of Energy said commercial and industrial electricity consumption would increase by 10% and 9.6%, respectively, from 2011-2015, corresponding to an average annual GDP growth of around 5.8% instead of the 7.5% envisioned in the approved Power Master Plan VII. The projected increases are 11.6% and 11.7%, respectively, in the 2016-2020 period.

He added that the Institute of Energy is currently devising recommendations on revising the Master Plan in terms of energy sources and grid transmission, to be submitted to the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Prime Minister by the end of this year.

EU’s Horizon programme 2020 arrives in Vietnam

Horizon 2020, a programme offering opportunities to young scientists to study and work at major scientific and technological centres in Europe, marked its official arrival in Vietnam at a workshop in Ho Chi Minh city on November 5.

This is the largest EU research and innovation programme with over EUR50 billion (US$62.5 billion) of funding available over 7 years (2013 to 2020).

According to Simon Grimley, Regional Representative, EURAXESS links ASEAN, Horizon 2020 has an emphasis on excellent science, industrial leadership and societal challenges with a view to removing barriers to innovation and making it easier for the public and private sectors to work together in delivering innovation.

Fires cause great losses to eight provinces, cities: conference

Nearly 650 fires occurred in eight provinces and cities during the first 10 months of this year, killing 40 people and injuring 60 others.

Property losses from the blazes were estimated at nearly 133 billion VND (6.2 million USD), heard a conference on security of eight provinces and cities held in Can Tho on November 5.

The localities were Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Da Nang and Can Tho cities, northern Vinh Phuc, southern Dong Nai and Binh Duong provinces.

There were also 10 explosions - two lower than the same period last year- that killed seven people and injured six others, the conference reported.

Firefighters of the eight localities have intensified inspections on fire prevention at production establishments, residential areas, markets, trade centres, industrial and export processing parks, and trade villages.

Nearly 4,500 fire fighting teams were set up in all the eight localities.

The conference called on provinces and cities to strengthen educational activities to raise the public awareness on the world.

Between November, 2013 and August, 2014, more than 1,550 fires occurred nationwide killing 55 people and injuring 119 others.-

Vietnam, foreign donors cooperate to realise development goals

Vietnam’s ministries, sectors and their development partners need to promote cooperation and information sharing so as to swiftly achieve the country’s development targets set forth in 2013, said Victoria Kwakwa, Country Director of the World Bank in Vietnam.

At a conference reviewing the outcomes of the Vietnam Development Partnership Forum 2013 (VDPF 2013) in Hanoi on November 5, Kwakwa said the local authorities and development partners have exerted efforts in implementing the goals and gained remarkable achievements, especially in poverty reduction and water supply.

She emphasised the need for more collaboration among the sides and the engagement of people and social organisations in clarifying targets that should be achievements during the VDPF 2014.

According to Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, with the support of partners, the four groups of actions adopted at VDPF 2013 have been implemented effectively, reaping positive results. They included poverty reduction, the private sector’s participation in supplying public services, vocational training, and environmental management.

VDPF 2013 marked the first time Vietnamese agencies and their development partners had performed a new policy dialogue mechanism, discussed and built comprehensive action programmes, with a focus on addressing prioritised policy groups.

VDPF was firstly held in 2013, replacing the Consultative Group Meeting of Donors. It reflects the new position of Vietnam, from being a recipient of official development assistance (ODA) to become a development partner of other countries and international organisations.

VDPF 2014, which is scheduled to open in December, will focus on reforming economic institutions and strengthening self-reliance and competitiveness of the Vietnamese economy.

National conference on power science and technology opens

Scientists from research institutes and universities have joined representatives from power enterprises at the national conference on power science and technology 2014, which opened in Da Nang on November 6.

The three-day event receives nearly 100 scientific papers on the power sector’s key issues, from planning and a competitive electricity market to technological options for nuclear power.

The specialists also gave their opinions on optimising the operation of terraced hydropower plants on Se San river, wind power’s impact on local electricity grids, solutions to integrate solar energy into the general grid, and using technology software to improve management and customer services.

Nguyen Manh Cuong from the Institute of Energy said commercial and industrial electricity consumption would increase by 10 percent and 9.6 percent, respectively, from 2011-2015, corresponding to an average annual GDP growth of around 5.8 percent instead of the 7.5 percent envisioned in the approved Power Master Plan VII. The projected increases are 11.6 percent and 11.7 percent, respectively, in the 2016-2020 period.

He added that the Institute of Energy is currently devising recommendations on revising the Master Plan in terms of energy sources and grid transmission, to be submitted to the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Prime Minister by the end of this year.-

Post-2015 Support Programme to Respond to Climate Change discussed

A meeting on the Post-2015 Support Programme to Respond to Climate Change in Vietnam (SP-RCC), co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) Tran Hong Ha and Deputy Resident Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Suzuki Tadashi, was held in Hanoi on November 6.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister Ha said SP-RCC had shown a number of first successes, especially increasing the public’s awareness of climate change.

In order to boost the achieved results and overcome the existing challenges, MONRE pledged to coordinate with relevant agencies to establish a group of experts that brings together the donors and project stakeholders to work especially on finance mechanisms, Ha added.

As recommended by the Coordination Board, Post-2015 SP-RCC will be implemented in four phases, scheduled to start in November 2014.

The first phase includes ensuring suitable financing options and completing the detailed outlines for the programme. The second phase will focus on the policy framework and prioritising climate change, which will be followed by the completion of the Programme Document and its submission to the authorities. In the fourth phase, the document will officially be adopted.

The participants discussed what the programme should look like from 2015 onwards, what the roles of relevant ministries and donors should be, and what the policy framework in 2016 would entail. They also planned the working group’s next meeting.

Germany’s GIZ continues assistance in hospital management

The German development cooperation agency GIZ will continue helping Vietnam improve its hospital management with the use of advanced technologies, GIZ Programme Director Anna Frisch said.

The GIZ official attended a forum on the application of advanced technologies in hospital management, co-organised by the Ministry of Health and the GIZ, in the central city of Da Nang on November 6.

GIZ has assisted the first phase of the German-funded project on providing technical assistance to strengthen the provincial healthcare system in the provinces of Yen Bai, Thai Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, and Phu Yen.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Xuyen asked the provinces to accelerate the use of modern IT solutions to better their hospital management and healthcare services.

She lauded the coordination between the Vietnamese and German sides in implementing the project, adding that it will be expanded to other localities, especially in rural and ethnic minority-inhabited areas, in its second phase.

At the forum, participants pointed out that the application of advanced technologies in hospital management in Vietnam is falling behind many countries in the world. Some hospitals have just used technologies in managing office works, personnel, medicine and the admission of patients, not the whole treatment process.

They said Vietnam needs to perfect the legal framework for wider IT application in hospitals, multiply the advanced hospital management model, build a integrated medical information centre, and enhance cooperation with other countries in the field.

Can Tho, Japan’s Nagasaki to work together on waste water treatment

The Mekong Delta city of Can Tho and Japan’s Nagasaki prefecture have expressed an interest in expanding their cooperation on aquaculture techniques, agriculture and waste water treatment.

During a working session with Can Tho leaders in the city on November 6, Kurosaki Isamu, Director of the Green New Deal Office under Nagasaki ’s Industry and Labour Department, said his prefecture and Can Tho shared similarities in their industry-based economies.

During the industrialisation process in its agricultural sector, Nagasaki handled great pressure on its water resources. The prefecture hopes to share its effective technological solutions with Can Tho to minimise water pollution in the city, he said.

Nagasaki will also support Can Tho in increasing agricultural output and the quality of farm produce through the application of modern farming technology, he pledged.

Some of the technologies introduced to Can Tho by the Japanese team include water filters at aquaculture farms and using rice husks to improve soil.

According to Truong Quang Hoai Nam, Vice Chairman of Can Tho’s People’s Committee, despite its strengths in agriculture and aquaculture, the city faces limitations in the application of advanced technology in these areas, especially in treating waste water and reducing water pollution.

Can Tho hopes Japan will support the city and transfer the latest technology on improving water quality and increasing agricultural output, he said.

The city will keep its door open to Japanese firms keen to invest in these areas, he avowed.

Australian institutions seek Vietnam students

Representatives from over 50 of Australia’s top educational institutions will travel to Vietnam for a four-day national expo in Danang, Hanoi and HCMC from on November 6 to Sunday.

Around 4,000 students and their families are expected to visit the exhibitions to search for hands-on information about studying and living in Australia from the participating institutions. There will be sessions for alumni sharing their success stories and discussions on student visas and Australian Government scholarships.

There will also be a vocational skills showcase.

For the first time, the event is being staged in Danang where parents and students will meet 23 institutions from the group in a private event with agents.

Australia’s Ambassador to Vietnam, Hugh Borrowman, said in a statement that 15 Nobel Laureates from a country with a relatively small population as testament to Australia’s research strengths and innovation talents.

In a statement provided by the Australian consulate general, Australia has a diverse range of study options with over 24 000 accredited courses on offer to international students.

The free-entrance events will take place at the Novotel Hotel in Danang from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on November 6; at the Pullman Hanoi Hotel in Hanoi from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday and at the InterContinental Asiana Saigon Hotel in HCMC from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Visitors can register to attend the events at www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/vietnam.

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