Int’l press hails Vietnam’s rescue of trapped workers

Major news agencies around the world such as AP and Reuters on December 19 run articles on Vietnam’s successful rescue of 12 trapped workers in a collapsed hydropower plant tunnel.

According to the US news agency AP, the rescued 12 workers need medical attention but are in stable condition. Rescuers drilled a hole to deliver air and food to the workers while engineering troops and miners dug a tunnel to reach them.

Meanwhile, Reuters of the UK praised Vietnamese rescue forces’ efforts in a race against time to save the trapped workers.

Bad weather and the complicated geology of the site had hampered the rescue effort since the accident, with fears the workers might not survive after battles to supply them with oxygen and drain water rising around them, it wrote.

“Television footage showed rescue teams and workers emerging from the collapsed tunnel and being greeted by applause, smiles and cries of relief after a nearly 82-hour mission that gripped the country.”

It quoted Secretary of the Lam Dong provincial Party Committee Nguyen Xuan Tien as saying that “there's no better joy than seeing the 12 victims rescued safely. They made magic."

Other news agencies like China’s Xinhua, Independent of the UK, and Thailand ’s Asia Network Bangkok Post also covered Vietnam ’s rescue operation.

The collapsed site is about 500 metres from the opening of the 700-m-long tunnel running though the mountain to bring water to the plant.

Thirty-two workers were in the tunnel when the collapse occurred and 20 of them were able to escape.

Six fishermen rescued from sinking ship

Two fishing boats from Quang Tri Province rescued six fishermen from Da Nang off the coast of Thua Thien – Hue Province yesterday, as well as towed their sinking ship.

The Da Nang's Coastal Information Radio Station said yesterday that the fishing boat, DNA 90388TS, was half submerged in the waters off Thua Thien Hue Province on Saturday.

As soon as receiving an SOS reporting the sinking ship, the fishing trawler QT 90099 TS rescued the six fishermen, before another boat, QT 90255 TS, towed the sinking ship to port.

Education Ministry prohibits smoking, alcohol drinking in schools

Education Minister on Thursday issued a directive to ban smoking and drinking in educational facilities.

The directive said that tobacco-use is prohibited in premises of university, institute, and education management facilities as well as preschools, senior and junior high schools, IT and language teaching centers.

The minister also asked colleges to add anti-tobacco content to annual plans and consider compliance with the directive as a standard for bonus and emulation titles.

The Ministry of Education and Training will enhance inspection of sales and marketing of tobacco products in schools. Selling and marketing of tobacco near schools have also been banned since 2010.

It will also liaise with local administrations to step efforts to prevent sales and marketing of beer and wine outside of  educational facilities. Inspectors will coordinate with local medical clinics to provide consultation on how to detoxify from nicotine for smokers.

The directive also do not allow goverment workers in all schools to drink alcohol beverage during working hours and lunch.

Educators want closer link with business to find work for graduates

Universities want closer vocational links with business in Vietnam to speed up the transfer of tertiary graduates into viable jobs, a conference on the application of career orientation to higher education has heard.

Vietnamese graduates looking for jobs at a job centre in Hanoi.

One of the biggest challenges for Vietnamese universities is to become more market oriented and to teach skills for specific jobs, the conference, held on December 18, heard.

Bui Anh Tuan, head of Department of Higher Education, said the Strengthening Profession Oriented Higher Education (POHE) project has been applied at eight universities since 2010. The project has so far attracted the interest of more than 500 businesses.

As a consequence, the curriculum at several universities has changed to be more practical. At Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, the number of physics classes was cut to make way for more classes on professional knowledge and practical skills.

Leaders of Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry decided to let first year students take internships at enterprises, an option previously allowed only for fourth year students.

"Universities should collaborate closely with enterprises and make them participate in the education process," said Bui Anh Tuan.

However, some educators said business appeared to be indifferent to shaping graduates suitable to their needs, the conference heard, and to redress that, the government should offer tax incentives for businesses collaborating with educators.

The vice chairwoman of Thai Nguyen University of Education said Vietnam does not have policies about collaboration between education facilities and departments of education and training.

Dinh Van Dung, deputy head of the POHE project suggested setting up a common fund that could be used by businesses to support the interns, or to send employees to give lectures at universities.

In March, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs said there were 72,000 bachelors and masters degree holders unable to find work. Educationalists believe the actual number is much higher, and many graduates end up working in areas outside their actual training.

The conference heard that students often create their own future employment problems, studying in areas that have limited job growth potential. Many students want to study in the fields of finance and banking even though many businesses in that sector are shedding workers.

A poor work ethic was also highlighted at the conference, many companies having to re-train graduates in time management and project focus before they could become useful employees.

HCM City shows gratitude to Heroic Mothers

An group of 237 women in HCM City, whose husbands and children laid down their lives for the nation's liberation, have been honoured as "Heroic Mothers".

Among them, only 16 are alive and able to receive the title, at a ceremony held yesterday.

At the event, Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee Le Thanh Hai stressed that the city was always grateful for the outstanding dedication and sacrifices to the nation made by the mothers.

Hai also pledged that local authorities would do their utmost to improve the living conditions for those designated as Heroic Mothers, and their families.

HCM City is home to 3,633 Heroic Mothers.

Public help vital in tackling corruption

A workshop was held last Friday in Ha Noi to discuss ways to complete the legal framework to enhance the community's monitoring of poverty reduction and hunger eradication projects.

Participants recommended relevant bodies to seek ways to raise the community's awareness about the benefits of the projects, as well as the significance of their role in monitoring the implementation process. The workshop was conducted as part of the efforts to eradicate corruption.

The recommendations were made based on the survey results on the issue, which was conducted by the Government Inspectorate and the Irish Embassy in Viet Nam in four localities representing the northern mountains, central and Mekong Delta regions. There were 864 questionnaires distributed for the survey.

The survey results revealed that 80.1 per cent of the interviewees would report corrupt activities they discover to relevant bodies, while the remainder chose to keep silent. This indicates that many wrongdoings are not reported and dealt with properly.

In addition, 74.7 per cent of those surveyed said that the community's supervision helped detect wrongdoings in the implementation of poverty reduction and hunger eradication projects. The most common misconduct identified by survey participants was the implementation of ineffective and wasteful projects.

The survey also indicated that 28.9 per cent of the complaints and petitions were accurate, while 71.1 per cent were partially correct. This reflected the proper performance of the community supervision bodies in collecting public opinions and reporting these to authorised agencies for investigation.

Also, the Viet Nam Fatherland Front chapter at the communal level was cited as the community supervision body by 69.7 per cent of the survey respondents, while 61.3 per cent said supervision was handled by the communal inspection body set up under the national programme for poverty reduction composed of 135 people-elected representatives.

EVN awarded Ho Chi Minh Order

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung awarded the Ho Chi Minh Order yesterday to the Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) company.

This is the second time the EVN was awarded the Ho Chi Minh Order, which acknowledged the sector's contributions to the nation's construction and development.

In his remarks, EVN General Director Pham Le Thanh said the sector now boasted facilities with a total capacity of 34,000MW, generating 160 billion kWh of electricity per year, ranking third in Southeast Asia and 31st globally in terms of power supplies and its network.

In 2014, the total output of commercial electricity in the service of the nation's development reached 127 billion kWh, while its annual growth for the 2000-14 period averaged 13.2 per cent.

Also, the national grid has been extended to Co To island district in the northern province of Quang Ninh, Phu Quoc and Kien Hai in the southern province of Kien Giang and Ly Son in the central province of Quang Ngai, often via submarine cable systems.

Looking back at the past 60 years, the EVN was honoured with the Ho Chi Minh Order in 1996 and the Gold Star Order in 2004, with 11 units and 6 individuals winning the title of labour hero in the renewal period. Speaking to the EVN staff, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai asked staff members to continue increasing infrastructure and corporate governance practices by adopting technological advances.

He also expressed his wish that EVN would complete its plan to bring electricity to all rural areas by 2020, thus assisting the government campaign for new rural development to succeed. So far, all districts, over 99 per cent of communes, and 98 per cent of rural households have access to electricity, outperforming their peers throughout the countries of the region.

Int'l spine conference opens in Nha Trang

As many as 100 international and domestic specialists came together at the sixth International Spine Meeting held in the central province of Khanh Hoa's Nha Trang city on Saturday.

Thirty papers delivered at the conference provided a chance for experts to share experiences, as well as exchange new methods and techniques in spinal treatments and surgeries. Advanced techniques in surgery to cure spinal diseases were also explained at the meeting by experts from the Republic of Korea (RoK), Japan and Germany.

To coincide with the conference, HCM City's Orthopaedic Association (HOA) performed over ten spinal surgeries at Khanh Hoa General Hospital, with plans to teach modern techniques to provincial doctors.

Khanh Hoa General Hospital is among four hospitals with spinal surgery departments in the country. Since 2009, it has treated over 1,100 orthopaedic cases, with a high success rate, thanks to updated techniques frequently taught by domestic and foreign experts.

IT students with disabilities offered employment opportunities

A seminar was held in central Danang city on December 20 as part of the Information Technology Training Project (ITTP) to seek the enterprises’ support for people with disabilities to help them start business or find jobs.

According to representatives of the enterprises at the seminar, ITTP graduates with disabilities were very promising for the jobs at information technology (IT) businesses as they were good at abstract and color thinking, and well trained with professional skills, including team work and presentation skills, which allow them to keep up with the works. They are also considered as hard workers who barely switch job.

Besides, the enterprises gave straight comments on several weaknesses of disabled people at workplaces, such as lack of confidence, being unfriendly with co-workers and limited movement capability, which hamper them from achieving desired work results.

They suggested the project’s management board to issue training standards for people with disabilities that meet the business requirements, notably in two existing courses – website programming and graphic design.

A career fair was also organised to connect enterprises and people with disabilities with 100 candidates recruited.

Started from November 2012, the ITTP for people with disabilities aims to provide those people with IT training courses and help them search for employment opportunities.

Thanks to the project, over 130 disabled people have been trained to date, of who 70 were graduated and 35% were offered jobs.

The organiser will continue its collaboration with other organisations to identify manpower demand and proper training curriculums as well as encourage disabled students to apply for courses at Dong A University in order to full tap their potentials.

The seminar was jointly organised by Dong A University, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS), an US-based non-governmental organisation.

Military ex-commanders, officials meet in HCM City

Over 500 retired military commanders and officials met at a gathering in Ho Chi Minh City on December 21, on the occasion of the 70 th founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army and the 25th anniversary of All People’s Defence Festive Day (December 22).

Addressing the gathering, Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Le Thanh Hai praised generations of the Vietnam People’s Army soldiers for their meritorious services for national liberation and development.

Reviewing achievements made by the city and its people over the past 30 years, Hai said every great success recorded by the city results from its close-knit attachment with the Vietnam People’s Army and people all over the nation.

Participants recalled the process of building and developing the armed forces.

On the occasion, the city leaders also posthumously awarded the title of hero of the people’s armed forces to four individuals in recognition of their dedication to the anti-US resistance war.

Vietnam attends Youth Model ASEAN Conference 2014

As many as 200 students from ASEAN countries are attending the Youth Model ASEAN Conference 2014 (YMAC) taking place at Singapore’s Polytechnic from December 19 to 22.

The conference, themed “Voices Today, Echoes Tomorrow”, focuses on promoting international relations and enhancing cooperation in the area through ASEAN youth community.

The Vietnamese delegation participating in this year’s event consists of 12 outstanding students from University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Hanoi and Duy Tan University in Danang.

They have actively participated in the discussion as diplomats to resolve difficult issues relating to economy, environment, security, and social culture of ASEAN in general and each country in particular.

In addition to this, the Vietnamese delegation organised a number programmes to introduce the country’s traditional culture.

At the event, experts introduced the participating students to opportunities and challenges with the forrmation of the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015.

President Truong Tan Sang on December 20 sent flowers and gifts to forces that made outstanding efforts in rescuing 12 workers trapped in a collapsed hydropower plant tunnel in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong.

The honoured include the sappers of Brigade 293 under the Sappers Arm, Brigade 25 of the Military Zone 7 and specialists from the Mine Rescue Centre under the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin).

Part of the tunnel of Da Dang-Da Chomo hydroelectric power plant in Lac Duong district, the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong collapsed on the morning of December 16 after heavy rain in the area, making 12 workers, including one woman, trapped in the tunnel.

The collapsed site is about 500 metres from the opening of the 700-m-long tunnel running though the mountain to bring water to the VND475 trillion (US$22.6 billion) plant, which is designed to have a capacity of 22 MW.

After a nearly 82-hour mission involving over 500 rescuers, all the workers were safely brought out of the collapsed tunnel at 4:30 pm on December 19. At present, they are in stable condition.

Thai foundation grants scholarships to medical students

The Pfizer Thailand Foundation has granted scholarships to three outstanding students at the Hanoi Medical University.

Each selected student receive VND 21 million (US$1,000) per year in support of tuition fees, textbooks, food allowances, and dormitory until they graduate.

Awardees include Dang Tuan Dung and Nguyen Thanh Son, 5th year students and Hoang Minh Tien, 6th year of student.

The Pfizer Thailand Foundation’s scholarship programme was launched in Thailand in 2003 and expanded to Vietnam in 2006.

Bradley Silcox – Chief Representative of Pfizer (Thailand) Limited in Vietnam said “We grant the scholarships to talented but economically disadvantaged students to support them and help contribute to fulfilling their dreams of becoming doctors, and also to encourage them to contribute back to the community”.

So far, students have been awarded the scholarships under this program with a total amount of US$ 56,000.

Lao press highlights Vietnam army’s founding anniversary

The Lao press have run a series of stories on the Vietnam People’s Army ( VPA) and its help to Laos’ struggle for national independence on the occasion of the VPA’s founding anniversary (December 22, 1944 - 2014).

Major newspapers, such as Pasaxon, Khaosan Pathet Lao and Lao Phatthana, in their articles, gave an overview of the VPA’s 70-year development history. They noted that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh, the force, with only 34 people initially, grew rapidly and won glorious victories during the country’s struggle for national liberation and sovereignty.

At the same time, the newspapers highlighted the VPA’s international missions in Laos, with Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts sharing everything they had with the Pathet Lao army and people in the fight against their common enemy. The Lao people always bear in mind the valuable and strong support of Vietnam towards the Lao revolution, they said.

Laos will do its utmost to cement the long-term traditional friendship between the two nations’ governments, armies and people, this was the message shared by Laos’ media.

Exhibition on Gac Ma memorial designs opens in HCM City

The three best designs for a memorial dedicated to naval officers and soldiers who perished in a battle to defend national sovereignty over Gac Ma island in the country’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago are being exhibited in Ho Chi Minh City from December 21 to 31.

The designs, namely “Journey for hope” by the Architecture Research Centre of HCM City’s Department Architecture Planning, “Tears of eternity” by Lam Quang Noi, and “Those who laid down on the horizon” by Ly Thi Lieu, have demonstrated the brave sacrifice and unyielding spirit of the Gac Ma heroes.

Twenty five designs participated in the contest launched by the Vietnam Confederation of Labour in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union.

A memorial park for the 64 heroes will be built in Cam Ranh peninsula, Nha Trang city in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa.-

More than 200 students from the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) member countries are gathering for the Youth Model ASEAN Conference (YMAC) 2014 in Singapore Polytechnic.

The December 19 – 22 conference, themed “Voices Today, Echoes Tomorrow”, aims at fostering international relations and regional cooperation via the engagement of ASEAN youth.

It connects the young people and equips them with informative knowledge on ASEAN’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats and challenges, particularly on the establishment of an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2015.

Acting the role as diplomats, prominent delegates are involving in a learning journey at the conference through researches and debates on current regional and global issues faced by the region. The issues revolve around the themes of Environment, Economics, Society, Security, and Arts & Culture.

This is the first time all ten ASEAN members having their representatives at an YMAC, said Ong Keng Yong, Executive Deputy Chairman of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University , and Director of the School’s Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies.

He also urged the youths to spread the awareness of ASEAN and its aims to their communities.

Secretary-General of YMAC 2014 Shane Soh Shi Nan, stressed that the conference is expected to boost young people’s attention on their national and regional issues.

Vietnam ’s delegation to the event includes 12 outstanding students from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Hanoi and Duy Tan University in central Da Nang city.

The students have enthusiastically joined discussions, learned from their new regional friends as well as taking this chance to promote the culture of their hometown via numerous traditional games.

Deputy PM extends Christmas greetings to Catholics, Protestants

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc visited and extended Christmas greetings to the Evangelical Church of Vietnam (North) and the Hanoi Archdiocese on December 20, wishing the dignitaries and followers a merry Christmas season.

Meeting leaders of the Church, the Deputy PM briefed them on the country’s socio-economic achievements in 2014, with contributions made by Protestants nationwide.

He congratulated the Church on its development over the past years, lauding efforts by its leaders to guide followers in practicing their religion in line with law.

He said he hopes the Church will continue promoting its attainments and closely coordinating with the Government to build and develop the national great unity bloc for a country with prosperity, democracy, equality and civilisation.

Pastor Nguyen Huu Mac, head of the Church, thanked the Party and State for supporting the Church’s development and creating favourable conditions for Protestants to practice their religion.

Particularly, the approval of the establishment of the Alliance Evangelical Divinity School in Hanoi reflected the attention of the Party and State to the religion, thus encouraging followers, he said.

At a meeting with Archbishop Nguyen Van Nhon, head of the Hanoi Archdiocese, Deputy PM Phuc spoke highly of contributions of the Catholic community, especially Archbishop Nhon and dignitaries of the Vietnam Catholic Church, to the development of the country.

The relations between Vietnam and the Vatican have remarkably improved thanks to contributions of Catholic dignitaries and followers in the country, said the official.

He highlighted that the 2013 Constitution clearly reflects the Vietnamese Party and State’s view of respecting and ensuring people’s freedom to religion and belief, meeting legitimate rights and interests of followers of all religions.

The same day, Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Vu Trong Kim also paid a pre-Christmas visit to the Evangelical Church of Vietnam (North).

OV businesses in Germany called to invest more in homeland

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Cam Tu has urged Vietnamese enterprises in Germany to increase investment in their homeland.

Attending the Vietnam Business Association in Germany’s mid-term conference in Berlin on December 21, Tu said that Vietnam ’s upcoming joining of a series of free trade agreements and its improved legal framework and customs procedures will create a fabourable conditions for Vietnamese businesses in Germany.

Hailing the important role that the association plays in fostering the unity among Vietnamese firms in the European country, he suggested the association soon issue a business handbook providing information for investors who are keen on the domestic market.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador to Germany Nguyen Thi Hoang Anh lauded the operation of the association as well as its contributions to the growth of the Vietnamese community, including businesses, in the country.

According to Pham Ngoc Ky, Chairman of the association, between 2013-14, the association organised a number of activities to promote business connection between the two countries, including a Vietnam-Germany business forum with the participation of more than 60 enterprises, a Vietnamese culture festival in Potsdam , and a conference on the Vietnamese community’s integration in Germany.

At the conference, the association also introduced a business handbook with specific information on tax and business procedures for overseas Vietnamese enterprises and households in Germany.

On the occasion, Tu presented the Minister of Industry and Trade’s certificates of merit to Ambassador Nguyen Thi Hoang Anh and Trade Counsellor Nguyen Thien Binh in recognition of their efforts in the organisation of the 14 th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business in Vietnam.

Nine outstanding Vietnamese entrepreneurs in Germany were also honoured by the ministry.

Ambassador Anh also awarded her certificates of merits to 13 outstanding businesspeople who have actively engaged in community activities in Germany.-

Ha Giang, Lao Cai start construction of new bridges

The Ministry of Transport officially commenced the construction work on three new bridges located at northern Ha Giang and Lao Cai provinces after a ceremony held on December 21.

Nguyen Hong Truong, Deputy Minister of Transport, said the bridge project has a total investment of 220 billion VND (10.3 million USD), including an official development assistance (ODA) loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2015, he added.

Accordingly, Coc Pai and Suoi Do bridges, which are 340 meters and 128.5 meters in length, respectively, lie in Xin Man district, Ha Giang province, while 180.25-meter-long Son Hai bridge will be located in Bao Thang district, Lao Cai province.

Tran Duc Quy, Vice Chairman of the Ha Giang People’s Committee said the new bridges will bring new hope for these local districts to alleviate poverty.

Over 100 live snakes purportedly set free on highway

Over 100 snakes of different kinds crawled along a national highway in southern Dong Nai Province, throwing locals into panic on Saturday afternoon.

Around 4.40pm, locals who travelled and live in a neighborhood in the province’s Thong Nhat District along the National Highway No. 1 were petrified at the ghastly sight of over 100 snakes crawling across the highway.

Witnesses said they earlier saw three men, who resembled Buddhist monks with shaved heads in yellow outfits, getting down from a seven-seat car with three green sacks.

The men unpacked the sacks as if they were pouring out the contents.

Shortly after they left, locals saw the snakes creeping across the highway and sneaking into rubber tree farms nearby.

Local police soon joined passengers and rubber workers in beating the snakes dead and collected around 10 kilograms of dead snakes.

According to those who joined in the snake search, the number of collected snakes is small compared to those remaining on the loose, as the area is densely vegetated.

The incident drew huge crowds of curious passengers and locals, although many are concerned they may get bitten.

However, some snake traders said the snakes are non-venomous.

Several locals say the snake-freeing act, if confirmed, may be related to a Buddhist practice of releasing an animal from captivity for humanitarian purposes.

Vietnamese people, particularly Buddhists, traditionally set free birds and fish on major Buddhist occasions to pray for blessings.

However, many dismiss that possibility as few, if none, set free snakes for that purpose, and demand the snake release be investigated closely.

The district police are further looking into the strange incident.

'Biogas from leftovers' wins 'Youth with initiatives for sustainable environment'

The project 'Biogas system from leftovers and vegetable growing from landfill biogas' by Thuy Ngoc Phong and Tran Van Tuyen from Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education (HCMUTE) won the first prize at the 'Youth with initiatives for sustainable environment' contest.

The initiative has been applied to the canteen of the HCMUTE, bringing positive results.

The winners of the contest were announced at an award ceremony jointly held by the Vietnam Environment Administration and the Vietnam Green Generation Network in Hanoi on December 18.

The organising board decided to present 20 prizes to 20 outstanding projects including one first prize, two second prizes, three third prizes and 14 consolation prizes.

The project 'Go and Open' with the goal of using the performing arts to raise people's awareness of environment protection and the project 'Hygienic toilets with low cost for local people in flood areas and in the Mekong Delta region' received the second prizes.

The contest was launched on August 1, 2014 with the aim of boosting education and communications, raising public awareness of protecting the environment and encouraging the youth to provide initiatives for environmental sustainability.

Throughout the two months after the launch, the organising board received nearly 2,000 projects from more than 2,500 authors in 30 provinces and cities across the country with a majority of the authors from secondary schools and universities.

The works are very rich in content and diverse in genres and expressions focusing on three themes: communication initiatives and models to call on the community to protect the environment; initiatives and models to collect and treat waste; and initiatives and models on biodiversity conservation, greenhouse gas emission reduction, climate change adaptation and energy efficiency.

Deputy Director of the Vietnam Environment Administration and head of the organising board of the contest, Hoang Duong Tung said that the contest affirmed the deep care and responsibility of the youth to the environment and their active actions and roles in protecting the environment.

Ba Ria becomes grade-II city

Ba Ria city in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau has been recognized as the grade-II city in a ceremony held on Saturday.

The city, which covers an area of more than 91,000 ha, is home to more than 100,000 residents. It has maintained the average economic growth rate of 18.85% with the GDP per capita of US$4,230.

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