Ho Chi Minh City’s Party Committee Secretary Dinh La Thang hoped that Japan’s Aichi prefecture will work with Ho Chi Minh City, where the investment climate has improved and young labour is abundant, to develop the support industry.

He expressed his wish during a meeting with Governor of Aichi prefecture Hideaki Ohmura on April 11 as part of his ten-day visit to Japan.

Vietnam wants to develop the support and automobile industries to boost the country’s position in the global value chain while Aichi prefecture boasts strengths in equipment manufacturing, he said.

Lauding Aichi’s infrastructure projects under the public-private partnership (PPP) model, Thang said he was impressed with how Japanese locality mobilised private capital for public projects.

He said that Ho Chi Minh City can learn from Aichi.

Based on the friendship between Vietnam and Japan as well as sound cooperation between Ho Chi Minh City and Aichi, Thang hoped that Aichi leaders will create favourable conditions for Vietnamese expats who are working and studying in the locality.

The Vietnamese southern hub will facilitate Japanese investment in the city, he added.

For his part, Governor Ohmura affirmed that Aichi is willing to support Ho Chi Minh City in PPP projects.

He wished for better collaboration between the two localities while hoping that Ho Chi Minh City will be a base for Aichi businesses to develop in Asia.

The same day, Standing Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem and the city’s officials studied PPP projects in the prefecture, including the Kariya Highway Oasis- a highway stop area on the Isewangan Expressway, Chita Peninsula toll road, Chubu international airport and Aichi International Exhibition Centre.

Located in central Japan, Aichi prefecture is home to some of the country’s leading industrial groups like Toyota, Asin Seiki and Denso.

Government holds symposium on law making

The Government held a symposium in Hanoi on April 11 to collect feedbacks on a draft law on credit institution restructuring and bad debt settlement as well as plans on amending laws related to the Law on Planning. 

According to a report of the State Bank of Vietnam, after four years of implementing a project to restructure credit institutions, ineffective credit institutions were identified and restructured, avoiding bankruptcy and out of control.

Participants stressed the need to issue a separate law to deal with difficulties in the process of restructuring ineffective credit institutions and solving bad debts. 

Chairing the meeting, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said it is necessary to finalise regulations on restructuring credit institutions and resolving bad debts, stressing that if the work is not accelerated, it will cause impacts on the country’s socio-economic development.

He agreed to map out a draft resolution of the National Assembly on resolving bad debts, and a draft law on amendments and supplements to a number of articles of the Law on Credit Institutions to submit to the NA for consideration. 

The PM noted that the amendments and supplements to laws related to the Law on Planning must be conducted in line with the current regulations. 

At its upcoming session from May 22, the NA will consider and discuss many reports and draft laws, he stressed, asking the Government Office to work closely with ministries and sectors to prepare relevant reports.

Preparations for IPU’s symposium discussed

A meeting was held in Hanoi on April 11 under the chair of National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong to discuss preparations for the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)’s symposium for the Asia-Pacific region in Ho Chi Minh City from May 11-13. 

In her speech, Phong said the conference, which will deliberate legislators’ actions to realise the sustainable development goals (SDGs) amid climate change, is a significant event for Vietnam – one of the country which is seriously affected by climate change. 

The symposium will provide a venue for regional legislatures and lawmakers as well as international donors and organisations to share experience and foster cooperation in implementing the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. 

By hosting the conference, Vietnam will show its responsibility in IPU’s activities, especially after the Vietnamese NA was elected as a member of the IPU Executive Board for the 2016-2019 term, thus improving the country’s role and position in the international arena.
 
It will also contribute to raising public awareness of climate change and its impacts on the country’s socio-economic development, she added.

Participants stressed the need to carefully prepare for the conference, from protocol to contents and communications.

Representatives from the Ministries of Natural Resources and Environment and Agriculture and Rural Development promised to prepare contents with various themes for the symposium and provide speakers with necessary information and data related to the agenda. 

The symposium will provide an overview about the SDGs and standards to assess the region’s advancements in implementing the goals, thus prompting regional parliaments to adopt stronger actions in promoting gender equality, healthcare, and welfare for all people.

VFF leader meets with EU official

President of the Vietnam Fatherland Font (VFF) Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan hosted a reception for Ambassador Bruno Angelet, head of the EU Delegation to Vietnam in Hanoi on April 11.

During their meeting, the officials focused their discussion on how to boost the comprehensive cooperation and partnership between Vietnam and the EU, towards bringing interests to both sides. 

In 2016, the EU surpassed the US to become Vietnam’s second largest trade partner and a leading importer of Vietnamese commodities.

In the first quarter of this year, the two-way trade reached 4.34 billion USD, representing a year-on-year rise of 27.18 percent.

The figure is expected to grow further in the future as the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) takes effect.

Vietnam treasures ties with Japan

Vietnam is aware that its relations with Japan are increasingly important in the context of rapid changes happening in the global and regional arenas, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung has said.

Vietnam pays special attention to its extensive strategic partnership with Japan and wants to lift it to a new height, Dung said during his talks with Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Kenichi Ishii in Tokyo, on April 11 as part of his visit to the country.

For his part, Kenichi Ishii stressed that his ministry has worked closely with the Ministry of Planning and Investment to deploy high-quality infrastructure projects in service of Vietnam’s economic growth.

At the working session with President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Kitaoka Shinichi, Minister Dung thanked the agency for its assistance and support for Vietnam in developing socio-economic infrastructure, affirming that many big projects are contributing efficiently to the country’s development.

Earlier, at a meeting with President of the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Parliamentarians Alliance Toshihiro Nikai, who is also Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party, the host said he hopes the two countries will increase activities to enhance their friendship.

For his part, Minister Dung stated that Vietnam highly values the Japanese Government’s valuable assistance and the Japanese business community’s contributions to its socio-economic development and always treasures the relations with Japan.

He said his visit aimed to discuss and seek new visions and orientations for future cooperation and expressed his wishes that the Japanese Government will provide Vietnam with more ODA with better conditions.

By the end of March, 2017, Japan is the second biggest investor in Vietnam with 3,355 projects worth 42.49 billion USD.

The country’s trade with Vietnam hit 29.71 billion USD in 2016, up 4.3 percent from 2015. 

Japan is the largest ODA provider for Vietnam, accounting for 30 percent of the total sum committed.

Lung blood clots can be lethal, but awareness is low

A 70-year-old patient from HCM City admitted to Thủ Đức District Hospital on April 6, complaining about breathing difficulties, was found to have a life-threatening pulmonary embolism.

After a CAT scan was taken, doctors said that blood clots in the patient’s pulmonary artery were preventing blood from entering the heart and going to the lung.

The patient, who was given anticoagulant drugs to clear the blood clot, is expected to be discharged from the hospital within several days. He will continue taking the drugs.

Dr Lê Duy Lạc, deputy head of the hospital’s Cardiology and Recovery, said: “A pulmonary embolism is dangerous and potentially life-threatening. The fatality rate is 60 per cent of the total number of patients with a pulmonary embolism, if they are not treated.”

A pulmonary embolism can be caused by serious infection, different kinds of contraceptive pills, or immobilization due to stroke or broken bones, he said.

Surgeries for joint replacement can have complications such as hypercoagulability, leading to pulmonary embolism. The patient may have chest pains and cough up blood.

Patients with these symptoms should be brought to hospital immediately, doctor said.

Health experts said that 80 per cent of patients with pulmonary embolism do not have symptoms and it can be difficult to detect.

According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the condition is also a complication of deep vein thrombosis, a medical condition occurring when a blood clot forms in a deep vein, usually developing in the lower leg, thigh or pelvis, but also in the arm.

Health experts said that a pulmonary embolism could develop more easily in people aged 60 or over, with relatives who have had the same problem, or in patients who are obese or overweight.  

Smoking can also increase the risk of a pulmonary embolism.

In Việt Nam, there are no official statistics on the prevalence of the condition, doctors have said.

Hà Nội proposes to move Gia Lâm Train Plant

Long Biên District People’s Committee chairwoman Vũ Thu Hà on Tuesday proposed that the municipal People’s Committee provide guidance to concerned organisations to move the Gia Lâm Train Plant.
The proposal was presented at a conference attended by the chairwoman and secretary of the Hà Nội Party Committee Hoàng Trung Hải.
Since the plant was located at the centre of the district, once it was shifted, the land could be used for socio-economic development of the district and the capital, chairwoman Hà said.
She added that at present, most of the plant’s areas were rented, so the land was not utilised in the proper manner, leading to inefficient disposal of waste and environment pollution.
Earlier, on April 21 last year, the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment released a report saying the Gia Lâm Train Plant was responsible for serious pollution.
On May 16 last year, the Hà Nội People’s Committee wrote a letter agreeing with the Hà Nội Department of Natural Resources and Environment’s proposal to shift the plant and other buildings which were no longer viable with the new urban scheme.
The letter said the plan to move the buildings should be completed before 2020.
Agreeing with the proposal, director of the Hà Nội Department of Transport Vũ Văn Viện said the relocation of the plant should go together with the construction of an urban railway system.
Director of the Hà Nội Department of Information and Communications Phan Lan Tú said when one mentioned Gia Lâm District, every person automatically thought about the Gia Lâm Train Plant because it was closely interwoven with the lives of locals.
Director Tú suggested setting up a museum in the area once the plant was shifted to house souvenirs related to the plant.
The Gia Lâm Train Plant was built in 1905 to repair locomotive and carriages.
The revolutionary struggle movement of the plant’s workers was powerful since its foundation until the August Revolution of 1945. Subsequently, the plant effectively served the country’s construction needs during different periods. 

Nhân wins, wears green jersey in cycling tournament

Trương Nguyễn Thanh Nhân won in the third stage of the HCM City Television Cycling Tournament yesterday.

The veteran VUS-HCM City cyclist finished the 122km race from Bình Phước Province’s Đồng Xoài Town to Đắk Nông Province’s Gia Nghĩa Town in 3hr 10.33min.

Trần Nguyễn Minh Trí of Domesco Đồng Tháp came second, and Nguyễn Anh Khoa of BTV Đại Nam Bình Dương was third.

The win has helped Nhân lead the green jersey race with 16 points, beating Monday’s winner Trần Nguyễn Duy Nhân of Military Zone 7, who has 15 points, to the top spot.

Finishing in the first group, Nguyễn Dương Hồ Vũ of HCM City’s youth squad stole the yellow jersey from Duy Nhân. He has taken 5:56.24 for three stages. Giang Thanh Tuấn of Army Crew was second, while Nguyễn Hoàng Thái of Calustos Đồng Tháp followed close behind.

Vũ is leading the race for the white jersey, given to the best young rider.

In team ranking, BTV Đại Nam Bình Dương, not a title favourite, have left the powerhouses behind to reach the first position with a total time of 17:50.56. Military Zone 7 are second, followed by Bikelife Đồng Nai.

The next stage today is 50km around Gia Nghĩa Town.

Thái Sơn Nam win, placed in top rank

Defending champions Thái Sơn Nam trounced Cao Bằng 4-0 in the third-round match of the National Futsal Championship being held in HCM City yesterday.

Though playing against the best national team, Cao Bằng players started the game confidently and managed to limit many of Thái Sơn Nam’s attempts.

However, Thái Sơn Nam proved much more powerful and their national team members did a good job near the end of the first 20-minute period. Nguyễn Đắc Huy took part in a counter-attack and quickly entered Cao Bằng’s space. His close-range header gave keeper Văn Tú no opportunity to stop the ball and it was 1-0 for the hosts.

The second period was easier for Thái Sơn Nam as Cao Bằng’s players got tired. They scored three more times, with Lê Quốc Nam earning a double and Nguyễn Minh Trí finishing from a narrow angle.

Thái Sơn Nam have seven points and are temporally on top of the ranking table.

“Despite our poor start, the more we played the better we performed,” said Thái Sơn Nam coach Nguyễn Bảo Quân.

“We managed the game step by step and dominated in the second period. We escaped Cao Bằng’s tactical trap, played well together and finally won,” Quân, the national team captain said.

Coach Hector Souto of Cao Bằng appreciated Thái Sơn Nam’s win and said his team had prepared really well but Thái Sơn Nam, with 90 per cent national players, were too strong to beat. He said he is proud of his young team’s efforts, especially in the first period and in the early minutes of the second.

Cao Bằng will next play Sanatech Khánh Hòa, who yesterday drew 2-2 to Hoàng Thư Đà Nẵng. Thái Sơn Nam will meet Thái Sơn Bắc.

In a later match yesterday, Sanna Khánh Hòa, the national first runner-up, defeated Sài Gòn FC 2-0.

Assistant coach Nguyễn Xuân Huy of Sanna Khánh Hòa said it was an important win for his team. It took the pressure off his players after their two losses and only one goal.

“This season, Sanna Khánh Hòa have a young squad who lack experience, so we need to pay attention to every single game,” he said.

Memorial house for martyrs built in Son La

Construction on a memorial house dedicated to martyrs of the Son La Prison began in the northern province of Son La on April 11.

Covering nearly 4,000 square metres in the Son La Prison Special National Relic Site in Son La city, the memorial house was built at a cost of 9.6 billion VND (423,800 USD) from social sources. It is expected to be completed later this year.

The memorial house aims to raise the value of the relic site, thus contributing to the province’s economic and tourism development.

Earlier, leaders of the province offered incense in commemoration of fallen combatants at the Son La Prison Special National Relic Site and the Son La Prison Cemetery.

Training course in Germany open for Vietnamese nurses

The Department of Overseas Labour under the Ministry of Labour, Invalid and Social Affairs (MoLISA), on April 11, announced the selection of candidates for the second training course on nursing in Germany.

The programme, coordinated by the MoLISA and Germany’s Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy, is set to select 125 eligible candidates, aged between 20 and 25, who are graduates in nursing or are studying the major. 

Selected candidates will be sponsored to learn German in Vietnam in 13 months, starting in August 2017, to get the B2 language certificate, before coming to Germany for the nursing course with scholarships.

After finishing their training overseas, Vietnamese trainers, who pass the final exam, have chance to stay and work in German hospitals.

Chu Thi Phuong Nhung, coordinator for the nursing training project at the German international cooperation agency GIZ, said demand for caregivers is high in Germany and Europe, offering learning and working opportunities for Vietnamese workers.

It was estimated that by 2020, Germany could lack about 17,000 caregivers in the three healthcare sectors for the old, sick and children.

In 2012, the MoLISA and Germany’s Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy implemented a pilot programme on sending Vietnamese nurses to Germany to study and work in health services for senior citizens.

In 2016, the ministries extended their programme to cover the care sector aiming at sick people.

Labour unions of Hanoi, Belarus city strengthen cooperation

The Hanoi General Confederation of Labour and the Federation of Trade Unions of Minsk city (Belarus) have signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation for 2017-2021.

The signing ceremony took place at a working session between the sides in Hanoi on April 10.

At the session, the two agencies discussed their respective performances and agreed to increase joint work and experience exchanges.

On the occasion, leaders of the local Friendship Cultural Palace and the Belarusian Trade Unions Culture Palace also inked a pact on supporting each other in organising cultural activities.

Exhibition on Hoang Sa, Truong Sa comes to Lam Dong’s Cat Tien town

An exhibition showcasing historical and legal evidence affirming Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes opened in Cat Tien town in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong on April 11.

The event, the first of its kind in Cat Tien, introduced undeniable evidence of Vietnam’s sovereignty over the two archipelagoes, including ancient maps, administrative notes and documents.

Earlier, the exhibition was held in Da Lat city, Bao Loc city and Duc Trong district of Lam Dong, drawing over 20,000 visitors.

According to Director of the Lam Dong Department of Information and Communication, the exhibition has helped locals get deeper understanding of the country’s indisputable sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa, thus raising their awareness, solidarity and responsibility to join hands in protecting the national sovereignty over seas and islands.

The event is also part of activities to commemorate those who laid down their lives to safeguard the country’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa and honour their great sacrifices, he said.

The exhibition will run until April 13 before coming to Da Teh district from April 17-19.

State officials wish Khmer people happy Chol Chnam Thmay

Officials from the Steering Committee for the Southwest visited Theravada Buddhist pagodas in southern Vinh Long province on April 11 on the occasion of the Khmer people’s Chol Chnam Thmay.

Chol Chnam Thmay, the traditional New Year festival of the Khmer community, is one of the most important events of the year in their culture. It usually lasts three days and is celebrated mostly in pagodas.

At the visits, Son Minh Thang, Standing Deputy Head of the Steering Committee emphasized the Khmer people’s contributions to important socio-economic achievements in the Southwestern region.

He affirmed that due attention has been paid to implementing policies for the Khmer, including those relating to education and training, healthcare, poverty reduction, and the preservation and promotion of the group’s cultural values. 

He wished the Khmer people and Buddhist dignitaries and followers a cosy and happy Chol Chnam Thmay festival.

On the day, the officials also visited the Khmer Buddhist dignitaries and people in the neighbouring province of Tra Vinh in celebration of Chol Chnam Thmay.

At Kom Pong and Ang pagodas, Thang expressed his hope that Buddhist dignitaries and followers and the Khmer people will join in developing the province prosperously.

Up to 2,000 poor Khmer households have been provided with land to build houses while many others have been benefiting from policies to support production and generate jobs, according to the provincial Ethnic Affairs Board.

The same day, Le Hung Dung, Deputy Head of the Steering Committee for the Southwest paid a Chol Chnam Thmay visit and presented gifts to disadvantaged Khmer people in the Mekong delta city of Can Tho.

Lao students in Thai Nguyen celebrate traditional festival

The Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association of northern Thai Nguyen province on April 11 hosted a celebration for the traditional New Year Festival of Laos - Bun Pi May.

The event, held at the University of Information and Communication Technology, saw the participation of representatives of the Lao Embassy in Vietnam and many Lao students studying in Thai Nguyen.

The Bun Pi May festival falls on April 13-15, with several rituals to pray for good weather, bumper harvests and a prosperous New Year.

Addressing the event, a local official extended greetings to all Lao students who are studying in the province and asked universities to create favourable conditions for their study. 

Currently, nearly 1,600 Lao students are studying at high schools, colleges and universities in Thai Nguyen province.

Solutions sought to develop herbal medicinal materials

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has urged ministries, sectors and localities to seek measures to promote traditional herbal medicines, thus taking advantage of the country’s potential in the field.

Addressing a teleconference with leaders of 63 cities and provinces nationwide held in the northern province of Lao Cai on April 12, the PM noted that for thousands of years, Vietnam has used herbal medicines to protect people’s health.

With three quarters of its natural area being mountains and forests, Vietnam has more than 5,000 precious herbal plants with medicinal values, which are a great advantage for localities to exploit the resources for domestic use and exports, he said.

PM Phuc affirmed that traditional medicines are a treasure of the country, which can contribute to poverty reduction and prosperity.

He asked for solutions to tackle problems facing the sector, including poor planning in  developing production chains that leads to low effectiveness and small-scale production as well as difficulties in markets, risk of extinction of many rare herbal plants and limited research and use of advanced technology in the field.

The government leader also suggested support policies for herbal plant growing as part of high technology agriculture development, while stressing the need to ensure confidentiality of some rare and precious herbal plants.

According to the Institute of Medicinal Materials, Vietnam has 5,117 herbal plants and fungus, along with 408 species of animals and minerals used as materials for nearly 1,300 traditional remedies.

The domestic demand for herbal medicinal materials is about 60,000-80,000 tonnes per year, mostly for producing foods, medicines and cosmetics.

The Ministry of Health assessed that the economic value of herbal plants is much higher than other food plants, suggesting that sustainable growing will help reduce poverty for many regions across the country.
     
Taggers' delight: Vietnam city turns into graffiti canvas

Shrouded by fumes and surrounded by spray cans, Vietnamese graffiti artist Kong conjures his latest masterpiece, a monkey clutching an aerosol, a colour-splashed act of rebellion in a country where the youth are expected to follow strict social mores.

t"Young people want to break the rules," said the 21-year-old, his fingers speckled with paint.
"We want to see more interesting things on the street or on the wall, so we do graffiti to express ourselves."

Kong belongs to the growing ranks of graffiti artists in Ho Chi Minh City, where subcultures -- BMX biking, skateboarding and breakdancing -- jostle for space on the hipster scene.

For many the spray can is a tool of rebellion -- illicit spray-painting is a way of defying restrictions in a country where artists must have their work approved before exhibitions.

But Kong knows better than to dabble in politics, opting instead to paint playful images.

Yet many artists like him believe there is something almost political in the very act of spraying a wall - and rejecting parents' expectations to find a stable job.

Kong fell into graffiti as a teenager, bored with online gaming and looking for a creative outlet.

But his parents didn't approve, hoping instead he might find a steady office job.

"They still don't like it... they think it's a dangerous game and it's bad for my health because of the spray paint," he said with a chuckle.

Ho Chi Minh City is now a graffiti hotspot, thanks to pioneering artists -- both local and foreign -- eager to fill blank wall space.

"It has become a part of Saigon, you can't imagine Saigon without graffiti," said independent curator Nguyen Nhu Huy, using the city's former French colonial name.

Today, the city has several hubs for graffiti and street art, such as '3A Station', a collection of colonial buildings that were reportedly occupied by the CIA during the American war in Vietnam.

The walls are bursting with colour and plastered with art -- including Kong's wide-eyed primate and a massive rooster wearing sunglasses -- luring tourists taking Instagram-worthy selfies.

Though not technically allowed, police tend to turn a blind eye.

And residents have come to love the free art for the most part, said Danny Daos, a local graffiti artist.

"The government doesn't like us... They (used to say) that we make the walls dirty, but the people like us so we do our graffiti," he said.

Yet even some seemingly tame images have been subject to vandalism.

One mural promoting environmental safety was defaced in the central city of Danang, though the artist doesn't know who took issue with it.

Acts like these may deepen the reluctance of some young artists to take on controversial topics.

"In school they've been taught how to think and what to think, so I think there's some ingrained censorship for sure," said Dan Nguyen, a California-born Vietnamese artist and DJ who moved to Ho Chi Minh City about five years ago.

But perhaps the biggest threat to the artwork today is a construction boom, which some public pieces have already fallen victim to.

"Now the city is growing up, development with a lot of building, a lot of security, so it's really hard for us to paint masterpieces," said Daos.

Hemmed in by towering high-rises on all sides, the colonial properties home to '3A Station' have been sold to developers hungry to get their hands on the valuable downtown land.

Occupants have been told it will be demolished within weeks.

Though heartbroken, 3A's coordinator Mai Do believes Ho Chi Minh's graffiti culture will grow, even after her space is gone, as artists are finding new spots showcase their work.

She added: "That's a good way for them to survive."

VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri/VNE