Landslide blocks approach road to border gate in Ha Tinh

A landslide occurred this morning caused severe congestion for two-way traffic in Highway 8A leading to Cau Treo international gateway in Huong Son district, the north central province of Ha Tinh.

 

A landslide has blocked two way traffic in Highway 8A, Ha Tinh province since January 16 (Photo: SGGP)

Senior lieutenant-colonel Tran Duc Phuc, head of the border post at Cau Treo international border gate in Ha Tinh, said that long lasting heavy rain unleased 80-100 cubic meters of soil, stone and trees from the mountain to fall down the highway in Son Kim commune, Huong Son district. The landslide spot is about 3 kilometers from Cau Treo border gate.

The border post at Cau Treo border gate has worked with authorized agencies and local authorities to clear the landslide debris, set up traffic warning signs and inform residents and drivers of the incident.

Rainy and foggy weather has raised difficulties for repair of the consequences of the landslide.

According to Mr. Duc, authorized forces will continue being present at the scene to ensure traffic safety. Landslide used to occur causing traffic congestion in the area before.

Hanoi temperatures drop to 15C as cold air hits northern Vietnam

The highest temperature in the capital of Hanoi is expected to drop to 15C on January 16 when a mass of cold air will fully cover northern Vietnam, bringing rain across the region.

The new cold wave will first affect north-eastern provinces late on January 15 before spreading to the north-western and north-central regions the following day.

The lowest temperatures will range from 12-15C and 8-11C in mountainous areas, with the mercury falling below 8C in the higher mountains.

Rains are expected over the next two days in Hanoi, with the highest temperatures rising to 20C and above on Friday.
Hà Nội plans to spend about $16.2m on Tết presents for the poor

The elderly are given Tết presents in Hà Nội. — Photo vietnamhoinhap.vn

Hà Nội plans to spend about VNĐ378 billion (US$16.2 million) from the city budget to give Tết presents to nearly 872,000 residents.

They are beneficiaries, revolutionary contributors, the elderly, retired cadres, poor people, elite citizens and intellectuals.

Secretary of Hà Nội City’s Party’s Committee Hoàng Trung Hải said that apart from the support from the city, localities should have policies to support those in need and help them have a warm Lunar New Year Festival.

Hải asked departments and sectors to ensure a safe holiday for people, especially foreign tourists.

Meanwhile, HCM City said it would spend about VNĐ800 billion ($34.4 million) from its budget to care for those in need, an increase of VNĐ35 billion ($1.5 million) over last year.

Revolutionary contributors, intellectuals and Vietnamese heroic mothers will be presented VNĐ3.1 million ($133) per person while war invalids will be presented VNĐ1.7 million ($73) each. 

About 5,700 poor households will be given VNĐ1.1 million ($47) each. Disabled people and the elderly will be given VNĐ1.3 million ($55).

Lê Minh Tấn, director of the city’s Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, said this year, the city would allocate funds to give Tết presents to ethnic minorities, religious establishments and households who were in difficult financial positions.

The city would ensure all people welcome a warm and happy Tết, he said.

DRVN tell investors to move Tân Đệ toll station before January 28

Tân Đệ BOT toll station will be moved to the Đông Hưng Bypass before January 28. - Photo dantri.com.vn

The Directorate for Roads of Việt Nam (DRVN) has urged the investor of Tân Đệ Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) toll station in northern Thái Bình Province to remove the station before January 28.

The DRVN has asked Tasco Joint Stock Company and Tasco 6 One Member Co Ltd to quickly make plans to move Tân Đệ toll station to the Đông Hưng Bypass.

The investors were told to complete the dismantling of toll booths, ticket sale kiosks and lane dividers before January 22, and repair the road surface before January 28.

The plans must be reported to the Ministry of Transport.

On November 27, the DRVN and the provincial Department of Transport conducted a survey to select a new location for the toll station on the Đông Hưng Bypass.

The toll station will be installed in the middle of the bypass in Đông La Commune.

The investor will take full advantage of the clearance area to build a tollgate. Land clearance was expected to be about 2,500 square metres. The total investment will be more than VNĐ27 billion (US$1.1 million).

In 2014, the stretch of National Highway No10 passing through the town of Đông Hưng in northern Thái Bình Province was overloaded. The provincial authority called for investment in the Đông Hưng Bypass under the BOT model.

The building of the bypass was part of the project to improve and upgrade the highway running from La Uyên Bridge to Tân Đệ Bridge. It was implemented by Tasco Joint Stock Company. Tân Đệ Toll Station was built to recover the investment for both projects.

The payback period was adjusted from 21 years and three months to 11 years and nine months. This extends the deadline for toll collection until January 2021. However, many people have opposed paying for the toll station twice.

The BOT toll station has not been charging vehicles for months. 

Mobile phone robber arrested

Robber Ngô Hữu Quỳnh (right) was arrested by Đà Nẵng’s criminal police force. — Photo courtesy of Đà Nẵng Public security Newspaper

The central city of Đà Nẵng’s criminal police arrested an armed robber 30 hours after he broke into a mobile phone shop in Liên Chiểu District on January 13.

Director of the city’s public security department major general Vũ Xuân Viên spoke at a press conference on January 14, saying it was the most serious criminal case in the city for some time.

He said a police team had been sent to seize Ngô Hữu Quỳnh, 29, in Quảng Nam Province’s Núi Thành District – 90km south of Đà Nẵng – while he was playing games in an internet shop.

Viên said the team had started trailing the robber just seven hours after the theft thanks to a security camera system.

According to a report from the department, Quỳnh used a fake gun and mine to rob a Viettel shop on Nguyễn Lương Bằng Street, 6km from the city’s downtown. He threatened an assistant before taking a bag of money containing VNĐ40 million (US$1,800).

The police said the robber was addicted to internet gaming and was in debt. He carried out the robbery to pay off lenders and online game charges. The crime is under further investigation.

Also on January 14, the police and market watch seized 660 imported bottles of brandy that were being transported from Quảng Trị Province to HCM City.

The truck driver did not have any papers or invoices for the brandy, which was estimated to be worth nearly VNĐ1 billion ($44,000).

At the press conference, Major General Viên also said investigative police have not yet determined what toxin killed a mother and her three-year-old son at a hotel four months ago.

Of a group of 20 visitors from Nghệ An travelling to Đà Nẵng and Hội An for a vacation, a three-member family was found poisoned.

The husband was saved following treatment at a hospital, but his wife and his son soon died. All other members of the tourist group were healthy.

Viên said many samples had been sent in for forensic tests, but scientists have not found exactly what kind of toxin was responsible.

Police said they suspected a toxic agent that had been used during insect spraying at the hotel killed the mother and son. Investigations are ongoing.

EU, ILO begin project to improve corporate social responsibility

Fredy Guayacan, the programme manager, at the seminar held in HCM City to introduce the project.

The EU, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have joined hands to launch the "Responsible Supply Chains in Asia" project, including in Việt Nam.

“The project aims to promote responsible supply chains in increasing corporate social responsibility/responsible business conduct (CSR/RBC) system with regards to decent work, environmental sustainability and respect for human rights,” Fredy Guayacan, the programme manager, told a seminar held in HCM City on Tuesday to introduce the project.

The project is based on the 2017 ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy and 2011 OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, he said.

“The project targets to increase understanding and knowledge of investors, businesses, civil society organisations and policy makers on CSR/RBC from the perspective of decent work.

“Its goals are to create a policy environment conducive to the promotion of socially responsible practices among businesses and increase opportunities for businesses to have a dialogue on good practices, challenges and opportunities in relation to CSR/RBC.”

To achieve the goals, the project has made recommendations in five areas for governments and enterprises.

“General policies should be fundamental principles and rights at work, due diligence and promotion of good corporate behaviour and consultations between home and host country governments.

“Employees should get promotion, social security and equality of opportunity and treatment and [there should be] no forced labour, no child labour.

“Việt Nam should have national policies for vocational training and guidance, closely linked to employment, that require contribution of enterprises to skills development in country.

“For industrial relations, local authorities and enterprises must ensure freedom of association and right to organise, collective bargaining, consultation, access to remedy and examination of grievances and settlement of industrial disputes.

The project has been implemented in six Asian nations: Japan (electronics, vehicle parts), China (electronics, textiles), Myanmar (seafood, agriculture), the Philippines (agriculture/food), Thailand (agriculture, vehicle parts) and Việt Nam (wood processing, seafood, aquaculture, textiles).

To implement the project, a preliminary study on CSR/RBS in the seafood processing sector was done last December by the Research Centre for Resources and Rural Development (RECERD).

Lê Văn Bằng, a RECERD consultant, said: “Việt Nam has a sufficient legal framework to guide and manage labour and CSR issues and fully implement the ILO conventions that have been ratified.

“The country has made clear delegation to related agencies and organisations to deploy, monitor and ensure issues related to labour interests are dealt in accordance with the law. However, businesses’ understanding of and compliance with the legal regulations are still limited.”

The study found that CSR/RBC staff at enterprises did not fully understand the purpose of CSR implementation and their roles vis-a-vis workers and management.

Reluctance to pay insurance premiums and overtime wages were perceived as obstacles to attracting labour and the majority of regular workers said they were satisfied with the Trade Union as their representative.

They did not know that other organisations could represent workers.

A large number of seasonal workers (20-30 per cent), who move freely between factories/sectors create difficulties/challenges for employers in implementing CSR and fulfilling their responsibilities as committed to their workers in labour/ social insurance contracts.

In many cases, employees were not willing to sign labour contracts since they did not want 10.5 per cent of their salaries deducted to pay social/ health insurance premiums.

“Very few workers are aware of ILO and MNE Declaration,” Bằng said.

“Communication activities should be enhanced to explain the nature and benefits of CSR/RBC implementation, and CSR/RBC employees at enterprises should be well equipped with this knowledge so that they are fully aware of the significance of their roles and motivated to fulfil their tasks.” 

Echocardiography Training Centre opens in HCM City

A cardiologist at the University Medical Centre HCM City uses echocardiography to examine a child.

The University Medical Centre Ho Chi Minh City opened the Echocardiography Training Centre for training and research purposes in compliance with international standards on January 15.

The professional echocardiography training centre will offer early detection and diagnosis of cardiac diseases and develop professional skills for cardiologists at hospitals across the country.

As many as 200 people will be trained in basic and advanced echocardiography skills at the centre.

With at least 150 beds for cardiac in-patients, and 7,000 out-patient visits at the University Medical Centre, a huge patient data resource for education and training will be available, said Truong Quang Binh, Deputy Director of the hospital.

Echocardiography, which is non- invasive with no radiation, evaluates the structure and functions of cardiovascular precisely, Bình said.

With advanced ultrasound technology, it plays an important role in cardiology care, helping to detect cardiac disease, especially in the elderly and even in fetuses.

The physicians can make diagnostic decisions and therapy plans for medicine, intervention, and surgery based on echocardiology studies.

The hospital has signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Education Co-operation with Philips for a worldwide standardised echocardiography training programme.

Philips will help the centre archive echocardiography images and improve hospital network communications, with the aim of best-practice sharing among trainees.

Lao leader receives Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics delegation

General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Bounnhang Volachith (R) receives Professor Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics 

General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President of Laos Bounnhang Volachith on January 15 hosted a reception for a delegation from the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA) led by Professor Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, Director of the academy.

Prof. Dr. Thang, also Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Chairman of the Central Theory Council, said the delegation was in Laos to attend a high-level seminar between the HCMA and Laos’ National Academy of Politics and Public Administration to review their cooperation.

During the event, the two sides discussed collaboration in personnel training and the translation of the Complete Works of Ho Chi Minh into Lao and announced the translated version of volumes 5, 7 and 8 as well as a memorandum of understanding on future cooperation, he said.

He expressed his hope that the Lao leader will pay greater attention to directing links between the two Central Theory Councils and political academies.

For his part, LPRP leader and President of Laos Bounnhang Volachith lauded the cooperation between the two academies over the years and the outcomes of the working visit.

He said Lao suffers from a lack of qualified personnel in theory and scientific research, proposing the Vietnamese side continue supporting Laos in this field. He said he hopes the two academies will promptly implement their agreements. 

On the occasion, the Lao leader conveyed gratitude to the Party, State and people of Vietnam for their support to Laos.

Earlier on January 14, the HCMA delegation had talks with officials from the Laos’ National Academy of Politics and Public Administration, during which the two sides evaluated the results of their cooperation agreement in 2014-2018.

During the period, the two academies coordinated closely in personnel training, delegation exchange, scientific research and translation of the Complete Works of Ho Chi Minh into Lao, as well as in a project to upgrade infrastructure for the Laos’ National Academy of Politics and Public Administration.

The two sides also worked together in professional knowledge sharing and information exchange, facilitating research in both Vietnam and Laos.

In 2019-2023, the two academies will continue fostering ties in personnel training, scientific research and information and document sharing.

Following the seminar, the two sides signed a cooperation agreement for 2019-2023.

During their stay, the Vietnamese delegation also worked with the Lao National Social Science Council.

India’s Republic Day marked in Ho Chi Minh City

An art performance at the celebration (Source: voh.com.vn)

The Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organizations (HUFO) and Saigon University jointly organized a celebration of India’s Republic Day (January 26, 1950) in Ho Chi Minh City on January 15.

Addressing the event, President of the HCM City chapter of the Vietnam-India Friendship Association Huynh Thanh Lap said the Vietnam-India relations were established through trade, cultural, art, and religious exchange activities.

Through years, the two countries have shown they are always reliable, sincere friends and have reaped immense attainments in trade, education, training and tourism, Lap said.

In 2018, the HUFO, the HCM City chapter of the Vietnam-India Friendship Association, and the Consulate General of India in HCM City successfully organized many diplomatic and political events and supported trade exchange between the two countries.

Lap said the HUFO and the HCM City chapter of the Vietnam-India Friendship Association want to increase coordination with the Indian Consulate General and the Indian Businesspeople Association in Vietnam to organize more cultural, artistic, people-to-people exchange and trade activities.

India’s Consul General Dr. K. Srikar Reddy said the time-honoured relations between Vietnam and India have been fostered by their generations of leaders and people and based on mutual trust and understanding and the sharing of viewpoints in many regional and global issues.

Dr. K. Srikar Reddy said as Vietnam’s economic hub, HCM City has drawn in many Indian businesspeople, traders and experts and hosted an array of political and diplomatic events and cultural, religious and tourism exchanges between India and Vietnam.

On the occasion, the HCM City chapter of the Vietnam-India Friendship Association opened an Indian Culture Exhibition at Saigon University.

India is currently Vietnam’s 10th biggest trade partner. In 2017, bilateral trade hit 12 billion USD and it is expected to reach 15 billion USD by 2020.

India ranks 29th out of the 126 countries and territories investing in Vietnam, with 188 projects capitalizing at 878 million USD.

More than 25,000 Vietnamese visited India while 110,000 Indians visited Vietnam in 2017.

NA Vice Chairwoman receives Lao news agency delegation

National Assembly Permanent Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong (R) welcomes Laos news agency Khaosan Pathet Lao (KPL)'s General Director Sounthone Khanthavong

 

National Assembly Permanent Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong hosted a reception for a visiting delegation from the Laos news agency Khaosan Pathet Lao (KPL) led by its General Director Sounthone Khanthavong in Hanoi on January 15.

The official, who is also a Politburo member, lauded the visit amidst the growing ties between Vietnam and Laos in all fields. She noted that many friendship visits have been made by high-ranking leaders of both sides over the years, which affirmed the two countries’ commitments to further promoting theirbilateral relations.

Expressing her delight at the sound partnership between the Vietnam News Agency and the KPL, Phong asked the two agencies to better perform their tasks in providing accurate and timely information to the local media systems, and in popularizing policies of each country as well as the Vietnam-Laos traditional friendship to international friends.

Stressing that the VNA is the strategic and trustworthy news centre of the Party and State with various media products, she expressed her hope that the VNA will continue supporting and exchanging experiences with the KPL to better meet the requirements of each country in the new period.

Phong said she believes that the VNA and the KPL will continue making reforms and effectively implement their cooperation, thus promoting their role as major media agencies of each country and contributing to strengthening the special relations between the two peoples.

For his part, Sounthone Khanthavong spoke highly of the VNA’s support to and cooperation with the KPL in all fields, including technical infrastructure, equipment, and information exchange. 

Currently, the KPL is facing difficulties in personnel training, with fewer reporters and editors fluent in Vietnamese, the Lao official said, expressing his hope that the Vietnamese NA will pay more attention to the matter and providemore long-term scholarships to officials from the KPL.

Earlier the same day, VNA General Director Nguyen Duc Loi held talks with the visiting KPL leader, during which the two sides briefed each other of their operation and progress and reviewed bilateral cooperation activities over the past years. They shared delight at the efficiency of professional collaboration between the two agencies.

The VNA has supported the KPL in launching technical infrastructure projects, including the building of a working network and a modern film studio for the KPL, which have helped improve the quality and effectiveness of KPL operations, they noted.

The two sides concurred to continue enhancing the quality of exchanged information, strengthening communications on the special cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, increasing the number of copies of theprint publication in the Lao language of the Vietnam Pictorial to 1,500 per month in 2019.

The KPL will continue assisting VNA correspondents in Vientiane to complete their tasks, while the VNA will maintain its support to the KPL in technical infrastructure development by equipment provision and technology transfer.

During their stay in Vietnam, the KPL delegation will attend a ceremony to present Isala Order and the Labour Order of Laos to individuals and collectives from the VNA. They will visit the Vietnam-Laos revolutionary relic site and Moc Chau milk plant in Son La province, and the Nghi Son economic zone and the citadel of the Ho Dynasty in Thanh Hoa.

Tuy Hoa city expands cooperation with RoK’s Seongdong district

Tuy Hoa city in the central province of Phu Yen signs cooperation agreement with Seongdong district, Seoul city, the Republic of Korea 

The People’s Committee of Tuy Hoa city, the central province of Phu Yen on January 15 signed a cooperation agreement with Seongdong district, Seoul city, the Republic of Korea.

Under the deal, the two sides pledged to expand collaboration in several fields such as construction and public transport development, environmental protection, science, culture, education and innovation. 

They will share information on local-level issues of common concern while encouraging projects aimed at strengthening mutual understanding.

Chairman of the Tuy Hoa People’s Committee Vo Ngoc Kha said the cooperation between Tuy Hoa city and Seongdong district have been developing fruitfully over the past time, vividly manifested by the building and maintaining of the operation of the Tuy Hoa-Seongdong Friendship Kindergarten.

The two localities have also organised a series of exchange activities in the fields of culture and arts, he said.

Chong Won O, Chief of Seongdong district, expressed his belief that the collaboration between his district and Tuy Hoa city will be thriving in the future.

Basing on the legal regulations of both nations, the two sides will complete procedures to boost cooperation in 2019. They will exchange views and agree on naming friendship works bearing each other’s symbolic images in order to mark their ties.

Campaign helps promote humanitarian aid

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam (third, left) presents merit certificates to collectives and individuals with great contribution to humanitarian activities at the meeting on January 15 

More than 2.3 million needy people have received aid totalling over 3.8 trillion VND (163.3 million USD) over the last 11 years under a campaign that promotes each organisation and individual’s committed support for one disadvantaged people.

The information was released at a meeting held by the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRC) in Hanoi on January 15 to review the campaign launched in January 2008.

VRC Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu said in the campaign, humanitarian support has been provided in various forms, ranging from assisting the disadvantaged with heifers or free meals to helping them build houses.

While 181 community-based kitchens have offered nearly 29.3 million free meals, the practice of community-based savings has created resources for helping about 184,000 students with disadvantages. More than 125 tonnes of rice have also been donated in 40 provinces and cities to support the target group.

Thu said this campaign has received great attention from the Party, Government and authorities at all levels. Many initiatives have been introduced and developed sustainably. The campaign has also attracted the participation of a large number of organisations and people.

Addressing the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam described the campaign as a practical drive that has substantially contributed to socio-economic development, poverty reduction and efforts to ensure no one is left behind.

He said humanitarian activities are the responsibility of not only the VRC but also all-level administrations, asking the VRC to propose policies to the State to encourage more businesses, organisations and people from all social strata to engage in this work.

Deputy PM appreciates press agencies’ contributions to external work

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh at the meeting with press agencies on January 15.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh had a meeting with press agencies of Vietnam in Hanoi on January 15, expressing appreciation for their contributions to the success of the external work last year.

He thanked press agencies and reporters for acting as companions to the Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by covering all diplomatic activities of the country in 2018.

Minh spoke highly of their enthusiasm and sense of responsibility, noting that they have reported on external activities of the Party and State in an accurate and timely manner, thus greatly helping with the external work.

He called on press agencies, reporters, and communications units to continue standing side by side with the Foreign Ministry in the external information service so as to help realise the Party and State’s foreign policy.

On behalf of press outlets, Editor-in-Chief of the Nhan dan (People’s) newspaper Thuan Huu, who is also Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists Association, congratulated the Foreign Ministry on its achievements in 2018.

He underlined that media agencies and the diplomatic sector have a special cohesion, adding that the press has helped affirm diplomatic attainments, raise Vietnam’s stature in the international arena, and maintain a peaceful environment for national development.

He also asked the ministry to keep coordinating with the media in communications work so as to jointly contribute to the nation.

On this occasion, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Minh presented insignias and merit certificates to several agencies and individuals in recognition of their contributions to Vietnam’s diplomatic sector and the external information service.

More volumes of Ho Chi Minh’s Complete Works translated into Lao

At the ceremony 

A ceremony to announce the completion of translation of the fifth, seventh, and eighth volumes of the Complete Works of Ho Chi Minh into Lao was held at the Lao National Academy of Politics and Public Administration on January 15.    

Speaking at the event, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, Chairman of the Central Theory Council and General Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, stressed that President Ho Chi Minh is a national liberation hero, a global cultural celebrity, a prominent activist, an ideologist and a genius strategic organiser, who has made great contributions to the global struggle for peace, national independence, democracy, and social progress.

The Complete Works of Ho Chi Minh reflect the intellectual genius of the President and his profound understanding gained during his journey to seek the best way to save the country, and as he leads the Vietnamese revolution from victory to victory.

The translation project was jointly carried out by the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and the Lao National Academy of Politics and Public Administration as part of the 2014 cooperation agreement on economy, culture, and science and technology between the Vietnamese and Lao governments. 

To date, as many as 15 volumes of the Complete Works have been basically translated, and the publication of volumes 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 have been fulfilled. The remaining volumes are being translated, edited, and revised for publication. Meanwhile, the translation of a dictionary for Ho Chi Minh studies has been carried out under the schedule. 

Thang highlighted the significance of the project, saying that it follows the spirit of the resolutions of the 12th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the 10th Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, which affirm the thoughts of President Ho Chi Minh and President Kaysone Phomvihane as the ideological foundations and guidelines for the revolution of the two countries. 

The project is also a vivid symbol of the comprehensive, practical, and effective cooperation in all fields between the two parties, states, and peoples.

Vietnam News Agency receives Lao noble orders

VNA General Director Nguyen Duc Loi (L) receives the second-class Isala (Freedom) Order bestowed by the Lao State. 

The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) held a grand ceremony at its headquarters in Hanoi on January 15 to receive noble orders granted by the State of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.

Lao Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism Bosengkham Vongdara presented second-class Isala (Freedom) Orders to the VNA and VNA General Director Nguyen Duc Loi.

Meanwhile, third-class Labour Orders were bestowed on several VNA collectives, namely the Editorial Secretariat and External Relations Department, the Domestic News Department, the News for Foreign Service Department, the Press Photography Department, the Vietnam Pictorial, the VNA Technical Centre, and the VNA bureau in Laos.

Speaking at the event, VNA General Director Nguyen Duc Loi affirmed that this is recognition from the Lao Party and State for the effective cooperation and support between the VNA and Khaosan Pathet Lao (KPL) – the Lao News Agency - during the revolutions in both nations.

On behalf of the VNA staff, Loi thanked the Lao Party, State, and people for creating favourable conditions for generations of VNA officials, experts, reporters, and technicians to fulfil their international missions in Laos.

“The Vietnam News Agency will expand collaboration with the Khaosan Pathet Lao, making contributions to preserving the traditional friendship, special relations, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos”, he affirmed.

After the Geneva Agreement on restoring peace in Vietnam was signed in 1954, the country was divided into two regions. The north was liberated and entered a period of socialism-building, while the south fought against the US imperialists. In the context of numerous difficulties, the VNA unceasingly assisted the Lao revolution by sending experts to Laos and opening training classes. In addition, the VNA provided Lao colleagues with materials, equipment, and machines, helping them fulfil missions entrusted by the Lao Party.

When the two countries were both liberated in 1975, cooperative ties between the two news agencies entered a new phase. The VNA has continued its support and exchanged experience with the KPL, aiming to develop both into more modern news agencies.

Ninh Thuan province to switch to new crops in 2019

The south central coastal province of Ninh Thuan will change the structure of nearly 1,200ha of crops to increase output and farmers’ income in response to climate change this year. 

Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Pham Quang Thuu said the province regularly faces prolonged droughts, resulting in a lack of water for production, farming, and daily use. 

During the winter-spring crop of 2019, over 530ha of rice and others were switched to short-day and long-day plants. The remaining will be also changed during summer-autumn and other crops. 

The department asked the provincial Agricultural Expansion Encouragement Centre (AEEC) to promote technical transfer to farmers and spread farming models that are adaptable to drought conditions, including water-saving irrigation and VietGap farming models for grapes, apples, and vegetables. 

AEEC Director Nguyen Tin said the centre is working with localities to review farming in water-scarce areas, such as Thuan Bac, Ninh Phuoc, Thuan Nam, and Ninh Hai districts. 

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Tran Quoc Nam urged relevant district authorities to take stern action with crop switching, as well as promptly piloting and spreading water-saving farming models. 

According to the department, the province switched nearly 300ha of inefficient rice to long-day crops such as grape and apple last year, which helped save water by 25-30 percent, generate more jobs, and increase locals’ incomes.

Thua Thien-Hue targets 4.7 million visitors in 2019

Visitors in Hue city 

The central province of Thua Thien-Hue aims to attract about 4.7 million visitors in 2019 with 45 percent being foreigners, a rise of about 7 percent year on year.

The province, owning many UNESCO-recognised tangible and intangible heritage as well as beautiful beaches, targets 4.9 trillion VND (210.7 million USD) in tourism revenue in the year, up 10 percent compared to the previous year.

The province will continue tourism promotion activities in the western European region, northeastern Asia and ASEAN by joining ITB Berlin Travel Trade Show in Germany, and other fairs such as Hanatour in the Republic of Korea, Travex 2019 in Quang Ninh and JATA in Japan.

A number of video clips will be made to introduce tourist destinations in the province, while a media desk will be launched to provide information to tourists. At the same time, the province will partner with Vietnam Airlines, Vietravel, Fayfay.com, IVIVU and Traveloka during destination promotion process.

In 2019, Thua Thien-Hue will pilot the four-season festival and continue organizing the Coup de Hue bike racing and Hue Marathon to lure visitors.

Alongside, the province will set up tourist information centres, called “Stop and Go”, in Hue city to serve visitors.

A number of new tourism projects will be completed, including Minh Vien-Lang Co resort, Movenpick hotel, among others.

In 2018, Thua Thien-Hue welcomed more than 4.3 million visitors, a rise of 14 percent, with the number of foreign visitors rising 30 percent. Tourism revenue reached 4.47 trillion VND, up 27.1 percent compared to 2017. Notably, Thua Thien-Hue was chosen as one of the most attractive destinations of Vietnam. 

The leading market of the provincial tourism was the Republic of Korea with 29.3 percent of market share, flowed by France with 9 percent, Thailand with 6.6 percent and Germany 5.3 percent.

In the year, Thua Thien-Hue also greeted 134,100 tourists aboard 54 cruise ships, a rise of 5 percent year on year.