An art exchange programme staged by artists from the Vietnam Contemporary Art Theatre was held in Sydney on December 20.

The show titled “Vietnam – spring beauty” was organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to promote Vietnam’s tourism in Australia and to call on overseas Vietnamese to strengthen solidarity and preserve traditional culture.

Vietnamese Consul General in Sydney Trinh Duc Hai suggested the two countries tighten coordination to promote tourism and enhance bilateral friendship, especially when they celebrate the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2018.

The 90-minute performance featured various ethnic cultures from across Vietnam.

Apart from enjoying traditional melodies, visitors could admire pictures capturing Vietnamese land and people displayed at the campus of the Consulate General.

Earlier, the programme was held in Melbourne in Victoria State.

Chairman of the Association of Vietnamese Entrepreneurs in Australia Tran Ba Phuc described this as a meaningful activity, demonstrating the Party and State’s attention to preserving traditional values among Vietnamese expatriates.

Younger generations play important role in Vietnam-Laos relations

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Dinh Quy highlighted the significant role of younger generations in promoting traditional relations with Laos.

In an interview with Vietnam News Agency, Quy said it is necessary to raise the youth’s awareness of the ties so they understand why both sides need to maintain and cherish the relations.

The relationship was established by Presidents Ho Chi Minh, Kaysone Phomvihane and Souphanouvong, and has been nurtured by generations of Vietnamese and Lao leaders and citizens. 

Various activities have been held during the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year 2017 to mark the 40th anniversary of the Vietnam-Laos Treaty of Amity and Cooperation and the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties, he noted, adding that they have contributed to educating the two peoples, particularly youths, about bilateral relations while encouraging them to preserve and elevate the ties.

On the occasion, he said, both sides have employed various measures to enhance the ties, including carrying out infrastructure development projects and prioritising education for Lao students in Vietnam.

The Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year 2017 was declared a success by President Tran Dai Quang and General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith at a press conference in Hanoi on December 20.

Deputy PM urges Mekong Delta development

The sustainable development of the Mekong Delta must go in hand with its long-term ability to recover and adapt to the multi-dimensional impacts of climate change, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has said.

Deputy PM Dung on December 19 chaired a meeting in Hanoi on a project to adjust the construction planning of the Mekong Delta.

The meeting was attended by construction, investment and planning leaders and people from the agricultural and rural development ministries and the Government Office.

|The project was planned by the Ministry of Construction’s Southern Institute for Spatial Planning (SISP) and examined by a Belgium-US consulting firm.

It aims to attain sustainable development geared towards “green growth” and adaptation to climate change in the Mekong Delta, and helping the area to reach an important position in the country and Southeast Asia.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy PM Dung said he appreciated the efforts of SISP, the consulting firm, and local and international scientists in developing the project.

He said the project had the right approach to issues concerning the delta, starting from a comprehensive evaluation of internal and external factors, to developing effective scenarios to response and adapt to climate change.

Apart from visible external factors such as climate change, sea level rise, and impacts from the exploitation of hydropower from the upper Mekong River, the negative and positive impacts of internal factors such as the eco-socio development process and investments in construction activities should also be intensively evaluated, Dung said.

“This evaluation will serve as the foundation for further analysis and identification of challenges posed by climate change and the delta’s internal development,” he said. "Water management is of utmost importance since water is the core attribute of the Mekong Delta.", he added.

The Deputy PM said the project should provide a comprehensive evaluation on the storage of both groundwater and surface water and propose options for protecting the area’s water resources.

Other issues that should be focused on were energy, industrial development and minimum height of constructions, he said.
He requested the Ministry of Construction to direct research parties to collaborate with expert agencies to research, evaluate, and propose development strategies.

The Mekong Delta has been identified as a key area for agricultural, aquaculture production and fruit growing in the country. It greatly contributes to national food security and plays an important role in exporting farm products to international markets. 

The region’s population is expected to reach 18-19 million by 2030, of which 6.5-7.7 million will live in urban areas, in accordance with the urganisation rate of 35-40 percent and average growth rate of 2.4-3.3 percent.

HCM City willing to cooperate with Moroccan localities: official

Ho Chi Minh City is ready to cooperate with Casablanca city and other localities of Morocco in fields of mutual interests, Chairwoman of the municipal People’s Council Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam told visiting President of the Moroccan House of Representatives Habib El Malki on December 20. 

Tam promised that HCM City will create favourable conditions for businesses of the two sides to promote economic and commercial partnership. 

She said similarities in the history of struggle to gain national independence shared by Vietnam and Morocco would serve as the basis for the two countries to step up their collaboration in the realms that they have potential and can support each other. 

Agreeing with Tam’s view, Habib El Malki said with historical similarities and diverse culture, Morocco and Vietnam, including HCM City, have opportunities to join hands in economy, trade and investment. 

The Moroccan leader expressed his hope to establish a friendly cooperative relationship between HCM City and Casablanca, the largest city of Morocco, as well as relations between the city’s business community with its counterpart in Casablanca, contributing to boosting bilateral cooperation in economy and trade.

84 women in Dong Thap awarded with “Heroic Mother” title

The Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap held a ceremony on December 20 to present posthumously the noble State title of “Heroic Vietnamese Mother” to 84 local women whose husband and children laid down their lives in the struggle for national liberation and protection.

With the recognition, the province currently has a total of 1,868 heroic mothers.

Addressing the ceremony, Vice Chairman of the Dong Thap People’s Committee Doan Tan Buu stressed that the province over the years has focused on taking care of people who rendered services to the nation, including the heroic mothers. The work also helps foster patriotism among local people, especially youths.

According to the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, more than nine million people have to date been recognised as revolutionary contributors, including 1.2 million war martyrs, 127,000 heroic mothers and 800,000 war invalids.

Vietnam increases grassroots health care services

Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said it is a must to improve the quality and operational efficiency of grassroots-level health care centres in order to attract more patients. 

Speaking at a conference in Hanoi on December 20 to implement the pilot model of enhancing capacity for medical centres at wards and communes, Tien said Vietnam has a network of 11,400 infirmaries which spread nearly 99 percent of wards and communes nationwide.

Thanks to the widespread coverage of health services, Vietnam has become one of the ten countries completing the millennium development goal relating maternal and child health, and successfully controlled and eliminated many dangerous diseases, the minister said. 

However, she pointed to a range of limitations remaining at grassroots health care services such as low quality, limited capacity of health workers and the shortage of medicines, among others. 

The health ministry has rolled out an action plan to implement the project on building and developing grassroots health care network in the new period during 2018-2020, Tien said. 

To carry the project, efforts will be focused on professional skills, human resources, material facilities, equipment, financial supply, health care and IT application, she noted. 

Dr. Kidong Park, Chief Representative of the World Health Organisation in Vietnam, stressed the significance of the renovation of the health system in Vietnam, explaining that it helps the country achieve the target of universal health care coverage. 

The Vietnamese health sector should heed preventing non-contagious diseases and take people as the centre in health care services, the official suggested. 

The model will be piloted in medical clinics of 26 wards and communes of eight cities and provinces, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Ha Tinh, Long An, Khanh Hoa and Lam Dong.

US female activists visit Sai Gon Giai phong newspaper

A US women’s delegation led by activist Merle Evelyn Ratner met with female journalists at the Sai Gon Giai phong newspaper office on December 20.

The sides discussed women’s rights, campaigning for equality and women’s empowerment.

Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper Ly Viet Trung informed her guests on the Vietnamese Government’s efforts to protect and support women. 

The US delegates, meanwhile, shared their thoughts on feminism, the role of black women in campaigns for national liberation, LGBT rights, fighting sexual-harassment and Asian immigrants in the US.

Sai Gon Giai phong (Liberated Saigon) is the communications arm of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee. It is published in English and Vietnamese.

VGCL President receives Cuban Ambassador

The Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) and the Centre of Workers of Cuba have enjoyed sound friendship and supported each other at international forums, said VGCL President Bui Van Cuong.

He made the statement while receiving newly accredited Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Lianys Torres Rivera in Hanoi on December 20.

Congratulating the Cuban diplomat on her new mission in Vietnam, Cuong expressed his hope that activities taken to protect labourers from both sides will receive support from the Cuban Embassy.

He said the move will help tighten relations between the two labour organisations.

The VGCL has invited the head of the Centre of Workers of Cuba and the centre’s working group to visit Vietnam to discuss measures to protect workers in non-state sector.

Rivera, for her part, thanked the VGCL for its support for the embassy over the years, saying Cuba has prioritised relations between its organisations and the VGCL as it plays an important part in bilateral ties.

At the meeting, she also shared information on the traditional friendship between the two countries and relations between the two labour organisations.

Vietnam creates optimal conditions for foreign investors: Deputy PM

The Vietnamese Government has worked to create optimal conditions for foreign investors in Vietnam, in accordance with the country’s laws, said Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue.

The Vietnamese official made the statement during his meeting in Hanoi on December 20 with Paul Greenwood, Vice President of Africa and Asia Pacific Business Development at Exxon Mobil Gas and Power Marketing.

He also thanked Exxon Mobil’s support for Vietnam to successfully host the APEC 2017 Economic Leaders’ Meetings.

Vietnam is pushing forward with efforts to improve its business climate and competitiveness to attract new foreign investors with technical and financial capacity to the country, Hue added, voicing his hope that Exxon Mobil will continue to expand investment in Vietnam.

In reply, Greenwood affirmed that the corporation will continue to cooperate with Vietnamese partners in the coming time.

Women highlighted in Industry 4.0

A conference on Vietnamese women’s role in the fourth industrial revolution held in HCM City on Tuesday highlighted the need for female entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and overcome entrenched barriers such as gender disparities and lack of leadership roles.

Lê Quốc Cường, the deputy director of the city’s Department of Information and Communications, said that women-led businesses played an important role in the economy and that it was critical to support women entrepreneurs who make great contributions to the country’s development.

Nguyễn Thế Hưng, deputy director of the Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (VCCI) HCM City chapter, said Việt Nam now had about 200,000 women-owned enterprises.

“The fourth industrial revolution comes with many opportunities and challenges for Vietnamese women in business and brings benefits for everyone,” he said.

Labour demand, for example, will be seriously affected, especially in the textile and footwear industries, where women make up 70-80 per cent of the workforce.

An estimated 80 per cent of workers in these two industries could be replaced through automation, he said.

Tôn Nữ Thị Ninh, vice chairwoman of the Việt Nam Peace Committee, encouraged women executives to pursue their career goals and overcome barriers and challenges at work.

She called on women entrepreneurs to improve their knowledge and skills and to keep abreast of market changes as the fourth industrial revolution demands that they be creative and flexible.

The conference, which attracted around 200 women entrepreneurs and senior managers, emphasised that “when women prosper, everyone prospers”.

The event organised by VCCI in collaboration with Googleaimed to offer information, skills and networking connections to working women. 

Irish Government supports Vietnam’s ethnic minority area development

The Irish Government is going to support Vietnam’s efforts to develop ethnic minority areas with 12.6 million EUR (14.9 million USD) between 2017 and 2020.

The sponsorship was announced at a ceremony held by the Vietnamese Government’s Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs and the Irish Embassy in Hanoi on December 20.

Accordingly, Ireland will provide 12 million EUR for Vietnam to carry out the programme on socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous communes with particular disadvantages (Programme 135). The funding aims to assist socio-economic infrastructure improvement and access to services in ethnic minority areas in the provinces of Ha Giang, Hoa Binh, Quang Tri, Kon Tum, and Tra Vinh.

The remaining 600,000 EUR will fund a technical assistance project on improving the effectiveness of development programmes and policies targeting ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

The agreement on the sponsorship for Programme 135 was signed on November 15, 2017 by the Vietnamese Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs and the Irish Embassy on behalf of their respective governments. The Vietnamese committee and the Irish Embassy inked the letter on the funding for the technical assistance project on December 11, 2017.

Irish Ambassador to Vietnam Cáit Moran said the financing is one of the focuses of her country’s assistance for the Vietnamese Government. It also helps demonstrate Ireland’s commitment towards a poverty-free world, with a special focus on vulnerable groups.

The Irish Government is also encouraged by the outcomes brought by Vietnam’s socio-economic development over the past years, she said, expressing her hope that the two sides will together bring about changes and a better life for Vietnamese people in the time ahead.

Minister and Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs Do Van Chien appreciated the sponsorship and pledged that it will be used for right purposes and in an effective manner.

From 2007 and 2016, Ireland supported 60.29 million EUR for Programme 135 of Vietnam.

Myanmar-Vietnam friendship associations asked to boost coordination

Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung received Chairman of the Myanmar – Vietnam Friendship Association U Tint Swai in Hanoi on December 20, asking the two countries’ friendship organisations to step up coordination and people-to-people exchange.

Valuing Myanmar’s achievements, the Deputy PM affirmed that Vietnam always treasures the countries’ traditional friendship and wants to enhance their cooperation in all aspects.

He noted that Vietnam and Myanmar have recorded rapid and strong development in their relations, especially the elevation of bilateral ties to a comprehensive cooperative partnership during a State visit to Myanmar by Vietnam’s Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in August 2017.

Notably, economic, trade and investment connection has become one of the important cooperation pillars, he said, elaborating that their trade exceeded 548 million USD in 2016 and is expected to reach over 800 million USD in 2017. With more than 70 projects worth nearly 1.5 billion USD, Vietnam has become the seventh biggest foreign investor in Myanmar.

Those outcomes are important prerequisites to bolster cooperation in the time ahead, he said.

The Deputy PM asked both sides to maintain high-ranking delegation exchange, soon sign cooperation agreements, especially on agro-forestry-fishery and transport, and continue to create optimal conditions for Vietnamese firms to expand investment and business in Myanmar.

He told the two countries’ friendship associations to help boost cooperation between Ho Chi Minh City and Yangon and work to set up cooperative ties between Hanoi and Myanmar localities in the near future.

For his part, U Tint Swai said his association has carried out concrete and active activities to strengthen cooperation between the two Governments and peoples.

He added during their working visit, the Myanmar delegation signed many important agreements with Vietnamese agencies so as to foster ties between the two countries’ friendship associations and promote partnerships in all fields, particularly economy, trade and investment.

The Myanmar – Vietnam Friendship Association will make efforts to connect the two sides’ businesses in order to capitalise on each other’s potential and advantages. It will also increase people-to-people exchanges and educate young people on the Myanmar – Vietnam traditional relationship.

Symposium recalls Spring 1968 Uprising in Can Tho

Cultural researchers and war veterans again assessed the significance of the Spring 1968 Uprising at a symposium held in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on December 20. 

Pham Van Hieu, Deputy Secretary of the Can Tho city Party Committee, said that Lo Vong Cung (arc-shaped road) which stretches 30km from Cai Rang town to Ba Se-Giao Dan in O Mon district was the fiercest battlefield in former Can Tho province during the Spring 1968 Uprising. 

Despite disadvantages in numbers and weapon, Can Tho people and army liberated four key communes with 10,000 people, he said. 

Hien noted that Lo Vong Cung has been recognised as a national heritage site and all wards and communes along the road have been honoured with the title of Hero of the People’s Armed Forces.  

Many delegates at the symposium proposed tapping tourism potential of relic sites along Lo Vong Cung to turn the road into a “green tourism belt.” 

During the anti-US resistance war, Lo Vong Cung served as the enemy’s defensive area to protect the headquarters of the IV Corps Tactical Zone, Tra Noc Airport and representative offices of the US and its puppet government in Can Tho. 

Within the framework of the symposium, there is an exhibition displaying 231 objects and 37 photos on the uprising of soldiers and people of Can Tho in the spring 1968.

Lao leader meets President of Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association

General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith has emphasised the significance of cooperation between Vietnam-Laos and Laos-Vietnam Friendship Associations to the special relationship between the two countries. 

At a meeting with President of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association (VLFA) Tran Van Tuy in Hanoi on December 20, Bounnhang Vorachith said although the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Year 2017 has closed, there will be more cooperation activities, especially those aiming to educate young people of the two countries about the special solidarity. 

He pledged to do his utmost to make the friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States and peoples fruitful. 

For his part, Tuy informed the Lao leader about the operation of the VLFA as well as coordination with its Lao counterpart to enhance the solidarity between Vietnamese and Lao people, and promote collaboration in economy, culture, health care and education between the two countries. 

The two associations will continue their coordination in carrying out friendly exchanges, contributing to intensifying mutual understanding and tightening the solidarity, he promised. 

Later the same day, Bounnhang Vorachith and his entourage left Hanoi to visit the central province of Nghe An. 

The Lao leader’s three-day visit, starting from December 19, is made at the invitation of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and President of Vietnam Tran Dai Quang. It aims to affirm Laos’ policy of treasuring the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

This is the second official friendly visit of the Lao leader during his tenure (2016-2021).

Economic gains from population to fall sharply from 2019: UNFPA

Though Vietnam has a golden population structure until 2042, with the rapid population aging speed like at present, economic gains from population will sharply decline from 2019.

The remark was made by Nguyen Ngoc Quynh, a representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), at a workshop held by the National Assembly’s Committee for Social Affairs in Ho Chi Minh City on December 18.

She noted that the strong decrease of economic gains from population is because the population’s total income will be lower than total spending.

At present about 70 percent of Vietnam’s population are of working age, which is a chance for the country to strongly promote economic growth. However, opportunities from golden population do not necessarily mean economic gains.

Quynh said a UNFPA study shows that in 2017, total income of Vietnam’s population is bigger than their total spending. With rapid population aging, this income – spending scale will balance in 2018 and begin to have deficit in 2019 as total spending will be bigger than total income of the population.

To capitalise on economic gains from the golden population opportunities, she suggested the country increase the number of people in working age along with the employment rate while creating favourable conditions for the elderly and women, especially ethnic minority women, to work.

It is also important to boost labour productivity since Vietnam is among countries with lowest productivity in Asia. To extend economic gains from population until 2042, local labour productivity must be raised by 1.28 percentage points each year, she added.

At the workshop, former Vice Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for Social Affairs Nguyen Van Tien said the Government should have a road map for gradually raising the retirement age, firstly for women. 

He added it is also necessary to encourage the elderly to engage in employment and social activities, encourage the employment of old persons, provide vocational training for people near retirement age, reform the social insurance regime, and build a friendly environment for the elderly.-

Activities mark 73rd Vietnam People’s Army Day

Numerous activities are being held across the country to mark the 73rd anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army (December 22).

The events also aim to celebrate the 28th anniversary of All People’s Defence Festival Day (December 22), the 45th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu in the Air Victory, and 50 years of the Mau Than Offensive in Spring 1968.

The General Political Department under the Defence Ministry held an art performance on December 19 in Hanoi with the participation of military artists.

The show featured songs, dances and a traditional opera play praising the country and soldiers.

The same day, another art performance highlighting the country’s sea and island was held in Hanoi by the Ministry of Information and Communication, General Political Department of the People's Army and the Voice of Vietnam 

The event aims to honour generations of officers, soldiers, and residents who live and work in coastal areas and on islands, who have overcome hardship and challenges to safeguard the country’s sea and islands.

Meanwhile, over 200 photos and 400 books on the formation and development of the Vietnam People’s Army over the past 73 years are on display at an exhibition that opened the in the northern port city of Hai Phong on December 19.

More than 100 photos, documents and objects highlighting achievements of Hanoi and Hai Phong people during the Hanoi - Dien Bien Phu in the Air campaign are also exhibited in the city. The exhibition runs until December 25.

Vietnamese fallen soldiers commemorated in Cambodia

The Embassy of Vietnam in Cambodia along with Vietnamese representative offices, overseas Vietnamese businesses and students laid wreaths and offered incense at the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Monument in Phnom Penh on December 21.

The event aims to commemorate Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts, as well as patriotic Cambodians who sacrificed their lives for the cause of Cambodia’s liberation and helped Cambodian people escape from the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime, contributing to Cambodia’s revival and development.

It’s also meant to celebrate the 73rd founding anniversary of Vietnam People’s Army (December 22, 1944), the 28th anniversary of Vietnam All-People’s Defence Day (December 22, 1989) and the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Cambodia diplomatic relations (June 24, 1967).

In recent days, many Vietnamese and Cambodian delegations visited the Vietnamese Defence Attaché Office in Cambodia to offer congratulation on the anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army and Vietnam’s All-People’s Defence Day.

As scheduled, the attaché office will hold a banquet to mark the occasions on December 22.-

Deputy PM calls for business involvement in social welfare

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has stressed the need to get people and businesses involved in social welfare to create high social consensus for economic development and national defence-security.

He was speaking at a meeting in Hanoi on December 21 to review the five-year implementation of Resolution 15/NQ-TW adopted by the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV)’s 11th Central Committee on social policy issues in 2012-2020.

The Deputy PM urged ministries and localities to continue reviewing policies of poverty reduction and social welfare.

On employment, Deputy PM Dam said it is necessary to improve employment quality and labour productivity through encouraging new firms, thus creating more jobs, and developing human resources training. 

He asked localities to examine the vocational training system in 2018, especially for rural workers, and improve social infrastructure at industrial parks.

The education and training work needs the involvement of the whole society, focusing on supporting students in remote and underprivileged areas, as well as children from disadvantaged backgrounds, Dam said.

Regarding public health, the deputy PM required the health sector and related agencies to continue improving public healthcare services, reinforcing the operation of medical facilities at grassroots level, and providing initial health care for people, especially welfare beneficiaries and elderly people.

The Government official told the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Welfare, and the Ministry of Information and Communication to develop social welfare cards – which could be used for payment.

According to reports at the meeting, the number of people joining social insurance has increased around 3.2 million over the past five years to reach 13.8 million in 2017 (accounting for 25.76 percent of the labour force). 

The proportion of people covered by health insurance increased to 85.59 percent in 2017 from 59.1 percent in 2012.

As of the end of 2017, around 2.78 million people are receiving monthly social allowance.

The country has completed educational universalisation at kindergarten, primary and secondary levels. As much as 88.2 percent of rural population got access to hygienic water as of October 30, 2017.

One killed in Hanoi house fire

A 45-year-old Hanoi man was killed in an early morning house fire on December 20.

According to initial information, the fire started at around 8:00am in a house located at alley 299 Trung Kinh Street, Cau Giay district, Hanoi.

Witnesses said that when they noticed the ferocious blaze they immediately called authorised agencies.

Upon receiving reports of the blaze, firefighters and fire engines arrived at the scene to battle the flames. It took them one hour to bring the fire under complete control.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Massive fire destroys market in Nghe An

A large fire broke out at a local market destroying dozens of kiosks in Anh Son town, Anh Son district at 00:30 am on December 21 in the central province of Nghe An.

Local residents raised the alarm about the fire and swiftly notified the local authorities. Local fire fighters were immediately dispatched to the scene to battle the raging fire.
The fire was brought under control by 3 am. Fortunately, it did not spread to the temple in the market.

Locals said more than 40 kiosks were completely destroyed by the blaze. There were no statistics available for costs of fire damage. 

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

HCM City to cool down 10 congestion hot spots by year end

Ho Chi Minh City authorities will focus on dealing with traffic congestion at 10 traffic hot spots by the end of this year.

The 10 are among the city’s 37 identified congestion locations that have been selected to be resolved before the new year, said Le Hong Viet, deputy head of the office of the municipal Department of Transport.

These areas have the most complicated traffic situations, Viet said, adding that many units, namely traffic cops, police officers, traffic inspectors, steering boards, and transport businesses, will join hands to alleviate the gridlock.

The 10 hotspots include areas near Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Tan Binh District, Cai Lai Port in District 2, Truong Tho Port in District 9, Pham Van Dong Roundabout in Go Vap District, Cong Truong Dan Chu Roundabout in District 3, Duong Ba Trac Street in District 8, Nguyen Van Linh- Nguyen Huu Tho Intersection in District 7, and several others.

Specific measures have been proposed by the relevant authorities to settle the issues, Viet added.

According to Nguyen Ngoc Tuong, deputy head of the city's Traffic Safety Committee, responsible units will be sanctioned if they fail to fulfill their missions at corresponding locations.

Aside from the proposed measures, regular supervision will be carried out to promptly deal with any emerging issue, Vo Khanh Hung, deputy director of the transport department said, adding that feedback from local residents will also be welcomed.

According to the observations of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters on the morning of November 20, endless lines of trucks traveled at a snail's pace on Dong Van Cong Street and at the Vo Chi Cong-Nguyen Thi Dinh Intersection, near the Cat Lai Port.

Despite relentless efforts by traffic police, the bottleneck lingers until most afternoons.

Many drivers said it took them hours to enter the port.

Meanwhile, serious congestion is also common at the Cong Truong Dan Chu Roundabout in District 3 during rush hour, especially in the evening.

Cars are regularly stuck at the roundabout for 15 minutes during periods of congestion.

Streets near the Pham Van Dong Roundabout such as Hoang Minh Giam and Dang Van Sam are also regular victims of delay.

The activities of street food vendors on the sidewalks along the nearby Gia Dinh Park exacerbates the situation, compromising traffic safety as well as urban esthetics.

Although traffic officers are often dispatched to the area, the situation has not been resolved, said one commuter.

Free cleft palate surgery for disadvantaged children

Around 150 children affected with cleft lips and cleft palates are to be provided with free check-ups and surgery in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from December 18-29 under a joint program between Operation Smile and MobiFone.

The program has selected about 150 children from northern and southern provinces. After having check-ups, approximately 100 children will undergo surgery and receive a second chance to smile.

Surgeries are being carried out by leading Vietnamese experts from the Vietnam-Cuba hospital and the National Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology in Ho Chi Minh City according to Operation Smile's Global Standards of Care.

Mobifone will cover all expenses for surgery, travel, and accommodation during check-up and treatment.

Since 2009, MobiFone has provided funds of more than VND6 billion to Operation Smile Vietnam through the Journey of Miracles program.

HCM City to ensure safe travel during holidays

The HCM City Department of Transport said it would ensure the orderly flow of traffic during the Calendar New Year and Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays by strictly enforcing traffic regulations and inspecting interprovincial bus stations for illegal buses.

Traffic control will be strengthened near Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Cat Lai Port, Saigon Railway, interprovincial bus stations, Thu Thiem Tunnel, ferries, and wharves during the holidays.

The department has told enterprises that operate and manage BOT (build-operate-transfer) roads such as Hanoi Expressway and An Suong-An Lac road to ensure orderly traffic movement through toll booths and on roads.

Mien Tay (Western) Bus Station in HCM City is expected to see passengers increase by 60-70 percent during the New Year holiday compared to normal days, to reach 48,000-50,000 passengers a day, according to Nguyen Ngoc Thua, general director of the station.

Bus fares will remain unchanged during the New Year holiday, Thua said.

The station will begin selling Tet tickets from January 26 to February 10 with a fee 40-60 percent higher than normal days.

"Mien Dong (Eastern) Bus Station forecasts a 2 percent increase in the number of passengers during Tet holiday compared to the same period last year," said Kieu Nam Thanh, general director of the station.

The station will charge 20-60 percent more for bus fares from January 28 to February 15.

The city’s Management and Operation Centre for Public Transport plans to add 1,205 bus trips on more than 20 routes for three days, starting from December 30.

The centre will work with transport enterprises to allocate more buses in case of sudden demand.

Social organisations urged to enhance role in child protection

Social organisations and the Vietnam Association for Protection of Children’s Rights (VAPCR) should promote their role in protecting children from violence and sexual abuse, heard a forum in Hanoi on December 21.

The event was jointly held by the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the Vietnam Association for Protection of Children’s Rights (VAPCR), and the Child Rights Protection Network (CRnet).

Participants shared difficulties and shortcomings in caring for and protecting children, including limited public awareness and prolonged proceeding legal procedures in child abuse cases.

Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai, head of the Family and Society Division under the Vietnam Women's Union, said there is no specific guidance from relevant agencies on the scope, frequency and content of supervision on child-related issues, which makes socio-political organisations fail to take the initiative in addressing cases.

Nguyen Phuong Linh, Director of the Research Centre for Management and Sustainable Development (MSD), said social organisations are meeting a lot of difficulties in providing child care services and legal assistance as well as supervising the implementation of international conventions and domestic laws in the field.

Le Manh Hung, Deputy Director of the Students' Affairs Department under the Ministry of Education and Training, suggested building a coordination programme between social organisations and VAPCR, and organising training courses and workshops to disseminate child-related legal documents.

Sharing this viewpoint, VAPCR Vice President Dinh Thi Hong said the inspection and supervision of child rights implementation and prevention of violence against children at schools should be conducted suddenly. 

Relevant agencies should focus on disseminating legal knowledge and self-protection skills for children to prevent violence and abuse, she suggested.

At the forum, the VAPCR put forth eight proposals to submit to State-run management agencies, including the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, the Supreme People’s Court, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Training, in order to complete policies and legal regulations on enhancing the role of social organisations and the involvement of lawyers in preventing and strictly handling child sexual abuse and violence cases.

Programme enhances pupils’ awareness of clean water

Over 5,000 primary pupils across the country were enabled to attend 265 training courses on the role of clean water and measures to protect and use water efficiently as part of a programme named “Mizuiku – I love clean water”. 

The figures were released at a ceremony to review the implementation of the programme in 2017 at Nam Son 2 Primary School in Nam Son commune of Bac Ninh city in the province of the same name on December 21.

Addressing the ceremony, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneer Organisation Central Council Nguyen Long Hai said environmental pollution is a top concern because it poses direct impacts on people’s lives.

The programme aims to raise public awareness of protecting water resources from being polluted and wastefully used, he said.

In 2017, the programme was carried out in 30 primary schools in Bac Ninh, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre.

Under the programme, 10 training courses were conducted for over 260 teachers and volunteers, 13 clean water supply stations were built across the nation, and toilets at schools were upgraded.

The programme also funded ten clean water festivals with the participation of 3,900 pupils and teachers in the year.

According to the organisers, in 2018, the programme will continue bringing clean water to more children in remote areas in the central province of Quang Nam and the northern mountainous province of Lang Son. It will also expand targeted schools in the four benefited localities in 2017.

A website will be launched, providing online classes for adults and children on measures to save water and protect the environment in 2018.

The “Mizuiku - I love clean water" programme was initiated by Suntory Group in Japan in 2004.

The programme was jointly piloted by the Suntory Group, the Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam Beverage Company, and northern localities in 2015.

On this occasion, 15 units and individuals were honoured for their best painting works under the theme “Mizuiku – I love clean water”.

Former agricultural department director prosecuted

Investigative police of the southern province of Bến Tre on Wednesday initiated legal proceedings against the former director of the provincial agricultural department.

Lê Phong Hải, former director of the Bến Tre Department of Agricultural and Rural Development, was charged with intentionally violating the State’s regulations on economic management, causing serious consequences, based on the Penal Code.

He was also ordered not to leave his residence during the process.

According to police’s investigation results, Hải was suspected of not fulfilling his responsibility and violating State regulations on economic management in a project to dredge Ba Lại River during the 2008-12 period, resulting in losses of VNĐ6.8 billion (US$304,000).

At that time, former director Hải represented the agricultural department as the investor of the project, which had total investment capital of over VNĐ303 billion ($13.4 million) using Government bonds.

Investigations showed that Hải selected an incapable sub-contractor for the project, and permitted an advance payment of 50 per cent of the contract value even though no areas were allocated for construction of a dredging system. His decisions resulted in losses of VNĐ6.8 billion for the State budget.

In addition, he did not ask the contractor of the project to renew the certificates of advance payment guarantee when these certificates expired, leading to the contractor appropriating all the advance payment.

PM urges prompt modernisation of Air Defence-Air Force

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked the Air Defence-Air Force to modernise itself by focus on building a strong force in terms of personnel, weapon and equipment.

PM Phuc made the request at a ceremony held in Hanoi on December 21 to mark the 73th founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army, 28 years of the All People Defence Festival and the 45th anniversary of the “Hanoi-Dien Bien Phu in the Air” victory.

The PM said that the building of personnel is a decisive factor to ensure the success of the nationalprotection task, while political reinforcement is the key to enhancing the general quality and combat strength.

PM Phuc asked the Air Defence-Air Force to firmly maintain the absolute and comprehensive leadership of the Party in all circumstance. The force should complete its air defence plans, while thoroughly studying plots and tricks of the enemy, thus seeking timely response and taking the initiative in all circumstances, he said.

The PM also stressed the need for the Air Defence-Air Force to continue drawing lessons from resistance wars of Vietnam and the world, developing military science and technology in air defence and air force with the focus on coping with high-technology air attacks, and applying achievements of the 4.0 revolution to the building of its force.

PM Phuc requested the Air Defence-Air Force to ensure aviation safety and not to allow any incident to happen. The force needs to foster international integration and enhance the effectiveness of defence diplomacy in line with the Party’s foreign policy, he added.

The Government leader expressed his belief that with the efforts of all officers and soldiers, the force will overcome all difficulties and challenges, thus fulfilling all assigned tasks in national construction and defence.

At the ceremony, the PM recalled feats of arms of the Air Defence-Air Force over the past years. Particularly, together with the army and locals of Hanoi, the force played a core role in the 12-day-and-night “Dien Bien Phu in the Air” campaign against the American imperialists in Hanoi, Hai Phong and some other northern localities of Vietnam from December 18-29, 1972, during which 4,181 airplanes, including 34 expensive B52s, were shot down.

The victory against the largest air attack of the American imperialists in history greatly contributed to creating a new position and strength for the liberation of the south and unification of the country, he noted.

Vietnamese, RoK Presidents exchanged congratulations on ties anniversary

President Tran Dai Quang and the Republic of Korea’s President Moon Jae-in on December 21 exchanged messages of congratulations on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties (December 22, 1992-2017).

The leaders highly valued the strong, comprehensive and practical development of the Vietnam-RoK friendship and cooperation, especially after the two countries set up a strategic cooperative partnership in 2009, saying it helped bring practical benefits for the two people and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

They agreed to exert efforts to optimize each country’s potential, while showing their determination to further develop the bilateral strategic cooperative partnership in order to gain greater achievements in the future.

On the same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh extended congratulations to Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyeong Hwa.

Workshop fosters promotion of VN’s achievements in human rights

A training workshop took place in Da Lat city, the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong on December 21 to help reporters from central and local news agencies in 33 southern cities and provinces improve the effectiveness of dissemination of Vietnam’s achievements in human rights.

The event was co-held by the Government’s Steering Committee for Human Rights and the Steering Committee for External Information Service.

Representatives from the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Steering Committee for Human Rights and other governmental agencies briefed participants on the Party’s policies and State laws on human right issues and the country’s progress in ensuring human rights in civil affairs, politics, economics and culture. They also talked about human rights in external affairs and Vietnam’s international commitments to human rights.

Vietnam has worked to ensure human rights through achieving goals in poverty reduction, healthcare, care for welfare beneficiaries and more while ethnic, democratic and religious rights have been integrated into many state policies, said Pham Van Linh, vice chief of the Communication and Education Commission and the Steering Committee for External Information Service.

He expected that the news agencies will enhance the promotion of Vietnam’s achievements in ensuring human rights among local public and international communities through different forms of information.

Attendees later exchanged experience in approaches of human rights in their works and proposed ways to improve the effectiveness of promotion of Vietnam’s achievements in human rights.

Vocational training to centre on businesses’ needs

In future, the revised project on vocational training for rural labourers will be based on demands from enterprises.

In place of the usual ‘top-down’ mentality where orders and targets are set by higher-ups, in 2018, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said its training programmes and curricula will be crafted with input from enterprises.

With the needs and criteria of potential employers being taken in, the training is hoped to achieve practical results, ensuring those who received training can be hired by the firms in need.

The change is in line with the Government’s new rural building programme and restructuring in the agriculture sector, said Ma Quang Trung, head of the department of cooperatives and rural development, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).

The ministry said surveys will be sent to businesses and co-operatives, especially those that have already established production and consumption ties with farmers. Training programmes and most of the budget for 2018 will be tailored for these businesses, as well as businesses in important production areas or high-tech production areas.

As many as 104 agriculture vocational training classes – covering topics from production, storage and manufacturing, but focusing on nationally important products and local spearhead products – will be held for workers in cooperatives. Another 16 classes on management skills will also be held for 560 officials in charge of cooperatives affairs in localities.

The steering committee under the agriculture ministry recommended these tasks be undertaken by “all central-level agencies, in direct coordination with businesses’ associations, general companies or businesses who have placed orders for labourers at ministry-level and local-level training centres.”

In 2009, then Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung approved the project “Vocational training for rural labourers until 2020”, and six years later, the amended decision No 971 came out with adjustments deemed more practical.

The changes include raising the target number of trained labourers in 2016-20 to six million and making sure that 80 percent of the trained workers are employed or have better wages and productivity, a new requirement to combine “theoretical lessons with field practice”, as well as no longer distinguishing between public or non-public vocational training centres in the programme.

In 2017, the number of people receiving vocational training in the first nine months reached 162,180, or 77 percent of the target (210,430 workers), according to an agricutlure ministry’s report summarising vocational training activities in the first nine months.

The majority of the trained workers are in agriculture, reaching 120,000. Most of the trained workers in the agriculture sector this year – about 43,000 – are members of co-operatives or individual workers in collaboration with agro-businesses.

Some successful co-operation models between the Government-sponsored vocational training programme and businesses include classes held to teach growing and harvesting techniques for rubber trees for new employees of the State-owned Vietnam Rubber Group, training on VietGAP shrimp breeding for employees of Quang Ninh Seaproducts Import-Export Company and training on high-quality rice production for VinaFood 2.

According to the report however, the implementation of the training programme still has a lot of room for improvement.

The effectiveness gap of the programme is one notable weakness. Midland mountainous provinces in the northern region and the Central Highlands, despite receiving equal or more financial support from the Government than other localities, recorded lower numbers of trained workers and a lower employment rate amongst those with training.

Follow-up support for the trained rural workers is also a problem, as without capital, these people would not be able to establish a business to utilise the knowledge they have obtained. This is a serious setback for the training programme, as the goal is to ensure people’s livelihood and help them escape poverty.

A lack of “serious efforts and determination” on the parts of workers during training and a shortage of qualified trainers are other issues that need to be addressed, the agriculture ministry’s report said.