Khanh Hoa welcomes 2 millionth foreign visitor in 2017

The 2 millionth foreign passenger Kim Sun-won is interviewed by a reporter

The central province of Khanh Hoa, on December 23, hosted its 2 millionth international tourist of the year, who landed on a VietJet Air plane from Incheon, the Republic of Korea.

The lucky passenger was Korean national Kim Sun-won, who received free accommodation for two nights at the local Vinpearl Nha Trang Resort and six months of free flights on all routes operated by VietJet Air. 

The 1,999,999th and 2,000,001st foreign visitors to Khanh Hoa were also from the RoK.

In 2017, the province is estimated to welcome nearly 5.5 million visitors and earned about 17.3 trillion VND (761.2 million USD) from tourism activities. The number of foreign arrivals to Khanh Hoa has to date surpassed 2 million, up 69 percent from last year.

The province houses 650 lodging facilities with close to 27,000 rooms, of which over 14,000 meet 3 – 5 star standards.

Friendship exchange marks 25-year Vietnam-RoK ties

The Vietnam-Republic of Korea (RoK) Friendship Association and the RoK Embassy in Vietnam hosted an exchange in Hanoi on December 22 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Vietnam-RoK Friendship Parliamentarians' Group Tran Van Tuy highlighted the growing bilateral cooperation, especially since the two countries set up their strategic cooperative partnership in 2009.

Lauding contributions of people-to-people diplomacy to the growth of Vietnam-RoK relationship, he said the Vietnamese Party and Government value efforts made by friendship associations from both nations in boosting mutual understanding.

He expected more bilateral exchanges and activities will be held in the future.

RoK Ambassador to Vietnam Lee Huyk said over the past 25 years, bilateral cooperation has recorded miracle progress, citing the fact that the RoK is now the biggest foreign investor in Vietnam with 60 billion USD in total capital. 

Vietnam is the 4th biggest trade partner of the RoK, and bilateral trade hit 45.1 billion USD in 2016. The countries exchanged nearly 1.75 million tourists last year, with Vietnam being the most-visited nation in Southeast Asia for Korean citizens.

The diplomat said engagement potential remains great, particularly in trade-investment and people-to-people diplomacy.

Chairman of the Vietnam-RoK Friendship Association Vu Tien Loc thanked the RoK-Vietnam Friendship Association for its coordination and hoped that the relationship between the two nations will continue thriving. 

Established diplomatic ties on December 22, 1992, Vietnam and the RoK updated their relationship to a strategic cooperative partnership in 2009.

Deputy PM visits religious organisations in Kon Tum

Politburo member and permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh visited several religious organisations in the ?Central Highlands province of Kon Tum on December 23 ahead of the Christmas Eve. 

He visited and presented gifts to Kon Tum Diocese, the ethnic Sisters of the Miraculous Medal group, the Vietnam Christian Mission and the family of A Hot in Plei Chum Dak Choah hamlet, Ngo May ward, Kon Tum city. 

The official wished Catholic and Protestant priests and followers a warm and merry Christmas, and hoped that the Bishop and dignitaries will contribute more to national development. 

He asked the provincial authorities to continue creating favourable conditions for religious activities. 

Binh wished that together with the local authorities and Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Bishop and dignitaries would provide care for the poor and ethnic minorities, especially those living in need, as well as offer education to young generations in the Central Highlands and Kon Tum in particular. 

Religious dignitaries also vowed to contribute to country development.

Party chief attends Central Theoretical Council’s fourth meeting

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong requested stronger renovation in theoretical work while attending the fourth meeting of the 2016-2021 tenure Central Theoretical Council on December 23 in Hanoi.

Lauding the council’s important role, Trong emphasised that the council should provide theoretical foundations for the building of guidelines and policies.

The regional and global situations see rapid and complicated developments, setting bigger requirements for the theoretical work, he said, adding that it needs accurate forecasts of development trends and a firm argument system for the national development strategy.

The Party chief asked the council to focus on increasing the quality of reality summarization and theoretical research to better serve the leadership of the CPV Central Committee and its Political Bureau and Secretariat and the drafting of the 13th National Party Congress’s documents.

To that end, the council should reform its operations, step up political research, as well as expand and increase the quality and efficiency of theoretical cooperation with parties over the world, he suggested.

He noted that the council needs to pay attention to updating domestic and international theoretical information so as to contribute more to the Party’s policy making process and serve the national building and safeguarding cause in the time ahead.

Christmas wishes to Can Tho, Bac Lieu Catholic followers

President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Tran Thanh Man paid a pre-Christmas visit to Can Tho Diocese in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on December 23. 

Speaking at the event, Man wished local priests and Catholic followers a warm and merry Christmas season. 

He lauded Catholics nationwide and those in Can Tho city in particular for joining the VFF’s movements such as new-style rural development, sustainable poverty reduction and Vietnamese people prioritising Vietnamese goods. They also joined social charity activities and vocational training, and offered support to disaster-hit residents. In particular, 41 religions nationwide signed an agreement on environment protection and climate change response. 

Man expressed his hope that Bishop Tri Buu Thien and priests of Can Tho Diocese will continue urging Catholics to abide by the Party policies and guidelines and State laws and contribute to national development. 

Thien, for his part, expressed his belief that local authorities always pay attention to Catholic community, and Can Tho and the whole country will further prosper in the near future. 

Can Tho Diocese sprawls over an area of nearly 13,000 sq. km, covering Can Tho and the provinces of Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau with a total population of around 5.5 million people. There are roughly 180,000 Catholic followers, accounting for 3.6 percent of the total population and 200 priests running Catholic religious activities.

The same day, Permanent Vice Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairwoman of the People’s Council of southern Bac Lieu province Le Thi Ai Nam visited and congratulated Catholic followers in churches across the locality.

Tet arrives early for northern Mong ethnic village

Villagers in Tham Phang village in Muong Ang district of Dien Bien province are celebrating Tet during one of the coldest winters in the region.

Belong to the Mong ethnicity, one of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups, locals here usually celebrate Tet a month earlier than the rest of the country. This year, Tet came even sooner because of an extra month in a leap year.

There are 30 days in a month in the Mong calendar with no exception. 

The 361st day is the Mong’s Tet, their biggest celebration of the year.

Banh giay (a white, flat and round glutinous rice cake) is the holiday’s must-have food. Locals typically make a lot of banh giay for ceremonies and also to give families, friends and visitors to their village.

On the last day of the year, the Mong cleaned their house with a small bamboo branch while praying for health and prosperity for the household in the year to come.

In another Tet ritual, a member of the household, who holds a rooster and a hen while he or she stands by the front door along with a shaman. The shaman occasionally tosses a bamboo branch outside while chanting in a symbolic gesture to throw out all sadness and misfortune of the old year.

On the morning of the first day, a Mong household erects a tall tree in the middle of the front yard. Using a rope and tree branch, they create a ceremonial U-shaped gate. All members of the household then follow the eldest under the gate, men seven times and women nine times, in a ceremony to bring good luck.

The holiday season is also a time for the people to enjoy outdoor activities, musical performances and traditional games.

Deputy PM greets Cambodian Information Minister

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam received Cambodian Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith in Hanoi on December 22.

At the reception, Dam noted with pleasure the growing friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, saying that the two sides have regularly exchanged with and support each other in bilateral frameworks as well as regional and international forums.

Celebrations for the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties (June 24) this year afforded both sides a chance to raise the awareness of the public, especially young generations, of the traditional friendship and solidarity between the two countries. 

Appreciating cooperation between the Radio the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) and the Cambodian Ministry of Information and the National Voice of Cambodia, the Deputy PM said VOV assisted Cambodia in installing radio and television stations and improving the capacity of radio and television programme production within the framework of the inter-governmental cooperation agreement. 

The host suggested both sides continue increasing coverage in both Vietnamese and Cambodian languages and adding more cultural and art programmes featuring the two countries and their people to raise mutual understanding. 

On the occasion, he wished that Cambodia would reap greater achievements in the national construction and successfully hold the Senate and National Assembly elections next year. 

Kanharith, for his part, thanked the Vietnamese Government and VOV in particular for their support and informed the host with delight that the VOV and the National Voice of Cambodia signed a cooperation agreement on December 21.

Hanoi commemorates victims, martyrs in US’s 1972 airstrike

A requiem was held at the B52 victory monument in Hanoi’s Kham Thien street on December 22 to pray for victims and soldiers who lost their lives during the US airstrike in December 1972.

The annual event was organised by the Hanoi Peace Committee (VPC) and the city’s chapter of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.

Speaking at the ceremony, VPC Chairman Uong Chu Luu said the victory of the “Hanoi – Dien Bien Phu battle in the air” stands out as an historic event in Vietnam’s national building and defence course in the 20th century.

He stated Vietnam will never forget wartime victims and people who died protecting national independence.

The US waged a bombing campaign in the north of Vietnam in late 1972, and the peak of this campaign was the bombing blitz by B52 aircraft in Hanoi from December 18-29. 

In the night of December 26, 1972, Hanoi’s densely-populated residential areas, including Kham Thien street, the workers’ living quarter in An Duong street and even Bach Mai hospital, were relentlessly attacked by a large number of the US’s B52 aircraft.

As many as 278 people, including 91 women, 40 elderly and 55 children, were killed and 178 children became orphans during that air raid.

In remembrance of the victims, a memorial was erected on the used-to-be House 51 on Kham Thien street. In the December 26 bombing, House 51 was destroyed and none of the seven people living in it survived.

Biotechnological products seek markets

Domestic and foreign scientists joined business owners at a workshop in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on December 21 to seek markets for scientific research products, especially biotechnological ones.

More than 30 scientific reports were presented at the event, focusing on the application of biotechnological advances in the fields of agriculture, medicine and food.

Participants said scientific research activities are taking place widely at universities and research institutes. However, the application of scientific outcomes to production is facing a number of difficulties.

For example, some studies focus on highly specialised fields while the connectivity between scientists and businesses remains limited. As a result, many useful scientific research outcomes cannot find their way to reality.

Director of the Hue University’s Institute of Biotechnology Truong Thi Hong Hai said universities are moving towards autonomy, and the commercialisation of scientific research results is important to create sources of revenue. 

She added that scientists and businesses should shake hands to commercialise products.

Hai Duong police nick three people with 2 kilogrammes of drugs

Traffic police in the northern province of Hai Duong have detained three people for illegally transporting two kilogrammes of drugs and 4,000 methamphetamine pills.

At 5pm on December 21, the police stopped a suspicious car on National Highway 10 in Nguyen Giap commune, Tu Ky district, for inspection and found a backpack containing two kilogrammes of drugs and 20 plastic bags containing 4,000 tablets of synthetic drugs. 

The arrested were Tran Duc Phuong, born in 1989 and residing in Ngo Quyen, Hai Phong city; Nguyen Tuan Anh, born in 1987 and residing in Duong Kinh, Hai Phong city; and Dang Duc Trung, born in 1962 and residing in Ngo Quyen, Hai Phong city.

They initially confessed that they had been hired to transport the drugs to Hai Phong for sale. 

This is the largest drug trafficking case that has been detected by Hai Duong police so far.

The transporters and all exhibits were handed over to investigation police.

Japan offers non-refundable aid for 5 projects in Vietnam

The Japanese Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, on December 22, signed contracts to provide non-refundable aid worth nearly 400,000 USD for five health care and educational projects.

The sum will be spent on medical equipment for the Phu Yen Hospital of Traditional Medicine, My Xuyen district’s General Hospital in Soc Trang, and Co Do district’s medical centre in Can Tho. 

The funding will also equip the medical station of Hau My Bac A commune in Tien Giang with an ambulance, and build seven classrooms for the Vinh Binh Primary School in Long An.

The aid contracts are part of Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) Programme, which sponsored 174 projects, mostly in education, health, agriculture, and rural infrastructure, across 26 southern Vietnamese provinces between 1995 and 2016, with funding amounting to over 13.87 million USD. 

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Japanese Consul General to HCM City Kawaue Junichi said Japan is committed to helping Vietnam develop macro infrastructure via major projects, including the construction of highways and railways.

The diplomat said Japan pays heed to GGP humanitarian aid, as it brings direct benefits to people. He expected local authorities to utilise these GGP-funded projects to provide better health and educational services to locals.

Vietnam Peace Committee contributes to national interests

The Vietnam Peace Committee (VPC) has made positive contributions to protecting national interests and promoting Vietnam’s images, heard a conference in Hanoi on December 22 to review the committee’s work 2017 and outline tasks for 2018. 

Speaking at the event, National Assembly Vice Chairman and VPC Chairman Uong Chu Luu said the committee successfully hosted the Congress of the World Peace Council (WPC) Executive Committee in Hanoi this year, contributing to realising the Party and State’s policies of diversification and multilateralisation of ties and improving the VPC’s stature within the WPC framework. 

On bilateral ties, the VPC fostered ties with neighbouring countries and worked with partners from Japan, the Republic of Korea, Bangladesh, India and Czech Republic in multilateral people-to-people activities. 

In coordination with the Vietnam Peace and Development Foundation, the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics’ Research Institute for Human Rights and Germany’s Rosa Luxumberg Stiftung, the VPC successfully held the international seminar entitled “The role of peace in promoting and protecting human rights”. 

Next year, the VPC will further enhance multilateral diplomatic activities and extend solidarity, friendship and mutual understanding between Vietnamese and world people, he said. 

Discussing tasks for 2018, participants agreed to further increase ties with traditional partners and expand relations with those from Asia and Latin America, responsibly and effectively join activities of the WPC and multilateral people-to-people forums. 

The VPC is expected to successfully hold its Congress for the 2018-2023 tenure, increase activities at the central and local levels, raise awareness of the public, especially young generations, of peace and related activities, as well as conduct studies on peace and human rights issues.

Vietnam People’s Army day celebrated in Cuba, Czech

The Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba, in collaboration with the Cuban Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFA), held a meeting on December 21 to mark the 73rd anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army and Vietnam’s All People’s Defence Festival Day (December 22).

At the event, Vu The Trung, Vietnamese defence attaché in Cuba, reviewed Vietnam People’s Army (VPA)’s arduous but heroic odyssey in the past seven decades while highlighted the significance of the defence festival day.

The VPA has been an inseparable part of the Vietnamese people in every revolutionary mission, Trung noted.

He also took the occasion to thank international friends, including Cuban people, for supporting Vietnam’s national protection and construction.

Roman Osvaldo, deputy head of the MINFA’s foreign relations department, for his part, praised Vietnam’s achievements in the two resistance wars for national independence against France and the US, especially the leadership and ideology of President Ho Chi Minh and General Vo Nguyen Giap.

The anniversaries were also marked in the Czech Republic by the Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnamese community in the country.

In his speech at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Ho Minh Tuan recalled that Vietnam received valuable support from the Czech Republic during the two resistance wars for national liberation. 

The ambassador said the two countries enjoy good defence relations at present, with the Czech Republic helping Vietnam in military training and military weapon and equipment development.-

VFF leader extends Christmas greetings to religious community

President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Tran Thanh Man visited and extended Christmas greetings to Catholic and Protestant dignitaries and followers in southern localities on December 22.

During his meetings with the parishioners, the VFF leader wished Catholic and Protestant dignitaries and followers nationwide a merry Christmas.

Man highlighted the nation’s socio-economic development in 2017 amid difficulties and challenges, saying that the Catholic community nationwide has made a significant contribution to the achievements.

At the HCM City Archbishop Office, Man spoke highly of the contribution made by Archbishop of the HCM City Archdiocese Bui Van Doc and local Catholic community to realising the nation’s socio-economic targets.

He expressed his hope that the Archbishop will continue encouraging Catholic dignitaries and followers to participate in emulation movements launched by the VFF and other sectors, while helping strengthen the national unity bloc for national construction and development.

For his part, Archbishop Bui Van Doc hoped that the Party, State and VFF will continue facilitating activities of local Catholics so that they can contribute further to realising socio-economic targets and ensuring social welfare.

During his meeting with Bishop Pham Minh Man, former Archbishop of the HCM City Archdiocese, the VFF leader said he hoped that the former Archbishop will continue encouraging Catholic dignitaries and followers nationwide to implement the policies and follow guidance of the Party and State, towards the common goal of national development and defence.

The VFF President also lauded the contribution of the General Confederation of Evangelical Churches of Vietnam to the nation’s common goals, particularly in social charity work, hoping that Protestant followers will continue accompanying with the VFF as part of the national unity bloc in the cause of national construction.

Pastor Phan Vinh Cu, Vice First President of the General Confederation of Evangelical Churches of Vietnam pledged that the organisation will continue making practical contribution to national construction and protection.

Visiting the office of the Bishop of My Tho Diocese the same day, Man asked Bishop Nguyen Van Kham, who is also secretary general of the Vietnam Episcopal Council, to encourage Catholics to join social activities and patriotic emulations campaigns such as those on building new rural areas and promoting the use of domestically-produced goods. 

The Bishop expressed his hope that the VFF and its chapters continue to work for national unity, and thanked the Party, State and VFF for the recognition of Catholics’ contribution to national construction.

Founding anniversary of Vietnamese army observed in Laos

Vietnam’s Military Attaché Office in Laos held a ceremony in Vientiane on December 21 to mark the 73rd founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army (December 22).

Lao Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Chansamone Chanyalath, Vietnamese Chargé d’affaires in Laos Nguyen Thanh Tung and representatives from the Lao Ministries of Defence and Security and Defence Attaché Offices of others countries in Laos, and the Vietnamese community in the country attended the event.

Speaking at the ceremony, Vietnamese Defence Attaché in Laos Major Tao Van Thai stressed that over the past 73 years, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) has been developing constantly, contributing to great victories in the struggle for national liberation and the current cause of nation construction and protection.

Together with the police force, the VPA pioneers in search and rescue missions, tackling disaster consequences, and joining United Nations peacekeeping missions, Thai said.

He stressed that defence relations between Vietnam and Laos have continued developing in a practical, effective and intensive manner.

The officer expressed his belief that the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos would grow further in 2018.

Diplomat: Russia-Vietnam relations develop fruitfully in 2017

The year 2017 marks an important milestone in the development of cooperation between Russia and Vietnam in politics, economy, technology, military and humanitarian affairs, said Aleksey Popov, Russian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City. 

Speaking at a press conference to announce outcomes of cooperation between the two countries in HCM City on December 22, Popov said Russia always regards Vietnam as a trust-worthy partner and a long-standing friend, and is determined to expand the comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam.

The diplomat noted that the bilateral political ties have also developed dynamically in 2017, as reflected through all-level meetings between the two countries. 

Economic and trade cooperation has also made remarkable strides with two-way trade reaching nearly 4 billion USD in the first ten months of this year, up 36 percent year-on-year. 

The flow of Russian investments into Vietnam totaled 2 billion USD while Vietnam’s investments in Russia hit 2.9 billion USD. 

Progresses have been made in security and national defence cooperation through the regular exchange of delegations and effective operation of the Inter-Governmental Committee for Technological and Defence Cooperation. 

Popov also reviewed partnerships between Vietnamese and Russian provinces and cities as well as bilateral collaboration in culture and education. 

According to the Consul General, 2018 is expected to witness various activities aiming to step up the Russia-Vietnam relationship, with a range of dialogues and high-level delegation exchanges. 

Vyacheslav Kharinov, Chief Representative of the Russian Trade Office in Vietnam, said the free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and Vietnam, which took effect a year ago, has helped Vietnam and Russia complete the building of a structure promoting their economic and trade ties. 

The year 2017 also saw changes in the structure of trade between the two nations, he said, explaining that apart from traditional products like high-tech equipment, Russia has also increased its export of maize, food and pharmaceutical products to Vietnam. 

Cooperation in logistics, tourism, information-technology, telecommunications, technical services and banking also developed strongly, he said.

Kharinov described the energy and fuel cooperation as a spotlight in bilateral economic ties. 

Between January-November, Vietsovpetro, an oil and gas joint venture between Vietnam and Russia, exploited more than 4 million tonnes of oil and liquefied gas. 

Meanwhile, Rusvietpetro, another joint venture, also exploited over 2 million tonnes of oil in the Nenensk autonomous region of Russia in the first nine months of this year, he said

Christmas greetings to religious communities

Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh visited and extended Christmas greetings to Catholic and Protestant dignitaries and followers in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai on December 23.

The Deputy PM informed the Catholics and Protestants of attainments of the country in socio-economic development and national defence in 2017, attributing their contributions to the achievements.

He expressed his hope that local Catholic and Protestant dignitaries and followers will continue promoting solidarity and contributing more to the nation’s development. 

Binh also asked authorities at all levels in Gia Lai to do more to facilitate religions in the province to promote their traditions and contribute to the great national unity bloc.

The same day, Vice President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Ngo Sach Thuc visited and extended Christmas greetings to Catholic dignitaries and followers in Bui Chu diocese in the northern province of Nam Dinh.

Earlier, he also visited the Vietnam Committee for Catholic Solidarity’s Nam Dinh chapter and a number of Catholic dignitaries in Nghia Hung and Xuan Truong districts.

On December 25, Truong Thi Mai, head of the Mass Mobilisation Commission of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, visited the Da Lat diocese.

She acknowledged contributions of Bishop Vu Huy Chuong of the Da Lat diocese and dignitaries in disseminating the Party’s policies and the State’s laws to Catholic followers in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, contributing to strengthening the great national solidarity block as well as to the local socio-economic development.

On December 22-23, delegations from the Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee of the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak and the VFF’s chapter in the locality visited and extended Christmas greetings to Catholic and Protestant dignitaries and followers in the locality.

Vietnam People’s Army anniversary marked in Germany, Tanzania

The Vietnamese Embassy in Germany hosted a ceremony on December 22 to celebrate the 73rd founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army.

In his speech, Ambassador Doan Xuan Hung applauded contributions from associations and organisations of Vietnamese war veterans in Germany to promoting solidarity among the Vietnamese community in the host country, and to the homeland’s development.

He expressed his hope that veterans in particular and their organisations in general, under the strong support of the Vietnamese community in Germany, will make more contributions to enhancing community connection in the host country in the coming time. 

The same day, Vietnamese Ambassador to Tanzania Nguyen Kim Doanh visited two member companies of the military-run telecom group Viettel in the country on the occasion of the anniversary.

The diplomat praised efforts made by the Viettel Tanzania (Halotel) to become the third largest mobile operator in the East Africa market, expressing his belief that the firm will work harder to turn it into a leading telecommunication company in the country.

Success made by Halotel has significantly contributed to promote Vietnam’s image to Tanzanian people and foreigners living and working in the country, he stressed. 

At the Viettel Tanzania work company, the ambassador asked the firm to consider the possibility to contract some construction projects in Tanzania, towards helping the host country build high-quality infrastructure.

Cherry Blossom Festival marks Vietnam-Japan diplomatic ties

The Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival 2018 will be held in March around the statue of King Ly Thai To in Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi downtown, as part of activities to mark 45th anniversary of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic relations, said Chairman of the Hanoi city People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung.

He made the statement at a reception for Special Advisor to the Japanese Cabinet Isao Iijima in Hanoi on December 24.

Excellent art performances and special delicacies of both sides will be featured at the event, he added.

Regarding economic cooperation, Hanoi city always welcomes investors and enterprises from Japan, Chung said, expressing his hope that proactive activities of enterprises in the two countries will make contributions to elevating the bilateral ties to a new height.

Meanwhile, the Japanese official highlighted that along with festive activities, the Cherry Blossom Festival 2018 should include meetings and exchanges between enterprises to promote trade and investment.

At the event, both parties also discussed measures to bolster trade promotion and enhance friendship and cooperative ties between Hanoi and Tokyo.

Lý Sơn Island hotel catches fire

A fire that broke out on Sunday morning at a hotel on Lý Sơn Island has caused losses estimated at VNĐ2 billion (US$88,000).

The fire damaged furniture and other interior assets in the hotel, local resports said.

Vice chairwoman of the island district’s People’s Committee, Phạm Thị Hương, told Việt Nam News that the fire occurred at a four-storey hotel in An Hải Commune in the centre of the island at around 7.30am yesterday.

Firefighters stamped out the blaze within 30 minutes, she said, adding that the all the staffs and guests at the hotel were rescued or escaped to safety. While no casualty was reported, the interiors of the hotel, including furniture and equipment in some rooms were almost completely damaged.

The fire is believed to have broken out as the result of a short circuit in a Karaoke room before spreading to other rooms.

Hương said it was the first fire recorded on the island.

Lý Sơn Island, is 30km off the coast of central Quảng Ngãi Province.

It has had a face-lift since connecting to the national power grid in 2014. It is a favoured eco-tourism site in central Việt Nam, receiving around 200,000 tourists each year.

The island now has 18 hotels, guest houses and home-stay services provided by 56 households with total accommodation capacity of 1,000 tourists.

It has a population of 21,000, mostly engaged in fishing, and farming garlic and onion.

Border areas to host more cultural programmes

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Border Guard High Command signed a MoU in Hà Nội yesterday to hold more cultural, sports, tourism and family-based activities in border areas and islands over the next five years.

The MoU was signed by Trịnh Thị Thủy, deputy minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Đỗ Danh Vượng, head of the Border Guard High Command.

Chairwoman of the Ethnic Minority Culture Department under the ministry, Nguyễn Thị Hải Nhung, said that until 2022, the two sides will enhance co-operation to organise more cultural exchanges between soldiers and people in Việt Nam and between soldiers and people in neighbouring countries.

She said that they would also work to preserve and promote traditional cultures of the region; build tourism products featuring regional culture, especially that of ethnic minorities; organise folk games and sports competitions; and enhance awareness of gender equality and domestic violence.

Exhibition honours martyr Phó Đức Chính

The Hỏa Lò Prison Historic Vestige in Hà Nội launched an exhibition yesterday to commemorate the ultimate sacrifice of Phó Đức Chính for the cause of national independence.

Chính (1907-1930), was a founder of the Vietnamese Nationalist Party that fought French colonial rule during the early 20th century.

After leading the Yên Bái Revolution (1930), he’s reported to have asked his executioner to let him lie on his back so he could see the blade fall, and shouted “long live Việt Nam” as it fell.

Many historians and scholars nationwide attended a workshop held yesterday, discussing his life, career and revolutionary ideals.

The event aims to raise people’s awareness of the nation’s patriots and evoke gratitude for sacrifices made, officials said.

The exhibition will run at 1 Hỏa Lò Street, for a week. All the photos and documents at the exhibition will then be displayed at Phó Đức Chính Commemoration House in the martyr’s native place, Đa Ngưu Village, in the northern province of Hưng Yên.