Dance to fight against breast cancer

International SOS Hanoi in partnership with Intercontinental Hotel Hanoi, Yury Rockit and La Zum3, will hold the first ever annual Breast Cancer Zumbathon to raise money for disadvantaged women fighting Breast Cancer at 2pm on October 30, 2016 at Grand Ballroom of InterContinental Hanoi West Lake.

Every year over 1.7 million women are diagnosed with breast cancer worldwide and currently it is the most common cancer amongst women in Vietnam. 2012 saw over 11,000 Vietnamese women diagnosed with 30 per cent of all patients diagnosed already in the advanced stages of the disease, meaning mortality rates are high.

Attending the event with International SOS Vietnam, we wish to join the fight against Breast Cancer by supporting Vietnamese women currently undergoing diagnosis and treatment, and we need your help to do this.

At 2pm on October 30, International SOS Hanoi in partnership with Intercontinental Hotel Hanoi, Yury Rockit and La Zum3, will hold the first ever annual Breast Cancer Zumbathon to raise money for disadvantaged women fighting breast cancer in the Grand Ballroom of the Intercontinental Hanoi for a fun and energetic afternoon of Zumba with prizes for the winners, a raffle and most importantly the knowledge that together we have made a difference.

Tickets cost VND500,000 per entrant (including entrance pack) on sale at International SOS. All age’s welcome so bring the family. Kids under 10 participate for free.

Vietnamese female soldiers to join UN's peacekeeping activities

The United Nations peacekeeping training course was opened in Hanoi capital of Vietnam on October 24 under the donation of the United Nations Mobile Training Team.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Director of Vietnam Peacekeeping Center Colonel Hoang Kim Phung said that 12 Vietnamese military staffs and officers have been assigned to the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission in the South Sudan and the Central African Republic since Vietnam officially participated in peacekeeping activities of the United Nations in 2014.

Currently, Vietnam also focuses on training female soldiers to join with the United Nations peacekeepers.

The training course attracts 23 trainees being soldiers and military staffs.

One dead, nine injured in coach accident

One person died and nine others were injured in a collision between a coach and a lorry in Cam Thịnh Đông Commune in central Khánh Hòa Province’s Cam Ranh District.

The accident took place at 1.30pm today.

The dead person was identified as Bùi Đức Hiệp, 25, driver of the lorry, who lived in the central province of Bình Định.

Nguyễn Hồng Quang, director of the Cam Ranh General Hospital, said two victims were discharged from hospital and the remaining seven were undergoing treatment.

Cause of the accident is under investigation.

Vietnam launches hydrographic commission, office

The hydrographic commission and office of Vietnam made debut at a ceremony held by the Ministry of National Defence in Hanoi on October 25. 

The commission is tasked with advising the defence minister and competent agencies in directing and organising hydrographic activities. 

Lt. Gen. Phan Van Giang, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army and Deputy Defence Minister, said amid the development and integration of the global hydrography, in 2007, the Prime Minister assigned the Defence Ministry as the official representative of Vietnam’s hydrographic sector at the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) and the East Asia Hydrographic Commission. 

Vietnam became the 84 th IHO member in March 2015. The Defence Ministry issued a decision to establish the Vietnam Hydrographic Commission in August 2016, and this commission decided to set up the hydrographic office of Vietnam the same month. 

Giang described Vietnam’s participation in the Convention on the IHO as a highlight of the country’s economic development and international integration. 

It is a chance for the domestic hydrographic sector to expand cooperation with its counterparts in the region and around the world, thereby helping to fulfill defence-security tasks and strengthen foreign cooperation and sea and island-related diplomatic activities, he added. 

He asked the hydrographic commission and office to upgrade Vietnam’s nautical charts to international standards and regularly update topographical information about seas and islands, so as to help affirm Vietnam’s sovereignty in the East Sea.

Ho Chi Minh City, Netherlands boost cooperation

Ho Chi Minh City welcomes Dutch investors in food processing, waste treatment and the building of smart city, said Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong. 

Phong made the statement at his meeting with Marten van den Berg, Director-General for foreign economic relations under the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the southern hub on October 25. 

He thanked the Netherlands, particularly Rotterdam city, for assistance that has brought effective outcomes for the city in climate change adaptation and flood prevention. 

HCM City and Rotterdam city have worked to examine the feasibility of building an anti-flooding reservoir in the neighbourhood of Khanh Hoi Lake park in District 4. They also signed a memorandum of understanding on boosting personnel’s capacity in anti-flooding. 

Marten van den Berg said similarities in geographical features and development challenges offer cooperation opportunities for Vietnamese and Dutch governments, localities and enterprises. 

He highlighted sound outcomes of join projects on climate change adaptation and water management between HCM City and Rotterdam, adding that they form the good basis for the Netherlands to further sharing experience and working with the city in high-tech farming, smart city building and aviation.

President urges SMEs to engage in global value chain

President Tran Dai Quang urged small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to churn out products and services of international standards as part of the global value chain. 

To that end, he suggested the SMEs apply scientific-technological advances and work to raise productivity as well as governance capacity and competitiveness so as to secure a firm niche in the domestic market in the context of international integration. 

At a meeting with representatives of the SMEs on the occasion of the 12 th Vietnam Entrepreneurs’ Day in Hanoi on October 25, the President called on the firms to obey law, build a business culture and actively participate in social welfare and poverty reduction. 

He also asked the Vietnam Association of SMEs to bridge the businesses and State agencies. 

Meanwhile, ministries, agencies and localities were requested to pay heed to removing obstacles faced by the SMEs and streamline administrative procedures in order to create a favourable business climate. 

President Quang stressed the need to boost connectivity between enterprises and businesspeople, and create national, regional and global supply, production and value chains. 

“The 21 st century marks the development of the knowledge-based economy. Vietnam boasts multiple potential and strengths that have yet been tapped, especially human resources,” the leader said, noting his hope that the SMEs will carry forward such advantages to gain greater achievements. 

The Party and State have set forth many policies and guidelines encouraging the development of the business circle during national construction, protection and development, he said. 

He lauded the SMEs’ role and position in the national economy as well as their contributions to social welfare and poverty reduction in the country. 

The Vietnam Association of SMEs brings together 62,000 member businesses with four representative offices abroad and 55 provincial chapters. 

SMEs make up over 97 percent of the total number of enterprises nationwide. They have generated various jobs, especially in rural areas, and contributed 40 percent of the national gross domestic product (GDP).

Conference highlights Vietnam-China relations

The Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics held a conference in Hanoi on October 25 to discuss the reality and issues related to the Vietnam-China relations. 

The event drew leading scholars and researchers on international relations from the academy, the Vietnam Academy of Social Science, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other agencies. 

Participants highlighted the relationship between Vietnam and China in various fields as well as factors impacting the ties, together with opportunities, challenges and prospects for bilateral cooperation. 

In 1991, amidst the great changes in the world and regional situation, the two countries normalised their relations after it was frozen for more than a decade. The relationship has since then grown strongly and comprehensively, they noted. 

China has become an important pillar in Vietnam’s external policies. Leaders of both sides have also made official visit and held meetings on the margin of international events, during which they underscored that the Vietnam-China friendship is a treasure shared by the two Parties, States and people and it needs to be maintained and reinforced. 

The leaders also pledged to work hard for the deepening of the ties, while supporting each other during the reform, renovation, opening and building of socialism in each country for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world. 

Along with high-level visits, the two sides have maintained delegation exchanges and set up a cooperation mechanism between the two Parties, with 10 conferences held in theory science and experience in Party building, Government’s management, reform and international integration. 

Affiliations between sectors, including diplomacy, security and defence have been fostered, the same for partnership among localities. 

Participants at the conference also exchanged research findings as well as evaluation from different views of the Vietnam-China relations over the past 25 years, especially from the viewpoint of international relations in terms of interest and policies of parties when strengthening the bilateral relations. 

They also discussed recent happenings in the East Sea and important contents of the Vietnam-China relationship. 

At the same time, they also gave forecasts on China’s orientations in policies on Vietnam, as well as how Vietnam-China ties move in the coming time, thus making proposals on specific measures to properly regulate the relations as well as the external policies of the Party and State with the direction of strengthening effective cooperation with China in all fields, managing disputes and controlling latent conflicts in the East Sea, and dispelling challenges of the bilateral relations.

Czech Republic’s National Day celebrated in HCM City

The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations and the Vietnam-Czech Friendship Association in Ho Chi Minh City held a meeting on October 25 to mark the 98 th anniversary of the Czech Republic’s National Day (October 28). 

In his opening remarks, President of the Vietnam-Czech Friendship Association in HCM City Nguyen Muoi said Vietnamese people always keep in mind the material and spiritual support of people and the Government of the Czech Republic.

He highlighted the fruitful developments of the traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries over the years, as evidenced by high-level visits by their leaders and cooperation agreements in culture, economy and trade. 

Ngo Hong Chuyen, Consul General of the Czech Republic in HCM City, pledged to do his utmost to coordinate with the association in conducting people-to-people diplomatic activities and bridging the two countries’ people, contributing to consolidating and developing the bilateral ties. 

The Czech Republic is one of Vietnam’s leading trade partners in central Europe with annual two-way trade reaching nearly 300 million USD.

Party commission’s conclusion on violations at ministry welcomed

xMany National Assembly (NA) deputies have applauded the Party Inspection Commission’s conclusion regarding violations and shortcomings of the Party Delegation to the Ministry of Industry and Trade in the 2011-2016 tenure and some individuals involved. 

The Inspection Commission of the Party Central Committee issued the conclusion during its seventh session in Hanoi from October 17-21. 

It proposed modes of penalties for violations related to personnel reception, transfer and appointment made by the Party Delegation to the Ministry of Industry and Trade in the 2011-2016 tenure, former Minister Vu Huy Hoang and some others. 

The commission proposed the Party Secretariat reprimand the Party Delegation to the ministry and Deputy Minister Ho Thi Kim Thoa, while giving warning to Vu Huy Hoang and Dao Van Hai, ex-Director of the ministry’s Personnel Department and former member of the Party Delegation. 

On the sidelines of the 14th NA’s second session, Deputy Tran Van Mao of Nghe An province said the decision to mete out Party punishments for violations by Party and State officials is within the jurisdiction of the Inspection Commission and Party organisations. 

The commission’s conclusion demonstrates the justice of law and the Party Statutes, which aim to promote purity and strength of the Party and State, he said. 

Mao added under legal regulations and the Party Statues, a Party member, irrespective of his position, will be commended when he attains achievements, and he is also subject to punishments if making irregularities. 

Duong Trung Quoc, a deputy of southern Dong Nai province, said the conclusion illustrates the principle that all are equal under the law. It gave a reminder that words must be kept. 

Other parliamentarians said after inspection, strict penalties must be handed down as in conformity with law. 

Deputy Vu Trong Kim of Hai Duong province called for stringent handling of the case to ensure deterrence and the effectiveness of the corruption fight. There should not be any exceptions, regardless of serving or former officials. 

Meanwhile, the legal system also needs to be continuously refined so as to better manage power and prevent authoritarian and power abuse, he added.

Sympathies offered on heavy losses in Cameroon train crash

President Tran Dai Quang offered on October 25 sympathies to his Cameroonian counterpart Paul Biya on the heavy losses in a train derailment in Eseka town. 

The train crash on October 21 has killed and injured more than 600 people.-

National Assembly backs VN-Laos agreement implementation

The Vietnam National Assembly (NA) will support and partner with its Lao counterpart to speed up the implementation of commitments and agreements reached by the two countries, NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan stated.

She made the pledge at a reception for Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith in Hanoi on October 25, saying she hopes that the Lao leader will pay more attention to boosting cooperation between the two countries across fields, especially in economy, investment and trade.

The top legislator briefed her guest on new points in building bills at the ongoing 14th legislature’s second meeting.

For his part, Thongloun Sisoulith affirmed that Vietnam’s experience will help the Lao legislative body and Government improve their management.

Conveying Lao leaders’ sympathy to Vietnamese people in the central region who have suffered losses due to the recent storms, the PM noted his belief that under the leadership of the Vietnamese Party and State, they will overcome the difficulties to stabilise their lives.

PM Thongloun Sisoulith is in Hanoi for the World Economic Forum on Mekong (WEF – Mekong), the 8th Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam Summit (CLMV 8) and the 7th Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy Summit (ACMECS 7).

Earlier, the Lao PM held talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc. He was also greeted by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Tran Dai Quang.

VNA, PL urged to forge stronger information ties

Vice Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Vo Thi Dung has urged the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and Cuba’s Prensa Latina (PL) News Agency to continue fostering coordination, especially in information, thus spreading news of the city and Vietnam in general to the world. 

During a meeting with a visiting delegation from the Cuban news agency led by its President Luis Enrique Gonzalez Acosta on October 25, she lauded the close partnership between the two agencies over the past years. 

Dung noted that the Vietnam-Cuba special friendship, which has been nurtured by leaders and people of both countries, is growing strongly in various fields. 

People in Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam in general will never forget the warm sentiments that Cuban people have given to Vietnam during the hard struggle for national liberation and reunification as well as in the current national construction and development. 

She said she believes that the visit will contribute to furthering the special cooperation and traditional friendship between the two countries. 

On his part, Luis Enrique highlighted the special friendship as well as mutual support of the two peoples despite the geographic distance. 

Noting the fruitful affiliation between the VNA and the PL, he said the two sides have worked closely together at international forums, while giving the highest support to each other. 

The PL has learnt much from the VNA as well as received maximum assistance from the Vietnamese agency, he said, adding that the ties have matched the potential of and the special partnership between the two countries. 

The PL leader pledged that his agency will continue actively contributing to popularizing the images of Vietnam’s land and people in the Latin American region. 

Earlier, the PL delegation visited the VNA’s representative office in the southern region and Itaxa company. 

The two sides shared experience in the construction and development of professional skills in order to meet the rising demand in communications tasks assigned by the Party and State in each country.

RMIT unveils new fellowship program for women

RMIT University Vietnam has announced an exciting new fellowship program, designed to encourage Vietnamese women to pursue PhDs in technical or business areas.

This new postgraduate program aims to encourage women to undertake studies in areas where key leadership posts have traditionally been held by men, said Professor Gael McDonald, president of RMIT University Vietnam, in making the announcement.

Under the program, two doctoral candidates will be awarded fellowships to pursue post graduate degrees in either business, management or electrical and electronics engineering. They can elect to study in Vietnam but obtain credit as an RMIT Melbourne Higher Degree Research student.

More information can be found at RMIT’s website https://www.rmit.edu.vn/.

New York Times names Vietnam a place to travel in your 20s

A new travel check list by the New York Times has listed Vietnam among 20 places you should visit in your 20s, an age when people are eager to explore the world but do not have a lot of money or time off from work.

Vietnam is recommended as a country rich in cuisine, culture and natural beauty, as well as low prices. The country attracted 7.3 million foreign visitors in the first nine months of this year, up 25% on-year.

The magazine highlighted three particular destinations – Ha Long Bay, the ancient town Hoi An and the former capital Hue.

All three places are among the greenest tourist destinations in Vietnam and are much loved by both local and foreign visitors.

Ha Long is a natural marvel with more than 1,500 islands and inlets popping up from emerald waters that are perfect for a boat cruise.

The bay has become famous since UNESCO named it a natural heritage site and has made many travelers bucket lists.

Earlier this month, U.S. news site Business Insider also named a cruise trip through Ha Long Bay among the must-do travel experiences in Asia.

800km to the south of Ha Long is Hue, the seat of the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 until the end of feudal Vietnam in 1945.

The city known for its Imperial City and photogenic royal tombs on the outskirts, as well as its poetic beach, river, mountain sites and a wide range of special rice cakes.

Hoi An is just a three-hour ride to the south of Hue. Once a popular trade port in the region, Hoi An now draws tourists to its picturesque wooden houses, pagodas, street-side eateries and hundreds of tailor shops.

A travel forum run by US magazine USA Today described Hoi An as one of the 10 most beautiful places in Southeast Asia, a place where one can find “tranquility and timelessness”.

“Best Day on Earth”, a new book by the UK travel publisher Rough Guide, listed Hoi An’s full-moon festival among the world’s most extraordinary travel experiences for the hundreds of lanterns that glow along alleys and river banks around town.

The New York Times list also includes Amsterdam, Berlin, Budapest, Cuba, Montreal, New Orleans, Oaxaca in Mexico, Patagonia in Argentina and Prague.

Young Chinese artists’ paintings on display in Hanoi

An exhibition showcasing outstanding works by young Chinese painters opened in Hanoi on October 25 as part of activities celebrating the 66th anniversary of Vietnam and China’s establishment of diplomatic ties.

The works on display include 50 paintings by thirteen artists who were selected from among hundreds of young Chinese painters.

The paintings present the brand-new perspectives of China’s new generation of artists on history, nature, society and contemporary values, opening the door for Vietnamese audiences to discover the artists’ inner worlds, as well as the diversity of China’s contemporary art.

Utilising assorted styles in different materials such as oil, composite, lacquer and ink, the participating artists also reflected in their works their personal thoughts and feelings while boasting their unlimited artistic creativity.

Previously, these paintings have been put on display at prestigious exhibitions and art shows in Beijing, China; the US; France; the Republic of Korea; Germany; and Italy.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Nguyen Trung Khanh, Head of International Cooperation Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, spoke highly of the longstanding traditional cooperation and friendship between Vietnam and China, stressing that their bilateral ties had been continuously nurtured and fostered by their two Parties and peoples.

The exhibition was being held as part of an action plan to realise the Vietnam–China Culture Agreement for the 2016-2018 period, he said, adding that the event was a meaningful cultural exchange activity intended to bolster mutual understanding between the two peoples.

It was also a good opportunity for Vietnamese artists to learn from their Chinese colleagues, he added.

For his part, Liu Sanzhen, Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam, said that the exhibition provided a comprehensive look into Chinese society today, expressing his hope that the exhibition would help tighten cultural ties between the two countries.

The exhibition will run until October 30 at the Vietnam Art and Culture Exhibition Centre at 2 Hoa Lu Street, Hai Ba Trung District in Hanoi.

National workshop looks into child marriage in Vietnam

Child marriage is prevalent across Vietnam, with almost all localities recording child marriage cases, which have serious consequences for children themselves and for their families and burden the whole of society, a national workshop on the issue heard in Hanoi on October 25.

The event was jointly held by the National Committee for Ethnic Affairs, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the General Office of Population and Family Planning (GOPF) and the United Nations in Vietnam and aimed at exchanging findings on child marriage in the country and discussing ways to tackle the issue.

Statistics at the event show that this year more than 60 million ten-year-old girls around the world will enter adolescence, but millions of girls will be forced to get married to adults regardless of whether they agree or not.

Specifically, every day around the world nearly 48,000 girls are forced to get married and about 20,000 women under 18 give birth.

According to Vietnam’s Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2014, the proportion of women aged 15-19 that have married in the country is for 10.3% of the total.

Child marriage is not just happening in ethnic minority communities, but is also quite prevalent in the Northern Mountainous Region, the Mekong Delta and Central Highlands.

In some communes, the child marriage rate even exceeds 50%. Among ethnic minority communities, the Mong people have the highest child marriage rate—up to 33%, followed by the Thai with a rate of 23%.

There are many children with early pregnancies and incomplete anatomical, physiological and psychology functions who have been forced to become parents, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Viet Tien warns.

According to him, child marriage impairs the quantity and quality of the population. Stature and average life expectancy for ethnic minorities are also lower. In regions with child marriage, the average life expectancy is approximately 45 years old.

Regarding the causes of child marriage in Vietnam, Do Thi Quynh Huong, Deputy Head of the GOPF’s Population Structure and Quality Department, suggests the issue might stem from the influence of backward customs and practices that force children into early marriage, sexual abuse, lack of full understanding of laws relating to the prohibition of child marriage, limited access to reproductive healthcare and economic difficulties.

In addition, maternal mortality in the 15-19 age range is higher than that in adult mothers. Hundreds of children are illiterate or living in poverty and debt after their weddings.

Couples who get married too early might not fully understand their mates, which can easily give rise to domestic violence, stress and depression following mental trauma. Girls after marriage are often isolated and abandoned by their peers.

Speaking at the seminar, Truong Thi Mai, Politburo member and Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Mass Mobilisation, noted that to address child marriage, the Government should develop an approach in consultation with international organisations, the UN in Vietnam, research institutions and civil society, which focus on changes in social norms to promote gender equality.

There should be interventions for young girls to prevent them dropping out of school, while encouraging and creating favourable conditions for them to enrol in secondary education, vocational training and employment arrangements, she said. In parallel with preventive measures such as communication, consultation and advocacy to change perceptions, relevant authorities should continue to increase investment in socioeconomic development and in improving the material and spiritual life of the people, Politburo member Mai added.

Astrid Bant, Country Representative of the UN Population Fund in Vietnam, affirmed the UN’s willingness to cooperate with the Government of Vietnam to ensure the protection of adolescent and girls’ rights, saying that with support from families, communities and the State, girls needed to be fully given their rights and favourable conditions for their comprehensive development.

Delegates at the event argued that at the local level traditional norms and customs still allowed women under 18 years of age to get married if their parents agreed, and this was considered a factor relating to local culture. Therefore, raising the awareness of local people is key to addressing the root causes of child marriage.

Considering the consequences of child marriage, experts recommended creating a friendly environment in which for adolescents and youths to access services on reproductive healthcare in areas with child marriage and incest. Along with that, in the long term, it is necessary to invest more in socioeconomic development, education and healthcare, thereby changing the perception of ethnic minorities, especially younger generations, moving past backward practices and encouraging people to make the right choices in matters of marriage.

ABU Prizes 2016: Vietnamese documentary wins Special Prize

The documentary film 'The Way to School', produced by Vietnam Television’s Centre for Educational Programme Production–VTV7, has won the Special Jury Prize at the 2016 ABU Prizes event, which is held annually by the Asia–Pacific Broadcasting Union.

The awards ceremony was held in Bali, Indonesia on October 24.

The Way to School is a six-episode series featuring the 28km journey to school made every day by Hang and Sua, two children in Sang Village, Hang Dong Commune, Bac Yen District, Son La Province, which takes over five hours.

The film not only captures the beautiful natural landscape in the Northern Mountainous Region, but also highlights the resilient spirit of ethnic minority children on their way to a brighter future. The programme previously won the gold medal at the 2015 National Radio Broadcasting Festival.

The ABU Prizes are presented annually, to improve the quality of radio and television programmes and to strengthen cultural and educational understanding between member countries in the union and region.

According to the ABU, this year’s ABU Prizes event received 270 entries, 55 of which found their way to the final round, which is divided into sections for radio and for television programmes.

The ABU was founded in 1964 to develop the broadcasting sector in the Asia–Pacific region and to increase cooperation through exchanges of information, programmes and technical and services consultancies. The ABU now has 281 members in 69 countries and territories.

New terminal improves boat tours in Ha Long Bay

A new terminal on Tuan Chau Island in Ha Long Bay was inaugurated on October 25 in an effort to improve the quality of boat tours around the UNESCO World Heritage site.

The new terminal, renovated and expanded upon the old one to cover more than 8,000 square metres, is equipped with more than 1,000 seats and can accommodate at one time about 3,000 passengers waiting to board excursion boats.

In addition to areas for official use, the terminal sports other amenities such as a supermarket, a children’s playground, a healthcare station, a post office and a tourism information booth.

Large screens have also been installed to provide itineraries for boat trips around Ha Long Bay, while there are occasional performances of traditional music and dances at the terminal to entertain tourists.

The old terminal was put into use in early 2016, but soon became overloaded as the number of tourists grew, according to its director, Pham Thanh Tung.

Coffee fair opens in Ho Chi Minh City

The Vietnam Coffee Fair under the Vietnam Coffee Cultural Week opened at Phu Tho Sporting Event Hall, Ho Chi Minh City on October 24.

The event held by Dak Lak provincial People’s Committee for the first time in Ho Chi Minh City, aims to promote the image of Vietnamese coffee to domestic and international consumers.

With nearly 300 booths, the fair features coffee and collateral products from 100 coffee enterprises, among of which 20 companies come from Dak Lak province. The visitors have an opportunity to enjoy 50 different strains of coffee from well-known brands in Vietnam free-of-charge.

Under the framework of the programme, coffee varieties, the coffee hill model, coffee processing plants, coffee roasters and grinders and coffee space models were also on display.

According to Huynh Ngoc Duong, deputy director of Dak Lak provincial Department of Industry and Trade, the event helps to upgrade Vietnamese coffee brands as well as the coffee culture of Vietnamese people.

The event provides an international platform for buyers and sellers to network and explore business opportunities. It will run until October 28.

United Nations to honor a Vietnamese farmer

Pham Thi Huan from Long An province has been presented with the “Model Farmer” award by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.

Mrs. Pham Thi Huan, also known as Ba Huan, who is the first Vietnamese female farmer to receive the prestigious award.

Besides Mrs Huan, farmers from Fiji, Mongolia, Pakistan and Thailand  also received the awards. 

The award was presented at a ceremony held in Bangkok aiming to honor enterprises' achievements with their non-stop positive contributions for other farmers and the community. 

Huan, who is the General Director of Ba Huan Company, Ltd., was recognised for her support for Mekong Delta households moving from crop production to raising ducks and producing eggs at a time when they faced the negative effects of climate change. 

She has created jobs for many female farmers and enhanced the role of women in their communities and she also engaged in numerous social activities supporting people with disabilities and orphans.

VN ranks Top 11 best places for expats

Viet Nam ranked 11th among the 57 best places for living and working abroad in 2016, up 24 places over a year earlier, according to the InterNations Expat Insider 2016 survey. 

Expats in Viet Nam are very pleased with the friendly nature of the local residents, the report says. 

The survey says Viet Nam has made the biggest jump, rising up an astounding 24 places to come in the 11th out of 67 countries. In 2015, it only came in the 35th place out of 64 countries. 

The 2016 survey honours Taiwan as the most ideal place for expats in terms of quality of life and personal finance indices.

It was followed by Malta, Ecuador, Mexico and New Zealand.

The website conducted this year’s survey through more than 14,000 respondents, working and studying abroad on the basis of comfortableness when they settle at a country or territory, quality of life, personal finance indices, working environment and stability.

Six hydropower plants listed significant

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has approved a list of power plants critical to socio-economic development, national defence and security. 

The listed hydropower plants are Son La with the capacity of 2,400 MW; Hoa Binh, 1,920 MW; Lai Chau, 1,200 MW, Ialy, 720 MW,; Tri An, 400 MW; and Tuyen Quang, 342 MW. 

The PM assigned the Ministry of Industry and Trade to work with relevant ministries and sectors to develop and submit specific mechanisms of pricing, operating and joining the power market for those plants to relevant authorities. 

The Electricity of Vietnam is asked to research and propose organisational and operational models for the plants.-

Vietnam pays due heed to sustainable development

The Vietnamese Government always considers sustainable development a goal in the national development strategy, said President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang Thuan.

The country has enthusiastically partaken in relevant seminars and committed to translating sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030, the official said at an international workshop on SDGs in the Mekong Sub-region in Vientiane, Laos, on October 20.

Vietnam is one of the countries that have actively implemented the Agenda 21 on sustainable development and the country adopted a sustainable development strategy for 2011-2020 he said.

Thuan added that the country has also been praised for its successful realisation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), creating marked changes in reducing poverty and raising people’s living standards.

Participants at the workshop discussed smart agriculture as well as specific measures to implement actions and projects combined with the 2030 Agenda and SDGs in the Mekong Sub-region countries, with attention paid to a smart agriculture in the context of climate change, poor technologies and limited capital.

In his speech concluding the conference, President of the Lao National Institute for Social Sciences Soukkongseng Sayaleuth stated that participants have worked effectively despite restricted discussion time.

They exchanged ideas and solutions to smart agriculture development and the realization of sustainable growth goals, he said, adding that upbeat outcomes of the event will open future cooperation opportunities in smart farming for sides involved.

Representing Cambodia – the host of the next conference, President of the Royal Academy of Cambodia Khlot Thyda announced the 2017 theme as food security and water resources management in the Mekong sub-region.

84 kids hospitalized with food poisoning after lunch at kindergarten

Scores of young children from a nursery school in the southern province of Vinh Long were hospitalized with food poisoning after having lunch at school on October 19.

The children started vomiting and experienced stomachaches and diarrhea. The school called parents to pick their children up but the situation quickly worsened with dozens of them falling sick.

A public hospital in the area had to arrange extra beds to receive 84 children between three and five years old, nearly a third of the school’s 273 students.

Doctors at the hospital said nine serious cases were put on drips. More than half of the children had been discharged by October 20, and the rest are stable.

Authorities in Vinh Long have taken food samples and are investigating the cause of the problem.

Mass food poisoning occurs multiple times every year in Vietnam, mostly due to poor management of canteens and quality, but legal action is not often taken.

In March, Ho Chi Minh City fined Korean fast food chain Lotteria Vietnam VND146 million (US$6,500) for a mass poisoning case that put 60 workers from a Danish company in hospital.

The city also fined Tam Tam Company, a local lunch provider, VND48 million (US$2,200) after its food poisoned 44 primary school students in the city.

Survey finds 76 pct of Vietnam's security cameras hackable

Three quarters of Vietnam's private security cameras employ default usernames and passwords, inviting hackers to take them over.

BKAV, Vietnam’s leading cyber security center, reported the figure as a result of a survey conducted in the third quarter of 2016.

“Security cameras with default account settings invite hackers to access the devices and track users,” BKAV said.

The company explained that the majority of Vietnam's security cameras are vulnerable to hackers since many manufacturers and service providers never bother to advise their customers to create custom passwords.

The securigy firm suggested users also turn off features that allow remote access to their camera feeds.

The BKAV survey also revealed that about 7,000 new mobile phone malware programs get distributed each day around the world. The malicious lines of code get hidden in downloadable games and applications by hackers hoping to steal mobile user information like contacts, text messages, photos and even banking details.

Users often find it difficult to detect the code since their phones continue operating normally even after they've been compromised.

BKAV advised its users to be cautious about installing any new application and equip their phones with antivirus software.

Fund raising supports Vietnamese AO victims in France

A Vietnam Day was recently held in France’s Essonne province to raise funds for Vietnamese Agent Orange /Dioxin (AO) victims in Van Canh Village in Hanoi. 

The event was attended by Vietnamese Ambassador to France Nguyen Ngoc Son, Vice Mayor of Evry City Diego Diaz, President of the French Friendship Committee for Van Canh Peace Village Raphael Vahe, who is also President of the French Republic's Association of War Veterans and Victims. 

The event began with the screening of a documentary titled “Tro lai dia nguc” (Back to the hell) on the AO community’s ordeal after the war. 

At the event, Secretary of the France – Vietnam Friendship Association Jean Pierre Archambault lauded the political and socio-economic development Vietnam has made over the past 30 years. 

Raphael recalled the process to build the Van Canh village, saying that it is a symbol of cooperation to address the war’s aftermath, and pledged that his committee will continue its support for the Village. 

A highlight of the event was the speech made by Vietnamese French lawyer Sandrine Le Pironnec, hailing the courage of Tran To Nga, who is pursuing a lawsuit against US chemical firms to demand justice for Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin victims. 

Vietnamese Ambassador to France Nguyen Ngoc Son expressed his hope that French people will provide support for Vietnam in its national building.

Hoàng re-signs contract with Hải Phòng

Football coach Trương Việt Hoàng have renewed his three-year contract with V.League 1team Hải Phòng.

Hoàng came to Hải Phòng to replace the Maltese-born English coach Dylan Kerr.

Under the guidance of Hoàng, who is a former national footballer and head coach of the Hà Nội Club, Hải Phòng finished second out of 14 teams in the national premier league.

Yesterday, Hải Phòng travelled to the northern province of Quảng Ninh to prepare for the new football season.

OVs in Russia support flood victims

The Vietnam Embassy in Russia launched a fundraising campaign on October 24 to help people in the central region overcome the consequences of recent devastating floods.

Ambassador to Russia Nguyen Thanh Son called on overseas Vietnamese, businesses and organizations in Russia to assist their compatriots back home.

He emphasized that donations from Vietnamese people at home and abroad will warm up the heart of flood victims and help them soon stabilize their lives.

 ovs in russia support flood victims hinh 1 In response to the ambassador’s call, each embassy staff donated at least one-day salary while representatives from organizations and businesses as well as OVs donated money with the hope that their small contribution can partly help relieve the pain and loss of flood victims.

The donation will be sent to the flood victims soon and made public on the OV community’s websites and newspapers.

Traffic accidents across Vietnam drop in first nine months

The number of traffic accidents across Vietnam has decreased over the first nine months of 2016, the government said in a recent report.

The Vietnamese government has submitted a report on efforts to ensure traffic safety to the lawmaking National Assembly, revealing that the number of traffic accidents and crash victims has dropped nationwide during the first nine months of this year, compared to the same period of 2015.

More than 15,000 traffic accidents, mainly road accidents, have been recorded across the country, killing 6,440 people and injuring over 13,000 others.

This number represents a decline of nearly 1,300 while road deaths and injuries reduced by 133 and 1,700 respectively compared to the first nine months of 2015.

The report also stated that the death toll caused by traffic accidents between 2011 and 2015 decreased by over 12,500 compared to the 2006- 2010 period.

Despite the positive statistics, 22 provinces and cities were warned of the rising number of victims killed in traffic accidents, eight of which were over ten percent, including Ho Chi Minh City.

The government has set a goal of a continued decrease in the number of accidents and crash victims of between 5%-10% in 2017.

Efforts will also be made to improve infrastructure in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and prevent prolonged traffic congestion.

Exhibition boasts of beauty of Vietnam’s land and people

A total of 55 photo collections featuring the beauty of Vietnam’s land and people are being displayed at an exhibition in Nguyen Van Binh Book Street in Ho Chi Minh City.

The photo collections were taken by the best entrants from the Southern region in a photo contest launched in August 2015 by the Vietnam Artistic Photographers’ Association and the newspaper Tuoi Tre (The Youth).

Among the 55 shortlisted sets of photos, the organising board presented one gold, two silver, three bronze and five consolation prizes to the best entrants.

The gold prize was won by Cao Ngoc Duong from Quang Binh Province for his twelve-photo collection, telling a touching story about the daily life of Huynh Thi Ngoc Diep, a street vendor from the city of Can Tho, and her adopted child Huynh Thi Ngoc Nu, who is being treated for brain tumours at the Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital.

Duong received VND30 million (US$1,340) in cash and a free trip to discover Tu Lan Cave in Quang Binh Province.

The exhibition will run until October 27.

The contest attracted the participation of 299 professional and amateur photographers from across the country, with 875 entries submitted.

The competitors were encouraged to reflect in their works all aspects of modern life, including the country’s political, socioeconomic and cultural situation, as well as traditional craft villages, festivals, traditional practices and the life stories of people across the country. 

Environmental protection and pressing issues that have attracted attention were also included among the contest’s major topics.

Winning contestants from the northern region will be announced and honoured at a ceremony to be held in Hanoi on November 11.

Vietnam plays friendly match against Jeonju University

Vietnam’s national football team is scheduled to play the second friendly match against a team from Jeonju University in the afternoon of October 25 as part of a training course in the Republic of Korea.

vietnam plays friendly match against jeonju university hinh 0 After defeating Seoul FC 3-0 on October 20, coach Huu Thang said the Vietnamese team will not focus on the results of the match, but on the performance of Vietnamese players and plans to conduct several experimental tactics.   

Coach Huu Thang decided to let his players have a rest before the afternoon technical meeting to analyse the rival’s strength and weakness.

Currently, Ngoc Hai, Huy Hung and Dinh Hoang are separately trained by expert Martin Forkel  due to injuries in recent matches. However, they are expected to soon return to normal

The national football team will have the last friendly match against FC Pocheon on October 28. 

Vietnam attends 92nd anniversary of Lebanese communist party

Vietnamese Ambassador to Egypt and Lebanon Do Hoang Long attended a ceremony celebrating the 92nd founding anniversary of the Lebanese Communist Party (LCP) in the Lebanese capital city of Beirut on October 24. 

Speaking at the event, LCP Secretary General Hanna Gharib expressed his thanks to the great support and international solidarity that communist and fraternal left-wing parties have provided for LCP over the past years, including the Communist Party of Vietnam. 

She affirmed that the LCP always strives to build a country of peace and solidarity for the benefit of the people, and for the sake of the region and the world. 

Following the ceremony, the LCP Secretary General held a working session with the Vietnamese Ambassador, during which, she expressed admiration of Vietnam’s heroic struggle for national liberation and achievements in the current cause of national construction and defence. 

Gharib said she closely follows the recent developments in the East Sea and wishes to learn from Vietnam’s experience in carrying out the policy of renovation, national construction and development. 

She said a LCP delegation led by Politburo member Ghasan Dibeh will visit Vietnam to attend the 18th international meeting of communists and workers’ parties to be held in Hanoi. 

Ambassador Long, for his part, informed the host of the success of the 12th National Party Congress, the Party leadership over the national construction and development, and the application of the socialism-oriented market economy model. 

On the East Sea issue, he highlighted Vietnam’s consistent stance on supporting the settlement of disputes by peaceful means on the basis of respect for international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. 

On the occasion, he also held meetings with LCP Politburo members, and the Russian and Chinese ambassadors to Lebanon.

Poor communication blamed for rehab inmate escape

The escape of nearly 600 inmates at Dong Nai Province Drug Rehabilitation Centre may be because of fears of being convicted at courts, according to Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Dao Ngoc Dung.

 Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Dao Ngoc Dung, talked with the media on the sidelines of an NA meeting on October 24.
The minister made the comments to the media on the sidelines of an NA meeting on Monday morning.
Dung believed that the inmates may have been so scared of being convicted after the initial treatment that they decided to escape.
"According to the current law, drug addicts will be encouraged to be treated at their families, and those homeless will be gathered to drug rehabilitation centres," Dung explained.
"After initial treatment, they will be classified based on their conditions. Some can be released but those heavy addictions will be forced to stay for one to two years at the centre for further treatment. The district level court will decide who can go and who will have to stay."
The staff at the Dong Nai centre may not have given proper explanations and instructions and so made the inmates thought that they would be sentenced, the minister added.
Dung said that there have been several escapes at the centres in Haiphong, Nam Dinh and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces which were all caused by the lack of co-operation between the centres and inmates’ families and improper training and instructions from staff.
Nearly 600 inmates broke out of Dong Nai Province Drug Rehabilitation Centre in the southern Dong Nai Province at midnight on October 23.
 
After escaping the centre, hundreds of the inmates walked along Highway 1 in Xuan Loc District.
Some of the inmates broke cars windows and asked for money and clothes from passers-by so that they could escape the area. At 1am, the inmates fled into residential areas to avoid police. Residents in Xuan Loc District and neighbouring communes were warned about the breakout.
By late October 24 afternoon, over 400 people had been returned in police trucks. Police are still looking for the rest.

Government agencies support flood victims

President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan on October 24 received money donated by governmental agencies to support flood victims in the central region to overcome consequences.

Accordingly, the Government Office supported 360 million VND (16,200 USD), the Voice of Vietnam (621 million VND or 27,945 USD), and the Ministry of Planning and Investment (450 million VND or 20,250 USD).

Nhan said the recent flood and maritime environmental incidents in the central provinces have made the local life in the central provinces more difficult.

The prompt assistance of agencies, businesses and individuals is significant to help the victims surmount difficulties, he added.

He pledged the money will be delivered to localities as scheduled.
As of October 14, the VFF Central Committee received over 6 billion VND (270,000 USD) donated to support flood victims in Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien-Hue provinces.

On the same day, Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Nguyen Thanh Son launched a drive to raise money for flood victims in central Vietnam.

Labour quality key to global integration

Social dialogue, labour productivity and working conditions are vital for Vietnam’s global integration, heard a workshop in Hanoi on October 24. 

The event was jointly organised by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs. 

Participants highlighted Vietnam’s intensive regional and international integration, including in labour and social affairs, in which the country joins the international labour distribution, the global supply chain and requiring the protection of rights and interests of labourers. 

The country also engages in ensuring social security, promoting social equality and complying with common rules, including UN conventions and international labour standards.

They underlined benefits Vietnam will gain from the global integration such as increasing foreign investment, bigger labour market, technology transfer, and labour productivity enhancement. 

They also pointed to challenges facing Vietnam in improving productivity and working conditions and promoting social dialogues with both big companies and small- and medium-sized enterprises.

According to the ILO, labour productivity, social dialogue and working conditions create impetuses for economic growth and sustainable development for all stakeholders.

Pointing to Vietnam’s shortcomings in the three fields, the organisation suggested the country take comprehensive and continuous measures to improve them. 

ILO Director General in Vietnam Chang-hee Lee stressed the need for a competitive economy to ensure sustainable livelihood for the working-age population.

The country also needs a sustainable business environment and flexible labour market regulations to minimise negative impacts of outside shocks on labourers, he said.

Vietnam, as a member of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Europe-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), has to revise its Law on Labour in accordance with the ILO’s Declaration 1998 on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, Lee said.

Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam Beatrice Maser Mallor underscored the middle income trap that Vietnam has been warned of, saying that promoting social dialogue, increasing labour productivity and improving working conditions play a significant role in meeting the requirements of the production globalisation, thus contributing to sustainable and comprehensive growth. 

It is time for the Vietnamese government to review its policies in these fields in order to raise productivity and create more favourable working conditions for labourers, said Deputy Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Doan Mau Diep.

Workshop looks at Vietnam’s response to climate change

Experts recommended Vietnam invest more in climate change adaptation at an international workshop in Hanoi on October 24 on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s achievements and Vietnam actions in climate change. 

Speaking at the event, Vo Tuan Nhan, Vice Minister of Natural Resources and Environment affirmed Vietnam recognizes that response to climate change and disaster prevention is vital for the country's sustainable development. He added that the country has promulgated and implemented a number of strategies and policies on climate change, disaster prevention, sustainable development and green growth.

The UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam, Pratibha Mehta, noted that Vietnam was severely affected by climate extremes. 

“Women, children, the elderly and ethnic minorities are among the most vulnerable groups and every effort is needed to help build their resilience,” she said. “The right policies, capacity and knowledge are continuously needed in order to take measures to reduce climate risks. Without that, sustainable development is not possible in Vietnam”. 

IPCC and Vietnamese data show that Vietnam is at risk from storms, extreme rainfall and river floods, as well as droughts and saline water intrusion, she said, noting that there are numerous communities exposed to these extremes, and women and children are particularly vulnerable, in the coastal region, the deltas and the mountains. 

“So it is critical that Vietnam invests in adaptation,” Pratibha Mehta said. 

She went on to say that IPCC and Vietnamese data demonstrate how difficult it will be for the world to attain the Paris Agreement temperature targets, and stressed that means Vietnam must make a serious effort to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, as it demonstrates in its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution, the INDC. 

According to Pratibha Mehta, the quality of Vietnamese research needs to be improved, so that researchers publish more frequently in international peer reviewed journals and increase the impact of Vietnamese scientific findings on IPCC reports. 

The IPCC - the world body for assessing the science related to climate change, presented its findings with a focus on Vietnam and its work programme for the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) cycle. 

IPCC Chair Housung Lee said the AR6 would build on the good picture of climate change and impacts globally delivered by the IPCC’s last major report, the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), completed in 2014. 

“For the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), we would like to see the research community tackle local questions and provide us with scientific literature that can feed into the assessments. We also hope that Vietnam and other developing countries will nominate more scientists as IPCC authors across the range of topics that we assess,” he said  

According to Hans-Otto Pörtner, Co-Chair of Working Group II of the IPCC, continued high emissions will increase the risks for Vietnam, which is vulnerable to a range of impacts including sea-level rise and extreme climate events. 

On this occasion, Vietnam also presented the draft of 2016 climate change and sea-level rise scenarios for the country and Plan for Implementation of the Paris Agreement. 

The workshop on “IPCC achievements and Vietnam actions in climate change” was organised by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the IPCC.

Traffic inspector sacked after attacking airport employee

A 37-year-old traffic inspector allegedly involved in the assault of a woman employee at Nội Bài International Airport last Tuesday will be relieved of his duties with effect from November.

The decision was taken by Hà Nội’s transport department director Vũ Văn Viện.

Đào Vịnh Thuấn, an inspector with the Hà Nội transport department, has been dismissed for violating work discipline, being absent from work without permission and assaulting a woman, Viện said, adding that Thuấn’s action seriously affects the image of state employees from the Hà Nội transport department.

The incident took place when Thuấn and a friend, Trần Dương Tùng, who were scheduled to take Vietnam Airlines flight VN7265 from Hà Nội to HCM City, were not allowed to board after they reached their boarding gate late.

When Nguyễn Lê Quỳnh Anh, an airport employee, and her colleague approached the two men to help them reschedule to another flight, the duo responded aggressively. Tùng allegedly hit Quỳnh Anh several times on her head with his Ipad-sized wallet while Thuấn restrained her by grabbing her neck. Quỳnh Anh was taken to Saint Paul Hospital after she complained of dizziness and nausea.

The case stirred a public uproar right after the airport CCVT footage was published in the local media. Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has ordered that the results of the investigation be submitted to his office by the end of this month.

The Hà Nội administration has asked the police to continue investigations and give proper punishment to the two passengers.

Vietnamese youths begin SEA journey

Twenty-eight outstanding ASEAN and Japanese youths will take part in the Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Programme (SSEAYP) from October 25, starting in Tokyo, Japan, to share with each other their countries culture.

The youths who comprise the Vietnam delegation were chosen through a strict selection process that requires them to be at their best behaviour in representing the nation as a goodwill ambassador.

The program, now in its 43rd year, is a unique cultural exchange program sponsored by the Japanese government that unfolds on board the MS Nippon Maru, a Japanese luxury cruise liner. 

From now until December 16, the SSEAYP ship will dock in Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia.

Activities on board include discussions, cultural introductions, sports and club activities. The activities in the countries visited include exchanges with local youths, homestays, visits to various facilities and volunteer activities.

The program aims to promote friendship and mutual understanding among the youths of Japan and participating countries, to broaden their perspective on the world, and to strengthen their spirit of international cooperation.

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