Four Chinese on trial for credit card fraud

The People’s Court of northern HaiPhong city on August 25 opened a trial against four Chinese nationals, who had used high-tech devices to counterfeit credit cards.

XiongJie (35), Lin Wei (50), Lin Li Hua (33) and Lin Jia Jun (21) were charged with “using the computer and telecommunications networks, the Internet and digital equipment to appropriate assets”.

According to the indictment, between March 16-26, 2013, the four suspects and two others (currently on the run) successfully completed 196 transactions using forged cards taking away over VND3.9 billion (US$183,300) from Vietcombank and Vietinbank. They were caught by HaiPhong police on March 26.

The court is expected to bring in a verdict on August 26.

Hanoi fails to deal with river violations

District agencies have failed to deal with nearly 300 irrigation works violations this year in the capital.

Illegally building houses and brick kilns near river and canal banks and growing water hyacinths or vegetables over canals were the most common violations and occurred most frequently in Ha Dong, Thanh Tri and Nam Tu Liem districts, according to Ha Noi's Agriculture and Rural Development Department.

The failure to address these violations was primarily caused by poor management and a lack of co-operation between authorised agencies and irrigation companies, the department reported.

Director of the department Nguyen Huy Dang said that the department had ordered irrigation companies to dredge canals in preparation for the rainy season and was co-operating with authorised agencies to handle the violations.

In a related move, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development directed units to tackle violations throughout the country, including illegally encroaching on dyke protection corridors, in order to ensure safety during the rainy season. The ministry also ordered the directorate of water resources to assess dyke systems' quality and will soon fix weak stretches of dyke, Vu Van Tu, chief of the Central Committee for Flood and Storm Control, told Nong thon ngay nay (Countryside Today) newspaper.

Illegal food imports seized in Lao Cai

Authorities seized more than 260 kilogrammes of illegally imported food including fried fish, sausages and frozen ducks in Lao Cai Province on Sunday.

The transporter of the seized goods, Phung Minh Khanh from Kim Tan Ward, could not present any invoice or document related to the goods that he had reportedly bought in China.

The seized goods will be destroyed while Khanh will be fined for violating the law by trading in illegally imported goods.

Bird flu virus detected in northern province

The bird flu virus A/H5N6 had been detected in a flock of pheasants in the northern province of Lao Cai's Bao Thang District, according to the Animal Health Department under the Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry.

Local authorities in Lao Cai have taken measures to prevent bird flu from spreading, including strict quarantine regulations and inspections of poultry transport and trading.

The deadly A/H5N6 strain was detected for the first time in Viet Nam in mid-August in chickens in the northern province of Lang Son on the border with China, and a flock of ducks in the central province of Ha Tinh which borders Laos.

According to the World Health Organisation, A/H5N6 is a highly pathogenic strain but there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission, despite occasional instances of apparent infection between family members.

Border province ordered to brace for A/H5N6 virus

The Department of Preventive Medicine on August 25 ordered the northern border province of Lao Cai to brace for the influenza virus strain A/H5N6 as it caused human deaths in China’s Sichuan province.

The avian flu strain was detected recently in a flock of pheasants in Pho Lu town, making Lao Cai the third Vietnamese locality to be affected by A/H5N6 after northern Lang Son province bordering China and central Ha Tinh province bordering Laos.

Vietnam has not recorded any A/H5N6 patients so far, the department under the Ministry of Health said.

To prevent the poultry-to-human transmission of A/H5N6, it requested Lao Cai’s veterinary and health sectors to disinfect the hotbeds, keep a close watch on vulnerable areas, especially at poultry farms and markets, and strictly punish the smuggling of fowls.

The province, which shares 203.5km of borderline with China, was also told to be prepared for possible A/H5N6 exposure and send samples of those with acute respiratory diseases and pneumonia to the Hanoi-based National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology to test for the strain.

Local authorities were asked to prompt communication campaigns to raise public awareness of preventing the transmission of H5N6 from fowls to human.

According to the World Health Organisation, A/H5N6 is a highly pathogenic strain but there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission despite occasional instances of apparent inflection between family members.

No discovery of Melamine in Vietnam: FAV

Soon after food watchdog in China said that police in the southern province of Guangdong made the discovery of yoghurt candy tainted with melamine, the Food Administration of Vietnam carried out tests on the product; however, no melamine was discovered.

The Food Administration of Vietnam August 24 said that it has asked the National Institute for Food Control and the Ministry of Health’s Institute of Hygiene and Public Health in Ho Chi Minh City to test  the products taken from markets in Hanoi and HCMC.

The two institutes took 18 candy samples including eight being domestically manufactured and ten made in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia in Hanoi and HCMC. Tests result showed that 17 samples over 18 contained no melamine. One product has melamine with the content of 0,093 mg per kilogram. The maximum amount of melamine allowed in foods is 2.5 mg per kilogram as per the Ministry’s regulation.

Though there has been no discovery of melamine in confectionery, the food watchdog in coordination with other related agencies to update the information to warn consumers soon.

Province wishes to be removed from high-income list

The central Quang Ngai Province proposed that it be removed from the list of high income provinces in order to receive more support from the government.

A letter was sent from provincial officials to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on August 19. The letter stated that, because Quang Ngai is located on the coast, it has suffered some of the heaviest damage from the wars. Not only is the province's infrastructure underdeveloped, it also faces the effects of frequent natural disasters.

In 2009, the construction of Dung Quat Oil Refinery made Quang Ngai rank 8th in terms of income. However, according to the law, most of the income from Dung Quat Refinery must be contributed to the state budget. Since then, financial support from the state has dwindled.

Le Quang Thich, vice chairman of Quang Ngai People's Committee, said their plans on economic-social development was encountering troubles with their limited budget. Due to the problems they face, authorities of Quang Ngai Province asked to be removed from the list of high-income provinces. They also asked to use the income from Dung Quat Refinery to invest in infrastructure for Dung Quat Industrial Park.

Even though Dung Quat is one of the top five most effective economic zones, the investment in this area is limited to around VND150 billion (USD7.1 million) a year. During this time, many enterprises have sought permission to invest billions of USD to their projects in this zone, which is the reason authorities gave for the urgency of the infrastructure upgrades. Otherwise, they stated, they may not be able to meet the demands of investors' development plans.

Thich said, "We asked the prime minister to use the income from Dung Quat for ground clearance, re-settlement areas and some necessary construction."

Last year, during his visit to Quang Ngai Province, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung gave his approval to the idea of using income from Dung Quat Refinery towards development of infrastructure in key projects there.

Thai Nguyen announces square named after General Vo Nguyen Giap

The August 20 Square in Thai Nguyen province was renamed to Vo Nguyen Giap Square, according to a decision approved by the provincial People’s Committee in May.

At the announcement ceremony on August 25, local authorities declared new planning for the square to make it a venue for hosting cultural and political events of the locality.

The square, covering 2.1 hectares in Truong Vuong ward, Thai Nguyen city, will be upgraded as one of the major cultural and sporting facilities, along with the museum of Vietnam ethnic groups, the provincial cultural and convention centre, and Song Cau garden.

The renaming and upgrading of the square shows the gratitude and respect of the local Party committee and people to the great General.

Speaking at the event, Vo Dien Bien, son of General Giap, thanked Thai Nguyen provincial leaders and people for the deep sentiment they felt for his father, while affirming that Thai Nguyen was always the “second home village” of the General, as he used to say when he was alive.

222nd anniversary of death of King Quang Trung commemorated

The People's Committee of Binh Dinh province on August 24 held a solemn ceremony at Quang Trung Museum in Tay Son district to mark the 222nd anniversary of the death of Emperor Quang Trung (1792-2014).

Chairman of Binh Dinh provincial People's Committee Le Huu Loc delivered a speech at the ceremony, reviewing the glorious history of the Tay Son Dynasty and biography of King Quang Trung - a national hero and military genius, who recorded resounding victories and great achievements in the cause of national construction and defence.

The most notable victories in the age-old history is the Ngoc Hoi - Dong Da victory, under which Quang Trung and Tay Son soldiers defeated the Qing Chinese invaders to liberate Thang Long (now Hanoi) 225 years ago.

At the ceremony, delegates offered flowers at the statue of King Quang Trung and offered incense at a shrine dedicated to the King.

The ceremony aimed to commemorate the great contributions of the national hero to the struggles for national defence and construction and to educate younger generations about national pride, patriotism and their duty of contributing to the nation.

The same day in Vinh city, Nghe An province, a ceremony was held at Quang Trung Temple to commemorate the anniversary of the national hero.

The People's Committee of Vinh, in co-ordination with Nghe An Museum, organised an exhibition displaying documents and objects related to Emperor Quang Trung and the Tay Son Dynasty including 150 objects, 40 images and scientific documents, and 60 books.

Network protecting media rights launched

The Centre for Research on Development Communication (RED) launched its Media Rights Advisory Network on August 25, aiming to protect reporters and journalists against media rights violations at a national level.

RED Director Tran Nhat Minh said that the network operates nationwide, with their membership consisting of reputable journalists who are knowledgeable in the field of media rights and are willing to defend their colleagues.

For further information, reporters should refer to the network’s official website www.baovetacnghiep.red.org.vn.

In the 2010-2015 period, RED is implementing a programme on protecting media rights, with a focus on studying media violations and strengthening law enforcement in the field.

Since August 2014, the organisation has carried out a project to enhance the protection of journalists in Vietnam. By 2018, it will build a code of conduct on press activities.

RED is a non-governmental organisation striving towards a fairer society in which legal rights are guaranteed and people’s livelihoods are improved. It utilises the power of communication to achieve results in their development programmes and create conditions for expanding their field of work and sharing their experience.-

Transport choices increased for national holiday

Hundreds of extra buses and trains will be used during the National Day holiday next week.

State employees and workers are entitled to have a four-day break lasting from Saturday, August 30, to Tuesday, September 2.

Deputy director of Ha Noi's My Dinh Coach Station, Nguyen Manh Tuan told Kinh te do thi ( Economic and Urban Affairs) newspaper that the station planned to have 100 coaches to meet increased demand.

Normally, the station serves about 20,000-30,000 passengers a day but this would jump to about 30,000-35,000 people during the holidays.

"The number of passengers is predicted to increase in key routes including those to Thai Binh, Thai Nguyen, Phu Tho, Quang Ninh and Thanh Hoa," he said.

The overloading would not be as serious as it was during holidays for Reunification Day (April 30) and May Day (May 1) because it was the end of summer and students had gone back to school, Tuan said.

Director of Giap Bat Coach Station, Nguyen Tat Thanh, said it would add 120-150 coaches each day during the holidays.

In HCM City, Mien Dong Coach Station expects to receive 32,000 passengers at peak times - or 70 per cent more than usual.

Bus fares there are expected to increase about 30 per cent from August 29 to 31, according to the station directorate board.

HCM City's Mien Tay Coach Station also predicts a 30-per cent increase in bus fares on key routes from HCM City to neighbouring Mekong Delta provinces.

Deputy head of Sai Gon Railway Station, Thai Van Truyen, said an extra 10 trains would run from HCM City to Nha Trang, a popular coastal route, from August 28 to September 2.

Head of Ha Noi Railway Station, Phung Thi Ly Ha, said more trains would be added to routes including Ha Noi to central Dong Hoi City, Ha Noi to central Vinh City, and Ha Noi to northern Lao Cai Province.

She said that train fares would not be increased and that tickets to many provinces were still available.

Wheelchairs given to the disabled in Dien Bien

The Lawerence S. Ting Memorial Fund on August 25 presented 200 wheelchairs worth 360 million VND (17,140 USD) to people with disabilities in the northern province of Dien Bien.

The donation is part of a programme co-sponsored by the fund and Phu My Hung Corp. to support the disabled nationwide by equipping them with a means of transport, thus facilitating their daily activities and social integration.

Earlier this year, the two donors gave 33 computers and computer-connected microscopes to a boarding school for ethnic minority students in Dien Bien.

Vietnam’s National Day celebrated in Perth

The Vietnam Consulate General in Perth on August 22 hosted a ceremony in Darwin in the Australia Northern Territory to commemorate the 69th anniversary of Vietnam National Day (September 2).

Speaking at the event, Vietnam Consul General in Perth Le Viet Duyen reviewed the historical plight of the country and highlighted the great achievements the Vietnamese people have recorded over the past 69 years.

She also spoke highly of the growing ties between Vietnam and Australia, expressing her strong belief that bilateral relations will continue to prosper and further develop in the future.

Duyen affirmed the establishment of the Consulate General in Perth contributed to strengthening the comprehensive partnership between the two countries.

For his part, Northern Territory Chief Minister Adam Giles congratulated the Vietnam Government and people on National Day.

He applauded the country’s recent social and economic accomplishments and expressed his satisfaction with the fine development of the fruitful relations between the two countries.

Within the framework of the event, a wide range of activities including an art performance and a traditional food festival were held.

OVs in Europe compete in tennis tournament

The 15th “Golden Racket Praha 2014” tennis tournament for Overseas Vietnamese (OVs) in Europe was held at the Club Hotel Praha sport complex in Prague, the Czech Republic on August 23-24.

The tournament attracted 200 athletes and 18 clubs including 12 from the Czech Republic and 6 from Slovakia, Poland, Germany, Russia, Hungary and Vietnam.

After two-days of competition, Cao Xuan Hoang from the Ostrava Club in the Czech Republic emerged the first-place winner. Runner-up went to Dang Xuan Tung from the Leipzig Club in Germany.

Third place was shared by Pham Dac Nhan and Luong Phuong Trung from the Praha Club and Ostrava Club in the Czech Republic, respectively.

The tournament, first organized in 2000, aims to further strengthen solidarity and mutual support among OVS communities across the European Union through sport movements and competitions.

Dak Nong gears up for new school year

The Central Highlands province of Dak Nong has ramped up its school infrastructure at a cost of over 163 billion VND (7.6 million USD) sourced from the State budget to gear up for the new school year.

Over 100 billion VND (4.7 million USD) went to the construction of 201 new classrooms and 115 clean water facilities while the remaining was spent on buying textbooks and learning tools for students in poor, ethnic minority and border areas.

During this school year, the province aims to provide preschool services for all five-year-old children while building accommodations for teachers in remote and needy areas.

It will also invest in much-needed facilities for foreign languages education and boarding schools.

The locality now has 360 schools at all levels, ranging from pre-school to high school, which expect to enroll 150,600 students in the 2014-15 academic year, a rise of 1,765 from the previous year, of whom 33.37 percent hail from ethnic minority areas.-

President urges continued judicial reform

Human resources training was critical for judicial reform, President Truong Tan Sang said at a working session between the Central Steering  

Committee for Judicial Reform and leaders of the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuracy.

There were not enough judicial officers at district levels and their professional skills were weak, he said.

As Head of the Central Steering Committee for Judicial Reform, he also asked to institutionalise the central role of the court and the procuracy in the Laws on the Organisation of the People's Court and the Procuracy.

He asked the court and procuracy sectors to enhance communications regarding the Constitution and examine judicial reform results over the past eight years to draw lessons for the future.

Vietnam’s National Day marked in Australia

The Vietnamese Consulate General in Perth, Australia has held a ceremony in Darwin city in the Northern Territories (NT) on August 22 to celebrate Vietnam’s 69th National Day (September 2).

Many high-ranking officials and parliamentarians of the NT attended the August 22 event, along with members of the public, including both international friends and overseas Vietnamese living in Australia.

In his speech, Consul General Le Viet Duyen recalled the great achievements of the Vietnamese people over the past 69 years.

He expressed his appreciation for the relationship between Vietnam and Australia, voicing his conviction that mutual ties will be strengthened further in the time to come.

The consul acknowledged that the establishment of the Vietnamese Consulate General in Perth has contributed to a closer relationship between the two countries.

NT Chief Minister Adam Giles congratulated the Vietnamese Government and people on this occasion, stating that he highly values the successful efforts Vietnam has undertaken to build the country and boost national development. Furthermore, he expressed his appreciation for the links between his country and Vietnam, particularly between Vietnamese partners and the NT.

In recent years, cooperation between Vietnam and the NT in the fields of economy and education has seen remarkable developments.

The two sides reached agreements on the production of dragon fruit in the NT and the export of buffalos from the NT to Vietnam. A large number of Vietnamese students are currently studying at educational institutions in the NT, a trend which is expected to further increase in the future.

The Ministry of Transport has discovered many irregularities involving cost overruns, application of asynchronous technology and slow execution at three railway projects invested by Vietnam Railway Corporation.

The three projects are among those the ministry took over from the corporation last week due to the slow pace of construction.

The three involve modernizing signals of Hanoi-Lao Cai, Hanoi-Dong Dang, Hanoi-Thai Nguyen routes and the Hanoi area using China’s ODA loans (Project 3+1); modernizing the information system of Vinh-Saigon and north-south routes (phase one) also financed by China’s ODA; and developing the signal system of the Hanoi-Vinh route (phase two) funded with France’s ODA.

The ministry said they are four to seven years behind schedule.

According to the ministry, the costs of the three projects have almost doubled the original estimates, with the first project having its investment capital soaring by VND1.052 trillion and the second project by VND1.102 trillion. The reasons pointed out are inaccurate cost projections.

The investment adjustments have adversely affected such projects as preferential loans have been used later than scheduled, and many of their components have been dropped. Moreover, it has taken more time to execute the projects as loan agreements have been re-negotiated with lenders.

According to a conclusion signed by Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Ngoc Dong, Vietnam Railway Corporation will have to recover nearly VND460 million as this amount resulted from a wrong cost estimate.

In addition to criticizing leaders of Vietnam Railway Corporation, the railway project management unit and Transport Investment and Construction Consultant Joint Stock Company (TRICC), the ministry has lowered the rankings of Chinese contractors.

Dong also requires the corporation to continue assisting relevant agencies of the ministry in implementing such projects and these projects must be transferred to the ministry by September 30.

The ministry’s moves are aimed at coping with irregularities in railway projects. The ministry has also proposed the Government transfer the capital allocated annually for infrastructure construction projects to the ministry, instead of the railway sector from next year.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has announced a US$100 million grant for a road upgrade project that will benefit five provinces in the southern and Central Highlands regions, according to local media.

The information was unveiled by a working delegation of the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Asian Development Bank at a meeting with leaders of Binh Phuoc Province last week. The other four provinces benefiting from the project are Dak Nong, Daklak, Gia Lai and Kon Tum.

ADB is expected to provide US$900,000 for the five provinces next year to make technical preparations and map out a detailed plan for the project on which work is scheduled to start in 2016.

Apart from the road construction, the project will support economic and tourism development in the areas that are home to ethic minority groups and poor households in those provinces.

Therefore, Binh Phuoc has been asked to provide information about the number of poor households, tourism potential, healthcare and environment before the project comes online.

According to the Binh Phuoc Department of Planning and Investment, the province now has neither airport nor seaport so national highways 13 and 14 and provincial roads are the only main routes connecting it and neighboring provinces. However, these roads are deteriorating, hindering trade and economic development, particularly in the areas near the border with Cambodia.

The department emphasized the urgent need to upgrade the roads in the province to boost economic and trade development.

At present, Binh Phuoc has three roads that are being upgraded to improve connectivity between Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. They are widening a 15-km section of National Highway 13 at a cost of VND410 billion, upgrading and expanding a 50.3-km section of Provincial Road 756 at VND400 billion, and expanding Loc Tan-Bu Dop road at VND150 billion.

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