Police raid bar in HCM City

Inside Canalis Bar.

Police caught more than 10 people with drugs as they raided the Canalis Bar in District 3, HCM City, at early hours yesterday.

As many as 250 customers were present in the bar during the raid and many of them failed to show any identity papers.

Police also checked the motorbikes and automobiles of customers and reportedly found weapons.

No immediate penalty on taxis without black boxes

The Ministry of Transport (MOT) has proposed the Government to defer imposing penalty on taxis lacking black boxes or with malfunctioning black boxes.

Earlier, it was scheduled that the owners of taxis without black boxes, an itinerary supervising device, will be penalised from the beginning of next month.

The MOT said that some localities have failed to complete the installation of black boxes on transport vehicles.

The Viet Nam Automobile Transportation Association said that the number of taxis in the country has been huge, nearly 60,000, which has affected the progress of installing black boxes.

Some taxi enterprises in HCM City have conducted a pilot programme for installing taxi management software to do away with black boxes.

The MOT explained that the postponement will help taxi enterprises to strictly obey regulations and ensure the application of science and technology in managing their enterprises.

The MOT noted that the delay can last until the end of this year.

Following the postponement, inspectors will urge transport enterprises to complete their black box installation programme.

Over 11,000 smuggling cases uncovered in southern region

Market management forces in southern localities handled 11,330 cases of smuggling and trade fraud in the first six months of this year, heard a conference in Binh Duong province on June 26.

Reports presented at the conference show that smuggling, fake goods trade and trade fraud in the region was very complicated, with various forms. The smuggling of commodities, particularly tobacco and refined sugar was on the rise, especially in border areas.

Market management forces of An Giang and Tay Ninh provinces seized nearly 40 tonnes of sugar smuggled from Cambodia in the period.

Participants discussed and set forth plans to further their cooperation in the remaining months of the year, focusing on intensifying checks and inspections to prevent and detect smuggling in border areas.

Fires destroy 145ha of forest

Four forest fires have destroyed over 145ha of forest in Thanh Hoa Province since the end of last month, causing losses of VND10.8 billion (US$495,000).

A report by the province's Agriculture and Rural Development Department showed that only 47.23ha of the area could be replanted.

The report also said that the fires were detected and extinguished swiftly, helping to minimise losses.

Local authorities are helping people to choose seedlings and the right time to ensure effective forestation.

Ideas sought for ecosystem

Mangrove for the Future – a programme led by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the United Nations Development Programme - has called on initiatives to fund coastal ecosystem conservation.

NGOs, community-based organisations, research institutes, universities and small enterprises have been asked to submit initiatives on restoring the coastal ecosystem, adapting to climate change and community-based ecotourism.

Each winning entry will receive a maximum US$20,000 to implement their projects over 12 months. Entries must be submitted by July 3 to hien.buithithu@iucn.org or the IUCN Viet Nam headquarters in Ha Noi.

Central city seeks more support from World Bank

The central city has asked the World Bank to increase its funding for waste water treatment projects in the city.

Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Huynh Duc Tho made the request during a meeting with the organisation's Country Director for Viet Nam, Victoria Kwakwa, on Thursday.

Tho noted that the city presented a US$115-million budget proposal, of which US$100 million is funded by the WB, for upgrading the Hoa Xuan waste water treatment station, waste water drainage system for coastal My An living quarters, and for covering the Yen The-Bac Son drainage channel.

Victoria Kwakwa remarked that Da Nang has successfully managed to meet its deadline for development projects funded by the WB over the past many years.

She said Da Nang city has remained a strong partner of the organisation over the past decade, and she hoped that the WB will continue supporting Da Nang to turn it into a ‘green' city.

In 2013, the WB agreed to provide $202 million for a US$272-million sustainable development project help improve the city's Bus Rapid Transit network, build new roads, and revamp the existing drainage system.

The WB also funded a five-year priority infrastructure project of the city, by covering 70 per cent of the total investment of US$218.4 million in 2008-13.

Da Nang has been investing much in urban development to make it the largest city in the central region and a ‘green city' by 2025.

Deputy PM urges quicker storm relief work

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has urgently asked localities to quickly resolve the problems caused by a tropical storm, enabling life in the storm-hit areas to return to normal.

The storm, the first this year, caused heavy rains, flash floods and deaths, and swept away numerous houses in the northern region. The mountainous Son La Province alone reported seven deaths, four missing persons and three cases of injuries.

The Deputy PM requested the Son La Province's People's Committee to continue the search for the missing persons, to assist families of the injured and dead people, and to provide water, food and other necessities to those who lost their houses or were seriously affected by the disaster. He asked the province to station people in both inland and water traffic routes to ensure safe transport of local residents, to continue the shifting of people living in high-risk areas, and to mobilise youth, army and police forces to help the local people clean the environment and repair houses damaged by flash foods.

Deputy PM Phuc said the transport ministry should examine and promptly repair the damage caused by the storm to traffic infrastructure, ensuring smooth transport on key traffic routes.

The natural resources and environment ministry was asked to direct the National Meteorological Centre to continue keeping a close eye on and forecast the development of natural disasters. It was also asked to provide timely information to the Central Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, mass media and related ministries and sectors to enable localities and people to prevent and deal with disasters.

Deputy PM Phuc said the National Committee for Search and Rescue should direct relevant forces to be well-prepared to help localities to undertake rescue and search work when needed.

Mass fish deaths in river spark concern

Thousands of dead fish were found in a section of the River Ba Ren in Duy Thanh Commune, Duy Xuyen District, in the central Quang Nam Province, recently.

The dead fish caused a stink and the local people were forced to remove them from the river and bury them.

The people have reportedly removed tonnes of dead fish from the river.

A local fisherman said there has not been a similar incident in the last 20 years.

Ngo Bon, deputy head of the provincial Natural Resources and Environment Department, said a sudden change in the weather might have caused the mass fish deaths.

Pollution also could have caused it, he said.

"In recent months, the river water has become black. We suspect a leather processing workshop nearby has been discharging wastewater into the river," Bon said.

The department has taken water samples for testing to find the real cause of the mass fish deaths.

Cuu Long proposes to construct $288-million expressway

Cuu Long Corporation for Investment, Development and Management of Infrastructure Project has proposed the construction of the My Thuan- Can Tho Expressway on a build-operate-transfer basis.

The firm has sent the proposal to the transport ministry.

The VND6.3 trillion (US$288.8 million) expressway will be 17m wide and 23.2km long, stretching from Tan Ngai Commune in the southern Vinh Long City to Thuan An Commune in Binh Minh District, Vinh Long Province.

The construction work of the expressway is expected to start in the fourth quarter of this year and be completed by 2018.

The corporation also proposes to collect toll fee of VND1,500 per kilometre per vehicle from 2019. The fee will be raised by 18 per cent after three years.

The corporation said part of toll taxes collected from vehicles using the HCM City – Trung Luong Expressway over four years and four months will be used to fund the My Thuan – Can Tho Expressway, so that the investor of the latter expressway can get a return on investment after 23 years.

The My Thuan – Can Tho Expressway is one of three major parts of the HCM City- Can Tho Expressway.

The first part, the 40km-long HCM City- Trung Luong Expressway, opened in February 2010. The second part, the Trung Luong – My Thuan Expressway, is under construction.

Poor children given scholarships

More than 1,000 poor children with outstanding academic results from 10 provinces and cities across the country received scholarships in Ha Noi yesterday.

It was part of a programme, "Thap sang uoc mo" (Light up the dreams), held for the second time by Viet Nam Association for Protection of Children Rights.

The project also called for doctors to give free health examination and medicines to poor children in HCM City and Da Nang Central City.

Northern area experiences hot spell

Hot weather will continue in northern and central provinces for some more days, with the average temperature hovering around 38 degrees Celsius, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

The Gulf of Tonkin will have a rough sea, with waves reaching 1.5-2.5m in height.

The Central Highlands provinces may experience heavy showers and scattered strong winds, with temperatures ranging 21-32 degree Celsius.

Southern areas can have heavy rains at nights, with temperatures remaining at 24-35 degree Celsius.

Ho Chi Minh Highway through Kon Tum and Dak Lak opens to traffic

A new section of the Ho Chi Minh Highway through the Central Highlands province Kon Tum opened to traffic on June 28, six months ahead of schedule.

The road from Dak To district to Dak Ha district and Kon Tum city has two lanes and is 23.7 km long.

Construction started 20 months ago, with a total investment of 860 billion VND.

On June 27, a 119km section of the Ho Chi Minh Highway through Dak Lak province in the Central Highlands region was also opened to the public.

The roads will help boost regional socio-economic development, as well as contributing to national defence and security.

Pasteur Institute receives Labour Hero title

The Pasteur Institute in HCM City was awarded the Labour Hero of the Renewal Era title on June 28 for its contributions to public health.

Addressing the ceremony, State President Truong Tan Sang spoke highly of the institute’s outstanding contributions to preventive health in Vietnam.

The President said the institute successfully conducted vital research and applied technological breakthroughs and bio-technology in order to prevent diseases, attend to the public’s health, and build a network of epidemic prevention centres throughout the Southern provinces and cities.

He continued that the institute shared its expertise and cooperated with the preventive health sector and hospitals to successfully prevent the outbreak of various dangerous diseases.

The institute also helped deliver training to health professionals in Vietnam and established sound working relationships with a number of international research centres and organisations, he said.

President Sang also highlighted that pollution and climate change were causing a number of dangerous diseases to emerge the world over, requiring the institute and HCM City’s health sector to step up their efforts to serve the public.

The Pasteur Institute is the successor of the Indochina Pasteur Institute, which was established in 1891 by Doctor Albert Calmette.

Can Tho trade fair starts Mekong Delta green tourism week

The 2015 tourism and trade fair started the Mekong Delta Green Tourism Week in Can Tho city on June 27, taking in 1,030 booths by exhibitors from several southwestern localities and Greater Mekong Sub-region countries.

The week-long fair is a platform for business-to-business and business-to-client contacts, opening up export and tourism cooperation opportunities.

Lying at the gateway of the Mekong Delta, Can Tho city boasts huge tourism potential thanks to its criss-crossing rivers and canals, unending rice paddies and orchards.

It is home to 18 garden-type eco-tourist and recreational sites, with three recognised as outstanding destinations, namely Truc Lam Phuong Nam Zen Monastery, Cai Rang floating market and My Khanh tourist village.

Can Tho has 27 cultural and historical sites, including 12 national and 15 municipal relics, and more than 190 lodging facilities offering over 5,000 rooms.

Vietnam-France association marks 60th founding anniversary

The Vietnam-France Friendship and Cooperation Association (VFFCA) celebrated its 60th anniversary (July 2, 1955 - July 2, 2015) in Hanoi on June 27.

On the occasion, the association launched the photography exhibition ‘Vietnam-Ho Chi Minh: the Vietnam-France Friendship’.

Nguyen Huy Quang, chairman of the VFFCA, said that as one of Vietnam’s first mass organisations, the association had contributed substantially to the implementation of the Party’s policies on external relations over the past six decades, especially in calling upon the French public to support the Vietnamese people in their struggle for liberation and reunification.

The association also supported Vietnam’s post-war reconstruction efforts, poverty reduction campaigns, the regional and global integration process, and the defence of national sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the industrialisation and modernisation processes.

Jean Noel Poirier, the French Ambassador to Vietnam, pledged the embassy’s continued support for the VFFCA to further promote the friendship and cooperation between the two countries’ peoples and deepen the strategic partnership between France and Vietnam.

On the occasion, the VFFCA was also awarded t he Prime Minister’s Certificate of Merit.

Sharing responsibilities at the heart of Vietnam Family Day

A ceremony was held in Hanoi to encourage sharing family-related duties equally between men and women on the occasion of the 2015 Vietnamese Family Day on June 28.

The event was jointly organised by United Nations Women (UN Women), the Vietnam Women’s Union and the Vietnam Youth Union.

The event took place as part of the UN Women’s campaign “HeForShe – the women around us”, which aims to actively involve men in the fight for gender equality and the elimination of discrimination against women and girls.

Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnam Women’s Union Tran Thi Huong highlighted that many Vietnamese families were unhappy due to gender inequality and domestic violence.

Meanwhile, deputy head of the Government Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, Hoang Xuan Luon, spoke highly of the increasing number of men who actively take on family duties, stating that many husbands now share the burden of household chores with their wives.

Shoko Ishikawa, UN Women’s Country Representative in Vietnam, highlighted the significance of sharing responsibilities for gender equality, saying that gender equality in practice benefitted men and women alike.

The event included various discussions on the role of men in sharing family responsibilities, with the participation of representatives of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and several artists.

Other activities to mark the day included trade fairs, a photography exhibition, art performances and a cooking competition to bring family members together and promote gender equality.

Family Day has been celebrated annually since 2001.

PM approves electricity subsidy grant for the disadvantaged

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has agreed to use money from the state budget to subsidize electricity prices for residents in island communes and districts and poor households.

Accordingly, 72.6 billion VND will be granted to five provinces to subsidize electricity prices and maintain the operation of water tanks and seawater purifiers on islands, as well as assist the operation of boats transporting fresh water and basic necessities to islands communes and districts.

Of the amount, 61 billion VND (2.8 million USD) goes to the southern province of Kien Giang, 2.6 billion VND to Quang Tri, 3.8 billion VND to Binh Thuan, 2.2 billion VND to Quang Nam and 3 billion VND to Binh Dinh.

The PM also agreed to increase the 2015 budget allocations for localities to subsidize electricity cost for poor households and households benefiting from social policies under the Decision No 28/2014/QD-TTg issued on April 7, 2014.

World Bank helps improve food hygiene and safety

The World Bank’s Board of Governors approved additional funding of 45 million USD through the project ‘Improving the competitive capability and food safety’ in Vietnam on June 27.

Vo Thanh Son, senior expert on rural development at the WB and a team leader of the project, said the additional funding aimed to consolidate the project’s initial achievements and expand good agricultural practices to other localities.

The project was first approved in September 2009, with t he International Development Association (IDA) providing 65.26 million USD and the Government of Vietnam contributing 13.77 million USD.

The project aims to increase the effectiveness of small-scale animal husbandry, reduce the adverse impacts of livestock on the environment, improve processing procedures, and boost food safety throughout the supply chain.

The project has so far helped upgrade 124 small-scale abattoirs and improve hygiene standards in 23 medium- and large-scale abattoirs. It also helped 300 markets for meat products meet food hygiene and safety standards.

Green human resources in focus

A programme to develop green human resources, the first of its kind in Vietnam, was launched on June 27 in Hanoi by the Bureau for Safe Work under the Ministry of Labours, Invalids and Social Affairs and the Magazine of Labour and Social Affairs.

The programme is intended to promote the development of human resources towards sustainability and effectiveness among people and organisations.

It is also expected to increase corporate awareness of ensuring interests for workers, and improve the attractiveness of Vietnam’s business environment.

During the event, several individuals and enterprises were honoured for their outstanding contribution to quality human resources development and excellence duty to ensure health, safety and welfare of the workers.

Photos depict life of migrant workers

Nearly 60 photos capturing the daily life of Vietnamese migrant workers are being put on show at an exhibition held in Ho Chi Minh City on June 27-28.

The photos taken by employees who work far from their native home tell different stories about their livelihood as well as depict the pride of their jobs and wishes for a better life.

A workshop was held as part of the event to share information on the workers’ daily activities, jobs, and their aspirations.

The event was held by the Centre for Development and Integration (CDI) with the sponsor of the Asia Foundation.

Central Highlands traffic safety festival in Dak Lak

A festival improving traffic safety culture took place in Buon Ma Thuot city, the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak on June 27, with over 1,200 youngsters and officials across the region taking part.

The festive day saw the donation of 1,000 helmets to poor children and residents, a parade, a forum to raise public awareness of safe driving, and a course guiding how to drive safely and abide by traffic laws.

An agreement to launch an educational campaign about traffic safety was also signed by relevant units from Dak Lak, Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Nong and the southern province of Binh Phuoc.

In his opening remarks, permanent Vice Chairman of the National Committee for Traffic Safety Khuat Viet Hung said 2014 was the first year that recorded a decrease of road accident facilities to 9,000.

In the first half of this year, over 4,400 were killed and 10,000 injured in 11,180 accidents, marking a respective decrease of more than 211 and 2,100 in 1,650 cases.

During the period, the number of traffic accidents outside urban areas accounted for 68.2 percent of the total and is likely to rise during holidays, partly due to limited awareness about traffic safety and laws among residents in rural and mountainous areas.

Traffic law violations were mostly committed by motorbike drivers, amounting to 68.3 percent of the total.

A lack of appropriate infrastructure and enforcement forces also translated into high accident numbers in these areas.

The same day, the National Committee for Traffic Safety in association with ministries and localities convened a conference launching traffic safety schemes in the Central Highlands.

Forum for disadvantaged children held in HCM City

Over 100 disadvantaged children from Ho Chi Minh City got the chance to voice their opinions and wishes at a forum held in the city on June 26.

The children talked about the lack of play grounds in the city; the difficulties for disadvantaged children to access entertaining activities; the need to renovate school syllabus and add more life skills classes to improve educational quality.

Issues related to environmental protection and measures to prevent child begging and abuse at school were also the concerns of many young citizens.

According to the Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, many measures have been implemented to protect and care for children, however, more efforts will be needed.

The forum aims at raising public awareness about children’s rights to participate in making policies related to children, especially those of disadvantaged backgrounds, she added.

Ho Chi Minh City is now home to 1.4 million children, of which, 15,000 are disadvantaged children and around 49,000 children at risk of becoming disadvantaged.

Scholarships for poor students in Dak Nong

As many as 200 disadvantaged students with good study results from secondary and high schools in the Central Highlands of Dak Nong were presented with scholarships during a ceremony in the locality on June 26.

The scholarships were delivered under a programme run by the Tuoi Tre (Youth) Newspaper, with the aim to help local poor students keep their study uninterruptedly.

This is the second time Dak Nong students have been awarded scholarships from the programme.

The programme was established in 2008 after students in the central provinces of Quang Ngai and Nghe An and some Mekong Delta localities gave up their studies en mass due to their family’s scanty economic conditions.

Tech application critical to modernising offshore fishing fleet

Policies on and outcomes of technology application in offshore fishing activities were spotlighted at a forum in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang on June 26 towards modernising the offshore fishing fleet.

The Government’s support policies have helped develop offshore fishing, ease exploitation pressure on inshore waters and create more jobs, thus improving fishermen’s livelihoods, said Pham Ngoc Tuan – Deputy Director of the Aquatic Resources Exploitation and Protection Department under the Directorate of Fisheries.

Policy incentives have also encouraged fishermen in Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Kien Giang and Ca Mau to use advanced preservation techniques to reduce post-fishing losses and ensure product quality, he added.

Fourteen of the 28 coastal provinces and cities across Vietnam have built communication stations on the mainland and equipped fishing boats with communication systems.

They have installed 7,000 single-sideband equipment pieces on vessels to update workers on weather patterns. Meanwhile, 3,000 fishing boats have also been supported with satellite tracking devices under MOVIMAR, a cooperation project with France, the forum heard.

Participants also highlighted the cage trap developed by the Institute for Marine Science and Fishing Technology of Nha Trang University. The invention, transferred to fishermen in Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Quang Ngai and Khanh Hoa provinces, is said to be able to catch more seafood and is environmentally friendly.

However, offshore fishing in Vietnam still faces numerous difficulties, such as the low mechanisation level, said Deputy Head of the Kien Giang University Duong Minh Chuan.

He continued to say that fishermen work based on their experiences and are not willing or able to apply science-technology advances. Meanwhile, their seafood quality is deemed low due to old-fashioned preservation methods, especially keeping products in ice or salt.

Crew members have not received appropriate training to operate large and modern vessels, he noted, adding the underdeveloped fishery logistics services.

At the forum, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam said the ministry has devised solutions to existing problems such as asking the Government for aid in procuring high frequency radio devices, continuing to support the building of high-capacity ships, and promoting technology application in fishing and preservation activities.

Outreach event deters irregular migration in Nghe An

A community outreach programme was held in the Cua Lo township of central Nghe An province on June 26 to raise awareness of unsanctioned water migration and deter them from risking their lives to sail for Australia – a popular destination for local illegal immigrants.

The programme was among a series of activities preventing irregular migration to Australia conducted by the Nghe An Border Guard High Command and the International Organisation for Migration since 2014.

Through consultations, plays, quiz games and film screenings, the function aimed to provide local people with useful information such as Australia’s immigration regulations and consequences awaiting illegal water immigrants, ultimately helping them make informed decisions and avoid falling for swindlers’ tricks.

Recently, swindlers have taken advantage of poverty, job demand and low awareness to trick locals into working in Australia for profits.

Since Australia and Vietnam haven’t set up a labour cooperation, some Vietnamese citizens have tried to remain in Australia after entering the country through legal channels such as travelling, studying and attending trade fairs.

Many others paid huge sums of money to swindlers to travel to Australia by boat.

A number of risks and dangers face illegal immigrants such as starvation and being beaten and exploited, some have even lost their lives at sea. Almost all illegal immigrants have been detained and ultimately deported back to Vietnam.

Relevant agencies’ reports show that many residents of Cua Lo township and Nghi Loc district illicitly entered Australia, and Nghe An is home to the largest number of immigrants among provinces nationwide – up to 90 percent of those who have been deported back to Vietnam.

In April 2015, 46 Vietnamese nationals were found struggling to reach Australia by boat and then were forced to repatriate.

Since 2010, Nghe An province has brought six illegal migration cases to trial involving 10 defendants suspected of organising unlawful migrations to Australia for more than 70 people.

Provincial relevant departments have also worked with police forces in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau province and Ho Chi Minh City to handle dozens of cases involving nearly 300 immigrants to the southern hemisphere country.

Vietnam, Laos intensify anti-crime efforts

Vietnamese and Lao security officials gathered at a conference in Vientiane, Laos to strengthen security and anti-crime cooperation between the two nations.

The annual event on June 26, held for the sixth time, was co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Public Security To Lam and Lao Security Deputy Minister Kongthong Phongvichit.

This year’s agenda included evaluating security, social order and safety in the respective nations and reviewing the implementation of the two nations’ agreements on security and anti-crime cooperation.

Participants also discussed joint approaches for transnational crime prevention and cooperation in the future.

Addressing the event, Lam called for closer cooperation between the two nations’ security forces to deal with increasingly complicated criminals.

For his part, Kongthong Phongvichit stressed the need for two sides to devise drastic measures against drug dealers.

He expressed his belief that the conference would contribute to tightening security cooperation as well as the friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.

Quang Ngai province pushes international integration

The central province of Quang Ngai will deepen its relations with foreign partners while improving its investment climate to lure more investors to the locality, as heard at a conference on promoting external information in the locality on June 26.

The initiatives aim to promote economic integration, develop the local socio-economy and promote local images to international friends, paving the way to tap local comparative advantages.

At the conference, Deputy Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Tran Van Minh, who is also head of the provincial steering committee on external information, said external information is a key priority in the province.

He said the conference will help raise awareness among officials and residents about challenges, orientations and missions of international integration.

Looking forward, the province will further activities to ensure defence security and social order as well as carry out a raft of international integration programmes in culture, tourism, education, healthcare, science and technology, among others.

VFF leader sends greetings to Hoa Hao Buddhist leaders

Nguyen Thien Nhan, President of the Central Committee of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front (VFF), passed congratulatory messages on to the Central Managing Committee, dignitaries and followers of the Hoa Hao religion on June 27 on the occasion of the religion’s 2015 Great Founding Festival.

Nhan said the VFF recognised and appreciated Hoa Hao Buddhism’s positive contributions to the nation building process and national sovereignty. He expressed his belief that the religion would continue to strengthen national unity and support the campaigns run by the VFF.

Hoa Hao Buddhism was established in 1939 and has since then become a patriotic religion, implementing a range of programmes to help the poor.

Vietnam police reject US$550,000 bribe from Chinese fugitive

Police in the south-central Vietnamese province of Khanh Hoa has turned down a bribery offer from an ex-government official hunted by Chinese authorities, and handed him to their counterparts in China shortly after that.

Yin Wen Sheng, former head of the Electricity Department of the Chinese city of Dongguan, was hiding in a hotel in Nha Trang City on June 18, when a group of officers raided in, according to Major General Tran Ngoc Khanh, head of the province's police department.  

The 47-year-old had been hunted by Chinese police since March for colluding with his accomplices to take a bribe of 18 million Chinese yuan (US$2.9 million) when he was steering the electricity department.

Upon being caught by Vietnamese police, the Chinese fugitive offered to bribe the team VND2 billion (US$91,600) in return for his release, according to Colonel Vo Duc Than, from the Nha Trang police department.

But the team rejected the offer, Than said.

When he was being escorted from the hotel to the provincial police office, the Chinese said he was willing to bribe VND10 billion (US$457,900), but the offer too was turned down.

Yin then realized that there were 12 officers in the team, and said he would give each of them VND1 billion if released, or VND12 billion (US$550,000) in total, Than added.

The officers eventually requested that the man abandon his idea of bribing Vietnamese police, and warned him that bribery is prohibited in Vietnamese laws, both of those who takes or give bribes are subject to heavy penalties.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security handed the fugitive to their Chinese counterpart on June 20.

Chinese police had earlier asked their Vietnamese counterparts top help them in searching for and capturing the man.

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