Cultural heritage sites help drive tourism growth

The UNESCO-recognised world heritage site Ha Long Bay welcomed 6.9 million visitors last year, earning nearly 10.8 trillion VND (463 million USD) in revenue. — (Source:  chudu24h.com)

Preservation of cultural and natural heritage sites plays an important role in tourism growth in Vietnam, experts said at a conference on November 30 in HCM City.

Vo Van Thanh of the Southern Institute of Social Sciences (SISS), said thanks to tourism, protection, conservation and restoration of world heritage sites were improved.

"In Vietnam, heritage tourism activities have contributed to introducing the country’s World Heritage sites,” he said.

The conference, which discussed the opportunities and challenges for cultural heritage values, was organised by the HCM City University of Culture in collaboration with SISS, the HCM City Institute for Development Issues, and the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM).

More than 300 cultural experts and researchers from Vietnam and abroad took part in the event.

Preservation of heritage sites has helped create jobs and improved living standards in local communities, Thanh said.

Last year, heritage sites brought a high level of visitors and revenue from ticket sales and tourism services, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Cultural Heritage Department.

Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province, for example, welcomed 6.93 million visitors last year, including 2.9 million foreigners, a year-on-year increase of 12.9 million.

Its tourism revenue reached nearly 10.8 trillion VND (463 million USD), a rise of 39 percent compared to 2016.

The Hue Citadel welcomed 3 million visitors, including 1.8 million foreigners, earning 320 billion VND (13.7 million USD) from entrance ticket sales, a four-time increase compared to 2011.

Nguyen Thi Thu Trang of the cultural heritage department said: “Tourism is considered a motivating factor to protect cultural and natural heritage sites. It is one of the most effective means for cultural exchange between Vietnam and the world.”

Vietnam has eight UNESCO-recognised World Heritage sites and eight UNESCO-recognised world biosphere reserves.

The World Heritage sites are the Hue Citadel, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An Ancient Town, My Son Sanctuary, Phong Nha – Ke Bàng National Park, Thang Long Royal Citadel complex, and Ho Dynasty Citadel.

The biosphere reserves are the Can Gio Mangrove Forest in HCM City, Nam Cat Tien National Park in Dong Nai and Lam Dong provinces, Cat Ba Archipelago in Hai Phong city, Hong (Red) River Delta, Kien Giang biosphere reserve in the Mekong Delta, Cu Lao Cham in Hoi An, Western Nghe An, and Ca Mau Cape in the southernmost province of Ca Mau.

Second national conference on medical education held

The second national scientific conference on medical education, themed “Clinical Teaching to Transform Healthcare Professionals”, took place in Hue city, the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on December 1. 

Co-organised by the Ministry of Education and Training, the Health Ministry, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy, and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the event attracted over 350 domestic and foreign experts in medical education, lecturers and students, affording them a chance to discuss progresses in medical education in Vietnam, focusing on tertiary and post-graduate clinical teaching. 

Speaking at the event, deputy head of the Health Ministry’s Department of Science-Technology and Education Nguyen Minh Loi said over the past five years, the number of medical staff has grown considerably. Specifically, the number of doctors per 10,000 people increased from 7.2 in 2010 to over 8 in 2017. 

In order to improve medical workforce training quality, the health ministry has conducted basic and comprehensive reform of medical workforce training by accessing modern training methods of developed countries. 

It will also refine education policy and use medical workforce in a synchronous way. 

Loi said the event outlines a roadmap and detailed clinical curricula, thus laying a basis for policymaking in the near future.

Hanoi race raises public awareness of visually impaired people

About 1,000 runners, including nearly 300 blind people, take part in the race “Chay voi toi – 2gether” (Run with me – Together) in downtown Hanoi on December 2. 

About 1,000 runners, including nearly 300 blind people, took part in the race “Chay voi toi – 2gether” (Run with me – Together) in downtown Hanoi on December 2.

The event was held by the Vietnam and Friends (VAF), a Vietnamese non-governmental organisation that gathers local and international volunteers to support disadvantaged people in Vietnam and to take care of environmental issues.

The third edition of the race aimed to raise funds for a charitable project namely “Open Road,” the first online library of audio books for visually impaired people and its smartphone application. It was also part of a range of activities to raise public awareness of visually impaired people, to encourage confidence in their abilities and promote opportunities for those with visual loss in particular and the handicapped in general.

Opening the event, US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel J. Kritenbrink said everyone has the right and opportunity to study, work and pursue their dreams and that’s the reason why the US has provided more than 1 million USD to support disabled people in Vietnam since 1989. 

The event is not only for running with the blind but also creates a welcoming environment and eliminates physical and social barriers to enhance public awareness of the importance of equal rights for people with disabilities, he added.

The runners raced distances of 3.4 km and 5.1 km around Hoan Kiem lake. Each blind contestant was guided by a sighted runner through a rope tied to their wrists so the distance between a visually impaired and a sighted was reduced.

A number of activities also took place besides the race to allow the sighted to experience a life of the blind and understand them better, for example, learning Braille and how to use a cane to walk like a blind person and playing chess with the blind.

Binh Dinh’s Phu Cat airport to serve international flights

Phu Cat airport (Source: vietnamairport)

The People’s Committee of the south central Binh Dinh province and the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) on November 30 agreed to start using Terminal 2 of Phu Cat airport to handle international flights.

The terminal will be repaired and have necessary equipment installed, ready to serve international passengers.

CAAV Director Dinh Viet Thang said that the authority will soon submit a document asking for the launching of international flights to and from Phu Cat airport after finishing a survey on airline demand.

Thang asked relevant agencies to adjust plans to handle international flights and open new international routes at the airport, while asking the Binh Dinh People’s Committee and relevant ministries and sectors to expand Phu Cat airport in line with the Prime Minister’s decision.

So far, Vietnam Airlines, Bamboo Airways, and Vietjet Air have taken steps to research the market and its demand for international flights to and from Quy Nhon city.

As scheduled, Bamboo Airways, invested by real estate developer FLC Group, will be the first to launch international flights to and from Phu Cat airport.

According to Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Phi Long, the number of foreign tourists to Binh Dinh has risen over 15 percent each year. The coastal province welcomes more than 200,000 foreign tourists annually.

In 2017, the province received 3.7 million tourists, up 15.6 percent over 2016, and 3.4 million holidaymakers in the first nine months of this year.

Binh Dinh has exerted great efforts to complete the transport infrastructure connecting Quy Nhon city and Phu Cat airport to better serve tourists, he added. 

Group receives 48-year jail term over fake ATM cards

At the trial 

Four days into the first instance trial, the People’s Court in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre gave Malaysian national Chong Ngai Fong and his six accomplices a total of 48 years in prison for their fraudulent activities using fake ATM cards.

The court ruled that the defendants were to be imprisoned for the appropriation of property using electronic device in line with Point a, Clause 4, Article 290 under the 2015 Penal Code.

According to the court’s decision, Chong Ngai Fong (44) was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment. Jo Pham (48, a US national) and David Tee Cheng Meng (30, from Malaysia) each got nine years in jail. Nguyen Kim Soan (21, residing in Bac Lieu province), and Tran The Bao and Nguyen Van Hien (26 and 22, both from Ben Tre) each received a seven year sentence. Meanwhile, Chua Ya Thiam (45, from Singapore) ended up with just two years. 

They all have to hand over more than 1.7 billion VND (72,896 USD) as compensation to branches of the Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank) in Can Tho city, Ben Tre, Vinh Long, and Ca Mau provinces, and Phu Nhuan district in Ho Chi Minh City.

Following their jail terms, Chong Ngai Fong, Jo Pham, David Tee Cheng Meng, and Chua Ya Thiam will be deported from Vietnam.

According to the indictment of the Ben Tre People’s Procuracy, between November 2017 and March 5, 2018, the group’s mastermind Chong collaborated with Jo Pham, David Tee Cheng Meng, Bao, Hien, and Soan, taking it in turns to install electronic devices that stole information of hundreds of accounts at several ATMs run by Agribank branches. Using these accounts, they made fake ATM cards and withdrew over 1.7 billion VND.

On January 24, 2018, Ben Tre police received reports from different banks on 38 card holders, who lost a total of 998 million VND (42,778 USD). Their money was stolen by criminals with highly technological skills. The investigation led to a group of seven, residing in different areas but working together to produce fake ATM cards.

On March 5, 2018, the police organised a raid to hunt down Bao and Soan, whose confessions helped to capture the remaining members of the gang. 

National Action Month against HIV/AIDS 2018 launched

Health care staff gives check-ups to HIV/AIDS patients in Vinh Phuc Centre for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control 

The National Action Month against HIV/AIDS 2018 was launched at a ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City on December 1 with the participation of Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien and nearly 2,000 representatives of students, armed forces and mass organizations.

Calling for actions from all the people against HIV/AIDS, the minister said that Vietnam has reaped impressive achievements in the work over the past years, yet the country is still facing many serious challenges like the increasing number of new cases in the high-risk group, inadequate attention to the prevention work, the difficulties in the shift of the treatment to the health insurance, and the lingering discrimination against HIV carriers.

The minister called on leaders of localities, social organizations, the health sector and all the people to act more strongly so every people can access prevention services in an early and sustainable manner.

Speaking highly of Vietnam’s efforts, Director of the UNAIDS Vietnam Marie-Odile Emond noted that so far this year, the country has successfully realized many new ideas for the people to have more choices and easier approaches to prevention services. It will be a historical turning point when Vietnam starts to provide treatment services covered by the health insurance, she stressed.

Statistics by the health ministry reveal that currently Vietnam counts about 208,000 HIV carriers, each year the country has over 8,000 new carriers detected and from 3,000 – 4,000 people die of AIDS. At least 50,000 people having HIV are living in the community without knowing they are carrying the virus.

The “#500Pushups challenge – Unfold Energy, Unfold Love” was launched by the Vietnam Red Cross Society and UP BEAT techno-startup company on November 30.

The Vietnam Red Cross Society (VNRC) in collaboration with Decathlon Vietnam and UP BEAT techno-startup company on November 30 launched an event called “#500Pushups challenge – Unfold Energy, Unfold Love”.

The challenge is a pushup event for everybody. All competitors are welcome to sign up and join in the event at any time or place. Registration times are unlimited; and competitors’ results are all shown on the Up Beat application. The Pushup Challenge Event started from 12am on December 1 and lasts until 11.59pm December 24.

Every 500-pushup is recorded on the Up Beat system programme, and Decathlon Vietnam will give away winter garments to the VNRC for every successful participant. These garments will be delivered to needy people living in the northern mountainous provinces of Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Son La, Lai Chau and Yen Bai provinces.

VNRC representative Luong Hong Thuy said the event was a part of the VNRC’s Tet (Lunar New Year festival) programme, which  will provide 1.5 million gift packages to the poor and Agent Orange victims.

Decathlon expects to give 5,000 winter garments away to needy people who are living in difficult circumstances in northern mountainous provinces. The event expects to attract over 10,000 young people between the ages of 18 and 35 who share a passion for sport and fitness. It is not only a charity event but also an act to help make people aware of their healthcare and to strengthen relationships.

Those who wish to join can download the Up Beat app to their smart phone; sign into Up Beat through Facebook or Gmail accounts; choose Join In “#500Pushups challenge – Unfold Energy, Unfold Love”; record pushup performance and upload to Up Beat.

500 wheelchairs presented to the disabled in Quang Binh

500 wheelchairs presented to locals with disabilities in Quang Binh 

The association for support of the disabled and orphans of Quang Binh and the US organisation Giving It Back to Kids presented 500 wheelchairs to locals with disabilities in the central province on December 1.

This was part of activities to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3).

Mai Xuan Thu, President of the Quang Binh association for support of the disabled and orphans said that the province is home to 45,000 people with disabilities. The wheelchairs are useful to the disabled in their daily activities, easing their difficulties and helping them become better integrated into the society, he said.

In this programme, Quang Ninh, Bo Trach districts and Ba Don town received 35 wheelchairs each, while Quang Trach, Le Thuy and Tuyen Hoa districts each got 40. Minh Hoa district was given 25 wheelchairs, Dong Hoi city got 22 and the provincial association of former volunteer youngsters had 15.

Ha Quang Hieu, director of the wheelchair programme of the Giving It Back to Kids, said that since 2016, the organisation presented more than 1,500 wheelchairs to the needy in Quang Binh.

Activities of Tay Nguyen Gong Culture Festival 2018 started

A performance at the opening ceremony of the Tay Nguyen Gong Culture Festival 2018 

The organizing board of the Tay Nguyen Gong Culture Festival 2018 started the activities within the framework of the festival in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai on December 1.

Those activities include the traditional rituals, folk wood sculpture, brocade weaving, epic recitals, photo and document exhibitions, and conferences on the preservation and promotion of gong culture legacy of ethnic races in the region, among others.

Earlier, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc urged the administrations and people of regional localities to work harder to preserve and promote the value of their gong culture as well as other traditional practices and religious rituals.

Addressing the opening of the festival in Pleiku city of Gia Lai province on November 30, the PM said that the gong culture is a treasure in the cultural heritage of the Vietnamese people and humankind as a whole.

The PM highlighted the development vision for Tay Nguyen to become a hub of organic agriculture with biodiversity and rich culture tradition.

Tay Nguyen must become a symbol of Vietnam’s tourism with its mysterious charm in the 21st century, he stressed.

The festival draws nearly 1,200 artisans from five regional provinces - Kon Tum, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Lam Dong, and Gia Lai.

The two-day event aims to honour the unique value of Tay Nguyen gong cultural space as well as the diversity of traditional cultures of ethnic minorities in Tay Nguyen.

Visitors to the event will have chance to enjoy street coffee festival and signature dishes of Tay Nguyen.

The Cultural Space of Gong of Tay Nguyen was recognised by the UNESCO as a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of the humanity in 2005. It is closely linked to the daily life of local people. Their belief systems form a mystical world where the gongs produce a privileged language between men, divinities and the supernatural world.

Currently, Tay Nguyen has more than 10,000 sets of gongs, over half of which are kept in Gia Lai province.

First Russia-Vietnam Youth Forum kicks off in St. Petersburg

Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manh addresses the opening of the first Russia-Vietnam Youth Forum in Saint-Petersburg on November 30

The first Russia-Vietnam Youth Forum opened in Saint-Petersburg on November 30, which was the start for a series of activities within the framework of the Vietnam Year in Russia and Russia Year in Vietnam.

The forum saw the attendance of Acting Governor of Saint Petersburg Alexander Beglov and Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manh.

The Vietnamese delegation to the forum was led by Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City chapter of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Pham Hong Son.

Opening the event, Alexander Beglov said that young people are one of the key forces in promoting the relationship between Russia and Vietnam. Therefore, it is necessary to engage young people from both countries in international dialogues, he said.

He called on the two sides to step up exchanges and meetings between young people and students of the two sides as one of the best ways to consolidate the cooperative relations between the two nations.

Ambassador Ngo Duc Manh expressed his belief that the forum will help the youth of both sides affirm their important role in the cause of national building and development of both Vietnam and Russia.

He stressed the need for youngsters to equip themselves with comprehensive knowledge and skills to master new technology and apply them in production amidst the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Meanwhile, the HCM City youth leader Pham Hong Son hailed the idea to hold the forum of St Petersburg, describing it as the first important event in the exchange of youth between the two twinning cities. He expressed his belief that the forum will convey positive messages to young people of both countries, paving the way for the organisation of the second forum in Ho Chi Minh City in 2019.

The three-day forum includes discussions and talks on various issues of youngsters’ concern such as e-governments, smart cities, Russia-Vietnam cooperation in the digital economy, and digital culture in civil society development.

A contest on the Vietnamese culture and the history of the Russia-Vietnam friendship will also be launched, with the 10 winners to attend the second edition of the forum in Ho Chi Minh City in 2019.

On the sidelines of the forum, Ambassador Ngo Duc Manh had a meeting with Governor Alexander Beglov to discuss specific cooperation orientations in the Vietnam Year in Russia and Russia Year in Vietnam. The diplomat also delivered a lecture on the Russia-Vietnam relations in the North-West Institute of Management’s Faculty of International Affairs.

Solutions sought to preserve Tay Nguyen gong culture

At the workshop 

A workshop discussing ways to preserve and uphold the value of Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) gong culture was held in Gia Lai province on December 1. 

Hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the event was part of activities of the ongoing Tay Nguyen Gong Culture Festival 2018. 

Scientists analysed and assessed difficulties and challenges as well as proposed solutions to preserve and promote cultural values of the art genre. 

Prof. Dr. To Ngoc Thanh from the Vietnam Folklore Arts Association affirmed that a number of measures have been taken by the regional localities to conserve and uphold the value of gong culture, focusing on inventorying the number of musical instruments and artisans.

He underlined the need to enhance the practice of the genre together with efforts to preserve, saying that the practice should be sustained and transmitted to young people in a systematic and comprehensive manner. 

According to Prof. Dr. Nguyen Chi Ben from the Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts Studies, changes in the form of agricultural production pose challenges to the gong practice. 

He suggested implementing a specific project to preserve Tay Nguyen gong culture, towards sustainable preservation of the art genre. 

In the framework of the festival, a folk art performance programme was held in Pleiku city of Gia Lai province on the same day, attracting over 500 artisans from 19 art troupes from the five Central Highlands provinces of Kon Tum, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Lam Dong and Gia Lai. 

The event featured many unique performances, such as folk singing of J’rai people and epic performances of Bahnar people, among others. 

Main activities during the Tay Nguyen Gong Culture Festival 2018 from November 30-December 2 include traditional rituals, folk wood sculpture, brocade weaving, epic recitals, photo and document exhibitions, and conferences on the preservation and promotion of gong culture legacy of ethnic races in the region, among others.

The Cultural Space of Gong of Tay Nguyen was recognised by the UNESCO as a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of the humanity in 2005. It is closely linked to the daily life of local people. Their belief systems form a mystical world where the gongs produce a privileged language between men, divinities and the supernatural world.

Currently, Tay Nguyen has more than 10,000 sets of gongs, over half of which are kept in Gia Lai province.

National volunteer festival 2018 launched

At the event

The National Volunteer Day 2018 was organised in Hanoi on December 1 in response to International Volunteer Day (December 5). 

Speaking at the event, permanent Secretary of the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCMCYU) Nguyen Anh Tuan said the event aims to honour efforts of domestic and foreign voluntary organisations and individuals, thus contributing to socio-economic development. 

It also offers participants a chance to meet and share experience in the field, he said, hailing creative models to bring practical results to the community. 

The day attracted 2,000 domestic and foreign volunteers with diverse activities such as the opening ceremony, a walking event gathering 1,500 people to popularise International Volunteer Day, and fundraising in support of ethnic minority students in the northern mountainous region. 

On the occasion, the HCMCYU Central Committee and the United Nations Volunteers Programme presented the National Volunteer Awards 2018 to eight collectives and 10 individuals who made outstanding dedication to voluntary work. 

As many as 20 clubs and volunteer groups were also honoured with certificates of merit. 

Thirty gifts worth 150 million VND (6,500 USD) were presented to 30 poor ethnic minority students from the northern mountainous provinces of Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Son La, Ha Giang, Lao Cai and Cao Bang. 

A blood donation event at the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, music performances and gift-giving to poor patients at Viet Duc Hospital, and walking to raise funds for poor ethnic students were also held

A photo exhibition on volunteer moments and stalls introducing voluntary activities were launched.

Conference discusses ways to preserve cultural values in integration

The gong culture in the Central Highlands was recognised as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2005.

A conference was held in Ho Chi Minh City on November 30 by the Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture, the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies, the Southern Institute of Social Sciences, and the international centre on preservation of cultural values to discuss ways to preserve cultural legacy values during the international integration.

Speaking at the event, held under the theme of “International integration on preservation – chances and challenges for cultural legacy values”, Rector of the culture university, Associate Prof. Dr.  Nguyen The Dung held that Vietnam is a country with many cultural legacies, both tangible and intangible.

Cultural legacies are a large field, the study of which has different approaches, which makes the preservation and bringing into full play very complex, he said, adding the international integration on the work still has various problems related to viewpoints and perception.

According to Prof. Dr. Ngo Van Ha from the Danang University, cultural legacies have created a considerable revenue from tourism activities and promoted the image of the Vietnamese country and people to the world. However, the preservation and upgrade of many of these have been done in a “modernizing” way, depriving them of the real and unique values, Ha said, pointing out that the commercialization of many cultural legacies has adversely affected the sustainable development.

Participants also shared the view that many intangible cultural legacies are facing the danger of vanishing as a result of the lack of interest from the young generation. To preserve these legacies, they proposed that managers work out suitable and comprehensive strategies, planning and measures in the direction of both preserving and popularizing them to the world, along with the building of a high-quality personnel who can meet the requirements of integration.

Vietnam, Australia look to facilitate general education partnership

Overview of the conference 

The Australian Trade and Investment Commission and the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training held a conference on Vietnam-Australia general education cooperation initiative in the City on November 30, giving a chance for education management agencies and facilities of both sides to expand partnership.

Karen Lanyon, Australian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City said that Vietnam and Australia have had fruitful collaboration in many areas, including education.

With its high-quality education, Australia is one of the top destinations for Vietnamese students, she said, adding that the quality of Australia’s general education programme has been recognised worldwide.

According to a recent report from Australia's Department of Education and Training, 23,000 Vietnamese students are currently studying in Australia.

Nguyen Van Hieu, Vice Director of the HCM City Department of Education and Training noted that Australian states have supported the City to organise training courses at different level, especially those for international vocational training certificate and those for teachers and management officials.

The exchange of experience among high-schools has also been effective, he said.

Hieu said that Vietnam’s education sector is experiencing a fundamental and comprehensive reform to become more integrated into the world.

The expansion of cooperation with other countries is an obvious trend to improve students’ capacity in foreign language, IT and other skills for the future, he added.

Through the Vietnam-Australia general education cooperation initiative, HCM City hopes to foster the already sound education collaboration between the two sides, meeting the rising demand for education and training quality as well as international integration in the sector of Vietnam and the city in particular, stated Hieu.

More wastewater treatment plant inaugurated in Binh Duong

A new wastewater treatment plant in the southern province of Binh Duong with a daily capacity of 20,000cu.m was officially put into operation on November 30 after 18 months of construction. 

This is the third wastewater treatment plant built in Binh Duong with an investment of over 115.2 million USD. It is a sub-project of the World Bank-funded project to build water drainage and wastewater treatment systems in Di An town.

Covering an area of 6.8ha in Tan Dong Hiep ward of Di An town, the Di An wastewater treatment plant is equipped with advanced technologies. 

Domestic wastewater taken from residential areas is deodorised and disinfected before discharging back into the environment, contributing to protecting public health and the water resource in Dong Nai river basin.

The project benefits about 40,000 people living in the wards of Binh An, Di An, Tan Dong Hiep, An Binh, and Dong Hoa of Di An town.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony, Deputy Minister of Construction Phan My Linh highlighted the significance of the project, saying that it contributes to improving the local water environment and promoting socio-economic development in the locality. 

The Thu Dau Mot waste water treatment plant, with a designed capacity of 17,650cu.m per day, was first operational in 2013. It had an investment of nearly 2 trillion VND (88 million USD), of which 1.6 trillion VND (70.4 million USD) came from Japan’s official development assistance (ODA) funds. 

Meanwhile, the Thuan An wastewater treatment plant, which is capable of treating 17,000cu.m per day was put into use in Thuan An town in 2017. It cost nearly 2.5 trillion VND (110 million USD), with 85 percent of investment from Japan’s ODA and the remainder from local budget.

Experts join int’l forum on information security in Vietnam

The Vietnam Information Security Day 2018 kicked off in Hanoi on November 30 with 500 participants, including leaders of ministries, departments, and major firms, as well as experts in information technology (IT).

Themed “Cyber Security for the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Smart Devices”, the event was jointly organised by the Vietnam Information Security Association (VNISA), the Authority of Information Security, the Vietnam Computer Emergency Rescue Team under the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) and the Cyber Command 86 under the Ministry of Defence. 

Addressing the opening ceremony, Deputy Minister of the MIC Nguyen Thanh Hung stressed over the past 11 years, the Vietnam Information Security Day has become an important annual event and a major international forum to share information, experience, and IT solutions, raising public awareness of information safety.

In order to ensure information safety and cyber security, he said, state agencies and organisations need to frequently update their knowledge on the latest technologies, meeting the standards and conditions to prevent cyber attacks. 

Meanwhile, firms in information security should bolster research and apply advanced technology to create new products and services. They are also advised to increase collaboration to form a strong community which promotes Vietnamese brands in both domestic and international markets, Hung added.

A report on Vietnam’s information security during 2018 was delivered at the event’s plenary session, along with an assessment of the VNISA and discussion papers of major domestic and foreign businesses like Viettel, Amazon, Google, and Cisco, among others. 

The papers mainly focused on user information protection, information security in Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud computing linked to AI for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Vietnam.

Member of the VNISA Executive Committee Vu Quoc Khanh said Vietnam has witnessed a positive trend in its cyber security, despite the slow growth speed of information security. It is necessary to improve the efficiency of practical activities ensuring cyber information security, he noted. 

Chang Yong-son, Deputy Director of the Office of ICT Policy under the Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning of the Republic of Korea, said that each nation needs to conduct regular countermeasures against these new types of cyber attacks that are arising. He suggested that countries foster communication work and join hands with other partners across the world in ensuring cyber security.

A number of activities were arranged within the framework of the Vietnam Information Security Day 2018, including an exhibition with 25 booths of leading Vietnamese and foreign firms, as well as programmes honouring new products and students with contributions in information security. 

On November 30, delegates joined a symposium on digital transformation, IoT, and data security; and another on AI technology, cloud computing, and information security. 

WB-funded project helps improve environment in Vietnam’s coastal cities

A view of Nhat Le beach in Quang Binh 

The World Bank (WB), the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and the People’s Committee of Quang Binh province organised a conference in Dong Hoi city on November 30 to review preparations for the implementation of the Vietnam Coastal Cities Sustainable Environment Project.

Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Xuan Quang stressed the significance of the project to the socio-economic development of targeted localities in general and Quang Binh in particular.

Despite a number of difficulties, preparations for the project have been basically completed, he said, expressing his wish that in the coming time, the WB, relevant ministries and agencies, and participating localities will increase coordination and experience sharing in the implementation of the project.

The project will be carried out in four central coastal cities namely Dong Hoi in Quang Binh province, Quy Nhon in Binh Dinh province, Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa province, and Phan Rang – Thap Cham in Ninh Thuan province, with a total capital of over 273 million USD funded by the WB.

The 2017-2022 project includes four components: sanitation infrastructure expansion, urban connectivity improvement, compensation and site clearance, and implementation support and institutional reform. Its main objective is to improve environmental sanitation and locals’ health through completing technical infrastructure, creating urban scenery and raising public awareness of environmental protection.

At the conference, participants discussed issues relating to difficulties facing localities in the implementation of the project such as investment and disbursement plans, compensation and site clearance.

Localities were urged to work hard to overcome difficulties so that priority contracts for Quy Nhon, Nhan Trang and Dong Hoi subprojects will be signed in January 2019 and for Phan Rang – Thap Cham subproject in March next year.