Twenty six buses running on compressed natural gas (CNG) began plying on route No 32 on Saturday in HCM City.

The eco-friendly buses replaced the traditional vehicles that had been running on the 25.6km route from Miền Tây Coach Station in Bình Tân District to Ngã Tư Ga Bus Station in District 12.

They all have safety cameras installed.

Currently the city has nearly 300 of these green buses, according to Trần Chí Trung, director of the Management and Operation Centre for Public Transport.

There are plans to launch 800 more buses this year.

Mountain relievo contest calls for applications

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in the central province of Bình Định has launched the competition of relievo carving on the mountain cliffs on Nguyễn Tất Thành and Võ Nguyên Giáp streets in Quy Nhơn City.

Particularly, the relievo on Nguyễn Tất Thành Street will depict the image of Emperor Quang Trung (1753-1792) leading the operating troops, while the one on Võ Nguyên Giáp Street will portray the image of Lạc Long Quân and Âu Cơ, whose children are believed to be the ancestors of Việt Nam.

The eligible contestants are local sculptors and the deadline for the submission of their designs is the end of September. 

Workshop on trust networks for food safety held

Nearly 100 representatives attended a one-day workshop called “Scaling up the trust networks for food safety with small farmers,” held today in Hà Nội.

The workshop was organised by the Belgium Embassy in Việt Nam in co-operation with the Hà Nội University of Public Health (HUP), the International Livestock Research Institute in Việt Nam and the Food and Agriculture Oganisation of the United Nations (FAO).

Professor Bùi Thị Thu Hà, principal of HUP, said the objective of the workshop is to explore available support for safe food supply networks to give out recommendations for scaling up trust networks for food safety and to discover the needs and opportunities for information exchange and traceability.

Food safety is currently the prime focus of the Government of Việt Nam. 

The report "Việt Nam food safety risks management: challenges and opportunities" by the World Bank and its partners aims to support and enhance management and risk assessment capacity of food safety for the Government.

According to the report, recognising the role and responsibility of agents in food safety networks, particularly the role of small-scale production and traceability, are important tasks for the future.

Professor Hà said the workshop would provide comprehensive and necessary information on specific identification methods for actors in the food supply chain, thereby enhancing consumers’ trust, providing some directions to build credible relationships between actors in the supply chain.

“This platform creates a support foundation that enables small scale safety food chains to access the market more efficiently,” she said.

Jehanne Roccas, Ambassador of Belgium, said Belgium and Việt Nam both cherished a diverse culture of good food, which was freshly prepared and produced mostly by small farmers.

“However, food safety is a real problem in Việt Nam, and the factual analysis of the risks is different from the picture people have and the messages in the newspapers. The food scare, sometimes started by competitors in the market, could lead to measures that affect the culture, identity and livelihood of millions, without even improving safety much,” she said.

Belgium too had its food scandals, but the country used the outcry against these crimes to bring producers, consumers and legislators together to restore trust.

“Each solution for food safety must build on the remaining trust between producers, retailers and consumers. This experience brings us to support this workshop,” she said.

The right of every consumer to safe-enough affordable and convenient goods and the duty of the sector to provide this food is the baseline for the food sector, she said.

Ministry requests clear information on environment protection

The Ministry of Health (MoH) on Monday asked the Cà Mau Department of Health to clarify information on all hospitals and medical stations in the province violating environmental protection regulations.

Earlier, the press reported that all hospitals in the province had not installed a system of wastewater collection. The incinerators at these hospitals had deteriorated, causing environmental pollution. Further, they did not conduct periodic reports on environmental protection. Nine out of ten exhaust fumes samples that were tested exceeded regulated norms.

Under the MoH’s request, the provincial Department of Health was asked to send its report to the MoH and the provincial People’s Committee.

The Health Environment Management Agency also asked the department to provide guidance to medical stations on medical waste management based on present regulations. 

Son La ready for Vietnam-Laos diplomatic ties anniversary

The northern mountainous province of Son La has to date completed all preparations for the 55th anniversary of the Vietnam-Laos diplomatic ties scheduled for July 4-7.

Within the framework of the “Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Solidarity Year 2017”, Son La was assigned to host activities to celebrate this anniversary as well as to mark 40 years since the two countries signed a Treaty on Amity and Cooperation.

The activities include a ceremony to present the Vietnamese President’s insignia to leaders of 15 Lao provinces, the second Vietnam-Laos border cultural, sport and tourism festive day, the inauguration of the Vietnam-Laos revolutionary historical relic site in Lao Kho I hamlet, Phieng Khoai commune, Yen Chau district, and a seminar on operation experience of all-level People’s Councils.

To prepare for the events, the province held a film week on the Vietnam-Laos friendship and solidarity year, disseminate the time-honoured friendship between the two countries and cooperation between Son La and the northern Lao provinces on mass media, and hung panels on national highway No.6 from Van Ho district to Son La city and at the Long Sap and Chieng Khuong border gates, and the Vietnam-Laos revolutionary historical relic site.

The provincial police also prepared well to ensure security and order for the “Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Solidarity Year 2017” activities held in the localities.

Son La province shares a 250km border line with Laos. It has to date signed comprehensive cooperation agreements with eight northern provinces of Laos.

Thousand of people join blood donation festival in Can Tho

Thousands of people in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, including military officers and soldiers, youth union members and local residents, donated blood during the Blood Donation Festival on July 4 in response to the national blood donation campaign “Red Journey”.

“Red Journey” is a cross-country campaign initiated by the National Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation and the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion in 2013, aiming to raise public awareness of the need for blood donation as well as thalassaemia, a genetic blood disorder that can lead to heart failure and liver problems.
  
Speaking at the event, chairwoman of the city’s Red Cross Huynh Thi Thanh Thao expressed her hope that the festival, entitled “Sac Do Tay Do” (Red Colour of Tay Do), will attract more people and spread information on genetic blood disorders and safe transfusion of blood.

Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Van Tam said Can Tho is among four localities in the country with more than 2 percent of population donating blood. It is also one of the Southwest provinces that have the most effective network of blood donation clubs, effectively coordinating with local blood transfusion institutes and centres. 

The city has received over 13,000 blood units in the first half of 2017, equivalent to 61 percent of the annual target.

It expects to collect about 1,100 blood units in the festival, surpassing the initial goal of 800 units.

Can Tho, Nagasaki look to bolster ties in environmental protection

Officials of Can Tho city had a working session with a visiting delegation of Japan’s Nagasaki-Vietnam Friendship Association on July 3, discussing stronger cooperation in environmental protection.

Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Truong Quang Hoai Nam said the Mekong Delta city is very interested in the environmental issue, especially waste and industrial wastewater. It also expects more ODA funding from Japan for building more wastewater treatment factories.

He added he hopes Can Tho and Nagasaki prefecture will enhance cooperation in a more comprehensive manner in the future.

Tsutomu Tomioka, Chairman of the friendship association and also a Japanese parliamentarian, suggested Can Tho use the Japanese Government’s ODA loans to provide a training programme for environmental management officials and build waste-to-energy plants to treat waste and improve local residents’ life.

Tomioka, who is also former Deputy Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, said to ensure good environmental management, it is necessary to educate students about environmental protection.

If Can Tho wants, the Nagasaki-Vietnam Friendship Association will invite the Japanese ministry to support the city, he added.

Due to climate change impacts, more and more people from other areas in the Mekong Delta are forecast to flock to Can Tho, which in turn will raise local demand for waste and wastewater treatment and environmental protection.

Int’l seminar celebrates Vietnam-India diplomatic ties

An international conference featuring emerging horizons in Vietnam-India ties is taking place in New Delhi, attracting nearly 50 delegates from Vietnam, Singapore and India. 

Co-organised by the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, the Southeast Asia Research Group and Delhi University’s Zakir Husain Delhi College, the event was meant to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Vietnam-India diplomatic ties. 

Speaking at the July 3-4 event, Vietnamese Ambassador to India Ton Sinh Thanh said Vietnam and India are not only trustworthy partners but also fraternal countries which are willing to exchange views on bilateral and multilateral issues. Over the past decade, two-way trade has rose five-fold and India is currently one of the top 10 trade partners of Vietnam. 

According to him, the two countries’ diplomatic policies share similarities, including the common goal of creating an environment of peace and stability, pursuing the foreign policy of multilateralisation and diversification in external relations, supporting the establishment of a regional architecture of openness and balance, and giving priority to ties with neighbouring countries. 

While Vietnam and other ASEAN member states promote dialogue partnership with major partners worldwide, India has also launched specific programmes to carry out the “Act East” policy. Notably, Vietnam has undertaken the role of coordinator in the ASEAN-India dialogue partnership for 2015-2018. 

The two nations need to continue strengthening political ties, promoting national defence-security links, and working closely together at international forums to upgrade their strategic partnership, he said. 

During the two-day event, participants looked into policies in bilateral ties at current period, proposed common points among policymakers, researchers and scholars to learn about up-and-coming driving forces for bilateral relations.

Public security ministry reviews first-half activities

The Ministry of Public Security held a conference in Hanoi on July 3 to review its first-half activities and set major tasks for the remaining months of this year and the next years. 

Speaking at the event, Secretary of the Central Public Security Commission’s Party Committee and Minister of Public Security To Lam said since early this year, the people’s public security forces have strived to safeguard national security, ensure social safety and order, contributing to maintaining political stability and fulfilling socio-economic development goals. 

The ministry reported that its units in localities have launched crackdowns on drug crimes, held conferences to improve working efficiency of anti-drug and criminal police, and extended international cooperation in the fight against crimes. 

They busted 20,595 cases, higher than last year’s same period, including 9,391 economic, 2,053 smuggling and 11,324 drug cases, arrested 42,785 criminals and raided 843 gangs. 

Traffic accidents fell by 4.66 percent in terms of cases, 2.85 percent in fatalities, and 14.43 percent in the number of the injured. 

Among 1,809 search and rescue cases, 1,167 were in fires with 256 people being saved and thousands others being guided to get out of danger.-

Nghe An students to carry out voluntary activities in Laos

Nearly 30 students from Vinh University in the central province of Nghe An will perform voluntary activities in  Xiangkhouang province of Laos from July 6-30.

The students plan to carry out various activities, including teaching the Vietnamese language and computer skills, transferring technological advances to locals, and providing consultancy for Lao students, who wish to study in Vietnam, particularly at Vinh University.

The university’s students have conducted summer voluntary campaigns in Laos since 2007.

In addition, the university has also set up 30 groups with nearly 600 students to conduct voluntary activities in Nghe An’s disadvantaged mountainous districts, such as Que Phong, Ky Son, Tuong Duong, Quy Chau, Quy Hop and Con Cuong.

Their missions began on July 3, with activities at the Vinh SOS Children's Village – a home for orphaned and abandoned children, building rural roads and joining environmental protection campaigns.

Hanoi must shape up: NA chair

The capital city needs stronger determination and participation by authorities and citizens to reach its growth target for this year, said National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân.

Hà Nội has to grow by 9.5 per cent in the second half of this year in order to reach its socio-economic growth target of 8.5-9 per cent for the whole year, she said at an opening ceremony of the fourth session of the city’s People’s Council yesterday.

The city needs to improve its Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI) ranking with a focus on three weak indexes, including people’s participation in public administration at grassroots level, transparency, and vertical accountability, she said.

“Its Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) ranking must also be improved, with a focus on the five indexes of market entry, access to land, transparency and access to information, fair competitive environment, and the dynamism and pioneering characteristic of the city’s government,” she added.

"The city’s government needs to be more proactive in monitoring and making decisions on important issues and decrees that will have long-term effects."

"The city’s People’s Council needs to meet with voters and citizens more, facilitate solving citizens’ complaints and denunciations, improve the effectiveness of the process of verification and monitoring, as well as focusing more on training officials and specialists."

Ngân stressed that the fourth session of the city’s People’s Council is an important session in which the city will review what it has and has not achieved in the first half of the year, and set directions and targets for the second half.

Some of the issues to be discussed at the fourth session include transport management to ease traffic congestion and reduce environmental pollution in the 2017-21 period, kindergarten and general education tuition fees for the 2017-18 school year, as well as compensation and benefits for officials who meet with and handle citizens’ complaints and denunciations.

Speaking at the ceremony yesteday, Nguyễn Thị Bích Ngọc, chairwoman of the Hà Nội People’s Council, admitted the city’s shortcomings in striving for the socio-economic growth targets in the first half of the year.

“The city’s PAPI ranking dropped 8 levels compared to 2015, putting it in a low position compared to other localities (58/63),” she said. “However, the city has made an effort to improve the investment environment for enterprises and start-up businesses,” she added. “It is ranked second nationwide for technology readiness, and third on the Public Administration Reform (PAR) Index,” she said. 

VN to wipe out TB in 2030, says Deputy PM

Việt Nam will wipe out tuberculosis in 2030, Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam said at the 60th anniversary of the Hà Nội-based Central Lung Hospital, five years earlier than many nations in the world.

Speaking on Sunday at the anniversary celebration, the Deputy PM hailed the efforts, enthusiasm, professionalism and great responsibility of the generations of physicians, scientists and health workers in the hospital in fighting tuberculosis and contributing public health.

The hospital’s doctors have transferred technology to district-level health centres and implemented the community-based tuberculosis prevention programme. There are 45 lung and tuberculosis hospitals around the country and the recovery ratio of patients testing positive for TB reached 89.9 per cent compared with the target of 85 per cent.

The hospital has also implemented an acute childhood respiratory infection prevention programme - a fatal lung disease for children under five - that mobilised the participation of all pediatrics hospitals nationwide.

The hospital’s innovations in management, which contributed significantly to reducing overload despite the growing number of patients, is a valuable example that should be replicated in the health sector, the deputy PM said, saying it reflected the very core values of the socialist health system.

The Deputy PM suggested that the Central Lung Hospital co-ordinate with tuberculosis treatment centres to reach the goal of reducing the death toll from an estimated 17,000 a year to 10,000 by 2020, and wipe out the disease in 2030.  

Tuberculosis remains one of the most prevalent infectious diseases in Việt Nam, with the number of fatalities more than double that of traffic accident deaths.

Each year an estimated 180,000 people with active TB disease ae identified, 5,000 of them with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. Sadly, only 52 per cent of those infected are treated. Although TB diagnostics and medications are provided free of charge, the total cost incurred by a patient may be equal to one year’s income due to hospitalisation costs and nutritional needs during treatment.

PM prescribes remedies for pharma sector

Lack of a master plan has been blamed for Việt Nam having to import up to 80 per cent of its processed pharmaceutical materials although the country has an abundant source of pharmaceutical materials and was one of top exporters of raw pharmaceutical materials in the 1980s.

Professor Đậu Xuân Cảnh, director of Việt Nam Institute of Traditional Medicine, said Việt Nam’s climate was believed to be very favourable for growing many categories of medicinal plants.

However, scattered development could result in losing the opportunity to fully develop the potential of the country’s pharma sector, he added. He spoke at a recent meeting on boosting the growth of the national pharmaceutical industry, as reported by Thời báo kinh doanh (Business Times) newspaper.

For example, Viet Nam is failing to exploit the potential of cinnamon trees that are widely planted in our country, he said. “We could turn it into processed pharmaceutical material to serve the domestic pharmaceutical industry, but we do not,” he said.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) ranks Việt Nam in the third of five levels of pharmaceutical sector development, reflecting the fact that the domestic pharmaceutical sector imports most of the processed pharmaceutical materials it needs.

Data from the Ministry of Investment and Planning showed that Việt Nam ranks 16 of 22 countries in terms of pharmaceutical industry development, based on its total drug consumption worth about US$4.8 billion each year. The Việt Nam pharmaceutical market was also assessed to have the highest growth rate in the Southeast Asia region, equal to 17 per cent each year, projected to reach around $10 billion by 2020.

However, most domestic pharmaceutical producers are small-scale and scattered in various areas of the country, the Ministry of Industry and Trade said. Only seven of 170 producers manufactured chemicals for the local pharmaceutical industry.

Minister of Health Nguyễn Thị Kim Tiến also admitted the paradox of the domestic pharmaceutical industry. She said Việt Nam was an agricultural country with an abundant source of pharmaceutical materials, including minerals, animals and medicinal plants.

A report issued by the health ministry last year said Việt Nam has 206 medicinal plants that could grow and provide 10,000-20,000 tonnes of pharmaceutical materials each year.

But sadly, most of processed pharmaceutical materials now were imported, Tiến said.

Viet Nam also imports all its anti-cancer chemicals at exorbitant prices while it has many trees containing anti-cancer drug precursors, such as red pine (taxus wallichiana zucc) and Madagascar periwinkle (catharanthus roseus), she said.

At a recent workshop on development of the national pharma industry, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc announced three major directions.

First, the role of pharmaceutical materials should be re-assessed on a national and provincial scale, and then a detailed plan should be formulated to boost it. "Developing the domestic pharmaceutical sector by domestic pharmaceutical materials should be a strategy of the health sector,” he said.

Second, the pharmaceutical sector was asked to serve domestic demand before turning to export. Authorised agencies were tasked with creating favouable conditions to encourage businesses to participate in the pharmaceutical sector, he said.

Last, the national pharmaceutical sector needs to be restructured, especially focusing on the processing and production stages, he said.

The PM ordered the health ministry to co-operate with the Việt Nam Pharmaceutical Companies Association to make a list of 100 medicinal plants for extensive growing on a large scale.

The Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development was tasked with responsibility to provide appropriate seedlings.

A supply chain consisting of farmers, businesses, scientists, State managerial agencies and commercial banks should be established so that the national pharmaceutical sector can be better developed, he said.

Hiền Trân wins Future Idol 2017

Ten-year-old Hiền Trân won the first season of Thần Tượng Tương Lai (Future Idol), the Vietnamese reality show, on July 1.

Hiền Trân, called “chameleon” for her ability to perform different genres of music, won the contest for her two performances – singing Xa Quê (Nostalgia for Home) and playing the monochord instrument for the prelude, and singing Ngọn Lửa Cao Nguyên (Highlands Flame), a song of the highlands region.

The final of Future Idol features two rounds. In the first round, contestants perform their favourite song and can get a maximum of 10 points from each judge. In the second round, contestants get an additional one to 4 points from all the judges combined. 

Hiền Trân got a total of 29 out of 30 for her first performance from the three judges and an additional four points (the highest additional points) for Highlands Flame.

With a total of 33 points, Hiền Trân was the winner of Future Idol 2017 and won VNĐ300 million (US$13,000). The seven-year-old Nghi Đình was the first runner up, winning VNĐ100 million ($4,400).
 
Future Idol, held for the first time this year, is a Vietnamese reality show seeking young talent in the folksong genre, who are under 15 years old. This year’s judges included singer Quang Linh, People’s Artist Thu Hiền and singer Cẩm Ly. 

Khánh Hòa grab draw in futsal opener

Sanna Khánh Hoà drew 1-1 with Melaka United in their first match of the ASEAN Football Federation Futsal Club Championship in Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday.

Vietnamese representative Sanna Khánh Hoà created a number of chances, but his team could only convert one into a goal at the 20th minute.

Captain Mai Thành Đạt had a perfect finish after wasting a scoring opportunity, when his shot hit the post at the 12th mark.

His teammate Khắc Chí also failed to net, although he was in a one-two situation with the Malaysian side’s goalkeeper Razli.

Melaka earlier opened the score just four minutes into the match with Bahrin’s unexpected kick that went straight into the net.

In the second half, Sanna Khánh Hoà continued to dominate the game, but their pivots Nguyễn Nhớ and Thành Đạt could not beat Razli for the second time.

Earlier in Group B, East Coast Heat of Australia beat Vientiane Capital from Laos 4-3 at the Bangkok Arena.

Sanna Khánh Hòa will next play group leader East Coast Heat, while Melaka will play bottom-placed Vientiane Capital today.

In the Group A matches, hosts Thai Port trounced Permata Indah of Indonesia 4-1, and Myanmar’s Pyay United smashed Shah United from Brunei 8-1. 

Duy wins U16 title at national champs

The National Tennis Championships for young talented players ended in Sóc Trăng on Sunday with Khánh Duy of Bình Dương bagging the boys’ U16 title.

Duy came from behind to beat Thái Nguyên of HCM City 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 in 190 minutes to win the gold medal.

Earlier, Linh Chi of Ninh Thuận was the champion in the girls’ U16 event, beating Huỳnh Ánh from Sóc Trăng 6-2, 6-3.

Bạc Liêu Province’s Trọng Tín defeated Hanoian Tuấn Long 6-1, 6-2 to win the boys’ U14 title.

The boys’ U12 and U10 gold medals went to Quang Vinh of HCM City and Xuân Vũ from Thanh Hóa, respectively.

The Việt Nam Tennis Federation (VTF) will hold the National Cadet Tennis Championship on July 4-13 in Cần Thơ City.

Athletes will compete in the boys’ and girls’ singles and doubles events in categories from U10 to U18.

The VTF said there were more than 270 participants in the singles event and 58 pairs from 28 teams in the doubles, including powerhouses such as the Army, Bình Dương, Đà Nẵng and HCM City.

China - Da Nang flights to total 130 in summer

There will be 130 flights per week from China to Da Nang this summer, according to Mr. Tran Chi Cuong, Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Tourism.

The number of Chinese tourists to the central city will increase sharply in July and August and 130 weekly flights will be undertaken, 48 flights more than previously.

There are 14 routes with 82 flights bringing tourists from China to Da Nang each week. In July and August there will be about 34 routes and 130 flights.

Visitors mainly come to Da Nang on charter flights from localities such as Wuhan, Nanjing, Nanning, Shenyang, and Taiyuan.

These two months are the peak season for tourism in China, so the number of visitors is often high but it has never increased as much as this year. Da Nang will welcome from 70,000 to 80,000 visitors while in the past only 30,000 to 40,000 visited. They usually stay five days and four nights, traveling around the city and also visiting Hue and Quang Nam province.

“We have boosted the quality of services and market management to welcome Chinese tourists,” Mr. Cuong said, “There are 450 Chinese guides and hotel rooms are sufficient in number to serve the high-growth market.”

Along with the number of tourists arriving by air, Da Nang will also soon have a large number of Chinese tourists arriving by sea. A route from the port of Phong Thanh in Guangxi province to Ha Long Bay, Da Nang, and Nha Trang will be launched in August, with a frequency of two or three trips a week and each vessel carrying 900-1,000 passengers.