Suspect kills self with paper knife: police

Nguyễn Hữu Tấn killed himself in the detention centre of the Vĩnh Long Province Police yesterday, the provincial People’s Committee said during a press conference.

“Suspect Nguyễn Hữu Tấn used a paper knife to commit suicide in the detention centre,”  Deputy Head of Vĩnh Long Police, Phạm Văn Ngân said.

On Tuesday, the Investigation Security Body of the provincial police conducted an urgent search and arrested Tấn, to investigate the propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam in accordance with the Article 88 of the Penal Code.

On Wednesday, while working with the police, Tấn asked for a cigarette and a cup of water to drink. The investigative official left the office for a moment, Tấn took advantage of the situation to search for a paper knife kept inside the investigator’s bag to commit suicide by cutting his neck blood vessels.

The provincial police then invited Tấn’s father and wife to come to examine the autopsy and assisted the family to finish other procedures to bring him home in Bình Minh Commune for a funeral.

The provincial police will continue investigating into the case.

US$35 million parallel road to promote development of Thủ Thiêm New Urban Area

The ground breaking ceremony for the parallel road along with the HCM City – Long Thành – Dầu Giây Express was organised on May 6 in District 2, HCM City.

The construction will cost VNĐ808 billion ($35 million) and will be built within 2 years. It will include two parallel roads on the right side of the express with total length of nearly 3.4 km, at a width of 20 m and 4 lanes. Three bridges with a total length of 600 m will be parts of the project.

The construction is hoped to reduce traffic congestion in An Phú roundabout, district 2 as well as to create favorable conditions for development of Thủ Thiêm New Urban Area.

The construction will be carried out by the Tiến Phước Real Estate Joint Stock Company and Nam Rạch Chiếc Limited Company under build-operate-transfer (BOT) model.

“The road will contribute to complete infrastructure for development of District 2, especially for Thủ Thiêm New Urban Area as well as to speed up urbanisation progress in HCM City,” deputy chairman of HCM City People’s Committee Lê Văn Khoa said at the ground breaking ceremony.Armed forces of Son La, northern Lao provinces bolster cooperation

Armed forces of Vietnam’s northwestern province of Son La and Laos’s northern provinces held a meeting on May 4 to review bilateral cooperation over the past years.

The meeting in Son La was among activities to celebrate 55 years of the neighbouring countries’ diplomatic ties (September 5, 1962) and 40 years of the signing of the Vietnam-Laos Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation (July 18, 1977).

Chairman of the Son La provincial People’s Committee Cam Ngoc Minh said his province shares a 250-km borderline with Houaphan and Luang Prabang provinces of Laos. It has set up friendship and signed cooperation documents in all fields with the Lao provinces since 1969.

Son La has maintained delegation exchanges with the Lao provinces to share experience, carry out cooperation activities, and enhance bilateral ties. 

In 2016, it continued to share information, worked with the Lao side to deal with arising security problems, and stepped up communications to encourage border residents to comply with the Vietnam-Laos agreement on national border regulations, he noted.

Minh highly valued the defence-security cooperation between the armed forces of Son La and the northern Lao provinces, adding that it has created a favourable environment for their respective socio-economic development, along with the two countries’ special solidarity and friendship.

At the meeting, participants highlighted coordination between the two sides’ armed forces to manage entry and exit activities, fight drug crimes, smuggling and trade fraud, and prevent epidemics. 

They have ensured security and safety for the increase and upgrade of 125 border markers planted along Son La’s border with Houaphan and Luang Prabang. The armed forces have also worked closely with their respective local authorities to raise public awareness of border-related agreements and regulations.

Cường on probation with HCM City club

After a two-year hiatus, former defender for the Việt Nam national side, Đoàn Việt Cường, is on probation with V. League 1 side HCM City.

Cường and his team won the ASEAN Football Federation Cup in 2008.

Cường used to play for Hoàng Anh Gia Lai, Navibank Sài Gòn and Xuân Thành Sài Gòn.

HCM City began their training in Nha Trang City in the southern province of Khánh Hòa. During the training, coach Alain Piard will test several domestic and foreign players to prepare for the second leg of the national premier league.

Alongside Cường, Piard will give Senegalese striker Abass Dieng a trial. Dieng, who played for Becamex Bình Dương , was named one of the top five foreign strikers in the league by the website footballchannel.asia and won the best foreigner player in Việt Nam award. At present, HCM City rank ninth out of 14 teams with 15 points in the table.

Fund hoped to better care for children

The National Fund for Vietnamese Children (NFVC) will continue to be a reliable address for philanthropists as well as mobilise more domestic and foreign resources to better social security and care for children, said Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh.

Speaking at a ceremony in Hanoi on May 4 to celebrate the 25th founding anniversary of the NFVC, Thinh said as Vietnam now has nearly 1.5 children with special circumstances and about 2.5 million others at high risk of being disadvantaged, the fund needs to have more practical and effective activities to help them.

She hailed the achievements the fund has made over the past 25 years, connecting the community and international organisations with disadvantaged children. 

The fund has raised more than 5 trillion VND (220.3 million USD) and hundreds of tonnes of goods for over 30 million Vietnamese children.

It has carried out a wide range of practical programmes in support of underprivileged children, drawing the active participation of the community, she said, citing the “For kids’ hearts” programme has spent hundreds of billions of VND assisting 17,000 children with congenital heart diseases while the functional rehabilitation programme has helped 24,000 disabled kids, especially Agent Orange/dioxin victims.

In addition, the NFVC has also granted scholarships and provided vocational training for orphans and disabled children as well as supported those affected by natural disasters and epidemics.

The fund strives to mobilise 80 billion VND (3.5 million USD) per year and give direct support to 55,000 children with special circumstances. 

On the occasion, six units and individuals with excellent performance in caring for and protecting children in the 2012-2016 period were presented the Prime Minister’s certificate of merit.

Also at the ceremony, the Phu Nhuan Jewelry Joint Stock Company signed an agreement to provide 10.5 billion VND for the NFVC.

Victory of Great Patriotic War marked in Hanoi

A ceremony was held in Hanoi on May 4 to mark the 72nd anniversary of the victory of the Great Patriotic War (May 9, 1945-2017).

At the ceremony, Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Konstantin Vasilievich Vnukov said the event was to remember former Soviet Union soldiers’ sacrifice for independence of their homeland and global peace.

He recalled memories shared between Vietnam and Russia in 1941, when the Great Patriotic War began and 11 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers fought alongside with the former Soviet Union army to defend Moscow.

The Soviet Union also backed Vietnam during its own struggles, the diplomat added.

The ceremony featured a musical concert and a procession, with participants bringing with them photos of soldiers from both nations who once joined the Great Patriotic War.

This year, processions in celebration of the Victory Day are scheduled to take place in about 90 countries all over the world.

Cao Bang boosts education cooperation with Chinese city

The northern mountainous province of Cao Bang proposed Baise city in China’s Guangxi province grant annual BA, MA and PhD scholarships to its officials and students during talks between provincial representatives and a visiting delegation from the Chinese city on May 4.

The two sides should increase exchanges between vocational training schools, thus improving the quality of Cao Bang’s human resources in the fields of economic management, medicine, culture, tourism and education, said Cao Bang officials.

In reply, Baise city’s representatives suggested expanding education collaboration, especially in student exchange and vocational training, noting that the two sides need to accelerate the grant of 40 full scholarships as signed.

In recent years, the friendship and cooperation between Cao Bang and Baise have been maintained and developed in various fields such as agriculture, trade, import-export, culture, tourism and education-training.

Between 2015 and 2017, Cao Bang sent 27 students to Baise for study, 25 of whom learned Chinese in ten months. Two Chinese teachers from Cao Bang were also dispatched to the Chinese city for student management cooperation.

The authorities of Guangxi province have also provided 13 scholarships for Cao Bang officials and students.

Can Tho, India discuss joint work in effective energy use

Senior advisor to India’s Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) company Satish C. Mehta expressed the company’s willingness to assist the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho in the effective use of energy during a local working session with the municipal authorities on May 4. 

Huynh Van Tru, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade, said the total power capacity and consumption in the city reaches 370MW and nearly 1.5 billion kWh, the highest in the Mekong Delta. 

The city’s power consumption demand is forecast to increase 13 percent this year and at least 10 percent annually in the coming years, thus requiring the total power generation capacity of 740MW by 2025 and 1,100MW by 2030, he said, adding that the adoption of energy-saving measures is the most feasible in such context. 

Mehta, who is former Indian Ambassador to Vietnam, expressed wish to share EESL’s experience with Can Tho in carrying out large-scale energy-saving projects, especially those regarding urban and household lighting, the use of energy-saving devices in agriculture and solar power.

Established in 2009, EESL is a joint-venture under the Indian Ministry of Power comprising four State-owned energy firms. With a yearly operating expense of 32 billion USD sourced from the Indian government and sponsors, EESL has distributed 177 million LED bulbs over the past two years, saving more than 62 million electricity units each day and reducing 50,810 tonnes of carbon dioxide emission, he said. 

Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Truong Quang Hoai Nam said Can Tho is interested in developing clean and renewable energy such as solar, wind and geothermal power. 

He asked the municipal departments of Industry and Trade, Planning and Investment, and the city’s power corporation to continue discussing a long-term cooperation programme with EESL and raise public awareness of energy saving.

Fund hoped to better care for children

The National Fund for Vietnamese Children (NFVC) will continue to be a reliable address for philanthropists as well as mobilise more domestic and foreign resources to better social security and care for children, said Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh.

Speaking at a ceremony in Hanoi on May 4 to celebrate the 25th founding anniversary of the NFVC, Thinh said as Vietnam now has nearly 1.5 children with special circumstances and about 2.5 million others at high risk of being disadvantaged, the fund needs to have more practical and effective activities to help them.

She hailed the achievements the fund has made over the past 25 years, connecting the community and international organisations with disadvantaged children. 

The fund has raised more than VND5 trillion (US$220.3 million) and hundreds of tonnes of goods for over 30 million Vietnamese children.

It has carried out a wide range of practical programmes in support of underprivileged children, drawing the active participation of the community, she said, citing the “For kids’ hearts” programme has spent hundreds of billions of VND assisting 17,000 children with congenital heart diseases while the functional rehabilitation programme has helped 24,000 disabled kids, especially Agent Orange/dioxin victims.

In addition, the NFVC has also granted scholarships and provided vocational training for orphans and disabled children as well as supported those affected by natural disasters and epidemics.

The fund strives to mobilise VND80 billion (US$3.5 million) per year and give direct support to 55,000 children with special circumstances. 

On the occasion, six units and individuals with excellent performance in caring for and protecting children in the 2012-2016 period were presented the Prime Minister’s certificate of merit.

Also at the ceremony, the Phu Nhuan Jewelry Joint Stock Company signed an agreement to provide VND10.5 billion for the NFVC.

Chinese visitors drive Nha Trang tourism boom

The number of inbound visitors to Nha Trang tallied in at 492,000 during the first three months of 2017, nearly 60% of which were from China, the Municipal Department of Tourism said on May 4.

An uptick in visitors from China led the spike in volume, setting the stage for a strong first quarter result, said the Department, noting that the number of inbound visitors from the EU, US and Australia tapered off significantly compared to the first quarter of last year.

Thanks to loosened visa requirements in China, outbound Chinese tourists to Vietnam are expected to continue to boom in 2017 because of the proximity of Vietnam and the fact that travel is less expensive for them compared to other global destinations.

Mường Luông helps make the northwest more attractive

Mường Luông is highly recommended as a tourist destination in the north-western uplands.

Located at the foot of Khâu A Mountain 30km north-east of Lao Cai, Mường Luông Valley is surrounded by mountains and home to the ethnic Tày.

Here tourists can enjoy a tranquil place with a cool climate and fresh air and learn about local culture, which the Tày have preserved through their traditions.    

Visitors can eat local dishes and take a look at some 100 traditional homes on stilts along the Nậm Luông stream, which make for a magnificent sight. The houses are 60-70 years old.

Through the year travellers can take leisurely walks to explore the daily activities of villagers. The Tày, who are friendly and hospitable people, are ready to perform folk dances to entertain guests.

Visitors can also drop in to a stilt house for a closer look.

Mường Luông is attractive to tourists also thanks to its unique cuisine. Some of the dishes visitors should try are gà xào kiệu (chicken fried with pickles), canh lá chua (sour soup), and cá suối nướng (grilled spring fish).

Sand exploitation a grave concern in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta

With authorities tightening management over sand exploitation in rivers in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, the price of the substance has skyrocketed, creating a lucrative market for excessive mining.

Surveys taken at major distributors of building materials in the delta showed that sand prices have spiked by VND30,000 (US$1.32) to VND80,000 ($3.52) per cubic meter compared to the past two months.

The surge was brought about by a limited supply of sand, an owner of such a facility in Vinh Long Province said, adding that all kinds of sand have been sold out.

Another seller in Vinh Long stated that even low-quality sand, which contains a lot of impurities, has also been in high demand.

In Ho Chi Minh City, the substance was selling at VND600,000 ($26.3) per cubic meter, as recorded on May 3, while sand containing impurities was offered at about VND530,000 ($23.3) per cubic meter.

According to a local businessman, the price has been inflated by three to four times by several intermediaries.

The price hike has been a motivation for sand exploiters to boost their operations despite the tightened control of competent agencies.

According to the observation of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters, a section of the Tien (Front) River in Hong Ngu District, Dong Thap Province, became a bustling sand market with ships from other provinces arriving every day to transport the sand.

In a waterway only a few kilometers long, the journalists could spot up to 50 large barges, used for transporting sand, and some 20 boats, which were used to dredge the substance from the river, working to their full capacity.

Alongside the hectic activities, several speedboats supposedly belonging to local authorities were also seen scouting around the area.

Under the cover of sand distributors, the correspondents met a man named D., one of the notorious individuals in the local sand market.

After discussing the price, the reporters stated they had brought two barges, each with a capacity of 500 cubic meters, to carry the material.

“For each 500-cubic meter barge, we can only issue the receipt for the sale of 150 cubic meters of sand,” D. said.

This means 70 percent of the purchased sand would not be declared in the receipt.

A probe later showed that D. was just a subordinate, whose superior was Y., a man who had a close relationship with a corrupted ex-official of the locality.

According to an expert on sand usage in the Mekong Delta, as many infrastructure projects are being carried out in the region, the demand for sand has been higher than ever, creating a market for illegally exploited sand.

A sand mine with a legitimate license previously provided the substance for about two or three barges a day, the specialist continued.

Following officials’ order to improve the management of sand mining, about 40 to 50 ships can be spotted operating at such a mine on a daily basis, he added.

Vo Tan Dung, an official from the Ministry of Construction, assessed that sand is necessary for the execution of all projects, even a small-scale one.

“The best solution is to substitute sand dredged from rivers with saline soil and sand,” Dung suggested.

It took some hundreds of years for sand to be washed down from upstream rivers and formed in the Mekong Delta, Dr. Duong Van Ni, a lecturer from Can Tho University, said.

The natural resource was often refilled once it got exploited in an area, Dr. Ni continued.

However, in the past seven to eight years, excessive exploitation did not give enough time for the sand to be replenished, resulting in local rivers becoming deeper compared to the past.

Dredging activity in a river section does not necessarily impact the nearby environment, the expert said, adding that it could affect an area five or 10 kilometers away due to water currents.

The exploitation of sand in Mekong Delta rivers should be limited as it has been causing subsidence along the banks.

“Authorities in the construction sector need to limit the use of sand to certain projects, while others will have to utilize alternative material,” Dr. Ni asserted.

Int'l conference looks into traditional medicine

Using traditional medicine in tandem with local knowledge as well as alternative treatments was evaluated at an international conference held in the northern province of Thai Nguyen on May 4-5.

The conference “Medical Pluralism and Cultural Diversity in Southeast Asia“ was held by Thai Nguyen University. It was attended by experts and scholars from universities in Europe and Southeast Asia like the University of Giessen (Germany), Laguna University (the Philippines) and the French Institute of Pondicherry (India).

European experience in medical pluralism and combination between medicine and spiritual issue in psychiatric treatment a study in India, were discussed.

Experts said that modern medicine standouts with enormous scientific advances, state-of-the-art equipment and many healthcare centres. However, traditional medicine supports modern medicine and contributes to providing initial healthcare.

Speaking at the conference, Professor Detlef Briessen, a cultural and historical researcher from the University of Giessen, said that Vietnam boasts huge potential in traditional medicine thanks to its long-standing cultural traditions and abundant medicinal herbs.

Better treatments using traditional medicine will be practiced soon, he said.

Other participants agreed to study and promote traditional medical knowledge during the national modernisation process and sustainable development in rural areas.

Vietnam, Cuba beef up sport cooperation

Deputy Director of the General Department of Sports Tran Duc Phan had a working session with Yamel Ruiz Barranco, Economic and Trade Counsellor of the Cuban Embassy in Vietnam, to discuss sports cooperation, particularly in boxing.

Phan highlighted Vietnam – Cuba cooperation in sports, and expressed his hope the two sides will increase technical cooperation and delegation exchanges.

Both countries facilitate exchanges of information, documents and tools for coaching and learning sports while encouraging coaches and experts to participate in joint workshops, seminars and training courses, as well as the organization of friendly competition events.

Vietnam has focused on a number of sports that Cuba is strong in, such as boxing, volleyball and marathons. 

Vietnam needs consultation for boxing to compete in the Asian Games to take place in Indonesia in 2018.

The country also hopes that Cuba will provide physical therapy for its athletes and train human resources, share experience and technology.

For her part, Yamel Ruiz Barranco hailed the recent development of Vietnam’s sports, particularly the country’s achievements at the 2016 Rio Olympics and Paralympics Rio, and expressed her wish to promote sports cooperation between the two nations.

She said Cuba nominated five specialists in volleyball, boxing and sport medicine to assist Vietnam.

Phan called on Cuba to host Vietnamese athletes in Cuba for training.

Contest promotes climate change mitigation initiatives

The second Proof of Concept (PoC) contest, on climate change adaptation, was launched at a workshop held by the Vietnam Climate Innovation Centre (VCIC) under the Ministry of Science and Technology on May 4 in Hanoi.

The contest aims to support businesses with climate change mitigation initiatives from ideas brainstorming to development, deployment and expansion of a product or services, said Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Tran Van Tung at the workshop.

It is expected to turn climate change challenges into opportunities for sustainable development, he added.

During the competition, start-ups and young businesses will receive international training models. Winners will receive funding up to 75,000 USD and comprehensive consultancy services from VCIC to develop their projects.

The competition will receive entries in the following categories: effective energy, sustainable agriculture, water management and purification, renewable energy technologies, information and technology and other technologies related to climate change.

Applications can be sent online via website www.vietnamcic.org/apply or email poc@vietnamcic.org by May 23, 2017.

Partnership for green global goals discussed in Hanoi

A workshop was held in Hanoi on May 4 by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) and the Danish Embassy as part of efforts to shape the new initiative “Partnering for the Green Global Goals 2030”.

The event gathered policy makers, scientists, businesses and representatives of the public and private sectors in Vietnam and other countries. Danish Minister for Development Cooperation Ulla Tornaes also attended.

MoNRE Minister Tran Hong Ha said the Global Green Growth Forum (3GF), launched in 2011, aims to gather government agencies, enterprises, investors and organisations around the world to act for green and sustainable growth. Based on this foundation, a new initiative will be launched in September this year, focusing on realising green growth goals through public-private partnerships.

As the latest 3GF member, Vietnam is attempting to contribute to the forum and global development. The country will work with other 3GF members to promote the forum’s activities for global sustainable development, he noted.

Action plans are underway in the country to realise the 2030 Agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Paris Agreement on climate change. Vietnam believes that cooperation between all partners concerned will help countries adapt to global trends and resolve common challenges such as pollution, exhaustion of natural resources and climate change.

International cooperation frameworks, including 3GF, play a critical role in stepping up connectivity, seeking partners and promoting cooperation opportunities to address those challenges, Ha said, adding that 3GF needs to reform, diversify and improve its activities to help settle pressing environmental and climate change issues.

At the workshop, participants reviewed cooperation within the 3GF framework and discussed member countries’ experience. They outlined 3GF’s cooperation priorities which match global trends, the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The function also looked into measures to increase 3GF members’ engagement and connect 3GF with its partners to narrow development gaps and boost the capacity of developing member countries.

HCM City, Japanese firm boost training cooperation

Ho Chi Minh City and the Freesia Group of Japan will hold training courses in Japan and enhance links in education and vocational training  between universities and colleges in HCM City and their Japanese counterparts. 

Vice Chairwoman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Thu and Chairman of Freesia Group Sasaki Beji agreed to hold the courses during their meeting in HCM City on May 4. 

The official said the municipal authority will make it easy for departments and sectors to connect Japan to hold joint training programmes in Japan. 

She suggested closer education cooperation among universities and colleges of the two countries to share experience and improve the quality of vocational training. 

She also congratulated Sasaki Beji on receiving an insignia from the municipal authority recognising his contributions to the city’s education, vocational training and development, especially in promoting ties between the Thu Duc College of Technology and Tokyo Technical College. 

For his part, Beji pledged to continue arranging taining courses for Vietnamese people in Japan and to forge links between Japanese institutions and those in the Vietnamese city. 

He said Freesia Group will create favourable conditions for Vietnamese to complete training courses in Japan, adding that the municipal authority should support trainees and select capable candidates for training programmes.

He lauded Vietnamese trainees for their efforts in studying foreign languages, adapting to Japan’s culture and accumulating capital for future investment targets.

National fund raises 241.8 million USD for disadvantaged children

The National Fund for Vietnamese Children (NFVC) has raised more than 5.5 trillion VND (241.8 million USD) and thousands of tonnes of gifts for some 30 million children since it was founded 25 years ago.

The NFVC was established by the government on May 4, 1992 to gather donations from organisations and individuals to help the country achieve its goals in childcare and protect children’s rights in accordance with the 1990 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

It has funded heart surgeries, worth approximately 80 billion VND, for nearly 2,000 children in its 15-year programme “For children’s heart”. The fund launched its operation smile programme in 1994, since then it has supported surgeries for about 30,000 children with cleft palate at a cost of 70 billion VND.

Individuals and organisations have donated to these charitable surgeries through NFVC, including Operation Smile, Australia’s Vietnam Outreach, US-based ESSO and the Ministry of Finance.

Since 2000, the fund has also offered long-term assistance to about 1,000 orphans or children whose parents suffer disabilities or are unable to work to help them continue their education.

It has worked with a partner from the Republic of Korea to provide support to children with autism from poor families since 2014.

The NFVC aims to raise about 80 billion VND and support 55,000 underprivileged children annually by 2020, NFVC Director Hoang Van Tien said, adding that it will prioritise activities that provide long-term care.

In addition, the fund will pay more attention to postoperative care for children and eye care projects at schools while building boarding schools for children in remote areas.

It has been working with a group of experts on a project to provide comprehensive care for children from the Dan Lai ethnic minority group.

France-Vietnam architecture event to kick off next week

The France-Vietnam architecture week will be organized in Ho Chi Minh City from May 8 to 13, the Consulate General of France announced in a press release on May 3.

fThe week is being held by the French Institute in Vietnam in collaboration with the France-based Academy of Architecture, independent initiative An Ordinary City, French Architects Overseas Organization and Business France Agency.

It aims to honor the beauty of architecture as well as the works of architects, and to discuss issues related to urban management.

According to the organizers, this is an opportunity for both professionals and ordinary architecture aficionados to meet and learn experience from Vietnamese and international experts.

A wide range of activities including exhibitions, talks and seminars will be organized within the framework of the week, with most of them offering free admission.

A major exhibition will take place at the University of Architecture Ho Chi Minh City in District 3 from May 8 to 13.

Detailed information about the France-Vietnam architecture week could be found at institutfrancais-vietnam.com.

Police foil Taiwan immigration scam

Police in Phu Tho Province have broken a case involving the illegal sending of people to work in Taiwan.   

Trieu Hong Quan, 28, was identified as the ringleader, sending 88 people, mostly from Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Thanh Hoa and Nam Dinh provinces, abroad.

In 2010, Quan went to Taiwan to work but failed to return to Vietnam at the end of his contract. In 2014, Quan went to the Taiwan National Immigration Agency to confess and was expelled to Vietnam. But then a year later, Quan went to the country as a tourist and began working illegally in Taiwan again.

In 2015, Quan met a Taiwanese boat owner during a trip back to hometown and the two of them started plotting smuggling labourers. The boat owner asked for USD5,000 per person for the trip from Fujian to Taiwan.

Quan set up a Facebook page to find customers, promising a safe route to Taiwan by disguising people as tourists to Fujian Province and then travelling by boat to Taiwan. The workers had to pay USD1,000 tọ USD1,200 in advance and hand over their passports and a copy of their IDs, the remaining USD5,000 would be paid to the boat owner.

Those who had been expelled and their acquaintances quickly contacted Quan after he started the Facebook page in order to go to Taiwan again.

By April 30, two customers of Quan had returned to Vietnam. One of them was expelled in late 2016 and it looks like the other one returned home on his own decision. However, the money they earned during the stay in Taiwan was still lower than the fees of USD6,000-6,200 they gave Quan and the boat owner.

Another of Quan's customer, Luong Quan The, was banned from entering Taiwan because he was caught entering the country illegally before. He contacted Quan in order to return to Taiwan but failed as he was intercepted by police.

Phu Tho Police is expanding the investigation.

State of emergency over erosion declared in Dong Thap

Dong Thap Province People's Committee has declared a state of emergency in Binh Hoa Hamlet as erosion is threatening hundreds of households.   

Between April 7 to 9, three erosion occurred along 200 metres of the Tien River Le Thi Thuy Hang, a local in Binh Hoa Hamlet, Thanh Binh District, said an area of 50 metres long and 15 metres wide was lost to erosion on April 7. A part of her house and two neighbours' houses sank.

Luckily no one was hurt as the incident occurred during daytime. The local authorities asked police and military forces to help the residents relocate to a safer area.

Three households live near the headquarters of Binh Hoa Co-operative were evacuated quickly after the incident which occurred just 50 metres from Highway 30. Five other households are still in danger zone and must be moved out too.

The threat of erosion seems to be worsening. According to the authorities of Dong Thap Province, there are whirlpools at bends in the river.

On April 28, Dong Thap People's Committee declared a state of emergency along Tien River. Erosion is threatening to destroy 210 metres of land, 217 households and Highway 30 that connects Hong Ngu Commune with the Cambodian border. The provincial authorities asked Thanh Binh District to quickly build a resettlement area for the people.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment were asked to build plans to deal with erosion. The Department of Transport must raise warning signs at dangerous locations and report to the Ministry of Transport about the Highway 30.

On April 22, 14 houses slid into Hau River in An Giang Province because of erosion. The province also evacuated108 households. The estimated damage is over VND9bn(USD396,000).

HCMC’s Metro Line No.1 at risk of delay

Metro Line No.1 linking Ben Thanh Market in District 1 and Suoi Tien Park in District 9 might be delayed until 2020 due to slower-than-expected disbursement of Japan’s official development assistance (ODA) capital.

Speaking to the Daily on April 27, Le Nguyen Minh Quang, director of the Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR) of HCMC, said that if the city delays payments for contractors, they may suspend construction, causing the project to fall behind schedule.

At a meeting on the city’s socio-economic performance on April 27, Quang said the city will need VND5.2 trillion (about US$228.9 million) to finance construction of Metro Line No.1 this year but the amount of ODA capital allocated by the Ministry of Planning and Investment is only VND2.9 trillion.

The metro line has a length of nearly 20 kilometers passing through districts 1, 2, 9, Binh Thanh, Thu Duc in HCMC and part of Di An District in neighboring Binh Duong Province with a 2.6-kilometer underground section and an elevated section of over 17 kilometers along Hanoi Highway.

After years of slow developed caused by numerous adjustments, the total investment cost of the project has risen to over VND47 trillion (US$2.49 billion). The project was officially started in August 2012 and is expected to be put into operation in 2020.

In September 2016, the Ministry of Finance ordered the State Treasury to suspend the disbursement for the Metro Line No.1 project.

Before the Lunar New Year, the city made an advance payment of nearly VND1 trillion for workers of the metro project. As of April 26, the city still owed the contractors VND1.34 trillion (about US$58.9 million).

At present, the viaducts of some elevated sections along the Hanoi Highway have been completed. Meanwhile, Ben Thanh, Ba Son and Opera House stations of the underground section are being constructed. Due to complicated technology required, the underground section is scheduled for completion by 2020.

According to a report of the city government sent to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, two major ODA projects of the city – Metro Line No.1 and phase 2 of the water environmental improvement project, need VND7 trillion (about US$308 million) in 2017. However, the central Government has approved to allocate only VND3.5 trillion.

Due to slow disbursement, some contractors have threatened to delay or even stop construction work.

State-sponsored deforestation

The question of competence and ineptness emerges these days in Phu Yen Province when large swathes of the protective forest there are chopped down to make room for tourism projects. The apparent violations, unfortunately, are not attributed to investors whose aim is to pursue profits, but to State management agencies in the south-central province whose mandate is to safeguard balanced and sustainable development.

As covered in local media, it is not one or two projects that are encroaching on the invaluable forest, but there are dozens of such developments. Nevertheless, the latest deliberate acts of deforestation make the final straw that breaks the back of a camel.

Some 140 hectares of protective forest in Phu Yen Province’s Tuy Hoa City has been being wiped out to prepare ground for two tourism projects, including a golf course in the New City Tourism Complex.

Irregularities in this golf course project are reportedly rampant.

According to Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper, this project has not had an environment impact assessment report approved; its land has not been converted from forest land into other purposes, and the area has not been handed over to the investor. That is to say key procedures required by the law to develop the golf course and other auxiliary facilities have not been accomplished, but the investor has hurriedly stepped up construction.

Next to this golf course project is another five-star beach resort by a company named Sao Viet, which has also devoured tens of hectares of forest, Tuoi Tre reports.

Such irregularities, however, are committed in broad daylight without any State intervention. Worse still, some senior provincial leaders have been knowingly supporting the investors to speed up deforestation.

At a meeting this week, the provincial leadership admitted that numerous problems remained to be solved, Vnexpress reports. According to the news website, the Prime Minister has not approved the land conversion; the Ministry of Natural Resources has not endorsed the project’s environment impact assessment report; while provincial authorities have not performed land handover procedures.

Phap Luat Online newspaper cites a decision of the Prime Minister issued in 2009 as saying that Phu Yen has gravely breached regulations. Under the decision, forest land shall not be used to build golf courses.

However, an official of Phu Yen’s Department of Planning and Investment argues that the Prime Minister’s decision was issued in 2009, while the New City project had been licensed a year earlier. This argument is swiftly rejected by an official with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, who explains that golf courses licensed prior to the decision must also abide by provisions in the decision if such projects have not been executed, which is the case of the New City Golf Course.

Tuoi Tre points the finger at the provincial government, saying senior leaders have issued correspondences urging quicker deforestation while pending procedures being accomplished.

According to the paper, Phu Yen’s Vice Chairman Nguyen Chi Hien on October 11, 2016 issued a decision, demanding that land be handed over to the golf course developer no later than November 15, 2016. The vice chairman also demanded that “departments, branches and localities create favorable conditions for the investor to develop the project in line with the timeline.”

Ironically, on October 31, 2016, the provincial government even awarded a certificate of merits to New City for “excellent performance in site clearance” to build the tourism complex, says Tuoi Tre. This move is seen as a strong encouragement for the investor to speed up deforestation, because at the time the award was conferred, only a section of the forest had been cut down, while the forest area at the golf course site remained intact.

In fact, Phu Yen Province has had a history awash with deforestation cases.

Lao Dong newspaper says that in 2016, Phu Yen led five central provinces in terms of  natural-forest losses, estimated at 4,700 hectares.

The provincial government a month ago allowed a company to slash 273 hectares of forest to create a pastureland for a cattle farming project by Thao Nguyen Company, according to Nguoi Lao Dong. Upon news reports on the abnormal deforestation, the central Government demanded a halt to the project and an inspection into the case, and by then, as much as 11 hectares of forest had already been eradicated.

The provincial government has also approved numerous projects that are to encroach on over 1,000 hectares of forest.

Tuoi Tre gives a long list of 20 projects that have secured approval from the provincial government for development either in the forest or encroaching on the sea. Apart from the New City and Sao Viet projects mentioned above, authorities in Phu Yen have also agreed to hand over forest land to a horse race course project, a resort project by Thuan Thao Company, and another villa resort by Bac Au among others.

It is also worth noting that the provincial government allows project owners that encroach on forest land to pay money instead of forcing them to plant new forests in compensation.

According to Tuoi Tre, from 2014 to April 10, 2017, the provincial Department of Agriculture had collected over VND11 billion from enterprises who paid money instead of planting 198 hectares of forest in compensation.

Needless to say, forest plays an important role in securing the ecological balance by preventing land erosion, regulating water flows, and limiting flashfloods among others. Keeping the forest means protecting the environment and ensuring balanced and sustainable development.

The Prime Minister has recently stressed that the environment shall not be sacrificed for economic growth.

In the latest development concerning the scandals, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has issued an urgent correspondence ordering the Government Inspectorate to probe State-sponsored deforestation cases in Phu Yen Province. The inspection results shall be reported to the Prime Minister before May 30.

Given the failure to protect the forest in many cases lately, it is clear that the competence of provincial authorities remains to be questioned, no matter how the inspection results will be.

Higher minimum capital required for private universities

The minimum capital required to establish a private university is VND1 trillion (about US$44 million), four times higher than before, according to a new Government decree providing conditions for investment in and operation of educational institutions.

Decree 46, which was signed by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on April 21 and took immediate effect, specifies the required minimum capital of VND1 trillion includes cash and assets and excludes land value. By the time of appraisal for university establishment, the investment that has been disbursed must be at least VND500 billion.

According to the previous regulation, private universities only need to have chartered capital of at least VND250 billion (excluding land value) and there was no regulation on the investment value at the time of appraisal for establishment.

Besides, in order to establish a private university, organizations and individuals must have a detailed scheme in line with social and economic development and university network planning. Only universities having as sufficient land, facilities, student dormitories and equipment for physical education as required, and receiving an establishment certificate from the Prime Minister can be put into service.

In addition, according to the new regulation, private universities wanting to open a subdivision must have minimum investment capital of VND250 billion, excluding the value of land for building the subdivision. By the time of appraisal, the investment value must have reached at least VND150 billion.

Hanoi loses VND1,500 billion due to pig price falls

Pig farmers in Hanoi have incurred accumulated losses of up to VND1,500 billion due to protracted price falls, heard a conference held by the Ministry of Agriculture in Hanoi on April 27.

Live pig prices in the last six months have averaged out at VND25,000 a kilo while the average production cost ranges between VND33,000 and VND39,000 a kilo.

Therefore, farmers are suffering a loss of VND1 million to VND1.6 million a pig, and 1.5 million pigs have been sold since October 2016.

Ta Van Tuong, director of the Hanoi Livestock Development Center under the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said at the conference on solutions for livestock industry stabilization that farmers have slaughtered pigs themselves to save costs.

Nguyen Hung Thinh, a pig farmer in Hanoi’s Phuc Tho District, said that he did not know the reasons behind the protracted price decreases. Farmers have not been provided with any information about the market and the plan of this sector.

Dinh Xuan Thuy, another pig farmer in Hanoi’s Hong Quang District, has sold 15 kilos of piglets at VND300,000 because he does not have enough money to raise the piglets.

The situation is predicted to be even more difficult as consumers may switch to using other products such as seafood, chicken and duck in the coming time.

Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on April 27 sent an official letter to authorities of provinces and cities nationwide to implement livestock stabilizing solutions.

Accordingly, the ministry assigned specialized agencies to help farmers apply technical solutions in the breeding process to cut costs.

Cattle-feed producers and traders are suggested to reduce selling prices and share difficulties with farmers. In addition, animal health agencies should strengthen disease and vaccination inspections to prevent disease outbreaks in the coming time.

Food processors are encouraged to invest in processing and storage to boost stockpiling to help consume pigs for farmers.

Tan Son Nhat airspace re-divided to reduce congestion

Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM) on April 27 converted and redistributed the controlled airspace of Tan Son Nhat International Airport to offer aircraft the optimal trajectory and quickly learn the landing order to prevent congestion.

The controlled airspace of Tan Son Nhat is divided into two sub-zones, the control zone for incoming aircraft and the access control zone, VATM said.

In particular, the control zone for incoming aircraft is to integrate the arriving airplanes in the final stage of approaching for landing. This is to ensure the optimum order and spacing, improve the safety coefficient and the efficiency before the planes are transferred to the air traffic control tower at Tan Son Nhat.

Meanwhile, the access control zone is responsible for operating the first phase of arriving and departing airplanes and other active ones in the area to guarantee a safe distance between them.

Also, the adjustment will support the preliminary setting of the landing order for incoming aircraft, the determination of expected landing time, and the coordination with the HCMC Long Distance Control Center in planning for arriving planes to wait for a reasonable time. All of these are aimed at relieving the overload in Tan Son Nhat airspace.

In simple terms, the division of areas between landing planes and those taking off contributes to better management and easier flight control, avoiding a chaotic situation that may lead to congestion in the air.

The redistribution of the controlled airspace provides aircraft with the optimal trajectory, helping anticipate the landing order, increasing the efficiency of air traffic control and reducing congestion in the sky above Tan Son Nhat, said VATM. In addition, this move helps relieve the intensity of work for air traffic controllers and cut jet fuel consumption to improve efficiency.

Earlier, in November 2016, VATM applied a new flight management method at Tan Son Nhat International Airport to ease congestion in its airspace.

The advantage of this new method is a decline in the need for radar guidance. When an aircraft enters the controlled airspace of Tan Son Nhat, depending on the situation on the ground, controllers may allow the plane to directly make its landing.

In case the ground is overloaded, air traffic controllers inform the captain once. Then, the aircraft automatically follows the map outlined with no need for further communications between the two sides to limit information interference.

Moreover, the new method minimizes the chance of arriving and departing airplanes meeting each other at a certain point, and bring down the number of intersections, helping controllers maintain a more accurate and safer spacing.

With the new method in application, airlines also benefit with their planes arriving on time, lowering the delay rate. It is most important that aircraft do not need to circle while awaiting a landing slot, helping cut fuel consumption and emissions to the environment and improve economic efficiency.

Hà Nội police arrests suspected drug trafficker

The city’s Drug Crime Investigation Police Department announced on Thursday the arrest of Dương Đình Đăng, who was suspected  to be leader of a large-scale drug trafficking ring.

City police had issued a special wanted order for Đăng, 30, who had been allegedly trafficking large quantities of drugs from the northwest region and northern Quảng Ninh Province to sell in the city.

Police also seized two loaded guns, three drug packets, VNĐ147 million in cash at a house in the city where Đăng was hiding.

At the police office, Đăng, living at Thổ Quan Ward, Đống Đa District of the city, allegedly declared he had transported 4.4kg of synthetic drugs in connection with other northwest rings to develop drug trafficking in the city.     

On September of 2016, police forces apprehended two suspects of Đăng’s drug trafficking ring when they were transporting 1.4kg of synthetic drugs in Gia Lâm District.

According to the two suspects’ testimony, police seized exhibits, drugs, five telephones, two cars, and a gun from their ring.

Phạm Văn Minh, 43, living at Quảng Ninh Province’s Móng Cái City and Nguyễn Văn Tùng, 37, living at Hà Nội’s Sóc Sơn District told the investigative body that they were transporting drugs under Đăng’s direction.

Police are now expanding their investigation.

Vietnam, RoK enhance cooperation in labour hygiene, safety

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) and the Korea Industrial Safety Association signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in industrial safety and hygiene in Hanoi on May 5.

The signing of the MoU marks an important milestone in bilateral collaboration to promote safety culture at workplace via preventing occupational accidents and diseases.

The Republic of Korea (RoK) will support Vietnam to build policies and projects to increase capacity and implement effectively the Law on Occupational Safety and Health.

Since 2003, the MoLISA has been carrying out coordination activities under a technical cooperation agreement on labour hygiene and safety with the RoK’s Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) and reaped significant outcomes.

The RoK government is supporting the MoLISA to implement a project enhancing development capacity of the occupational hygiene and safety training centre in Vietnam.

The project was conducted by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) with the engagement of the KOSHA for the 2013-2016 period and with a total budget of 3.4 million USD.

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Doan Mau Diep said coping with labour hygiene and safety challenges is crucial in the social welfare policies in order to build a safe community.

Vietnam is pushing ahead with the refinement of the legal system and infrastructure, especially reforming administrative procedures, providing social insurance, granting licenses for migrant workers, and ensuring labour sanitation and safety, to meet criteria on business environment equally to other countries in ASEAN and attract foreign investors, he added.

The ministry vowed to provide maximum assistance for Korean enterprises with labour resources and vocational training, particularly those operating in the spheres of electronic and hi-tech industries, he said.

He hoped the two nations will implement effectively the reached agreements to ensure labour safety and discuss new cooperation orientations in the future.

Conference held in Mexico to mark ASEAN’s 50th anniversary

The formation of the ASEAN Community is a significant milestone in ASEAN’s history that allows member states to connect, share benefits and develop in a new journey.

This was highlighted by Ambassadors of Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines to Mexico at a conference to mark the 50th founding anniversary of ASEAN held in Mexico on May 4.

The event was attended by professors, PhD and post graduates from El Colegio de Mexico (COLMEX), a prestigious Mexican institute of higher education.

The ambassadors also presented ASEAN’s formation, development and objectives at the conference.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Mexico Le Linh Lan said that besides development opportunities toward the bloc’s prosperity, ASEAN still faces a number of challenges.

ASEAN member states need to join hands to reduce development gap and elevate the group’s position in the international arena, Lan stressed, affirming that Vietnam, as a responsible member, has made positive contributions to the ASEAN development.

ASEAN’s key objective is to build the association into an intergovernmental cooperation organisation. The ASEAN Community is set up based on three pillars, namely ASEAN Political-Security Community, ASEAN Economic Community and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.

With a market of over 620 million consumers and a gross domestic product reaching more than 2.5 trillion USD in 2016, ASEAN has become the world’s seventh largest economy.

On the occasion, Ambassador Le Linh Lan opened a photo exhibition on the land and people of Vietnam and presented books to COLMEX’s library.

Lan expressed hope that the exhibition and books will nudge Vietnam, a heroic country during struggles for national independence, closer to Mexican researchers and students.

Meanwhile, Director of the COLMEX’s Asia-Africa research centre Amaury Garcia affirmed that the books are valuable documents which help tighten cooperation and friendship between the two countries.

Binh Phuoc: 18 women awarded “Heroic Vietnamese Mother” title

Eighteen women whose husbands and children laid down in the fight for national liberation and protection in the southern province of Binh Phuoc were honoured with the “Heroic Vietnamese Mother” title on May 5.

With the recognition, the province currently has a total of 337 heroic Vietnamese mothers.

Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Tien Dung expressed his gratitude to the heroic mothers for their sacrifice to the country’s revolutionary cause.

He also called on local authorities at all levels and people to continue taking care of heroic mothers and those who rendered services for the nation.

Rapid trains cut down Hà Nội- Vinh travel time

Rapid trains from Hà Nội to Vinh City of central Nghệ An Province will officially be launched on June 1, reducing travel time to only five and a half hours.

The trains, operated by Hà Nội Railway Transport Joint Stock Company (HARACO), will depart from the capital city for Giáp Bát, Thanh Hóa and Vinh stations and vice versa.

The train coded SE35 will depart from Hà Nội at 2.05pm and arrive at Vinh City at 7.40pm. The Vinh-Hà Nội train SE36 will depart at 7.55am and arrive at 1.20pm.

Passengers can enjoy 50 per cent discount on the ticket price on June 01. Children aged 6-10 can travel for free on the day.

During the initial operating months, HARACO will offer 50 per cent discount for children from six to 10 years old and reduce 30 to 50 per cent of the ticket price for students and 10 to 20 per cent for passengers.

Group booking of 10-50 people will enjoy a 25 per cent discount. Groups consisting of more than 51 passengers will enjoy 30 per cent discount.

During the summer season, HARACO is also offering dozens of thousands of tickets worth VNĐ10,000 (US$0.4) via online payment on www.dsvn.vn and by booking at counters.

The Hà Nội-Vinh journey, covering a distance of more than 300km, takes some seven hours to travel by train at normal speed.

Indonesia arrests 580 Vietnamese for illegal fishing

Indonesia has been waging a war on illegal fishing since 2014, claiming the practice negatively impacts the local economy.

As part of that effort, the Vietnam Embassy reports that Indonesian authorities have seized and destroyed more than 170 trespassing Vietnamese fishing boats, which have been blown up to deter the practice.

A growing number of Vietnamese nationals, estimated at 580, have now been arrested and are being detained by Indonesian authorities on charges of fishing illegally, said Ambassador to Indonesia Hoang Anh Tuan.

Both countries, said the Ambassador, are working together to curb the influx of offenders, which in many cases is unintentional and due to fishermen’s’ limited knowledge of geography and the law.

In such cases, we are working to get the fishers repatriated as soon as possible. 

For those captains of the boats and others who clearly had knowledge and intended to violate Indonesian law, they will be required to serve a sentence of six months to six years behind bars before they can be released, noted the Ambassador.

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