General Director of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Nguyen Duc Loi and President and Editor-in-Chief of Japan’s Kyodo News Masaki Fukuyama have shared their delight at the fruitful partnership between the two sides through the exchange of news, especially those related to Vietnam and Japan.

During their talks in Hanoi on April 12, Loi spoke highly of rapid and accurate news of Japan and the world Kyodo News has provided for the VNA over the past years.

He underscored that news products of Kyodo News are among important sources of world news used by the VNA as well as other media agencies in Vietnam.

He briefed his guest on the APEC Year 2017 hosted by Vietnam, affirming that the VNA is willing to provide Kyodo News with information of the event. The VNA leader expressed his hope that the Japanese press outlet will increase the publication of news related to Vietnam on the occasion.

The VNA leader also expressed his belief that the two sides will seek the effective sharing of experience in media production process as well as news exchange. 

Masaki Fukuyama, who is in a working visit at the invitation of the VNA leader, said that Japan will host the Rugby World Cup 2019 as well as the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2020 and the two sides agreed to cooperate closely in publishing news on the events.

Both sides will also keep each other updated on digital services and new technology, they concurred.

The guest introduced a number of major changes in Kyodo News recently, including four projects in digital news production and new services.

Along with supporting their respective correspondents, the two news agencies will also shared hope to expand and diversify news exchange in the coming time.

They held that news agencies in the world should strive to adapt to new media environment in the digital era. They expected that the exchange of experience will help both agencies overcome challenges and difficulties in the period.

The two leaders also agreed to support each other at regional and international media forums, especially the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA).

The VNA and Kyodo News set up their relations in the late 1980s. Under their agreement, Kyodo News has supplied free Japanese and English news, and photos with English captions to the VNA, while the VNA has provided Vietnamese and English news, and photos with English captions to Kyodo News.

They have agreed to give each other necessary professional assistance, while signing deals on personnel training and multimedia communication development.

The Government-run VNA is now the media agency with the largest number of products and forms in Vietnam with more than 60 media products: bulletins, photos, dailies, weeklies, monthlies, magazines, pictorials, books, a TV channel, infographics, audio programmes, e-newspapers, and information programmes on mobile platforms and social networks.

The agency also delivers news in the largest number of languages. In addition to official Vietnamese-language news provided for domestic and foreign media outlets, stories for foreign services are written in English, Chinese, French and Spanish – not to mention print and e-newspapers in eight other foreign languages, the four above plus Lao, Korean, Japanese and Russian. This is why the VNA is now regarded as the most important Vietnamese external news centre.

The VNA maintains bilateral and multilateral partnerships with more than 40 international media organisations. It is a member of the OANA, the Non-Aligned News Agencies Pool (NANAP), and the ASEAN News Exchange (ANEX).

Efforts to improve Khmer people’s living conditions

The Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang will continue supporting local Khmer people through organising festivals and providing capital for economic development.

Huynh Van Hung, vice president of the provincial chapter of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, said that the province will also continue running communication models for law education among the community, while assisting them in vocational training and agricultural production.

Hau Giang is home to some 26,000 Khmer people, making up more than 3 percent of the province’s population. In 2016, the province implemented a poverty reduction programme among the Khmer community in 29 villages with total investment of more than 7.5 billion VND.

The province also provided 4.5 billion VND to help nearly 180 Khmer families build houses and buy land for production, while constructing rural roads and kindergartens in Khmer people-majority districts such as Long My and Phung Hiep.

The province has nearly 30,000 poor households, more than 14 percent of total households, including about 2,000 Khmer families.

Meanwhile, the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang has seen improvements in living conditions of local Khmer people thanks to support programmes and new infrastructure.

Danh Ngoc Hung, head of the provincial Committee for Ethnic Affairs, said the province has focused on upgrading infrastructure in eight communes under the Government’s programme on poverty reduction, including five border localities.

By the end of 2016, Nam Thai, Thanh Yen A and Vinh Phu communes were eligible to get rid of the programme in 2017.

Meanwhile, living conditions for locals in five other communes in Giang Thanh district have improved.

Last year, Kien Giang disbursed more than 200 billion VND (8.82 million USD) to help Khmer people expand production and upgrade infrastructure, while credit institutions also provided nearly 474 billion VND (20.9 million USD) in loans for the needy families.

At the same time, 19 billion VND was used to provide clean water to more than 10,000 Khmer families, while 45 billion VND was spent on building power transmission lines for over 2,430 households, thus reducing poverty ratio to 15.64 percent from 19.88 percent in 2015.

In 2016, Kien Giang also built Go Quao and An Bien boarding schools for Khmer children, while opening 293 Khmer writing classes for Khmer people during summer.

Quang Tri beach tourism recovers from environmental incident

A year after mass fish deaths caused by the Hung Nghiep Formosa Steel Corporation, tourists have begun returning to beaches in the central province of Quang Tri.

Formosa polluted more than 200km of coastline in April last year, killing more than 100 tonnes of fish and devasting the environment, robbing thousands of people of their livelihoods and severely damaging the economies of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue provinces.

Vietnam News Agency’s reporter quoted Nguyen Van Than, head manager of the local Cua Viet beach, as saying Cua Viet, once welcoming thousands of visitors on a daily basis, was bleak after the incident.

He noted that the situation improved when the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment announced the completion of its marine detoxification work, ensuring safety for beach activities in the four affected provinces.

The current number of tourists is about one fifth of past figures but is a sign local tourism is recovering, Than said.

According to statistics from the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, more than 150 accommodation facilities along local beaches have been upgraded to improve their services.

Authorities have been supporting the recovery of beach tourism by reducing land tax and holding promotion campaigns on clean beaches.

Binh Tay Market recognized as a city-level relic

Binh Tay Market has been recognized as a city-level architectural and art relic by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee.

Binh Tay Market is located at No.57 Thap Muoi Street in District 6. The Central Market of Cho Lonwas built in 1928 by a Chinese businessman named Guoyan (1863–1927), originally hailing from Chaozhou in Guangdong.

The market covering on an area of 2.5 hectares has the interior courtyard where is the place of worship to the founder.

Ho Chi Minh City has currently 170 historical-cultural-architectural-art relics that have been recognized as national and city-level relics, including special national relics, Reunification Palace and Cu Chi Tunnels.

Bac Ninh prosecutes two who threaten provincial leaders

Investigation Agency under the Police Department of Bac Ninh province yesterday prosecuted two men who sent threatening SMS messages to provincial leaders.
 
Chairman of the Bac Ninh People’s Committee Nguyen Tu Quynh and other agency leaders received the menacing messages after proposing the Goverment and the Ministry of Transport to ask contractors to stop a passage dredging project for sand overexploitation in the Cau river.  
 
The investigation agency has prosecuted 37 year old Nguyen Trong Phuong from Hanoi for “terrorism” and 36 year old Tran Anh Thuan from Bac Ninh province for not denouncing the crime.
 
Previously, the agency arrested Phuong and Thuan and clarified that Phuong had sent the threatening messages to Mr. Quynh and other officials of the province.
 
The two offenders admitted that they are workers of some sand exploitation companies not the company licensed to implement the passage dredging project in the Cau river.
 
The sending of messages aimed to undermind reputation of the company licensed to implement the passage dredging in the province and scramble for dredging areas.

The agency is now broadening investigation to make clear other subjects related to the case.
 
Formerly, Bac Ninh leaders sent a document to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Transport, proposing to continue stopping the passage dredging project in the Cau river by Ha Luu Passage Salvage Joint Stock Company for sand overexploitation causing landslide.
 
They also suggested the PM to instruct the Ministry of Public Security to investigate individuals from central and local agencies and organizations who have stood behind those sending the threatening messages.
 
Right after receiving the document, the PM required the Ministry of Public Security to urgently investigate the case, unveil relevant subjects and report results to him.

Regional countries’ traditional New Year festival marked in HCM City

The traditional New Year festival of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand was celebrated in a ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City on April 12.

The function was organised by the HCM City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) and the municipal chapter of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, attracting representatives of the consulate generals of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, and the countries’ expatriates in HCM City.

Sending New Year greetings to the Cambodian, Lao, Myanmar, and Thai peoples, HUFO Chairman Huynh Minh Thien said together with Vietnamese, the people have fought for national independence, promoted national development, and strived for an ASEAN Community of peace, stability, cooperation and prosperity.

The celebration was held with a view to helping local people gain an insight into the four nations’ traditional festival, thus fostering Vietnam’s friendship with the neighbouring countries, he noted.

On behalf of the countries’ consulates, Lao Consul General Somxay Sanam Oune highly valued the organisation of the ceremony, considering it as a demonstration of local people’s sentiments towards their regional peers.

At the event, typical New Year customs of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand were re-enacted such as bathing the Buddha statue, tying a thread on the wrist, and splashing water.

The ceremony also featured songs and dances performed by the countries’ students in HCM City, along with other activities to introduce their traditional culture and cuisine.

As part of the event, a week-long photo exhibition will be held to popularise cultural identities, traditional rituals and New Year festivities of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.

The countries’ traditional New Year festival takes place from around April 14 to 16. It is known as Choul Chnam Thmey in Cambodia, Boun Pi Mai in Laos, Thingyan in Myanmar, and Songkran in Thailand.

It is one of their biggest traditional festivals held in the transition from the dry to the wet season, an occasion for people to visit pagodas and have festivities to pray for luck and happiness.

Telegraph on traffic order, safety issued

The PM has issued Telegraph No. 503/CĐ-TTg on serving people’s travel demand and ensuring traffic safety and order on the National Reunification Day (April 30) and the International Workers' Day (May 1).

The PM asked ministries and agencies to strengthen measures to guarantee the safety and quality of transport services to meet the increasing travel demand on the festival, especially on traffic routes connecting Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City and other large tourism and entertainment locations.

He required checking the signaling system and the traffic lights at disadvantaged areas, ensure traffic clearance and take prompt measures when having incidents.

Ministries and agencies have to enhance communications of traffic laws and skills for people to increase of their awareness when using vehicles on roads.

A hot line on transport and traffic safety will be announced to receive comments from agencies and people on traffic safety on the festivals.

Khanh Hoa welcomes 1.1 million foreign tourists in three months

The south central province of Khanh Hoa received 1.1 million foreign tourists in the first three months of the year, an increase of 26% year-on-year, and earned nearly VND3.4 trillion (US$175.95 million) in tourism revenue.

Foreign arrivals to the province exceeded 500,000, up nearly 85% year on year, mostly from China and Russia.

Khanh Hoa has become an ideal destination for both domestic and foreign travelers thanks to its intriguing sea and island tourism, gentle climate, stable price and quality services.

Currently, the province has assigned the local Department of Construction to develop a master plan on tourism development by 2025, with orientation through 2025 and regulations on managing travel activities serving international tourists via charter flight service at the Cam Ranh international airport.

The province will also seek for the Government’s recognition of Nha Trang City as a marine ecotourism urban area, and the northern Cam Ranh peninsula tourism zone as a national tourism site.

Ex-convict arrested for transnational drug trafficking

A woman who was released from prison in September 2016 after serving time for two counts of robbery finds herself back in the big house today (Apr.12) after her arrest for smuggling drugs into Vietnam.

Nguyen Van Thuy, 36, was taken into custody by police in the province of Lang Son with nearly 30 packets of heroin and 6,000 tablets of methamphetamine in her possession as she attempted to cross from Laos into Vietnam.

In an interview in the Province jail, Thuy purportedly admitted attempting to smuggle the drugs through the border gate. She also was aware she could land back in prison for a long stretch.

Thuy has not been formally charged yet.

Osaka, HCM City mark 10th anniversary of sister city relations

The Japanese city of Osaka opened a 2-day cultural festival on April 13 in celebration of the 10th anniversary of sister city relations with Ho Chi Minh City.

In October 2007, the two cities entered into a cooperation agreement that bolstered strong relations at the local level and formalized interactions through sister-city relationships including exchange programs in a variety of fields such as industry, agriculture, medicine, sports, culture and youth education.

In addition, the city of Osaka has set up an overseas office in HCM City that is involved in gathering and providing a variety of information on trade and investment required by Osaka-based corporations.

The office is also engaged in implementing market surveys, offering liaison services for business transactions, and carrying out promotion activities to attract overseas corporations and tourists to the Osaka region.          

The 2-day event features a wide array of art exhibitions, music and dance performances along with cultural exhibitions and food and beverage events that are free and open to the public.

HCMC Communist Youth Union announces 2017 Eureka prize

The HCMC's Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union in collaboration with the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City announced the 2017 Eureka prize. 

The annual award aims to encourage Vietnamese students do more scientific researches. The prize is launched from April to December, 2017 for students enrolled in 3 year programs and four years at colleges or institutes. 

Entrants can register to participate into individual or group categories of biotechnology-biomedical sciences; economics; information technology; education; agriculture, forestry and fisheries; environment and food technology.

Entries can be sent to the Union’s Center for Science and Technology at 1 Pham Ngoc Thach Street in District 1 before September 30.

The special award will be VND20 million in cash.

PM calls for holiday traffic safety measures

Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has urged ministries, sectors and localities to be prepared to tackle road safety and traffic jams during the Reunification Day and May Day holidays.

Under the official dispatch, which was issued on Tuesday, the Prime Minister asked the ministries of public securities, transport, information and communications, the National Committee for Traffic Safety, provincial and citywide people’s committees to boost quality of transport services and meet the high demand during the holiday, especially on the routes connecting Hà Nội and HCM city, tourism sites and key transit points.

This year, Reunification Day (April 30) and May Day (May 1) together with the weekend will make up a four-day holiday.

Many people travel at this time of year, leading to more traffic jams and accidents during the holidays in the country.

The ministries should more closely manage coaches, terminals, stations and airports to reduce traffic jams, delays and illegal price hikes for tickets, the PM said.

Transport enterprises were requested to follow traffic regulations and prevent accidents while operating on hill roads or on those passing railways.

Increased inspection and patrols should be organised to strictly punish traffic regulation violators, especially speeding or carry more passengers than allowed capacity.

Traffic infrastructure will be checked, including signals, warning signs and warning equipment in places that face a high risk for traffic accidents, he said.

The ministries should supply their traffic safety hotlines to media to receive reports on the issue during the holidays as well as co-ordinate with relevant agencies to tackle traffic problems. 

Garbage trucks drivers to be fined for violation

Four garbage trucks that were driven in the BRT lane on Hà Đông District’s Tố Hữu Street on Tuesday have been identified.

This was stated by the Hà Nội traffic police division on Wednesday.

The trucks are under the management of the Hà Đông Urban Environment Joint Stock Company, which is headquartered on the street, Lieutenant Colonel Đỗ Mạnh Ninh, captain of traffic police team No 7, said.

The truck drivers have been asked to come to the police’s headquarters for questioning, he said.

A video clip posted on social media on Tuesday shows four garbage trucks, one behind the other, using the BRT lane in the Hà Đông-Tô Hiệu direction and then turning to Khuất Duy Tiến Street.

Two out of four drivers were identified by Nguyễn Viết Bính, vice director of the company, as Đỗ Mạnh Cường and Phong.

The trucks were being driven towards the Nam Sơn landfill in Sóc Sơn District, he said.

Cars drivers that use dedicated BRT lanes will receive fines of VNĐ300-400,000 (US$13-18) and have their driving licences confiscated for 1-3 months, according to regulations.

Lai Chau leader delivers New Year greetings to Lao students

Vice Chairman of the Lai Chau provincial People’s Committee Tong Thanh Hai visited and conveyed greetings to 30 Lao students studying at the provincial medical school on the occasion of Laos’s traditional Bun Pi May (New Year) festival).

Lai Chau province opened an intermediate-level medicine training course for 20 students from Phongsaly province and ten from Oudomxay province in 2014 as part of a programme to help northern provinces of Laos enhance quality of the health sector’s human resources. Those students are going to graduate from the three-year course, sponsored by Lai Chau province.

The provincial leader expressed his hope that the Lao students will gain considerable knowledge from the course so that they can accomplish their mission in caring Lao people’s health.

Vietnam ethnic culture day vibrant with activities

The Culture and Tourism Village of Vietnamese Ethnic Groups in Hanoi’s suburban town of Son Tay will host a string of cultural activities to celebrate the cultural day of ethnic groups in Vietnam from April 19-23.

The information was released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism at a press conference in Hanoi on April 12.

Village patriarchs, craftsmen and people from eight ethic groups: Muong, Thai, Kho Mu, Dao, Tay, E De, Ta Oi and Khmer will stage traditional festival and worship rituals during the event.

Highlight of the event is the opening ceremony and art performance on April 19.

As this year event is created to honour traditional musical instruments made from bamboo, schizostachyum aciculare plant and bambusa balcooa, there will be an exhibition and performance of string instruments, wind instruments and echo musical instruments.

The ethnic culture day is held annually to preserve and promote traditional cultural values of the country’s 54 ethnic groups. It also helps consolidate solidarity, attract tourists and popularise cultural heritages.

The ministry also revealed that the Traditional Musical Instrument Solos and Ensembles Festival 2017 will be held in the central province of Thanh Hoa from April 15-23, drawing the participation of more than 900 artists. 

The triennial festival aims to popularise and promote values of national music.-

Vietnamese embassy in Indonesia greets Laos on traditional New Year

Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Hoang Anh Tuan has visited the Lao Embassy to congratulate the embassy’s diplomats and staff on their traditional New Year festival, Bun Pi May.

The Lao host greeted the ambassador and his companions with garlands of flowers, blessings and a “water spraying” ritual.

In a warm gathering, Lao Ambassador to Indonesia Phavanh Nuanthsing thanked his guests for their visit and wishes bringing lucks and joy to the Lao New Year 2560 in the Buddhist calendar. 

He lauded the long-standing friendship between the two countries and hoped that the two embassies in Indonesia would further deepen the bilateral ties.

For his part, Ambassador Tuan wished Ambassador Phavanh and other Lao diplomats a New Year of happiness, health and prosperity and expected the two embassies would work their best to nurture the Vietnam-Lao relations.

The two sides later joined the “thread tightening” ritual, a traditional practice of Laos to pray for luck, health and success and enjoyed traditional foods and music performance of Vietnam and Laos.

Nhan Dan newspaper delegation visits China

A delegation of the Nhan Dan (People) newspaper, led by Editor-in-Chief Thuan Huu, is on a visit to China from April 11-19 at the invitation of the China Daily newspaper.

The delegation was received in Beijing on April 12 by Liu Yunshan, Secretary of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, who highlighted the growing Vietnam – China relationship in recent years, including cooperation between the two parties’ newspapers

He stressed need to promote delegation exchanges between the two newspapers in particular and the two nations’ press in general, thus contributing to promoting Vietnam-China ties, Liu said.

For his part, Thuan Huu underscored  traditional relationship between Nhan Dan newspaper and China Daily, saying Nhan Dan newspaper welcomes numerous press delegations from China, including those from China Daily, every year.

He expressed his hope that the two sides will strengthen visit exchanges of reporters to better update the two nations’ achievements.

The same day, Thuan Huu and Yang Zhenwu, Editor-in-Chief of China Daily held talks. They reviewed cooperation between the two newspapers over the past years, and underlined the role of each newspaper in each country’s revolutionary press cause as well as national building and development.

They shared each other their experiences in developing the newspapers and agreed on measures to deepen cooperation between the two newspapers and discussed ways to develop press on the internet and social networks, among others.

The Vietnamese visited Liaoning, Xinjiang and Guangdong during the stay. 
  
Gia Lai requested to develop hi-tech agro-forestry

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has requested the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai to rely on its strengths to develop hi-tech agriculture and forestry in combination with processing industry.

Talking with provincial leaders on April 13, the Party leader pointed out to several advantages of the province, including a total area of over 15,500sq.m – the second largest locality of Vietnam, climate and basalt soil which are favourable for coffee, rubber and pepper plants.

These advantages are its potential and strengths, for both short and long terms, he affirmed, emphasising the importance of connection between the State, scientists, enterprises and farmers in bringing them into full play.

He asked Gia Lai to focus on new-style rural building, forest and eco-environment protection, and resident resettlement.

Attention should be paid to developing industry, tourism, education and human resources training, while maintaining cultural identities and changing out-of-date practices.

Party chief Trong also reminded the locality of thoroughly dealing with the land issue, well implementing social welfare policies and maintaining defence and security.

It is also necessary for the province to better Party and political system building, he stated, requiring extra efforts to put the Ayun irrigation project in Chu Se district into use in order to bring practical benefits to residents.

According to a report by Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Duong Van Trang, in 2016, Gia Lai enjoyed a GDP growth rate of 7.48 percent, with annual per capita income reaching 38 million VND (1675.8 USD).

As of March 31, the province planted 65,172 hectares of crops, exceeding the plan by 0.5 percent and up 12 percent year-on-year. 

By the end of 2016, the province’s forest coverage reached 46.2 percent.

The poverty rate decreased by 3.18 percent each year to stand at 16.55 percent in late 2016. Health insurance covered 82.3 percent of the local population.