Up to 2,200 runners from 45 countries and territories took part in the Vietnam Mountain Marathon 2017 (VMM 2017) in Sa Pa town, the northwestern province of Lao Cai, from September 22 to 24.

 Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh has underscored the need for ASEAN to strengthen its intra-bloc unity and central role in regional and international issues, especially those regarding peace, stability and development. 

 The daily lives of some 500 households have been disrupted and 600ha of protective forest lost due to landslides on the nearly 70km seashore of the Mekong Delta’s Kien Giang Province in recent years, with climate change blamed for the landslides.

 An earthquake with a magnitude of 2.5 on the Richter scale was reported at the adjacent area between Quynh Nhai and Tua Chua districts in the north-western provinces of Dien Bien and Son La on September 24.

 The freshly-concluded fourth Vietnam-China border defence friendship exchange programme has contributed to building a peaceful border, said Vietnamese Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh.

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam has exported its first consignment of 300 tons of chicken to Japan, described as a ‘historic milestone’ for the livestock industry.

Staff members of the Embassies of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden in Hanoi biked on September 24 to show their support for the Hanoi Pride 2017, an event of the LGBTI community.

VietNamNet Bridge - By the end of November 2016, Vietnam had 324 IZs, including 220 operating with an occupancy rate of 51 percent, according to MPI’s IZ Management Board Department.

 Vietnamese football fans, for the first time in the country, have a chance to meet German National Cup and football legend Joerg Heinrich during his visit to the country.

 Minister of Public Security To Lam received Special Ambassador for Japan-Vietnam Relationships Sugi Ryotaro and Turkish Ambassador Akif Ayhan in Hanoi on September 22.

The Japanese Ministry of Justice will continue comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam to help the Southeast Asian country perfect its legal system, Minister Yoko Kamikawa said.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh highlighted Vietnam’s active and proactive international integration at the General Debate of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 22.

Officials of many countries and international organisations have affirmed they consider Vietnam an important partner in Southeast Asia and Asia-the Pacific during bilateral meetings with Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh.

 Vietnam trounced hosts Mongolia 9-0 in their second Group I match of the AFC U16 Championship qualifier in Ulaanbatar on September 22.

 The fourth Vietnam-China border defence friendship exchange programme is taking place in the northwestern province of Lai Chau and China’s south-western province of Yunnan from September 23-25. 

 Vietnam won a total of 161 medals, including 40 gold, standing fourth in the medal tally after seven competition days of the ninth ASEAN Para Games in Malaysia.

Hi-tech parks are considered important factors in facilitating the nation’s science and technology development. 

Vietnam is boosting its science and technology efforts for sustainable development, as the majority of its technology is outdated. The Law on Technology Transfer passed by the NA in June provides new policies to settle some of these issues.

Dien May Xanh’s purchase of Tran Anh, expected to be completed soon, is expected to restructure the home appliance market, just as the Central Group takeover of Nguyen Kim did in 2015.

Attracting foreign capital will allow Vietnamese pharmacy firms improve their competitiveness and develop the national pharmacy industry. However, analysts warn that the market may fall into foreign hands.